Three bus trips in three days--I just want to make a couple observations

I've been a busy boy this week--not only have I left my place every day this week, I left it three times in a row to take 3 bus trips in a row.  

Here's my first observation--the bus sign across the street from my apartment building.  I MISS THE OLD BUS SIGN WITH BUS NUMBERS ON IT.  God forbid you don't have a smartphone to scan this sign to see what buses stop here!   Are we just assuming everyone owns a smartphone now?   I feel like I'm being dragged against my will into the future.

Second observation--I caught this bus (and a transfer downtown) to UPMC Presby in Oakland to meet with my neurologist and get 2 new CT scans done of my head.  The bad news is, I'm still dealing with cranial inflammation from post-covid.  The good news is, compared to my last scans, the affected areas have reduced by 70%.   

Here's what I really wanted to share--I had a headache the entire time I was there because my brain kept trying to determine if my nurse was a male or female.  He/she was white with shoulder length hair, a sort of masculine face but with makeup, a sort of masculine body but with a bosom.  

When I asked nurse their name, they said "Thomya".  I said "Oh okay.. Tonya."  Nurse said "No, not Tonya.  Thomya."  I said "Tommy."   Nurse said "No.  T-H-O-M-Y-A."   I said "I'm so sorry, is that a male or female name?"  Thomya said "Hehe!  Neither, I hope!  I was born with male parts but I don't identify as male."  I said "Oh okay miss.  I'm sorry."  Thomya said "Hehe!  I'm not a miss!"

THEN WHAT ARE YOU.   Jiminy Cricket!

The next day (yesterday) I took the bus downtown To PennDOT to renew my driver's license.  Actually, I renewed it online 3 months ago, but they didn't send me my new license in the mail.  I got a camera card that required me to go downtown to their office.  When I called and asked why they sent a camera card instead of a new license, I was told "If your last photo-ID was considered unsatisfactory, we require you to come in and have a new photo taken."   Darn it!

So after getting up early, going downtown and waiting a half hour for my turn, was called up to one of the windows.  The woman asked me several questions in a very tired voice, then told me to stare at the blue dot while she took my photo.  When I saw it and frowned, she asked me if I wanted another photo.  I said yes.  When I saw it and frowned again. she said "Do you just want to use the photo from your last license?"

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS CONSIDERED "UNSATISFACTORY"!  I said no, as long as I was required to make the trip downtown I want a new picture!  

And finally, earlier today I took the bus up the street to Lincoln Barbershop for a long overdue haircut.  The shop is only 1/2 mile from my apartment, but I'm still dealing with plantar fasciitis and it's too long a walk for me.  I knew with two barbers there'd be at least 3 people beside myself, so I took a handful of Mike's 5th Avenue candy bars with me.

I said "Remember the old days when new dads would hand out cigars in the waiting room after their kid was born?  Well. my social security starts in 2 months so I thought I'd hand these out instead."

They were all very thankful and I got a great haircut I'm very happy with--The End!