If you live in or are visiting Central Florida, clear the roads

That's right folks, my 18 year old daughter finally mustered up the courage to get her drivers license. Click that link if you are interested in the first part of her story. I'll wait. Oh good, you're back. For those of you who didn't click here's a little summary. She has been terrified of driving. Now the reality of the real adult world has hit her, she knows she needs to drive. So, yestererday her daddy took her to the DMV. She had a driver's ed waiver and she was hoping she could just go and get her pic taken and be done with it. Here is the rest of her story taken from her blog. (think Law and Order here...) BA BA BUUUUUM:

When I got up to the desk at the DMV, I told the lady about my waiver, and she's silent as she's typing in information.

Please, please, please, let it still be in the system still. Please.

"It's not here," she says.

Shit.

"What you can do is you can either call up your school and ask why the info isn't there, or take the driving test here today. If there isn't any room, we can fit you in another time if you make an appointment."

I pondered the thought about the possibility of having to come another time, that way I could practice a little bit more. So I went for it.

"I could do it today," I tell her.

She checks to see if there are any openings for today. . . . Of course there is.

I had to fill out some paper work, get my picture taken and was told to sit down.



A few minutes later, while I was waiting for my impending doom, a kid and one of the driving instructors came in from just doing a driving test.

The instructor looked mean. He looked like an alcoholic bouncer. He wore a Hawaiian shirt as if he just back from vacation and his hair was white and about as long as Hulk Hogan's. (Its pretty sad I compared his hair length to a person such as Hulk, I know.) As he took off his dark sunglasses, he let out a long, tiring I can't believe I'm still alive sigh.

I prayed I wouldn't get him. He didn't look like fun at all.

"Tiffany?" I hear my name. I look up and it's him. Alcoholic Hawaiian Bouncer man.

We walk outside and he says, "I'm Milt and I'll be your instructor for today."

Right off the bat, he was nicer than I thought.

"You seem nervous. Are you?" he asks me.

"Uhh, you can, you can say that," I say.

"Well, don't be."

Easy for you to say.

He also mentions that he hasn't failed anybody since last Friday.

"I'm on a pretty good streak," he says.

You might not be after you get through with me, man.

After checking the lights and whatnot, we begin the test.

As soon as we get in the car, Milt puts his hands in front of the air vents and says, "Oh man, cold air conditioning. Awesome."

He looks over at me and explains, "Oh, the kid that I had before you, his car had air conditioning, but all it blew was hot air. It was miserable."

That explains the expression on his face when I saw him the first time.

I calmed down a bit and the course went pretty smooth.

In Driver's Ed, we had to do the Three-Point-Turn or Turn-a-bout as some people call 'em, and I couldn't master the stupid thing for the life of me.

When it was time for me to do it this time, I did it very well. Better than I thought.
I had trouble parking, but I didn't hit any cones. I was just off center a bit.

The rest of the ride was smooth. Because the course took place in the parking lot (that was also the parking lot for an entire plaza), I drove like a turtle. Slow and steady wins the race, my friends.

And it did, because I got my license.

The maximum points you can get before failing is 31. I got 25. Lol.

"I almost failed you," he admits at the end. "But I didn't because the areas you made mistakes in easily can improve by more practice. I trust you that you'll do just that. Overall, good job."

YEAH! TAKE THAT SOCIETY!

Also: later on in the evening, I volunteered to get ice cream at the convenient store, since my dad was craving some. My mom's monster of a car is something I need to get used to, and my mom hesitated a bit to let me go.

"I'll take the back roads," I told her.

". . . .Eh, alright, fine," she tells me.

I've only driven by myself once before and it was only from my grandma's house to my own. We're separated by at least five houses.

It was exhilarating, driving by myself. On my way to the store, I got lost. On BACKROADS. Lol. Why these things happen to me, I don't know. I turned down the wrong street, and turned around in someone's driveway.

I am definitely more comfortable by myself when driving than I am with people. People in the car with me make me nervous. . . .but I hope to soon get over that.

Finally getting to the store, I spotted a parking space next to a truck. I did it effortlessly. It was amazing. I almost took a picture with my cellphone to show my parents. . . .but then I changed my mind.

Driving is not so bad. I'm not as scared as I was. I still have yet to drive with traffic though. Gulp.

But we'll get there, when we get there.


So please... head over there and give her some congrats, or at the very least send me some money to cover my skyrocketing insurance. With The Boy (17) already with an accident on his record, and now her, I need all the help I can get.

I joke, but I am very proud of both kids.