[This post is from another of our Winter Commuter Bloggers: Monica Patel.  Monica works at the Ecology Center in downtown Ann Arbor.  This is part of our efforts to help employees Conquer the Cold!]

I’m afraid I’m about to share everything I know about commuting in the first post, but here goes…

I spent two summers commuting in very different ways, both of which had a strong impact on my psyche and preferences:

1. in 1999, I lived with my parents in the suburbs of Chicago and took the bus (or carpooled) to the train to get downtown for work, and it took about an hour, and
2. in 2002, I lived in Ann Arbor and drove (with a co-worker for 1/2 the week) to Southfield, which also took about an hour.

I’ve also done short commutes (in DC and Portland) that didn’t seem to compare as well.  Anyway, during (1.) I read/listened/meditated my way home and with (2.) I got frustrated with traffic and bad radio (when I wasn’t lucky enough to have the company of a friend).  At the end of (2.) I got into a terrible car accident that cemented how much I absolutely couldn’t car commute again.  Some people like driving…not me. I drive to get places, and am so happy to be able choose other options. It just took me a few years to realize how much those other options mean to me.

When I started working at the Ecology Center in 2007, the CTA/El combo wasn’t an option, but I was a renter — lucky enough to live on the #5 bus.  At the time, I also worked part-time at Zingerman’s Next Door. I found myself leaving work at hours that the bus didn’t run and, on one of these nights, I discovered the beauty of walking home. The next day, I went to Footprints to buy some waterproof boots and I loaded up my old 2004 iPod with This American Life and Bill Moyers Journal episodes.

A couple years later, my partner and I finally admitted to ourselves just how much we love this town, and we decided to buy a place. Living close to where we work and spend most of our time was at the top of our list of things to look for in a house. (If I knew the term “time of sale audit” at that time, it’s the only thing that would’ve been higher on my list.) Our search led us less than 2 miles from town with sweet neighbors, a backyard to accommodate our dogs and veggie-growing needs, and lovely parks too.  (We live near Miller Park, between Miller and Dexter past Seventh.)

Now that I reflect on it (courtesy of Nancy Shore and getDowntown), I realize that the days I commute to work (by bike or foot) tend to be the best days — because it’s good for my head. As convenient as they can be/seem, cars make me feel boxed in and headachy.  Plus, I learned how to drive in Chicagoland (i.e., yelling, fist-shaking, etc. is normal). Having a break between work and whatever I’m doing next, gets me outside, breathing fresh air, and out in this community that I love.