PMS 8O.O and Birthday Bash Coming.
Please join me and my family for my show on Saturday, April 13 at the Dragon Theater followed by a celebration of my 80th birthday.
The show is 2:00 – 3:30 (doors open at 1:30). Good timing for those of us “seniors” who don’t drive at night. After the show, about 3:45, we will adjourn to Arya ( a restaurant just around the corner) for food, drink, and merriment.
Tickets $30 at the door; $25 in advance. Seating is limited. Please order your tickets online now. (It is helpful for me to know the numbers for planning):
https://www.dragonproductions.net/other-events/outside-rentals.html.
Birthday backstory. I’m not big on celebrating birthdays (and especially not interested in getting presents!). For my 70th, though, I got into it. Big party at PowerSpeaking headquarters. I refused to give in to the aging process. I denied my age by dying my hair and wearing tie dye.
Jazz singer, Clairdee, sings Happy Birthday to me. Very memorable!
REAL ID
and a Good Experience at the DMV
I had to renew my drivers license and upgrade to a REAL ID (needed to board domestic flights after October 1, 2020). I was dreading it. The possibility of failing the written test, and the time it takes. I’d heard stories of it being an eight hour ordeal.
What I learned that might help you:
• You can make an appointment at the DMV, but they are several months out.
• You can get there at 6:00AM to get at the front of the line.
• Bring lots of cash in small bills. My clerk had no change and needed to go see her supervisor to get $4 in change.
She also spent 10 minutes complaining about what a shitty place to work the DMV is. She has been there 14 years, the
pay is low, and they don’t even supply free coffee for the workers. She has written a complaint to Gavin Newsom.
She was wearing a hoody to keep warm.
• Study the goddamned California Vehicle Code. The test is 18 questions (now on a computer screen), and you can only miss three.
For the REAL ID – read the requirements. They are very strict.
• Bring your original birth certificate and SS card. Bring several “solid” things with proof of address like PG&E bills. Magazine address labels won’t work. Bring your current U.S. passport. Mine was out of date and so, did not count. They are rigid about this and will send you home if you don’t have what they demand.
• Name – big deal. My birth certificate says my name is Frederick Seymour Gilbert, III. Of course, I go by “Rick” and never use III. So my other documents don’t have this formal name. Very confusing for my clerk. She almost did not accept my application because of that. Make sure all your documents are in order.
• Go online and fill out an application before hand. Go to: eDLapp.dmv.ca.gov. This will give you a code. Without that, you don’t get in.
MOST IMPORTANT: go to yogov.org and book a DMV Line Conciege. This is the BEST $95 I’ve ever spent. Brenda was my line concierge, and she knew her stuff. She was #2 in line and guided me through this process. Turns out I hadn’t filled out the application correctly and she and her daughter helped me do it again while waiting in line. Saved me hours of time and lots of anxiety. If you are in the Bay Area, ask for Brenda. She travels. I was in and out in less than an hour!
Here is the IM string between me and Brenda.
Peninsula Readers
On April 7 my friend Chris Sakelarios is sponsoring a fun evening of country line dancing at
the Club Fox in downtown Redwood City. I’ll be there. Stop by if you can.
Ask your doctor if PMS 80.0 is right for you.
Side effects may include chuckling, knee-slapping, and an occasional tear.
Seek immediate psychiatric help if still laughing after four hours.
Hi Rick, and an early Happy 80. I’ve got a year to go but you’re in good company with most of our classmates.
I had the same issues with getting my CDL renewed and trying to get the REAL license. I had just had my second cataract surgery, was waiting for my new glasses and did not pass the vision test so they gave me a provisional license but the actual license (NOT A REAL) arrived in the mail because someone at the DMV screwed up. At least my passport renewal arrived so I can use that along with my CDL, so I’m told by someone at AAA. I was damned if I was going back to the DMV to fight the issue again.
I hope all the younger followers are paying attention to all this !!!
Anyway, have a great event and party.
I hope you have a blast at your 80th b’day party! You’re forging the way in style.