The Great Commute

Coming from the city I thought a commute was supposed to be 20 minutes on the subway and a stimulating walk through crowded streets to my office. Everyday, the trip was different. I would see a new store opening, a crowd around a celebrity eating a bagel or just a funny looking person who caught my attention. I took it all for granted.

Moving to the suburbs was a major change. Not only did the commute get longer, it became less interesting. I currently commute via bus to Manhattan and then take a subway to Brooklyn. Not your typical commute but a long one that could be approached in many ways. Driving is an option, but the traffic is a nightmare. The NJ transit has great trains, but the towns they visit are at least 15 minutes from me. My only option is the bus and it usually runs pretty well.

Getting up an hour earlier took some time to adjust to, sitting on a crowded bus did not. I enjoy sitting and relaxing, catching up on emails, listening to music and watching music on my iPhone. I even made a bus friend to chat with when we both get to the 7:50 on time.

Although I knew that I would be commuting, I didn't plan my trip before I moved. I knew that people commuted from my town so I figured that it would be easy. It took a few weeks to nail down my exact route and know how long everything would take. Since my trip is long one all the way to Brooklyn, a mis step can cause a major delay if I don't stick to my routine.

The thing I miss the most is Manhattan. Landing my position in Brooklyn was extremely lucky considering our faulting economy and I should be happy about my situation. The truth is that I feel like a schlub most of the time, just pounding the pavement on my way to my job and back home. There is never a duck into a cool store, a celebrity sighting or even a funny looking dog to see. My commute is mostly indoors and the only time I spend in Manhattan is in Port Authority, and you know how glamorous that is.

I don't go out anymore like I used to, which is a good thing. But I actually can't even if I wanted to. The buses don't run all night and there is no subway to NJ. I could take a car service but that is upwards to $100 for a one way trip. Reality is that my life is for my kids, and I treasure my weekends like gold.

My advice to those reading this is to keep in mind that moving out of the city will take some time to adjust to but there are many advantages. I have a ton more space and my kids have a playroom downstairs. The schools are better. There are no loud sirens waking you up in the middle of the night. Food is cheaper and don't forget, golf is only ten minutes away.

I don't see my kids any less than I used to because my new job actually has better ours than my previous positions. But I do feel more tired all the time and sometimes, during this cold and dark winter, I dream of coming home, sitting in my backyard, sipping a beer and listening to Led Zeppelin really loud.