Pat's Peeps Podcast

Ep. 258 Today's Peep The DMV Reality Check: Real ID Adventures, Driver's License Photos, When Government Paper Work Reveals Eye-Opening Life Changes, and Vintage "Hot Wax" in Today's Rare-Record Spin

• Pat Walsh

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Taking you along on my adventure to get my Real ID at the DMV before my license expires, including an unexpected health discovery and breaking DMV employee stereotypes.

• Driving with Darlyne "With a Y" to the smaller Grass Valley DMV for a more pleasant experience with shorter wait times
• Detailing the Real ID requirements: two residence documents (I used propane bill and mortgage statement) plus passport or birth certificate
• Discovering during the eye test that my left eye has serious vision problems I never knew about
• Meeting the friendliest DMV employee who used "Vanna White" gestures and broke all negative stereotypes
• Preparing topics for tonight's radio show including the historic selection of the first American Pope
• Sharing music from my rare record collection - Honeycone's 1971 single "Stick Up"

Catch my radio show on KFBK in Sacramento, 93.1 FM, 1530 AM, 7-10 PM Monday through Friday, or streaming on your free iHeart app.


Speaker 1:

Pat's Peeps 258. I'm late, late in the day on this one 258 on a Thursday. I had to think about that for a second Thursday, may the 8th 2025. How are you, hey? Thanks for coming back checking it out For those of you who are new to the podcast. Thank you very much. Thank you to I think it was Dean last night who asked me the question on my radio show by the way, I'm the host of the Pat Walsh Show on KFBK in Sacramento, 93.1 FM, 1530 AM, and streaming live everywhere on your free iHeart app and he called up, opened the door. He said Pat, you know I hear you talking about the podcast. You know, is it just talking to businesses or what is it? So I had the opportunity to explain that on the show last night, which, honestly, it's not about that at all. It's about supporting local business. But we just have fun on the podcast. So it's as I told him, it's just an extension of my radio show.

Speaker 1:

As I look out the studio window into the beautiful foothills of Northern California today, it's another gorgeous day and I thought I would take advantage of this gorgeous day. It's another gorgeous day and I thought I would take advantage of this gorgeous day it's the best spring. I think I probably mentioned this already. I always love it when the weather's nice, everything is so green. So I thought, you know, hey, why not do a few things at once today? Because I just don't want to sit around in the house, in my studio. So what I decided to do is I dialed up my friend, the always reliable, always friendly, always wonderful Darlene with a Y. She's sort of the president of the. I'm going to have to have her on the show, on the podcast, president of the Pat Walsh page there at Facebook, and I said well, let's go for a ride, because here's what I need to do, what I need to do. So I need to. I need to get my real ID, which the deadline if you're traveling was yesterday. You can still travel if you have the right documents, your passport and things.

Speaker 1:

But it occurred to me during my show the other night seven to 10 PM, monday through Friday during my show the other night, 7 to 10 pm, monday through Friday that I looked at my license. One of the listeners called up and they'd sent me a picture of the difference between the real ID, the little stamp on there with a star, and the previous ID, and so I was curious. I pulled out my driver's license and right away I noticed that my driver's license it was going to expire on my birthday next week and I didn't even occurred to me like, oh boy. So I said I better take care of that, I don't want to procrastinate. So, through the top, dead on the Mustang GT Darlene with her hair flapping in the breeze Well, she had a scarf on, hi Darlene, she's a good sport and took a drive down the beautiful back road there to Grass Valley. So instead of going to, you know, the big, major DMVs, where it's a big nightmare, I and as I understand I even had Dan called my show last night from Missouri and said that he went to this little town there in Missouri and that it was the line was wrapped around that DMV. It was not even called the DMV, it was the licensing bureau or the Bureau of Licensing or whatever he called it. So it was a great drive and I thought you know perhaps I would share my experience with you in terms of the process, what it took for anyone who's wondering about the real ID. I don't ever again I needed to get the driver's license renewed anyhow, so of course I was going to do that would be part of the new driver's license is the real ID. So, darlene and I, we drive over there and you know what we went over there because it's not the big major DMV, it's this quaint little DMV there. Your DMV, it's this quaint little DMV there. And there was probably you know, I don't know maybe maybe 20 people, something like that G069, bingo, and I'm up there to the window, window four, and it didn't really take that long.

Speaker 1:

If you're going to do this, what they require from you, the first thing that happens you stand in line, you know where they enter here, sign, you stand there and then the lady who I don't know she seemed somewhat annoyed, but you know it's the DMV More on that coming up. Okay, I want to have something more to say about that, but anyhow, she was okay, anyhow. So she tells me what to do and I go over to the. You have to go to this computer and then you sign into the computer and you fill out the questions. It's no big deal, just making sure, essentially, that you have the correct address, your eye color, your hair color, your height, your weight, all of this kind of stuff. There's all the pertinent and relevant information. So they do that. Then it gives you a little number, a little code. You take a picture of the code or you write it down, either way.

Speaker 1:

Then you go back into the entrance line, which was minimal, I don't think there was. I think there was one lady in front of me and that was about it, and at least in my situation. Lady in front of me, and that was about it, and at least in my situation. Um, but then you go up back to the start, I guess, and she asked you did you complete it? Yeah, so then you provide her or him or whomever, with two pieces of information that confirm that you live at that residence, pg&e, whatever. I used my propane company and I used a mortgage statement to confirm my address.

Speaker 1:

So you have to have two documents documenting where you live and in my case you have to have a. I had a passport, otherwise you have to have a birth certificate to go along with that. I just had the passport work perfectly. And so then you go through that and then you go to another lady, another window, and then she helps you. You give her your documents. You know she copies all of that, takes note of everything, checks out your passport, you sign a little piece of paper, then you go down the group w window and then you're down there and then there's the uh, the photo. You have to take the photo. No, you know what? Okay, unexpected curveball in this whole thing, not a good one. I mean, I have really. I mean I do wear reading glasses when I'm doing the show, when I'm reading things. You know, yes, I do wear reading glasses. I can read without them, but I'm so used to them. I don't want to make a mistake. It's much easier. You know, you get to a certain age. You need glasses, reading glasses.

Speaker 1:

Well, I had to do the eye test. Let me tell you something. My right eye, no problem. My left eye, oh boy. I couldn't read the line that I got so far. And then I couldn't read it. I went, uh-oh, this does this looks all scrambled, that's that. That was a very scary, kind of weird feeling for me. Maybe that's happened to you.

Speaker 1:

I'm probably going to repeat this on my show tonight in some, in some manner, because, you know, I want to tell everyone what the process is like, because there's a lot of people wondering how to do the real ID process and all that. So I may repeat this just to let you know. I want to tell everyone what the process is like, because there's a lot of people wondering how to do the real ID process and all that. So I may repeat this, just to let you know if you actually listen to my show too. Thank you, but my left eye I couldn't read the top three or four lines.

Speaker 1:

So I had to go into the area and you put your eyes in this thing like a view master Remember the old view masters? And you're looking. Right eye, no problem. Left eye, I mean, seriously, I might as well be reading Chinese. I could not make it out. It almost looked like Chinese writing. I couldn't. It scared me.

Speaker 1:

And so I read she goes, read the line, the first one you can see. And so I read she goes, read the line the first one you can see. And I read it. And she goes. You know that's the last line that you get to read before they require you to wear glasses while you're driving and all this. And I'm like and I'm thinking I can see perfectly. I mean, no, I take that back. Obviously, I couldn't see that. Granted, I'm talking about driving. I see signs. Perfect, I can read everything, I'm great night driving, I never have issues. But now I realize, and as the gentleman behind me said oh man, that's a tough way to find out you got an issue with your eyes. I said oh my God, no kidding. Wow, so that, really, excuse me, that caught me off guard. I need to go get an eye exam. I need to use that vision portion of my insurance, I reckon. So yeah, that was just part of it. Now. So the process, eh, now that's going to vary depending on where you go, obviously, which DMV you go to. But that was a nice job up there in Grass Valley, you know.

Speaker 1:

Then you go take your photo After all the other stuff done, because my photo, that thing, has been around a long time. It seems like it's been around 15 or 20 years, I don't know. Listen to that train behind me. Can you hear that Squeaking, squealing? So I asked her. I said so, can I take another photo? Absolutely, I would take a photo. So I asked her. I said so, can I take another photo? Absolutely, I would take a photo.

Speaker 1:

You are almost guaranteed or at least I am that when you take that DMV photo it's going to turn out horrible. Then you're going to look at it. You pull it out of the envelope. When you get it three weeks later, you pull it out of the envelope. You're like, oh jeez, you've, geez, you gotta be kidding me. This is the worst picture. And now you're stuck showing that thing. I know it's going to be like that. I hate to be a pessimist in that way, but I know that's what it's going to be.

Speaker 1:

Uh, can I see your ID? You had your handsome. When your ID and they look, you know they shudder. You're gauging their reaction. Oh boy, I don't know Whatever that's. Uh, so maybe I'll be surprised. I don't know, but you know what I mean. Have you ever had a DMV ID that you, the photo where you went? Oh, that's a great photo of me. I don't know, maybe some of you have, I don't believe I have.

Speaker 1:

So thank you to Darlene. By the way, she bought lunch today. Very nice. Thank you, darlene, what a friend. And to go over there and just sit there with you at the DMV. I didn't even know about the DMV, but thanks to her Listening to great music on the drive over there and just sit there with you at the DMV, I didn't even know about the DMV but thanks to her, listening to great music on the drive over there, very nice.

Speaker 1:

I also want to say that I mentioned earlier the gal initially who, eh, maybe you can't tell if she was in a good mood or in a foul mood, maybe she was in a neutral mood initially when I went in there. But I will say this when it got to the final point of all of this and I was over in the group W window to take the photo and I told this lady this, I said you know what? She literally was the coolest person that I've met at a business in a while. Now, did I have to use the word literally? No, but I did. Whatever Bugs me when I do that? Anyhow, I said you know what? You have a great attitude. Everyone thinks everyone at the DMV. They're miserable and frustrated.

Speaker 2:

And.

Speaker 1:

I've seen it. But again, to be honest, I've seen that in every job. I'm going to be honest about it. But I said you're just delightful, she's doing it like the oh, what's her name? Vanna White. Is there anything else? I mean she's over, exaggerating it in in a very humorous, fun way that I might do for you. And, by the way, can you sign right here? And she's doing the vanna white, the carol merrill if anyone remembers carol merrill, wave to the machine that you would sign and being just very nice.

Speaker 1:

I said you know I'm going to talk about you on my show tonight because you just broke the mold of everyone that, everyone that has the idea in their mind, with someone working at the window in the DMV, it's like. And she said, oh, thank you, thank you. I said no, I really I appreciate the good business, I mean the uh great customer service. So, oh, what do we have going on today? Oh, by the way, yes, here is big news. There was white smoke, holy smoke. Robert Prevost of the United States has been named the Pope. How about that? That's the big news of the day. Cardinal Robert Prevost has been has taken the name of well, leo 14, born in Chicago. No, excuse me. Yes, yes, yes, I got to make sure, see, here's the thing. Now I'm looking at what. Now I'm questioning my eyes. You know I'm looking at it going. Did I say that right? Am I looking at this correct? Number 14, did I get that right? Yeah, I think I did. Yeah, I'm looking at it closer now. See'm gonna. Now I'm gonna question myself on all of this. Anyhow, born in Chicago, uh and uh spent his career ministering in Peru, took over the Vatican's power office of bishops, elected the first Pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. In his first words as Pope Francis' successor, he uttered the words peace be with you, emphasizing a message of peace, a message of dialogue, and wore the traditional red cape of the papacy and cape that I mean watching this. It was just amazing. I mean watching this. It was just amazing. Francis didn't want to wear that in the election of 2013. So, anyhow, that was a big. That's the big story of the day the new Pope. We'll talk about that tonight a little bit on the show. Maybe take some phone calls on that.

Speaker 1:

I am getting ready for my show, so today's podcast can be a little shorter. It's interesting. People always ask me how do you find topics for your show? Well, I mean the pope, something like that. You can't ignore a big story like that. Yeah, you should get to that, but it's just kind of the thoughts of the day. I'm going to talk about the DMV, dmv experiences, the thoughts of the day. I'm going to talk about the DMV, dmv experiences, because obviously that way I can get phone calls, talk to people, because a lot of people can share their experiences going to the DMV and obviously, with this new real ID and it's informational as well, right, so you just kind of keep track of life.

Speaker 1:

Anything interesting, you jot it down so you don't forget, and then you collect these stories. Like I've got a whole as I'm producing my show, I've just got this whole stack of stories. The Voyager 1, I find this fascinating. You know it's currently over 24 billion miles from Earth and it's still going. And they on the Voyager, as a matter of fact, both of the Voyager space probes carry items that if ever, if they happen to be ever found by an extraterrestrial, that these are the things that would represent Earth. Okay, I'm going to do that on my show tonight. What would you put on if we were going to launch one tomorrow, what would you put on the new Voyager, voyager 3 or whatever it is that would represent Earth?

Speaker 1:

Now, what do we put on there? Let's see what else did I have here? You know, you just go through. I've got the oh. I know the whole thing about the pope, uh, rite aid closing its stores, china giving into tariffs, tariffs. If you, um were to go on some of these sites, I mean mean you can run the gamut. It's amazing how biased they are. Let's see. If you were to go to msncom, by the way, you'd get to China. What is this? It's all always anti-Trump stuff. Let's just I haven't looked at it yet today, but China retaliates against Trump's trade deal pressure. Of course. Let's see what else do we have. What's the next story here? You know, markets reel on Trump's big announcements. It's always anti-Trump stuff. You just go on and on and on with that. I can't listen to anything. I cannot listen to any more. About Aaron Rodgers Is that news? Aaron Rodgers has not reached an agreement with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers? Well, how's that news? Let us know when he's done that. Tired of it? Here's one Krispy Kreme and McDonald's suddenly suspend their partnership. I had no idea they were in. They were in cahoots. No idea New York City is going to install panic buttons to stop crime in bodegas.

Speaker 1:

Joe Biden telling the view that he wasn't surprised that Donald Trump won the 2024 election. Oh, he wasn't surprised. What is he? He blames it on sexism and COVID. Yeah, that's why you lost. It was sexism and COVID, yeah, wow, all right, see, look at that. The majority of the country voted for Trump. They're all sexists. All right, anyhow, see, you just go through. But now, if you were to go to, let's say, fox News and you guys already know this let's see what we have on the headline here, they'll go the other way. Vp Vance turns tables on Biden after criticism of infamous Oval Office meeting. The Pope's message to the world after becoming the US born leader of the Catholic Church, which that's good. Now Female athletes detail their conversation with Jasmine Crockett. A chaotic hearing. President Trump tapping Fox News judge Jeanine Pirro as the interim US attorney.

Speaker 1:

So, as you can, you know, you would imagine it's a lot of pro-Trump stuff. So you really run the gamut. You would imagine it's a lot of pro-Trump stuff, so you really run the gamut. You got to be aware when you're going through this stuff because it is so biased and you have to do your own research. The last thing you want to do when you're producing a show is to just go in here and pluck topics and go here, let me just take someone's idea here or their thoughts and just regurgitate it and then you know, not have a point of view. You got to have a take on this stuff. I do try to avoid the big topics too. You know, not the big topics Like I'm going to address the Pope, I'm just talking about the topics of the day that are being pushed by the media, is what I mean? They're big topics because it's always something divisive it's. You know it gets old after a while.

Speaker 1:

Because I'm on a limited time today on this, on today's podcast number 258. I'm going to have to get to the music. Hope you don't mind a little bit of a shorter podcast today For those of you going. Yeah, thank God. Hey, thank you so much. I appreciate that. Now I'm making sure that my eyes are seeing just right. I wonder if I could see this without my reading glasses. Let me see this. I just have to have good light. Yeah, now, because I have my glasses on now it's hard to see on the computer. Hold on, all right.

Speaker 1:

So I pulled this record out from the my rare record collection today from 1971. It is a follow-up single to the number one pop and r&b hit want ads. Remember that song? That was a good tune. It was number one on the r&b chart for three weeks and the hot 100 peaked at number 11 uh, let's see went to number one on the sole singles chart, number seven on the cash box top 100. Hmm, yeah, it did very well.

Speaker 1:

Not a lot about this one, to be honest with you. This is on a hot wax label. This is the first time I've pulled up the hot wax label. It's got a radio stamp. Someone stamped this as July 28, 1971. This was released August 71. So this is what? Three days or whatever. It's July 28 and released in August of 71. It's a really cool, vintage-looking 70s label Red orange, a little white in the middle. It's kind of a cool design. Let me pull the record out and take a look at it here. Beautiful condition, beautiful, not for sale. Right there, dj promo. Alright, let's see. Let's put this up here and see what we got here. This is a song, see again, not a lot about this, but it's a song by Honeycone. It's called Sticka. Pat's Peeps 258. A song by Honeycone. It's called Stick Up.

Speaker 2:

Pat's Peeps 258. Stick up highway robbery oh.

Speaker 1:

I remember this very well. It's like at the same time as the Jackson's, Jackson 5. And the Osmonds.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I'm hungry for love. So sweet and cautiously he cased my love. A devil in disguise, he fooled my heart. He tricked me into the dark. I was shy, but his charm took me in his arms, stole my love. And now he's gone. Stick up Highway robbery. Stole my love from me. It's a case of grand larceny. Stick up Highway robbery. It's a felony Heartbreak. In the first, degree.

Speaker 1:

Ooh Ooh. Thank you for listening to Pat's Peeps, number 258. Hope you check out my radio show, the Pat Wall Show, 7 pm, kpk. See you on the radio Outro.

Speaker 2:

Music.

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