Survived first week of city work! I've realised why it has felt weirder than I expected: the office is in a part of town I never come to. It's quite convenient, it's just that I'm more of a south CBD person. I might as well be in a different city altogether. I've had to figure out the bus stops and the convenience stores and all that stuff I thought I knew about the CBD. Am very proud that I have not bought ANY food or anything in the city, have brought lunch and snacks each day. Everyone complains about the prices. I'm trying to minimise the cost of living increase which catching the bus involves, so I will hopefully scoot one way regularly… but not in the rain!
My biggest obsession has been perfecting my commute. Timing the walk to various bus stops, varying the time of day I catch the bus to see if it is better or worse to go in early or late, what to wear, and what to do. The shortest time I can do is just under 30 min door to door, which I'm pleased about. The longest bus commute was almost 50 min, and when I scooted it took 55 minutes. I may incorporate walking home sometimes in summer.
I've experimented with different sorts of footwear, now that I'm not forced to wear joggers for walking. Pretty flowery flats that got saturated, then knee-hi boots, then on Friday farmer boots and my feet were perfectly dry.
Today I had my first experience standing on a peak hour bus, because the buses have been so civilised I've barely seen anyone standing on my bus let along not got a seat. I half sat on the wheel slope thing and managed to read my book fairly comfortably.
The book choice is tricky. I don't want to look like a show-off and read something classic yet predictable, which is where my tastes do tend, but I don't have much else handy, I've got no library books, the Agatha Christie I'm usually reading is too big for the bus. So something small and paperback, unpretentiously titled, and easy to read in short bursts. Today I think I solved it and got my 2nd hand Arthur Upfield mystery book out, The Bone Is Pointed I think it's called.
And I have to say in terms of desk location, the new office is an improvement. If I turn my head I can see lovely sandstone columns out the opposite window. I wouldn't want to go back to the small office even though I miss playing music and singing along.
1 comment:
In the past I have used the technique of several books. I have had up to three or four going. A bedside book, a serious book, a wandering book (this can be read anywhere!), and a public transport book.
There are major advantages to this system, basically you can leave a book in your backpack all the time and are never caught bookless on the bus. I I also pick lightweight books, and preferably ones I don't care much about, so if they get a little battered after spending a month crushed under water bottles I'm not too upset. That's how I read the Great Gatsby.
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