So, an update of sorts, I basically have a job, I just have to wait for them to get the drug test results and then they'll eventually schedule an orientation. Since I don't do any drugs (with the exception being allergy medicine and Excedrin for the migraines I get once in a while, but those are both very legal obviously). The job in question will be another retail position where I'll be cross-trained as a cashier and work in the food shop they have there as well. It'll be the same exact place my brother works at, so if I get the Blazer he and I bought together years ago back up and running he could take me to work (since he has his license and I do not). I just hope that until then our schedules don't differ too much cause then it'll be a lot harder to get too and from work as currently rely on our mother for transportation. I'm tempted to use the fraction of the settlement I have left to put on a down payment to a new vehicle which in saying that surprised my step-dad and he's actually changed his mind to allow me to be behind the wheel of one of the two vehicles in his name provided my mom was the one with me the entire time. I doubt that'll work though cause my mom knows she's not a very good teacher, as she tried to teach my brother with the Blazer when it was working and she tended to freak him out a little bit making him nervous which is never could when behind the wheel.
Anyway, apart from that I actually have a couple companies interested in publishing my story. The only thing is that I have to actually finish the first book, so sadly I might end up deleting the story submissions so it's not shared for free as I feel that would end up hurting my possibility to publish. Currently I'm getting what I've written reviewed by another source to see if there's anything I need to fix before continuing to work on it. My biggest concern is loosing readers with the number of characters in the first book so I'm needing a second opinion, and thus it's being reviewed. Once that happens I'll work on it more and actively try to get it published. Since my story seems pretty good from reviews I've gotten from readers with what I have submitted, I feel pretty confident on whether it'll sell as a book.
My final thought for this journal entry is something that came to me recently while trying to get my permit renewed. I was trying to get it renewed cause the Learner's Permit i have literally just expired at the end of last month and I was informed I needed a valid ID to take a drug test. So my mom took a day off of work and took me to the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) which I'm sure every other state calls "DMV" but Maryland just has to be odd-balls. I of course failed the test because in order to get a learner's permit renewed you have to re-take the test, which even my mom thought was utterly retarded since I passed it once before. However when I attempted the computers are touch screen, and I was informed to sit at one computer that popped up someone else's information entirely while my information popped on another screen. Then when trying to take the test the screen was mostly unresponsive and I never saw two of the four questions I answered incorrectly so it was no doubt a computer error on their part. I was going to see a supervisor however someone before me decided to do that and had to wait over an hour before the supervisor was available just to see if they'd allow them to re-test right that same day cause of the computer. I wasn't willing to wait and in trying to get the drug test over with I decided to try and get a state ID. Now this is where everything went to shit. I paid for the state ID and was given an interim slip to prove my identification until the ID came in the mail. It seems that ALL IDs whether renewals or initial issues are sent in the mail and you have to wait for them to come. So since I would of ended up with an interim slip even if I passed the test I decided to check and see if I could still get the drug test with the interim ID. However the manager/supervisor who interviewed me was not there. I had my interview on Monday to where I had discussed with her that my ID recently expired so she didn't give me the drug test form because they could ONLY due a 24 hour extension on the drug test form so she wanted to help me out, but even she thought I needed a up-to-date ID so that's why on Tuesday I went to the MVA. So I go all the way to the place of potential employment to find that I have to check back the next day (Wednesday) when she comes in and see. So since I had to wait until then my mom ended up taking off Wednesday as well and decided to take me to the MVA to take the re-test while we waited for the manager/supervisor to get into work and the potential employment (to which I'm not going to say the name for a reason). Anyway I go to take the test, and get a perfect score, the first time I've ever done that and was quite proud of myself. I then go to get my learner's permit issued only to find out that the idiot that issued my state ID that I've obviously yet to get in the mail cancelled out my learner's permit entirely and before I can even try and get one I have to bring the state ID in and get it shredded. I asked why I couldn't keep it and have two forms of photo ID, they simply said it wasn't allowed. So I, of course, asked for a refund for the state ID, and they can't do it. Nor issue me anything until I come back with the state ID. I was FURIOUS...screamed at the person because I was NOT informed that if I got a state ID that I'd have to turn it back in so it was not advised or I'd be wasting money. The MVA is a total fucking scam that likes taking people's money and wasting people's time.
To continue, I called my mom since she had merely dropped me off and waited outside the building for her to come get me. While I waited a lady sat down next to me as she couldn't wait inside for her ticket to be called and I overheard her complain to someone else that the wait was ridiculous. I politely added that I believed they loved wasting people's time, and she agreed. I explained my whole situation with the ID and then a thought passed into my mind which I also shared and goes as follows: This country makes it far easier for immigrants to get IDs while the legal born citizens have to jump through all these hoops just to get an ID. It has become state regulatory for a government issued ID in order to do pretty much anything in this state and they're trying to make that the same through the entire country. However unemployment and homeless rates just keep going up and aren't decreasing from what I have seen. With this particular way the MVA runs now, homeless people will sadly remain homeless. Since all IDs are mailed to you now, cost money to get, and IDs are required for employment in most cases and soon to be required for everything from what I've heard. That means that homeless people will end up staying homeless, they won't be able to get a job without an ID, because they can't get the ID with no mailing address or income.
After saying all that I saw the light-bulb pop in her head from the realization and the whole "Oh shit" expression on her face. I even shared that thought with a couple friends and they agreed, so yeah...this is NOT a good turn at all. I figured that was worth sharing just to see anyone else's opinion and see if any other's minds were blown.