RhymePhile's Rat Race

I have finally admitted to myself that living more than 65 miles from where I work has started to adversely affect my overall sense of sanity. It wasn't that bad when I first started commuting into Manhattan in April of 2004. Since then the stress and crowding of the commute has taken its toll. I take a 6:40 bus in the morning, but I have to get to the lot in time for the bus before that, the 6:25, in order to simply get a parking space. I wake up at 5:30. I am often grumpy.

The bus crowding is not going to improve anytime soon, I know. Who would think there would be 57 people packed on a bus that's 60 miles from freaking Manhattan? It's been happening on our route more and more every week.

Google helpfully tells me that my trip takes about "1 hour 23 mins (up to 2 hours 10 mins in traffic)." I've seen that 2 hour, 10 minute trip more often than I'd like on summer Fridays.

I'm also lucky that my job affords me the luxury of getting into the office around 8:15 a.m. and leaving at 4:30 to catch a 5:10 bus back home. My subway ride is about 20 minutes or so in rush hour, and then I have to get to the third floor of Port Authority and get in line so I get a good seat.

This elaborate dance of timing and travel can really get to you after a while. One minor occurrence -- like a subway train being late -- and your whole evening is thrown into chaos.

The lease on my 2-bedroom apartment is up January 31, and after living there since 2000, it's now time to go. I've become rooted and lazy and comfy in my corner spot. I don't really want to leave. It's relatively quiet. My neighbors are nice. There are trees and clean ocean air down where I live.

But I won't be at this job forever. If I had to work a normal schedule, say, 9 to 6, I would be a total wreck. When it's time to find a new job I need to be closer, that's all there is to it.

Unfortunately, this impending move is also freaking expensive! However, with rent and commuting costs right now ($330 for the monthly bus pass alone), I pay almost $1400. I'm hoping (praying, begging, wishing) to find something matching this in Westchester County, in New York. My girlfriend lives up there, and I've taken the train to her place many times. The train I can handle. She's going to be helping me look, too. The train isn't cheap; most stops are around $200 a month. I also have the subway expense of $80 a month. Oh, and did I mention that you often have to pay to park in your own building? Yeah.

I considered somewhere in northern Jersey, but my family has been out of there for so long that I have no idea where the safe areas are anymore. Besides, everything close to NYC transportation in NJ falls into two categories: 1) cheap ghetto or 2) expensive over-priced yuppie enclave. Neither works for me.

I've been on Craigslist looking around, just seeing what's out there and reading forums as to which neighborhoods to avoid. I need something within walking distance to a train, because sometimes you can't get parking permits to park at the stations due to overcrowding. There are also waiting lists for parking for years. I want to avoid that.

So! Somewhere in Westchester it is. Hopefully. Eventually.