April 22, 2015

How do you usually get to school?

Laura: ...In a time machine.

I used to take the bus. If I had an appointment or missed it once in a great while, mom would take me, but roughly 97% of the time, I took the bus. I didn't have my own car or even my license until I was 25. That's another story for another time.

So, if I apply this to work, I get to work by climbing into my car under the carport outside our apartment, driving the winding path to the front gate, taking a right turn onto Slaughter Lane. Then most days I'll hop on I-35, and get at least to the Oltorf exit before I start cheating -- if the traffic is heavy and slow, I'll take the Oltorf exit but get back on using the next available ramp, cutting about a quarter mile of traffic. Then I'll do it again at Woodland. And sometimes I'll even do it at Riverside and beyond, even though there are traffic lights, if the traffic is really backed up. Either way I'll leave the highway and frontage roads eventually taking a left on famous 6th street, ever bustling, take a right up on Brazos and another right on 7th to get to my building. Alternatively, if the weather's bad or I'm on Slaughter and can see that traffic on the I-35 overpass is stop and go, I'll sometimes take Congress all the way up into downtown, turn on 7th and park in the garage if I'm lucky and Will the attendant can save me a secret spot so I don't have to pay to park in the crazy crowded street spots or lots. He's so nice.

Naveen: ...like back in the day? I used to drive myself once I had my license, but my brother Praveen or my mom would take me to school in high school, and earlier than that I used to take the bus when I was a little kid.

I rarely if ever take the highway to work. South Congress is a really pleasant, wonderful drive, there's barely anybody on the road and I can listen to my audiobooks. My commute is actually a really enjoyable part of my day.