Jeremiah's School of Levitation
Upsy-Daisy!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Commute-icate
So, I've grumbled aplenty about having to crawl the freeways to get to my job on the bEast Side. It was, when I first got the over-lake position, a maddening commute, and I was regularly putting fresh teeth marks in my steering wheel and I realized that I know an awful lot of curse words. An awful lot.
But, Over Time, I've gotten used to it and, actually, have come to enjoy my time alone on the tar plains. I listen to SubGenius radio shows (Praise "Bob") and reggae and 80's music and my Spanish language lessons on my iPod and I sip coffee and, generally, have become like the masses that teem about me--I'm a commuter, and I'm resolved to it.
So, I thought, I'd bring my camera on the next sunny day, and, as best as I could from my car, try to capture my commute, or at least the slow part of it. I realized, as the traffic began to flow again, that driving and taking photos is kind of deadly. Not to mention some of the stares you get when a fellow commute-icator realizes you're snapping photos. I get the frowning of a lifetime. Boy, if looks could shoot the bird...
Any way, hop in. Check out my commute (by the way, I'm NOT a photographer):
This is how things look when I first get on the freeway and cross the bridge. That lump back there is mighty Mount Ranier. Second largest mount in the contiguous US. Because of our clouds, we only see her a few dozen times a year. So, when you can see her, well, it's going to be a double-martini day (cloudy days are triple-martini days--you drink less on sunny days so you can see them clearly).
Then, a few feet later, through my front windshield, we have Downtown Great Northwest.
Then, just a little further back north, oh!, what's THAT landmark?! And, look at that glimps of just ONE of our beautiful lakes. Ahhhh. Sip, sip. Sing along with the Thompson Twins...
And, finally, when I crest that bridge, here's what I see outta my passenger window. Yeah, dawg. The speed picks up from there and though there's still more view to see, I can't stop to see it, and if I did, then the photo would be of Jeremiah's vantange point from a ditch.
But, Over Time, I've gotten used to it and, actually, have come to enjoy my time alone on the tar plains. I listen to SubGenius radio shows (Praise "Bob") and reggae and 80's music and my Spanish language lessons on my iPod and I sip coffee and, generally, have become like the masses that teem about me--I'm a commuter, and I'm resolved to it.
Then, one day, a somewhat sunny day, another epiphany: I actually have a beautiful commute! While a lot of America drags their SUV's and Hybrids across some pretty scraggly, boring, flat landscape past buildings that look like bad teeth, I get to spend my freeway hour cruising through some pretty pretty vistas.
So, I thought, I'd bring my camera on the next sunny day, and, as best as I could from my car, try to capture my commute, or at least the slow part of it. I realized, as the traffic began to flow again, that driving and taking photos is kind of deadly. Not to mention some of the stares you get when a fellow commute-icator realizes you're snapping photos. I get the frowning of a lifetime. Boy, if looks could shoot the bird...
Any way, hop in. Check out my commute (by the way, I'm NOT a photographer):
This is how things look when I first get on the freeway and cross the bridge. That lump back there is mighty Mount Ranier. Second largest mount in the contiguous US. Because of our clouds, we only see her a few dozen times a year. So, when you can see her, well, it's going to be a double-martini day (cloudy days are triple-martini days--you drink less on sunny days so you can see them clearly).
Then, a few feet later, through my front windshield, we have Downtown Great Northwest.
Then, just a little further back north, oh!, what's THAT landmark?! And, look at that glimps of just ONE of our beautiful lakes. Ahhhh. Sip, sip. Sing along with the Thompson Twins...
Here's another shot of the lake and Needle that I had to lean back for. I almost killed myself to get this one, so look at it longer!
Now we approach another bridge I HAVE to cross. This is yet another of our lakes. And, that bright light in the sky. What is it? Why has it come? What does it WANT from us?
And, finally, when I crest that bridge, here's what I see outta my passenger window. Yeah, dawg. The speed picks up from there and though there's still more view to see, I can't stop to see it, and if I did, then the photo would be of Jeremiah's vantange point from a ditch.
Labels: photos
Elliot, 9:41 AM
4 Back at me:
Do you know how much I'd pay for that view?? A heckova lot, mister! I just got an all-over body shiver at the beauty and magnificence that is your commute. Serious.
Lucky, lucky boy.
Lucky, lucky boy.
We live on the eastside and have a lovely guest room with a view of a lake. Neither of the lakes you have shown, but a nice lake all the same.
I really enjoyed the photos, but keep your eyes on the damn road.
I really enjoyed the photos, but keep your eyes on the damn road.
Oh god my heart literally jumped into my throat. I was having a hard time breathing. I know that view, miss that view. When my heart longs for a place in the U.S., amazingly, inspite of the rain and clouds, it is this place you captured.
Thanks for sharing a glimpse into your day. I love nature shots and when I get a digital camera - I know I'm just coming out of the stone age of technology (for the most part), I'll take the opportunity to share some of the spectacular views I get in the great City I live in.
