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So I’ve spent the entire day doing the online defensive driving thing. I’m not kidding either, I knew it was a 6 hour course, but its non-stop, and its relentless. I’ve been going since about 10 am. The main thing I’ve learned so far today, is that I read about 30% faster than they expect me to. Every page has a minimum viewing time and you cannot proceed until that time has passed. I consistently finish the text on the page before the timer runs out. I had anticipated this, but had not realized how many, and how short the timers would be. I was assuming more of a “you have 15 minutes to finish this section,” and I would finish in 10 and have 5 minutes left over. Instead its “you have 45 seconds to finish this section,” and I have 15 seconds left to wait… that shit adds up. And it gets boring.

The other main thing I have learned, and this is obviously why its called “defensive driving” is that it is your responsibility to get to get the hell out of the way of people who are breaking the law. There’s logic to this, sure, but it just feels contradictory. It makes a lot of statements to the effect that if you are driving correctly and obeying the laws (especially in the right of way portions), and someone slams into you as a result of their illegal actions, its somehow your fault for not allowing them the right of way that they didn’t deserve.

This was most obvious when they were talking about motorcycles, and how as drivers, we should treat them as full sized vehicles… imaging a car sized space around the rider. This is practically impossible to do when they are weaving through the spaces between cars, up between two lanes, avoiding traffic by riding the inner shoulder, and all kinds of other things that would be impossible, if they were, in fact, full sized.

I did, however, learn that in lieu of having insurance, you can have a $50,000 check on record as your form of insurance. I guess that’s a viable alternative for those who can afford to just set aside $50,000.

Nation: India (yeah, nothing new there)
Film Title: Raju Ban Gaya Gentlemen
Time: 7:30pm

This on has Shah Rukh Khan and Nana Patekar (the taxi driver from Taxi 9211). Even though I know no more about this than is written on the NetFlix sleeve, I’m really looking forward to it. Hope to see you there!

You Are 24% Texas

You’re as welcome in Texas as a skunk at a lawn party.

So many of you know that I’m a fantastically wishy-washy person when it comes to spending big money. I decided a couple weeks ago that I wanted to get an Xbox 360. I really wanted to play Dead Rising when it came out. In addition, there is now Settlers of Catan for download from Live Arcade, and the biggest one: Guitar Hero II is coming in April with scores of downloadable content promised. It poses to be everything that the PS2 version was and infinitely more. Also, a sequel to Fable is still on the production list.

But then I think of how much WoW I’ve been playing and how I don’t even really have time for that, so how could I possibly make time for any Xbox games. The biggest impetus to getting it now, is that it gives me two months to save up for Guitar Hero (which won’t be cheap since I have to get the controller). I’m also optimistic that we might be able to find games that Heather will enjoy, at least on Live Arcade (like Catan). And I am always on the lookout for games that Heather will play with me.

So in the midst of all of my wishing and washing, I figured I’d price camera flashes since I’d been realizing of late, that I would really benefit from a fill flash now and then, and not one attached to my camera since that gives such a nice, flat, washed out flash look. I was expecting a certain price range and found that I had pretty much under-guessed it by about $150-$200. So here I was, debating getting an Xbox when a flash would be more “productive” and was effectively coming down to a similar price range. Its easier when we don’t have money because then I can just lump all that stuff into the “if we had money” pile.

When we do have money, though, I have to look at the pile and figure out if they are things I just want, or really need. Blarg.

Smashing Pumpkins – Window Paine