The Recess... (welcome to the alcoves of my mind)

Hey hey I wanna be a rock star

I heart iPod mini.

Through all of the craziness that's been going on over the past few weeks (and that's bound to continue until Dec. 5), my absolute favourite part of the day has been my half-hour commute to and from school. At night I go to bed at 3 a.m. because I can never sleep when I'm stressed, wake up four hours later in a semi-conscious haze and somehow function enough to shower, dry my hair and put clothes on all the necessary places (forgot one pit with the deodorant one day last week, but otherwise the morning routine seems to be fairly successful).

So I shuffle my still-dazed self down to the bus stop at either 7:55 or 8:20, depending on whether my class is at 8:30 or 9:00, and wait for the 97 to pick me up on its way to Bayview. As I walk down my street I make my morning music selection on da mini. If I'm really tired I'll throw on something a little louder or energetic, like Nickelback, BNL, GBS or most recently, Fall Out Boy. If I'm in need of a little chill-out time before the insanity of the day starts (most likely right before a journalism class), I go for Coldplay, the Shins, or the new Lifehouse (SO good!). Some days its a mix of all of the above.

Once on the bus, no matter how much I get squished up against the door, or smooshed between two six-foot-plus guys who won't let me reach out to hold the bar for balance, I fall into this state of absolute bliss. I find a square of window to stare out of, and just let the music take over every single competing thought in my head. My imagination kicks in and until I get to my O-Train connection I'm able to go on these little three-minute musical vacations.

Since October I've actually missed the O-Train twice because I forgot I was travelling and no one else rang the bell after Tunney's Pasture to remind me. The first time I got all the way to Bay Street before I realized it, and had to walk over to Albert to catch the bus back...the second time I only made it as far as Lebreton.

The O-Train usually arrives just after I get off the bus, but I've always got enough time to make my way down to the stop at a pace so relaxed I can actually see evolution taking place around me. One time the train was already there when I stepped off the 97, and I wound up missing it just because I couldn't be bothered to run (this was before it got cold. These days a warm train in -10 degrees lights a fire under my ass like you wouldn't believe).

The train ride is short, but I can usually get at least two more songs in before I have to return to the unpleasant reality of going to class. I don't mind so much though, because I know I'll get to do it all over again at the end of the day.

I think despite the fact that it sucks busing in the winter, I probably won't get a car for as long as I can help it. Besides the environmental pluses of using public transport, I just don't think it would be wise to daydream about my alternate life as a rock star while flying down the Queensway at 120 clicks.

They frown on that you know.

posted by Megan at 3:12 p.m.