Changing seasons, changing schedules

The day after Labor Day, the Long Island Railroad released its new schedule. The 8:50 train that got me to work in about 45 minutes door-to-door after a luxuriously unhurried morning routine is no more. I have several remaining choices:

• take a 7:41 train, wait 25 minutes for a transfer at the not-particularly-attractive-or-comfortable Jamaica Station, and get to work an hour after I leave the house;
• take a slightly later subway for an extra $2.50, wait a few minutes less, and get to work 50-55 minutes after I leave the house;
• take an 8:17 train, walk 25 minutes at the other end, and get to work an hour after I leave the house;
• take an 8:50 train, pay $7 for a cab at the other end, and get to work 50-60 minutes after I leave the house

Meanwhile, one of the largest parking lots on campus is closed for the next year or so to put in a new building. Which we need, and it'll include an underground parking garage, but in the interim we're down about 300 parking spaces, so driving to work is a less-attractive option than before. (The University has arranged to use the parking lot of the town swimming pool a few blocks away, which is why they didn't start the building project until after Labor Day when the pool closed.)