Permanent move

What constitutes permanent residency?  I pose this question because we went and got our Minnesota driver's licenses last week which is one of several steps I think it takes to become a resident of a state. 

It was interesting because despite the fact that we both have been driving for more than a decade, the state of Minnesota requires everyone who is getting their license for the first time in the state to take a forty question test.  You need an eighty percent to pass the test.  We both passed.  With an eighty percent.  BOOM!  The test had some questions that you would never think of.  Like, 'how many feet are you suppose to leave between you and someone biking on the road?'  It's something you never really think of.  Then they would have a question like, 'true or false:  Alcohol impairs your judgement when operating a vehicle.'  There were some questions that were no brainers and others which made me think how did I pass this course in the first place when I was fourteen and didn't have the experience?

So we both got our licenses, but that is just one of things it takes to be a permanent resident.  The biggest thing has to be living somewhere.  The first two weeks we were here, we lived with my uncle so we didn't technically live anywhere.  We were out of our lease in Wichita and had no address in Minnesota.  We missed our one opportunity to get off the grid and disappear forever.  At the beginning of September, we moved into our apartment and step one was completed.  Although there are some that would not consider living in an apartment a move towards a permanent residency because you could just be here for a year and be gone.  However, we're here for the long haul, so I'll count it.  Step one:  completed. 

Step two and three go hand in hand.  Driver's license and license plate for your car.  Both of these things expire eventually, so no matter how much you delay, you eventually have to get them both.  These are the things that are the biggest road blocks when it comes to becoming a resident just because they cost quite a bit of money to get.  Okay, so not a ton for a driver's license.  It was twenty five dollars.  License plates can be expensive, around one hundred dollars.  I am waiting until July to get my license plate because that is when it expires.  The license plates in Kansas come with property tax and it cost around one hundred twenty to one hundred fifty dollars depending on how new your car is, so I am getting my money's worth out of my Kansas license plate. 

So it isn't until those three things fall into place that you become a permanent resident of a state when you are an adult.  You can't hold kids to these standards because they can't drive.  

Writing barrage

Every single year, I try to write at least the same number or more posts than the previous year.  The goal is one hundred and twenty three this year.  Looking at the number of posts I have now, it's going to be quite a busy month and a half coming up here at My Own Manifesto.  Enjoy or be disgusted, don't really care. 

I have an issue with the Veteran's Day sales that stores have.  Specific two or three day sales that are plastered with savings.  Now, when I think of Veteran's Day, I don't think of going to Macy's or Kohl's or a furniture store warehouse to save money.  I think of men and women serving their country.  Not just the United States, but any person that has served in any branch of their military in any country.  It's a day to remember any person that has fallen in the defense of their country, for something that was bigger than they were.  It's a day to thank anyone you know that has served.  It's a day not for going to stores to do your best to save some extra money on something you want to buy. 

This holiday falls in line with the Columbus Day sales you see advertised.  And President's Day sales.  What is the connection to people coming in and saving money on a couch and Christopher Columbus mutilating, raping, and killing his way into the history books?  Do you think that if George Washington could be here now he would be so happy to see that you can save an extra twenty percent at the local department store during President's Day weekend?  Do you think a veteran of the first Gulf War gives two shits about any of that?  I think not. 

The one nice thing that I have seen is what some restaurants are advertising that they are doing for vets.  It isn't anything major, but still, it's a sign of gratitude.  Some McDonald's (okay, not a real restaurant) here in the Twin Cities are donating portions of their earnings on Veteran's Day to the Minnesota Military Family Foundation.  A nice gesture.  Kind of makes me want to go find one of these McDonald's and clog my arteries for a good cause.  Many restaurants are giving veterans free meals on Veteran's Day.  It's a great way to say thank you in the best way that their business can.   

I just think that the best way that you or I can say thank you to a vet is to just say that.  Thank you!  Thank you to all the men and women around the world, no matter what country you are from, thank you.  Thank you so very much for thinking of your country before yourself. 

Up goes Frazier, up goes Fraizer!

Joe Frazier has passed away at the age of sixty seven.  'Smokin' Joe Frazier is spoken about in awe and reverence amongst sports people.  From all accounts, he was a great athlete.  I never got the opportunity to see the man box.  I have only seen clips of some of his fights.  He was a true warrior, apparently. 

Boxing is a sport I will never truly understand.  I could not be paid enough to stand in a ring and get punched.  Repeatedly.  Can't do it.  But some people can.  Frazier was one of them.  When boxing was big, he was bigger than the sport.  The first man to beat Ali.  Olympic champion.  I will never understand the sport because I did not grow up with it.  I did not grow up seeing the big names on Friday nights or Saturday main events.  I did not get to see the rise or fall of the men of the ring. 

Once again, it is one of those situations when you read or hear about some great person before your time passing away.  You hear the stories that others have of these people and wish, just wish, for once that you can tell these same types of stories.  But for that to happen, someone has to pass away. 







And no one wants that. 

Early holiday

I worked in close proximity to our seasonal department today.  I died inside a little bit today because of it.  Christmas spluged all over. (if you don't understand that statement, just move on).  I enjoy the Christmas holiday, it's just that it starts so damn early in the retail world that by the time the end of December comes around, when you should be really excited for it, you just want it to be over.

Everyone has their favorite holiday.  Whether it's the fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Columbus Day (let's not kid ourselves on that one, not even Italians like Columbus Day) or another holiday all together.  Christmas is my favorite.  And I'm not even talking about it from a kid's stand point, because what kid doesn't like Christmas morning?  As an adult, it's always just been fun because it's about family.  We've been lucky enough to have my in-laws come visit us down in Kansas the past four years because they are retired and my brother-in-law even came over from Colorado.  It's just been nice to have some family there.  The second year we lived in Wichita, we didn't get to go home and no one came to visit.  It was depressing because we didn't have family around and it didn't help that there was no snow on the ground.  Luckily, we don't have to worry about the no snow thing anymore.

This year, I planned on not letting the early Christmas set at work get to me.  And that lasted all of a week. 





Dammit. 

It could be worse....

One more little tidbit on the Occupy Wall Street movement then I promise to move on.  And it's not like this is some big lengthy post, it's just a link.  A link to the past and what the occupiers could face if we lived in a shitty country.  Maybe not shitty, maybe if we lived in a more oppressive country.  Yeah, let's go with that. 



Hit it.  And be thankful this isn't the case.