Things have been ramping up at work for me lately and I'm beginning to get a number of new tasks assigned to me so my idle time has been effectively diminishing. That being said this blog may very well be headed down the path of my previous attempts at a significantly updated blog.
Today while riding the J Church into work I noticed a man with grotesquely long fingernails. While this isn't' the first time I've seen a dude with long nails, I did find myself thinking about what this may or may not indicate about this man's character. The only reason I could think that anyone would need to have such long nails would be to play classical guitar or some other type of instrument. I can't think of any other utility for such a thing. My younger brother used to grow his finger nails out to an oddly long length. Now I always had a hunch that it was just a matter of laziness in his case, although he did begin carrying around Kalimbas (aka those little African hand piano things) to play quite frequently which I imagine the nails assisted in the flicking of the rigid metal tines. I did however always think that the Kalimba playing was a convenient excuse for him to not trim his claws. I don't know if this is something that he still does, but either way I've come to terms with it. This grown man, on the other hand, did not appear to be a musician as he was not carrying anything with him and his hands otherwise looked like the well-worn hands of a hard-working construction agent. This was another odd observation as none of his nails appeared to be broken or cracked, yet they were not neatly manicured as those of the classical guitar teacher that I had during my stint as a college music student. The only other thing I could have chalked this up to was that it was some cultural phenomenon that I am completely unfamiliar with. We'll never know.
Another thing that I've noticed riding MUNI is that people tend to appear much more attractive in the reflections of the windows than they do looking at them straight on. I've been quite surprised by the enhancing abilities of glass.
That's all for now, there's work to be done.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Thunder Canyon
Welp, it's been a little while since I've updated so let's see what comes out today.
As for the SF Sketchfest Conan O'Brien tribute that was slated to pop off this past Sunday was canceled/postponed indefinitely much to my dismay. I was really looking forward this event especially due to the extremely relevant timing. I suppose the madness of contract negotiations proved to be overwhelming for TV's favorite ginger. At least it seems as if this debacle is nearing an end, which could prove to be for the best for Conan. Let's move on...
Early this morning I was awoken by a rare occurrence in SF, thunder.
I've always enjoyed a nice concussive thunderstorm so I was pleasantly surprised when I was nudged from my slumber by the clamor. I laid half asleep in bed listening to the thunder bounce and echo off the buildings of the city. It's a much different sound than those that I'm used to in the Midwest. There the individual claps seem to be much more forceful. But here in San Francisco the densely packed buildings have a way of amplifying and prolonging the sound, and make the entire city rumble. I drifted back into sleep, only to be roused several moments later by a passing couple of crack heads in a heated argument about who knows what. I only stayed awake long enough to ensure that they didn't linger around my windows and doorstep for so long as to warrant a little motivation to keep it moving.
The thunder returned briefly this afternoon while at work. And if one can trust the weather forecasts there may be more to come later this evening!
On another note I've managed to stay mostly smoke-free for the last week with the exception of a fair amount of cigarettes on Friday evening. When I've quit in the past for extended periods of time I've found keeping a vigorous routine of daily excercise to be the crux that leads to success. So I renewed my membership to 24 Hour Fitness at the beginning of the month and made my lackluster return (two weeks later) this past weekend. The difficult part now is trying to figure out where to place it in my daily regimen. I dislike crowded gyms to the point where I will avoid going altogether so this is proving to be a difficult task. I'm going to test the waters after work today to see if I'll be able to fit it in then, but if I recollect accurately this is one of the busiest times of the day to attempt a trip to the gym. Ideally I'd like to go on my lunch break, but I don't know if I've been at my job long enough to be able to fenagle it.
Finally my current obsession is the Massachusetts senatorial race that is playing out as I type this. Currently it's not boding well, but with some luck maybe we'll all be able to breathe a sigh of relief at a close call and make sure that this scenario does not occur again.
As for the SF Sketchfest Conan O'Brien tribute that was slated to pop off this past Sunday was canceled/postponed indefinitely much to my dismay. I was really looking forward this event especially due to the extremely relevant timing. I suppose the madness of contract negotiations proved to be overwhelming for TV's favorite ginger. At least it seems as if this debacle is nearing an end, which could prove to be for the best for Conan. Let's move on...
Early this morning I was awoken by a rare occurrence in SF, thunder.
I've always enjoyed a nice concussive thunderstorm so I was pleasantly surprised when I was nudged from my slumber by the clamor. I laid half asleep in bed listening to the thunder bounce and echo off the buildings of the city. It's a much different sound than those that I'm used to in the Midwest. There the individual claps seem to be much more forceful. But here in San Francisco the densely packed buildings have a way of amplifying and prolonging the sound, and make the entire city rumble. I drifted back into sleep, only to be roused several moments later by a passing couple of crack heads in a heated argument about who knows what. I only stayed awake long enough to ensure that they didn't linger around my windows and doorstep for so long as to warrant a little motivation to keep it moving.
The thunder returned briefly this afternoon while at work. And if one can trust the weather forecasts there may be more to come later this evening!
On another note I've managed to stay mostly smoke-free for the last week with the exception of a fair amount of cigarettes on Friday evening. When I've quit in the past for extended periods of time I've found keeping a vigorous routine of daily excercise to be the crux that leads to success. So I renewed my membership to 24 Hour Fitness at the beginning of the month and made my lackluster return (two weeks later) this past weekend. The difficult part now is trying to figure out where to place it in my daily regimen. I dislike crowded gyms to the point where I will avoid going altogether so this is proving to be a difficult task. I'm going to test the waters after work today to see if I'll be able to fit it in then, but if I recollect accurately this is one of the busiest times of the day to attempt a trip to the gym. Ideally I'd like to go on my lunch break, but I don't know if I've been at my job long enough to be able to fenagle it.
Finally my current obsession is the Massachusetts senatorial race that is playing out as I type this. Currently it's not boding well, but with some luck maybe we'll all be able to breathe a sigh of relief at a close call and make sure that this scenario does not occur again.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Another day, another dollar...
The last couple of days have been pretty crammed pack with all sorts of local, national, and internationally newsworthy happenings.
Obviously the Haiti earthquake is overwhelmingly devastating. It seems Haitians get shit on on a regular basis. If it's not some sort of natural disaster, it's another coup. These people can't catch a break. At least there seems to have been a significant outpouring of funds heading in that general direction, and hopefully it continues for sometime.
Today was Day 3 of the Prop 8 trials in SF. As stated below I've been following @FedCourtJunkie's twitter stream. Today has been much more compelling (many more direct quotes and detailed info on the proceedings) than yesterday's tweets. I will admit though, that with at times it's difficult to tell whether the Plaintiff or Defendant side is doing the directing of questions as the twitter stream doesn't always distinguish which character is speaking for which side. Most of the time it is apparent though who's witnesses are who's. I might add that those for the repeal of Prop 8 have clear, concise, and well backed testimony while it's still unclear how the pro-Prop8ers are going to try and establish that allowing gay marriage will destroy the institution. At times it seems the pro-8ers are doing more damage to their cause than good. Check out @FedCourtJunkie's twitter stream or the Prop8Trial Tracker for more detailed information than I could ever hope to provide.
*On a side note it looks as if the Youtube streaming of the trial has been blocked indefinitely.*
There steps have been made to make legal the possession of marijuana for recreational use in CA with the instituting of a $50 per ounce tax (Tom Ammiano sponsered Assembly Bill 390). So far it has passed the preliminary stages of being approved by the California Assembly's Public Safety Committee, but it's unclear as to if it will get any farther.
While I would have been much more excited about this while I was in high school, I'm still going to mark it up as a success. Personally I don't really partake all that often anymore, but it would be nice to be able to go to my local bodega and legally purchase 1/4 oz. and enjoy myself a little walkabout from time to time.
Toll increases on the Bay Bridge look to be inevitable at this point.
I am sooooo happy I no longer have to make the dreaded daily commute to the East Bay.
And on another sad note, Jay Reatard was found dead before dawn this morning. He apparently died in his sleep at the young age of 29.
Items like these always make me a tad uneasy at the thought of shuffling off this mortal coil.
Finally on the Cocogate front, there appears to be no new information at this point today. Which is probably a good thing considering the real news that's going on right now. The last thing we need is something that isn't all that important distracting us from the ongoing tragedy in Haiti.
Obviously the Haiti earthquake is overwhelmingly devastating. It seems Haitians get shit on on a regular basis. If it's not some sort of natural disaster, it's another coup. These people can't catch a break. At least there seems to have been a significant outpouring of funds heading in that general direction, and hopefully it continues for sometime.
Today was Day 3 of the Prop 8 trials in SF. As stated below I've been following @FedCourtJunkie's twitter stream. Today has been much more compelling (many more direct quotes and detailed info on the proceedings) than yesterday's tweets. I will admit though, that with at times it's difficult to tell whether the Plaintiff or Defendant side is doing the directing of questions as the twitter stream doesn't always distinguish which character is speaking for which side. Most of the time it is apparent though who's witnesses are who's. I might add that those for the repeal of Prop 8 have clear, concise, and well backed testimony while it's still unclear how the pro-Prop8ers are going to try and establish that allowing gay marriage will destroy the institution. At times it seems the pro-8ers are doing more damage to their cause than good. Check out @FedCourtJunkie's twitter stream or the Prop8Trial Tracker for more detailed information than I could ever hope to provide.
*On a side note it looks as if the Youtube streaming of the trial has been blocked indefinitely.*
There steps have been made to make legal the possession of marijuana for recreational use in CA with the instituting of a $50 per ounce tax (Tom Ammiano sponsered Assembly Bill 390). So far it has passed the preliminary stages of being approved by the California Assembly's Public Safety Committee, but it's unclear as to if it will get any farther.
While I would have been much more excited about this while I was in high school, I'm still going to mark it up as a success. Personally I don't really partake all that often anymore, but it would be nice to be able to go to my local bodega and legally purchase 1/4 oz. and enjoy myself a little walkabout from time to time.
Toll increases on the Bay Bridge look to be inevitable at this point.
I am sooooo happy I no longer have to make the dreaded daily commute to the East Bay.
And on another sad note, Jay Reatard was found dead before dawn this morning. He apparently died in his sleep at the young age of 29.
Items like these always make me a tad uneasy at the thought of shuffling off this mortal coil.
Finally on the Cocogate front, there appears to be no new information at this point today. Which is probably a good thing considering the real news that's going on right now. The last thing we need is something that isn't all that important distracting us from the ongoing tragedy in Haiti.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
No $$, No Honey
I really shouldn't have, but I just bought a couple of the priciest tickets (and they're not even spectacular seats) to see the SF Sketchfest Tribute to Conan O'Brien this coming Sunday January 17th. It sounded appealing when I first heard about it a couple of weeks ago. Now with Conan's press release earlier this afternoon about the NBC late night shake up disaster it seems even more relevant than before.
Oh well, I'm not going to dwell on my impulse purchase for too long. There I'm over it.
There were a few other events during the three weeks of Sketchfest that I was interested in checking out. One that really piqued my interest was Comedy Death Ray at Cobb's this Friday. Originally it looked as if Michael Cera would be featured alongside Michael Ian Black, Doug Benson, Dana Gould, and others. But as of a few moments ago I can no longer find mention of Michael Cera on the Sketchfest website, did he back out? It was also previously sold out, but there appears to be some tickets available for this event again.
Reno 911 was also on my list. Unless I happen across some below cost or free tickets I'll only be attending the Coco Show.
Oh well, I'm not going to dwell on my impulse purchase for too long. There I'm over it.
There were a few other events during the three weeks of Sketchfest that I was interested in checking out. One that really piqued my interest was Comedy Death Ray at Cobb's this Friday. Originally it looked as if Michael Cera would be featured alongside Michael Ian Black, Doug Benson, Dana Gould, and others. But as of a few moments ago I can no longer find mention of Michael Cera on the Sketchfest website, did he back out? It was also previously sold out, but there appears to be some tickets available for this event again.
Reno 911 was also on my list. Unless I happen across some below cost or free tickets I'll only be attending the Coco Show.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Miscellaneous Items On My Mind
Just a few short items for today.
1. I've been following @FedCourtJunkie's twitter stream of the Prop8 Trial which kicked off today. It's looking like it will prove to be a provocative trial and hopefully with any luck this horribly bigoted amendment will be overturned.
2. I went and saw Daybreakers last night at the Metreon. The sheer magnitude of just one screening room astonishes me every time. The screen and sound system are almost overwhelming (especially if slightly enebriated). The crowd at times is my least favorite part. People almost always feel the need to over-exaggerate their reactions with inappropriately timed howls or scoffs. I'm sure I don't have to go into further explanation as everyone has experienced this phenomena. All in all this is my preferred theater for blockbuster and heavy-on-the-action movies hands down.
And Daybreakers, while rather ridiculous, wasn't that bad.
3. We hopped on the K Ingleside to get back home after the movie and as we were boarding I noticed that the interior of one of the windows was dripping with some sort of liquid. Next I noticed a particularly homely looking woman sitting alone in the three seats in front of that window with sopping wet hair trying to absorb the liquid explosion by lightly and randomly dabbing at clothing with a mangled tissue. Upon entering the car a fine waft of malt liquor assaulted nasal passages and it became clear that this woman had just recently been the source of the smell and the subsequent mess. She was clearly dick-million sheets to the wind at that point and everyone on the train gave her a wide berth leaving all of the surrounding seats vacant opting to stand instead. Luckily the lady chose not to interact with anyone and promptly got off at the next stop. You could see the relief on everyone's face, and people kindly advised the new riders not to sit in the seats where she had been sitting, although not everyone got the message before it was too late.
In the future I hope to provide photographic or video evidence of similar experiences.
4. I have been absolutely obsessed with the NBC/Leno/O'Brien madness that has been going on. And after reading multiple articles on the matter I think we can all agree that Conan is getting the shaft. On the other hand these articles have brought to light a few positive things that may come from this mess:
1. I've been following @FedCourtJunkie's twitter stream of the Prop8 Trial which kicked off today. It's looking like it will prove to be a provocative trial and hopefully with any luck this horribly bigoted amendment will be overturned.
2. I went and saw Daybreakers last night at the Metreon. The sheer magnitude of just one screening room astonishes me every time. The screen and sound system are almost overwhelming (especially if slightly enebriated). The crowd at times is my least favorite part. People almost always feel the need to over-exaggerate their reactions with inappropriately timed howls or scoffs. I'm sure I don't have to go into further explanation as everyone has experienced this phenomena. All in all this is my preferred theater for blockbuster and heavy-on-the-action movies hands down.
And Daybreakers, while rather ridiculous, wasn't that bad.
3. We hopped on the K Ingleside to get back home after the movie and as we were boarding I noticed that the interior of one of the windows was dripping with some sort of liquid. Next I noticed a particularly homely looking woman sitting alone in the three seats in front of that window with sopping wet hair trying to absorb the liquid explosion by lightly and randomly dabbing at clothing with a mangled tissue. Upon entering the car a fine waft of malt liquor assaulted nasal passages and it became clear that this woman had just recently been the source of the smell and the subsequent mess. She was clearly dick-million sheets to the wind at that point and everyone on the train gave her a wide berth leaving all of the surrounding seats vacant opting to stand instead. Luckily the lady chose not to interact with anyone and promptly got off at the next stop. You could see the relief on everyone's face, and people kindly advised the new riders not to sit in the seats where she had been sitting, although not everyone got the message before it was too late.
In the future I hope to provide photographic or video evidence of similar experiences.
4. I have been absolutely obsessed with the NBC/Leno/O'Brien madness that has been going on. And after reading multiple articles on the matter I think we can all agree that Conan is getting the shaft. On the other hand these articles have brought to light a few positive things that may come from this mess:
- If all goes well Carson Daly may no longer be broadcast into the homes of Americans
- Conan may get an opportunity to bigger and better things on another network. And if you ask me, I think the late night talk show format has been stale for some time now anyhow.
- Finally there may be a new show in the works to fill the gap that Leno's failed prime time slot will be leaving. This show may be featuring the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Charles Barkley, Tina Fey, and others attempting to solve the problems of couples in deteriorating marriages. This sounds potentially golden to me!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
We Can All Agree Craigslist Is Stupendous
As I'm sure everyone already knows Craigslist if effing fantastic!!!
For as much BS as there is on that site, as long as you understand how to sift through it you will always come out on top.
This weekend I will be picking up a FREE portable dishwasher for my apartment from a fellow who no longer wants it taking up space in his living room. This ultimately solves one of my most hated semi-weekly tasks, washing dishes.
Other things I can attribute to craigslist are as follows:
Anyway, I'm sure I don't have to convince you of the richness of Craigslist. I just felt the need to exhult my numerous beneficial experiences using the site. And sure I could gripe about the scams, and countless hours searching for a job that never resulted in even a formed response amongst other (most likely common) complaints but I choose not to as Craigslist has been much more of a benefactor to me than protractor.
So I salute you Craigslist and wish you yet another thriving decade!
For as much BS as there is on that site, as long as you understand how to sift through it you will always come out on top.
This weekend I will be picking up a FREE portable dishwasher for my apartment from a fellow who no longer wants it taking up space in his living room. This ultimately solves one of my most hated semi-weekly tasks, washing dishes.
Other things I can attribute to craigslist are as follows:
- My excellently priced apartment in the Lower Haight
- My ridiculously cushy new job
- Endless entertainment from scouring Missed Connections in spare time
- My Free bed frame
- Extra $$ in a series of financially tight moments from selling miscellaneous possessions
Anyway, I'm sure I don't have to convince you of the richness of Craigslist. I just felt the need to exhult my numerous beneficial experiences using the site. And sure I could gripe about the scams, and countless hours searching for a job that never resulted in even a formed response amongst other (most likely common) complaints but I choose not to as Craigslist has been much more of a benefactor to me than protractor.
So I salute you Craigslist and wish you yet another thriving decade!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Eating at Work
It's always soooo much more frigid the closer you get to the Embarcadero. I work in the area, so I have to brave this five days a week. Ok, so it's not the midwest in the winter, but it's still notably cold enough to warrant complaint. There's a seemingly constant and steady breeze which have been slimming down the few smoke breaks I take during the day. This shouldn't be a problem when I finally decide to return to the realm of the non-smoker and gym-visitor (already well past due).
Still the last few days have been somewhat mundane and I'd rather write about nothing than not update at all.
I'm stilling kind of gathering the bits of what I should actively be doing while I'm at work. This is proving to be a slow process as I'm not getting much direction. Mostly I follow along on the emails that I'm CC'd on and try to pick up enough so that eventually I'll be able to respond myself rather than wait for someone else to take care of it. It makes for somewhat of an awkward day, as I don't want to appear like I'm not doing anything as people pass by my desk and probably most often see me reading miscellaneous blogs and news sites with an occasional facebook slipped in there for good measure. Eventually I hope to be able to transition into one of the lucky few who work from (because there's really no reason why I couldn't), but for the meantime will try to fit in.
The office is surprisingly quiet and none of my co-workers really ever approach me to shoot the proverbial shit although they seem to know each other quite well. I've always had somewhat of an issue getting to know people around me if it's not taken care of quite quickly. I'm not exactly sure why this is, but I'll chalk up to my penchant for finding comfort in routine. So if I set my routine as sitting quietly at my desk and not socializing with others, when the time comes and people feel comfortable enough making small talk with me I'll be on the other end feeling intruded upon but still wanting to make a good impression.
I also have a weird paranoia about people being able to hear me eating at my desk. This is something that I've attempted twice, but became so uncomfortable with the idead that I might be audible that I cut my lunch short both times. It's just so unbelievably quiet in here that I'm worried it will bother the woman who sits in the cube across from me or the layout/design folks at the table directly behind me. I know it's completely neurotic and stupid, yet I can't get past it. So today I took my packed lunch down to the cafeteria in the lobby of the building and ate seated on the steps amongst the people who purchased their food at one of the vendors. Oh yeah, one more thing to note, is that it seems like no one else in the office is ever eating or taking a break to eat. I can't be the only one, can I? Weird. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. Either that or I'll begin "working from home" before I have to get used to it.
Still the last few days have been somewhat mundane and I'd rather write about nothing than not update at all.
I'm stilling kind of gathering the bits of what I should actively be doing while I'm at work. This is proving to be a slow process as I'm not getting much direction. Mostly I follow along on the emails that I'm CC'd on and try to pick up enough so that eventually I'll be able to respond myself rather than wait for someone else to take care of it. It makes for somewhat of an awkward day, as I don't want to appear like I'm not doing anything as people pass by my desk and probably most often see me reading miscellaneous blogs and news sites with an occasional facebook slipped in there for good measure. Eventually I hope to be able to transition into one of the lucky few who work from (because there's really no reason why I couldn't), but for the meantime will try to fit in.
The office is surprisingly quiet and none of my co-workers really ever approach me to shoot the proverbial shit although they seem to know each other quite well. I've always had somewhat of an issue getting to know people around me if it's not taken care of quite quickly. I'm not exactly sure why this is, but I'll chalk up to my penchant for finding comfort in routine. So if I set my routine as sitting quietly at my desk and not socializing with others, when the time comes and people feel comfortable enough making small talk with me I'll be on the other end feeling intruded upon but still wanting to make a good impression.
I also have a weird paranoia about people being able to hear me eating at my desk. This is something that I've attempted twice, but became so uncomfortable with the idead that I might be audible that I cut my lunch short both times. It's just so unbelievably quiet in here that I'm worried it will bother the woman who sits in the cube across from me or the layout/design folks at the table directly behind me. I know it's completely neurotic and stupid, yet I can't get past it. So today I took my packed lunch down to the cafeteria in the lobby of the building and ate seated on the steps amongst the people who purchased their food at one of the vendors. Oh yeah, one more thing to note, is that it seems like no one else in the office is ever eating or taking a break to eat. I can't be the only one, can I? Weird. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. Either that or I'll begin "working from home" before I have to get used to it.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Enough About Me, Let's Talk About M*yoUNI
Ok, so I made it through the holiday without having to endure any major disasters as long as you don't include sleep deprivation as seriously life altering. So I'm back in SF and already behind on updating this blog as much as I initially intended, which means it could ultimately be headed down the path as many of my other grand (and especially not-so-grand) enterprises have ended - so I suppose the arbitrarily chosen name of this blog might be a little more fitting than I may have predicted.
Anyhoo, blahblehhoo....
Ultimately I'd like these entries to amalgamate into some sort of reaction/response to my still nubile yet maturing life in San Francisco and hopefully some people will eventual be able to relate. Or I come to a groundbreaking self-realization - which is much less likely to happen. So without further ado I ought to get to discussing yet another ordinary life amongst many:
-------------------
My experiences with public transportation in this city have really began to evolve since my arrival in late 2008. While I used to strictly take the bus I had really limited myself to just the few lines that I was particularly familiar (6 Parnasus, 71 Haight, 22 Fillmore, etc.). All in all it was probably no more than five or six routes, which might I add was significantly more knowledge than quite a few of the acquaintences I have here.
As probably most people who grace MUNI, I was often simultaneously thrilled and appalled with the service, and uncanny atmosphere that would undoubtedly be experienced upon any expedition. Jam packed hallways on wheels hurtling, crawling or jerking through the causeways with the crusty diseased masses who apparently have no shame whatsoever and truly do not mind proudly broadcasting at audible levels that would be considered noisy in a crowded bar.
Don't get me wrong here, I was truly delighted with this new aspect of my city life. I considered it as sort of a merit badge, especially when I could get through a rigorously long bacteria-enduring escapade.
The point is, when I moved down the hill from the Upper Haight to the Lower Haight I was finally able to discover the ultimate convenience in SF-wide public transportation which is the MUNI Metro lines. That move placed me coveniently close to the Duboce/Church stop and since climbing onto a bus in San Francisco is quickly becoming more and more of a rare activity of mine. It now only takes me 10-15 minutes to get to and from work and or downtown. The trains are much cleaner and often (if you don't count the morning rush) less crowded. It even seems that the people that ride the trains tend to be somewhat more sane. Believe me there are still a fair share of nuts on the train, but the calibre of crazy you get on the train is completely incomparable to those lunatics on the bus.
I know that MUNI is something people in this city like to gripe, but honestly in my personal experiences compared to other metropolitan public transit systems MUNI is still at the top of the list of affordability, access, reach, and efficiency. Sure it may be millenia behind the transit systems in Europe, but in a way the flaws give MUNI character and are an important factor in the collective consciousness of this city.
Now as not to ramble, I'll take my leave of this post and promise to try and be a little less pompous, and a little more concise for future posts. And I'm certain there will plenty of opportunity for me to amend any statements I may have made about MUNI here.
Anyhoo, blahblehhoo....
Ultimately I'd like these entries to amalgamate into some sort of reaction/response to my still nubile yet maturing life in San Francisco and hopefully some people will eventual be able to relate. Or I come to a groundbreaking self-realization - which is much less likely to happen. So without further ado I ought to get to discussing yet another ordinary life amongst many:
-------------------
My experiences with public transportation in this city have really began to evolve since my arrival in late 2008. While I used to strictly take the bus I had really limited myself to just the few lines that I was particularly familiar (6 Parnasus, 71 Haight, 22 Fillmore, etc.). All in all it was probably no more than five or six routes, which might I add was significantly more knowledge than quite a few of the acquaintences I have here.
As probably most people who grace MUNI, I was often simultaneously thrilled and appalled with the service, and uncanny atmosphere that would undoubtedly be experienced upon any expedition. Jam packed hallways on wheels hurtling, crawling or jerking through the causeways with the crusty diseased masses who apparently have no shame whatsoever and truly do not mind proudly broadcasting at audible levels that would be considered noisy in a crowded bar.
Don't get me wrong here, I was truly delighted with this new aspect of my city life. I considered it as sort of a merit badge, especially when I could get through a rigorously long bacteria-enduring escapade.
The point is, when I moved down the hill from the Upper Haight to the Lower Haight I was finally able to discover the ultimate convenience in SF-wide public transportation which is the MUNI Metro lines. That move placed me coveniently close to the Duboce/Church stop and since climbing onto a bus in San Francisco is quickly becoming more and more of a rare activity of mine. It now only takes me 10-15 minutes to get to and from work and or downtown. The trains are much cleaner and often (if you don't count the morning rush) less crowded. It even seems that the people that ride the trains tend to be somewhat more sane. Believe me there are still a fair share of nuts on the train, but the calibre of crazy you get on the train is completely incomparable to those lunatics on the bus.
I know that MUNI is something people in this city like to gripe, but honestly in my personal experiences compared to other metropolitan public transit systems MUNI is still at the top of the list of affordability, access, reach, and efficiency. Sure it may be millenia behind the transit systems in Europe, but in a way the flaws give MUNI character and are an important factor in the collective consciousness of this city.
Now as not to ramble, I'll take my leave of this post and promise to try and be a little less pompous, and a little more concise for future posts. And I'm certain there will plenty of opportunity for me to amend any statements I may have made about MUNI here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)