I've been mulling this post over in my head for a few days, yet I'm still not sure I can articulate my thoughts properly.
As a kid I was painfully shy. My mom maintains that she signed me up for dance class and I got over it. Nope. not even close! I enjoyed the classes, so I put on my big girl panites and did it anyway. I've been trying to push the boundary ever since. I'm still terrified of new situations and it takes me FOREVER to warm up to new people.
What does this have to do with traveling? Lots. The whole reason - I think - is a need to know what is going to happen. I can "wing it" with my knitting, but that is about it. I NEED to know when the train is. which platform my transfer is on. where my stop is. where to catch the bus. if I need to walk up/back for my stop (I almost never know which car I'm in. I don't count).
Then you have the fact that I am packed in with hundreds of complete strangers. Granted, most people are just waking up or trying to wind down at the end of the day and get lost in their own thoughts (except the two "gossip girls" who yap inceasantly from Stratford to Greenwich and back EVERY day). Occasionally people like to make polite conversation. I suck at small talk. One lady asked me about my knitting and wanted me to show her how to knit socks. It was like talking to someone I'd known forever. funny how that works.
So this commuting thing has gotten easier after a week. my only disaster happened the first day - it sucked, but I lived and I am over it. the faces are getting familiar. and I am gettign home at a decent hour - relaxed.
As a kid I was painfully shy. My mom maintains that she signed me up for dance class and I got over it. Nope. not even close! I enjoyed the classes, so I put on my big girl panites and did it anyway. I've been trying to push the boundary ever since. I'm still terrified of new situations and it takes me FOREVER to warm up to new people.
What does this have to do with traveling? Lots. The whole reason - I think - is a need to know what is going to happen. I can "wing it" with my knitting, but that is about it. I NEED to know when the train is. which platform my transfer is on. where my stop is. where to catch the bus. if I need to walk up/back for my stop (I almost never know which car I'm in. I don't count).
Then you have the fact that I am packed in with hundreds of complete strangers. Granted, most people are just waking up or trying to wind down at the end of the day and get lost in their own thoughts (except the two "gossip girls" who yap inceasantly from Stratford to Greenwich and back EVERY day). Occasionally people like to make polite conversation. I suck at small talk. One lady asked me about my knitting and wanted me to show her how to knit socks. It was like talking to someone I'd known forever. funny how that works.
So this commuting thing has gotten easier after a week. my only disaster happened the first day - it sucked, but I lived and I am over it. the faces are getting familiar. and I am gettign home at a decent hour - relaxed.
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I'm the same way. Got to know every detail because I just can't do anything on the fly. You are brave to talk to people. I'd probably just throw on an ipod and keep to myself.
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