Welcome To Your Commute

Traffic Is Your New Frienemy 

           It's been a tough week for me, but I figured out how to make my own soup. It was delicious and I might start posting some of my original recipes.

The least predictable part of my morning and evening routine is my commute to work. I know that if it is raining outside that I need to leave about ten minutes early or else I will arrive right on time (which is okay, but I’d rather be early than worry). I know Mondays and Fridays tend to have less people on the roads than Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. However it is still sometimes difficult to predict how much congestion will be on the road.

Oddly enough, my evening commute is worst than my morning one. I had thought that they would be about the same, but no. Heading home takes almost an extra twenty minutes than the morning commute (which can be almost double the time). I’m still trying to figure that one out. Maybe people just leave earlier in the morning? Whatever the case maybe, it is still longer to go home than to get to work. The psychological repercussions are probably telling enough (ie: I want to go home!).

My commute might be slow from time to time, but it’s not the worst commute I could have. Last year I rode the train into the city I worked in, since there was a station right in my neighborhood and right next to the office my internship was at. That was about an hour and fifteen minutes both ways. I also hate driving to my parent’s home. Seriously there is no traffic like northern Virginia traffic. It took me an hour to go five miles on night (at 11pm). I am so glad I left, except I still have to visit my parents. One day I’ll finally escape it!

Since I am somewhat used to northern Virginia (or NOVA as people from my generation refer to the area) traffic, the traffic around here isn’t too bad. When it’s stop and go (I’ve only seen a parking lot once and that was for an accident), I like to jam out to the music on the radio. I always wonder if the people in the lane next to mine or behind me think I’m having some sort of fit, because I totally do the Bohemian Rhapsody when it comes on and I don’t have to actually drive (being in park on the highway is not driving). I love singing to the radio and often it’s how I get the morning news (the Today Show just doesn’t cut it).

So yes I have to now sit in traffic just like all the other working people. No more running to class or trying to remember the times for the bus, let alone the train schedule. It’s a bit of a pain, but I like it because it’s me time before work. I am still not convinced people who work in DC actually work on Mondays and Fridays and that is why traffic is really good at those times. Heck on the weekend there is never any traffic. It’s not like the traffic 95 between Springfield and Quantico.

So inconclusion I have a love hate relationship with traffic. On the one hand I can’t drive fast. On the other hand, I have more time to listen to my favorite radio stations (Big 100.3). I would live closer to my job, but I like being able to eat.