I don't miss a lot of things about my last job, but one of the things that I actually do miss is the daily driving time.
I had 3 hours of driving time everyday. 1,1/2 to get there and another 1,1/2 half hour come back home. Many people asked me if that was too much for me, and time to time I felt it was. I had to wake up earlier than I wanted and waste the time on the road, plus the gas price was raising everyday and $400 a month on gas wasn't a joke. I-95 is always busy, the eighteen wheeler runs like a school bully, pushing other smaller cars around. Contraction is always happening, so as the accidents. I was never able to get to work on time nor get home on time. And work didn't pay for my gas nor the understanding of my lateness. I hate it!!
Now, I only have less than 15 minutes of driving time to my work. 5 minutes from my house to the highway, 5 minutes on the highway, 5 minutes off the highway to work. How great is that! I love it!
Until one day, I was driving to somewhere. It was about half hour in to my driving, I suddenly caught myself made a small future plan in my head since I got on the road. That was the moment which I realized why I didn't mind spend 3 hours on the road for 5 years! The driving time is my thinking time!!
I remembered how much I did enjoy driving. How I felt that I was in my own little space that no one could get to me. How I joked with people that I can do whatever I want in my car when I am driving alone, like picking my own nose. I planed my days, my life, came up with the strategy to fight whatever was against me, had time to miss my loved ones, decided what's for dinner, listened to NPR, cry out loud, or just spaced out. All those things that I have to found a time and place to do now!
I am not wishing to go back 3 hours of driving everyday, but once a while a long distant drive alone is actually very relaxing and productive. I never feel alone or bored when I drive. It's a wonderful thing to enjoy if you learn how not let other drivers piss you off.
I had 3 hours of driving time everyday. 1,1/2 to get there and another 1,1/2 half hour come back home. Many people asked me if that was too much for me, and time to time I felt it was. I had to wake up earlier than I wanted and waste the time on the road, plus the gas price was raising everyday and $400 a month on gas wasn't a joke. I-95 is always busy, the eighteen wheeler runs like a school bully, pushing other smaller cars around. Contraction is always happening, so as the accidents. I was never able to get to work on time nor get home on time. And work didn't pay for my gas nor the understanding of my lateness. I hate it!!
Now, I only have less than 15 minutes of driving time to my work. 5 minutes from my house to the highway, 5 minutes on the highway, 5 minutes off the highway to work. How great is that! I love it!
Until one day, I was driving to somewhere. It was about half hour in to my driving, I suddenly caught myself made a small future plan in my head since I got on the road. That was the moment which I realized why I didn't mind spend 3 hours on the road for 5 years! The driving time is my thinking time!!
I remembered how much I did enjoy driving. How I felt that I was in my own little space that no one could get to me. How I joked with people that I can do whatever I want in my car when I am driving alone, like picking my own nose. I planed my days, my life, came up with the strategy to fight whatever was against me, had time to miss my loved ones, decided what's for dinner, listened to NPR, cry out loud, or just spaced out. All those things that I have to found a time and place to do now!
I am not wishing to go back 3 hours of driving everyday, but once a while a long distant drive alone is actually very relaxing and productive. I never feel alone or bored when I drive. It's a wonderful thing to enjoy if you learn how not let other drivers piss you off.