Almost one month ago I turned 18... and about a month or so before that, I graduated from High School. Ever since those two events happened, I have received a lot of flak from my folks for not having a job yet. However, I only recently became capable of applying anywhere. Lemme start from the top... as I have a tendency to do on these blog posts.
After my graduation, I was getting all those, "What are you gonna do with your life?" and "What are your plans/goals for the future?" Let's get one thing straight, I don't think that far ahead. If I can survive today, I am delighted. However, I realize that this may not be the smartest way to handle things, now that I am in the "real world", which sucks by the way. Thanks last generation for that. I am not blaming you directly, but it is kinda your generations failed efforts that led to this... and quite frankly, my generation is a bunch of idiots, so we aren't gonna be able to do much to fix that.
Sigh. Oh well, no point in whining now.
To continue our story, I figured that the smartest thing to do would be to get a job. However, I was missing some vital information in order to do so. This became obvious when I went to my bank to cash some checks from my graduation. (Thanks or the monetary gifts by the way. ^.^) But when I get there, I discover that the teen checking account I have, doesn't allow me to cash checks. I had been doing it for close to two years now. What changed? I had no idea, and I am still lost. So we went to talk to a banker, and when we told him that I was but weeks away from 18, he asked if I had Oregon ID. My school ID was all that I had, and that wasn't enough.
My parents never took me to get a permit of anything, which was fine with me, till I discovered that one was required for almost *everything.* So we gave me an upgraded, but apparently, still limited account, cashed my checks, and I was on my way, now with the knowledge that an Oregon ID would be a smart idea. When I returned home, and a couple weeks later, my mother and I began looking for any info that I might need. We found a lot of stuff. Old pictures, school report cards, letters from my mother from before I could even read, etc. It was nice... until we discovered that my Social Security Card was nowhere to find.
So, without losing our will, we gathered other papers, and went to the social security office, ready to get me my card. After I was asked if I was carrying weapons by a short security guard who's most intimidating feature was the tazer on her belt, and about 30 minutes of waiting, we approached the man hiding behind his pane of bulletproof glass. No, I didn't test it, but it looked very thick. We presented him with our problem, and all the papers we had. Then he asked for ID. I mentioned that I had a school ID from that year, but I was graduated. He assured us that it would still work for a short time.
Then I discovered... I had forgot my wallet. Epic facepalm. I swear, there was an old lady that jumped when my hand cracked against my skull in an attempt to rectify my fail. Instead, I got a headache. We then received a little paper from the man, with my SSN on it, and he told us I could use that for most situations. He also added that the computer had my old name, Jake Taylor Socia, still, and it needed to be updated. This required another paper which we came to find out later, we did not possess. So we took what we had, home.
Within the week, we went to the courthouse, where I discovered that I *can* joke anywhere. But, we used 10,000 year old technology, retrieved our needed documents, navigated past shady characters in the waiting room, and made it back to the Social Security Office, this time sure that we had everything we needed. Their load was light, so we were helped within 10 minutes and again had a lovely discussion with a government employee. We gave her all the documents, and I presented her with my ID. Somehow, my School ID had become invalidated, within the week. However, with what we had, I was able to change my name in their computers, (quite frankly, I kinda like Socia better. It's shorter.) and we had plenty of time left in the day. So we headed off to the DMV.
My first experience at the DMV was a bit of a let down. I thought it would have been more depressing, with more fat ladies behind desks, and crying children. While bother were there, it didn't bother me all that much. We took a number and sat down. We passed the time by joking and making fun of random families around us. When we were called up, our associate was an older, skinny lady, and we began filling out papers. When we got to the matter of cost, we made an interesting discovery. It costs twice as much to buy an Oregon ID than it does for a Permit. Coming to a decision, we opted for a permit. (Why not? I was planning on driving sometime.) I sat down with the driver's manual for the first time and spent about 15 minuted reading/skimming it.
When I felt ready, I approached a very comedic woman, who I believe was like me and could joke about anything. I was right. After informing me that the test was in Japanese on Mondays, I took a vision, which I passed with flying colors. Then they assigned me a computer, and I started the test.
35 questions with 7 mistakes... not much room for error. I had to be slow and careful. Two things I really just suck at. Zipping through the first ten with only two mistakes, I felt pretty confident. Until within my next 20 questions, I had used up all my mistakes. Final five. No mistakes allowed. I was sweating. The bases were loaded. A hush fell over the crowd. The pitcher glared at me... Whoops, wrong story... Sorry, got carried away. See what happens when you blog at 2 in the morning? Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the Final Five. Every tap on the screen was a tense moment... each breath came out shaky... I was sweating. One down, correct. Two? Doing okay. Third one... tentatively I press the yes button. Correct. I sigh in relief. Two more to go. Most tense test ever. The first one was easy, it was one of the last things I read in the manual. I answered it with confidence. And got it right. Whoo.
Last question. And it was one that I vaguely remembered... But not enough to come up with a definitive answer. So, I did what any intellectual would do in that situation. I eliminated the two blatantly wrong answers, and flipped a coin for the other two. I selected my answer, closed my eyes, and mashed the "yes" button. My finger, wet with perspiration slid slightly, as I continued to push down and opened my eyes. Test results... PASSED!!!
I had to control the urge to leap from my chair! A perfect 70%!! I had completed on my first try. Everyone else that I knew, had to at least return four times. If not to take the test, for other reasons. I straightened my hair, making myself look presentable. I hadn't really woken up that morning, expecting to get my permit. I got my confirmation from the lady at the desk, approached the camera, and gave the best smile I could muster. It was over. I had my interim permit, and the actual one was on the way.
Now I could silence the nagging. The incessant cry for me to get a job. And within the past four weeks, I have applied at a total of... zero places. Yeah, I know. I should have been more on top of things. But I was trying to enjoy my last Summer Break, which went relatively okay. I spent my whole life having to grow up faster than most kids. I looked out for myself a lot. Why couldn't I just slow sown this once and just be a kid for a couple months?
Come September, I hope to hear for sure if I am going to continue working for HomeSource, my old school, as a Tech Team Lead, my job being that of training the new kids. After I get that sorted, I will start applying for a real job. A paying job.
But until then, party on!! Enjoy every second of Summer. School starts soon kids. Have fun, don't get stressed. Swim in a river, jump in a lake, have a barbecue, invite friends over, play games, do whatever you love doing.
Cause one day, you are going to wake up, and realize that you are 18 now. And life just goes down hill from there.
Till you hit 21. Then you have something new to help you cope. :P
This is Jake, too tired to continue, signing off. Good night.
After my graduation, I was getting all those, "What are you gonna do with your life?" and "What are your plans/goals for the future?" Let's get one thing straight, I don't think that far ahead. If I can survive today, I am delighted. However, I realize that this may not be the smartest way to handle things, now that I am in the "real world", which sucks by the way. Thanks last generation for that. I am not blaming you directly, but it is kinda your generations failed efforts that led to this... and quite frankly, my generation is a bunch of idiots, so we aren't gonna be able to do much to fix that.
Sigh. Oh well, no point in whining now.
To continue our story, I figured that the smartest thing to do would be to get a job. However, I was missing some vital information in order to do so. This became obvious when I went to my bank to cash some checks from my graduation. (Thanks or the monetary gifts by the way. ^.^) But when I get there, I discover that the teen checking account I have, doesn't allow me to cash checks. I had been doing it for close to two years now. What changed? I had no idea, and I am still lost. So we went to talk to a banker, and when we told him that I was but weeks away from 18, he asked if I had Oregon ID. My school ID was all that I had, and that wasn't enough.
My parents never took me to get a permit of anything, which was fine with me, till I discovered that one was required for almost *everything.* So we gave me an upgraded, but apparently, still limited account, cashed my checks, and I was on my way, now with the knowledge that an Oregon ID would be a smart idea. When I returned home, and a couple weeks later, my mother and I began looking for any info that I might need. We found a lot of stuff. Old pictures, school report cards, letters from my mother from before I could even read, etc. It was nice... until we discovered that my Social Security Card was nowhere to find.
So, without losing our will, we gathered other papers, and went to the social security office, ready to get me my card. After I was asked if I was carrying weapons by a short security guard who's most intimidating feature was the tazer on her belt, and about 30 minutes of waiting, we approached the man hiding behind his pane of bulletproof glass. No, I didn't test it, but it looked very thick. We presented him with our problem, and all the papers we had. Then he asked for ID. I mentioned that I had a school ID from that year, but I was graduated. He assured us that it would still work for a short time.
Then I discovered... I had forgot my wallet. Epic facepalm. I swear, there was an old lady that jumped when my hand cracked against my skull in an attempt to rectify my fail. Instead, I got a headache. We then received a little paper from the man, with my SSN on it, and he told us I could use that for most situations. He also added that the computer had my old name, Jake Taylor Socia, still, and it needed to be updated. This required another paper which we came to find out later, we did not possess. So we took what we had, home.
Within the week, we went to the courthouse, where I discovered that I *can* joke anywhere. But, we used 10,000 year old technology, retrieved our needed documents, navigated past shady characters in the waiting room, and made it back to the Social Security Office, this time sure that we had everything we needed. Their load was light, so we were helped within 10 minutes and again had a lovely discussion with a government employee. We gave her all the documents, and I presented her with my ID. Somehow, my School ID had become invalidated, within the week. However, with what we had, I was able to change my name in their computers, (quite frankly, I kinda like Socia better. It's shorter.) and we had plenty of time left in the day. So we headed off to the DMV.
My first experience at the DMV was a bit of a let down. I thought it would have been more depressing, with more fat ladies behind desks, and crying children. While bother were there, it didn't bother me all that much. We took a number and sat down. We passed the time by joking and making fun of random families around us. When we were called up, our associate was an older, skinny lady, and we began filling out papers. When we got to the matter of cost, we made an interesting discovery. It costs twice as much to buy an Oregon ID than it does for a Permit. Coming to a decision, we opted for a permit. (Why not? I was planning on driving sometime.) I sat down with the driver's manual for the first time and spent about 15 minuted reading/skimming it.
When I felt ready, I approached a very comedic woman, who I believe was like me and could joke about anything. I was right. After informing me that the test was in Japanese on Mondays, I took a vision, which I passed with flying colors. Then they assigned me a computer, and I started the test.
35 questions with 7 mistakes... not much room for error. I had to be slow and careful. Two things I really just suck at. Zipping through the first ten with only two mistakes, I felt pretty confident. Until within my next 20 questions, I had used up all my mistakes. Final five. No mistakes allowed. I was sweating. The bases were loaded. A hush fell over the crowd. The pitcher glared at me... Whoops, wrong story... Sorry, got carried away. See what happens when you blog at 2 in the morning? Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the Final Five. Every tap on the screen was a tense moment... each breath came out shaky... I was sweating. One down, correct. Two? Doing okay. Third one... tentatively I press the yes button. Correct. I sigh in relief. Two more to go. Most tense test ever. The first one was easy, it was one of the last things I read in the manual. I answered it with confidence. And got it right. Whoo.
Last question. And it was one that I vaguely remembered... But not enough to come up with a definitive answer. So, I did what any intellectual would do in that situation. I eliminated the two blatantly wrong answers, and flipped a coin for the other two. I selected my answer, closed my eyes, and mashed the "yes" button. My finger, wet with perspiration slid slightly, as I continued to push down and opened my eyes. Test results... PASSED!!!
I had to control the urge to leap from my chair! A perfect 70%!! I had completed on my first try. Everyone else that I knew, had to at least return four times. If not to take the test, for other reasons. I straightened my hair, making myself look presentable. I hadn't really woken up that morning, expecting to get my permit. I got my confirmation from the lady at the desk, approached the camera, and gave the best smile I could muster. It was over. I had my interim permit, and the actual one was on the way.
Now I could silence the nagging. The incessant cry for me to get a job. And within the past four weeks, I have applied at a total of... zero places. Yeah, I know. I should have been more on top of things. But I was trying to enjoy my last Summer Break, which went relatively okay. I spent my whole life having to grow up faster than most kids. I looked out for myself a lot. Why couldn't I just slow sown this once and just be a kid for a couple months?
Come September, I hope to hear for sure if I am going to continue working for HomeSource, my old school, as a Tech Team Lead, my job being that of training the new kids. After I get that sorted, I will start applying for a real job. A paying job.
But until then, party on!! Enjoy every second of Summer. School starts soon kids. Have fun, don't get stressed. Swim in a river, jump in a lake, have a barbecue, invite friends over, play games, do whatever you love doing.
Cause one day, you are going to wake up, and realize that you are 18 now. And life just goes down hill from there.
Till you hit 21. Then you have something new to help you cope. :P
This is Jake, too tired to continue, signing off. Good night.
