Sharing Time!!!

PRO BASS SHOPPING....

Today I went to the Pro Bass Shop. It was freaking awesome! That store is truly for all you outdoorzee kinda people. "Outdoorzee kinda people?" Yup! It has stuff for fishing, hunting, catching, falling, riding, biking, driving and profiling! If you've never been to one, just go in for fun. I did. I also got to see a stuffed giraffe, lions and don't forget the elks. They looked soooo real! It was a treat for me. Floyd was in his "happy land" just being there.

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MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE...

So I went to a movie today and freaked out about the prices out here. We paid $10 to watch a movie and $9 in snacks & drinks. We were lucky today because our medium-sized drink was $4.50, but it came with a free small bag of popcorn. Yes, I said $4.50 for a drink...but the popcorn was free and you don't wanna complain when there's something free. The concession guy told us it was the "Monday special". I didn't think it was so special, but that's just me.

I watched the movie KNOWING, starring Nicholas Cage. It was pretty good. I covered my eyes every now and then through the movie, but then again, I'm a scared-dee cat! I think it was the choice of sounds played in those scenes that made me cover my eyes. This movie makes you realize that life is a precious gift so you better think twice about those so-called "possessions" you have in your closet. So don't think about seeing this movie...you gotta watch it!

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DID YOU KNOW THAT BEING PART OF A U.S. TERRITORY DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE REALLY PART OF THE U.S.???

So it's Covenant Day (Pacific Standard Time). A time when (then) President Gerald R. Ford inked a covenant that made the CNMI part of the United States family. Unfortunately, somewhere between the lines something went wrong...and it reminded me of something that happened a couple of weeks ago.

Floyd & I went to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) to get our car registered and get our Nevada driver's license. We filled out all the necessary forms, provided whatever documents needed and even took the written test to get our Nevada driver's license. Floyd & I were ecstatic that we both passed the written test and were jolly as we were waiting for our number to be called to pay our fees. There we were, sitting with smiles on our faces because we were minutes away from getting our cheese-on at the camera for our licenses. Our number was called. We presented our passing scores and our CNMI driver's license with pride and joy to the lady at the counter.

DMV lady: "I'm sorry, you're going to have to take the written test because we don't recognize U.S. Territories."

Our smiles were immediately changed to frowns.

Floyd & I: "Are you sure?"

DMV lady: "Yes, but I'll verify again with our two supervisors."

By this time, I was crossing my fingers that we didn't have to go through taking a driver's test. She walked back. The look on her face wasn't so assuring.

DMV lady: "Yes, my supervisors both agreed that said that we do not recognized driver's license from U.S. Territories so you both must schedule your driver's test at the drive test section."

Floyd & I: "Wait a minute, so you don't recognize ANY of the U.S. Territories such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, America Samoa & the CNMI?"

DMV lady: "Yes!" (said sternly)

So in essence, it didn't matter that we had a U.S. passport, we were U.S. citizens, we lived in North America before or even with our previous driving record in the U.S. (Floyd still had his Texas driver's license & I still had my Nevada driver's license - but it wasn't accepted because anything that expires over 1 year requires a written & driving test) or the mere fact that we've been driving since we were 16 years old, IT DIDN'T MATTER! I think what irked me the most about this whole thing was that they were just straight-up rude about it when we even questioned WHY. I was so fumed up because I felt so mistreated, discriminated, the works!!!

Forgive me for being so blunt by me saying this, but I'm sorry, but if the folks from the U.S. move over to our islands and just take a written test to drive on our roads but we have to take both the written and driving test because we're not considered part of the U.S. then we have something called double-standards. We accept THEM so why can't they accept US? You hold a U.S. passport & so do I so what really makes us different? THEY recognize our people when it's time to go to war, but THEY won't recognize US when we're on your soil? How can the Nevada DMV not recognize us??? Oh believe me, we didn't just end it there. We made sure we wrote a letter to the Nevada politicians, other U.S. politicians and our very own CNMI U.S. Delegate, Mr. Gregorio C. Sablan sharing our concern. For now, unfortunately, we just gotta "roll with the punches," as some would say, and just take the driving test as scheduled.

Speaking of the driving test....so after all that madness we walked over to schedule our driving test. You would think it'll be scheduled within a week or so, but ours isn't scheduled until next month! Yes, that means in April. Hey man, at least I got my DRIVING PERMIT. That's something to be happy about. Believe it or not, but I never had a driving permit in my entire life! I just took the tests (written & driving) on Saipan and got my license...but that was when I was 16. So here I am at the age of 32 with my first-ever driving permit. Something here doesn't make sense.