Do ya wanna take a survey?

I'm just glad I don't have to do this with Yacko, Wacko, and Dot... OK, raise your hands, now. How many of y'all have taught one of your children how to drive a manual transmission car? I'm both fortunate... and not. My daughter's been driving for most of eight or nine years now, but until now, all on automatic transmission cars. Good, beause she's a good driver and comfortable behind a steering wheel. Bad, because all her habits are auto-transmission oriented. Her car broke down yesterday (to the tune of enough more than the car's worth to write it off—s'all right: we have another of that model, so it'll make a great "parts car" until I'm ready to send the carcass to the salvage yard :-). The only one we could get into her hands—quickly!—for her to take off a couple of hundred miles for her first job after grad school is a five-speed stick shift. (And before you ask, no. Wonder Woman needs the other car that's automatic transmission for physical reasons.) Soooo... afternoon driving lessons. The first with Dad for... over eight years. Fun! The eight years+ maturity factor is a BIG plus. *whew!* Picking it up quickly, so we'll feel pretty good when she takes off for the Great Adventure Monday or Tuesday. (Still have to get the car tagged, etc.) But, it's a lil strange getting back in a car as a driving coach with her. Confession? It's kinda nice to be there, again. UPDATE: She's ready. Readier than I was with my first car, a column-shift 3-speed 1953 Chevy, when my dad set me loose on unsuspecting Texas motorists... She'll have a 200+ mile shake-down strip to her new job/residence Thursday (was supposed to start Monday, got that pushed back so i could do work on the "new" car and she could get some driving in on it). Been nice having her around. Longest visit for several years, now.