Driver's Education

Driver's Ed, more like rip out my brain and drag it across molten concrete because that is how I have felt all week having to learn to drive. Most unfortunately for me, though, the class lasts two weeks, so I'm only half way done with the torture. The first day wasn't actually half bad! I went to the Health and Safety council building where the class was, and pretty much just filled in a worksheet from 8 am to 1 pm. Very low stress, low key (if not incredibly boring). No, the fun really started on Tuesday, when I actually had to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. I was tasked with driving around in a white Pontiac, my driving instructor sitting in the passenger seat, and all I had to do was not get both of us plus the other student sitting in the backseat killed. Sounds easy, right?

Wrong. 

Very, very wrong. Despite the fact that I have had my learner's permit since February, and have been practicing driving a lot since then, I still did a miserable job driving the first day (and the days to follow, might I add). I would like to blame children's television partly for my faults, though I really know that's a bit of a stretch. Really, though, didn't we all think we learned a little something from all the episode's of Spongebob where he was in Ms.Puff's class? And I'll be damned if you try and tell me that The Suite Life of Zack and Cody didn't teach me that the technical term for the "PRNDL" is 'gearshift'. What stinks though is if I try and explain all this to my driving instructor, I doubt he would take me seriously. 

"But... I'm really not a bad driver! I'll have you know I watched the episode of Spongebob where he wrote an essay about What Not to Do At a Stoplight!"

"What, that doesn't even make any... DEAR LORD, EYES ON THE ROAD HANNAH!!"

If that conversation went any other way than this, I would be completely and utterly shocked. 

Luckily on Wednesday, I got a day to recover. Back in the classroom from 8 to 1 again, I was able to sit back and relax as the teacher played movie after movie about proper driving techniques. A guest speaker also came and talked to us about organ donation, and I quite liked her. She had nice spunk. 

But like all good things, they must come to and end eventually, and on Thursday I was back on the road. Pretty much what happened was instead of driving around residential areas like we had on Tuesday, my instructor made me go out on the highway, and believe me when I say I was NOT ready for that. It sort of came like a punch in the gut, with me happily driving along neighborhood streets when all of a sudden we were on the merge ramp leading up to the highway and the instructor was yelling "FOOT ON THE GAS, HANNAH, YOU GOTTA SPEED IT UP". I think I more stressed then than I had been in a long time. I felt like I had reached the level 'Moonview Highway' on Mario Kart, and cars were coming at me from all different directions. I managed to hold back my tears as the instructor kept yelling, and I am unsure whether or not the other student sitting in the back seat was snickering at my distress, or horking snot back into his nose. 

I really could go on about Thursday, but I'll just leave it at that. Friday was my day off, so Josalyn and I spent some quality time together (which I actually plan on posting about later because it was amazingly fun?!?). But last night I was really upset about having to drive again today. It turns out driving today wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be, but I had to drive on the interstate, which was even worse than the highway and I probably almost peed myself about four times. After the interstate we headed to downtown, and that was especially terrible because of all the construction, and we had to parallel park. 

There was so much more to my week than this, but I think I'll be done writing about it for now. I cringed just bringing back these fresh memories to write about. Maybe I'll write a reflection post for week two? Maybe not? All I know is that if I fail my driving test next Saturday I am going to go insane. 

Goodbye for now, my lovelies. 

I'M BACK AND MORE FABULOUS THAN EVER

I suppose it is high time I explain my extended absence of posting. It's not that I wanted to let good 'ol Infinitely Pi grow dusty, but I didn't have much of a choice. What is even more distressing for me is the fact that the post that was front and center on my blog during my absence was about my journaling blunders of long ago. I'm quite positive that is going to be a post I will not be able to live down for a long time.

Now, the actual reason I was gone for so long was because, drum roll please, I was at a baton competition. I believe I've alluded to the fact that I twirl batons in my free time, but I've never actually written a whole post about it. Basically from Sunday through Thursday of this past week I was three states away from my home at the biggest competition of the year: Nationals. There were probably well over a thousand other guys and gals who were all participating, and I met a lot of amazing and extremely talented individuals. Not only that, but I also learned a lot about myself on this trip, such as the fact that I can eat a jumbo pretzel in under two minutes. A few other things I learned on my journey of self discovery include:

• I can only play the card game "Trash" so many times before I start to lose it.
• That sitting in a gym all day allows you to see people's dark sides.
• Drinking three bottles of water in a two hour time span is a terrible idea.
• "Hannah, you can't possibly eat that entire thing of fries."

           "Just you try and stop me".

These, really, are just the highlights of my week spent away from home. There is so much more I could talk about, but I'd really rather not bore you all with a long and drawn out explanation of the ins and outs of my whole week. I will say, though, that the worst part of the entire trip was the car ride. It was ten hours there, and another ten hours on the return trip. My father refused to travel by air plane, so we got to spend twenty some hours in our Ford Escape together. And for anyone who has ever had to travel a long distance with another family member, they'll know it can be a little bit maddening. About four hours in on the way home, I tried to get my dad to play a game with me. The rules went that we played the song "Revolution Nine" by The Beatles and time ourselves to see how long we could last before changing the song. Most unfortunately, as with most other games of my own creation, my father was unwilling to participate. In retrospect, it was probably a good idea we didn't follow through with it. 

All I can say is that I am extremely glad that I am home now. I missed my family, my dog, my friends, and of course I missed blogging ;) 

Edit: I realized I might not be posting again for a week or two, so I thought I would post something to help tide you all over for the next drought. Here's some songs I listened to constantly during my trip. I hope y'all enjoy them as much as I do.

Modest Mouse: The World At Large

Weezer: Keep Fishin'

Alex Day: Forever Yours

The Kooks: Junk of the Heart

Back to the Basics

Now that my friend's birthday has come and gone, we have to return back to normal :( Don't get me wrong, the Dark Carnival was loads of fun, but just not right for everyday use. So we're back to my old template. If you are joining me for the first time today and didn't get to see the Dark Carnival, or even if you just want to reminisce, here is what it looked like:

Dark Carnival: Rest in Peace

I had lots of fun with that template, and I hope to bring it back someday! 

P.S.- I added a new poll, so feel free to check the right hand side bar and submit your vote! :D 

News

Spoiler: I'm not actually quitting blogging. Despite what I said in my previous post, I am still going to continue updating! It was a hard decision to make, but I decided that joining the carnival might not be the best decision. I'm not ruling it out totally, though.

But I do have one change that I need to bring up with you all in regards to my blog. Starting tomorrow, my blog will go by a new name. What could this name be? Hm... check back in tomorrow and you can find out! Leave a comment with your guess! >:)