Comments on: Traveling to Big City http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/ Sanity is madness put to good use. - George Santayana Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:50:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: dragonfly http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-9027 dragonfly Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:44:01 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-9027 Good luck with the commute. That compass is beautiful. What an heirloom. Good luck with the commute. That compass is beautiful. What an heirloom.

]]> By: Lost Between Socks http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8982 Lost Between Socks Tue, 19 May 2009 14:27:17 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8982 I named our GPS "Dora". Purchased by my dyslexic spouse--makes finding the way there and home a no-brainer. Well, a no-backwards brainer, for sure.Worth it!! I used it recently, driving in Detroit with major construction. Sometimes had to ignore that British voice and follow the detour signs, but Dora and I made it just fine. I am not a commuter at heart--it is not the distance so much as the time driven aspect of it all. And all the planning. I grew up in Montana where I always sighted off the mountains to know my direction and I spent the first years here in Michigan in a state of disorietation. The GPS is great, especially if you are prone to driving by landmarks, but it is a major switch in brain mode and takes some getting used to. Now I commute to my state.gov job in the prison system--working with acutely mentally ill incarcerated women and their keepers. My most challenging psychiatric nursing job yet. I hope your new job at a UGH is the beginning of a satisfying experience and I look forward to hearing more about it. I named our GPS “Dora”. Purchased by my dyslexic spouse–makes finding the way there and home a no-brainer. Well, a no-backwards brainer, for sure.Worth it!!
I used it recently, driving in Detroit with major construction. Sometimes had to ignore that British voice and follow the detour signs, but Dora and I made it just fine.
I am not a commuter at heart–it is not the distance so much as the time driven aspect of it all. And all the planning. I grew up in Montana where I always sighted off the mountains to know my direction and I spent the first years here in Michigan in a state of disorietation. The GPS is great, especially if you are prone to driving by landmarks, but it is a major switch in brain mode and takes some getting used to.
Now I commute to my state.gov job in the prison system–working with acutely mentally ill incarcerated women and their keepers. My most challenging psychiatric nursing job yet.
I hope your new job at a UGH is the beginning of a satisfying experience and I look forward to hearing more about it.

]]> By: mojo http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8979 mojo Thu, 14 May 2009 11:15:23 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8979 I feel your pain. For many years I commuted in Miami, which is hell at ANY hour. Road rage was a daily occurrence on my part, and 10+ hours of commuting weekly didn't help. I even got stuck in traffic one day with a developing kidney stone. By the time I got home I couldn't get out of the car. When I moved to Daytona Beach, the commute continued, but under very civilized circumstances. Little traffic, great scenery of farms, pines and rolling hills--now that was a pleasure. Here in the Keys, commuting to Key West is a true delight--water water everywhere, two lanes, laid-back pace. This is the way to do it! But I paid my dues and would NEVER want to do it in a big city again! Definitely think GPS and think of it as *your time* to decompress. I feel your pain. For many years I commuted in Miami, which is hell at ANY hour. Road rage was a daily occurrence on my part, and 10+ hours of commuting weekly didn’t help. I even got stuck in traffic one day with a developing kidney stone. By the time I got home I couldn’t get out of the car. When I moved to Daytona Beach, the commute continued, but under very civilized circumstances. Little traffic, great scenery of farms, pines and rolling hills–now that was a pleasure. Here in the Keys, commuting to Key West is a true delight–water water everywhere, two lanes, laid-back pace. This is the way to do it! But I paid my dues and would NEVER want to do it in a big city again! Definitely think GPS and think of it as *your time* to decompress.

]]> By: Reality Rounds http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8977 Reality Rounds Tue, 12 May 2009 23:48:57 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8977 I once got lost in a paper bag. True story. Thankfully I only commute 3 miles to my big city hospital. You need a GPS, ASAP. It has changed my life. Can't live without it. If I were you, I would try and enjoy the commute with a lot of NPR and books on tape. I once got lost in a paper bag. True story. Thankfully I only commute 3 miles to my big city hospital. You need a GPS, ASAP. It has changed my life. Can’t live without it. If I were you, I would try and enjoy the commute with a lot of NPR and books on tape.

]]> By: AzRN http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8973 AzRN Mon, 11 May 2009 02:44:02 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8973 gps is a good idea. we want you safely going back and forth from UGH. too bad there is no train to take back and forth. look forward to your next blog. gps is a good idea. we want you safely going back and forth from UGH. too bad there is no train to take back and forth. look forward to your next blog.

]]> By: tammy swofford http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8972 tammy swofford Sun, 10 May 2009 21:53:47 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8972 I feel your pain. I get lost in my own backyard. I can go from point A to point B if I drive it and identify landmarks, such as the Starbucks with a drive-thru, the Donut shop with a drive-thru.... you get the picture! One of my standing jokes is that the Navy could tell me I was going to Iraq, drop me off in the Arizona desert, and I would never know the difference. Who me, read a map??? I do think lack of directional sense is a recessive genetic trait. I can't tell you which direction is east, unless I get up to watch the sunrise. Looking forward to your return to the blog, friend! Tammy I feel your pain. I get lost in my own backyard. I can go from point A to point B if I drive it and identify landmarks, such as the Starbucks with a drive-thru, the Donut shop with a drive-thru…. you get the picture!

One of my standing jokes is that the Navy could tell me I was going to Iraq, drop me off in the Arizona desert, and I would never know the difference. Who me, read a map???

I do think lack of directional sense is a recessive genetic trait. I can’t tell you which direction is east, unless I get up to watch the sunrise.

Looking forward to your return to the blog, friend!

Tammy

]]> By: Jerry in the Bay Area http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8971 Jerry in the Bay Area Sun, 10 May 2009 20:58:49 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8971 Goodness, a Freudian typo in my name! I'm really in the "Bay Area" not the "Bar Area." I didn't go out drinking last night, but maybe I subconsciously wanted to. FWIW, when I start out in a new geographical area, I make test drives like you, but I also make test drives in which I deliberately try to get myself lost. Then I try to get back home. In the process I get to learn what the area's like, where the gas stations and ATMs are, what streets connect to each other, etc. My husband, who's not very location- or direction- aware, doesn't do any of this. He's got the GPS, and he's very happy that he does. Goodness, a Freudian typo in my name! I’m really in the “Bay Area” not the “Bar Area.” I didn’t go out drinking last night, but maybe I subconsciously wanted to.

FWIW, when I start out in a new geographical area, I make test drives like you, but I also make test drives in which I deliberately try to get myself lost. Then I try to get back home. In the process I get to learn what the area’s like, where the gas stations and ATMs are, what streets connect to each other, etc.

My husband, who’s not very location- or direction- aware, doesn’t do any of this. He’s got the GPS, and he’s very happy that he does.

]]> By: Jerry in the Bar Area http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8970 Jerry in the Bar Area Sun, 10 May 2009 20:52:01 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8970 Sounds like you could use a GPS you can throw in your car. The cost varies greatly depending on the model, but peace of mind can be invaluable. Don't use it all the time, as a crutch; but know it's always there, programmed with your work and home addresses, ready to get you un-lost at a moment's notice. Sounds like you could use a GPS you can throw in your car. The cost varies greatly depending on the model, but peace of mind can be invaluable. Don’t use it all the time, as a crutch; but know it’s always there, programmed with your work and home addresses, ready to get you un-lost at a moment’s notice.

]]> By: cruft http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8969 cruft Sun, 10 May 2009 16:37:43 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8969 get a nuvi navigator. get a nuvi navigator.

]]> By: NurseExec http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/2009/05/traveling-to-big-city/comment-page-1/#comment-8968 NurseExec Sun, 10 May 2009 16:02:42 +0000 http://www.nurseratchedsplace.com/?p=3045#comment-8968 Good luck with your commute. Mine's 45 min each way, and I don't mind it too much. It's my daily "thinking time". Good luck with your commute. Mine’s 45 min each way, and I don’t mind it too much. It’s my daily “thinking time”.

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