Engaged TV Watching and other updates.

Well friends, I am mostly settled in my new apt. I haven't put anything up on the walls and I have a little bit of organizing to do... hopefully that accounts for the delay in putting up pics. But I will say this: I'm excited about my little bitty space!

Today I officially became a California resident... just in time! Because I had to take a CA written test to get my new driver's license, I happened to learn that I had 10 days, as of moving and taking up residency, to get my license... and the 10th day is today! I wanted to wait, though, until I got the title for the Olds in the mail, so that I could register my car AND get my DL at the same time.

Well, the I got the title yesterday, and I worked a little bit more on studying the driver's manual, and this morning I got up early to make my way to the DMV. There was a hitch, though. First I had to get some smog check. I decided I'd just stop at the first place I saw and get it done - so I managed to do it, but it put me about 30 minutes behind my original schedule. (I had wanted to get to the DMV RIGHT at 9am, so it would be faster) Kudos to the CA DMV, though, it was fast and efficient and I was helped by some very nice women there! So after about two hours at the DMV, I had my car verified and registered, I had taken and passed the written test (I missed three out of 36, but I could have missed 6 and still passed), and gotten my picture taken. Now I have a fancy paper receipt that doubles as my driver's license until I get mine in the mail.

Side note: I think TX still does this, too - but in AZ they printed my DL right there and I thought that was AWESOME! I loved that I left with my actual license in hand!

Sadly, my AZ license... which did not expire until 2039, and which I had only had for 4 months is now invalid, with a hold punched through it. :(

Well, that was my big accomplishment of the day. :) Oh, that and getting my laundry done.

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Onto my other big topic... engaged TV watching. I realized that because I 1) live alone and 2) don't really know anyone around here yet and 3) I'm not in school, so I don't have any studying to do.... I am watching a lot of TV, especially at night. And while I watch TV, I am on my laptop. But for the first time EVER, I have been googling and going to websites as I watch TV - websites, etc, that are being talked about or advertised on the TV I'm watching. Seriously.

And suddenly I understood this idea of engaged TV - or integrated TV, maybe. So if I see an interesting commercial I might go to the website, or I was watching Project Runway and Diane Von Furstenberg was a guest and I wanted to know more about her... so I googled her and read about her on Wikipedia, I also look up actors on IMDB while I'm watching them on TV (did you know Drew Carey is 50 years old?!?).

Anyway - does anyone else out there do this? Tonight I'm going to conciously put away my laptop and work on a scrapbooking project, but tomorrow, I know I'll be back on - playing "Tetris Friends" on Facebook (its really fun - you should add it), looking up stuff, and generally being a plugged-in hermit. To be honest, I'm looking forward to being with friends and stopping this whole computer dependency thing!

OOOH, last thing before I put away the computer! I started BSF last night!!! WOO HOO!! For those who are my friends, but haven't heard of BSF - it stands for "Bible Study Fellowship" (www.bsfinternational.org). BSF is an interdenominational bible study that takes place all over the world. I joined the young adults (single men and women 18-35 yrs old) group that meets in San Gabriel. Previously, I was in the Seattle young adults group, and even joined the St. Louis group for one year. The bible studies are AMAZING! I credit most of my bible knowledge to the foundation I gained attending BSF. There are also women's and men's groups, so its not a "singles" thing - its a legit bible study. This year we are studying the Life of Moses, from Exodus to Deuteronomy. I did this study back in Seattle in 2001, but I am really excited to see how I encounter scripture as I go through these books this time. I know that it is going to be a challenging experience!