finally at almost 40 years old.....;)

I had my very first driving lesson! I always hesitated to start, because i was afraid and I still am...but we won a prize in a national lotery last month and now we have some money available...so now is the time to give it a try! and I loved my first lesson! never to old to start..

Good for you, Michelle!

Michelle, meet Jessica.
Jessica, meet Michelle.

Does Michelle encourage you to learn to drive, Jessica!

xoox

Michelle, meet my terrible fear of driving:

Anxiety, sweats, clenched fists, wide eyes, shortness of breath, scrunched face... And that's when I'm in the passenger seat.

I am waiting for the Canadian winter to pass, then I will enroll in drivers training. My poor boyfriend has to bring me to all my gigs for now, but I pay him lol

I don't have that in the passengers' seat! but I can relate! I've waited so long and at some point you think, it'll never happen, let it go...but I've taken the plunge...and I'm kind of happy and proud about it!

I thought that I was the only one afraid to drive (went blind thanks to some migraine medicine a few years ago, and was in a car when that happened. Now I am petrified of it happening again while I am behind the wheel). I can't tell you guys how glad I am to know that I am not alone.

I am trying to get my license during winter break (starts next week), so cross your fingers and keep me in your prayers for the next few weeks.

How do you ladies get to your gigs now?

I've never taken a driving lesson, and I'm pushing 40, too! Though I live in Edinburgh. Little point in driving here.

Congratulations on starting lessons - hope they go really well!

@ Jessica,

A family member usually drives me. It works out a lot better than you might think, though, for two reasons: one, I don't have to worry about parking, (trying to get people to move their cars when I have to leave, etc...), and two, my mom gets to use my car ( I do have a car. I was 18 and three days away from getting my license when I went blind for two weeks. I'd gotten the car shortly before then). So when I do gigs she usually runs errands and then picks me up at the end of them. She no longer has a car of her own, so it works out for both of us.

I ride my unicorn.
I leave a glittery trail behind me,
so I can find my way home again,
unless,
I run into swirling snow and
howling wolves.
You know how it is in the wilds of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I know you can go anywhere by public transportation, but the freedom you have when you drive.... is priceless. Go for it!!!

I'm a late driver too - took lessons when I was almost 30.

You can do it, Think of all the facepaintshops you can go to.

Way to go Michelle!!!

Lisa, you crack me up!!

Face Painting by Jessica wrote:
Anxiety, sweats, clenched fists, wide eyes, shortness of breath, scrunched face... And that's when I'm in the passenger seat.

I get anxiety attacks periodically and nothing will trigger them like someone else driving me around in the winter when i see white on the rd. it doesn't have to be slippery, i see white and i'm out.

It is A Lot worse as the passenger though, because you don't have the control to know / feel what is going on and react accordingly.. it's less scare driving a lot of the time..
Until you get into highway merging.. that is scary either way

I didn't get my license until I was 25 but I really can't understand how I got along so many years without it! I love driving unless is in the city. I hate Chicago lol. Talk about anxiety...those drivers are insane!

fesspenter wrote:I ride my unicorn.
I leave a glittery trail behind me,
so I can find my way home again,
unless,
I run into swirling snow and
howling wolves.
You know how it is in the wilds of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I want a Unicorn that leaves a sparkly trail. Where do I get one. There aren't many wolves in Hamilton, that's just a TO thing

Congrats Michelle! Good for you!

How much for a unicorn ride? Is there an extra charge for the glitter?

Good for you Michelle!!!

thanks for all funny and uplifting comments....people always react very surprised when you say you don't have a drivers lisence...

I'm still freaked out when I think about doing all things at the same time later on...

and about the snow..riding your bike in the snow is even scarier..

I don't have that many gigs, but'i get there by bike if its closeby, by train or by bus...

just avoid driving in Amsterdam or Firenze the first couple of years and you'll do just fine.

have fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=BE&v=KJleHPKCPSQ

Congratulations for going ahead Michelle! I got my licence in South Africa (I'm South African) when I was 19, got it after 6 lessons and the first exam and was very proud of myself. Then at 20 I moved to Holland and I noticed how much narrower the roads are; the steering wheel was on the other side of the car; the cars DROVE on the other side of the road AND all the rules were of course the opposite of what I'd learnt in SA. Add to that millions of bicycles, mopeds and other weird vehicles and that has made me put off for ages getting my Dutch licence. I drove initially when I moved here - rarely though, just on and off, but gradually these infrequent drives faded into nothingness. I am now 33, have 2 kids and I know it's a frustration (especially for my husband) to have to keep taking and picking up the kids etc. I am afraid of taking the plunge, eventhough I did so well in SA. I need some reassurance that everything will be fine and that driving a stationwagon on the narrow Dutch roads really won't be a problem. I also tend to worry about the people behind me and that I'm not going fast enough for them. Anyone handing out free reassurance here?

Congrats Michelle! You will LOVE the freedom to go anywhere!!

Willoughby - don't let nervousness stop you, it's possible that you turn out to be a GREAT driver and LOVE it! My sister, who I love, but she's the biggest wimp in the world and totally always lacks confidence, finally got her driver's license only in her 30's. Then, I don't know WHAT happened to her, she was like another person (still is) on the road. She loved the freedom and turned out to be this confident, take charge driver (she's still wimpy in her regular life, lol). Within a short time she was driving all over to different states, taking vacations etc. She drives in NYC and will come up here (upstate NY) even if it's a snowstorm. She'll drive hundreds of miles and loves driving and still says it 20 years later. It's crazy how driving turned out for her. Who would have known? Just take your lessons and test again, nothing like the freedom of going anywhere, your confidence will return!