ysabetwordsmith | Progress on Goals and Resolutions

I had a whole pile, and most of them are on track. The most difficult thing is learning to drive, because driving school is expensive and I need to save up money for housing stuff, and I don't have many people around who can teach me to drive. Other than that, my resolutions are coming along nicely.

>>I had a whole pile, and most of them are on track.<<

Yay!

>> The most difficult thing is learning to drive, because driving school is expensive and I need to save up money for housing stuff, and I don't have many people around who can teach me to drive. <<

That's hard. Some possible solutions ...

* Study your local "Rules of the Road" handbook. Those are usually free at the driver's office. Some places post theirs online free too.

* Study vehicle manuals. At least you can learn what they're supposed to do when you mash the buttons or whatever.

* Look online. There are lots of resources.

How to Drive (text)

Driver Education and Training Videos

Free Online Driving Courses (for 12 states)

Simulators also exist. Ask your driver's office and library if they have any of these or know where you could use one.

Some games are simulators too:

Driver's Education (1998-1999)

Driver's Ed Parking

There are also apps:

Drivers Ed: US Driving Test 2020 Free

Best Test Prep Apps

5 Best Android Apps to Learn Car Driving

None of the above can replace live lessons, but they can lay an excellent foundation and make use of time so it's not wasted while you try to arrange lessons.

Consider other ways to find someone to help you learn. Do you know of a community bulletin board? Post a note saying that you're looking for a skilled driver to help you learn. It's a lot cheaper to hire an everyday driver than to hire an expert.

More Resources

The thing is, I /know/ the theory. I have my learner's permit, which for MA is the written test. And being on campus, I see how people around here drive, and there's no way I'd trust them to teach me. I've written filksongs about how badly Massachusetts residents drive.

Even a lot of the driving schools have low ratings /because they teach how to drive in MA/ (tailgating just above the speed limit), not how to drive safely and in normal circumstances. It's definitely one of the troubles of living in MA, because I'm fine going 2 miles an hour in heavy traffic. MA doesn't have many straight roads to just learn to trust the gas on or get braking distance down to muscle memory, so the instructors improvise a /lot/. I just need to get the basics down. I don't need tailgating skills or anything MA-specific, considering this is the last place I'd ever want to drive for an extended period of time.

Basically, given that the driving schools wouldn't really teach what I need to know, it's far more going to be finding someone likely not from MA who doesn't have that bias to teach me. And that's difficult.

Edited 2020-01-20 23:22 (UTC)

Wow, that really sucks. :(

Let's see ...

Simulations are still better than nothing for practice behind the wheel.

You could look for non-MA natives.

MA is a tiny state, thus much more feasible to seek out-of-state lessons. A pain in the ass, but probably less worse than other options.

However, if you don't learn the MA bad driving approach, how will you pass the live-driving test if the teacher expects you to tailgate just under the speed limit? O_O

You're not expected to pass. Yes, you read that right. In MA, you're EXTREMELY lucky to pass the first time, for this reason precisely. Most of the people my age or within a decade older who learned to drive in MA failed their first test.

Out-of-state lessons are technically illegal; the learner's permit does not allow driving outside the legal home state.

Definitely going to keep looking through simulations, though.

See if you can get a learner's permit in another state.

Otherwise, ask yourself whether you care more about learning to drive safely, or following the letter of the law. Or whether you need to learn to drive right now in a state that's batshit.

Something else to do:

Find a BIG parking lot. Something like the back reaches of a regional mall, or a large stadium or concert venue. This is a place where you can have a bit of a run without having to worry too much about keeping things perfectly straight or running into things. You can find out how the car you're practicing on behaves, and try things out.

After you're getting experience with that, wait for a decent snowfall, and then do it all over again. [puts on raised-in-snow-country hat] Driving in snow is a real-time physics exam. If you did OK in a high-school physics course, and recognize this fact, you'll be way ahead of the eejidts I always see littering the roadsides and ditches when things get dicey. [takes off hat] Get done with that, and you'll be well on your way to being a better-than-average driver.

And above all, make sure you know where your towel's at, and DON'T PANIC!

YES to all of this! My dad had me driving around the high school parking lot when I was 13. I'd teach you myself, if it weren't for the commute ...

& extra-yes to learning to drive in snow. The only way to learn how to control a car in a slide is to go sliding. Should you switch from a front-wheel to rear-wheel drive vehicle or the reverse, you need to entirely relearn, because everything's the opposite. Yes, the Van the Size of the Van the Size of France is, indeed, rear-wheel drive.

You're not the only one to write such songs: http://www.mcgath.com/songs/MassachusettsTangle.pdf

Also, it was good to see you at Conflikt.

Not me at Conflikt. I'm heading to Boskone in a couple weeks, though. (What is it about me that I seem to have an unquestionable doppelganger in west coast filk/ren faire circles?)

Excellent timing for your question, because although AB5 continues on the books at least until March when a hearing is scheduled, Downstairs Tenant's GF is considering moving in, thus generating more income to recoup. This situation means 6 people living here, but the upside is that the same amount of rooms are in use and I do not need to sacrifice my favorite one to rental.

My other resolution re the breviary is flying high, too. It's nice to consider the difference a few weeks makes. :)

Edited 2020-01-20 21:41 (UTC)

>> Excellent timing for your question,<<

Yay!

>> because although AB5 continues on the books at least until March when a hearing is scheduled, <<

On the bright side, it means that opponents will be able to bring actual examples of companies reducing or eliminating their California independent contractors, and other direct reductions in income for freelancers, rather than merely predictions.

>> Downstairs Tenant's GF is considering moving in, thus generating more income to recoup. This situation means 6 people living here, but the upside is that the same amount of rooms are in use and I do not need to sacrifice my favorite one to rental.<<

Yay!

>> My other resolution re the breviary is flying high, too.<<

That's good to hear.

>> It's nice to consider the difference a few weeks makes. :) <<

Yeah, I like this check-in option for noting progress during January. Especially since it takes about a month to establish a new habit, so people who make it all the way to the end of the month are more likely to keep going.

This month has not been a bust. Here's what I've accomplished so far this year.

I've posted 17 days out of 20, which I think counts as posting most days. And I've been commenting most days especially when you consider I've done all the

snowflake_challenges so far.

I've read two books so far this year even if they were really disappointing. I was going to do that Book Bingo thing, but I decided to just read what I wanted since I couldn't figure out how to check off the card.

My writing goal is 17,000 words this year, which for me is a lot. I write short stories. So far I'm just over 1,000 words.

The goal is to do all months of Allbingo and I wrote and posted a bingo for the January challenge the other day.

I also had a goal of hosting a challenge for Allbingo and I signed-up for June so that's done 1/2 done. The other half will be done when I actually do it in June.

I already got my layout and icon changed weeks ago, so that's done.

One of my other goals is to craft more and I did one project so far this month. I stuffed the pillow I made last month last week.

I've started the pay down the debt project. I was able to pay off the store card that I used for some of last year's Christmas presents. Fortunately, there was very little on it. I'm also on target to pay off my dental surgery by end of year--I hope.

Another goal for the year is to be more positive And grateful. I'm not sure how well I'm really doing since my default emotion seems to be frustrated, but I have been posting in

3_good_things_a_day and

awesomeers nearly daily. I feel asleep before I did it one night, but I did do it the next day.

Where I have failed is that I haven't written anything for the Ladies Bingo Challenge since last year. I lost the beginning of my rough drafts, but it wasn't really a loss since I wasn't happy with them anyway.

And the less said about this one, the better: 11. Take Better Care Of Myself, Including Doing Things For Myself Like Going To The Movies More Often.

>>This month has not been a bust. Here's what I've accomplished so far this year.<<

It sounds like you're making good progress.

>>Another goal for the year is to be more positive And grateful. I'm not sure how well I'm really doing since my default emotion seems to be frustrated, but I have been posting<<

That kind of goal takes time -- often weeks or months -- before you start seeing definite changes.

>> Where I have failed is that I haven't written anything for the Ladies Bingo Challenge since last year. I lost the beginning of my rough drafts, but it wasn't really a loss since I wasn't happy with them anyway.<<

Bummer. :(

>>And the less said about this one, the better: 11. Take Better Care Of Myself, Including Doing Things For Myself Like Going To The Movies More Often.<<

1) You managed to say nice things about your accomplishments above.

2) You can try again tomorrow. Or even today.

Consider Goal Fish. It is a customizable activity generator that will give you one thing at a time, chores or fun.

I figure I still have 10 days this month to get somewhere on Ladiesbingo. I did do one prompt last year, so that leave 4 for the bingo. Maybe I'm better off trying a different one than those I've been working on. I started looking last night for prompts to do for the Wild Card.

I hadn't taken into account that I managed to say something good. I'll take it. :-)

Thank you for the link. I bookmarked it. I did peek. I think I'm going to have to play with it a little before I go to bed.

>> I figure I still have 10 days this month to get somewhere on Ladiesbingo. I did do one prompt last year, so that leave 4 for the bingo. Maybe I'm better off trying a different one than those I've been working on. I started looking last night for prompts to do for the Wild Card.<<

That sounds like a good approach.

>> I hadn't taken into account that I managed to say something good. I'll take it. :-) <<

\o/

>>Thank you for the link. I bookmarked it. I did peek. I think I'm going to have to play with it a little before I go to bed.<<

I'm glad I could help.

I've done the LBRP for about a month straight now. At least twice a day.

...

Excuse me while I start logging this somewhere, because I need to. That's the only thing I haven't done, although, I'm pretty sure that's because I've been depressed out of my mind.

There were a couple days where I only did it 1 time because of that, and still did the smaller things to mark the sun's passage, but still, doing it for this long is a feat.

I have two job interviesws tomorrow, and 1 on Thursday. I'm hoping to find something in downtown Cleveland so I can take a commuter back and forth, but we'll see how that goes.

If it works out that way, I mitht actually be able to stay in Painesville until May without too much trouble.

-T~

>> I've done the LBRP for about a month straight now. At least twice a day. <<

Yay!

>> Excuse me while I start logging this somewhere, because I need to.<<

Good idea.

>> I'm pretty sure that's because I've been depressed out of my mind.<<

Alas!

>>I have two job interviesws tomorrow, and 1 on Thursday. I'm hoping to find something in downtown Cleveland so I can take a commuter back and forth, but we'll see how that goes.<<

I hope you find a good job.

Four interviews in a week. All in Cuyahoga county.

That's the most I've had since I've started the job search. They're all in my field, too.

Please for the love of all that's...sacred let me get one of these. It'll make things a helluva lot less stressful here.

Even if the commute'll be bell for a bit.

-T~

Fingers crossed that you get a job out of this set of interviews! 💖💖

Thank you! <3 <3

Also, how do you make the different hart emotes? My updated reader reads them, but I don't know how to make them. Other than the <3 and it literally reads it as "less three" LOL

-T~

Lol. I just use what is available on my keyboard. Its an android keyboard/phone.

Here's witching you luck.

Keep witching me luck; it seems to be working. Thank you.

(At first I thought you ment 'wishing'...then I read it closer, and realized...nope, 'witchingg' is what you ment. Gotta love the screen reader sometimes. ... and the brain that sometimes puts assumed words in, instead of what's actually there. LOL

Thank you for being my friend; it is appreciated. <3

-T~

Yeah, I lit a stick of Good Fortune incense for you.

I got what I wanted:
I have 2 job offers now.

The one at Bobby C's Barbershop, which is an independent contract position, and the one I really wanted. That one doesn't start until March 1st.

And a Massage heights in Strohmsville (SP), which is Franchise work, and kinda far out, and which the room mates say I should take because steady work and stable income; and which they will drive me to until I can get out on my own. The training for that starts Monday.

Please don't ask me to brain more. I am both excited and extremely frustrated for reasons I will go into later.

I need to decompress from the aadventure that was the ride home, and the job interviews that wer both wonderful, but still stressful.

-Trausio~

>> I got what I wanted:
I have 2 job offers now. <<

*cheers, fanfare, confetti*

>> The one at Bobby C's Barbershop, which is an independent contract position, and the one I really wanted. That one doesn't start until March 1st. <<

Woohoo!

>>And a Massage heights in Strohmsville (SP), which is Franchise work, and kinda far out, and which the room mates say I should take because steady work and stable income; and which they will drive me to until I can get out on my own. The training for that starts Monday.<<

They make valid points about stability; getting enough clients to live on is hard for most massage therapists. However, far out is hard on anyone who doesn't drive.

More importantly, it's not their job, it's yours. Live your own life. Choose the work that YOU want, that you feel you will enjoy and do well, that meets the most of your needs. If it doesn't pan out, you can always try something else.

>>Please don't ask me to brain more. I am both excited and extremely frustrated for reasons I will go into later.

I need to decompress from the aadventure that was the ride home, and the job interviews that wer both wonderful, but still stressful.<<

You are totally entitled to veg out and spend the evening on fanfic or television or whatever you like, with your choice of comfort food.

Pat yourself on the back, you worked hard for this, and two job offers is quite an accomplishment!

I'm having middling success woth my goals, though I am pleased I haven't giving up on them all already (follow through is a problem for me.)

I'm about 50/50 on doing yoga and cardio, and 2 out of the 3 absences are due to being sick, so I'm not doing bad there. And I am planning on continuing with this, so I'm counting it as a win right now.

I've been pretty good about working on the updates weekly and will work on continuing this trend, which means things will hopefully be current soon.

My first knitting project is in progress, as is finding a class to take.

And I've been fairly successful in cooking myself dinner and not letting the dishes pile up.

All in all, I'm chipping away at my goals, and I haven't tossed anything out the window just because I missed one day.

>> I'm having middling success woth my goals, though I am pleased I haven't giving up on them all already (follow through is a problem for me.) <<

That's good progress.

>>I'm about 50/50 on doing yoga and cardio, and 2 out of the 3 absences are due to being sick, so I'm not doing bad there. And I am planning on continuing with this, so I'm counting it as a win right now.<<

Not quitting is totally a win!

Honestly, that should be the main focus in January-February. If you make it that far, you'll probably keep going.

>> I've been pretty good about working on the updates weekly and will work on continuing this trend, which means things will hopefully be current soon.<<

So very awesome. :D

>> My first knitting project is in progress, as is finding a class to take.<<

I'm happy to hear that. Crafts are good for quality of life. I've been doing more for Arts and Crafts America, looking into that. Their first response to many problems is to apply crafts to it!

>> And I've been fairly successful in cooking myself dinner and not letting the dishes pile up.<<

Cool.

>> All in all, I'm chipping away at my goals, and I haven't tossed anything out the window just because I missed one day.<<

Yeah, it's important to look at total accomplishments. Keep your eye on the donut, not on the hole! ;)

>>Honestly, that should be the main focus in January-February. If you make it that far, you'll probably keep going.

I'm especially happy that I've been going, since I stopped pretty much as soon as my time with my personal trainer was up, about 6 months ago. I figured the new year was a good time to make an honest effort to get back to it.

>>I'm happy to hear that. Crafts are good for quality of life. I've been doing more for Arts and Crafts America, looking into that. Their first response to many problems is to apply crafts to it!

The knitting is going slower than I hoped for, but life keeps getting in the way, and as long as it's done this year, I'm happy. Before April would be especially great though.

I tend to cycle through crafts, depending on my mood. Some I come back to again and again, others I try once and then move on from, but I do enjoy doing crafty things. They tend to be a lot of fun.

My goals have been slowly making progress.

I've been more consistent about walking the dog and getting myself some exercise in the process.

I've been having some trouble with job stress and this past week, bug treatment stress. 😥

I have been journaling every 2-3 days so thats on track. Could be better but its on track. ☺

>>My goals have been slowly making progress.<<

Huzzah!

>>I've been more consistent about walking the dog and getting myself some exercise in the process.<<

That's good.

>> I've been having some trouble with job stress and this past week, bug treatment stress. <<

Bummer.

>> I have been journaling every 2-3 days so thats on track. Could be better but its on track.<<

It's more important to be doing than to be doing well.

>>It's more important to be doing than to be doing well.

Thanks for the reminder. 💖💖

One of my goals has been to get out more. We saw the Doubleclicks last year; have tickets for John McCutcheon this weekend; and will see the Capitol Steps later in the year.

That's progress. \o/

Thanks!

Progress on Goals and Resolutions

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You're going gangbusters!! w00t

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Go you!

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Go you!

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