Rush-Hour Education

Rush-Hour Education

The good thing about being back in KL is that I get to go jogging every morning, even if it's just around my Subang Jaya neighbourhood park. I love the sight and smell of grass and the touch of the morning sunlight on my skin. An hour of light workout there makes me feel invigorated and ready for a productive day ahead.

I used to jog a lot when I was living in Singapore because lovely green parks are located around every neighbourhood. But during my two years living in the congested and polluted city of Jakarta, I had to settle for the hotel gym. It is never quite as fun working out in the gym because the environment is artificial. Jogging in the outdoors makes me feel very free; it also helps to clear my mind for thinking. I often get interesting ideas and insights while I'm running.

I suppose I'm lucky that I don't have to join the rush-hour traffic to go to office everyday. But once upon a time when I was working in downtown KL, I had to do that every morning--I even had to leave home before seven to avoid the massive jam at the old KFC exit from Subang Jaya. But I made the drive tolerable by always having an audiobook cassette with me.

I have fond memories of myself driving along the Federal Highway listening to classics such as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Bram Stoker's Dracula and The French Lieutenant's Woman. At times the story was so exciting that I often wished the jams would last longer so that I could find out what's going to happen next.

I don't normally read fiction because I tend to get very deeply affected by them. But during that period in my life I managed to "read" so much good fiction, thanks to the KL rush-hour jam. I'm glad I managed to turn those unproductive hours on the road into an opportunity for education and entertainment.

Makes me kind of miss joining the rush-hour crowd to work.