We killed a homeless man on this bench. Me and Dru. Those were good times. You know, he begged for mercy, and you know, that only made her bite harder.

Spike ,'Sleeper'


The Minearverse 5: Closer to the Earth, Further from the Ax  

[NAFDA] "There will be an occasional happy, so that it might be crushed under the boot of the writer." From Zorro to Angel (including Wonderfalls, The Inside and Drive), this is where Buffistas come to anoint themselves in the bloodbath.


DavidS - Jan 02, 2007 7:33:12 pm PST #2676 of 10001
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

In only slightly related news, how difficult would it be for someone to learn how to drive a stick shift after they've been driving an automatic for longer than they'd care to admit?

Not that hard. Particularly when most of your LA driving will be on the freeway so you've just go to get up to speed. It can be tricky to go from being at a dead stop on an incline to moving into first, but that's about the most difficult thing.

You just have to teach your foot how to let the clutch out slowwwwly. (If you want to cheat, you can always give it a little more gas than clutch. It might hop, but it won't die.)

I basically learned by doing first and reverse in our side yard. Once you learn that the rest is relatively easy. It's not tricky going from first to second or second to third or third to fourth.


P.M. Marc - Jan 02, 2007 7:34:36 pm PST #2677 of 10001
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear

In only slightly related news, how difficult would it be for someone to learn how to drive a stick shift after they've been driving an automatic for longer than they'd care to admit?

Three days, maybe, to get to where they're comfortable. Less than that in a pinch. I think Paul taught our friend Brian in a couple hours with a parking lot and some motivation. (I'll be going the reverse way soon, as my knee is rejecting the notion of another manual.)


Pix - Jan 02, 2007 7:34:57 pm PST #2678 of 10001
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie

Particularly when most of your LA driving will be on the freeway so you've just go to get up to speed.

Bwah! You have driven on LA freeways, right?


Kristen - Jan 02, 2007 7:36:43 pm PST #2679 of 10001

Okay, thanks! Good to know. I'm gonna see if my stepdad can teach me the next time I'm there. Where it's flat.

If you are on hilly ground, forget about it.

This is my big worry. I live in a land with a lot of steep hills.


Pix - Jan 02, 2007 7:37:55 pm PST #2680 of 10001
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie

The thing is, even if you learn on flat ground and get really comfortable with a standard, the hills and the traffic will still make it somewhat miserable to drive in LA.


DavidS - Jan 02, 2007 7:39:01 pm PST #2681 of 10001
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

Bwah! You have driven on LA freeways, right?

She's working for a studio! She'll never get caught in rush hour stop-and-go traffic. 70 mph baybee and the wind in her hair.


Pix - Jan 02, 2007 7:40:59 pm PST #2682 of 10001
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie

She's commuting at 10PM and 4AM? Because that's about the only time when 70 mph and wind in her hair is likely to happen.

ETA: But if it's a really cool sport car I saw do it anyway.


Kristen - Jan 02, 2007 7:43:44 pm PST #2683 of 10001

Yeah, there would be a downside. It's a tradeoff.

And, actually, I'm doing a reverse commute right now. People going 70 are the norm.

ETA: Not that I'm planning to buy a new car any time in the foreseeable future. But I always sort of wanted to learn.


Pix - Jan 02, 2007 7:44:55 pm PST #2684 of 10001
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie

And, actually, I'm doing a reverse commute right now. People going 70 are the norm.

I have never been more jealous in my entire life.


Cass - Jan 02, 2007 7:57:53 pm PST #2685 of 10001
Bob's learned to live with tragedy, but he knows that this tragedy is one that won't ever leave him or get better.

I wonder what size my toes are. I don't wear toe rings, and don't know.
You just need a jewelry store and an understanding clerk. Alternately, be sneaky.

Learning stick isn't hard. Just takes some time. I miss stick shifts sometimes...