Philotic Web

I finally had a month where I didn't post more than 100 times.

I am also visible on AIM (though just as awkward to talk to). This feels weird, and dare I say wrong, but I am trying to be brave; invisibility, as well as vibrating only on my phone, were things I picked up after the Big Suck two years ago to keep people at arm's length.

I listened to this song,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy4D_wGGtM0
then got the nerve to ask the main girl I like to today's Soccer Game.

Though, I didn't do it in real life since I didn't get a chance to talk to her,(and I got co*kblocked by a leafblower before I could ask her for her number the day before), but baby steps, ya know.

And sure, she said she already had plans with a friend from high school, but she also said I should let her know next time something similar's happening. Success!

Just had the first day of my public affairs fellowship. 11 hour day. I'm EXHAUSTED but completely exhilarated. This is definitely what I should be doing!

I had played all the Earthbound/Mother games. Well, I'm kind of proud

I managed to fix all of the things they broke in the photo lab, and I'm not even a photo tech... nice.

I managed to fix all of the things they broke in the photo lab, and I'm not even a photo tech... nice.

What'd you fix?

Learned a simple Right, left, forward, back, dance sequence that I will apparently "use to get your future wife".

I got up for church and stayed up long enough to hammer out an abstract for the conference in May. Now, if only I could get the other abstract out of the way, but alas, my colleague is not online.

rocking the mickey shirt today.

Here are a couple recent one:

Every little cover letter I send out is a tiny triumph.

Sold my first stock 3D model, apparently, last week! I get a 50% cut of twelve whole American dollars. Woo baby! It's encouraging, considering I only started doing this a few weeks ago.

Got one interview lined up and another in the cooker. Hopefully, hopefully, I'll have a sweet second job and will finally be able to buy fruit, and vegetables, and insurance. I guess insurance should be higher on that list. And maybe a cat!

Just got the results back from the second most important test of my life.

I PASSED.


(Also, I just got my official provisional license to practice law.)

Of course you did.

YAY!! Congrats, Syphon!

This is understandable but alas, I didn't know where else to stash this:

After 9 months of saving, with 1.5 years -give or take a few weeks- to go, I have just hit the halfway mark of the minimum total of money I decided I need to save to move.

Drove through a Drive Thru today! And around the mall parking lot! I'm getting better ^_^

+submitted application for awesome winter/spring paid internship!
+ finished (easiest) thing on my grad school to do list!

and am of course now running late and trying to remember what I need to leave the house for 8 hours...

Drove through a Drive Thru today! And around the mall parking lot! I'm getting better ^_^

Wait...are you just now learning how to drive?

I got to fall asleep holding a pretty girl.

...that probably shouldn't be as spectacular as it was for me.

Drove through a Drive Thru today! And around the mall parking lot! I'm getting better ^_^

Wait...are you just now learning how to drive?

... Yes. I'm a slow learner No, I just took a long time to get comfortable with it. I'd been driving with my dad to work on and off for a year, but I got really anxious and would find excuses not to drive. But now that dad has lots of time on his hands, he's really pushing me to get out more. I'm getting to be a really good driver now ^_^

yes you are getting good and I'm so proud!

I was just confused. I hope that didn't embarrass you or anything. Most people I talk to who learn how to drive in their 20s are from the NE or places like Chicago/Wisconsin, where they had no need to learn. Anyone out west tends to learn as soon as they can because of the abysmal public transportation situation.

I, myself, didn't learn until I was almost 18 -ancient by normal standards for an AZ teen- and even still don't drive often. I drove to and from school every day, to and from work, to friends' houses, for less than a calendar year before I gave up the car and went off to college. I haven't driven consistently since. I look forward to living in a community where it's not a necessity.


This is really cool, Erica. Go you!

I got my learner's license at 16, but I don't think I got around to my G2 (independent but new driver) until I was 21 or so. I know people in their late 20s and even 30s who still don't know how to drive, but they have always been in major urban areas.

Yeah, because of the graduated license system here (which I thought was stupid as a teenager but now think is awesome, because most 16 year olds should NOT be driving by themselves) lots of people don't get around to getting a full license until late teens or early 20s. By the end of high school a number of my friends couldn't drive, which put a bit of a burden on those of us who could. There was some talk a while back about making it so that one couldn't get a full license without a high school diploma. Or making 18 the minimum age for a G2 (which as Ali said is the first license with which you can drive alone, though with restrictions).

And I still can't back into a parking space worth a damn.

Parallel parking is the true evil of driving.

I've done that exactly once since my last road test 5 or 6 years ago, so I probably can't do that worth a damn either.

Parallel parking is the true evil of driving.

I initially read that as "drinking," which I guess is equally true...

And yes, the graduated system is both awesome and awful. Improvements could still be made, but that's always the case. I, too, got my license at 16. My mom wanted a chauffeur, and that meant I got a ton of practice during those impressionable years.

This is really cool, Erica. Go you!

Yeah, I can almost grip the wheel without my knuckles turning white! I'm on my way!

I'm not the last of my friends to learn how to drive, our pal Tabitha is 26 and hasn't gotten her license yet, either. So at least I know I'm not alone

A couple of weeks ago I managed an *amazing* parallel parking job for the first time in years. I was rather impressed with myself. And mildly shamed that I felt so impressed, considering that my grandpa had drilled it into me so that I used to be able to parallel park a minivan into spaces that one shouldn't be able to fit in.

I'm a freak who loves to parallel park - both on the right and left sides (on one-way streets). I got my permit the day I turned 16 and my license 29 days later. I could not WAIT to drive. But then again, there is no public transportation system here in the sticks.

I got my permit the day I turned 16 and my license 29 days later. I could not WAIT to drive. But then again, there is no public transportation system here in the sticks.

Maaan, there's no way you could do that here. When I was doing my license I needed to have my learner's permit for 6 months at least (with a magnetic, red L on the back of the vehicle when driving) and then my novice license for another 12 months (with a magnetic, green N on the back of the vehicle) before I could go for my full license. And along with these were various other requirements determining the number of passengers, absolutely zero alcohol, etc. Since I got my license the system has gotten even more time-consuming, but I'm not sure what the newer requirements are.

I drove at night for the first time tonight! All sorts of accomplishments for me this week ^_^

I got my permit the day I turned 16 and my license 29 days later. I could not WAIT to drive. But then again, there is no public transportation system here in the sticks.

Maaan, there's no way you could do that here. When I was doing my license I needed to have my learner's permit for 6 months at least (with a magnetic, red L on the back of the vehicle when driving) and then my novice license for another 12 months (with a magnetic, green N on the back of the vehicle) before I could go for my full license. And along with these were various other requirements determining the number of passengers, absolutely zero alcohol, etc. Since I got my license the system has gotten even more time-consuming, but I'm not sure what the newer requirements are.

It was a restricted license until I turned 18. I couldn't drive after 9pm (except for work or church), out of state or in NYC. The main difference between a learner's permit and license here is that you can drive by yourself with a license. The laws have changed in the intervening years and now you have to wait 6 months between getting your permit and license. You also need a certain amount of logged practice hours. Back in my day, you only needed to take a 5 hour pre-licensing course; nothing else.

Here, you can get a provisional licence as soon as you turn 17. On your 17th birthday, you could theoretically take and pass the test, and then you have your full licence. Simple, but it hasn't stopped me from failing twice.

*sigh* I remember when I got my learner's permit. I was obsessed with driving (with mom in the passenger's seat of course) for all of five months. Then summer came and I realized walking isn't so bad. I don't beg to drive as much as I used to.

Got my resting heart-rate down to about 60 at my assessment the other day. Shooting for 55 and dropping bodyfat to 7.9% at the next one.

First job interview, today.

I was late