please pray now to the gods of traffic . . .

[bertha katzenengel]

I have such a fear of being late that I get an anxiety attack if I think I might be late. I call my boss an hour before my shift is to start if I have the slightest worry that I might be late (he was once over-the-top irrational about such things and although he's over it, the memory of his ire remains). I was late yesterday and I was late once last week. AAAAHHHHHH!

We should be leaving right now but Mrs. V. won't be ready for another fifteen minutes. I should be getting up at 5:30 these days but this morning I slept 'til 5:50.

This is totally irrational, I know, but it's real and I can't help it.

So whatever gods you believe in who watch over traffic, please pray, offer sacrifices, whatever... Especially ask your gods to make traffic flow, flow, FLOW! west on Pennsylvania Ave. between Southern Ave. and 1st St... No wrecks, no breakdowns, no looky-loos at hotties waiting for the bus, no jaywalkers, no traffic signals out, and NO RASSER FRASSER CHECKPOINT AT CAPITOL HILL!

I humbly thank you.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Did a visualization practice for you

one thing you can do for yourself is breathe. No, I'm not being sarcastic. Many times, when people feel anxious (and you're so anxious I'm picking up on your feelings!), their breathing patterns change. One way to get back to some semblance of calmness is to watch how you are breathing. You may wish to try this:

Take a deep breath and let it out as a sigh.

Count to 3 as you breathe in, and count to 3 as you breathe out. This will make the breath regular, and will slow it down a bit. If you keep this up, and watch your breath, you'll find yourself becoming calmer.

Good luck on getting to work!

[bertha katzenengel]

3. thanks, ayesha... I was on time

and I will try to remember about the breathing. Great suggestion.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. All praise be to the One!

I'm so glad you got to work on time! I was thinking of you as I drove my nearly 50 mile commute, with my only traffic being two trucks and a male elk who sauntered across the road. Thought of you when I returned home as well.....

and doing the breathing practice will get easier if you keep it up. Glad and honored to be of service.

[madinmaryland]

2. What about the Metro?

I absolutely hate having to drive into DC in the morning. If I'm lucky, I will schedule any meetings for after 10.

[bertha katzenengel]

4. Hi, mad. Metro's not a good option, unfortunately.

We come from Waldorf. I often fantasize about a new Metro line that comes out here . . .

The drive is loathesome, yes. But DC is where the jobs are, and we love where we live, so we do it.

:hi:

[Mutley]

5. Traffic in and around DC is horrendous!

I had to take the SO to a class in Gaithersburg yesterday (from Baltimore) and it took us two hours to get there. Two hours!!! We sat on 495 for about 85% of that trip. And just when I think traffic can't be any worse than it is in Baltimore...

[bertha katzenengel]

6. Yeah. It really sucks.

We're looking forward to retiring to Arizona. Unfortunately that won't be for at least ten years.

:hi: Mutley

[Mutley]

7. heh

:hi: Bertha

I want to retire anywhere there is very little people.

[Jamison]

8. Western Nebraska

would be a good place for you. Very desolate.

[Mutley]

9. Hmmm

Desolate might be going just a bit too far. I was thinking small townish, maybe around 1000 - 2000 people...

[LibertyLover]

10. DC Traffic

Boy do I hear you. I come into DC from Annapolis. I park the car at New Carrollton and take Metro in, but Metro has been really slow the past couple of days. But I did get out of having to be in the office Monday morning at 6 am to be on a conference call with the Philippines because Metro doesn't start early enough to get me here. So I'll have to join the call from home. It seems that no matter how much time I leave for the commute, it's never enough.