I'm not bitching because I got boned by a hard test, or because some tester gave me a bullshit minus point for something that didn't matter, and I failed. No. None of that. I aced my permit test (100%) and I don't intend to fail either my written nor practical test. I am pissed because I was denied the opportunity to take my written test because of 3 minutes, which caused me to waste 2 and a half hours of my time.
We got there at around 3:55, and the sign said, "If your number isn't called by 4:00 PM, you cannot take the test." I was angry to begin with, seeing as my mom took a half hour to get up from her nap in the first place, but we decided to see if our number would get called in the next 5 minutes, since the place was nearly EMPTY.
Our number gets called at 4:03. We go up to the counter and my mom asks if we can take the test still, since it's pretty much 4:00. The guy looks at his computer clock and says, "No ma'am, it's 4:03, you can't take the test today, you'll have to come back another time." The ensuing argument is, from my perspective, both annoying and incredibly hilarious. The guy basically makes himself out to be the ultimate bureaucrat, with arguments such as "If it was 4:01, he wouldn't be able to take the test" and "Yes, it is PHYSICALLY possible for him to take it, but our rules state that if your number isn't called before 4:00 PM, you WILL not take the test."
I can understand their rules and that they have to enforce them, but the way the guy was talking to us just pissed me off. He never once [sincerely] apologized to us, and had a smile on his face like we were complete idiots, when we probably both have a higher IQ count than him. Not to mention that I only had to take the written test, which all in all would have taken me 30 minutes, TOPS, and the place closes at 5:30. I can understand the rule when you have a crowded lobby and can't possibly serve everyone, but the place was literally a GHOST town. My mom got so pissed off, for the first time ever she swore (loudly) in public (in front of me, at least). For pretty much an hour drive both ways due to traffic, I just wasted my fucking time.
Oh, and if any of you frequent the WoW forums, lolcats =P.
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Derailin my topicz
I've only gone to a norcal DMV once, it was crowded and the employeed seemed like they were already dead. then resurrected. then beaten over the head.. But they were able to help me in a bureaucratically efficient way (i.e. slowly but surely, and lacking eye contact or dialog).
Derailin my topicz
I'm a little worried that I won't be good enough in the competition to get any sort of mid to high paying job that I could enjoy in the field, but I'll try all the same. Right now I'm taking some Computer Science classes at college and I'm loving it.
Anywho, thanks for sharing
Unix/Network architect. I dunno. I need to find the right thing to call it. My official title is some long abomination V or VI which is needed to justify pay grade. I let my boss deal with it.
Basically I evaluate hardware and software solutions, test them, work with developers to design their applications, build infrastructure, deploy hardware/apps, create monitors, watchdogs and maintenance scripts (think software robots), etc, etc. Get paged at 3am when systems crash. That sort of thing.
There's a lot of blue collar stereotyping about IS/IT people, however that's only true of certain (OK, most) positions. It's not true of everyone, though. You just need to find the right job. Even low level support can be enjoyable at a small enough company. In larger environments the fun is designing and testing, not building and deployment.
That said, there's sort of a low peak of where you can go. I mean, over the past decade I've advanced like crazy, but there's not a lot of career progression still available unless I want to go into management, which I don't, or become a contractor. I honestly pity managers and don't really have the people skills or contacts needed to become a contractor. So I'll stay where I am ;)
It's why I'd never want to work in the public sector. I value the autonomy I have in my job and the fact that I'm rewarded based on merit, not procedure. I go out of my way to help because if my company succeeds, I get to share their success. My raises aren't predetermined based on government votes.
Obviously things like the DMV must be run by the government. It'd be silly to send that to the private sector. And of course it must be a monopoly.
Things like health care should not. Wouldn't you love being stuck with an agency like the DMV in charge of paying your bills and authorizing treatments and not having the choice to even try to find a competitor? It's BS enough as-is with states trading away monopolistic rights to Blue Cross and others.
BTW, most DMV offices let you make appointments. Yeah, you need to do it several weeks in advance, but it's well worth it ;)