While cleaning up my desk this afternoon, I found notes that I had taken on a bus in Queens for a post. I hope you enjoy.
The Q53. That's a bus that runs from Woodside Queens to Far Rockaway. Today I rode the route in its entirety. While having amusing gchats with one of the loves of my life, Abi, I was lucky enough to overhear two very outspoken New Yorkers. Here are the things I learned:
- If you're a real New Yorker, you're a Yankee and a Mets fan. You've got cousins in both boroughs who will beat your ass.
- Knife fighting is back. Forget guns. Keep a knife with you at all times.
- Getting shot in the neck is basically the worst ever, except for sitting in the electric chair. That would be worse.
- You've gotta get a Puerto Rican wife. They are so hardcore. "Don't take no shit."
- Somehow you can be 45 and have fought in Nam.
- One of these guys sliced a crazy guy with a samurai sword. Like a real $1500 sword. We might need to reassess who is "crazy"...
- If you mess with them, they might kill you. If you mess with their family, they will kill you.
Secrets of life, right there on the Q53. Oh, the life of a travel trainer....
Friday, April 1, 2011
Thursday, May 13, 2010
rule number 4
My lovely friend Abi has a very smart set of rules to live by. If you do, you're pretty good at life.
Rule number 4 is "Suck it up."
This morning while travel training, I watched two women accidently bump into each other. One was coming up the stairs out of the train station and the other was going down. I was directly behind the woman walking up.
The woman going down was totally on a mission and not paying attention to anything around her. Now I get that, sometimes we need to filter all the stimulation this city gives us and go through our routine without any thought. Totally get it. She had a large iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts and at the moment of impact the coffee went down.
The woman in front of me apologized profusely. And yet, I have never seen a human being give such a nasty look to someone else.
Okay, I get it, that's annoying. But did it get on her? No. Was it an accident? Yes. Is her life impacted in any important way by this incident? Probably not.
Go get a new coffee.
It's life. Suck it up.
Rule number 4 is "Suck it up."
This morning while travel training, I watched two women accidently bump into each other. One was coming up the stairs out of the train station and the other was going down. I was directly behind the woman walking up.
The woman going down was totally on a mission and not paying attention to anything around her. Now I get that, sometimes we need to filter all the stimulation this city gives us and go through our routine without any thought. Totally get it. She had a large iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts and at the moment of impact the coffee went down.
The woman in front of me apologized profusely. And yet, I have never seen a human being give such a nasty look to someone else.
Okay, I get it, that's annoying. But did it get on her? No. Was it an accident? Yes. Is her life impacted in any important way by this incident? Probably not.
Go get a new coffee.
It's life. Suck it up.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
2 posts in a row! wow.
Okay. I started typing this up as a facebook status, but soon realized I had far too much to say for an appropriately sized status update. And it's totally relevent to this blog so, yeah.
You think that in this expensive ass city, you can justify it all by the fact that you make more money in the same job than if you were living in say Cleveland. Well, turns out that's wrong.
I just saw a Travel Trainer job in Cleveland that pays $10,000 more a year than I make here!!!!!!!! Go figure. AND you don't even have to have a Bachelor's Degree, though they think it would be nice.
All of my justification is now thrown out the window. And it's frustrating. Incredibly frustrating. The last apartment I rented in the Cleve was $260 a month. Here I'm currently paying $810. Higher salary, cheaper rent. I think I would prefer to continue to be unaware of this fact.
But don't worry New York, you still have my heart. Even if I do need a raise in a big way.
You think that in this expensive ass city, you can justify it all by the fact that you make more money in the same job than if you were living in say Cleveland. Well, turns out that's wrong.
I just saw a Travel Trainer job in Cleveland that pays $10,000 more a year than I make here!!!!!!!! Go figure. AND you don't even have to have a Bachelor's Degree, though they think it would be nice.
All of my justification is now thrown out the window. And it's frustrating. Incredibly frustrating. The last apartment I rented in the Cleve was $260 a month. Here I'm currently paying $810. Higher salary, cheaper rent. I think I would prefer to continue to be unaware of this fact.
But don't worry New York, you still have my heart. Even if I do need a raise in a big way.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Yesterday I Peed Orange in a Bathroom at Harlem BBQ
Think like Orange Gatorade. Okay, I know. Too much information. Sorry about that. But it was a funny part of my day and there's something to a catchy title. Not to worry though, everything is fine and I have a perfectly good explaination for this.
And moving on.
While on my way home, quite a few things happened.
I got on the D train at 125 Street. I bust out my book and instantly I was too tired to even keep my eyes open. My sleep started as the typical train sleeping waking up at each stop but by the time I got to West 4th Street (where I wanted to get off) I was asleep asleep. I woke up to the conductor telling everyone that the next stop was Broadway Lafayette. Lucky for me, I jumped up and made it off the train to find an F train pulling into the station. Yes!
So, I'm on the F, very excited to get home and take a nap on the fu. At the next stop, two girls get on the train. Immediately, they start chatting inappropriately loud and instantly it is very clear that they have no souls. Conversation went a little bit like this:
Girl #1 (sitting next to me) - Well, there will be 5 of us living in that little apartment now. But that's okay.
Girl #2 (standing at least 5 feet away on an empty train) - Who else is living there with us?
Girl #1 lists 2 male names, I'm assuming these are the new roommates
Girl #2 - Oh cool. Are they models?
Girl #1 - No, we're the only models, well and Richard too (from what I gathered this is her boyfriend who lives with them).
Girl #2 - Well, are they at least cute?
Girl #1 - No. They look like they live in Brooklyn.
Girl #2 - Oh. Well do they at least have money and party?
Girl #1 - Well they definitely party. Don't know if they have money, I think one of them was kinda homeless before.
Girl #2 - Hmm. No money? Well, at least they party.
The only rode the train 2 stops, so this is pretty much all I got. Quite a few people around me made eye contact as they left since I was sitting next to Girl #1. They all agreed. No souls.
At the next stop, an announcement was made, "This train will be sitting her indefinitely. A passenger is injured at Jay Street."
This is another time when it's easy to feel as though you are on the same page as all the strangers around you. We're never getting home.
Long story short. It took an hour and fifteen minutes to get home from that point. 3 hours straight on trains. Awesome.
Though I did beat that this morning, 4 hours of buses in South Brooklyn. Even awesomer.
And moving on.
While on my way home, quite a few things happened.
I got on the D train at 125 Street. I bust out my book and instantly I was too tired to even keep my eyes open. My sleep started as the typical train sleeping waking up at each stop but by the time I got to West 4th Street (where I wanted to get off) I was asleep asleep. I woke up to the conductor telling everyone that the next stop was Broadway Lafayette. Lucky for me, I jumped up and made it off the train to find an F train pulling into the station. Yes!
So, I'm on the F, very excited to get home and take a nap on the fu. At the next stop, two girls get on the train. Immediately, they start chatting inappropriately loud and instantly it is very clear that they have no souls. Conversation went a little bit like this:
Girl #1 (sitting next to me) - Well, there will be 5 of us living in that little apartment now. But that's okay.
Girl #2 (standing at least 5 feet away on an empty train) - Who else is living there with us?
Girl #1 lists 2 male names, I'm assuming these are the new roommates
Girl #2 - Oh cool. Are they models?
Girl #1 - No, we're the only models, well and Richard too (from what I gathered this is her boyfriend who lives with them).
Girl #2 - Well, are they at least cute?
Girl #1 - No. They look like they live in Brooklyn.
Girl #2 - Oh. Well do they at least have money and party?
Girl #1 - Well they definitely party. Don't know if they have money, I think one of them was kinda homeless before.
Girl #2 - Hmm. No money? Well, at least they party.
The only rode the train 2 stops, so this is pretty much all I got. Quite a few people around me made eye contact as they left since I was sitting next to Girl #1. They all agreed. No souls.
At the next stop, an announcement was made, "This train will be sitting her indefinitely. A passenger is injured at Jay Street."
This is another time when it's easy to feel as though you are on the same page as all the strangers around you. We're never getting home.
Long story short. It took an hour and fifteen minutes to get home from that point. 3 hours straight on trains. Awesome.
Though I did beat that this morning, 4 hours of buses in South Brooklyn. Even awesomer.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Cows and Gnomes and Palm Trees, Oh My!
Did I mention that sometimes I see the most obscure, random, things? Well, I do.
Yesterday, travel training took to South Brooklyn on the D train all the way to Coney Island. Pretty far out there, kind of fun, right? Oh, but wait, once I got to the end of the line, I got onto the B74. Took that probably 6 stops or so. I bet you've never been there.
If you were to do this, you would find yourself in the heart of Coney Island. Not the Cyclone, Skee-ball, boardwalk, Coney Island you are envisioning. Think more Requiem for a Dream Coney Island. Nice right?
So, after I leave the person I was traveling with at his apartment. I headed back to the bus stop. Bust out my book and wait for the bus. On the way back, I notice a community garden that I missed on the way there. It's pretty amazing that I missed this the first time because it is FULL of GIANT yard ornaments! Like giant cows and gnomes and palm trees. Definitely the most bizarre community garden I've ever seen. Oh, almost forgot the mention and flock of chickens that apparently live there. Big white chickens, everywhere.
Unfortunately it all happened so fast I didn't have a chance to take a photo. But do not worry; I will be back, camera in hand. This might be my new favorite stop on the B74.
Yesterday, travel training took to South Brooklyn on the D train all the way to Coney Island. Pretty far out there, kind of fun, right? Oh, but wait, once I got to the end of the line, I got onto the B74. Took that probably 6 stops or so. I bet you've never been there.
If you were to do this, you would find yourself in the heart of Coney Island. Not the Cyclone, Skee-ball, boardwalk, Coney Island you are envisioning. Think more Requiem for a Dream Coney Island. Nice right?
So, after I leave the person I was traveling with at his apartment. I headed back to the bus stop. Bust out my book and wait for the bus. On the way back, I notice a community garden that I missed on the way there. It's pretty amazing that I missed this the first time because it is FULL of GIANT yard ornaments! Like giant cows and gnomes and palm trees. Definitely the most bizarre community garden I've ever seen. Oh, almost forgot the mention and flock of chickens that apparently live there. Big white chickens, everywhere.
Unfortunately it all happened so fast I didn't have a chance to take a photo. But do not worry; I will be back, camera in hand. This might be my new favorite stop on the B74.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
i have a favorite mta bus
I’m a travel trainer. That’s my job. What does that mean, you ask?
I ride the train, a lot. Oh and buses, many kinds, my favorite being the B12 Select bus. And sometimes I get to ride the Staten Island Ferry; my feelings on this are always mixed. Weather has a lot to do with it.
While riding around on various forms of public transportation, sometimes I am traveling with an adult with a developmental disability (I teach people with disabilities how to take public transportation from their house to their program). But that’s not what I’m going to be sharing with you. I see many many ridiculous things in this crazy, big, lovely city that I live in throughout my work week and it’s about time I start to share them.
I’ve been keeping notes for awhile on things that I see, planning to start this blog. Of course, today, when I actually do, they are at home. I’m sure anyone reading this at this point in time knows me pretty well and is in no way surprised by this.
But since this is supposed to be about the ridiculous amount of time I spend on public transportation, I should leave you with this.
Yesterday, I watched someone sketch me the whole way home. Well, to Jay Street in Brooklyn, where I transfer from the A to the F train. Let me tell you, a lot of stories are born on the A train. I wanted to ask if I could have the drawing but decided that it was probably better if she just kept it. It was raining and I was a mess. Not a pretty picture.
I ride the train, a lot. Oh and buses, many kinds, my favorite being the B12 Select bus. And sometimes I get to ride the Staten Island Ferry; my feelings on this are always mixed. Weather has a lot to do with it.
While riding around on various forms of public transportation, sometimes I am traveling with an adult with a developmental disability (I teach people with disabilities how to take public transportation from their house to their program). But that’s not what I’m going to be sharing with you. I see many many ridiculous things in this crazy, big, lovely city that I live in throughout my work week and it’s about time I start to share them.
I’ve been keeping notes for awhile on things that I see, planning to start this blog. Of course, today, when I actually do, they are at home. I’m sure anyone reading this at this point in time knows me pretty well and is in no way surprised by this.
But since this is supposed to be about the ridiculous amount of time I spend on public transportation, I should leave you with this.
Yesterday, I watched someone sketch me the whole way home. Well, to Jay Street in Brooklyn, where I transfer from the A to the F train. Let me tell you, a lot of stories are born on the A train. I wanted to ask if I could have the drawing but decided that it was probably better if she just kept it. It was raining and I was a mess. Not a pretty picture.
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