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A couple of years ago, I decided not to set myself resolutions for the year, but rather Goals. I spectacularly failed on all of them, and decided to set them for myself again this past year. They included learning to swim (still haven't done it) and getting my drivers license. I got my learner's when I was 20 years old and now it's been a hundred years (code for 15 years, roughly) and I still hadn't done it, and more and more it was becoming more practical for me to be able to drive.
At the end of August I realized that I'd said I wanted my license by the end of summer and all of a sudden it was almost September and the unofficial end of summer and I still didn't have it. So I talked to my sister, whose car I was going to use for the test, and we decided on a date and I booked the day off and booked my test.
One of my friends asked if I was ready, and I said no. She said not to do it if I wasn't ready, but at this point, if I didn't jump in and just do it, I never WOULD be ready. I live in the middle of a city close to a transit centre with decent bus service, and I live within walking distance of my workplace. I have no real urgent NEED to drive beyond that it would be easier to get groceries and visit my friends, a large number of whom live deep on the south side of the city (it took me over an hour one way to bus to two of their houses last month). Having my license would just be incentive to get a vehicle at some point in the near future.
In retrospect, I should have taken slightly more care in the timing. The weather was awful last week, so I'm glad I had it this week, but maybe I should have put it off a week more. Booking a test for the day after a belly dance show in which I taught myself one of the numbers in about 4 weeks was perhaps not the best idea. And then since this past weekend was also our annual train trip, and my sister wanted to borrow a costume and we both needed a bustle so I had to throw one together the night before we left, my head was JAMMED full of stuff. I had to keep reminding myself to panic over one thing at a time. Panic over the bustle. Bustle made, ok, panic over dancing. Dancing done, ok, panic over my driving test.
I was watching TV this morning and getting more and more nervous, and suddenly realized "I can't do this". But it was FAR too late to cancel, and I think I would be out the cost of the exam either way, so I might as well just go and do it and get it over with. I was beside myself with nerves, too nervous to eat breakfast or drink anything more than water. My sister was late picking me up and we zoomed off to the registry to sign in. I was told to come 20 minutes early, and it didn't take too long to sign in and my examiner arrived and we set out 10 minutes early.
Well the good news is, I PASSED ON THE FIRST TRY!!! I messed up parallel parking a bit, but that was the only time I was docked points. I am so happy and proud of myself!
And now that those items are off my plate, now it's time to focus on the items I need to make for the Regency ball in a week and a half :D I'm really glad I took today off. I've been out of the house almost every weekend for the last month and will be out of the house for the next couple weekends up to and including the ball, so having an afternoon to myself is really awesome.
At the end of August I realized that I'd said I wanted my license by the end of summer and all of a sudden it was almost September and the unofficial end of summer and I still didn't have it. So I talked to my sister, whose car I was going to use for the test, and we decided on a date and I booked the day off and booked my test.
One of my friends asked if I was ready, and I said no. She said not to do it if I wasn't ready, but at this point, if I didn't jump in and just do it, I never WOULD be ready. I live in the middle of a city close to a transit centre with decent bus service, and I live within walking distance of my workplace. I have no real urgent NEED to drive beyond that it would be easier to get groceries and visit my friends, a large number of whom live deep on the south side of the city (it took me over an hour one way to bus to two of their houses last month). Having my license would just be incentive to get a vehicle at some point in the near future.
In retrospect, I should have taken slightly more care in the timing. The weather was awful last week, so I'm glad I had it this week, but maybe I should have put it off a week more. Booking a test for the day after a belly dance show in which I taught myself one of the numbers in about 4 weeks was perhaps not the best idea. And then since this past weekend was also our annual train trip, and my sister wanted to borrow a costume and we both needed a bustle so I had to throw one together the night before we left, my head was JAMMED full of stuff. I had to keep reminding myself to panic over one thing at a time. Panic over the bustle. Bustle made, ok, panic over dancing. Dancing done, ok, panic over my driving test.
I was watching TV this morning and getting more and more nervous, and suddenly realized "I can't do this". But it was FAR too late to cancel, and I think I would be out the cost of the exam either way, so I might as well just go and do it and get it over with. I was beside myself with nerves, too nervous to eat breakfast or drink anything more than water. My sister was late picking me up and we zoomed off to the registry to sign in. I was told to come 20 minutes early, and it didn't take too long to sign in and my examiner arrived and we set out 10 minutes early.
Well the good news is, I PASSED ON THE FIRST TRY!!! I messed up parallel parking a bit, but that was the only time I was docked points. I am so happy and proud of myself!
And now that those items are off my plate, now it's time to focus on the items I need to make for the Regency ball in a week and a half :D I'm really glad I took today off. I've been out of the house almost every weekend for the last month and will be out of the house for the next couple weekends up to and including the ball, so having an afternoon to myself is really awesome.
