I might have died a little today. I was notified by New York State that I need to renew my driver’s license. I’ve been in denial that I needed to renew since I couldn’t when I was in New York a few weeks ago. Now that I’ve lived in California now for nearly 7 months, providing proof of my residence in New York will be difficult and I’m really not ready to call myself a California resident.
I’m not ready to give this up yet.
It should be noted that my current driver’s license has been little more than my identification for an excessively long time. I only learned to drive after college and I’ve had to to take driving lessons two different times because I never used the skill when I passed my test.
In New York, my husband and I only had a car for a short time. We wound up giving it up because parking in our Brooklyn neighborhood was a nightmare. We then used Zipcar (an amazing car collective) but I never drove.
When you don’t have a car…
Photo by Rakka
My current NY license picture is from when I was 26 years old and until I moved to California, it is the honest truth that I had only driven maybe a dozen times in my entire life. Living in California, I now drive everywhere and sometimes wonder what kept me from driving before.
It could be the NYC MTA Subway system. It’s extensive, easy and I lived across the street and down the block from 2 of the major subway lines for the last 15 years of my life.
My heart remains with my MetroCard – it is now and will always stay in my wallet. No matter what.
Photo by Matia M.
The subway is far from perfect but I miss it. It was wonderful to ride the Q train and see the Brooklyn and 59th St Bridges when I was back a few weeks ago. I even got a 7am and a 5pm prosthelytizer on my subway car just to make me feel like I was back home again. It was both annoying and comforting at the same time.
I really do love my new home and I’m very happy that my family and I made this move to California but there are days like today when I feel like my heart is in New York and my body is in CA. Sing it for me Janis…
And yet, the worst thing about getting a new license may be having to give up that 26 yr old person pictured on it! 🙂
It would be wonderful to have a mass transit system/subway like NY, but the cost/construction for such a large area like LA/OC makes it practically impossible.
BTW, do you drive one of those relatively common NY/NJ cars I see around Pasadena? ‘Cuz I’m wondering how long you would hang onto those old license plates!
I do have CA plates but I do a double take often.