ID

So... I did something really silly. I let most of my ID expire. Normally, I use this blog to talk about my accomplishments, adventures, and commentaries. Less often do I speak on my mistakes and shortcomings. But today, I'm going to talk about this.

I was first made aware of my situation when I was trying to purchase beer and was asked for ID. Doesn't happen too often, and I'm sure I don't look under 19 (our legal drinking age) but they have to ask if they think you're 25 or younger, and sometimes they send people out to sting servers that don't ask. My male pattern baldness is too progressed to belong to an 18 year old, but maybe I pass for a rough looking 24 year old out on a sting.

So I gave her my driver's license and she asked if I had something that wasn't expired. So I asked if she could take my Health Card, and she could, but when she looked at it, she asked me if I had anything that wasn't expired. I didn't, and got denied for being under suspicion of being 18 years old or younger.

Just went to a nearby beer store where people are familiar with me. Even so, I was super nervous and feeling like an underage kid trying to score some forbidden drink. Wound up acting real nervous purchasing from a guy I've known for four years. I mean, if I was underage during that time of purchase, I would have had to have been 14 when I started buying from that guy.

Want to know something really lame about me? I never attempted to purchase alcohol underage. Not once. Even still, there's a small part of me that worries I'll get ID'd every time I go to the liquor store.

Anyway, turns out it's a bit difficult to get photo ID if you don't have valid photo ID. Usually, you need three pieces of identification to prove you are who you say you are. I'm not going to look it up to confirm, but I believe they were something along the lines of one piece to prove your identity, one to prove your citizenship, and one to prove your address. I believe I was able to prove my citizenship and address, but not my identity. I could use my health card to prove identity for my driver's license, or my driver's license to prove identity for my health card. But I didn't have either.

So, turns out, you can use your birth certificate as proof of identity for your health card (but not driver's license). One problem, though. I had left my birth certificate in Guelph, and I guess it got lost during one of the times that the family moved. So I needed to get my birth certificate to get my health card, and my health card to get my driver's license.

To get your birth certificate, you need to have a reference from someone who has known you for five years and who is in a profession considered "trustworthy". I used to use my grandfather, but he's retired now, and apparently the Canadian government no longer considers you "trustworthy" the moment you retire. I wound up using my boss.

It's funny, because one of the "trustworthy" professions is Social Service Worker, which is what I am, and I am even registered with the Ontario College of Social Work and Social Service Work. So, I am a prime candidate to prove someone's existence, but I can't prove my own existence.

Anyway, sent in the application. Cost me like, $160. Got it in the mail, then hit up Service Ontario for my health card application. Thought it might take me a while, but I only had to wait like, 15 minutes.

I'm an organ donor now. They asked me at the counter and I okayed it. I had the option of donating just to save people, or to save people and use them for research. I said they could use them for whatever. The lady at the counter seemed like she was encouraging me to donate to save lives but not for research, but I was like "If I'm dead, I ain't usin' 'em. Just use them for whatever people need."

I acted cool, but I've honestly been a little creeped since that conversation. I've always thought organ donors were cool, but it was a real spur-of-the-moment conversation about what to do with some of my possessions that I use quite regularly. Overall, I'm happy with my decision. Just a little creeped out with it as well.

A few weeks later, and I have my new photo health card. Now I just need to renew my G1 (first stage of a graduated licensing system). Some people are suggesting that I get an Ontario ID card (generic photo ID for people that can't get alternative identification) because they don't believe that I will be graduating through our licensing system, since I have made a number of attempts throughout the last decade and it hasn't happened.  But FORGET THAT! I WILL get my driver's license! I WILL!

This is our fifth post of the month, which means that, pathetically, September is 2019's month with the most posts. Lot of accomplishments this year, not a lot of posts.

I wound up having three sunflowers this year, by the way.