Frustrated, Or, It's My Blog and I Can Rant if I Want to

I forced myself to go to bed early (10pm) last night by taking a melatonin so that I would get up early before work and fold some clean clothes. Yeah right. I've been online for the last 2hrs or so, and I've been in a bad mood. I woke up that way. My new position is an adjustment, but it's not even that. I'll definitely grow a skill set from this job. I should view it as a challenge, but this morning all I can view it as is a drag, and it's not even the job that's dragging me down.

My problem is an all to common problem for those of us who don't drive. My problem is PARATRANSIT

My problem is that I've recently expanded my world greatly beyond the <3mi I usually try to stick to, and while it's GREAT for my depression that I'm out and about and interacting with more people, it's almost not even worth it to me. Notice I said almost

Because I can't drive:

• my 1hr shrink appointments, 15mins away, take at minimum 3hrs, once 3hrs 45min
• My first shift at work last week, a 30min drive, was just 5hrs, but took up 8+hrs of my Friday
• My half hour horseback riding lessons, about 35mins away, take up at minimum 3.5hrs, but in the half dozen times I've taken paratransit out there, they once dropped me off 50mins after the time I said I need to be there (always 30mins early, I'm not stupid), took forever to get me home, and the whole ordeal lasted probably 4.5 or 5hrs. I'm lucky that the guy who dropped me off had his dinner break in between, was actually assigned to take me home, and decided he'd just sit their and wait for me. Otherwise, I can't imagine.
• The only place I can get to in a reasonable amount of time is my new psychiatrist. A 40min roll in the warm months will only take me 60mins with paratransit in the cold months. BTW, her office is about 2.5mi away.

So forget paratransit altogether.

• A trip to the grocery store, a <5min drive, is a 20min roll each way
• A trip to my PT/Massage therapist (2 different people, same location) is a 15min drive, but takes 2 buses and I try to be at the 1st bus stop (directly outside my door, great apartment score!) 60 or 45mins (cuttin it close) early
• That 2.5mi, 40min roll to my psychiatrist mentioned above, I'm sure that doesn't take more than 10mins in a car.

I know I'm not the first, and certainly not the last, but I've still had it up to here! [picture my left hand way above my head]

PS. Unfortunately I don't seem to qualify for state run programs that help cover the cost of PA services (the state does pay for PAs to drive people places) because I'm not at risk of institutional placement if they don't.