Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Suburbia is the New Manhattan

For an entire year WG2 and I lived the fabulous city life. Ok, so it was more like the broke life in what some consider to be the 6th borough of New York City (aka Hoboken, NJ). But it was still fantastic having our own apartment (however shitty it was) and being free of parents and siblings.

Long story short, on Sunday we said goodbye to our shabby apartment and parted ways. WG2 is subletting near our old stomping ground and I moved back to my dad's house. Whomp Whomp. It's only temporary, I swear.

Now these days, instead of getting out of my cozy bed at 7:00 am, I am beginning my one-mile walk, yes walk, to the train station. My morning routine had been turned upside down and I'd love to share it with you all. So here it goes, the first three hours and fifteen minutes of my day. Wow, I just realized how awful that is.

5:45 am - My cell phone alarm blares it's obnoxious ring and I struggle to find my phone among the pillows, sheets, comforter...until I discover that it's on the nightstand. I hit snooze.

5:50 am - Alarm goes off again. I hit snooze.

5:55 am - Alarm. Snooze.

6:00 am - Alarm rings and I finally turn it off. I turn on my lamp and squeeze my eyes shut as I get used to the bright light. I've recently decided that this is the worst part of my morning.

6:03 am - I'm still struggling to get out of bed. It's at this moment that I wish I had a servant, personal assistant or young sibling to go fetch me some coffee. Or I wish that I was a princess and didn't have to get out of bed at all.

6:05 am - In the shower. I don't have coffee but a hot shower will do the trick.

6:11 am - Almost halfway done with my shower. I've come a long way since I last shared my morning routine with you.

6:18 am - Out of the shower. The bathroom is freezing, the air conditioning in this house is way too cold. Note to self: talk to padre about this.

6:21 am - Make-up time. Wow, I really need an eyebrow wax.

6:27 am - Make-up is done. Six minutes, I really am getting good at this. See, make-up can be done fast Working Girls. There is no reason any Working Girl should be doing her make-up during her commute.

6:30 am - Drying my hair which will take forever despite my recent haircut. It's still very long and if I don't dry it, it will be a mess. I guess it's usually a mess even when I dry it, just not as bad.

6:40 am - Still drying. Bored. Singing "Mamma Mia" into my hairbrush.

6:45 am - Done drying, plug in my hair straightener.

6:46 am - Ok, I lied before. Now it's time for my least favorite part of the morning: getting dressed. It's especially hard in the summer because trains, subways and offices are usually frigid and outside it's sweltering. Today, I opted for my white jeans, a colorful silk-ish top and sweater for the train, subway and office.

6:53 am - Straighten my already straight hair. I know, it doesn't make sense but I do it and I swear my hair looks better. If only it wasn't so boring.

6:58 am - Grab a breakfast bar from the box of breakfast bars that my dad bought (reason #14 why living with your parent doesn't totally suck: they pay for food).

7:00 am - I start walking to the train station.

7:04 am - "Good Morning" to the middle aged man on a run. Who in their right mind runs at this hour?

7:15 am - Still walking. Sweating.

7:20 am - Arrive at the train station.

7:21 am - "Would you like a free breakfast bar?" asks a young woman in a blue shirt that says something about God. Yes, I already have a breakfast bar but God knows I eat another one if it's free. Yes, please! Clipped to the breakfast bar is a postcard about God.

7:23 am - The double-decker NJ Transit train arrives at the station and I go find myself a seat. No window seats. Bummer. No forward facing seats. Double Bummer.

7:24 am - Put my sweater one because I'm shivering already.

7:30 am to 8:06 am - Sleep. Thank Goodness.

8:25 - "This is New York Penn Station," says the automated announcer as if we're arriving at Disney World.

8:27 - Wait to get up the escalator.

8:34 - Take the A train to 59th Street and try not to hit anyone with my bag and keep my balance without holding on to anything. It's an art, really.

8:41 - Push through the crowds of the hot, sticky, urine-smelling subway station to fresh air.

8:49 - At my desk. Ready for nap, per usual. I opt for coffee (finally) instead.

28 comments:

Stacey said...

I came across your blog recently and you girls are wonderful! I can totally relate to everything office related and I get a kick out of reading about the big city. And... you are correct. Even though my hair is straight I also use an iron every day...it does look better. Maybe the heat brings out some natural oils??

Anonymous said...

Oh bud. That sucks. I'm honestly not sure I could do it, but at least you don't have to get in a car and drive!

S said...

I am a Sydney City Australia Working Girl and perhaps you'd like to consider a cultural exchange?

In my own adorable art deco flat in Glebe ( a suburb very much like Chelsea in NY). But, affordable for a young working girl!

6.30am - mobile phone alarm. Snooze. hide under feather down bed spread.

7.30am - open eyes leisurely.

7.45am - sloth about like a lady of leisure considering what to wear and what to do on the weekend. (most genius decisions made at this hour.

8am - wash face and make-up.

8.10am - dress, meeting this morning so corporate ninja black Saba.

8.20am - wow no need for the straightener (still couldn't live without it tho), washed and straightened the night before and product polishes up short style.

8.30am - coffee and leisurely walk through the part to intercity office.

haha love your posts, consider me a subscriber!

SoSwiftly said...

love your blog- even living with your parents, I imagine you as so NY cool.

ceemee said...

Wow! That is a very detailed morning routine. It's hard getting dressed and you have to think of your outfit for the day. Sometimes, it's better to have uniforms. He he!

Caz said...

Wow and I thought my 1 hour commute across the city was bad! I'm glad I don't have yours :-)
At the same time, you seem to do a lot more "getting ready" than I do. I rarely blow-dry my hair and generally just leave it in a messy bun. Thank god I don't have to be uber-professional every day and can get away with jeans and messy hair sometimes.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that! I love your blog, it's very exciting to have a new post to read.

Kasia said...

OMG that sucks, you have to get up in the middle of the night. Good thing I suppose is you're awake by the time you get to work. I get up at 7 and I'm not ;)

Sunny said...

I'm wondering why most working girl including me just can't wake up on time. If we do it saves us a lot of energy, we won't rush to the shower, won't run after a train/ bus and will always get a window seat.

Anonymous said...

This is a replica of my day! i too have perfected the art of completing daily tasks ie: hair straightening/make up etc in 2-3 minute time frames...

love this post!

Anonymous said...

Ahh. My least favorite moment of my morning is doing my hair. Though the hot curlers have cut that time in half. Wohoo for an $22 fix to a hour problem!

Penn Station- One of the funniest memories of being in NY. To be a "Don't Touch Me" Person, and get off there...makes for funny times.

nina_rebecca said...

Wow your blog is amazing! It's so interesting and you can tell you must have loads of fun with it! Do you draft your entries every time before you enter them? Best of Luck!

Nina X

Sampada said...

hehehe..thats a typical working girl routine..but i really feel blessed that i dont hv to wake up at those un-human-ly wee hours :-)

Nysia said...

Wow what a commute. Before you take your shower. Try closing the air vent. I had to do that at my moms. Plus you get a 25 minute nap each morning. That is fun! I will have to drive my entire commute then deal with Kindergardeners ALL DAY!

Tricia said...

WOW!

I will no longer complain about my commute - I travel 52 miles one way every day but it only takes 50 minutes unless there is a traffic snarl. And I don't have to walk a mile carrying all my stuff, or cram into a crowded train or subway car.

It takes dedication to work in NYC I guess? :) I used to think it was all glitz and glamor!

Ken Duck Geraths said...

You poor thing!, no one should ever have to wait that long for coffee!. I will add "Please get this working girl a coffee pot" to my prayers. LOL. thanks for the laughs.

Val Powers said...

Oh my, it could be MUCH worse. I too, am a working girl and fellow sales assistant. However, I am also a wife and mama. Here's a sampling (taken from today):

6:00 AM - Alarm blares, hit snooze

6:09 AM - Ditto

6:18 AM - Ditto

6:27 AM - Ditto, and oh shit, I need to get up!

6:50 AM - Out of shower with only one cut from shaving and hair in towel

7:10 AM - Trying to apply my new blendable eye kit from id Minerals. Note to self: not a clever idea to "try out" the new kit when running late

7:15 AM - Argue with my husband about the clothes he dressed the baby in. I mean, WTF was he thinking? He made our kid look like a tool!

7:27 AM - I am dressed and make up is applied, but I look whorish and like I've been punched. Marvelous!

7:35 AM - Yelling at husband to bring the baby down to the Jeep NOW!

7:37 AM - Baby sneezes and snot hits me from the backseat. Awesome!

8:10 AM - Arrive at daycare. wipe boogers from baby's face with a random sock found in backseat. I swear. New instructor decides to question me on my "time out" methodology at home and ask why my son has so much energy. WTF? You kidding me? He's a BABY and I am LATE for work! I smile politely and give rhetoric about him being a preemie and she should be thrilled that he has no lasting impediments. She decides to back off.

8:24 AM - Leaving daycare and have 26 miles to drive and get to work by 8:30....not

8:47 AM - Arrive at work and didn't even have to dodge police en route

8:54 AM - Snapping laptop into docking station as boss saunters in late, as per usual. I beat her - ha!

Total mileage DRIVEN by ME just for the MORNING: 51 miles


xx

P.S. I love your blog!

Nicole said...

Gosh that sucks to ride the train into the city, but I get up earl too just to get through traffic. 1 hour to go 20 miles. Crazy, huh? Thank goodness my husband and I carpool and I can sleep! That's nice. Then I drive us home and he rests.

Jessi said...

Oh, yes, how familiar this is. No matter how much sleep I get, I hit snooze multiple times! I'm not exactly a morning person. :P Thankfully jeans and hair thrown into a bun is fine at my workplace, but the time I gain is taken by breakfast prep - if I don't eat breakfast I can't function... how I wish I had someone to make breakfast for me!

Shelby said...

I can't even imagine going through all that just to end up at the hell hole that we call work. But this is an exciting time of your life and you get to be doing it all in Manhattan. And for that I am envious.

Nicole said...

Ok so My morning is so not hectic thought it was but not even close. I read everyday cant wait till this is my life I will hopefully be in New York in four yrs.
Forever a working girl.

Sarah said...

This was such a brilliant blog! I can totally relate your morning routine! I took work in the city and have such a hectic commute! This just made me feel like I'm not the only one who goes through the trials of getting to work. I love your blog. Thank you for taking the time to share your life with all of us!!

Anonymous said...

Commutes are such a hassle, but at least you're saving money?

Anonymous said...

So, tell us about your evening routine.....and what it is like living at your Dad's. How bad ist ? ;-)!

Working Girl One said...

i know that's you, dad!

Abby said...

I love your blog! I just recently decided to become a "blogger," and I love it! This post is so true. I don't have as long of a commute as you do, but a good 20 min. walk and my straightened hair is all nasty..have they invented mini-straighteners yet?!

SJ Stone said...

that kinda sucks. i get up at 5:30 to be at work at 7 -- 20-min commute from my front door to my desk. :) i'd take the train if i could. funny, i'm driving out of downtown Baltimore to my job near the airport, from city to burbs.

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