Interwebs - no, no, UNIVERSE - I PASSED MY G'DAMNED DRIVING TEST TODAY. I am, after 34 years on this earth and 19 as a terrified eternally Instruction Permitted individual, the REAL DEAL. And I never ever ever have to take the test again in the USA or Canada. Thank you Jebus. Thank you Driving Examiner Lady. So many things went wrong. It is the DMV after all. It turns out in this state I need to be on the insurance BEFORE being licensed. Is that crazy? It wasn't like that in Oregon. You had to become licensed, then insured. So we showed up and immediately had to get on the phone with Gecko to enrol me and have them fax the evidence. But wait! North Carolina, unlike many/most other states doesn't care that I'm over 25 and requires me to be charged the same amount as a teenager would be - for three years. While I see the safety and wisdom of this - um, arghhhhhh. An extra $1200 a year, just like that. Sweet. For someone who will not drive more than 10 miles at a time. But we had to say yes. Then they couldn't find the fax. Then they found the fax. Then I got sat down with a woman with nails and a US Military teddy bear on her desk. I was really starting to regret the Obama bumper sticker, seriously it was all I could do not to go out and discretely rip it off. That's right, all principles go out the window when you've been preparing for this damn test for - oh the last 4 years. But she turned out to be nice - I made sure she saw Simone and AH on the way out so we could - and did - start talking about our babies. You know how you're not supposed to talk during the test? I had no choice because it was babies babies babies. I knew Simone was good for something...the test was so so so easy. Right turns. Left turns with arrows. Backing along a curb - a three-point turn - no parallel parking or freeway or roundabouts. Lord, she was kind too. Just passed me, straight up. Despite my commitment to alternative transit and bikes and my feet, this is seriously a RIDICULOUS thrill. Now I want to celebrate but it's 10:57 am and there's a baby involved. Come over with champagne and cookies, won't you?

In other non-related, viewing news, I just sent Nflix back "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and I thought it was just splendidly lovely. I got really mad in the spelling out parts though because the speech therapist would be spelling out individual letters - like "V" for instance -and the English sub-title would be completely different - "W" instead - and I thought maybe they were just screwing up...until I realised they were spelling out the English word, not the French. Oh. Also I love Max von Sydow so very much so when he is also speaking French and crying - double triple Max von Sydow bonus! It is strange to see J. Schnabel as so schlubby and schlumpy in person and then see the beautiful things he makes. I am also so happy "So You Think You Can Dance" is back on. A reality show with integrity and happiness and charm on Fox - who woulda guessed? I love it so.

But mostly I love my new license.

(Confidential to Myra Lee: Phew, I'm glad!)