FIRST-TIME ACTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC

There's a first time for everything, they say, and I certainly did a few of those first-time things during the pandemic.

• I need to have an eye test to renew my driver license.  Silly me, I looked up the local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle) address on Google Map and just drove there.  The DMV office is on the same street block with a police precinct.  The entrance to the block had a police sawhorse with a policeman stationed.  I thought maybe it was to keep protesters away from the precinct.  Maybe it was, but the policeman told me DMV wasn't opened yet.  The next Phase, whenever that is.  Doh, I should have called first.  I ended up having my eye test done at a local pharmacy.  Quick and painless, I was asked to put on my near-sighted glasses then read one line off the chart.  That's it, $20 please.  Not free like the DMV, but I sure saved a ton of time.  If I have my choice, I would rather save the money.
• Drive-thru anything is such a necessary evil.  When I was working as a field technician, there were days when I had to rush from one visit to another.  Only in those circumstances would I consider a fast-food drive-thru.  Such a waste of gasoline, burning away and polluting the environment while the vehicles wait for their turn at the order microphone then again at the pickup/pay-up window.  Sadly, we are living in a certainly interesting time and I found myself a few times recently using the drive-thru of some Chick-fil-A's.  The entire service area was closed, no restroom, no Starbuck's, just the Chick.  Not too long ago I even used a bank drive-thru, to deposit a check.  I did use the bank's app once or twice, but in this particular case I wanted to make sure the check got deposited without any issues.
• I have my share of buying stuff online but it's almost always because the item in question isn't available in the physical store.  Or the store has so few options.  My work shoes are a few years old so I need to replace them.  Ah, but the shoe-stores are not considered Essential so they were not open the last time I tried to visit one.  They would open the following week, I believe, at which time I was no longer working.  I try not to go outside unless it's for grocery or for work.  So mail-order it was.  Luckily, I know my shoe size and there was one retail store I recall joining their mailing list to receive whatever discount I got at the time.  Free shipping for members, too.  The only thing that wasn't good is that I forgot to use the $10 discount code.  Argh, I know someone who would return some item that cost just 25 cents to buy it again at half that price, but I won't be that person.  Maybe I'll buy another pair and remember to use the code this time.

Scene From A Jogging Trip 20100418

I don't seem to lack ideas to blog about, I just don't have the time. The latest recurring idea I want to capitalize on is "Scene From..." In this particular case, it is "Scene From A Jogging Trip," as I just resumed jogging and demoted cycling to the secondary form of exercise. "20100418" denotes the year, month, and day - I hope to write more posts from my jogging trips.

I usually do not stop to take pictures during my jogging trip because I am working on endurance. Even at traffic stops, I would be jogging in place, so for me stopping to take pictures is considered cheating myself of the endurance test.

The above photo was taken after I was done with the jogging session and was heading back home. Is drive-thru a necessary evil or what? It's convenient for sure. You don't get out of your car, just wait in line to place your order then drive to the next window to pay for your stuff and get them. All the while with the car engine running, the air unnecessarily polluted and more unrenewable energy burnt. I can see how in certain places street parking is simply next to impossible. Or at certain hours of the day the parking lot is full and drive-thru is the only choice left. Other than parking a block away and walking to the location, of course, but most people absolutely prefer not to walk.

In this case, it was early morning on a Sunday and the parking lot for Raymour and Flanagan was deserted. There were a few cars near the entrance of the furniture store but close to the Starbucks outpost there were plenty of parking space. Yet people just queued up to buy their espressos or whatever drinks they thirsted for. Granted I do not if the outpost even had a walk-up window, but for a business that likes to have a green image there should be one. It is possible too that Starbucks has no agreement with R&F to share the parking lot. There may be a fee to be paid, by Starbucks to R&F, so for a few bucks in saving, just let those engines idle in the queue.