Traffic Jammin'

I drive 32 miles EACH way to work every day, except Friday, when I give myself a rest and work at home. But today, being Tuesday, I got the joys of motoring with many other folks.

It's not always terrible. When the cars are flowing, or if there's an especially appealing song on the iPod, or the sunset is stunning, or if I see an unusual old or brand new car, it can be OK. But when it hits gridlock, it rapidly becomes a real drag.

I've found that when I'm in a rush it's especially painful. Driving home on a Tuesday night, knowing I need to pick up dinner and get to orchestra practice by 7:15 p.m. is much more stressful than leaving home at 7:15 a.m. and having plenty of time to get to the office. Which shows that it's all in your perspective.

When we're not moving or crawling at 5 mph, I tend to think of the people in front of me as idiots who are impeding my progress. What are they all doing here in my way? Then, once in a while, it dawns on me--I'm just as much a part of the mess as they are. Why am I driving right here, right now? I take a deep breath and try to relax. If I'm lucky, the iPod is dispensing Schubert's Trout Quintet and not Led Zeppelin. But there's a time for those guys too.