Not cool

My friend and fellow commuter, Melanie, just posted this on FB:

“Great way to start the morning commute: staring at a photo of a bombed-out train. Thanks NJT.”

Exactly. Thanks NJT for the very disturbing visual!

A new commute for the week

I’m on a different project this week so I’m taking the E to Lex and 53rd. I’m such a creature of habit that when I have to do anything different, it’s like a whole new world! I have to check HopStop a hundred times, look at google maps a hundred times more just to make sure I’m going in the right direction. And last night, I had to visualize myself going on a different route and taking a different train. If it wasn’t a Sunday, I would have done a “dry run” the day before!!

I’ve been working in the city for more than 14 years, you’d think I’d have this down pat by now!!

This does not look like Penn…

at 10:54 on a Saturday night. But it is. I came into the city and spent the day with the husband. We thought the train home was at 10:11 but it ended up being at 11:11 so we killed time at Local, a restaurant across the street from Penn (really good wings and fries BTW).

But I can’t believe it’s this crowded at Penn. Maybe these are all Yankee fans who came out to see Jeter hit his 3000th hit? Or this is a spillover crowd from July 4th weekend? Or maybe it’s always like this on a Saturday and I’ve always just opted to drive in? Anyway, I like that there’s weekend service on our line even though it runs (very inconveniently) every 2 hours.

Grand Jury

I’m sitting here at the Essex Courthouse in beautiful downtown Newark in Waiting Room C patiently waiting to be selected (or not) for Grand Jury. I’m kinda hating the fact that I’m here but kinda liking that I didn’t have to commute into the city on this hot and humid day.

Sitting in this air-conditioned room with a bunch of random Essex county residents is not too different than sitting on a train I guess:
• We’re all sitting together but alone in our own world–blocked out by either headphones or a book/kindle/newspaper/iPad.
•We’re all sitting in chairs that are facing in the same direction (but not going anywhere) watching CNN on the 2 flat screens in front of us.
•No one wants to be here and we’d all rather be home
•There’s the requisite sick person hacking and coughing up a lung

The only difference is that it doesn’t smell so bad in here.

Well enjoy your Friday eve and stay cool!

Left his mark

I transferred at Newark onto the 6:33 to Gladstone and look what I found on the seat next to me. It’s definitely someone’s butt sweat, right?!

5:20

Sitting at Broad St waiting for the Montclair train. Here’s a picture of lovely 280 in Newark.

Hope you enjoyed your Monday!

WWSD?

What Would Stephen Do?

My friend and fellow Montclair line commuter posted this on FB this morning:

“Sitting on an train being asphyxiated by the dude next to me who has been passing gas non-stop since he sat down! C’mon man! Take some Beano! Walk away! Say excuse me or something! Don’t just sit here farting away! Damn! There he goes again! I’m going to have to move or else dude is about to get slapped being so nasty!”

Gross! I think I would have gotten up and changed seats right quick but really?!? Farting?? That’s one I haven’t encountered yet but luckily for my blog, Steve has.