Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Bullet points for Melissa

My friend Melissa tells me that she likes my bullet point blogs. This may be because she has a toddler and is growing increasingly uncomfortable with #2 on the way, and bullets read much faster.

Speaking of Melissa, last night Melissa called me on the phone. In the two years that we have been friends, I am not sure if I have ever spoken with her via telephone. Two phone-phobic people does not allow for a lot of electronic gabbing. Anyways, to make Melissa's day easy, here are my current bullets:
  • My Kentucky driver's license has expired. Yes, you read that correctly. I still have (or had as it has now expired) a Kentucky license. The reason is that JB is a student, and is therefore not required to obtain a Minnesota license. This point is actually null, however, because he has a military ID which operates in place of a license. When I first moved to St. Charles, the local police officer told me that we only had to get Minnesota plates on a car that I drove because I was not a student. Since we only had one car, and I drove it, this meant our one car needed plates (and plates on the FRONT of the car in Minnesota is a requirement.)
  • Speaking of plates on the front of the car, that reminds me of a funny story, and since the last bullet point is really too long to even qualify as a bullet point, I will make this bullet #2 (for Melissa's sake.) First semester of medical school was a busy time in JB's life. So busy that the local St. Charles cop (where I taught) had to tell me two times to get a plate put on the front of the car. This led to an argument (between JB and me not between the cop and me) because JB wasn't jumping as fast as I would like (or as fast as the cop would like). One day, just to prove a point, I took the drill out to the garage and prepared to drill the holes into the front of the car to hang this stupid front-of-the-car plate. However when I realized that messing up our car was not worth proving a point, I put the drill down and backed up very slowly into the house. Later, when I tried to explain to JB what I had done, I couldn't recall the name of the tool (how hard is it to remember the word "drill"?) John then said he didn't think anyone should be allowed to use a tool they can't name. Funny.
  • Okay, so back to my license issue. If I would have been smart enough to realize that my license was going to expire a year before we may possibly leave Rochester, I would have just gotten a stupid license the first year I was here. I always just planned on telling the cop that I was a student's wife. I didn't think it was fair that he didn't have to get a license, and the cop wasn't even positive what a student's wife had to do. How fair is it to move to the Polar North out of love and then have to get a new license because of that love? I don't know if my "I'm a medical student's wife" idea would have worked, but in Minnesota you have to take a WRITTEN test to join their state's fantastic driving association! How bogus is that? Worse -- I hear the test is really hard.
  • Since Melissa is on my mind, I wonder if she has a Minnesota license as she is a medical spouse. Cassie, Kristen . . . do you have licenses? If you do, was the test hard?
  • Okay, enough about driving.
  • Next major thing I need to get done? I need to get a passport. I lost my passport when we moved to Minnesota. It was in my pile of "very important things you definitely shouldn't lose when you move" which included my teaching license and a few other items that made me shed a few tears when it became completely obvious that they were gone forever.
  • Problem is I need a current driver's license to get a passport.
  • I have gotten the passport photos so that is one thing I don't have to do.
  • Another thing I need to is make an appointment with my allergist. He saved my life last fall but told me I needed to come in sometime around July to get "prepared" for another ragweed season. I called today so I will wait to hear if I have to come in or if they can just prescribe my medications.
  • I am slightly concerned that my allergy medications may not be safe to take with my IVF medications or in pregnancy. I hope my allergist, Miguel, who is a friend of our's from Bible Study, can help with this.
  • Speaking of doctors, I am noticing considerable improvement in my headaches. Today I actually only took THREE Alleve. What a woman huh?
  • I have been running quite a bit. Monday afternoon I ran with JB and yesterday I actually ran with Kelsey. She is training for a marathon! Now yesterday was her "light" day so I decided to run with her, and I actually didn't do half bad. I feel so much better when I am running. I will stop during the week preceding and the two weeks following my transfer, and if I ever do a harvest I will stop for longer, but man, it feels so good to run.
  • Monday afternoon JB and I ran at 4:45. It was 97 degrees at the time. In conversation today I told my boss this. He immediately switched into "doctor" mode asking me what I was thinking running in that sort of heat. I explained that I grew in south Florida and 97 degrees with only 47% humidity was not that bad, but he didn't buy it -- he said as a physician he had to advise me against that sort of "reckless behavior." :)
  • Tonight I am filling in for my RLS office manager's co-ed volleyball team again. I enjoy these occasional outings. I would love to play more regularly but don't think I can commit to a team with my required weeks of no activity for infertility events. However, it has been raining all day today. We haven't had rain in so long so I am just sitting by the window watching it come down. This could ruin the chances of playing volleyball this evening.
  • Okay Melissa, I hope that gave you your fill of bullets.

6 comments:

cassi said...

Wendi! I love that you are discussing this because this exact issue has been on my mind. I also have my excuse all ready for the cop that my husband is a student and therefore that should count for me not getting a MN license. I have gone over the scenerio multiple times, even with what the cops rebuttals will be, and then what I will say back, etc. You see, when we first moved here, I called the DMV lady and I convinced her that I didn't need one until she agreed, so I thought I could tell the cop that one. I am worried though because technically you are suppose to get one within 30 or 60 days of moving here, so I wonder if they will try to give me some fine.
Also, we do not have a front license plate either. Our car does not have holes to line up with the plate. But just a couple days ago, I read that not having a front license plate in Hennepin County is $112... so even though I have my excuses all layed out for the cop on this one too, I think we may just try to find a plate holder or something?? How did you get your front plate on?
Ok, this is too long of a comment- sorry. But also, I enjoy the bullets as well. :)

Wendi Kitsteiner said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Wendi Kitsteiner said...

Actually Cassi, I think that if you don't have a job, you don't have to get ANYTHING if you are still Utah state residents. It's if you get a job and you are the primary driver. I think. I am not sure. I, like you, have just practice my ignorance. :)

Anonymous said...

Wendi: IN has the same "test" requirements. For sentimental reasons (& fear of the test) I avoided getting a new license. However, when Maddi needed her permit for driver's ed I had to do it or they wouldn't let her get a permit. I had to take that test wi/her breathing down my neck! If I failed she would not have been to happy wi/me. I Passed! She got her permit, and I'm finally legal.

Anonymous said...

Ran out of room :). Regarding the "fine". I work with police, and they pretty much told me, they won't fine unless I tell them I'm late - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". I just said, "we moved her from Iowa and I need a new license". No problems.
P.S. If you are fined, in IN it would only be around $25.00, so don't worry. Aunt Linda

Wendi Kitsteiner said...

Thanks Linda! But now that mine is expired I guess I do have to get one?