You know what? I can drive... ON MY OWN. Mhm, yeah. That's me. :)

In other news: YAY! I got my driver's licnece! I don't have to do a three year course in driving in Australia! Woot!

Well, I'm leaving in 8 days. Tomorrow I'm doing my Driver's test again. I'll be having my last church service on Sunday. To say the least? I'm feaking out!

I don't know where my emotions are. I'm happy, sad, scared, excited! (That sounded like a quote from Funny Girl...) What am I even talking about? Anyway, all my stuff is packed except for the things I'm taking in my suitcase and my bookshelves are empty. It's strange, but that's having the worst effect on me. Empty bookshelves means permanent departure...

I am really going to miss my family. Avril especially... it's amazing what God has done with our relationship and I've come to rely on her so much for advice and support. I guess I'll be sending TONS of e-mails. I cried for so long last night... but a strange mix of excited and sad tears. Weird. I've, of course, been having weird nightmares about losing my passport and other crazy things and have also been plagued by a series of terryfing ghost dreams. Doubly weird. On top of that, the tap in our bathroom suddenly started running at 2 a.m. On its own. Without cause. O_o Why? Ok, so I'm being weirdly paranoid here, but it freaked me out in the middle of the night ok?

That aside, the WGA strike is FINALLY over. Yes! There's a possibility of 10 more 30 rock episodes this season. My fan heart is happy... :)

I was thinking about it though, this strike has been terrible for shows that were just starting out. Some shows got cancelled because they didn't have the ratings to come back for a mini-season at the end of all this. Which is so unfair for shows that barely had time to air their Pilot episode. I would hate to be on of the people involved in those. Besides, it's possible we missed out on what could have been really great television. Which sucks. Well, if you care about television. :P

On a completely random tangent, I'm reading Mary Poppins which was given to me by the perfectly wonderful roseph, thanks so much my Ro-Boat... It's awesome of course and I love that Mary Poppins isn't a nice person, she's vain, rude and never wrong. Brilliant. Loving it along with The Hours once again, depending on what I feel like reading. I am still awed by the amazingness of Michael Cunningham and his ability to write the thoughts of three very complex women. Also, his descriptions are some of the best, with a mix of simple methapors and random observations. Will get to Atonement eventually, but it'll have to wait until I'm finished with my Woolf binge. :)

Talking of books, I've finally reached 100 Pages of mine after abandoning it for a little while and finally regaining the discipline to continue. Yay! it still sucks, but hey, it's not like I'm trying to win the Pullitzer. If I were, the word 'huskily' would not be in my novel. Which, I'm ashamed to say, it is...

Well, that's all for now folks. More on the Driver's tomorrow. Hopefully it's good news... :P

Now, I'm usually not one inclined to complain about the traffic department. I think the system is inefficient and that there should be improvements, but getting my booking proved to be a lot less painful then I expected and I was happy to say that it finally looks like they're getting on their feet.

I was wrong.

I get to Randburg testing station this morning, a little nervous, but fine because all my parking practice had gone perfectly and I was 100% ready to do the test. I sit and I wait to be called. They leave me waiting for 45 minutes before a man comes in and calls me over. He points at my learner's licence and says, "We can't do the test today because your learner's licence was not signed by the traffic department when they issued it." O_o Excuse me?

So, can you sign it and test me?

"No, it wasn't done in our jurisdiction. You'll have to go to Bedfordview and get it signed." O_o Excuse me?

Well, when is the test deferred to? Tomorrow, the next day?

"You'll have to phone the call centre and book through them again." EXCUSE ME?

"You don't have to pay..." Well, thank you very much... I'M LEAVING THE COUNTRY IN A WEEK AND THIS IS YOUR FAULT!

I get to Bedfordview, which is just closing at three o'clock and get in (just), get my licence signed and try speaking to the man about booking A.S.A.P.

"It's not my problem..." You want to die, don't you? So, I gracefully bow out. There's nothing he can do, so I call the call centre. I explain very nicely that I need to do it this week because I'm leaving the country next week. "Would you like to be on a waiting list for the next two months?" O_o Ok, sure. That's fine.

Now we wait.

When will death come? I'm so annoyed I cannot even express. I was seething! They wonder why people drive without their licences? Why people BUY licences? Why people bribe traffic officials to get their licences? I cannot begin to tell you how angry I am right now.

In other news, Jacob Zuma is probably going to be the next president and, if not, it's likely that Thabo Mbeki might get a third term meaning that he bares a striking resemblance to Robert Mugabe. Woot! Bring on the next crisis this country wants to throw at me... Usually I love South Africa and I'm proud of our heritage and moral standing. But right now? Not impressed.