Driving

I discovered today, yet again, how big of a nerd I am and how much little things excite me. I got to drive to work today. That's right; that's why I'm excited.

If I drove to work every day it would cost me almost $400 in gas, plus an oil change every month PLUS 120 miles on my car a day. So I do this cool little thing we call Vanpooling. Transfort, the public transportation system in my city, put together a nonprofit group called VanGo. They have 95 vans that go from Northern Colorado to various parts of Denver every single day. You get assigned to a van that fits your work schedule and you along with 5-6 other people drive the van to and from work every day. The company gives us a brand new mini-van and the 6-7 of us meet at a park-and-ride and drive to work.

I've been doing this for two years. Wow, two years!! Sometimes it's nice because we all get along and joke around and talk and socialize.

Sometimes it's not nice because, as somewhat of an introvert, I cherish my alone time. I like being able to gear myself up for the day by listening to BJ & Howie in the morning and drinking my coffee. I like being able to decompress from my day on the way home listening to Slacker & Steve and just being alone. You are definitely not alone on the van and the days that all 7 of us ride, not only are you not alone but you have no personal space because 3 of us have to jam into the middle seat instead of the normal 2 of us. (Personal bubble. You're in my personal bubble!!)

This makes me cherish the days I have to leave work early because I get to drive myself! I miss driving myself to work every day. I miss parking in the garage and walking across the street to work instead of getting dropped off 6 blocks away and having to walk in the cold to my building because my building isn't really "on the way". I miss not having to inform someone else if I'm running a few minutes late. I miss not getting home my 6:00 because the lady "forgot" the speed limit was 75 and not 65 (despite these pesky little things I like to call speed limit signs).

Oh well. It saves me tons of money on gas and car maintenance so it's worth it...most of the time.

BUT, today is a driving day!! I love seeing my car in the parking garage and knowing I get 1 hour of blissfully uninterrupted alone time all the way to work and all the way back!