The DMV Experience

Now, this blog was mainly here to vent about anything that I felt needed to be vented and ranted about; and today opened my eyes to something that really made me want to rip my hair out...

The DMV.

I am seventeen years old. In reality, this means I can see R-rated movies.

But hey, I guess I don't look my age because I can't get into these films without my mommy. Oh shoot - that made me look a little immature.

Unfortunately, I am deathly afraid of driving; so I don't have my license. So, no photo I.D.

Today, my boyfriend and I decided that we wanted to see one of those movies and we didn't want a hassle, or have to sneak in, to a movie that I should be allowed into. So... that meant a trip to the lovely Department of Motor Vehicles.

Thad, having already experienced a let-down at the DMV (along with 99% of the population, i'm sure.) , got prepared to ensure that no problems would be met and I would walk out of that god-forsaken place with a nice temporary I.D. I had my social security card, my birth certificate, cash... ready to go.

Getting there and taking a number; we waited for a little bit.

Before noticing the sign that said.........

ONLY CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS ACCEPTED - NO CASH

Angered that we had forgotten this little snag, we left to go to a gas station so that I may get a money order. Money order in hand - we made our return trip.

Of course, no DMV could be in a populated, convenient area... so you know, it's a drive.

Upon returning we realized that it was getting a little late. Thaddeus needed to pick up his puppy from the groomer's in an hour, so I was left to fend for myself.
I pressed the button to receive my second number of the day, convinced that I had outsmarted the people of PennDOT and was about to get my ID.

104...105.............106.....107...108.

108! Yes! That's me! As my excitement peaked - I walked to the desk.
And that's when a feeble old man cut in front of me.

Apparently, even the soulless employees of the DMV have feelings and the man sitting at the desk let the old man cut in front of me and told me that he'll "Get to me in a moment."

This just isn't going my way.

After the old man had left; I once again made the trip up to the desk and sat down.

The man looked at me and quietly said, "Okay, what do you need?"

I replied a photo ID, and promptly pulled out my documents to prove that I was actually a legitimate human.

And that's when I hit 2 detrimental snags.

1.) Apparently, I was at the wrong desk. You do not press the "photo" option on the number printer if you want a PHOTO ID. Whoops.
2.) Since I am under 18, and did not have parents with me, I needed a piece of mail to prove my address.

And the guy at the desk just wanted to tell me this before I "wasted my time."

My anger reaching it's limit, I told him that I already have and left.

You know, if they actually wanted to get things done at the DMV; they would tell you what they needed so you could actually get something accomplished.
I just think they like turning people away.

And what is the point of having a website if you're not going to have any sort of real information available?! I had to use the search bar to find out their hours of operation. Logical, PennDOT, very logical.

Well, that's my rant. I could go on and on about the stupid things that happened there today, meaningless anecdotes, but I would lose my point and seem a lot less intelligent.

Here, my dear readers, is some valuable information if you plan on braving the DMV:

*Hours of operation: 8:30am - 4:15pm
*What you should bring: Social Security Card, Birth Certificate, a check or money order with your needed amount for whatever you may be attempting to obtain, proof of address, and something to kill the wait time.... and/or the employees/annoying people. (I am not condoning this.)

This only holds true to the DMV's of Pennsylvania.

Oh, the real kicker here... the summer blockbuster we wanted to see was rated PG-13. So, we saw it anyway.

Peace out,
-Amy Lee

Currently listening to: "Your Love is My Drug" - Ke$ha
also suggests: using www.rainymood.com

Going Furthur.

I went to a concert last night. The concert was 'Furthur', who if you don't know is basically a Grateful Dead tribute band, starring members of The Grateful Dead: bassist Phil Lesh and front man/guitarist Bob Weir.

Okay, normally, I really wouldn't write a post about a concert.. but this wasn't any average concert.

For any of you that actually reads this blog and has been to a Grateful Dead concert, maybe you understand. But for the majority that don't, it's definitely something to experience at least one in your life.

Walking into a group of the band's biggest fans called "dead heads" was basically life changing. Other than people just there to see the band play, Thaddeus walked me through a group of tents set up like a village with people seeling all sorts of tye-dye apparel, jewlery, and other hand made things all while looking for people to sell them tickets to that night's show.

I've never been in the middle of so many people doing so many illegal things. Every few feet people were selling nitrous balloons, passing joints, and who knows what else. People were swarming, and I was holding onto my boyfriend's arm for dear life.

I was told about that little "village" beforehand, but nothing could prepare me for the actual thing. What strikes me as odd were that these people follow the band. From show to show, they just follow the band... selling whatever they could to make enough money to buy gas to drive to the next show.

These people just have no care in the world. And I don't understand how they do it when I saw quite a few of them with children.

After walking around the parking lot for a while, we actually ventured up to the venue. For sitting around for quite a while before the show actually started; all the seats were empty. The show was set to begin at 7:30, and people finally started filing in about ten minutes till. While people were filing in; everyone was introducing themselves to one another, asking how many shows the other had been to, and talking about the show from last night (which, apparently, everyone was at.)

And then, with the time inching closer to showtime, the entire scene changed.

Suddenly, everyone around me were passing around pipes, joints... everything.. and offering it to everyone else around them.

I made it through high school without getting offered as many drugs as I did last Sunday.

The air was thick with the scent of marajuana, and what sickened me was all the kids running around. I mean, come on. I had a splitting headache. ...those poor kids.

After the first set; Thad and I took a seat to relax. I turned around to look around and right behind me was a fat guy with a bag of cocaine, snorting it with three other people.

I really felt like I shouldn't have been there.

But at the same time, with everyone around me doing basically everything I disapprove of in life.. they were all such nice people. Everyone talking to each other, bonding over how many shows they've been to, the music, the experience.. It amazed me.

I may have been disapproval of the entire scene, but it was definitely something to see. The idea that these people are just so willing to follow around a band and spend their life doing these things was inconcievable to me, and.. I don't really know what to say there.

I wonder what they do when the band is not touring.

The band, well... I'm not the biggest Dead fan in the world. It seemed like background music to me, and I just couldn't focus on about 2 minutes of hook and chorus in between about 20 minutes of improvisation between the bass, the guitar, the other guitar, and the drummer. (No offense Thaddeus, and any other fans out there.)

Well, all in all, it was something to see. And hey, the music was good. It may not have been my favorite thing; but there was no denying it was good.

Oh, and getting lost in Philly after wards was pretty fun. Nothing like the computerized voice of the GPS saying "recalculating" fifty thousand times.

Peace out,
-Amy Lee

Currently listening to: Nothing!!! :O
Currently watching: The Hills, A Hollywood Ending. (Oh my gosh, the finale SUCKED.)

Oh where, oh where have you been you ranting blogger?

The last time I posted was June 2nd. That was basically the start of my summer! School was ending, at for me that meant the up and coming end of my career in high school and ready to move along to college. (Ready? Really? Who am I kidding?)

The end of school wasn't anything special for me. A lot of my friends and fellow classmates were totally broken up about leaving the school we've been present in for six years, as we do not have a seperate middle school.

At class day, the celebration of our class.. I didn't cry as I was hugging the people I've come to know all of my life as we all clamored up on the stage to the sound of our class song. I didn't cry, even if people were slobbering all over my brand new dress.

At graduation practice... I read a book and learned how to "shake with my right hand, take with my left, smile for the cameras, and walk straight down the aslie before turning to my seat.

Before graduation... I whined as my mother took my picture in my cap and gown and complained about how hot it was.

And finally, at that moment.. sitting with my class as speech after speech happened, and we were called to receive our diplomas after successfully fufilling our graduation requirements that I walked across the stage shook, took, smiled and walked straight out to my chair that I realized...

I was relieved.

I was relieved to be walking away from that stadium, to be walking away from that school, never actually required to go there ever again. And as we threw our caps in the air in a moment of poor joy; it seemed that everyone else on the field was relieved too.

Then that split second ended, and girls began hugging each other in tears, Parents flooded the field looking for their "babies" as pandemonium ensued as everything became claustrophobic.

I stayed in one place, waiting for my family as MY friends came rushing to me. My friends. Underclassmen from the band, past alumni from the band, and maybe about 5 other graduates.

I didn't cry, and it was shocking to me how many people were.

Enough of that!! It's July, so where was I for the rest of the summer?! Well, for the rest of June i've been galavanting all across the Wyoming Valley with a few close friends, and especially my all-too-wonderful boyfriend Thaddeus. The writer of www.thadsemporium.com

Besides spending the summer laying by the pool with any book I please, i've been spending my time attending car cruises with my boyfriend and his family in one of their many antique cars, having smoothies and chai tea in Barnes and Noble, making way too many trips to the movies to see the new summer blockbusters the day they come out, and having little road trips all over the Keystone State.

While i've been living up here in the summer months, i've also been working, preparing for going to school again in the fall, and rebuilding the haunted house I work at. (read one of the other haunted house members blog at http://hauntedhousewriter.blogspot.com/)

Oh, and I also got this really rad new laptop that i'm currently blogging from.

More to come, internet. Stay tuned and enjoy what's left of the summer!

Dear Digg,

Here's a complaint:

Digg, I used to love you. You were the first website I used to open every time I logged onto the wonderful world wide web.

But now Digg.... I want to burn you alive.

Rarely, will I ever check digg for news. I cannot STAND that you have advertisements disguised as posts. Oh, and why should I care about the 10 most disgusting [insert something here]

Please, go back to the days of interesting tech blogs, cool gaming news, and no ads disguised as stories.

...

Right at this moment, i'm realizing the effect music has on me.
I'm feeling quite angsty at the moment, and I've been listening to Seether, Coheed and Cambria, Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold, Blue October, Chevelle, and Muse since i've gotten out of work two hours ago.

I'm sure this isn't helping my crappy mood, but I can't help it.
Depending on my mood, I let music envelope me.

When i'm happy, it's danceable music. When i'm sad, it's mostly Bright Eyes. Angsty, like this... and I go back to goth-Amy.

I try to be positive, and I just can't.

Is something wrong with me? Or is everyone like this? I just decide that i'm going to be mad and I can't bring myself out of this.

Maybe I should just shuffle through and shut up.

-Amy Lee

Currently listening to (and want to cry my eyes out to): "I'm Broken" - Seether

Barnes and Noble!

I'm blogging. From my iPod. Wee. I have nothing to say other than that. And I'm in Barnes and Noble.

New look!

Hope everyone likes my new look on the blog.

Here's a random anecdote for you:
I usually pre-write my blog in a little journal that's decked out with these little owls. So i'm pretty excited that this template matches.

That's all i've got for you.

Look for a new post coming soon about rising teen pregnancy and why I love 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom!