Hey Guy With A Snow Blower Get Out Of The Way

There was a guy snowblowing his driveway on Lexington Road in Waltham. He decided that it was ok to stand in the right lane of the road with his machine as if the morning commute wasn't in full swing. I swerved to not hit him He motioned to me to say "slow down" very aggressively. There was no joy in his motion. I motioned back to him to "get back in your driveway before you get hurt." He motioned something else to me that I saw in my rearview mirror. The holiday spirit fills us all.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Arrival Time at Work: 7:23
Weather as I call it: Clearing after a snow storm yesterday
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 4
Feared for my life: No

Frost in the Fields

Drove through Billerica on Route 4 this morning. All the old farm land where large houses loom now was filled with frost. Icy sparkles on lawns. White crystals on dead brush in the distance. It gave the everyday look of the commute a beauty not often seen. Tomorrow will be not look the same, to be sure. Enjoy today.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Arrival Time at Work: 7:43
Weather as I call it: Brisk, frosty, 30 degrees F. Clearing skies
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Different Rules Out On Route 4

So a minivan pulls out into traffic. The Honda Accord takes offense and proceeds to pass him slowly across double yellow lines. Once the Accord is in front of the minivan, it slows down. The minivan reacts and flicks its high beams at the Accord. I was right behind this scene and I was hoping it would stop quickly, but intrigued to see if anything would happen. The minivan puts on its blinker to turn right, which I cheer because it takes him out of the conflict with the Accord and I will be rid of him too. As it comes to the street, the minivan pauses and lets the three cars who were waiting to exit that street out onto Route 4. I was a bit annoyed by the kind gesture but it was coming from a minivan who pulled a risky move to pull into traffic. I guess it wanted to punish me too.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:21
Arrival Time at Work: 7:17
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, some fog, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 4
Feared for my life: No

Are You Lost or Unaware

I had to beep my horn twice today. There were a few people who were looking at maps (yeah, the ones that are made of paper and you have to unfold to read them) at red lights that continued to look at maps when the lights turned green. I hate doing that but I hate sitting through a light cycle more. They reacted quick enough to get me through the intersection but man, get a GPS already.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:48
Arrival Time at Work: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.65
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

It's Been A Fun Ride

I am thinking of bringing this blog to a close. It's been a while since I have felt compelled to type up a report of my latest trip. My route is fairly incident free and character free. Outside of reporting on the weather and the gas price, I don't really have much that is worth my commentary. I probably jinxed it. Now it's going to be crazy/awful/fascinating and I will be sucked back into it. I don't think that would be the most horrible thing ever to happen, for sure. So, commute well. Be well. The blog's not dead but it's not alive.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:42
Arrival Time at Work: 7:28
Weather as I call it: Rainy
Shady Gas Price: $3.65
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

You're Driving a Porsche Convertable

Earlier this week, there was a woman driving a black Porsche convertable. I had just voted and I was leaving the school parking lot and somehow I got right behind her as she left the lot as well. She drove sooooooooooo slowly. I started to guess that she didn't own the car. She was acting as if any wrong move would be a catastrophe. She made me miss green lights. She added more time to my drive. She finally turned left and I went straight. I hope she made it to her destination ok.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:50
Arrival Time at Work: 7:35
Weather as I call it: Foggy, cloudy, drizzling
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Drive Like a Cullen

I saw a bumper sticker today that had a message for me. "I Drive Like a Cullen". I unfortunately knew that was a reference to the Twilight series, but I had no idea what it meant. I mean, I could make up something like, "So I guess you drive like a lame vampire?" but I didn't want to give it too much thought. Bumper stickers are silly. I think that today is the last day of school for the kids. I think that means school buses won't be getting in the way until September.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:48
Arrival Time at Work: 7:50
Weather as I call it: Hazy sun 70s
Shady Gas Price: $3.49
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nah

Not On Rainy Fridays

Usually my drive to work on Fridays is a breeze. On rainy Fridays, not so much. Not that the commute was overly annoying or troublesome, it was just slower than normal. I did almost hit a car when changing lanes on the highway. I misjudged how quick the car in front of me was stopping. As I moved to the next lane over to the left, I got a little close to the car's rear bumper. No harm and no foul as they say. No spy guy. I tend not to see him on Fridays anyway since I pass by his bus stop before he's typically out there. On this day, he was probably hiding from the rain.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:42
Arrival Time at Work: 7:38
Weather as I call it: Rainy
Shady Gas Price: $3.47
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No - but I did jolt myself a bit when I realized I almost hit someone.

Hot Weather - Keeps The Leather

Spy guy still rocks the leather jacket in the hot weather.  He doesn't care about 90 degree temperatures. He is wearing the leather.  He doesn't care about high humidity.  He's wearing the leather.

Short week - have a good time everyone.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:47
Arrival Time at Work: 7:33
Weather as I call it: Sunny, hazy, humid, 60s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Spy Games

So somewhere in Waltham, along my commute to work, there is this guy who I see and have been seeing everyday standing on the sidewalk. He is probably waiting for the bus or something, I don't know. He is always wearing a vintage leather jacket, some old shoes, and a grumpy expression. He seems tall - over six feet in height and his hair is starting to gray. He has an Eastern European look to him. He may be a spy from the Cold War. Today we locked eyes for a few moments. I had to look away. I didn't want him reading my mind. Spy stuff, you know. I guess we'll be seeing more of each other.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:48
Arrival Time at Work: 7:53
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

But It Had Rained Last Night

Note to self - the highway will be backed up more if rain has fallen from the sky in the past 12 hours. Yeah, there was some fog but we have had fog earlier this week. I will have to remember to take some back roads to avoid the pile up. Besides that and hitting some red lights, the ride was ok. I am learning when to shift lanes and when to use other routes.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:50
Arrival Time at Work: 8:07
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Yes, had to jam on my brakes at the Rte. 3/Rte. 95 interchange.

Blinkers On

Took the backroads to get on the highway a little further south than usual. I saw an accident or at least the aftermath of an accident. It looked like they were really bummed but what they should have done was gotten out of the intersection not just stayed in the middle of the street with their blinkers on.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:47
Arrival Time at Work: 7:56
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Raccoon Massacre

I left early to drop off something at my cousin's house. There were many dead raccoons by the side of the road. It was intense. What is up with that? Anyway, here is the start of week 2.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:17
Arrival Time at Work: 7:20
Weather as I call it: Foggy, then sunny
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Well Fridays Are Lighter

I had a sense that Fridays would move faster on the road than other days. Today was much better than Monday. Tuesday was the worse. Wednesday was a little better and yesterday was a little better than that. All the weather conditions were the same for each of the days. I did leave at different times but similar enough. Today was great. I wish every day was Friday.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:48
Arrival Time at Work: 7:38
Weather as I call it: Sunny, high 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: No

10 Minutes

I left 10 minutes earlier and it made a world of difference. Traffic was just a bit lighter and my trip didn't take as long as it did on Tuesday. I am getting the feeling that this trip will be frustrating as long as I work there or until the office moves. Beautiful weather we are having.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:50
Arrival Time at Work: 7:53
Weather as I call it: Sunny. 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Getting Better Getting Worse

Well, I voted in the morning and got on the highway earlier than I did yesterday. The volume on the road was higher than yesterday so there was more stop and go than yesterday. It took a few minutes more than yesterday. I think that I am learning the way better but with more cars, there was more time on the road.

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Departure Time From Home:6:50
Arrival Time at Work: 8:12
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 40s again
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Driving to Work Again

All right. Making the blog relevant to its name again. Drove all the way to work thanks to my GPS and rusty driving skills. So far so good. I didn't know how long it would take me to get there but I like the hour long commute. I will take it. More to come. Just gotta keep taking notes and see if I can get the time down more.

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Departure Time From Home: 7:08
Arrival Time at Work: 8:05
Weather as I call it: Sunny, high 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Everything Changes Again Monday

I drove into Alewife and took the red line into Boston today - Alewife to DTX - no big deal. I got a little breakfast as a last reminder that I won't have the same grub in the new work neighborhood. So, the table below is incomplete and the new table get published on Monday. SEE YA!

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Departure Time From Home: 6:00
Departure Time From Train Station: N/A
Arrival Time at North Station: N/A
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.46
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: Nope

Last Day On The Commuter Rail For Now

I took a trip on the commuter rail and it will be the last time I do that for a while. Tomorrow I am going to take the red line from Alewife for reasons that I don't want to share with you but I needed to mention it because it is the reason that today will be the last day I take the commuter rail for a while. I was smiling. Everyone else was looking and feeling and acting as they normally do but me - I was smiling. I was happy. See you next time train. I am sure we'll meet again.

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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, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.46
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: No

Remember The Characters

It's crazy to think that my train rides are not going to happen next week. Not much to report on the commute today. I sat in a two seater and had a nice person sit next to me. No weirdness. I kept to my side - she kept to hers. I have begun to recall all the characters I used to see on this commute. I haven't seen the Greeter all this year. I wish all the characters the best.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, some wind
Shady Gas Price: $3.46
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Three Person Seats

When I take a seat with someone else already sitting in a three person seat, I sit on the opposite side. They sit next to the window, and I sit near the aisle. I keep the space between us. When someone else wants to sit down, I slide over. I don't get up and then take the "aisle seat" again. I see why people do it, but it's a selfish move (they keep the opportunity to be the first one out of the seat when we get to North Station) and it just takes up time. There's a good 10 seconds of getting up and shuffling with the person who wants to sit down while everyone standing in the aisle waits until everyone is seated. Just slide over like I do. Yeah, you'll probably creep out the person who is in the window seat but that's their issue. Boston Strong, baby. Love your neighbor. Get used to sharing some social space.

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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, misty when I got to Boston. 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.46
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Awkward Time

With my last week of this current job just started, there are some things I will not miss on the train. I not miss that awkward moment of figuring out who is going to leave the train first - you or the person across from you. It happened today and I think the person across from me thought I was going to let them go first but I didn't - I went first. I apologize for not reading the social signals. I apologize for moving right behind the person right next to me, who got up before me, and was aggressive. I am sorry. Let's put it this way - I probably won't see you again after this week.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:55
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:11
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool, high 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.46
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Hard Seat

I sat on the commuter rail seat and it was hard. You could tell it was a replacement for an older one but man was it hard. The guy who sat next to me commented on its hardness. "I plopped down thinking it was going to soft," he said. "I should have known since it was new." The weather really is beautiful these days. The sun sparkles on the police officer's machine gun.

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Departure Time From Home: 7:00
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:28
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:06
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool
Shady Gas Price: $3.49
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

The Invisible Eye

I took the much later train and was happy with the stops they passed over. The much later train doesn't stop at every stop. I saw a dude that I work with on this train. He caught up to me and we walked most of the way to the office together. I saw another dude I used to work with on the way. I didn't stop to say hi because he was fiddling with his phone and had his ear buds in. Sometimes I walk this city as an aware ghost. I see people but they don't see me and I don't alert them to my presence. I am not sure if that is a marketable skill or a disorder. I tend to see people before they see me - it's good for avoiding people. I saw the dude I work with on the train before he saw me. I chose not to avoid him. I am the invisible eye. Seeing but not seen.

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Departure Time From Home: 7:30
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:54
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:35
Weather as I call it: Sunny, nice, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.49
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: Nope

Carry On

Well, yesterday was a horrible day for the city that I love - that I believe in - that I feel attached to and probably always will. When staring at the abyss, there are only two things we have. Love and hope. It's the only things we have, really, in any situation. I feel awful for the people who were hurt just because they decided to stand and witness one of the best events this city has to offer. May the answers come quickly. May the healing be even swifter.

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Departure Time From Home: 7:00
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:08
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool
Shady Gas Price: $3.49
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 0
Feared for my life: No

I Don't Know

I took some time off from writing on this blog. I don't know how long I took but it feels like six weeks. The break was fine. There wasn't much that happened in that span of time. We had some snow. I saw a wild turkey outside of 1 Exchange Place in Boston. No really, he was walking in front of the building and there were two security guards following him with walkie talkies in there hands. They kept a close eye on it, watching and walking behind it with walkie talkies in their hands and stern looks on their faces. Soon, I will changing jobs again and I will be driving the whole way. No more train, which I will miss and not miss at the same time. My wallet will not miss the train at all. I hope to be inspired to write more here. But...

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Departure Time From Home: 7:03
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:04
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.49
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Today Show

They were broadcasting the Today Show from Faneuil Hall this morning. As I walked by, I saw the big lights and the cables and the large group of people with signs hoping to get on TV. I avoided it. Maybe I had a sliver of intention to go check out the scene up close, but most of me didn't want any part of it. It's Friday and the price of gas is up. What are you going to do?

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.67
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Slushing Our Way

Not as much ice as yesterday. Less accidents too. I didn't see anyone fall or anyone who was in need of medical assistance. Walking around on the sidewalks is pretty slow. You need to walk single file on most of them. But we all slushed our way to work today.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:27
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: 30s, sunny
Shady Gas Price: $3.62
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Snow Clogging Up Everything

We had a few people fall on the ice today at the train station. One woman fell while climbing the slope to the platform. She was ok. She asked me where she could buy a commuter rail pass. She also almost forgot her keys and her phone on the ice. There was another woman down when I got to the platform. She was in worse condition. People tried to slow the train down so snow wouldn't blow in her face. The train didn't slow down much. Emergency vehicles came to help her out and our train got delayed a bit while they tended to her. The rest of the ride was problem free. Once I got to Boston and tried to walk on the sidewalks, it was a different story. There were lots of sidewalks cleared but you still need to jump over banks to get to them from the streets. It's slow going out there.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:05
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:49
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.64
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 5
Feared for my life: No

Blizzard 0f 2013

They are cancelling MBTA service at 3:30 today so I will need to leave work early. There were only a few cars in the parking lot and not many people on the train. The snow wasn't coming down yet. Pre-blizzard - everything is good. We'll see about the commute home.

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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, 20s, threatening
Shady Gas Price: $3.62
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

But I Did Anyway

A still morning - the quiet before the storm. Pretty cold out there. I started to contemplate not walking to work. But I did anyway. It's been a long week. The temperature outside hasn't helped much. Drive and train ride were good. Let's see what snow we get tomorrow.

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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: Cold, Teens, Sunny though. Clear.
Shady Gas Price: $3.62
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Better Than Smooshed

I guess they cancelled the earlier Lowell train because when we got on, there were a large number of people in the seats. Not much to report on this ride. I got in a 3 seater and was the guy in the middle on the train. It was better than being smooshed in a two seater.

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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: Cold, sunny, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.62
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Good Morning To You

The car took a long time to warm up, it seemed. When I really thought about it, it wasn't really any longer than normal. It was just that I was impatient this morning. Standing at the train platform, I was grateful there wasn't much wind to deal with. The train ride was a little busier than normal. They cancelled the train before ours and so there were a larger than typical number of people who got on from Woburn through to W. Medford. Good walk where I was able to catch the walk sign consistently. Huzzah!

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32 AM
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59 AM
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41 AM
Weather as I call it: 20s but not windy, cloudy.
Shady Gas Price: $3.62
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Wedged In At Wedgemere

The conductors were short staffed this morning so that means we have to enter from either the front or the rear of the train. Since I usually get on in the middle, I have to choose. Most times I choose the rear and today was no exception. I was the first one from my middle train group to get on the train. Once I got on, I walked back down the aisle to sit in the car I usually sit in. There was a guy who was taking his time to sit down and I made a little more contact getting by him than I should have if I was being overly polite. I wasn't. I wanted to sit down as soon as I could. I sat down in a small two seater and received a companion at Wedgemere. I was smooshed in my seat for the rest of the ride. Comfortable!

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Cold, windy, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.62
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Where's The Greeter Outside Haymarket Station

There was a man without a home who would greet everyone who would walk by with a "Have a nice day." or a "Have a lovely day." The ladies were always wished a lovely day. I haven't seen him for a while now. I don't think I have seen him at all this week. Is he ok? Has he moved to a new corner? Is he greeting people walking by on a corner in the sky? If anybody knows, let me know.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:0
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Mostly sunny, 20s, windy
Shady Gas Price: $3.56
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Need A Bigger Broom

As you probably know, it was pretty windy and rainy in the morning. The temperatures were up but the rest of the weather was pretty wild. It wasn't raining all that much when I was getting to work. By the time I got to Boston, the sky was clearing up and the wind had died down. The outside of North Station looked disastrous. There was a guy sweeping up with his broom and dustpan on a stick. I thought to myself that he was going to need a larger broom. Back to colder weather tomorrow. Will your immune system handle the change?

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Departure Time From Home: 6:30
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Rainy, windy, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.49
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Surprisingly no

Foggy But Icy

Fog in the air but black ice on the ground. The parking lot at the train station was slippery. My car was fine but walking was a little dicey. You could swivel on your feet while standing on the platform. You could do the Twist...like you did last summer... Is that what the kids are doing this year? Anyway - train ride, walk good. Bring on the warm temps. Please bring down the gas prices.

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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: Foggy but icy
Shady Gas Price: <$3.47
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope - walking wasn't scary at all.

Roll Through A Stop Sign

There was a little bit of snow that fell during the overnight hours. I thought we were safe when we cleared it at 8PM last night. Thankfully, the layer was less than an inch thick and it was easy to remove from the important parts of the car like the windshield. Driving was good on the main streets. I think a police officer let me roll through a stop sign, which was nice. The parking lot was clear. I got on the train and there was no issues on the rise. Bring on the warmer weather to melt this snow.

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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: Cloudy, maybe a little mist, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.44
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

Still Colder Than Comfortable

So the gas price went up a nickel. What's up with that? Now, some of the nicer gas stations have lower prices. Still colder than what I think is comfortable. It's supposed to snow later on today so I turned my wipers up and out. Nobody else did. I don't care. The train ride was backwards. I was seated backwards at least.

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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: Cold, mostly cloudy
Shady Gas Price: $3.44
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

It Could Have Been Colder

...and we all know that. I have felt colder days... Maybe I haven't, but today was not as brutal as I expected it to be. Yeah, it was cold on the walk, but I went fast and cars were sympathetic to our pedestrian plight. My fingers got numb in my gloves. I should have put them in my pockets. Tomorrow should be warmer, right?

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Departure Time From Home: 6:30
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Cold, but it could have been colder
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

10 degrees

Boston in the wintertime - sometimes it's cold...and sometimes it's really cold. I drove into Boston and parked in the Seaport district. I have felt colder but walking across the channel today was a challenge. To break up the trek, I stopped at the Dunk to get a black coffee and to regain my sense of touch in my face. Commute well, my hardy Bostonians.

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Departure Time From Home: 5:45
Departure Time From Train Station: N/A
Arrival Time at North Station: N/A
Weather as I call it: Cold.
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 4
Feared for my life: Nope

Get Tough

So much for all the snow we were supposed to get. We got a dusting which I pushed around before I left for the day. It was cold though. The crews were out salting the sidewalks at the train station. The train was running well even with all the people coming back to work. Walking was not as bad. The wind was whipping but maybe I have gotten tougher.

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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, windy, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

No Companion

I guess more people take MLK day off or maybe people weren't in a rush to get back to work after the Patriots' loss last night. The train parking lot was empty this morning. I think there was only between 10 and 20 cars there. Usually, there is 150+ when I get there. The train was pretty empty too. I opted to get on near the front, which I never do. I sat without a companion in my two person seat for the whole ride. Have a great holiday to those who aren't riding along. I guess I will see you tomorrow.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:38
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:39
Weather as I call it: Cold, cloudy, breezy, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: No

Frigid Boston

Well it was cold today. The wind was blowing just enough to keep your warmth away. I got up and out early because I needed to get money from the ATM for parking. Other than having to ride backwards, the train was good. The streets of Boston were frigid. It wasn't fun walking to work. Have a great weekend all.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:08
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Cold, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope

The Small Part of Route 495

The aftermath of all the snow is icy roads. As I left the house, the TV told me there was traffic on Rte. 495 and again they were lying. At least on the small part of 495 that I use, there was no traffic. I got to the station with plenty of time to spare. The train came a little early and arrived a little early. Not bad. If there wasn't ice on my windshield and windows, I would have given this commute a 1 on the annoyance scale...but it felt more like a 2.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:34
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:58
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:39
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cold, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Snow Fell At Quite A Clip

I was up at 2 AM and there was no snow. When my alarm went off at 5 AM, it was snowing and it was coming down quickly. The the robocall came in - no school. I shoveled but it was futile. The snow was coming down at quite a clip. Once I was done, it was covered again. I left the house a little later than I wanted to leave and it made me miss the 6:26 train. I waited around for the next one...which is the one I usually take. It came on time. Boston was a winter wonderland...at least twitter and instagram told me it was.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:08
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Snow
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 4
Feared for my life: Tires slipped a little bit

Forgot To Take My Vitamin Pill

I got out of the house late today. I didn't go for a run on the treadmill. I just kept setting my alarm for later and later. I wish I felt like I got more sleep or something but I didn't. I made some eggs, cleaned up, and got out of the house. I forgot to take my multivitamin so that's a great feat of the day. Gasoline was needed in my tank so I stopped off at the ol' shady gas station and was happy to see that the price of a gallon dropped two cents. I arrived at the station with time to spare but barely. I walked across the track as the warning signal was sounding off that the train was pulling into the station.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, 30s, not breezy
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Breezy Balminess

All the snow on my front lawn has melted. Most of the snow around my commute is gone too. I can't say I miss it. It was warm morning but the breeze was strong at the train station. I don't think I quite enjoyed the balminess with all that wind. The wind was gone once I got to Boston. I put in the old earbuds and tried to walk to the office before my playlist ended. I succeed - a little sweaty, but I made it.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:34
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Cloudy but balmy
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Riding Rather Than Driving

Friday is a barren day on the road for the most part. Not sure if that is always the case. I think once the universities come back into session, then the roads will be clogged up again. The train ride was good. I read my phone. I listened to music. I closed my eyes. It was wonderful. I like riding to work rather than driving.

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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, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

It's Different

The train car today had most of the seats turned backwards. They were all two person seats too. I have seen this car before. It's different. I saw puke on Friend St. It was frozen. I will take the mild weather even though I worry about what that means as an indicator of how we have messed up the earth. See you tomorrow.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:38
Departure Time From Train Station: 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Let It Slide

Got out of bed and there were a few things I had to get done around the house if you can believe it. I took my time and left the house later than usual. I had a coupon for a free blonde roast at Starbucks. It was delicious and free.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:45
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:06
Weather as I call it: Sorta sunny. 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Chemically Produced Yellow Snow

Everything was back to the typical times today. There was a chill in the air...the breeze didn't help. I hear it's supposed to be warmer this afternoon. I have wanted to report this scene for a while now but today is a good time as any. There is a bunch of yellow snow on the sidewalks along Congress St. They looked to be chemically produced, probably from some de-icer. I would think they would use a different color. Blue works. Yellow - not so much.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Cold, breezy, 20s
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

2013 Doctor's Appointment

I had a doctor's appointment today. I was happy to see my official weigh in was 29 pounds lighter than it was when I was weighed in September 2009. Yay me. Taking the 9:23 train is quiet and if I could do it everyday I would. Imagine how much sleep I would get every night. The number of seats open is awesome too. First full week of the year. Bring it On.

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Departure Time From Home: 7:34
Departure Time From Train Station: 9:23
Arrival Time at North Station: 10:06
Weather as I call it: Sunny, high 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: No

Cold Kills Trains

Below zero weather kills trains. It just does. The train was late and on the other side of the tracks when it pulled into the station. The usual train that was supposed to leave Lowell couldn't move so we were riding a different one..probably one that had left Boston and arrived in Lowell just minutes earlier. With that, we were able to get to Boston at a reasonable time. Kudos. Here's to some slightly warmer weather.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:34
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:07
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:47
Weather as I call it: Cold but not as cold as yesterday
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3 because of the cold
Feared for my life: No

Late Train Was An Early Train

I left the house early to fill up the tank and found prices went up at the pump albeit 2 cents more per gallon. I thought gas was getting less expensive? I don't know. I think there's some real weirdness with the price of gas lately. I got to the train station and waited in my car to stay out of the cold. I was surprised to see a train pull into the station about 8 minutes early. Not really understanding what was going on, I made a run for it so I wouldn't have to wait for another one. It seems the train scheduled before my normal one was late and it pulled into the station around the time of my regularly scheduled train. Phew. I got to Boston around the same time and battled the cold again. The wind was a little stronger today but I have been in colder situations.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:28
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:43
Weather as I call it: Cold, partly sunny.
Shady Gas Price: $3.41
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Nope

Back For The Thirteen

Time to make the doughnuts indeed. I broke a 20 at the gas station to get change for parking. 4 singles, yo. The train station now has a rinky dink coffee shop in it. Nice. Small coffee is just $1.25. Boston still had remnants of a New Year's Eve celebration. Police barricades were sitting on street corners and a broken party hat was seen on the sidewalk. No guys asking for change today. It was too cold to panhandle. I'm back.

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Departure Time From Home: 6:26
Departure Time From Train Station: 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:44
Weather as I call it: Cold, Sunny, 15°F
Shady Gas Price: $3.39
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Nope