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.