Friday, September 6, 2013

Big City Lessons

First of all...my birthday is 21 days away!! 
LOL...just felt the need to make that announcement
:-)

Now, as you all know, I've moved to the "big city" and I've been here for a about two weeks now. I knew there would be differences between living here and living in the South so I wanted to keep running log of these lessons. I want to cherish every bit of this!



1. Stop at yellow lights and obey the speed limit
DC has cameras that'll catch you breaking these rules. You can get a ticket and not know it until you open your mailbox. I've personally seen the flashing cameras snapping pictures of people breaking these rules. I'm good for trying to make it through a yellow light and for going a LITTLE BIT over the speed limit. Until I learn where these cameras are and aren't...I need to obey #1!

2. Factor any kind of traffic into your commute time.
In Greenville my job was 10 miles away and it took anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes to get there. I actually thought that was a bit ridiculous at that time, but now with some perspective, I'm thinking that was pretty reasonable. There was traffic but it was insignificant. Here...my job is 16 miles away (at the current moment). I've tried different routes to and from work each day, but...no matter what...it's 40 to 45 minutes away. That just doesn't add up!! So, because traffic is so unpredictable, I give myself an hour for travel time in the morning. It's sad because I used to sleep in and still get to my job around the time I was supposed to be there, which was at 8:30. Because I don't want to deal with the biggest chunk of traffic, I chose to work the 7:30 to 4 shift. Remember that I take an hour to get to work...and an hour to get ready in the morning. That puts me getting up around 5:30, 5:45...no more sleeping in :-( If I get on the road even 10 minutes late, the traffic is significantly different. Now, that part sucks!!! But in a few weeks, that will all change :-)

3. Learn to walk or take the Metro
I'm used to having access to my own transportation. I've never been one to like getting rides from people because I want to go and come as I please. I've certainly never been one to do too much walking either!! So, what I've learned is that these two things can make getting to and from so much easier. For example, there are several lunch places about a block from my job. There is absolutely no parking outside of these places and even if there was parking, the easiest way to get there is by walking. I tried that one day and I've been bringing my lunch as much as I possibly can!! Also, I had to get my ID badge in a busy part of the city...again, absolutely no parking! Everyone's advice was, 'take the Metro'. I did just that and I was glad to have that experience. I learned some Metro lessons (how to put money on your card, how to use the card, how to read the map, how to read the signs, etc.) and quite frankly driving in the city sucks, so it was cool to sit back and let the Metro person drive. I still had to walk once I got off the Metro, but I'm kind of getting used to the walking thing now so it wasn't that bad.

4. Parking is rarely free!
Most parking in the city is some type of paid parking. This can mean meter, a paid parking, or that you have to have some type of decal/parking sticking to be allowed to park. I just so happen to work at a place where parking isn't free and it sucks. There are three parking lots around my job. One is $5/day, one is $6/day, and the parking lot for the building (which sits inside a gate, right outside of the building) is $8/day. Ridiculous right?! Well, I'm so used to convenience I parked outside of the building for the first two days. I decided to try the $5 parking lot (since the $6 parking lot looked kind of sketchy) and I feel like for what it's worth, why not save that $3. It hasn't rained yet, but I've decided to use the $8 parking lot for those days. I don't like the rain nor does my hair, so I think it'll be worth it. Without rain (or snow as the winter is quickly approaching), it's okay walking back and forth from that parking lot. Unless it's the weekend, you better have some money on you...but then, since parking is free, it's a beast trying to find a spot!!

5. Have good walking shoes with you at all times!
Because walking is always an option around here, it's good to have some good walking shoes. I learned this past weekend that it's also good to have a backup pair of cute shoes!! I did so much walking this weekend that I broke my sandal and the only alternative I had were shoes that I keep in the trunk of my car for extreme emergencies. It was embarrassing to be seen around with those shoes on because I thought I was cute that day (check out Monday's OOTD post!). These shoes got me to and from and they definitely taught me this important and valuable lesson!

I have a long list of things I've learned. These a just a few things so I'll save the other lessons for another week!! Enjoy!



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6 comments

  1. love the article another I learned its always a good idea to have an emergency overnight bag in the trunk of the car you never know when your going to need it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's true and I try to keep essentials in there. I've just never really been put in a situation where I've ever needed anything in my car besides a coat!! I'm slowly learning these things!

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  2. Omg... Look at that traffic!! I think I would just take public transportation. But yeah a lot of places are not putting up cameras to ticket people. No more running yellows for me.

    Btw thanks for joining the Blog Hop! Hope you're having fun! :D
    -Your Co-host, Lynn @ MakeupWithTea

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, it would be just as much as a hassle to take public transportation for me. Where I'm living now I would have to drive to the Metro station, pay a fee to park, wait around for the come and go times, etc. etc. I'd much rather deal with the traffic because I'm so used to coming and going as I please!! It looks bad, but it moves at a decent pace. I'm getting more and more used to it!! Thanks for stopping by!!

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  3. Yeah, DC is definitely a different vibe than the south, that's for sure (I live in Atlanta). One thing I love about DC is that there's a Nando's! If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out..it's a peri peri chicken place and words cannot describe how delicious it is!



    Morgan

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is all so true, Mionna. Having lived and worked here for the last 8 years I can say I'm going to miss the experiences. And yes, those speed cameras will get you. I have a $75 ticket to pay later this month for turning at a red light without coming to a complete stop behind the pedestrian crossing first. Apparently, it's the law in MD. I had no idea but now I do:) Amen, about those cute shoes. Before they started making cute flat shoes, women used to walk around town in their sharp business suits with tennis shoes on. It was a fashion sight to see back then. I look forward to reading more about your adventures.

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