Dichotomy...

How can driving during the day be so stressful and driving at night be so relaxing? Something about the cool night air and my new Spitvalves record blaring just lets my mind wander. I mean, obviously I'm paying attention to the road and all, but I'm not thinking about what I'm doing, you know? Like, how when you first learn to drive stick you have to focus on what you're doing every time you have to shift and after a while it just becomes second nature. (Then you get in an automatic and you have to force yoruself to focus on not trying to shift.) But yeah, it's like that where you don't really need to pay attention to driving, only to where you're going, and when where you're going is nowhere in particular and there's no other cars around, you only need to be careful enough not to run into a fence or blow through a stop light. Your brain can handle that stuff on its own, it's instinct. So while that small part of your brain is making sure you keep breathing and operating your automobile, the rest of your mind can just coast. It's so nice to just be cruising up Peachtree Industrial or Atlanta Rd while your brain is off on a completely separate adventure. I feel so much better now than I have in weeks. God bless driving.

Posted by Rev. Adam on Saturday, March 01, 2003 at 1:18 AM | Permalink