Wednesday, June 07, 2006

on the bus

still on the bus

Time spent on public transportation should never be viewed as wasted. Now In my eighteenth year shuttling among the boroughs of New York City on my own, I consider myself something of an expert on how to properly utilize commuting time. I get things written and revised, sometimes read, often check email, and occasionally blog. Every now and then, I play with the camera or the cameraphone.

A lot of times, though, I will just gaze out the window, and let my mind go where it needs to go. If where it needs to go is a place of worry, I let it wander but give it something better to come back to.

The secret, then, to never feeling like you're wasting time: accept that time spent dreaming is time well-spent.

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posted by Jill at 12:00 AM

18 Comments:

  • I know what you mean. Now that I'm telecommuting I feel like I've lost my train of thought.

    Hello, Jill.

    By Blogger scott, At Wed Jun 07, 12:15:00 AM 2006  

  • Another thing we have in common, Jill. Time on the bus is my fantasy time... time to devlop that story or just let the mind roam without direction.

    By Blogger ChickyBabe, At Wed Jun 07, 02:20:00 AM 2006  

  • Today is clearly my day for learning useful stuff. Two blogs read and two really useful quotes to remember. Thanks.

    By Blogger Further on up the road, At Wed Jun 07, 03:14:00 AM 2006  

  • THAT is an excellent thing to remember!!

    By Blogger Amber, At Wed Jun 07, 09:00:00 AM 2006  

  • Funny how being crammed in with hundreds of others in a hurtling machine allows us time to be alone and still.

    Wombat

    By Blogger Wombat & Aspen, At Wed Jun 07, 09:06:00 AM 2006  

  • I'm terrified of public transportation. Not of the people but that I have no clue what I'm doing. I'd probably get off in some scary neighborhood and be kidnapped by flying donkey worshippers or something.

    Or something.

    By Blogger Kiki, At Wed Jun 07, 10:40:00 AM 2006  

  • 18 years?!?! Were you five years old when you started in on public transportation?

    By Blogger kapgar, At Wed Jun 07, 11:32:00 AM 2006  

  • Without dreams, nothing would separate us from primal animals. Never are dreams a waste of time, rather they ought to signify what it means to us, to live.

    Great post. :)

    By Blogger Anteros, At Wed Jun 07, 11:49:00 AM 2006  

  • Just like time spent mid-riff gazing!

    By Blogger Croaker, At Wed Jun 07, 11:55:00 AM 2006  

  • Is time spent ass gazing time well spent as well. Cause if he has a really high pop up booty that begs to be looked at, how can that be a waste of time?

    By Blogger Cheetarah1980, At Wed Jun 07, 12:36:00 PM 2006  

  • Heh. Hello, Scott.

    Ah, CB, still living my parallel life down yonder. I mean under. Hee hee.

    Further on...: Glad I could help!

    I think we all should dream more, don't you, Amber?

    It's interesting when you look at it that way, Wombat. Though sometimes, it's difficult to be alone when the idiot beside you won't stop yammering into his cell phone as if he's God's gift to the universe and everyone around him is hanging on his every word. Then, I like to get out a pen and paper and pretend as if I am taking notes.

    I'm confused, Kiki. Are the worshippers flying, while worshipping donkeys? Or are the worshippers on land, praying to donkeys who can fly?

    No, silly Kapgar! I was thirteen when I started high school in '89. I'm turning 31 this year.

    Normally I would agree with you, Anteros. But I just read Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and now I'm convinced that birds have dreams, too!

    I did a bit of that this morning, Croaker. I'm sending positive messages to mine, so that it will cooperate with me.

    Oh, of course, Cheetarah! But I don't think ANYONE would challenge the importance of time spent ass-gazing!! Speaking of which, I have to go revise a piece of writing in which I do some serious ass-gazing. /Swoon. I never thanked a deity for khaki cargo shorts before that day.

    By Blogger Jill, At Wed Jun 07, 01:02:00 PM 2006  

  • The one thing I can't condone on public transportation is eating. I once saw a guy take a bite of his pizza, then take the same hand and grab the subway pole, then TAKE THE SAME HAND AGAIN and pick up his pizza. I almost punched him in the face on principle.

    By Blogger the belligerent intellectual, At Wed Jun 07, 03:33:00 PM 2006  

  • I think I'm beginning to get the picture.

    By Blogger -J, At Wed Jun 07, 05:26:00 PM 2006  

  • Well said.

    By Blogger Zen Wizard, At Wed Jun 07, 07:51:00 PM 2006  

  • Buses i can do. I can think and daydream. Trains just don't do it for me, mainly because i never get a friggin seat and am forced to overhear the mundane conversations of every bastard on board. Arrghh!

    By Blogger Steph, At Wed Jun 07, 09:51:00 PM 2006  

  • Every subway platform is a subteranean Ionesco play unfolding before/within its audience participants. How could anyone be bored?

    By Blogger Ethan, At Mon Jun 12, 04:30:00 AM 2006  

  • Belligerent Intellectual: Ew. I don't like to touch subway poles. Or handrails. No handrails. Ew.

    Heh. That was a pun, -J?

    Thanks, ZenWizard!

    That doesn't sound like too much fun, Steph. But I often think that an empty seat next to me on a bus is read as an invitation for the biggest self-absorbed jerk to sit next to me and not shut up. Usually not talking to me, but talking into his cell phone. As if I really want to hear it.

    Hello, Ethan. Welcome to my humble abode. I think you're right! Interesting choice of metaphor.

    By Blogger Jill, At Mon Jun 12, 06:11:00 AM 2006  

  • I very much look forward to and cherish any chance I have at letting my mind wonder. Getting lost in your own thoughts is definitely time well spent. I couldn't agree with you more.

    Besides, my best "thinking" comes from when I am stuck in traffic, waiting in line or walking down the street.

    By Blogger DIAMONDKT, At Mon Jun 12, 06:37:00 PM 2006  

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