456 Fakeout

Yesterday's etummoc home included a familiar face that I need to discuss. Last spring I often passed by a person in the subway, who held a cup and a sign that read "NO HEALTH INSURANCE." His eyes, were red and swollen at the bottom lid like he had a really bad infection of sorts. They appeared as if they were on the verge of falling out, and even a slight glance was hard to bare because it looked so painful.

One day I happened to arrive before him, and saw him approaching on the platform. He was wearing some cheap sunglasses, for protection I suppose. I caught a glance from the side, and was able to see that his eyes were perfectly fine... he naturally was a bit bug eyed, but there was definately no red, swelling grossness. I figure he must be doing that eyelid flipping thing that they do at the eye doctor, or that weird kid in grade school whose sole purpose was to scare girls.

I hadn't really seen him since the discovery, but now he's back. There's got to be a good way to call him out. I'm not one for confrontation, so this may prove difficult. I guess ishouldn't feel bad about staring, but what if I'm wrong? Still needs some thought.

I'll try to snap a pic if a can.

Boring express

I think I am hitting a little writers block or something because i'm having a really hard time coming up with what to write about. It kinda coincides with when I finished the last book I read. Pehaps my brain needs a little literary exercise to get the juices flowing. I should find a new book, fast. Suggestions?

Etummoc Etiquette Part 1

Its no big secret that most New Yorkers aren't as classy as the Countess de Lesseps. Don't get me wrong, I've run for my fair share of trains, and when crowds are big enogh, a Darwin mentality can get you far. However I think there are some common courtesies that could make for a safer, less hostile travel environment.

Lesson 1 don't dally in dorways. Along with turnstiles, doors are the bottleneck of mass transportation. People don't follow fluid mechanics and the eqution of continuity does not apply. Blockages can really slow things down, and some people aren't so nice about it. I won't defend them, and this really is no crime against humanity. All I'm saying is, if you can't find your metro card, or your not sure if you want to get on the train, try to step to the side.

Doors are also imprtant for protecing people from the elements, especially this time of year. The heated rooms at trian stations offer shelter to the underweight and underdressed. They are not effective if the doors are propped open. Now you will never hear me complain about somebody holding the door open for another person. I do take issue with those who think an open doorway is the perfect spot for conversations.

More lessons to come.

Sleeper car

I've been a little lax about the postings since thanksgiving. I started working on some background stuff that's kept me up later than I should be. That, along with the toasty train environment, has me sleeping on the train more. You might start noticing some changes pretty soon though.

time to give in to these heavy eyelids

General Odors

You may not think it, but all of your senses will be stimulated during an etummoc. Well, maybe not taste, unless you REALLY want to get into the experience and start licking the seat next to you. Not going to reccomend you do this, but if you have something to share on this topic, by all means feel free to add a comment. I digress...

Smell on the other hand has a powerful influence on your mind. It can distract you with the most random reactions. Example: I was just on the shuttle, conumed with my latest app download, Google Goggles. Suddenly, as we approached the train station, the distinct stench of skunk creeped into my nose. This immediately caused everything to halt in my mind and triggered the "I need to make sure the dog is inside!!!" alarm. (P.S. I don't have a dog)

It doesn't always work that way. You get to wander down memory lane quite a lot, which good or bad is a way to forget how far you have to go. Overall, I think its pretty nice to be able to slow down and reflect. Its not easy to stop and smell the roses with the timetables and transfers, but if you know how to look, you'll find flower shops just about everywhere.

Just ask Tucan Sam.

Home 4 the Holidays

Last year I completely missed out on the Holiday season in New York. Was in Japan at the time and they just weren't into it as much. Sure the Starbucks was stocked with red cups and special drinks, but they did not have train tickets like this! Their idea of decorations was a bit lacking as well. I'm glad to be around for the winter splendor this time around, not to mention SantaCon.

Music is a dish best served LOUD

Not much of an opportunity to post the past two days. No, my vacation didn't last until yesterday. Monday was as busy as ever and required an unexpected overnight trip upstate. Nohing really to report about the extended etummoc.

It did give me a chance to make up for all the driving I haven't been doing. I was reminded about how nice the privacy was. Blasting music you would be embarrassed to have somebody ovehear, singing (poorly) at the top of your lungs is rather therapeutic. There's also nothing quite like driving at night when you have the right tune to guide you, or rediscovering a song that has a newfound meaning.

It made me rethink about the times I was annoyed with somebody I was sure doing permanent damage to their ears on the subway. They might not have the opportunity to release their highway rockstar/diva. I think sometimes we need those moments where life feels like a movie with a great soudtrack. So next time I'll make sure to just let them have their moment and smile because I'll be having my own.