Having moved to a city with excellent public transportation, at some point I may sell my car altogether. But there’s one thing I truly miss about driving.

Driving the same commute for 8 years, it becomes comfortable. Finding a route and sticking to it. About 30 minutes each way. All surface streets, no freeways. Cruising past houses, businesses, intersections; feeling like part of the city. None of the trapped sensation of four crawling lanes. Just a steady, familiar drive. The route second nature. The motions subconscious.

Living 30 minutes away from work is the perfect length, really. Not long enough to drag or rob a valuable chunk of the day. Not so short to incur guilt for not biking instead. Live too close to the office and it’s like always being at work. Never too far to pop back in. Same neighborhood restaurants for lunch and dinner.

I love my car, and I never minded driving it. Now I live in a city with easy public transportation (SF), not one that expects — no, requires — car ownership (LA). And there are plenty of upsides. It’s better for the environment. It’s cheaper. At some point I may sell my car altogether. But the one thing I truly miss about driving: it was the 100% perfect way to listen to podcasts.

30 minutes really was the perfect length. Start one in the morning, finish in the afternoon. But most importantly, it was the perfect the listening environment. There you are, sealed in a private capsule, maybe a window down for the breeze. Your hands and feet occupied enough to never feel physically restless, but the effortless routine leaving your mind free, able to pay complete attention. Walking or running are close, but those aren’t relaxing. Riding a train, there are so many people around it’s hard not to be distracted by all that bustling humanity. What’s the man across the aisle reading? Am I creeping out the woman sitting under the overhead rail I’m gripping for balance? Why haven’t we left this station yet? In a car you’re in control of your own little world, and everyone else is safely encased in theirs. It’s just you and the story, the conversation, the information.

I like it here a lot so far. Now that I’m settled, I hope to get back to writing a lot more. Seeing movies and playing games and reading books that give me interesting things to think and write about. But I have to say, I miss the roads, the wheel, and the podcasts.

……….

[Note: this is an abstract way of saying I've moved, among many other life changes this summer -- a wedding and honeymoon! a new job! a new living situation! -- which is why it's been all too quiet around here for months. Time to change that. Pleased to be back at the keyboard again. Hugs, --The Management.]