the daily snivel

So my driving instructor observed when he and I realized that I'd successfully completed a three-point turn in third gear. I'd made the mistake because first and third gears are beside each other on the shifter of my instructor's Mazda 3 and I'd inadvertently selected third gear and somehow got the car moving from a complete stop and completed the turn. My instructor, attempting to find a positive side to this beginner's mistake, paid me the compliment that I was "obviously very sensitive to the needs of the clutch" in being able to smoothly move the car in high gear without bucking or stalling it.

This was my second driving lesson in a standard, and while I've discovered that I really enjoy driving, I'm still getting the hang of controlling a car and acquiring the confidence to multitask and maneuver without consciously thinking about what I'm doing (which is when I get nervous and make mistakes). In particular, I hesitate when I'm putting the car in gear and getting it rolling when I think too much about what my feet are doing, and I get nervous when there are cars behind me. That said, when I relaxed I did much better, and had a good sense for left turns and three point turns and backing up (notwithstanding that pesky third gear thing). When I'm not thinking about how something should be done, I just do it, and quite smoothly at that. I have good reflexes, as well, as I noticed when a cat ran out in front of me only a few feet ahead of the car. I was on top of the brakes and clutch in a heartbeat and saw the little critter run to safety.

By way of making myself feel optimistic, I'm compiling a list of things that used to cause me great anxiety when I was learning how to do them, but are now second nature.

1. speaking in court and examining witnesses
   
2. riding my bicycle on busy city streets - now I'm defensive, assertive, confident, and comfortable with both the rules of the road and giving the look of death to people who open their car doors in front of me.
   
3. talking to strangers at parties
   
4. kissing and other things that lend themselves to a certain amount of performance anxiety
   
5. working out at the gym with all those buff, hardcore people who know exactly what they're doing and can do it a lot better than you
   
6. showering at the gym with aforementioned buff, hardcore people
   
7. flirting with girls and taking the initiative to ask someone out - now I can get shot down more often than the Luftwaffe in stock footage about the Battle of Britain and still live to flirt again!
   
8. job hunting and job interviews
   
9. public speaking
   

If I can do all those things, I can surely learn to drive a stick with confidence and agility. It's just a matter of applying my magic hands to other avenues, right?