Commuting Woes

Mike drove me to work on my very first day at Caliper. I thought to myself, "Ok, I can do this tomorrow." The next day, after a long and terrifying drive into work, I remember calling Mike -- crying. "These people are crazy!" I told him. "I can't do this every day."

Nearly 10 years have passed since that day. I am driving myself. I don't cry. I don't even get upset, I just drive. Boston traffic can be a Midwesterner's worst nightmare. I completed my 28 mile commute this morning in 1 hour 25 minutes (admittedly longer than usual). This included navigating through a toll plaza with 10 booths, all having at least 20 cars in line, that funnel into 3 lanes. Cars are inches, as in 10" on all sides, away and vying for position. Often times, the position they want is at cross-purposes for what you are shooting for. Some days, just for added fun, I get to have a tractor trailer next to me. These poor guys try to see all around but my little car hides well in their blind spots. I slow down and let them get in front of me at all costs.

The funniest part of all of this is the absolute calm during the ballet of vehicles. Why get upset, we all have to get through it. I can honk at a car who is ready to hit me and accelerate forward without blinking an eye. Talk about a change!

If I could work from home, I would. I just hope my friends and family have a shorter, traffic-free ride to their destinations.

**note: I did not take the photo that is posted; it is from http://altopower.files.wordpress.com/2006/09/traffic.jpg