License renewal trauma

Today, on the last possible day, I renewed my NT driver’s license.  I went driving out for miles, seemingly, along the Stuart Highway, trying to remember where the turn-off for the motor registry was – yes, that’s right, a small enigmatic acronym ‘MVR’ beneath several other signposts marks the way. License renewal turned out to be a relatively painless ordeal, despite the fact that I forgot the paperwork. I can’t say that I fear going to motor registries, though I do have something of a phobia about people who work there.  Like, why are they always so gruff?  Why is a smile never returned?  And why are they so bad at photography? I’m pleased to report that as ever, the Territory manages something of a personal touch when it comes to license renewal.  ‘Would you like a new photo?’ the woman behind the counter said.  Daringly, I said ‘yes’; daringly because however bad the last photo was, one can never tell whether the new one will be an improvement.  And when I looked at myself in the mirror this morning, I actually thought, what a shame I’m having a bad hair day because I’ve got to renew my license.  The thing is that when I got my last license photo taken, my immediate thought was: ‘I look like someone’s mother.’  (Yes, terrible – that could be analysed several ways.  And I am the cats’ mother, after all).   So, I just had to have another bash at it.  I sat down in the photo cubicle and there was a sign directly under the camera with a bon mot to the effect: if you thought your last photo was bad, just remember that you’ll look even older in this one.  (Tho I guess potentially one looks older in every photo that’s taken.) The woman taking it said, ‘Oh, that’s nice, dear!’  More of that Territorian familiarity.  (But what does she think is ‘nice’?).  When I finally got my license, I thought, ‘I look like Lisa Curry-Kenny with brown hair.’   My face is elongated in that strange, wooden Motor Registry way, my hair’s settled into some unreal wedge shape, and I’m grinning like some kind of ecstatic cyberperson who’s had to hold their smile in front of a Motor Registry camera for too long. So, five years of Lisa Curry-Kenny in my wallet. But, yes, think it is an improvement on the beaming maternal look. Speaking of the personal touch, I’m missing the sitting of parliament down here – Claire and her roadshow.  Earlier this week there were parliamentarians accusing each other of being ‘poofters’.  That could have been a good post…but I’ve been too busy here to attend. Tomorrow I’m setting out on an Easter road trip with my abbreviated friends R, M, A, D, K, P and N, et bambini (fortunately not dogs as well)…heading north for camping in the Davenport Ranges near Tennant Creek.  I’ve never up that way, so I’m quite excited! So no posts for several days, and hope to return relaxed after Easter break with more stories and less venom!