Commuting is for Lovers

So, most people complain about their commutes in and out of the city. People commute to Manhattan from all over, whether it's from one of boroughs, NJ, Long Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, wherever...people usually know no distance when it comes to working in Manhattan. I am among the what I would consider bajillions of people who commute into the best city in the world.

However, unlike most people, I live for my commute. To me, nothing is better than seeing all of the new faces day in and day out. Looking at people and trying to examine their life story, creating my own tales of their struggles and aspirations. I'd like to believe that everyone in NYC has a story of why they are in NYC, whether it was by birth or by choice, people's history with being in NYC is utterly fascinating to me. NYC is just one of those places that regardless of where you are from, who you know, what your career path is or isn't, anyone can end up here. It's like being drawn to an undeniable magnetic force and once you're in, it's in you forever.

On my commute I also enjoy adding my own soundtrack to my daily bus and subway trips. My ipod ranges in mixes, but all of the complement my walk and my mood of the day. For instance, I woke up in a not so good mood the other week, so my music of choice was DMX's album, And Then There was X. To me, that's the best F U music out there. Definitely prepped me for my day. Then there was a day when I just wanted some good walking around NYC music, so I put on my mix of favorite John Legend songs. There's just something about his voice when you're walking in the city that just puts you at ease.

Now many people would argue that NYC has a soundtrack of it's own, which I whole-heartedly agree with. However...commuting has to be one of the quietest times of my day. Sitting on the bus, no one is talking (unless you have a rude busmate who ignores the no cell phone rule). And the subway, well it's the only other place besides an elevator where so many people are crammed into a small cubic space and speak of nothing. The silence is sometimes so deafening to my outgoing personality that the ipod noise in my ears keeps me from talking to the nearest stranger on the subway (which would completely horrify my mom if I did).

So, on my commute in and out of the city I've come to notice a few different things...

• When I am at my bus stop in NJ, it always seems as if the last person to show up at the bus stop is always the person that jumps on the bus first, and on days where God wants a sense of humor that person will take the last seat on the bus, forcing me to stand the entire way into NYC.
• You should always try to sit in the window seat on the bus, simply for safety reasons. I can't even count how many women trudge through with 5 or 6 handbags filled with God knows what and pounds you on the side of the head as they walk by.
• Even worse is if you get stuck with an aisle seat and the bus becomes standing room only. It's almost a 99% chance that I'll get stuck with some random dude giving me a crotch height view (apparently men don't ever feel the need to stand facing forward, instead they would rather nearly teabag an unsuspecting lady).
• Once we get to Port Authority, apparently all kindergarten manners such as waiting your turn magically disappears. People in the back of the bus are in such a hurry to be the first ones off the bus, so they cram their way to the front and stand in the aisle thus throwing off the whole system of letting out one row at a time.
• Tourists really should only be allowed in the bus/train stations between the hours of 10am and 4pm and anytime after 8pm. The rush in the morning is huge...people pushing, walking fast, passing people on their left and right. And well, tourists unfortunately get trampled. (Yes, New Yorkers can identify tourists simply based on how slow you are walking, so fit in. Walk fast).
• Holding doors for ladies apparently died in the Northeast long before I came up here. It took me awhile to get used to the heavy doors leading to the subway from Port Authority hitting me face first. To avoid this, I've simply learned to walk with my hand out in front of me at a distance when I'm approaching that door. (To really throw off a New Yorker, especially a male New Yorker...hold this door for them. I can't even count how many "Wow, thank you" or gasps from shock there has been.)
• As you walk through the subway passageway underground at Port Authority (which has to be the worst invention in construction design ever by the way) I have noticed a few things...1) Apparently it's a hotbed for evangelists. My favorite one I think only preaches MWF though. 2) Everytime I round the corner to head down the ramp of terror (if you take this passageway you know what I mean...especially you ladies in the high heels), it smells like urine. Everyday. 3) There is some magical escalator that I have yet to find that transports people to the NRQW train whereas I'm too ignorant to find it, so I carry myself, my 20lb laptop bag and my 5lb purse up 5 flights of stairs.
• It's an ingrained habit for all New Yorkers commuting on the subway line to come down the steps, figure out which side their train is coming on, and then poke their head out on the tracks to see if their train is coming. Without fail, everyone does it. It's like seeing someone yawn forces you to yawn. When someone pokes their head out, we all do...it's like we're little groundhogs.
• Being on the subway is like being in my sociology laboratory. It's the best for people watching. The characters on there always make me smile...I hope that doesn't get me beat up one of these days.

Overall, my commute is much like the city. Interesting and yet it has all of these odd little annoyances, but you still love it all the same.