I feel so corporate.

Today I took public transportation to work. I've done this once before, about a year ago when my car died and Brian had already left for work.  That day I didn't really have a choice and I was just lucky that I was able to scrounge $1.25 or whatever it costs.  (I rarely have cash, and usually when I do it goes quickly into a pop machine.)

But here's the thing.  On Monday evening I had a meeting to go to and Brian asked me if I'd fill up the van on my way home.  Now usually the van is his commuter car (he carts the kids) and he takes care of filling it up when necessary.  My commuter car is a 1997 5-speed Geo Metro Sedan. Kind of dorky and definitely uncool, but it's paid for and cheap to own & operate.  It's also easy to park in our packed, perpendicular-parking lot.

Looks like this except mine is green - very 90's!

When I fill up my car, I go to a gas station that gives me 15 cents off per gallon if I buy a car wash.  I get the cheapest one for $6 and still come out having paid more for the car wash than what I save on gas with an 8-gallon tank, but I like the convenience of the fill & wash all at one time.

So back to Monday night.  I'm used to about a $25 bill when filling up my car, and even that was starting to feel pretty steep.  When I filled up the van, I found myself staring straight into a $51.59 total. 

~~Sticker shock!!~~

I know that probably pales compared to what some of you are used to, but it was pretty scary for me!  I decided then & there to look into my employer's city bus pass program.

Because parking for both patients/visitors and employees is at a premium in downtown Rochester, one of the things that my employer has done is to allow employees who live in town to get free bus passes.  They also sell passes to people who live out of town at a reduced rate.  The goal is to help alleviate parking congestion downtown.  I know a lot of people who take the bus because they don't even have parking privileges downtown, because those are given out by seniority.  After 11 years, I do have parking, so I've never considered taking the bus.  Now I'm going to do it, at least some days, in order to alleviate our gasoline bill.  On days I take the bus, Brian will take my little car.  Hopefully this will make a difference.  We'll see; I told Brian that I'll only take the bus on days that aren't too cold, too windy, or raining.  So the rest of this week may be out already.

This morning went pretty well.  I was worried that I wouldn't make it to the bus stop in time, and as it turned out I had plenty of time.  Eventually I'll have it down to the exact minute that I need to leave the house.  This afternoon will present a different challenge.  Not only do I have to make sure I'm ready to leave work at the appropriate time (I can be a dawdler), but I have to take a different route home.  My neighbor/friend Matt, who rides the same bus, told me this morning where I need to be in order to take Route 2 home, which was nice.  The good/bad thing about Route 2 is that it's going to drop me off about 4 blocks from my house.  Today that will be awesome as it's supposed to be sunny and 75, and I don't anticipate having to carry anything heavy or bulky home.  I'm such a baby.  :)

So yes, now I feel more like an official member of the rat race.