What can you do in an hour...

...?
- watch a television show
- go to the gym
- stalk your friends on Facebook
- eat a meal

... and the list goes on, and on.

One of the perks necessities of my big girl job is driving an hour and fifteen minutes (on a good day) from my parents home, into the metropolis where I work. That's the one-way time. It takes just as long if not longer on my way home in the evening. So, after braving this commute for several weeks now I have found I have plenty to rant about. So... here we go.

First, if you are in your car in rush hour traffic, the driving is completely different. Suburbanites need to learn to put their big kid pants on and drive like they know what they are doing! You are not in the suburbs, you cannot take your time changing lanes... if you need to get over: signal, get over, and move on! DO NOT sit in your lane and signal for 30 seconds then leisurely glide over into my lane and expect me to be all hunky-dory with it. I don't have time for you. If you don't like my take on this... think of it this way... in NASCAR races they don't signal at all- they run you down... so it could be worse (and actually, I think some people on the road really think they are in a NASCAR race- you are not, you are just tailgating me and it is very annoying- but if you would like I will get over into the other lane and you can speed past me and be caught by the police officer that is inevitably waiting for you around the next turn- have fun!).

Next, you (or your car) will not melt if it is raining. Maybe if you are green all over and have an army of flying monkey minions you will... but I haven't seen any green drivers or flying monkeys lately. While I completely agree with being cautious while the heavens are raining down replenishing the earth, there is no need to pretend you are in a 19th century car that doesn't go over 10 mph. Be safe... but also, get on down the road. Then maybe it wont take me 2 hours to get back to my warm, dry house. That being said, there is another side to that spectrum as well. Just because people are going 10 mph (yes it drives me crazy too), there is no need to go cutting people off and spraying water all over their windshields so that they cannot see where they are going... hello genius- that will cause an accident!

So, while commuting in the big city, I would appreciate it if you didn't pretend you were still in the suburbs or act like you are on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There is a very happy medium to be found and if we would all just accept that and be courteous to the drivers around us, everyone's commute will be a lot more enjoyable bearable.

Now that that rant is taken care of, I hope all of you have a pleasant and safe ride home today!


Just keep swimming...

Roomies for Life!

I have some great roommates right now. In the morning when I go downstairs for breakfast, my early rising roommate has already made a pot of coffee and has my section of the paper laying out for me. When I get home from work, they have either made dinner for us (or know what fine dinning establishment we will be visiting). Our house is wonderfully clean and tidy (with exception of my room- which according to one of my roommates will never be clean), and they hardly make any noise. Oh, of course we have our occasional disagreements as any group of people living under one roof would have. However, it is a little harder for me to win any argument. I mean what child can ever win an argument with their parents? Oh yeah, guess I forgot to mention that... my roommates are actually my parents. And in honor of today yesterday being their Wedding Anniversary- I dedicate this post to them!

Like many a college grad today, I moved home after college. No one involved was, shall we say, pleased with this arrangement as we had all firmly decided that I was not going move back under my parents roof. But alas, when it came down to it I was welcomed with open arms... and questions of my plans to scoot right back out. Luckily, I have been enjoying an internship in the big city close to home so I haven't been completely useless.

Living at home has had its share of ups and downs. While I enjoy the company of my parents, the independence that I learned to live with in college was not easily given up. I overheard my mom grumbling that her house was not a dorm room and I shouldn't be leaving my clothes lying around everywhere... I had done my laundry, and folded it, and accidentally forgot to take it off the couch and up to my room- you'd think I'd left dirty clothes laying on the kitchen table! Goodness- at least I did my own wash.

All-in-all its working out to be a pretty good gig... but not one I will be looking at as a permanent solution to my adulthood. Happy Belated Anniversary Mom and Dad!


remember... just keep swimming!

Soaring with Eagles

My dad always says, "It's hard to soar with the eagles in the morning, if you're running with the dogs at night."

Well... I've never been one to enjoy soaring with the eagles in the early hours of the morning anyway. But alas, with a big girl job and everything I have to drag myself out of bed before the sun has even come up! There is something just wrong about having to wake up before the sun. And then to top it off, in order to get any type of exercise into my day, I have to get out of bed in the dark and go exert myself to stay healthy shred the freshman 15 before I am even really awake! Let's just say I have only made it down to the garage- to a treadmill that is at least 12 years old- once since I discovered the treadmill is actually still a functioning piece of equipment and not just taking up space in my parents garage. Let's just say that the little voice in my head that is telling me "just go back to bed, wake up later, you're too tired to be expected to work out" usually wins the battle with my guilty conscience that tells me to get up and stay up.

Now I know what you're thinking, "Well, listen to your dad! Stop 'running with the dogs' at night". HA! there's where you are mistaken. My days of running with those cute furry creatures of the night are behind me. I go to bed early... and I mean EARLY. I feel like I am 85 and graying on top. In college, midnight was an early bedtime for me and I never had a class that started before 9 (11 my senior year). Now those days are but a fond memory stuck in my head screaming at me to return.

This battle with the early morning hours is definitely going to be an ongoing endeavor. Once again I am forced to realize that growing up is hard and there is no easy way out... Isn't it annoying that those irritating little phrases actually turn out to be true?