Sip in Boston

I was a little slow out of the gate this morning. I had a outing last night and well, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. No matter - I was good to go once I did get going. I grabbed a breakfast sandwich at Sip in Post Office Square. That hit the spot and got me ready for the day. Anyway - have a good weekend, ev'rybod. Let's do this all again on Monday...but with an April attitude.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cold, high 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.73
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10):2
Feared for my life: Nope

Now There Are Two Mommies

My ride has had one mom that brings her two kids on the train... My current commute has gone on for so long that I remember when she was lugging just one kid in a stroller. Now it two and I feel for her. Now there is another mom...and she gets on the train at the same stop as the original mommy. She has her stroller, but she doesn't get the prime spot. I feel for her too.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, windy, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.73
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nah

Hey Let's Stop

The train ride was riddled with a few weird stops. Not stops where people got on and/or off, just halts along the way. It delayed our arrival by a couple of minutes. During one of the stops, a train on the other tracks rode by and blew its horn. The force of the train passing by along with the horn blast made for an alarming experience.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:34
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cold, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.73
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Nah

Yay Monday

Ah Mondays. Gray Mondays. They really get you into the spirit of getting back to work.

Thankfully, everything went smoothly. The drive was good. I was able to avoid a long wait at the traffic light by using the right lane (which no one else was using) and merging over when the light turned green.

The train was on time and the walk was pleasant. I think I may need to go a different direction out of North Station. My way seems slower.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:34
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, low 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.73
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Don't Eff With Snacks

There is a work of art AKA graffiti that is painted on a wall along the train tracks.

It looks like a standard "Hello my name is" sticker that one would wear at an event.

Instead of having that greeting at the top of it, the work proclaims "Don't F-word with" and in the space where your name would go it has the word: Snacks

Believe me, I love snacks. I think most people do. We do not want to mess with snacks in any way.

Snacks, we have your back.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:35
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, mild, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.73 BOOOO!
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Plucked It Right Out Of His Ear

There was a couple in the seat in front of me and I think they were fighting. They were having a loud discussion - a loud whisper discussion where the tone was aggressive but the words were said in the way so that only the intended receiver could hear them.

They settled down after a while and sat in silent. The man was listening to something as he had earbuds in his ears.

As a parting shot, she pulled one out of his ear, said something to him, and then stuck the earbud back where she found it.

I was happy I wasn't that guy this morning.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 50s. I didn't wear a coat today.
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Exact Change Wednesday

I saw some fog today. I guess that is the product of warm days and cool nights. There were little wispy trails of it stretched across the train tracks.

As the train raced through them, they violently dissipated to the left and right.

The train car was full today with people jammed into the seats and standing up. The conductor flirted with the young ladies...getting them to smile and telling them about exact change Wednesday. He has done this routine in the past. He has been quiet all week but today he was on a roll.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, mild, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

He's A Regular Fixture

After this weekend with all the warm weather and stuff, it was hard to get back at it this morning. Everything went fine. I tried to get a little sleep on the train ride.

I think the guy who was yelling about Transformers or transformers last week is a newspaper hawker. He's a regular fixture.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Warm, sunny, high 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Come Back in One Piece

Good week people. No delays on the way to work. Coming home was a different story but I can't write about that due to contractual obligations.

Now everyone should have a good weekend. The weather is supposed to be nice and the first of the spring holidays is happening on Saturday.

Let's all come back in one piece.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

No Smoke Or Fire

Beware the Ides of March. I will tell you this... I didn't have anything to be wary of this morning.

Everything went fine. There were no fires or smoke or anything wrong with times or anything.

Hopefully the warm weather will come back as they have been predicting.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, chilly, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Transformers Are Here

So the most important thing I witnessed on my commute to work was a conversation that happened right outside North Station.

Here's the scene:

Newspaper Guy: (talking to trash can) Hey!

Newspaper Guy: (turns towards car) Shut UP!

Newspaper Guy: (yells at Old Guy) Hey! The Transformers are here! They are here from outer space and they're here to take over the...
Old Guy: (cutting Newspaper Guy off) Great!


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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

More Awake

Well it was warm this morning but it was also rainy. I took the T instead of walking to the office because the rain was coming down just enough to be annoying.

Other than that, the commute was fine. I felt more awake this morning than I did yesterday. One little hour of my life shouldn't affect me so much. I need to figure it out.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Warm, cloudy, then rainy.
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Every Year It's The Same Thing

I abhor the losing of sleep at daylight saving time. The Monday after the Sunday is always hard for me. I am a wimp, clearly...

I need to prepare better. You'd think I would have learned by now.

Every year it's the same thing. I am a zombie. I can't keep my eyes open.

I slept on the train as much as I could. It didn't help much. I needed to sleep for another 36 hours or so.

That last statement may have been an exaggeration.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, high 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 4
Feared for my life: No

The end of another week. It felt like Friday would never come. The snow has all melted but the cool air was back.

Some empty seats on the train. I rode the whole way without sharing my seat.

Have a great weekend. I will see you on the roads and tracks on Monday.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

It's Not Spring Yet Peeps

Everybody else didn't bring a coat today but I did. I felt like a fool.

It's supposed to get into the high 60s today. Sweet!

But I am still wearing my winter coat. Unzipped, but still wearing it.

It's not spring yet, peeps.

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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: Sunny, warm, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Workout Wednesday

It's Wednesday morning and I got my coffee from Boston Brewin'. Such a good place. If you work in Downtown Boston, go to their little shop on Bromfield St.

Good staff and the owner does situps and pushups on Wednesdays. He calls them Workout Wednesdays and you can get a small coffee if you exercise with him.


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Departure Time From Home: 6:31
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, a little warmer, high 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Heartwarming Scene of Road Rage

I went to vote and took a later train. On my walk to work, I saw a great scene of love and compassion between two drivers.

Near the corner of State and Congress in Boston, there was a guy pulled over to the side of the road. He was dropping someone off.

Behind him, there was a woman in a car. Since the road is two lanes and there really isn't any room to pull over, she was stuck.

She couldn't get into the left lane because there were too many cars in it. So she started to honk her horn at the guy. She blasted at him three or four times to get her message across.

When the woman, who the guy was dropping off, finally exited the car, the woman stopped beeping her horn. Then, traffic eased up and she pulled around him.

As she passed him, the guy gave her some arm/hand gesture. His right fist was shaking at her. The other fist was planted and crossed his right arm at the bicep.

A real angry gesture...not a middle finger...but I am guessing a similar message.

Once she passed him, he stepped on the gas and chased her to the next red light where he proceeded to honk his horn at her in retaliation.

It was a heartwarming scene.



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Departure Time From Home: 6:45
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:04
Weather as I call it: Cold, sunny, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Nice Nap

Yeah, I took a nice nap between Wilmington and Somerville. Don't worry, I was on the train. Man, it felt good. The weekend went by quickly and I had an 8 o'clock meeting.

After a little nappy poo, I was feeling better.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:31
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Some sun, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.65
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nah

Snow Slowing Down People

The train was pretty empty today to start off. I think the towns that got hit with snow had a hard time digging out this morning, I guess.

Roads were fine but the chore of shoveling out the front stairs and/or the vehicles must have slowed people down.

Same crowds from Winchester and the other stops closer to Boston.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:31
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, cold, a little wind. Snow on the ground
Shady Gas Price: $3.63
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Character Study

So there's this guy who I have seen most mornings on my way to work for the last two years.

He lives down the street from the station. His wife drives him to the station...he could walk I guess, but she probably drives to her own place of employment and drops him off. They sit in their vehicle and idle until the train pulls into the station.

That's when this guy get out and then plows through to the front of the crowd to get on the train as quickly as possible.

He makes chatter with the conductor. He also likes to sing little tunes to himself as he makes his way to his seat.

He's a character and he makes the commute interesting.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:35
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Snow, then rain in Boston.
Shady Gas Price: $3.63
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No