Outside big cities, commuter options are limited, simple and mostly odor free. Unless you are walking distance from your area of work, commuters will drive to work. They may take different highways, listen to different music stations, and experience varying intensities of road rage and traffic issues; but they are similar in that they are all shielded from odors, train delays and non ventilated, rat infested train stations.
Living in NYC, and commuting daily across the bridge that connects Brooklyn to Manhattan, to the land of traffic and overpriced parking garages; I along with many others take the train to work. For some of us, such as myself, it takes 3 trains plus a walk to reach my workplace. Over the past few years, I grew accustomed to the stenches, the heat in the summer, the cold in the winter, the train arguments, and delays. It all became part of the New York City living experience and I just accepted it with my NYC pride.
Commute time for many New Yorkers, are hours counted in their regular work day. For me, my train rides extended my sleep cycle. My 5am wake up, jump into clothing, then quick dash for my lunch bag, and a flustered run to catch the 5:27 train, are all a mere interruption of my nighttime sleep cycle. Once I have my seat, often in the same train car, next to the same people, I rest by bag, don my hood and drift right back into my train sleep. My own version of the sleep cycle. I relied on those precious bits of train REM, that was distinctive by virtue of real life dreams consisting of the various train stops and the closing car door messages. Occasionally my sleep is interrupted by an unwelcome jostle or by loud preaching with verses of a bible I do not follow. In my deepest train REM, I have never missed my stop where I change my train across the platform. Even on my connecting train I often see the same people, and often they too are snoozing and dreaming in the same NYC train dreams as I. When the odors of the train station are slightly more bearable, and the weather does not turn on a faucet of sweat on my skin, I even manage a quick power nap in a standing position until the local train jostles me out of my stupor and props my eyes open for the new day.
On the way back from work, my body, winded by 12 hours laboring as bedside nurse, it itches for a seat to rest my overworked legs. I occasionally take a light nap, read a book/ or textbook, and even attempt at blog writing about an interesting event from my work day. Occasionally I am granted some train entertainment; whether singing, dancing, poetry, and the many other talents so gracefully shared by the diverse populations who frequent the New York City subways cars in their attempts to eat food, share wisdom, or as means of shelter from extremes in weather.
While chilling on a train seat has become my host for my commuter naps, exercise has always been an important part of my schedule, whether on workdays or days off. I truly see it as treatment for my mind body and spirit. Now that my work life has migrated into the night world, I was seeking a means of enjoying a few extra hours of vitamin D, since many daytime hours will be spent hiding behind blackout shades and attempting catch rest in a short daytime coma. I figured that I can either spend my commute time napping on the 4 train and attempting to achieve some daytime REM to fulfill my body's sleep requirements,or I can cath sun and a workout in one go; and so I chose to live life and seek out some sun each day as I bike ride to work. Now instead of rushing to the train to make my spin class, my bike skips the train and spins me to work. This saves me commuting time, and get me to work whilst exercising and enjoying New York City views; a triple win. Gone are the train naps and subway entertainment, and on are strong calves and a vitamin D enriched #NurseD.
I have only been biking a number of times and I only slightly miss my train experiences, which i will be saving for days that the weather is not so bike-ride accommodating. I can now add #cyclist nurse to my forever lengthening hashtag; #AuntyRunnerCyclistNurse with curly hair and big glasses, Holler, if you see that green clad description on a blue bike and neon helmet, racing the yellow cabs across the bridge on her way to work, bracing her self with physical strength to save some lives!
No comments:
Post a Comment