How to lose a car in 7 months. It sounds like a catchy title, but really, in Southern California, is it possible? Just a second while I consult the Magic 8-Ball..."Signs Point to Yes." The prophet has spoken and it so it is, for the first time since age 15 (I'm from Michigan, a state formerly known for its cars) I am NOT the proud owner of a shiny automobile.
Some of my first words in this blog back in March noted my burka-like anxiety about using public transportation. During the five subsequent blog postings I began my metamorphosis. Months went by without a single posting from me. Cocooned by my 30 minute bus rides or 45 minute bike rides to and from work the time passed, the Honda Element sat in the driveway, and I became more confident in my ability to survive sans four wheels and a combustion engine. Then it happened. Without much pain on a Wednesday I shed my all-wheel drive, sports utility, toaster-shaped vehicle, and became someone who doesn't own a car.
There was no fanfare other than a flutter in my chest. And rather than a series of atta girl pats on the back, my new car-less existence has been met by raised eyebrows and whispers. What's next? Probably something about those raised eyebrows and whispers, which I think might take longer to lose than 7 months.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Moving forward...on the bus, on the train, in life
It’s been a while. A hiatus of sorts, unfortunately one that has prevented me from hopping on the bus; however, happily I report that I’m sitting on the train right now, rolling through Burbank and on my way to San Diego. And, public transportation again reigns supreme in my world of getting from point A to point B.
Let’s do one part of setting the record straight, two parts of projecting, add a splash of personal growth, a dash of philosophical reflection, shake—not stir—and serve.
The first two weeks of my second quarter bus riding adventure was, in my evaluation, a success. My goal was to ride four times per week—allowing myself one day each week to drive my car and run errands—and the good news is that I achieved. Woo woo. Last week and already the first two days of this week weren’t at all a success story, but I sort of knew that going into it…some unforeseen business obligations that didn’t coincide with the bus route. Today, as I said earlier, I’m on the train and rolling to San Diego for a conference. While there I’ll use the trolley system if I need to get around, so maybe, in the grand scheme of things, I can “make-up” for some of my lack of bus riding in the last week and a half.
So that was my one part of setting the record straight.
What’s next? Good question and one that requires some projecting for the answer. Riding the bus is the moment of truth when it comes to organization and planning. My immediate task is to purchase a bicycle that I can use for the commute to and from my house to the bus stop. Yes, I do feel like a hypocrite driving my automobile to the bus stop and then getting on. Reducing my carbon footprint means not turning the key everyday on the Honda. The four-day a week bus ride is manageable and responsible, and there’s that personal commitment to keep this up until June. The other part of this is to figure out how to make it from Cal State Channel Islands to the proximity of where my boyfriend (yes, I said boyfriend) lives by taking the bus or train and not inconveniencing anyone in the process. A huge social blunder in using public transportation is asking for favors from other people…I am guilty of doing this twice during my first two weeks of the bus. No more.
Personal growth, blah, blah, blah…hate to admit it because it means that I wasn’t as developed mentally/emotionally/spiritually as I claimed to be…and a little bit of the philosophical part. That being said, I’ve had more time to think and read since riding not big yellow. So here goes, it’s less about me and more about what I can do for others in my life and community. Lots of social ills out there along side the road and tracks, and sure, I’m not going to be able to cure them all, heck maybe not even one, but I’ve got talent and time that I know can help move toward some sort of a collective benefit for the whole. This is not me being a commie, rather this is me using the good fortune that I have worked my tail-feathers off to achieve and giving some back. Don’t worry mom and dad, I’m still a pull-ones-self-up-by-the-boot-straps gal, but I’m realizing it’s not all about the materialistic mold that my generation is typically cast.
As we roll out of Los Angeles, I’m realizing it’s time to shake and serve up what’s next.
Let’s do one part of setting the record straight, two parts of projecting, add a splash of personal growth, a dash of philosophical reflection, shake—not stir—and serve.
The first two weeks of my second quarter bus riding adventure was, in my evaluation, a success. My goal was to ride four times per week—allowing myself one day each week to drive my car and run errands—and the good news is that I achieved. Woo woo. Last week and already the first two days of this week weren’t at all a success story, but I sort of knew that going into it…some unforeseen business obligations that didn’t coincide with the bus route. Today, as I said earlier, I’m on the train and rolling to San Diego for a conference. While there I’ll use the trolley system if I need to get around, so maybe, in the grand scheme of things, I can “make-up” for some of my lack of bus riding in the last week and a half.
So that was my one part of setting the record straight.
What’s next? Good question and one that requires some projecting for the answer. Riding the bus is the moment of truth when it comes to organization and planning. My immediate task is to purchase a bicycle that I can use for the commute to and from my house to the bus stop. Yes, I do feel like a hypocrite driving my automobile to the bus stop and then getting on. Reducing my carbon footprint means not turning the key everyday on the Honda. The four-day a week bus ride is manageable and responsible, and there’s that personal commitment to keep this up until June. The other part of this is to figure out how to make it from Cal State Channel Islands to the proximity of where my boyfriend (yes, I said boyfriend) lives by taking the bus or train and not inconveniencing anyone in the process. A huge social blunder in using public transportation is asking for favors from other people…I am guilty of doing this twice during my first two weeks of the bus. No more.
Personal growth, blah, blah, blah…hate to admit it because it means that I wasn’t as developed mentally/emotionally/spiritually as I claimed to be…and a little bit of the philosophical part. That being said, I’ve had more time to think and read since riding not big yellow. So here goes, it’s less about me and more about what I can do for others in my life and community. Lots of social ills out there along side the road and tracks, and sure, I’m not going to be able to cure them all, heck maybe not even one, but I’ve got talent and time that I know can help move toward some sort of a collective benefit for the whole. This is not me being a commie, rather this is me using the good fortune that I have worked my tail-feathers off to achieve and giving some back. Don’t worry mom and dad, I’m still a pull-ones-self-up-by-the-boot-straps gal, but I’m realizing it’s not all about the materialistic mold that my generation is typically cast.
As we roll out of Los Angeles, I’m realizing it’s time to shake and serve up what’s next.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Week in review, some sentiments too
An apex. A turning point. Not so much of a climax, but a realization that sums up the past week. Leaning back in the rather comfy bus seat on the way home and staring out the window at the perfectly straight rows of strawberries, cabbage, and other produce, it strikes me how individual we all think our worlds are, but really our lives individually are small compared to the collective to which we belong. This week I became a part of a new community. It doesn't make me a better or worse person than I was before, but it makes me realize how isolated I am from other ways of life that differ from my own.
This week also has made me realize that I am fortunate, and the division that exists between the haves and the have-nots (borrowed terminology) is far more vast than I imagined. Riding the bus provides and entirely different perspective than the view through the windshield. With two hands on the wheel and my eyes focused straight ahead all I can see is the road and the other cars around me...the other four-wheeled pods...all of us isolated, or better yet, insulated from the surroundings the road takes us through. From the bus the view is different. The broken windows and torn screens, the filthy ditches and the neglected children are all much more visible through the side windows.
Things are amiss. Habits that once were a $1.25 a pack or a $1 a gallon are now $3.50 and higher. Wages have not increased to match those price increases. The weakest and the most vulnerable--children and the environment two major factors in the future of society--are what's being hurt the most. It may take a few more bus rides...a lot more bus rides, but there's got to be a way to remedy the situation.
So today, on Saturday, I've come upon yet another reason for riding the bus that didn't even cross my mind: social and environmental awareness. Yes, I did realize that taking one car with one person off the road each day (myself) would help the environment, but I had no idea my eyes would be opened to see disgusting run-off in the ditches that surround our region and the overweight children in the pre-hoodlum stages.
It's not enough to say something has to be done and to be part of the group that points out the problem. It's necessary to come up with a solution that can be carried out.
This week also has made me realize that I am fortunate, and the division that exists between the haves and the have-nots (borrowed terminology) is far more vast than I imagined. Riding the bus provides and entirely different perspective than the view through the windshield. With two hands on the wheel and my eyes focused straight ahead all I can see is the road and the other cars around me...the other four-wheeled pods...all of us isolated, or better yet, insulated from the surroundings the road takes us through. From the bus the view is different. The broken windows and torn screens, the filthy ditches and the neglected children are all much more visible through the side windows.
Things are amiss. Habits that once were a $1.25 a pack or a $1 a gallon are now $3.50 and higher. Wages have not increased to match those price increases. The weakest and the most vulnerable--children and the environment two major factors in the future of society--are what's being hurt the most. It may take a few more bus rides...a lot more bus rides, but there's got to be a way to remedy the situation.
So today, on Saturday, I've come upon yet another reason for riding the bus that didn't even cross my mind: social and environmental awareness. Yes, I did realize that taking one car with one person off the road each day (myself) would help the environment, but I had no idea my eyes would be opened to see disgusting run-off in the ditches that surround our region and the overweight children in the pre-hoodlum stages.
It's not enough to say something has to be done and to be part of the group that points out the problem. It's necessary to come up with a solution that can be carried out.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Drive day and a lesson
So Tuesday I DID ride the bus, but I didn't get it together in time to ride my bike to the bus stop. The good news is once again it was a great ride. I went in a hour earlier than usual and with that was the benefit of sipping my coffee and watching the sun rise and light up the Santa Monica Mountains. Letting my mind drift for 25 minutes in the morning has done wonders for my morning disposition. Good bye surly Ceal.
Today was a drive day and I would be remiss if I didn't say something about another unanticipated reason for riding the bus: accountability. Being on time isn't my forte. Each review I have at work comes out like this: nearly everything is A1 great BUT there's that one ugly mark, getting to work on time. Let me say a lil sump-sumpthin' about the bus, it forces me to be on time. Makes me accountable for my actions. Not like I'm a delinquent to begin with, but seriously, when I drive I'm like, "It's OK, you can make up time on the road...just hit that snooze button one more time." The bus drives home the point that I believe one of my seventh grade teachers tried to teach me: prior proper planning. The alarm is set for 6 a.m. for a reason, and no it's not to make sure the snooze button has a purpose.
If it does anything in the long haul, the bus will certainly will drive me toward being a little more accountable. Looking forward to tomorrow's reason or perhaps lesson? Life lessons from the bus...hmmmm....we shall see.
Today was a drive day and I would be remiss if I didn't say something about another unanticipated reason for riding the bus: accountability. Being on time isn't my forte. Each review I have at work comes out like this: nearly everything is A1 great BUT there's that one ugly mark, getting to work on time. Let me say a lil sump-sumpthin' about the bus, it forces me to be on time. Makes me accountable for my actions. Not like I'm a delinquent to begin with, but seriously, when I drive I'm like, "It's OK, you can make up time on the road...just hit that snooze button one more time." The bus drives home the point that I believe one of my seventh grade teachers tried to teach me: prior proper planning. The alarm is set for 6 a.m. for a reason, and no it's not to make sure the snooze button has a purpose.
If it does anything in the long haul, the bus will certainly will drive me toward being a little more accountable. Looking forward to tomorrow's reason or perhaps lesson? Life lessons from the bus...hmmmm....we shall see.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Day One: Determination Equals Relaxation
Today, of all days, was NOT the day to wonder about the origin and purpose of that awful noise blaring near my right ear at 6 a.m. At the time of said blaring I was pleased and possibly proud of my efforts in making it stop. Needless to say, I was in a deep sleep when I was supposed to be packing my bag lunch and preparing for the bike ride to the bus stop.
Never fear, wash-and-wear Ceal bounded into action at 7:30 a.m. and was out the door and racing the 2.6 miles to the bus stop in the Honda at 7:50 a.m. with a sack lunch in hand. I was determined to not screw up on day one.
The bus was full of all of one other rider this morning. I sipped my coffee--yes I had time to make coffee before leaving--and zoned for a whole 25 minutes on my first ride to Cal State Channel Islands from Oxnard. I did nothing and it was everything I thought it could be. Granted it is spring break and I'm sure the number of people riding the bus is impacted the break, it really was a pleasant experience. And yes, I was surprised.
This wasn't one of my original reasons for riding the bus, but it has pressed its way into my top 10 without a second thought: relaxation. Had I driven to work after such a boneheaded move of viciously taming the bedside noise and waking up a full hour and a half late it would have been the prelude to an awful day. Instead I got to sip coffee and put things into perspective for 25 minutes. My time. I like it.
I'm going to do it again tomorrow, but this time without the mad rush and with a nice bike ride to the bus stop. Relaxation, who knew?
Never fear, wash-and-wear Ceal bounded into action at 7:30 a.m. and was out the door and racing the 2.6 miles to the bus stop in the Honda at 7:50 a.m. with a sack lunch in hand. I was determined to not screw up on day one.
The bus was full of all of one other rider this morning. I sipped my coffee--yes I had time to make coffee before leaving--and zoned for a whole 25 minutes on my first ride to Cal State Channel Islands from Oxnard. I did nothing and it was everything I thought it could be. Granted it is spring break and I'm sure the number of people riding the bus is impacted the break, it really was a pleasant experience. And yes, I was surprised.
This wasn't one of my original reasons for riding the bus, but it has pressed its way into my top 10 without a second thought: relaxation. Had I driven to work after such a boneheaded move of viciously taming the bedside noise and waking up a full hour and a half late it would have been the prelude to an awful day. Instead I got to sip coffee and put things into perspective for 25 minutes. My time. I like it.
I'm going to do it again tomorrow, but this time without the mad rush and with a nice bike ride to the bus stop. Relaxation, who knew?
Sunday, March 16, 2008
It feels like the first time...the very first time
It's possible I've looked at the bus schedule no less than 17 times today, and after each check and re-check I've gone out to the garage and looked at the Honda.
Bus memories aren't my favorite. In elementary school I spent most of my time wedged next to the window with my knees and shins pressed against the back of the seat in front of me while slouching and contorting my body into a c-shape with a book open on my lap. Being from the frozen Midwest, I knew exactly what seat on the bus had the heater underneath, and I used this knowledge when selecting my morning perch during junior high and high school. Note that I have not mentioned ever sitting in "the back of the bus." The hecklers sat back there, the no goods. Things that I only had seen in movies or heard about in off-color jokes took place in those last two rows of seats in big yellow, and my mother warned me to steer clear of the chiefs of the back of the bus tribe.
Today is Sunday, March 16, and my vow to use the public transportation system in Ventura County becomes a reality in about 12 hours. Like the enchiladas I just finished for dinner, I am chicken. Since my last days on big yellow 10 years ago, it takes fewer than five fingers to count how many times I've used public transportation in this country. My perception of riding the bus and who rides the bus are shallow stereotypes, and my perception of myself doesn't fit that mold.
So why am I riding the bus? There's no single burning reason that drove me to this self-imposed second quarter-and-then-some commitment to public transport. However, it's more like a herd of ant-sized reasons carrying me on this journey. As the days pass I'll elaborate on my reasons, but for now here's a few to start with:
Bus memories aren't my favorite. In elementary school I spent most of my time wedged next to the window with my knees and shins pressed against the back of the seat in front of me while slouching and contorting my body into a c-shape with a book open on my lap. Being from the frozen Midwest, I knew exactly what seat on the bus had the heater underneath, and I used this knowledge when selecting my morning perch during junior high and high school. Note that I have not mentioned ever sitting in "the back of the bus." The hecklers sat back there, the no goods. Things that I only had seen in movies or heard about in off-color jokes took place in those last two rows of seats in big yellow, and my mother warned me to steer clear of the chiefs of the back of the bus tribe.
Today is Sunday, March 16, and my vow to use the public transportation system in Ventura County becomes a reality in about 12 hours. Like the enchiladas I just finished for dinner, I am chicken. Since my last days on big yellow 10 years ago, it takes fewer than five fingers to count how many times I've used public transportation in this country. My perception of riding the bus and who rides the bus are shallow stereotypes, and my perception of myself doesn't fit that mold.
So why am I riding the bus? There's no single burning reason that drove me to this self-imposed second quarter-and-then-some commitment to public transport. However, it's more like a herd of ant-sized reasons carrying me on this journey. As the days pass I'll elaborate on my reasons, but for now here's a few to start with:
- My pocketbook...gas is $3.50 a gallon and my parking permit is $30 a month
- Realization of hypocrisy...I work somewhere that has regularly scheduled bus stops just feet from my office, and one of our campus battle cries is sustainability
- A social experiment...taking myself outside my comfort zone and learning something new
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