I can relate...

So after a series updates on getting a visa and a plane ticket, my friend Steph is off to India for an adventure. She just started up a blog Eat Sweat Diarrhea, which I think is an excellent title given her laugh is as infectious as that of Julia Roberts. I'm also sure there are to be many mis-adventures, and juicy details to come.

I don't really have much in the way to offer in terms of international travel advice. I do, however, have a lot of general travel experience taking the train everyday. Looking back, my original math was that i spent 2 hours a day commuting, making that 10 hours a week or 40 hours a month. Well with the changes in timetables and little delays that have crept up (additional shuttle stops), somehow that time has significantly increased. It now takes me a solid 1.5 hours each way, and more often than not an extra 30 minutes in the morning because I almost never make the express train that gets me to work early. So worst case that 3.5 hours a day spent commuting, thats 17.5 hours/week and I refuse to convert that any further.

17.5 hours is a lot of time. But when you think about it (and a quick trip to kayak.com confirmed it) I could fly to India in 17.5 hours. So, every week I fly to India... or a lot of other places, but I think India has a kind of dramatic tone to it. So Steph, while I know you are worried about the flight, it won't be bad. After all, I do it all the time. 

...the earplugs are a good idea though. Best of luck, I'll be reading.

All posts have been rerouted

Haven't posted in a while, but renewals are just around the corner. I do want to keep this alive without having to do so much management (could never get on top of customizing the look). Plan is to head back to Blogger even though playing with WordPress was fun. All my posts have been moved to etummoc.blogspot.com and soon www.etummoc.com will also point you there as well.

Hopefully this will get me back into blogging as well. Enjoy the new look.

Railwork

My regular train on the harlem line makes a stop at Fordham. I know ther is a prep school there, and when it isn't the middle of summer I do see some of the students. On multiple occasions I have tied to menally put myself in their shoes, and wonder what etummocing to school would be like.

Firstly, I kind of wonder if this train is the last train they could take without being late. In hish school I lived a mile away and, depending on the year, either my brother or I would drive to school, speeding, in 3 miutes. So I definately would be on the last train possible. There would be contingency plans to get to GC faster if I needed to, but I think I'd be running for the train 90% of the time.

Also, I am shocked that I've never seen one of them furiously doing homework on the time. Leaving homework for a morning train ride is a procrastinator's dream. Think of the extra video gam time! I see the occasional student reading a book every now and again, but as someone who would go home during a last period study hall to do assignments due by 3 that I had still not done, I expect a little more panic. As soon as I landed in my seat i'd have my calculus book out and a freshly wrinked piece of paper handy to do my work on.

Even though my adolescent lazyness could be accomodated, I just can't think of high school without the freedom of having a car. I mean, how are you going to get to the krispy kreme store in the next state over and back with 36 dozen donuts? What about driving with your friends to the away football games, using the nearest cornfield for a pitstop? What is high school without these crucial life experiences?

Its hard to get my head around, and I don't think there's much use worrying about such things. Besides, most if the time I'm running late and I have a train to catch.

Busgrade

I used to explain that my daily etummoc consisted of 2 shuttles, 1 train; however I think I'm going to have to revise that to 2 busses instead. As of today, both of my shuttles have been upgraded to charter busses. It may not seem like much but they are now probably 1/3 of the trip and makes a world of difference - like going from regular to organic milk.

The first one got upgraded from trollies with uncomfortable seating quite some time ago. It was really a no brainer. Today I stepped off the train at North White Pains to find that the daddy bus had come for us instead of the shortbus to which we were so accustomed. Most of my fellow riders looked at it with disbelief, but it was all smiles when we realized none of is would have to stand. There was also a small sense of pride or luxury in that, perhaps that we were important enough for an upgrade.

And let me just say that I appreciate the new smoothness of the ride as well. Being a gentleman, I would often give up my seat to others and brave standing though the ride. This is not an easy task, and felt like I was surfing with handlebars above me while not being able to see what was coming. I hope this bus never breaks down.

I quit!

Ha, not really. This was certainly a long break from blogging, but I haven't given up. Instead of summarizing the past 2 months, I decided to hold that material and use it as I see fit. So what you hear from now on could have happened in the past or never at all.

Night now, however, I have to report that jury duty is thrilling, when compared to a train ride. There was a low budget intro video that reminded me of educational videos from high school. As an SVU addict it would have been much better if detectives Benson and Stabler took part in this video, rather than going to the renaissance fair to depict trial by ordeal. Apparently my idea of "realistic" differs from that of the director.

It also sounds like I'm stuck here for a few days. Thank god the woman in charge has a great sense of humor and has mastered her monotone delivery. No sarcasm there, she really is quite funny.

Fingers crossed

After 2 weeks of taking the early shuttle and sometimes making it in to work a bit early, I'm giving the 730 another shot. But that's not really what I want to write about.

Last week, I got a chance to experience Penn Station. I had been there once or twice before, but was usually in a rush to get on the train. This time I really got a feel for for the place, and that feeling was creepy.

The layout, from what I could tell, was designed to be like a hamster cage. One or two large areas with lots of halls and tunnels going in every direction. Despite the confusing layout, navigating was not difficult. Every intersection has a number of signs which were easy to undestand and effective in getting you where you needed to go.

There is a whole new level of crazy at Penn Station. Grand Central-ese people are direct and always moving. Penn Station-eers tend to linger a bit more, and thus, they have waiting areas. I sat in such an area to eat a quick bite. In that time, a woman had to be removed as she felt compelled to ask (very politely I may add) for people to take the gun away from the army personnel that were patrolling the area. She had a strange inflection in her voice as she said, "PLEASE, miss. Excuse me MISS. Mam, could you PLEASE take his GUN. Do you SEE it? You HAVE to TAKE the GUN from HIM."

I think the only redeeming quality about Penn Station is that they have a krispy kreme inside. I, knowing full-well how bad they are for you, have a hard time resisting a krispy kreme. They do need to be fresh though; they just aren't right any other way. That day, I got one that was a bit dry... Yes, I'm keeping score, and they have 1 strike.

Made it to GC in time so it seems like its safe to sleep in again!

Note to self

Not posting for a long time invites spam comments for lesbian anime porn. Post more often.

Goodbye 7:30

I must retract my prior statements about the relief that a certain 7:30 shuttle has given me, mainly in the form of additional sleep. The shuttle is being run by a new company, and that means new drivers. I knew the first few days might be a little slow, but given the cyclical nature of the job, it shouldn't take long to pick up. I had been on vacation until today, and knew it would be a bit of a gamble. I lost.

No, it wasn't that I just missed the train because we were a few minutes late, I wasn't even out of my shuttle seat when the train left Grand Central. I guess this means I have to go back to getting up at 6 and taking an earlier shuttle. I'll give 7:30 another shot in a week or two.

Umbrella etiquette

I think I witnessed at least 3 near-blinding incidents on Wednesday. Standing outside the subway, I watched as time and again somebody would open their ubrella in the crowded stairwell and it would pop open into somebody else's face. So here are a few words to the wise.

Umbrellas are constructed in such a way that they have pointy protrusions in every direction. Conveniently, they are carried so said protrusions are at eye-level. Now, you may forget these facts when you are trying to avoid getting soaking wet; an honest effort would be appreciated.

If you can, try to open your umbrella in an uncrowded area, or wait for a clearing. From what I can see there are two main opening techniques:

The Overhead - this method is performed by reaching far above your head and then directing the opening action directly upward. This works extremely well for taller people, but do not attempt if you are short or in a stairway.

The Forward'n'Up - the open is initiated in the direction you are currently facing. Then you swing the umbrella above your head or to its disired position. There is more to say about this technique. It helps avoid eye injury to people standing around you. If the handle is held to the side of or close to the body, its attack range is significantly reduced. Take care to swing the opened umbrella slowly, it will help to reduce inkuries of those standing directly behind you.

Finally, while super convenient, the push-button umbrellas are usually the most likely to cause an injury. Consider muffling your open by slowing down the spring loaded action.

Oh, final word on rainy weather, keep away from street puddles! There's little chance your umbrella will help you out when a cab goes buzzing by and you are in the splash zone.

Another word on clothes

With the changing of the seasons, there is also a change in style. Goodbye heavy coats & knits, hello bright colors khakis. I do not hold any objections against khakis, and even own a few pairs. They are, however, not practical for etummocing, let alone living in New York city.

Just in case nobody has told you this: NYC is not clean. Set aside the litter, there is still probably a good few millimeters of filth coating the the streets and sidewalks of this city. While most people only get to exercise their cutesy animal voices on dogs and squirrels, New Yorkers sometimes speak to rats in the same way.

Over the course of 2 shuttles and a train it is very easy to get some signifigant markings on your pants. Clip the cuff of one pant leg with the opposite shoe - black streaks. Brush into the side or bottom of an unclean railing - a similar, yet bigger effect. Sit in a seat that appeared to be clean or forget to look altogether - jackpot! You can now audition for the role of "homeless person #3" in an upcomming episode of Law and Order.

Thus, the need for a darker NY wordrobe.

Retummocs feel an extra amount of pressure, as the khakis run wild in suburban offices. Although, recently I've been seeing people working at other companies at my building wearing jeans and even shorts to work. Jeans I am truly jealous of, but shorts? What job could you hold in this biotech campus that would allow you to wear shorts?

Tunnel vision

When getting around the city is so dependant on timetables and transfers, its easy to lose sight of what's going on around you. You focus on what may seem essential. "Did the shuttle make it past 34th street by 7:41?" "Is this train going slower than usual?" Or "Grand Central Navigation plan: pass the old lady, at hallway intersection find pocket between closet case business man and poorly dressed intern with backpack going perpendicular to me - watch out! Slow moving tourist with a stroller." So as your thought process becomes that of a Cylon Hybrid, you may forget to appreciate your surroundings.

I have been taking a course near grand central over the past few weeks, and been graced with the opportunity to eat in the food court. I haven't found anything outstanding, but once you get past the questionably sanitary conditions, it slows you down and you begin to observe again. Mostly I could overhear people discussing their itineraries for the rest of the day. Others are meeting up for a quick bite or reconnecting after spending the day apart. And then there is me, realizing how jaded I have become. The people who I usually curse for being in my way most likely came halfway around the world to come and take pictures of the ceiling like one would want at Sisteen Chapel. I am here every day, and could stand to give them their moment.

Optimistic that I have redescovered my sense of appreciation and sympathy I am now also conflicted. Do I smile politley as weave between people? Or would that be depriving them a true New York experience? I've worked hard and suffered to achieve my NY lifestyle and mentality. I should use that, right?

Either way I have been reminded that Grand Central is not just a venue for the stampede of commuters and etummocs, its a tourist hotspot, a movie set, a place of business and intersection for many walks of life. Those additional perspective make it more bareable for the time, so maybe I should stop to eat some oysters every now and again,

Revalation 7:30

Late last week I discovered something that will undoubtedly change my etummoc forever, or rather until they change the timetables. I think that comes next month, but have never been affected by such changes.

So, for the past 2 years I was under the impression that I had only one shuttle option to get to Grand Central in the morning. If I missed it, which happens a lot, I could take a cab or take a bus to the subway. Those options are either expensive or slow.

I've been riding the Harlem line more and more and have found it to be more reliable. The shuttle from north White Plains always waits (not that it ever needs to) and is much bigger. I thought that the last train that comes right before the shuttle leaves came from the north until I started to associate my fellow riders with destinations. Turns out the last train comes from Grand Central and I now have a 2nd shuttle option.

The test run went off without a hitch last week and I've taken it every day since, minus the one morning I was running SUPER late and cabbed it. Getting out the door by 7:30 is 10 times easier than leaving by 7. Don't get much extra sleep but I am at least more human than zombie. I don't think I'm even going to try for the 7am shuttle. Yeah there's a chance I could get into the office earlier but its a small time window. If I miss it my commute grows to nearly 2 hours and i'd rather sleep in the comfort of my own home over sleeping on the train.

Coincidence

Every now and then our industrial design team has hired a graphic designer, whose name I can never remember. She lives in brooklyn so we are often taking the same route during our etummoc.

(Hold on, as I'm sitting here on the train in GC a preson on the intercom just asked, "can somebody give me a break test please?" Does Toyota make trains? More imortantly, did Toyota make this train?)

So, on Monday we rode back into the city together. She gets off to catch a 4 or 5 express at 125th so she doesn't have to deal with big crowds, and she gets a seat. I always go into grand central, but always wondered if there was a time advantage for one of these options.

I made my usual charge towards the subway, and made it onto the platform to see an express just leaving. However, another express showed up one minute later. The cars that passed by me were pretty empty, so I was excited at the prospect of not having to breathe through a stranger's ear.

The train stops, and I look through the window to see my designer friend / coworker seated and waving to me. We were both amazed at the odds of us both catching the same train and selecting the same car. She also mentioned that she had not waited at all for a train. So I guess there is really no advantage in ideal conditions, but I bet it varries.

PS: We were able to stop at 125th on the way out this morning. The break test must have been fine. I may still conduct a little research though.

Bright side

Could it be true? Is spring really here? The days are getting longer and warmer, and wool coats are starting to look a little silly. I'm not going to call it quite yet, mostly because there is still snow that hasn't melted up in Tarrytown.

Maybe its me or maybe its the harlem line, but I'm having a hard time coming up with anything interesting that has happened on the train recently. Perhaps I should try a local train or two and see if there is any relationship between number of stops and entertaining situations.

I can't say the same for flying though. Coming back from my vacation, I encountered two characters that I couldn't help but notice. Prior to boarding there were numerous announcements about boarding procedure to ensure we got out in time. They really stressed the importance of not holding up others in the aisle. This got me thinking that they were trying to beat air traffic in some way or another.

My zone is called and when I get into the gate, I notice these two women in front of me moving very slowly. I don't know how I missed it before, but they are carrying 1 purse 3 shopping bags each, filled with clothes, cutting boards, and cups. Also one of them thad a large, pink stuffed bunny. They kept dropping items as they shuffled down the walkway. Then, all of a sudden I hear a loud "rrrrrrrriiiip." One of their bags busted open, spilling clothes all over the place.

I was, of course, trapped behind them, without a clear way to get around. When they get to the plane door, they got a little lecture about the number of carry-ons they had, and were each able to drop down to 1 purse and 1 shopping bag each. I tried to pass them during this exchange but there was a bit of a line to board, and they just went right back in front of me.

About 3 rows down, they realize they don't know where they are sitting and stop to check their purses. Digging and digging they don't move aside at first, but then half step into empty seats. I made my move. Dart past them and get into my seat, glad to be rid of them.

A few minutes later they shuffle towards me, and this is when I notice the two vacant seats next to me. I had a little hope when they passed me but were corrected by the flight attendant and settled in.

The plane pulls away from the gate, and I first observe them doing that catholic thing, touching their head and chest, in order to say a little prayer. We pull forward, they do another prayer. We turn onto the runway, another prayer. The engines kick in, prayer. We lift off the ground and they both instantly fall asleep - one of them snoring.

I get my noise canceling headphones on and make it through the rest of the flight without noticing them much. We land and I bolt off the plane. Somehow we got in 30 min early, after taking off a little late, so I really shouldn't complain. That whole experience just stuck out in my mind as everything not to do when boarding. At least it was more interesting than my fellow retummocs lately.

Defrost

On vacation for the rest of the week. Looks like florida isn't going to be too warm, but anything is better than this cold.

I feel spring just around the corner...

This happened...

Bored waiting for the train

Snow-M-G you guys

Etummoc goes international!!! Well, not really. I am in Canada but I am most certainly not etummocing. Its more like "5 minute rental car riding it to visit another company for 3 days." I think my business trip to Japan last year included an etummoc, but it was not very regular.

Anywho, this is my first time vising our neighbors to the north, or as some may call it "America's hat." For the most part it has been a pleasant experience. Though, coming from new york, my perspective could be a little skewed. From landing to car rental, everyone was quite friendly. I had never driven outside the US, but the switch to the metric system was easier than I thought. I lucked out the first night and found an amazing place to eat dinner. I chose ribs, having devoured a large chunk of Paula Deen's memoirs on the plane.

The weather, however, was less than stellar, meaning it snowed every day after my arrival. The naitives acted shocked exclaiming how light this winter has been, and they haven't gotten snow in a month. F*ck off I thought to myself in my best internal Kathy Griffin impression. I held back both commentar and laughter but I may have slipped the "you have to be shitting me" look. I mean, this is Canada, right? Its going to snow in the winter up here; let's be a little realistic.

Well aparently the northeast is due for some snow also. My flight was cancelled ahead of time and I got booked on an earlier flight to try to beat the storm. So here I am at 3am at the airport, no sleep, waiting in line. This won't get posted until later, but I sure hope I don't get stranded. Canada's been nice but I've had my fill of snow for now. I hope my friends don't get mad at me for not bringing back maple syrup.

*note before post: made it back. NY is taking quite a hit. I've been told I need to go into the office anyway, but I'm wearing jeans in protest.*

Detours

While most normal people were at home sleeping in on Monday, I was up at 6am. Unfortunately, I don't get holidays like President's Day or MLK Day off. Even worse, transit systems run on holiday schedules. I used to plan ahead and at least look at train times, but after finding little payoff, I've grown accustomed to expensing cab rides whenever my shuttles are not running.

Leaving the office is always the most difficult on a non-holiday, as cabs don't run rampant in Tarrytown like they do in Manhattan. Luckily, somebody was recently hired to my office that drives from the city. She offered a few of us city dwellers a ride. With little traffic due to the holiday, we were bound to make into the city in no time.

The trip was short but the car was packed. Each of us had brought 2 bags in case Tuesday's snow would keep us home. After the first two drop-offs uptown, I shifted up to the front seat. I wanted to make small talk with the driver, but as she was asking me about cafés downtown, she managed to run a red light and turn us northbound on the FDR. So much for getting home early...

Apologizing repeatedly, she quickly activated the GPS to get us turned around. At that point there wasn't the option to get off the FDR and make a quick turn around, so we were instructed to go over a bridge and into Queens. We couldn't help but laugh at what happened, and it definitely broke the ice to more conversation. She tried to trick the GPS by pulling one or two u-turns, but ended up turning back around both times. The GPS was not changing its mind about the midtown tunnel, so we gave in.

We did see some great views of the city, and had a lot of laughs. I think I've mentioned before that a big part of etummocing is flexability. If we had gotten mad at the situation, it probably would have been worse than getting caught behind a 20 car pile-up on the original route. It actually turned out to be the highlight of my day, after 8 hours of being bitter for having to go into work.

Approaching my drop off spot, she did ask me not to tell our colleagues what happened. I could understand that she's new and felt embarrassed, so I agreed. She didn't say anything about blog posts though!

In security

Every now and again there is a very noticeable increase in police on public transportation. Officers riding on trains in pairs, pacing station platforms, or monitoring subway stations. This is expected for events such as presidential visits or important UN meetings. Holwever, random spikes of increased security are a little unsettling.

If I know that UN activity is the reason for shutting down the FDR, lining 42nd street with cop cars, and placing bomb-sniffing dogs in Grand Central, I'm ok with that. I come from a long line of worriers, so of course I get a little nervous when there's no obious reason for increased security. Is something going on? Did I miss something on the news? Do they expect something to happen? I should try to get to my train quickly, is my usual thought process.

Working in a techical profession, I occasionly have to take home prototype electronics. Walking in to the subway with a briefcase full of wires and seeing a bagcheck station set up has nearly caused me to have diarrhea as I swipe my metro card on more than one occasion. As I pick up my pace, I say to myself, "you don't actually have anything to worry about, but at least they are closing Guantanamo."

In an attmpt to prevent myself from getting put on a watch list: I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining. Security is needed and has never been intrusive on my etummoc. I wish there was less to worry about, but I guess I'll just get some quality powerwalking practice instead.

Oversleeping

Ok, I did it. I got a little cocky and slept though my stop on a northbound train. It actually happened yesterday, but my ego needed a day to recover. Here's how it happened:

I have grown fond of the Harlem line lately, as the shuttle from North White Plains is void of people who have either volume control problems or personal hygiene issues. Plus the train rides are shorter. As soon as I boarded yesterday, the car was especially warm, and I knew I was done for. The train stopped for a while before getting to 125th street station, and I gave in to my eyelids.

I can't remember a lot of what happened after that. I clearly recall waking briefly at white plains, the stop before mine. Well the next thing I know I'm watching the doors from my seat. I then see the sign that says "North White Plains." The train doesn't move immediately, and I could not find a conductor or other way to open a door. I also remember that this was the last stop for this train.

Thinking I'm the ony one left on board, I start looking for something that may open the door. Then the train starts moving and I am struck by terror, not knowing what happens to trains after the last stop. I find and immediately start mashing a green button on the ceiling that says "CONDUCTOR." The train hesitated and stopped. Initially relieved, I look down into the next car to see a conductor charging towards me, while shaking his finger. Overcome by guilt, I must have apologized a dozen times in a minute. His reprimands were a little unclear... I was sorry that I had used the green button, but is was a better option than an emergency break, or being trapped in a trainyard for the next 8 hours.

He let me out and I made it the rest of the way just fine. I'm limiting myself to southbound naps only for the time being. But its not easy to resist the need to hibernate with snow on the ground.

Little Miss High Line

I am starting to see that the worst is past us. The sun is rising as soon as I leave my apartment, and sets just as I leave work. It may not seem like much, but when you work in a basement lab all day, you take what you can get.

The timing could not have been better for lat week's episode of 30 Rock. Everyone was irritable because the it was the peak of winter and seasonal affective disorder was in full swing. The parallels were uncanny, but the increased daytime gives me more than just a little hope. It has me planning spring & summer outdoor activities. Maybe I'll finally be able to go see the park they built on the high line.

Lost & Found

Its imortant to keep track of your stuff when you regularly travel by train. After the first month, anxiety starts to fade and you don't focus as much. I think its a good idea to use the same pockets for essentials so if something isn't in the right spot, you can feel the weight difference. Also that way you aren't left frantically groping yourself everytime you try to find your cell phone. However, there are a few times I have managed to lose something. Also a few good finds across the way. Here's a list:

1. Work security badge - Lost and returned. I left my wallet at home and when I got on the train I showed the conductor my ID to prove I took the train every day. He bought it, which was good because I had no money on me! When I got to work I noticed my badge was now missing too. I guess it never made it back to my pocket. Got a new one that day, but the MTA was kind enough to mail it to me at work 4 months later.

2. Umbrella - Found, kept, and still use. Was leaving the train on a rainy day. As I got up, I noticed the girl sitting across from me had forgotten her umbrella. I tried to catch up to her but she was booking it,p and I lost her. I didn't have one on me that day, so I kept it. Its a permanent fixture in my work bag and goes to work with me everyday.

3. Cell phone - Lost and returned. Just fell out of my pocket as I was leaving the train. Not a big story. Somebody found it and we coordinated an exchange, where I gave her $20.

4. Mystery Pill - Found. Discovered a red & yellow capsule in the seat next to me. Looked just like one out of Dr. Mario. No, I did not take it, or even pick it up.

GCTournament

Ok, get this, so I was walking into grand central and can't help but notice there was gigantic glass box being built in the entryway (aka Vanderbuilt Hall). I thought to myself: they already have a 24 hour apple store around here. Then I see stadium seating behind the box and a bunch of JP Morgan logos all over the place.

As I moved into the great hall, I saw a bunch of signs that said "JP Morgan Tournament of Champions 2010." Was this a real-life pre-apocolyptic thunderdome for wall street executives? No. Its a squash tournament.

Its a pretty strange place to hold a competive sport of any kind. Grand central is a little noisy, and its going to be hard to keep the preppy quota required to hold a squash or polo game. When compared to the US Open (tennis) this seems like a pretty D-list sporting event.

...guess who I've been reading.

Tarrywood

About a week ago, whilst riding the shuttle, I spotted a film crew in Tarrytown. I initially didn't give it much of a thought, as previous movies were Liftime nonames and were soon gone. Well they are still in town and growing into the streets. The shuttle now gets diverted off Main Street. Doesn't affect the etummoc much, so no complaints, its just that it definitely caught my attention now.

After a bunch of searching I local article that helped explain. Turns out an independant fim starring Keanu Reeves is the source of the commotion. It is called "Henry's Crime." Little info available from IMDB, so I'll keep my eye out for a trailer.

No pants 2010

I don't know how I didn't find out about this sooner, but yesterday was the 9th annual no pants subway ride. Organized by Improv Everywhere in NYC, the event is held on transit systems around the globe. The rules seem simple enough:

1. Be willing to take your pants off
2. Be able to keep a straight face about it.

I must say that those involved must be brave to give up precious layers of insulation. We're in the thick of winter here, and I spent all of Sunday on my couch. I could use another worldwide dress-up/dress-down day to follow Santacon. So I'll put it in my calendar and consider it for 2011.

Time travel

It feels like the etummoc has been much slower recently. I don't mean to say that trains have been running late, but rather the perception of time is drastically different. Similar to how when you go on a vacation, the trip home usually seems shorter.

Now, I know its only day 4 after a 2 week break, and over the next wwek or so things will speed up. But why is that? Does our brain figure that thre isn't much value in something done on a daily basis, and filter our short term memory? Is there an actual measureable differerence relating to space/time? Sorry, don't want to push things too much, but I dare you to wiki "string theory" sometime.

I think I'll stick to the latest about CES for the time being.

Lost in transportation

The holidays are over, which means back to work, and back to the train for me. I had every intention of writing yesterday afternoon but had a little phone trouble.

No, my phone did not break, rather it was semi-stolen by a coworker. He had borrowed it to get a feel of the droid, or as he put it "live with how heavy it is." We planned to take the same shuttle & train later on... but that didn't work out so great whrn I missed the shuttle. I thought I had left with enough time to hop into the bathroom, and get my phone back when we met up. I was incorrect.

What came next felt like it was straight out of "Just My Luck." I ran back to the office, call my cell phone, and my coworker answers. After a little laugh, he suggests we meet up in the Harlem station. Perfect, I needed to get off there anyway to meet a friend on the UES. I then hurried to catch the next shuttle that goes to white plains instead. Thinking I would be bored without music or the internet a freelance designer that occasionally works at my office sits next to me and asks "do you know anywhere good to eat in the city?" It felt like a 10 min train ride and I got to harlem before the coworker with my phone.

It was nice to have the etummoc play in my favor, because that could have gone a lot worse.