No Time Like The Last Minute

When will I learn??

I know my mom used to complain about me waiting until the night before fill-in-the-blank to tell her I needed something. Seems some habits die hard.

I had to get my car inspected today. No big deal if it were any month other than August. You see tomorrow is September 1 and new emissions testing goes into effect. That means close to $30 for the test instead of $12. Oh, and if you don't pass we're talking some serious coin to get the damage repaired for the privledge of paying $30 again to get retested. Sweeeet. Why not wait until later you ask? Well, because with anything new there are bugs to work out and I don't have patience to wait while everyone involved with this process gets their collective shit together. Setting aside the fact the learning curve for anything new is enough to drive anyone batty, my "check engine soon" light is on which could only translate to big bucks if I wait even one more day. Yeah, I was just buying time by getting it done today, but it was a calculated risk. Let someone else be the guinea pig for the state's latest and greatest plan.

So I drop Z-boy off at school and go immediately to the testing center; do not pass go; do not collect $200. The line is already six cars deep and four lanes wide. I take my proof of insurance to the good man at the front desk and he tells me, "the wait is two hours". Well, okay. I mean I waited until the last minute, what can I do? Lucky for me I brought coupons to sort and a magazine to read, not to mention I have lots of phone calls to return. Seating is limited, but apart from that I'll make due.

I spare you the pissy-whiney details. Suffice it to say I have learned my lesson. I will not wait until the last minute to get things done. I waited over three hours and ended up squealing into the parking lot to at Z-boy's school just in the nick of time. I'm hot, I'm sweaty, I'm hungry and just generally bitchy at this point, but at least I'm not the poor slob in front of me who's car *didn't* pass at all.

Bummer.