Traffic is a good time to catch up on sleep. A little nap and you wake up fresh and ready for the event ahead. Hopefully, you’ll wake up with makeup still intact – no telltale mote in the eye, no runny mascara, hairdo still holding up. Check in the mirror first before you alight.
Sleeping also helps when you’re trapped in the car with annoying companions. I start tuning them out by pretending to be asleep. Then, eventually, I do fall asleep. They don’t have a choice but to keep quiet and sometimes they fall asleep as well, not having anyone to chatter to. Peace and quiet till we reach our destination. Sometimes, I don’t really fall asleep. Just a semi-nap and I daydream of nice wonderful things. This helps when one isn’t really looking forward to the occasion ahead. It can help put me in a better mood, psyche myself up. Then I can lose the frown and alight with a big smile.
The downside to sleeping in traffic is waking up and finding out the car hasn’t moved at all. Thirty minutes have passed and you are still staring at the same car bumper in front of you. You look at your watch and find out you’re late. Your annoying friend finds you awake and picks up where she left off. What do I do? Buy peanuts from the vendor grinning at your window and start munching away the stress.
How do you entertain yourself when you’re stuck in traffic? Tell us here at http://manila.coconuts.co/contribute or send an email to manila@coconuts.co.
Ilustration: Neil Agonoy
MORE WAYS TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC:
– Stuck in traffic? 6 ways to exercise your brain
– Stuck in traffic? 8 ways to spend quality time with the kids
– Stuck in traffic? Tell us a joke
– Stuck in traffic? Bring and train a pet
James P. Ong says
What crazy things can you do when you're stuck in traffic? Let me know, gathering ideas for a column series!