What it takes to drive legally in the state of Pennsylvania

1. Jenell studies DMV website
2. James studies DMV website
3. James goes to DMV to transfer license
4. He drives home to find proper documentation
5. Drives back to DMV
6. Drives home to find more proper documentation
7. Drives back to DMV
8. Goes to mechanic to get signature for vehicle registration
9. Goes back to DMV, successfully transfers license and begins one registration
10. Goes to mechanic to get emissions inspection. One person and one vehicle down, one person and one vehicle to go.
11. On a Friday Jenell, James, Oliver, Wesley, Max go to DMV with proper documentation.
12. Stop at a mechanic to get signature for second vehicle.
13. On Fridays, DMV will register a vehicle but not transfer a license. Vehicle registration submitted.
14. Drive to mechanic for emissions inspection.
15. Jenell will drive (today) to DMV by herself to transfer license. I may or may not have proper documentation, and the DMV may or may not be willing to perform this service on a Thursday. I may or not be able to find the DMV on my own.

It might have been easier to just get a second job to pay for a personal chauffeur.

And, yesterday I successfully sat in a chair for an hour presentation at school, which qualifies me to spend an hour today having my 15-passenger van driving capabilities assessed. Yikes. If you see me in a 15-passenger van today, please avert your gaze.

Consumption

I won't burden the holdiays with another reflection on holiday shopping and consumption; instead, I'll offer three points in its favor.

One, I have conceded the childhood marketing resistance movement to Thomas. They love Thomas, and I love them, so I guess that means I love Thomas, too. I tell myself he was created by a pastor, he doesn't give a portion of his proceeds to Disney, he smiles, he says fairly intelligent things, and he's non-violent. If you're buying gifts for my children, just buy Thomas; the thirst for him is never sated.

Two, I made a haul at the college bookstore and library sales. Holiday reading will include:
For the Time Being, Annie Dillard
The Redemption of Love: Rescuing Marriage and Sexuality from the Economics of a Fallen World, Carrie Mills
Dakota, Kathleen Norris (I'm so ashamed that, despite my sycophant devotion to Norris, I stopped reading this book in the middle several years ago)
Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours, Kevin Leman (It's written at a chimpanzee reading level, but you know, I'm not really ashamed about reading it)
The Big Sparkly Book of Things That Move (all the others were $1-5, and then I put $9 toward this one...because it sparkles and has things that move)

Three, if you're looking for something to consume, you could get a hold of my new chapter in this book. The chaper is "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever: The American Romantic Ideal in Contemporary Praise and Worship Music." In it I shoot fish in a barrel. It's also worth the purchase price to see Javier Sampedro's endorsement inside the book's cover! Well, it's probably only worth it if you know him, but trust me, it is a fine endorsement.

Blogosphere success!

One of my blog posts matured into a L.A. Times opinions piece. Click here for "Don't Knock Biblical Home Ec." I talked about it in my first year seminar class as an example of collaboration and peer review in the writing process. Meg sent me the link to the LA Times article that inspired my post, many people commented on it, Bob edited and retitled it, and Brian suggested revising it and submitting it to the LA Times. This is a big part of why I like blogging - I do enjoy an audience, but even more than that, community.

Look at me! Look at me!

My new work website is here. I didn't make it and I don't know how to tinker with it, but any suggestions will be filed for its twice-yearly updates.