Reading, Raising Rates, and the Ride to Work

        Recently, my job moved from it’s comfy nest at the corner of two roads that are overused during rush hour to a place that OH MY GOD GET OUT OF THE ROAD YOU DRIVE WAY TOO SLOW! As a result, I’ve decided to start taking the Washington, DC Metro in.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Washington, DC Metro system basically take something that’s simple to work, say, sending more trains during rush hour, and do the opposite. Then take some escalators that have been broken so long they legally need to start being called, “stairs” and raise rates whenever someone sneezes. That’s the DC Metro System. 

Although, I come to you today not to make fun of the DC Metro... no, that’s just bonus. Actually, I’m here to talk to you today because the time has allowed me to do something that I have wanted to do for a long time: Read more. Driving into our location has it’s own charms, but it really doesn’t allow for much time for reading. But since I started using the metro (and with the extra time I have waiting for a train that may or may not come) I have had time to start reading without the extra distractions.

At home, there are a million different distractions... the lawn needs mowing, the laundry needs washing, dishes in the sink, the cats need to be walked, brand new episodes of The Walking Dead, bills to pay... plus I’ve been in school which has been fun in reading a lot of books about teaching theory, but very little time to read books I actually want to read. I’d work hard to make time, but sometimes, it just doesn’t work that way. We’re all stuck in that curse of the Mad Hatter, “He’s killing Time!” and then Time turns on us. I'm sort of glad now I get this forced time to finally get down to reading what I want to read.

But I’ve actually found the ride in a bit relaxing. I get a half hour where no one really bothers me. (Unless they break the cardinal rule of riding the train in the morning: no talking. It’s not an official rule, more of a suggestion. Your seat-mate is headed to work with you, not your best friend. I digress.) I get a half hour to escape into the world of zombies, or a newspaper in Rome, or two guys escalating a war of suburban proportions. 

Mostly, it has reminded me of what I missed by not spending time reading. And I don’t want it to be a resolution, mostly because resolutions inevitably fail, but I wanted it to be something I should do more. My world slows down when I read a book. I’m able to enjoy seeing a different world, then I can put it down, and then I have to deal with the fact that no, I’m not actually in command of a starship, nor does the planet rely on my next decision. (Which is probably for the best. I’d sell any of you out for a bag of cheetos.)  It’s just a nice time. It’s my half hour I get, each way, spending time with a good book, and the lives of characters I get to visit for a little bit.

Sometimes, I try to make a big point with these posts. I don’t know that I have one today. In fact I know for a fact that I don’t have one today. I just wanted to talk about reading. I plan on reporting on what I’ve read, and you can check out what I’m currently reading on the righthand corner of my blog. Feel free to check it out as I review them.