girl at large

I drove my new (used) car more yesterday, visiting friends in L.A., than I've collectively driven any car in the last two years. (cross-country trip excluded). Having to find your way in Los Angeles, capitol of cars, is a great breaking-in for the newly reinitiated to driving. I no longer mind at all that the Jetta is an automatic.
It's a kick that a mapquest approximation of 15 minutes is actually, in reality, an hour in LA time. I could never live in a place where people say: "You took surface?" (meaning, you took regular streets, not the freeway?")