Joe: we may have found a van

Jamie: yeah?

Joe: it's actually a minivan

Joe: but without seats

Jamie: what kind?

Joe: 1992 DODGE CARAVAN CARGO VAN

Jamie: nice. how many miles?

Jamie: how much? 3500?

Joe: 147,000 miles. They are asking $2000, it is pretty beaten up inside and out, but it seemed to run well. Dianna is going to take it in to her mechanic tomorrow.

Jamie: damn...

Jamie: beaten up matters not.

Joe: nope.

Joe: Damn?

Jamie: damn?

Joe: I was wondering why you wrote damn.

Jamie: cheap...

Joe: very good if it works for us

Joe: it is a whole lot less space than we were planning, but the AC works

Jamie: yeah... good luck... I'm taking the vw to a mechanic Monday or Tuesday too.

Joe: Oh, and it doesn't have a second seat.

Joe: I mean third

Jamie: you can put stuff on top.

Joe: yeah

Joe: and I don't know if it is possible to get another seat in there

Joe: which would only be a problem because our friend Amie may come with us

Jamie: ooh.

Joe: Yeah

Joe: so an additional seat would be important

Jamie: why would it be hard to put another seat in? if you can find one.

Joe: I don't know. IT was sold as a cargo van

Jamie: Dianna should ask her mechanic.

Joe: yeah

Joe: I know, it's lame and super early, but I think that I may head off to sleep in the next couple of minutes

Joe: Something odd,

Joe: it was sold as a cargo van

Joe: but it has windows

Jamie: windows are good, though.

Joe: I know

Joe: I like the enough visibility to drive thing

Jamie: how's driving coming?>

Joe: I did some today

Joe: nothing scary happened

Jamie: that's good.. city streets?

Joe: and Dianna quit the more morally corrupt of her two jobs so we will have time to drive every night this weekend

Joe: my neighborhood

Joe: and auburn

Jamie: gotten on the freeways yet?

Joe: yeah

Joe: done some of that

Jamie: I like cities better... but eventually merging gets less blood-curdling.

Joe: I really prefer freeways

Jamie: yeah?

Joe: except when there are tires, ice cream trucks and ninjas in the roadway

Jamie: the ninjas can be a bit rough.

Joe: it is so much easier just going, not having to remember who's turn it is to go, not having to watch out for pedestrians

Joe: except for the ninjas

Joe: but they can take care of themselves

Joe: when things are going as expected, freeway driving is a lot easier for me

Jamie: yeah... just remember, you're more afraid of them than they are of you.

Jamie: I like cities. there are distraction, but it's all slower.

Joe: yeah

Joe: I can enjoy that

Joe: I hope I can get this driving down in a week though

Joe: because if not, I may have to get licensed there

Joe: and that would suck

Jamie: why?

Joe: But I like the idea of having a car soon so that I can practice more.

Joe: Because I don't think that I could do the drive

Joe: Do you know if it is legal for me to drive outside of the state with just my permit?

Joe: If Dianna is in the passenger side

Jamie: jeez... I think it is.

Jamie: she's over 21...

Jamie: should be... but I'm not sure.

Joe: and has been driving more than 5 years

Joe: Yeah, that is sort of vague

Jamie: that's a quick phone call away though.

Joe: because if I could, I would have had the practice to almost certainly pass once I got there. IN theory anyway

Joe: to whom?

Joe: DMV?

Joe: I mean DOL

Jamie: yup.

Joe: Well, if I fail my test, I will just have to give them up a call

Joe: and I should remember, that even now there are much worse drivers than me licensed and on the road

Jamie: definably.. and less conscientious.

Jamie: one piece of advice--be really obvious about checking your mirrors.

Jamie: don't just look--turn your head.

Joe: I think that I do already

Joe: but I will work on that

Jamie: yeah... the only thing I lost points for was 'striking an object.'

Jamie: but the guy didn't fail me.

Jamie: so hey.

Joe: that seems like something that you would loose several points for

Jamie: yeah... eight I think... fewest possible.

Jamie: just bumped the curve when I was parking

Joe: When I was taking driving lessons he would always tell me "That's an automatic fail right there"

Jamie: yeah... most of those are optional automatic fails, at least in California. all automatic fail means is that they can fail you for it... they don't always.

Jamie: 'striking and object

Jamie: was one...

Joe: Yeah

Jamie: but you'll do fine... and some of the best drivers I know failed their first time.

Joe: I have never failed

Jamie: a test?

Joe: and I don't really have time to fail.

Joe: Oh, no

Joe: not a driving test anyway

Joe: Dianna sends love

Joe: I have failed calculus tests and such

Jamie: oh--hi dianna!

Joe: but not very often

Jamie: I think I'm going to do the sleep thing. very good luck with the van.

Joe: you too

Jamie: thanks. g'night.