hell-way subway

I think the reason why we New Yorkers feel completely drained, angry, frustrated, hostile and very aggressive on Monday mornings is probably because most of us have spent the past 45 minutes or longer pressed up against strange people, smelling foul morning breath and sweaty bodies wrapped in too tight winter coats and scarves. Watching passengers attempting to open their morning newspapers without whacking someone in the face, clamoring for a seat the moment another body peels itself off of the orange plastic bench as the train squeals into the station.
The subway commute, with its irritatingly cheerful "this is an important message from the New York City Police Department" messages, the lack of oxygen and the loud hacking phlegmy winter coughs and sneezes definitely make me question my ability to sustain this lifestyle for very much longer.
How do you deal with it? Maybe I should carry around a little flask in my bag and take an early morning shot to keep from being so damned irritated or maybe I should come in late to work and catch the later train...