1. Read A Book --->

Amazon.com’s new Kindle product is so hot, they had to up manufacturing in order to meet demand.  This amazing gadget is even being called the “future of book reading”, and here’s why: it’s cordless, small, thin, with a super-high resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.

You can read books, the newspaper, magazines, and blogs on this miraculous little thing.  All subscribable via Amazon.com and delivered immediately to the Kindle. 

I’m practically talking myself into buying this as I’m writing this.  I’d better stop now.

2. Entertain Yourself --->

Forget the antique iPod – with the iTouch you can watch movies and TV shows, listen to music, browse through photos, and even surf the web with the touch of a finger.

3. Knit --->

Knitting has recently gone from grandmother-y to hip.  So have no fear: wielding a pair of needles and some yarn won’t get you weird looks on the train.  As a matter of fact, once you learn this great little craft, you may even get requests for a scarf.

It’s easy to learn, and with practice, easy to become addicted to.  There’s something about the repetitive movement that is soothing and relaxing, and to see something come of the fruits of your labor is exciting and satisfying. 

4. Meditate --->

Commuting can be quite stressful.  Heck, life is stressful these days.  But simply by closing your eyes, you have the ability to transport your brain into another dimension that can help you relieve stress, achieve inner peace, and make you all-around healthier and happier.  What better way is there to spend an hour?

Meditation comes in many forms, so investigate which one is right for you. 

5. Catch Up On Work --->

Some commuter rails are now equipped with Wi-Fi access, making the temptation to flip open your laptop too great to resist. 

If you’re lugging around your work laptop, why not log onto your e-mail and impress the boss by sending out mail on your way in?  Even if brown-nosing your way to the top isn’t your thing, at the very least you’ll be able to plan your day well before setting foot in the office, and maybe even buy yourself some extra time to work on a certain project.
 
If you don’t have a laptop for work purposes, invest in a great portable one that you can tote around with you.  The lighter, smaller, and thinner the better.  Catching up on your e-mails to friends and family during non-work hours will allow you to enjoy this correspondence rather than causing you to send them rushed, cryptic messages as you try to squeeze them in throughout your workday.

Even without internet access, you can still pass the time by creating fantastic spreadsheets of your monthly budget; writing the next Great American Novel in Word; and playing around with Paint.

6. Test Your Mind --->

Your commute is the perfect time to get those brain cells back in gear after years of abuse: it’s quiet, and you can really concentrate.  Not only will you ward off things like memory loss and Alzheimer’s, but your ride will fly by.

Grab the morning paper and work on the crossword or the word jumble.  Or get serious and go for something more difficult by getting a book full of mind games and puzzles.  Sudoku, in particular, is challenging and completely addictive.

7. Put Pen To Paper --->

So many gadgets, so little time.  Sometimes taking advantage of all of the electronics and communication that the world has to offer is a little stressful.  So try kicking it old school and reveling a little bit in the lost art of actually writing things down on paper.

Make lists, keep a journal, jot down ideas or thoughts.  Doodle.  You may realize that a) your handwriting is atrocious from lack of use and b) that you actually love the way the pen glides across the paper.  And best of all, carrying a little blank book and pen around with you is quick, easy, and requires no struggling with Wi-Fi or annoying error messages or low batteries.

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