Wow

The air was dry and the sun was out. It had that perfect day feel in the morning.

Sleeping in an extra hour helped a little bit. The drivers are a little more aggressive at 7 than they are at 6:30.

You get people riding your bumper...trying to pass you as soon as they can. They tend to have NH plates too.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:55
Departure Time From Train Station 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:07
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 60s
Shady Gas Price: $3.71
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Renting Bikes

I see the kiosks outside North Station that are Hubway bike kiosks. I wonder when they will be filled with bikes.

------------------------------

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, 70s
Shady Gas Price: $3.71
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

More Cloudy Skies

The rain came down last night and knocked out our electricity for 3 hours last night. Once it came back on, I set my alarm...but didn't set the volume. It was really loud when it went off at 6.

I took the later train and was able to hit the Clover Food Lab truck in Government Center for some iced coffee from Burundi.

Man, that was good coffee. Lots of happy people at that food truck too.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:55
Departure Time From Train Station 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:07
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, cool, 60
Shady Gas Price: $3.71
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Trying To Get Out The Door

I had a hard time getting out the door. I had computer problems - I was trying to get something done before I left the house but my PC wasn't helping me out.

I skipped breakfast and decided to buy something... I bought a breakfast sandwich at Subway. Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was curious.

The egg for the sandwich was pre-made. Picture a small omelette in a perfect circle shape. The sandwich artist then heats it up it the big toaster oven along with the bread and cheese.

Well, that's the last time I get that. Plus the coffee was horrible too.

------------------------------

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. Cooler. 60s
Shady Gas Price: $3.71
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Yeah That Was A Sweaty Walk

The sky was hazy white from the heat this morning. It looked like the bleak future they illustrate in the movies.

I got an iced coffee from Flat Black as a reward from surviving my walk from North Station to Post Office Square. It was a soupy hot stroll through the concrete jungle.

If I were driving all the way to work, I bet you I would see more cranky people.

------------------------------

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: Hazy, Hot, Humid.
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: Nope

Heat Wave Day 2

Another hawt one. How 'bout cha?

I thought to myself that I should call my mom because the news man said I should check on the elderly. I don't think she would think that was funny*.

*My mom is not elderly. I guess it's only funny if you know my mom.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:30
Departure Time From Train Station 7:01
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Steamy, 70s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Construction On The Corner Of State and Congress Street

It looks like they are finally cleaning up the construction on the corner of State and Congress streets.

It looks like they are going to fix the sidewalks and finally take away all the jersey barriers that have been in place for years and years.

It would be nice for this intersection to be cleaned up before the end of the summer.

------------------------------

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: Hazy sun, 70s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

That Dude Was Jumping

I don't know if I can describe it but there was a dude jumping near the overhang of the Gov't center parking garage. He had no shirt on and was stomping around on the bricks around the garage.

Then, he took off running towards a wooden box where they store sand in the winter time. He used the box as a ramp to jump high in the air.

After he was done with the jump, he started to walk/stomp away. A turn of his head revealed that he had a mohawk type haircut, but only on the back of his head.

It was a blond hair strip of craziness if I have ever saw one.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:55
Departure Time From Train Station 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:06
Weather as I call it: Sunny - hot
Shady Gas Price: $3.69
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Only 5 Cars Today

There were only 5 cars on the train today so things were a little snug for the ride. The driver was pulling into stations and was trying to force people to enter the train in different entrances.

No quiet car either - I didn't even know we had a quiet car on my train.

I was able to sit in between two nice ladies who didn't take up too much space.

I think I fell asleep a little too.


------------------------------

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: Partly cloudy, 70s
Shady Gas Price: $3.69 - yikes
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Smoking Like He Meant It

There was this guy who was standing outside the main Haymarket T stop entrance and he was smoking a cigarette as if his life depended on it and not as if it was shortening his life.

The guy who usually says "Good Morning" to everyone near Haymarket was not at his post today. I hardly think enthusiastic smoker guy is a worthy alternative to good morning guy.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:55
Departure Time From Train Station 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:06
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cooler, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.63
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

1000 Posts

When I started this blog back in 2005, I didn't really know where it was going to take me. I just wanted to write about something. Since I was driving to work 5 days a week, I thought at least I would have a subject to get my fingers typing.

There was plenty to write about. When the Big Dig tunnel collapsed, I wrote about it and tried to restrain my anger.

I wrote about a strange liquid rolling back and forth on an Orange Line train seat and tried to restrain my vomit.

I wrote about the maple tree seeds that covered my car. I didn't have to restrain anything for that post.

Lately, I haven't been good at writing about all my commutes. Mainly because I am busier in the mornings now, but I am also sorta losing my passion for the blog. My commute isn't all that interesting most days. The people I ride the train with are quiet and appear to want to avoid contact with other passengers at all costs. I sometimes feel that way too. I guess people aren't happy about having to get up early to go to a job they don't particularly like. Maybe I should reach out more.

I will still update when I get a chance or need to report on some amazing thing. I hope there will be many chances in the future.

Besides that, if you are reading this, thanks. I do have a silly passion for observing and recording data. I wrote all this stuff and posted it for my own purposes, but if you're reading this post too...maybe it has more meaning to someone beyond me.

The older I get, the more I realize that all we really have is each other. I don't know why we are here but we are here together. Thanks for being here with me.


------------------------------

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: Sunny, warm, 70s
Shady Gas Price: $3.63 - it's going back up.
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Not today

No Awkward Shaking

After a crappy night of sleeping, I was out the door around the regular time. The drive wasn't bad. I let some aggressive dude in a van merge in front of me on the onramp to Route 3. He was weird at the stop light so I let him go first.

Anyway, the train ran smoothly. The guy who sat next to me fell asleep during the ride but woke up as we pulled into North Station. No awkward shaking was needed.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, really warm, 70s
Shady Gas Price: $3.59
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Chasing Chickens

I was on the train this morning and was looking out the window as we left Wedgemere station (best name for a station...EVAH!) I saw a boy running around his yard...along with multiple hens.

He was chasing chickens which is not something you see every day especially along the train tracks of the Lowell line.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:38
Departure Time From Train Station 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 60s
Shady Gas Price: $3.71
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3 - slow traffic
Feared for my life: No

Watering Grass

Sunny Monday to start off the week after a Father's Day weekend filled with fun family activities.

I got to the train station a little later than usual. I had to water some grass before I left the house. There is this bald patch in the front yard that hasn't grown grass for years. I think I may have solved it with a little love and a lot of watering.


------------------------------

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: Sunny, high 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.75
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Thank Truck Driver

An 18 wheeler forced me to not take the exit to 495N off of Route 3 today. I was misjudged how fast he was coming off the ramp and before I knew it, I couldn't merge over without hitting his trailer. I just kept going south on Route 3 and took the exit for Route 129 to get to the train station.

He did not yield.

------------------------------

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
Shady Gas Price: $3.77
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Working On Science Park

From my vantage point on the inbound train, there is a lot of activity on the Science Park T station. I could see at least eight construction workers moving about on the platform. Some of the structure has been taken down.

It's nice to see progress on the old station. Hopefully commuters don't have to be shuttled from North Station to Lechmere for longer than they have to.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, some rain
Shady Gas Price: $3.77
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Dancing In The Street

There was a homeless guy playing a guitar and another dude was dancing (like nobody was looking) to his music. It was a weird repetitive dance - with repeated bowing and stepping back.

And he kept dancing...


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:35
Departure Time From Train Station 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, cool, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.77
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Thinking About The Weather and Time

It's that time of year again where the sun is out and no jackets are required. Outside it can be hot and humid, but the A/C is cranking in the car and in the train.

I think I would rather be too hot than too cold any day.

I wonder when my driving to work will end?

What would I blog about?

------------------------------

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: Sunny, warm, 60s
Shady Gas Price: $3.83
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Long Holiday

Hey - back from a long holiday. The roads were clear since most people hit the snooze alarm after a long weekend.

I just breezed into work...like it was Sunday.


------------------------------

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 warm high 60s
Shady Gas Price: $3.83
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Flat Noodle Friday

If you don't know about Flat Noodle Friday, you better ask somebody.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:57
Departure Time From Train Station 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:07
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, damp... you know, normal.
Shady Gas Price: $3.89
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: Noooooooooooo!