It’s time for another edition of 7 things! Inspired by Ms. Miley Cyrus’ hit single “7 Things,” I follow her trend of saying seven things I like about something, and seven things I hate about something! This time, I’m talking about commuting/public transportation.
I’m actually pretty fortunate when it comes to my commute. It’s about an hour door to door during rush hour (but it only takes about 15 minutes to get into Manhattan during off-peak hours). Every morning, I take a bus from West New York into Manhattan (about 45 minutes), then take a subway from Port Authority to my job on 26th Street (about 15 minutes). So here are seven things I like and hate about commuting.
The 7 Things I Hate About Public Transportation
1. People Listening To Music
Without a doubt, this is my least favorite part of commuting. I don’t get easily annoyed/mad, but people blasting music on their headphones on public transportation somehow makes me furious. Oh well, they’re the ones who are gonna go deaf from listening to music on their headphones SO LOUD that the whole subway car can hear it!! And of course every time this happens, they never play something really good, but Chris Brown or LMFAO instead! GRR.
2. The Cost
Y’all know I’m cheap. My monthly bus pass costs $98. My monthly MetroCard costs $104. I usually cry a little on the first of the month, when I buy both on the same day.
3. Dim/Dead Light Bulbs On The Bus
How can I get any reading done when I commute home at night and the light bulbs barely cast any light on my book?! This happens all the time.
4. People Singing/Performing On The Subway
Now I love every singing performance show, so this one may come as a surprise. The reason I find it annoying? Because I’m usually trying to read when I’m on the subway and then the people walk around belting some funky, played out song and I can’t concentrate on my book.
5. The Rain
It’s amazing how many times I’ve had to walk home in the rain since moving to West New York. I used to keep an umbrella in my car, so I never got caught out in the rain. Now it seems to happen once a week.
6. People Who Don’t Curb Their Dogs
The 5-minute walk to my bus stop is extremely dangerous–the sidewalks are littered with dog crap! The “Please Curb Your Dog” signs every few feet are completely ignored by WNY residents so I have to hop along the sidewalk and avoid the surprises left by neighborhood dogs. It’s like a game! But not fun.
7. People Who Sit In The Aisle Seat And Frown
Anyone who takes the bus often knows exactly what I’m talking about. These people sit in the aisle seat, put their coats in the empty window seat next to them, and glare at you as you pass so you don’t ask them to move over. Stop hogging the seats! Rude!
The 7 Things I Like About Public Transportation
1. Reading Time
Unless I’m carsick or too tired, I usually get a lot of reading done on my commute. I was studying for the GRE until November and never got to read for fun. But then I gained so much free time commuting that I read five books in December alone! I’m flying through my library now with all this time.
2. My Commuting Buddy
My roommate Delisa also works in Manhattan, and occasionally has to go in at 8:45. When the stars align this way, we get to commute together in the morning and I’m way more motivated to actually get out of bed and get ready!
3. Driving Along Blvd. East
My bus route goes down one street almost the whole commute, and that street is John F. Kennedy Boulevard East. The reason I like driving down Blvd. East is because the NYC skyline is visible the whole way, so I get to look at the skyline as I’m preparing to go into the city. At night, it’s a really beautiful view.
4. Availability
You’d think I spend a lot of time waiting at bus stops or something now that I commute every day, but I don’t! When I get to the bus stop every morning, a bus is there in less than two minutes. And the subways run every few minutes too during rush hour. I fortunately haven’t experienced any broken down buses, or Lincoln Tunnel traffic, or subway malfunctions!
5. Crazy People
As a writer, I’m always looking for situations that I can borrow and put into my stories or poems. And I’ve seen plenty of crazy people on the subways of NY! Some of them have already made cameos in my stories.
6. “Gimme Pizza” (feat. Josh)
Now that I have an unlimited MetroCard, I can just hop onto a subway and meet Josh in Brooklyn when he gets out of work. Then we eat delicious pizza (cheap!) together and gossip and talk about music all night! Hurray for BFFs and the subway system!
7. Not Driving
I hate driving! I NEVER DRIVE ANYMORE!! I’ve been carless for about three months now. Hurray!
I don’t think many of my readers take public transportation that often, but if you do, tell me what you hate or like about it!!
Michelle walked into the kitchen and began making breakfast. She was making her favorite breakfast meal: extra firm tofu with a tall glass of Diet Wild Cherry Dr. Pepper. As she began to eat her breakfast, she sat at her computer and went to Sean Cody, her favorite website in the world, which she visited at least 69 times a day.
Suddenly, the floor began to rumble. “Not another earthquake!” she said aloud, hiding underneath the ottoman for protection. But her efforts proved futile—the floor beneath her ripped open and Michelle fell through, screaming “Good Lord!” the whole way down.
Luckily, she landed in a lake filled with blood–when she was just a teenager, Michelle won a First Place Spelling Bee Trophy for her stellar swimming abilities, so she was able to swim to the shore with ease. When she reached the shore, she found herself in a dark cave. Bats circled above her head. “Ow!” she said aloud. “My armpit hurts!”
As she looked around, she noticed a bright light in the corner of the cave. As she approached she was surprised to find Kathy Griffin pooping in the corner of the cave with a horrified look on her face. “What’s going on? Why am I here? Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?” Michelle shouted at Kathy.
“For visiting Sean Cody 69 times a day, you are being punished by Harry McKee, the ruler of the universe!” Kathy said, peeing maniacally. “In order to get home to your hairy husband and your smelly bird, you must complete three trials that will test your stamina, wisdom, and sex drive. And the first trial begins… NOW!” Suddenly, the cave smelled like pickles.
