Mach III

Today was my last bus ride...Today was my last T ride to work...for now at least.

I am changing jobs...Starting on Tuesday, I will be commuting to Lexington from Malden...A car seems to be the best mode of transport...so driving to work the blog will be about driving to work again.

Later on in September, my family will be moving...so the blog will have to change again. The commute will be different.

Stay tuned.

I told Mike, my commuting comrade for the last 18 months, about my changes. He wished me luck. I wished him the same.

It seems weird to be closing this chapter...seems like it came pretty quickly.
I will miss the scenery here in the Back Bay. I will miss the experience of the T...it was always a source of good blog material.

Now we must move forward. See you on the roads on Tuesday.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:23
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Sunny and pleasant.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 0
Feared for my life: Celebrated my life.

Full On School Kids

I have to say, last year was worse.

All the high school kids had to report to classes today.

They were all jammed on the bus...but last year, I barely was able to get on...This year, I blazed a trail to the back and sat down. Pretty good.

There was a woman standing in front of me. She was trying to open the emergency exit hatch at the top of the bus. I really don't know why she was doing that.

Maybe she was hot. No matter, I didn't think it was a good idea for her to play with AN EMERGENCY EXIT HATCH.

She was also yelling at the bus driver: "What are you stopping? You're not getting anybody to get on. Keep going!"

This is my second to last MBTA trip to work. The blog goes into Mach 3 starting next Tuesday.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:11
Bus Arrival Time: 7:31
T Departure Time: 7:32
T Arrival Time: 7:53
Weather as I call it: Sunny and cool. Getting used to this...!
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Nah

It's Getting Good

As the days roll along, the high school students keep trickling in. The bus is really getting full. There is only space in the back to stand. It's really sweet.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:25
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7;46
Weather as I call it: Sunny and cool...more of the delightful same
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Two For Tuesday

I love the last few weeks of the T. Crowded buses...filled with high school students. Crowded Orange Line...filled with people who are not on vacation any more.

Two for Tuesday!


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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:25
T Departure Time: 7:30
T Arrival Time: 7:51
Weather as I call it: Sunny and cool
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Nope

Choo Choo Charlie

"Choo-choo Charlie had a plenty good band but he couldn't understand why no one would go..."

There were freshman girls on the bus...giggling and talking on their cell phones.

I just looked up when the first day of class will be for the high schoolers.

Looks like all students are to report to school on Thursday.

I don't think the bus schedule goes back to normal time until after the holiday.

Thursday is going to be good.


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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:25
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:48
Weather as I call it: Partly sunny. Warm
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nah

My Fast Morning

We had a new bus driver this morning. He certainly had some pep. We arrived just as the Orange had pulled into Malden Center station. I ran for it and got on.

Today was my fast morning.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:07
Bus Arrival Time: 7:20
T Departure Time: 7:20
T Arrival Time: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny and mild
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

My Slow Morning

The bus arrived at Malden Station just in time. The Orange Line train was rolling into the station. Now if I had wanted to run for it, I would have made the train.

This morning was my slow morning.

I didn't feel like it.

I waited for the next train...which was delayed by a disabled train up ahead.

Hey, it was my slow morning. I didn't know until I got on the bus.


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Bus Departure Time: 7:11
Bus Arrival Time: 7:25
T Departure Time: 7:33
T Arrival Time: 7:58
Weather as I call it: Sunny and cool. Probably 58 degrees.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope - too slow.

Winding Down

I know this is just one day in late August, but that feel of summer winding down was in the air this morning. It just felt cool and you got that feeling...if though you tried to talk your mind out of thinking it...that summer was over.

Boo...

I am winding down something else too...my regular use of the MBTA to get to work. All shall be revealed soon.


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Bus Departure Time: 7:11
Bus Arrival Time: 7:23
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Sunny and cool. Fall like.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Under Her Breath

The conductor on the Orange Line said something like, "Good God" under her breath. Even though she meant to say it just to herself, she had the mic on so the whole train heard it. The woman in scrubs next to me found it very funny. She made me laugh too.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:11
Bus Arrival Time: 7:25
T Departure Time: 7:27
T Arrival Time: 7:48
Weather as I call it: Sunny. 70.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3 Bus was real slow today.
Feared for my life: No

Dry Cleaning

I had never seen this before...but some guy was hanging his dry cleaning on the horizontal pole on the Orange Line. He had a couple of shirts that he didn't want to touch the floor so he hung them up.

Sure, it took up a couple of seats but no one seemed to mind. His shirts stayed clean.


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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:24
T Departure Time: 7:27
T Arrival Time: 7:48
Weather as I call it: Sunny. Nice.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Smoggy Back Bay Station

Is it just me or has there been a thick haze in Back Bay station lately?

It's a little stifling in there. Once you walk up the stairs from the Orange Line platform, you start to feel the air getting heavier...start to smell some smoggy odors.

Soon, you're running for the door because you can't breathe.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:23
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Cloudy and cool
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Well, the whole hard to breathe thing wasn't good.

Round Fiery Orb In The Sky

I was all alone at the bus stop today. I thought it was some holiday that I didn't know about.

Something else I didn't know about...what happened to 9Neighbors?

I put their widget on my site and now it's not working.

I checked the site and it's gone.

Hey, wha' happened?

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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:24
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Sunny, mid-60s
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Finally Getting Some Rain

It's best to read the title of this post in the dryest tone you can muster.

It's a good thing we don't have to worry about drought this summer. I mean, that's one less thing to worry about. We certainly don't have to worry about the lawn turning brown this summer.

Sorry, got a little wet waiting for the bus.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:26
T Departure Time: 7:31
T Arrival Time: 7:52
Weather as I call it: Light rain
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Nah

At Least I Didn't Get Rained On

Ah! Another beautiful New England summer morning. Gray and cool. At least it wasn't raining when I was at the stop.

Too close couple on the bus this morning. I think we were all "this close" to PDA (and I don't mean a personal digital assistant).

I had to stand on the Orange Line...plus there was a disabled car which made space tight.

I did a good job swaying with the crowds. It was like we were at a really good concert...but really bored by it at the same time.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:25
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Gray, damp, cool
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Nope

Not Satisfied With Summer

Summer is a rainy mess this year. Thunderstorms. Rain. Wha' happened?

You look at the calendar and the days are clicking down.

Hopefully we have a warm September.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:09
Bus Arrival Time: 7:24
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Cloudy. Threat of rain
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nah

Analyzing Bus Behavior

There was a lot of checking watches at the bus stop today. I think peeps are starting to really pay attention to the bus departure time. Certainly, we are supposed to pick up the bus around 7:06....but I think the bus is leaving later...

Maybe this subject is what people feel okay talking about at the stop. On the bus, we are all in this together.

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Bus Departure Time: 7:11
Bus Arrival Time: 7:23
T Departure Time: 7:26
T Arrival Time: 7:47
Weather as I call it: Cloudy and cool
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Grumblings At The Bus Stop

Quite a crowd at the bus stop today and they all had something to say.

I think they have had it with the summer schedule and can't wait for it to end...which should only be in a few weeks.

The fall schedule will bring...well...fall. Colder temps and snow will follow that.

I would rather hold on to this time of year for as long as we can.


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Bus Departure Time: 7:11
Bus Arrival Time: 7:22
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Partly sunny. Dry air. Comfortable
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Sleepwalking Sleeptalking

Man, I have had some bouts with insomnia lately. I was up on Saturday and Sunday nights...making this morning a fuzzy trip. I think if I were driving, I would have made myself more awake. When you have other people getting you from place to place, you don't really need to be that conscious.

I have no idea how the commute went...but here's the regular stats.


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Bus Departure Time: 7:10
Bus Arrival Time: 7:23
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Sunny. I think.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: Didn't feel a thing.

If It Didn't Cost So Much

...I would probably drive into work everyday. I would pay the toll for the Tobin bridge and pay for parking in the Back Bay and pay for gas fillup every week (because...as you have probably heard...it's kinda expensive nowadays).

Yeah. I would love to burn money like that.

But then, driving to work wouldn't be so special if I did it everyday.

Have a good weekend.

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Bus Departure Time: N/A
Bus Arrival Time: N/A
T Departure Time: N/A
T Arrival Time: N/A
Weather as I call it: Sorta hazy/foggy/sunny.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: No