(no subject)

[derien]

Things are looking up....

I got an 'unofficial' job offer. I hate to talk about it for fear I'll jinx it, but she said she was sure it would happen, she just had to go through the ritual of contacting my references.

If I get it I won't be starting until October 24th, which gives me time to buy some business casual clothes and learn to drive.

I started really working on learning to drive the past few days. The car now has a nice big dent in the back bumper.

Comments

[licking-suntan.livejournal.com]

May I ask why you never learned to drive? For some reason, it fascinates me, people who don't drive. I grew up in a rural area, so driving was a necessicity if I wanted to leave (Which I did). But you live in a rural area, too. How did you get around for so long without driving?

I love to drive. Are you learning on automatic or stick? Automatic is easier to learn for taking your driving test, but I prefer driving stick. I feel like I have more control over the car, it makes me pay more attention to driving, and it's just plain fun.

What kind of car are you driving?

[derien.livejournal.com]

I grew up in a rural area. When I was in high school my parents tried to teach me to drive, and a flunked my test (mainly because of nerves, I believe). Very shortly after that I left for college, and I've spent most of the past 17 years living in towns (Portland, Boston) where I wouldn't have to drive. I didn't want to drive if I could avoid it... partly this has to do with the fact that I know how spacey I am - I'm afraid I'll kill someone.

We only moved here a year ago August, and until I got laid off I was spending all my time working (and commuting). While Eor was working he was also working in Boston, so it was convenient for us to ride together, and then after he got laid off he would just drive me to the commuter rail.

I'm learning on a stick this time (my Dad had a standard and my Mom had an automatic, when I was in high school, so that was a somewhat confused learning experience). I think you're right about more control, that's what I've heard anyway, probably mostly from Eor, I can't prove it myself. But, it's probably easier to learn the automatic after learning the stick, easier than the other way around.

Eor has a cute little dark green Chevy Metro, that's what I'm learning on. After I get that mastered I need to learn to drive the VW van, that _really_ scares me! Unless we can get the title problems for our other Metro worked out. (A couple of years older than the Chevy Metro, so that one's a Geo Metro - before Chevy reabsorbed the Geo front.) He bought that one with the intention of it being for me to learn on, it's wicked beat up already so a few more dents wouldn't have mattered, but the guy who sold it to him had done something wierd with the title and now we can't register it, so it just sits there in our barn.:(

[licking-suntan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my parents tried teaching me on stick and automatic at the same time. I think it's a good idea in theory, but the stick I was learning on was a Renault LeCar that was almost as old as I was, and it had the most temperamental clutch of anything I've ever driven since. When it came time for the road test, we decided to concentrate on learning the automatic, since it's easier for taking the test. When I did go back to master stick, I found that I liked it a lot more. For the sake of learning under the time crunch, you should concentrate on learning whatever it is the car you'll most likely be driving is. You don't want learn on one car then have to adjust to another completely different one. That might confuse you or fluster you more. But, I also know what it's like to learn to drive from a boyfriend. I'm sure Matt's got his own plan in mind.

[derien.livejournal.com]

I'll be taking the test on the Chevy Metro, definetly. Unless they require you to take the test on automatic.... hm.... no, I don't think so, from what I remember reading in the New Hampshire manuel. I heard a rumor that they require automatic in Massachusetts, I don't know if that's true or not, but I heard it was so the person giving the test could reach over with their foot and hit the brake, if need be. At least the van is also standard! It's just a much larger vehical.

Yeah, Matt has his own plan in mind.:) That's not so much a guy thing as it is a _Matt_ thing. He's always the one everyone expects is going to be taking care of all the details.

[eve-l-incarnata.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the job, I hope you get it. Also, good luck learning to drive. I grew up drivinga a tractor, riding lawn mower, etc... so by the time I was behind the wheel of a car, it didn't seem so foreign.

[derien.livejournal.com]

If I'd ever had the opportunity to drive other things I'm sure this process would be a whole lot easier, but alas my father never believe in such things. Lawnmowers? Ha, those were for the bourgoisie, we made do with a packed dirt yard. We were lucky if we had a bicycle _with_ a chain.;)

Business Casual Clothes

[licking-suntan.livejournal.com]

I forgot that I had had a thought about buying clothes the other day. Unless you know what your sizes are from specific retailers, buying online could be a bad idea. It would be much more worthwhile to spend a day at a mall or department store trying stuff on to find out exactly what you like and what fits. Different companies use different size scales--a size 8 from GAP is different from a size 8 in J.Crew. It's always so disappointing to order stuff through the catalog or online, then find out it doesn't fit! Also, going out to shop, you may stumble on clothes that you like that you hadn't thought to look for online.

Good luck!

Re: Business Casual Clothes

[derien.livejournal.com]

Yes, I guess that's really what I should do. Only trouble is, I still don't have a license, which means having to take someone with me... most likely a certain someone who really hates malls and shopping. (Oddly, every now and then he takes a notion to buy me some clothes, and then has a lot of patience with second hand stores, searching the racks and bringing me more things to try on while I'm in the changing room. But he only buys outfits for going out dancing in.:) I feel a bit like a barbie doll, but it's fun.:))