June Showers, July Flowers?

I'll take a gander that whoever first came up with "April Showers, May Flowers" wasn't living in Michigan. Here it snowed through April, and dipped below freezing in May. Now the temperature is up, along with the humidity and cloud cover. I spent all of last Saturday without a shirt, but it didn't get me anywhere, as the sun never came all day. Now it's terrible humid and pouring outside with a high chance of thunderstorms tonight... and I left the Cheerios box open this morning. Goodbye crunchiness.

I passed my Michigan Drivers' Test!

That means I am now a licensed Michigan driver. Now all I need is something to drive! I'm currently considering a moped. It's bigger than a scooter, but more comfortable and less powerful than a motorcycle. In fact, mopeds are by law allowed to go no faster than 35 mph. They are less expensive to own and insure than a car, and most get at least 100 miles to the gallon. Considering the price of gas, a moped would be perfect for transportation around town, at least until October when the weather turns sour. Then I'll have to start borrowing John's car, and/or get a job and save up.

Twenty Six Point Five Hours

That's how long I played Grand Theft Auto IV this three day weekend, according to the in game timer. That's right, between Friday afternoon and Monday evening I played video games for over a full day, minus bathroom breaks. One would think I'd have beaten it by now.

18th Birthday Coming Up...

Wowzers, its been almost two years since I left LA for San Jose, then Michigan. So much has changed since then... Most noticeably, I've gained 15 pounds (mostly muscle, I hope!) and gotten about 1,000 shades paler (I once thought that wasn't possible). I can't wait for the summer!

Speaking of summer, I get to go home one last time before I turn 18. The main excuse I'll give to my coaches is to get my wisdom teeth pulled while my dental insurance is still covered under my parents. I seriously don't think my wizzies are ready to come out (two are still under the gumline), and my dentist doesn't use anesthesia (I know, they're crazy), but they've gotta go. But what I'm really looking forward to is seeing all of my school and CCLO friends before most of them graduate. After June, they're likely spread to out to every corner of the country, and I may never get to see some of them until a distant high school reunion (that said, I wonder if I'll qualify for Westchester's).

So the plan for now, although no plane tickets have been ordered yet, is to fly home right after school ends (June 13) for the weekend of June 14th, plus a couple weekdays after that. Besides taking a Saturday ACT at my old high school (WHS) and some serious teeth pulling on Tuesday, I'll spend all my time seeing everyone I possibly can. I'm shooting for a party on Sunday the 15th, if everyone isn't too busy studying for finals.

I won't get to spend my actual 18th Birthday in my hometown, nor get to watch all my old schoolmates walk the stage on the 19th, but one can't have everything. I'll just make the best of the time I have.

Got My MI Permit!

It was a very complicated and arduous process, but I changed my California driver's permit to a Michigan one. I'll spare you the details, but I'm so overjoyed.

So today John taught me how to drive stick in a parking lot. After twenty minutes, I drove the three miles home. At one point I stalled three times in a row before I finally got going. As I went to change gears I realized it had been in fourth gear all along. John says even for a seasoned manual driver, a fourth gear startup is pretty impressive.

John says I should be ready to take my Michigan driving test in a couple of weeks.

Care To Drive Stick?

So the new plan for my license is this. Transfer my Cali permit to a Michigan permit. Learn how to drive John's two manual transmission cars, then take the driving test in Michigan. Easy as pie.

My Trip Back Home

Jordan's flight landed late Thursday night. On Friday morning, he went to the DMV to renew his provisional driving permit, which had expired after a year. Only after he renewed his permit could Jordan schedule a driving test to get his license. All of he closest DMVs were booked until April 16th or later, but Jordan needed to find an appointment before he left on Tuesday the 8th. By some miracle, a cancellation opened up an opportunity at the North Hollywood DMV at 10 am Monday morning.

On Friday night, Jordan saw his sister, Sarah, in "Gypsy" at the local Westchester Playhouse. The performances were spectacular from a cast spanning all age ranges. However, Jordan thinks the plot could have been more quickly paced. Maybe it was because the play started at 8 and ended at 11:30, which felt like 2:30 to our jet-lagged friend.

On Saturday, Jordan took a refresher driving course with Tatem, an instructor from California Driving School. Keeping within immediate neighborhood, they practiced left and right hand turns, U-turns, 3-point turns, backing in a straight line, and even some 3-point [parallel] parking. Having not a formal driving lesson since the days after his first permit 14 months prior, Jordan felt the lesson was a real big confidence booster.

Saturday night brought Jordan to another musical, this time "Les Miserables". It was playing at Beverly Hills High. It was awesome.

Jordan woke up Sunday morning after a dream that he didn't pass his driving test.

To make a very long story short, Jordan failed his driving test on Monday because he drove too slow (23 mph) on a 35 mph street. That's not the full story, but let's just say the rest of his test was perfect. He just got an asshole tester.

Then Jordan flew back to Michigan and was really bummed out. End of story.

Spring Break in LA

This flight marks the first time Jordan will miss Ann Arbor more than he looks forward to going home. Don't get him wrong, he always looks forward to coming home. But with all the friends he's made in Michigan, and the winter weather, for the most part, over, he'll be somewhat sad to leave Michigan even for a few days. Still, Jordan has much to look forward to this weekend.

Jordan plans to (finally) get his drivers' license on Tuesday, after renewing his expired drivers' permit the Friday prior. In between those days, Jordan is going to drive, drive, drive. He needs to convince the examiner that he has been driving all of the past year and a half, instead of living in Michigan where his California permit isn't valid. Truthfully, Jordan has driven maybe a total of five to ten hours outside of Behind the Wheel classes, which he completed over a year ago. Part of the plan for this weekend is to take a refresher course, and boy will it be one, because Jordan hasn't sat behind the wheel of a car since November - over four months ago.

Driving Me Crazy

As of this date, Jordan does not have a car. When he wants to go somewhere, he checks the bus route and the weather outside. Many times he wants to go somewhere but can't find a ride.

Jordan as a passenger is at least five times faster than Jordan as a pedestrian. Jordan likes being a passenger. He likes being a driver too. The difference between five and twenty-five miles an hour is huge when you're used to walking everywhere. With a car, you don't have schedules and tedious bus routes to work around. You make your own path, at your own time. And you don't have to dress up in a tench coat and boots to go grocery shopping on a February morning.

But for some people that just isn't enough, and Jordan can't quite understand why. Some people act like every red light is a threat to their existence. If another driver cuts them off, it hits them like a personal assault. They honk, they shout, they point fingers to the sky. They take driving for granted. What they really need to do is smile, and remember that even in bumper to bumper traffic, they still get to sit down.

Luck?

Jordan waits at the bus stop, hands in his pockets and ready for another day of skating. It had snowed the night before, but this morning the weather was sunny and well above freezing. The snow wouldn't stick for long; a week at most, and then it would all be gone. Directly above Jordan, the telephone wires sag with the weight of the sticky snow.

Just then, a lump the size of a computer mouse slips off the wire and heads for Jordan's head. Jordan is listening to his iPod, and leans slightly to the beat. The lump of snow misses his head, skims off his shoulder, and guides its way right into Jordan's jacket pocket. Of course, the snow promptly melts and diffuses into the fabric before Jordan can decide what to do. The most Jordan can figure is that it was a really lucky shot, and perhaps from now on he'll always have a little luck in his pocket.

Jordan adds this event to the fact that he missed LOST last night for skating practice (he's got a show to do tonight and tomorrow), but found out this morning that because of the writers' strike there aren't any new episodes until April 29th. What luck!

Bunnies and Chocolate and Jesus, Oh My!

I finished the last of my Halloween candy last week, only to have it replaced today with a basket full of chocolate eggs and chocolate kisses and chocolate coins and marshmallow bunnies and jelly beans and almond chocolate chip cookies...

Spring is almost here!

The ground is still frozen in some places, like this mini forest, whose floor hasn't been exposed to air since it snowed on New Years Day.

Homework = boredom + comfort food

Does a peanut butter and jelly sandwich count as 'comfort food'? If so, what about just peanut butter and jelly, minus the bread, plus a spoon. It's a low carb alternative, right?

I'm just bummed out cause school starts tomorrow and I've still got loads of homework due. I need comfort food, but we're all out of baby carrots.