When we
moved last summer, my commute time home tripled. All of a sudden I was one of “those
people”. Commuters. People who are stuck in their cars for an hour or more,
desperate to find ways to pass the time. I am no longer surprised that people
eat, put on make-up, or chat on cell phones while driving. When you’re crawling
along at fifteen miles per hour, the temptation to do other things is almost irresistible.
After
about three days I lost all interest in the radio. Other than tuning in “on the
4’s” to catch the traffic updates, I realized that the rest of the news updates
were just recycled over and over again. Music stations had too many commercials
and I don’t have satellite radio.
Many
friends recommended books on tape. Or, in this day and age, books on CD. I
tried it a few times. The problem is, when I read, I get lost in the book.
Seriously. My kids joke that if the house was on fire and I was in the middle
of a book, someone would have to drag me out because I would be blissfully
unaware that flames were licking at my toes. When I listen to a book in the
car, the same thing happens. I find myself immersed in the story, and I reach
my destination without any clear memory of my journey. I have a feeling that
level of distraction is probably not great when I’m navigating a 3000 pound
vehicle.
Then
my son suggested podcasts. Fantastic idea. Once I figured out how to download
them and sync them to my IPod, I was in heaven. I have downloaded everything
from every NPR show I could find, to Dave Ramsey and his financial advice, to
gardening gurus, foreign language lessons, and snippets from the Ellen DeGeneres
show.
I’m still
not thrilled with the commute. But until I figure out to teleport myself the twenty
miles between work and home, at least I have some company for the ride. And
maybe I can become rich, grow vegetables, impress my friends with my
intellectual knowledge, and have a few laughs, all without leaving the comfort of
my Honda CRV.
