Wet Start To The Week

The rain had fallen while I was asleep so the roads were wet as I drove to the station.

When we stopped in West Medford, there was rain falling on the passengers waiting to board.

The walk to work was relatively dry. Some drops fell on me, but not enough to force me to ride the T.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Light rain off and on.
Shady Gas Price: $2.57
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Posters Ripped Down

All the billboard advertisements at the Winchester Center station were ripped down. I saw all the paper with adhesive swirled on the back getting pushed around by the wind caused by the train.

I wonder if the advertiser gets their money back for vandalism like that.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:35
Departure Time From Train Station 6:58
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny but cold. I should have worn a jacket.
Shady Gas Price: $2.59
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Been Doing This For 5 Years

I took some time off last week and in doing so, I missed a key anniversary.

I have been blogging about my commute for 5 years.

In that time, lots of changes:

4 jobs

2 kids

1 accident

900 posts

Here's to another 5 years (at least) of employment and driving to work.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:27
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Mostly cloudy, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $2.59
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

The Kid Just Didn't Care

There's a woman who brings her toddler into Boston on the train. This child is the object of many other passenger's affection. I think the kid doesn't care much for these people and I think that is a smart move.

The way some of this people fawn over the kid is kinda creepy. Take this morning for instance:

This woman kept calling his same over and over. She kept saying hello. The kid seemed tired and didn't really reply. The woman kept calling out...over and over.

Even as we left, she had to make sure she said goodbye loudly. Geez, lady. Leave him alone.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:43
Weather as I call it: Cloudy and cool. 50s
Shady Gas Price: $2.61
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

The Dude Was Out

The dude who sat next to me fell asleep. He was still out cold when we pulled into North Station. He was still asleep when people started to exit the train.

Right before I was about to tap him on the shoulder, he woke up and jumped out of the seat. It was miraculous to say the least. His timing was perfect.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:35
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool, Fall-like.
Shady Gas Price: $2.61
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Lightning Storm

I think this marks the first time I was really rattled by a lightning storm on the commute to work. As I was walking up the ramp to the train station this morning, there was a huge flash in the sky. I didn't look up to see any bolts, but the quick sound of thunder right after the flash let me know that it struck nearby.

I walked into the station to wait it out. I usually stand outside near the rails to wait for the train. Today, I just didn't want to get struck by lightning.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station 6:58
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Thunderstorm - raining once I got to Boston.
Shady Gas Price: $2.61
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3.5
Feared for my life: Yeah.

Long Weekends Are Great

Labor Day weekend is the best long weekend. It's the unofficial end of summer...so everybody gets back to work and school.

The roadways get clogged again. The train gets full again.

Even though this is the reality on the Tuesday after Labor Day, my commute was great.

I even got into North Station a minute early. How 'bout cha?

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Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:39
Weather as I call it: Mostly cloudy, cool, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $2.61
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

He Just Doesn't Like The Red Sox

I saw a guy on the train this morning wearing a White Sox jersey. It was a Jim Thome jersey to be exact.

It just happened to be the same guy who wore a Yankees jersey as described in this post:

Crazy Yankee Fan

I think this guy is looking for a fight.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:40
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Partly sunny
Shady Gas Price: $2.61
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Crossing The Street

So one of the major street intersection along my walk to work is the corner of Congress and North St. near Faneuil Hall.

There's always a ton of cars moving through that space and there are some walk signals that you can wait to obey or you can take your chances when you know it's safe to cross (through experience).

The intersection also has a strange feature where the all cross walk signal is delayed 3 or 4 seconds after all the red lights for the cars illuminate. I am sure it is a safety feature as many people blow right through the red light.

It gives me an eerie feeling though. Once all the red lights are on and the cars have stopped, I push on through and start to cross. With the delay, you don't know what's going to happen next.

Are the walk signs going to come on...or are all the green lights going to come on!

AHHHH! Fellow pedestrians - It's a trap!

I sometimes wish that the second scenario would happen - just to keep people on their toes...and for that reason only. I don't wish a massive car smash up/multiple death situation.



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Departure Time From Home:
Departure Time From Train Station
Arrival Time at North Station:
Weather as I call it:
Shady Gas Price:
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10):
Feared for my life:

Sweltering

Yeah, it's another hot one. It was in the high 60s when I left the house today. There didn't seem to be any relief today. It's going to be hot until Earl gets here.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:34
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: A little hot
Shady Gas Price: $2.61
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No