Driving Mr. Lazy

One of my biggest regrets in life is that I still haven't gotten my license.  If that's about as big as the regrets get, I guess I'm in pretty good shape but it seems that as the years pass I get more and more afraid of sitting behind the wheel. 

In Montana you can practically learn to drive when you are born (you know, driving the tractor around the fields singing "The Sound Of Music" cowboy style) but since I went off to school when I was 14, I JUST missed learning in the mountains.  When I got too busy dancing at NCSA, and then moved directly to the city I didn't have a need to learn.  But now, I'm just longing to be back in Montana cruising down the highway with the top down and the wind blowing through my hair (which doesn't move because it's covered in product.)  Convertibles are so practical in Montana too, this is a perfectly NORMAL dream. 

After a long day at the wedding Sunday, Nick and I were just lying around judging people on TV when Carson beckoned us to come and pick her up, as she was being safe and not drinking and driving.  Nick and I jumped in the old Honda and headed downtown where we had a bit of time to kill in the deserted parking lot of Libby's building.  "What better way to kill time," I thought, "than teaching me how to drive!?"  So we swung open our doors and ran around to switch places as my first driving lesson began.  Before this night, I'd only been behind the wheel once, about four years ago when Michael and my friends put me behind the wheel of their van and proceeded to watch me scream as I went two miles an hour.  Sound bizarre?  It was, but so was Sunday night and in my true blogger fashion, I made sure that Carson captured it for your viewing pleasure. 

I hope people are enjoying these video blogs, because they take FOREVER to edit.  This one also gives you a little preview of the INCREDIBLE new album by M.I.A., whose song "Bamboo Banger" starts things off.  Enjoy!

Comments

[jolene]

Matt, you make driving seem really hard! :) (braking too...) It's not, I swear... can you imagine driving and playing with the radio while on your cell phone? :)

Hilarious, thanks for the vid.

[M]

It was fun playing up everything for the camera. Once I started driving home (right after the video) I was much better off. Something about just going in circles in a parking lot, towards a cement walls on every side made me hesitant whereas driving on a road didn't as much. Plus I had to make it look a LITTLE crazier through editing ;-)

[Barbara]

Just wanted to say that I for one LOVE your videoblogs - they always make me laugh or go "awww" in the case of the wedding. So, yes, your efforts are very much appreciated - continue!

[Hilary]

Weird! My friend and I were talking today about how great Peanut Butter Puffins are.

Love the videos! That so reminded me of learning to drive (I was a late bloomer too - got my license at 18).

[lindsey]

very nice hand-over-hand steering though! especially for your second time.

[Miriam]

Matt if it makes you feel better, I didn't get my license until a month before I turned 23. Mind you, I took driver's ed and all that when I was 16, just never got around to actually getting my license.

Two questions/comments:
1- What in God's good name are Peanut Butter Puffins and if they are delicious where do I get me some??

2- Is that car wearing a carssiere?

[M]

Hey Jolene, driving is a LITTLE hard especially when you are 21 and haven't even driven a golf cart ;-)

Lindsey, thanks for the compliment on my amazing skills. Nick and Carson were quick to point out my hand-over-hand talent, some of us are just naturals.

Miriam! If you don't KNOW the peanut butter puffins, you MUST FIND the PBP's! You can get them at any whole foods and they are basically a natural and much more delicious version of Cap'n Crunch. They come in original (never had it), Cinnamon (eh, not my fave) and PEANUT BUTTER! I could EASILY eat a box a day. Combined with soy milk, it's the perfect treat.

[M]

Oh, and it is a carsierre. I don't know what the deal is. It wasn't on there when Carson owned it, perhaps it's for Montana protection? Or to hold in it's busting headlights?

[Nicholas]

Peanut Butter Puffins ROCK MY WORLD!

PBPRMW!

[Larry]

I do trust that a law-abiding citizen like Matt was not driving without a valid Montana learner's permit....

Which reminds me of a mildly amusing story. A few years ago when I selling my previous car, a young husband and wife came to see it one evening and we were close to concluding the sale. They were going to take the car, drive it to their home under my insurance for the night, and return the next day with my old plates. I asked for their driver's licenses so I could put write their names and addresses on the bill of sale, and the wife, who was the one who would be actually using the car, produced a learner's permit. I was about to cancel the sale saying I wouldn't let an unlicensed driver use my car, when the husband promised me he would drive my car back to his house and his wife would use the car they came in. It was a very hot evening and after they left I felt like taking a shower, from where I heard the phone ring and all I could make out with the water running was the word "ticket." Fearing the worst, I dried off and played the message. It was a friend offering me a ticket to a concert.

Just a story. I'm sure Matt could tell it better. :-)

[M]

Larry, you just HAD to call me out on my rebel streak didn't you?! :-) Let's just say it was lucky no cops found me creeping over the bridge.

Glad that everything turned out okay with your story! I was fearing the worst.

[Larry]

Until I see you a video of you parallel parking in an impossibly tight space on a narrow one-way street on the upper east side with double-parked cars on either side - well, I won't be impressed!

:-)

[Nicholas]

Where can I find that song? iTunes?

[Vivienne]

It's just like tap dancing? How could you say that? Tap dancing is hard! Similar to ballet, too. ;)