I learned to drive stick-shift tonight.
Sort of.
Well, okay, no I didn't.
I stalled out innumerable times, hit a curb, and swore a lot.
But I didn't do too badly......
The problem is, I have incredibly shitty coordination (and even worse rhythm). This is the reason I have never played a musical instrument with any real sincerity. This is the reason it took me five years to learn the drinking game where you tap your fingers on the bar table in a certain pattern until you fuck up and have to take a drink. This is the reason I got kicked out of all the dance numbers in all the musicals I've ever been in... (Except "Oliver." But in that, I was playing an old lady, so all I had to do was sway a little and lean on a cane.) This is the reason I had cuts all over my hands when Gary lent me his butterfly knife so that I could practice opening it all suave and sexy-like.
Right.
(It might be noted that I sent an instant-message to Neil about learning to drive stick, and he replied: "*shudder* You driving?" I think he just remembers trying unsuccessfully to teach me to flick cigarette ashes into an ashtray... Whatever. That was a long time ago... Hee!)
Anyway.
Nobody got hurt though.
Not even the curb I hit.
The truck wasn't particularly pleased with me, but it didn't die. Nor did it turn into a Christine-like creature and try to run me down. I may have deserved it, but the truck is generally a pretty compassionate vehicle. I think it knew I didn't MEAN to hurt it.
Jake teased me a bit about my various neuroses and lack of coordination. It was gentle teasing. Jake is a damn good driver. And a much better instructor than my previous driving teachers. Jürgen, for example, clutched the dashboard with white knuckles. And Louise advised me once or twice to perform completely illegal driving maneuvers, such as making a U-Turn across a median. Something like that, anyway; I can't remember details. Jake just laughed a lot whenever I fucked up. It was much, much better than if he'd rolled down his window to vomit from the fear of it all... Heh!
I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed.
~Helena*
PS -- This morning, I watched part of a Sondheim revue on cable, followed by two episodes of "90210." I guess I was really expecting it to be a bad day, so I started out by sabotaging myself. Oddly enough, it was a great day. Utterly unproductive, but great.