The Commute to Work

Oh those 4 simple words can strike fear into the heart of many. It can be draining. It can be time-consuming and it can just start your day off on the wrong foot. Or it can be a delightful experience and one that leaves you ready to take on the world. I commute 10.3 miles from my apartment in Seattle to the office in Bellevue. We are based in Bellevue because when Mark started the company it had a certain cache about it. Well, it is known for being a bit snobby and I have to tell you, if I did not work there I would rarely cross Lake Washington on I-90 to get there.

I do not like Bellevue. There, I said it. It is a city that 30 years ago was like 19,000 people and today it has an estimated population of 126, 200. After the current census we will know better. The downtown core is now 2nd only to Seattle in the state. Bellevue is French for "beautiful view" and it does have a lovely view looking outward. Sadly, downtown looks more like Dallas or some other sprawling city. Very little planning went into making it pedestrian friendly in that there are often 6-8 lanes of traffic. How sad. We are in a working office park on the fringe and so it is a tad better.

But what joy I get seeing Mt. Rainier in the morning with the sun rising and clouds parting. It often can make it's own weather pattern on top. The water on Lake Washington has so many personalities. From stormy to calm it is a joy to see what greets you as you exit the tunnel from Seattle side that goes under Center District and has to gliding down and across the water. There might be water skiers or various crew teams out practicing. There is currently some major cable project going on as two massive tugs have been out there for a while.

Another thing that just amazes me in the commute is how people have their radios blasting or they are on the phone. Hang up the phone people it is against the law now. People leave blinkers on and sure enough they are on the phone or they are often the ones who suddenly change lanes with no warning. It is all about them, of course. Well, they can have the noise and distraction, I will take the beauty and be a bit more defensive and get to work and home safely.

The sun is no longer right in your eye and that makes for a better morning drive. But that does not discount the evening commute. I do tend to get to the office by 7:30am so I can get out by 3:30-4pm. Try to miss the back-up and most often it works. The slightest spot of rain and BOOM! All traffic comes to a halt and there are nasty back-ups. Hello people, we live in the northwest! I have learned a few tricks to make the commute a little nicer. One thing is exiting onto Mercer Island and slowing down to 25 and while it is not 60, it is faster than dead stop. I keep moving and cannot tell you how many times I have been able to beat a heck of a lot of traffic home.

And that is where I am now relaxing after a rough day. Trying to play catch-up after being out two days is not easy, but hey, what will it be like after being gone a week at the end of the month, but I really don't care in that I get to see Mom. That will be a blast. Cheers!