In a few short months I've had some interesting subway rides, like any New Yorker. However, Sunday night is one that still leaves me puzzled and just a bit annoyed...
First, an overview of the MTA/NYCT (for those of you from New York, or familiar with our subway system, you can skip this paragraph). Unlike other cities with less complex system, New York's system is divided into different trains that at times share lines. There is a total of 24 different trains (with different color codes to simplify the reading of the map): 1,2,3 (Red); 4,5,6 (Green); 7 (Purple); A,C,E (Blue); B,D,F,V (Orange); G (Lime); J,M,Z (Brown); L (Grey); N,Q,R,W (Yellow); and some S Shuttles (Black). Construction is on going on the T Train (which is slated to be Teal).
[As an aside, the reason some are numbers and some are letters have to do with the width of the rail track. NYCT is a combination of three previous train companies. The numbered trains, from one company, use a narrower train for for a more narrow track vs. the other two companies, who's descendants are the letter trains.]
Different trains run different schedules during weekdays (peaks and non peak), weekends, and late nights (between midnight and 5AM, roughly). Some trains run local (meaning they hit every stop along their line), others run express (only hitting the main stops). Some express trains run express all the time, others run local at late ngiht, etc. Basically, the system is complex.
Due to all these issues, sometimes strange things happen. I've been on "express" trains that start their late night local as early as 9:30-10PM (which gets a bit annoying). Weekends and late nights are also prone to many unusual circumstances, due to track work. However, these are posted, so at elast, as a passenger, you know what is goign on. Sunday night however, lacked any of these indications. Ok, on to the story:
Following a Sunday of generous beer at Gym Bar, I stopped by my office to pick something up, and catch the train home to Brooklyn. On the platform at Union Square, I went through the turnstile at about 7:10PM. First train to come was a Q train, which would run express, but only get me to Atlantic Ave./Pacific St. before having to take the local R train. I passed on the Q (maybe should have taken it). Next train was a local R. [Again, an aside, but the R-local runs a track all the way to the southern tip of Manhattan (known as the Whitehall track), while the Express N/Q trains go over the Manhattan Bridge (eliminating about 6 additional stops).]
Finally after about 10 minutes an N train comes, I hop on, and begin the trek home. After the Canal Street stop, when we didn't pop right out up onto the bridge, I got suspicious. For some reason, at 7:20ish on a Sunday evening, we were going the Whitehall path instead of over the bridge, not stopping at the stations, but still routing through the longer path.
As we're coming close to the Atlantic Ave./Pacific St. stop, the train stops (happens more than it should), but stays stopped. We're informed by the conductor, that the emergency brake had been activated, and that the operator was going to check it out, we would hopefully be moving shortly, and please be patient. [This is one of the most enjoyable things the MTA has to say in any situation: "Please be patient," as if any of us has a choice in the matter.]
We're stopped for 15-20 minutes, with two other similar announcements from the conductor, informing us of the operator examining the emergency brake. At this point, two NYPD officers enter from the car forward ours, explaining us that this train is being canceled, and to exit the train at the front two cars. We gather up our stuff and trudge through the cars, only to find that the front two cars of this train actually had platformed at Pacific St., with plenty of people waiting around for trains. Now why, with all this time the break was being examined, they didn't let us off the train up until now, I have no idea. But ok, fine, that N train was canceled, I'll wait for another N or an R (whichever comes first).
About 5-7 minutes later, the N train, now empty of passengers, begins to move again. You would think it would proceed throguh the station to wherever it was ultiamtely going to rejoin service. Well it did - it came to the end of the Pacific St. platform, stopped, opened its doors, and was continuing on to Coney island, it's final stop. I got on, took it one more stop, before switching to the R train (which is required to get to my final destination).
So to recap, at approximately 7:15-7:20 on a Sunday evening, the N train, which is supposed to cross over the Manhattan Bridge to run express through Brooklyn, instead follows the longer Whitehall Path, not stopping at the stations, only to stop right before the Pacific St. station for 15-20 minutes due to "an activiation of the emergency brake.", when we actually were partially on the platform. The police cancel the train, empty it out, and a few minutes later, it comes to a stop completely on the platform, opens its doors, and reloads with passengers. The total time of this adventure, from Union Square back to Bay Ridge was 85 minutes (including the 7-10 mintues waiting for the first train). This trip usually takes about 45 minutes. Certainly on this day the MTA may have been goign someday's way...but it wasn't mine.
~SS
Monday, October 8
Sunday, October 7
Towards the Future...
Fair warning, that this will be a sports heavy entry (hey with football weekends & the baseball playoffs, it's kinda what's on my mind)...
While the 2007 season isn't done, it's time for Wisconsin to start looking towards the future. The Badgers defense couldn't stop anything yesterday, and as a result suffered what could only be described as an embarrassing defeat to the fuckin Illini of Illinois. Thankfully, Wisconsin's defense is young and will hopefully mature towards next season. Right now though, a patch needs to be made to salvage this season and still get to a big name bowl (maybe a 4th straight Capital One Bowl). At least it wasn't the worst upset of the day (for that, check out what Jim Harbaugh and the Cardinal did against the Trojans...or ND finally getting one upsetting UCLA...AGAIN!!! --- a bad day of football for the City of Angels)...
The Red Sox, another great win on Friday. Anyone who has interest has already seen it. I still don't think that Manny's homerun has come down (and if it did, it was probably through the windshield of some car speeding down the Pike). The same way I heard Yankees fans all September saying the didn't want to face the Angels, I of course was thinking, that's fine, give the Red Sox the Angels. 18 out of 26 at Fenway, and continued post season dominance, right now the next time the team from Anaheim sees Beantown again, it'll be too soon. Not sure if the Sox will sweep, but they still certainly have control in the series. The Yankees have their part as well, going down 2-0 to the Indians. I think the Yankees won't get swept, but their backs are against the wall. They at least get credit for variety. They lost game 1 in a blowout and game 2 in an excruciating extra-innings fashion.
Patriots take their 4-0 record back home to Gillette Stadium and take on old defensive guru Romeo Crennel and the Cleveland Browns. As long as the focus is there, win #5 should be theirs in a matter of hours.
The other football note was Thursday night. I went to a speakers panel on Gays and the NFL (as it is Gay Superbowl Weekend in NYC). The panel, moderated by the founder of Outsports.com, had on it, among others, former out NFL players Dave Kopay (the pioneer in out athletes) and Esera Tuaolo. The discussion included not only stories from their own playing days, but questions/comments from the crowd (which included a forner 4-year NFL journeyman himself). The crux of the conversation, centered around feelings I could echo as my feelings on the issue of "integrated" sports: a single person is, for the most part, smart on the issue of having a gay athlete as a teammate. However, the group think of people (and in this case, a team) is much harder to change. It will change from the bottom up, in high schools and colleges (where it is very slowly happening). A transcendent moment would be a major athlete (like a Tom Brady) coming out. However, nobody really had a clue if/when that would happen. (Btw, it was basically agreed upon by the audience that Tom Brady = hot, Peyton Manning = not; made me smile.) The more likely idea is a high school athlete, say a quarterback, who comes out in high school, and is so talented, that a major school in a liberal area (I hate to say it, btu like a USC) would take him, develop him, and he'd continue to advance because of his skills, with his being gay an open fact the entire time. I don't know when I'll see an active, openly gay football player, or baseball, or basketball. It'll hopefully be sooner then later, but the one thing I can say, it's only a matter of time. As this generation, and future ones, which are more accustomed and more accepted of living with openly gay people, become the athletes of the future (much like the politicians of the future), change will come about...
~SS
While the 2007 season isn't done, it's time for Wisconsin to start looking towards the future. The Badgers defense couldn't stop anything yesterday, and as a result suffered what could only be described as an embarrassing defeat to the fuckin Illini of Illinois. Thankfully, Wisconsin's defense is young and will hopefully mature towards next season. Right now though, a patch needs to be made to salvage this season and still get to a big name bowl (maybe a 4th straight Capital One Bowl). At least it wasn't the worst upset of the day (for that, check out what Jim Harbaugh and the Cardinal did against the Trojans...or ND finally getting one upsetting UCLA...AGAIN!!! --- a bad day of football for the City of Angels)...
The Red Sox, another great win on Friday. Anyone who has interest has already seen it. I still don't think that Manny's homerun has come down (and if it did, it was probably through the windshield of some car speeding down the Pike). The same way I heard Yankees fans all September saying the didn't want to face the Angels, I of course was thinking, that's fine, give the Red Sox the Angels. 18 out of 26 at Fenway, and continued post season dominance, right now the next time the team from Anaheim sees Beantown again, it'll be too soon. Not sure if the Sox will sweep, but they still certainly have control in the series. The Yankees have their part as well, going down 2-0 to the Indians. I think the Yankees won't get swept, but their backs are against the wall. They at least get credit for variety. They lost game 1 in a blowout and game 2 in an excruciating extra-innings fashion.
Patriots take their 4-0 record back home to Gillette Stadium and take on old defensive guru Romeo Crennel and the Cleveland Browns. As long as the focus is there, win #5 should be theirs in a matter of hours.
The other football note was Thursday night. I went to a speakers panel on Gays and the NFL (as it is Gay Superbowl Weekend in NYC). The panel, moderated by the founder of Outsports.com, had on it, among others, former out NFL players Dave Kopay (the pioneer in out athletes) and Esera Tuaolo. The discussion included not only stories from their own playing days, but questions/comments from the crowd (which included a forner 4-year NFL journeyman himself). The crux of the conversation, centered around feelings I could echo as my feelings on the issue of "integrated" sports: a single person is, for the most part, smart on the issue of having a gay athlete as a teammate. However, the group think of people (and in this case, a team) is much harder to change. It will change from the bottom up, in high schools and colleges (where it is very slowly happening). A transcendent moment would be a major athlete (like a Tom Brady) coming out. However, nobody really had a clue if/when that would happen. (Btw, it was basically agreed upon by the audience that Tom Brady = hot, Peyton Manning = not; made me smile.) The more likely idea is a high school athlete, say a quarterback, who comes out in high school, and is so talented, that a major school in a liberal area (I hate to say it, btu like a USC) would take him, develop him, and he'd continue to advance because of his skills, with his being gay an open fact the entire time. I don't know when I'll see an active, openly gay football player, or baseball, or basketball. It'll hopefully be sooner then later, but the one thing I can say, it's only a matter of time. As this generation, and future ones, which are more accustomed and more accepted of living with openly gay people, become the athletes of the future (much like the politicians of the future), change will come about...
~SS
Thursday, October 4
What was that???
Ok, so it only took til the 3rd day that I missed a post. Oh well, I got home last night from Gym Bar, was tired, had some tortilla chips (what a dinner huh) and just went to bed to catch up a bit on sleep. I don't know if it's getting older (which sucks) or simply the fact that 4 days a week I'm consistently getting up around 6:30ish, but this not having energy in the evening as much as I should is a real drag...Yakko Warner said it best:
"Early to rise, early to bed
Makes a man healthy, but socially dead."
I need to find a way to try and combat that (obviously the long term goal is finding a better fit career wise), but in the meantime bring on the Monsters, Amps, and Red Bulls...
Game 1 of the ALDS in the books, and I think every Red Sox fan has concluded that Josh Beckett needs to pitch in the post season more often. By now we've all heard the stats from that amazing game, but the ones that stick out are not only his 3 CG shutouts in only 6 post season starts, and that he joins just 3 other legendary pitchers...but 83 of 108 pitches for strikes is ridiculous (or ridonculous, as heard on Mike & Mike this morning)...that's 77% of his pitches being thrown for strikes. When a pitcher has location like that, and you still don't know where the pitch is, then good luck. With all due respect to the heroics of Schilling in 04, which will never be forgotten, this is easily the best Sox fans have gotten to watch since the hey day of Pedro...
Also seen last night that required several double takes was quite possibly one of the most disgusting people I've ever seen with my own eyes on the Brooklyn-bound N train around 9:45ish last night. This person had to be in the 400-500lb range, looking more like an apple shape...black pants, with the top button undone, a white button down shirt (not dirty, but certainly not clean) untucked, and some jacket over it. As he was sitting there, drinking a snapple, with part of his belly hanging out exposed, I looked away as much as I could. I'll be the first to admit, as a skinny little stick, that I sometimes don't think the best things about fat people, and that's wrong. I try to work on that. However, this was just extreme. Not only was he fat, but he was a disgusting slob. The perfect finish - when he got off at 36th St. with his few plastic bags, to waddle to the bench, he pulls out a Sunkist while waiting for his next train, exactly what he needed, certainly...
~SS
"Early to rise, early to bed
Makes a man healthy, but socially dead."
I need to find a way to try and combat that (obviously the long term goal is finding a better fit career wise), but in the meantime bring on the Monsters, Amps, and Red Bulls...
Game 1 of the ALDS in the books, and I think every Red Sox fan has concluded that Josh Beckett needs to pitch in the post season more often. By now we've all heard the stats from that amazing game, but the ones that stick out are not only his 3 CG shutouts in only 6 post season starts, and that he joins just 3 other legendary pitchers...but 83 of 108 pitches for strikes is ridiculous (or ridonculous, as heard on Mike & Mike this morning)...that's 77% of his pitches being thrown for strikes. When a pitcher has location like that, and you still don't know where the pitch is, then good luck. With all due respect to the heroics of Schilling in 04, which will never be forgotten, this is easily the best Sox fans have gotten to watch since the hey day of Pedro...
Also seen last night that required several double takes was quite possibly one of the most disgusting people I've ever seen with my own eyes on the Brooklyn-bound N train around 9:45ish last night. This person had to be in the 400-500lb range, looking more like an apple shape...black pants, with the top button undone, a white button down shirt (not dirty, but certainly not clean) untucked, and some jacket over it. As he was sitting there, drinking a snapple, with part of his belly hanging out exposed, I looked away as much as I could. I'll be the first to admit, as a skinny little stick, that I sometimes don't think the best things about fat people, and that's wrong. I try to work on that. However, this was just extreme. Not only was he fat, but he was a disgusting slob. The perfect finish - when he got off at 36th St. with his few plastic bags, to waddle to the bench, he pulls out a Sunkist while waiting for his next train, exactly what he needed, certainly...
~SS
Tuesday, October 2
Late night laundry...
Well it's not really late, when it still hasn't struck midnight, but some laundry none the less. I couldn't wash things that late as is (apparently for some reason, our building's own laundry room in the basement is only accessible between 8AM - 11PM. I guess if I want/need to wash something late at night, that means a trip down to the local laundromat at 4th Avenue/Marine.
As I've been busy and it's late, this will be a short post. Frustrated, as usual, with many work things today, but at least on the drive home I found out many of my frustrations are shared by a co-worker. I'll no doubt get into those more later.
Apparently my sister needs to spend more time Saturday with me, so no Badgers game at the Wisconsin bar :-(. Jeff may also make the trip from Milwaukee out here for the weekend, which unfortunately hits the same time as that, so who knows what I'll actually be up to. In either case, I really need to make some headway on the apt. Unfortunately, the Red Sox playoffs start tomorrow, so again, the amount of time to really progress is limited.
Speaking of which, I predict the Sox win in 4 games (not sure whether it's game 2 or 3 that the Sox lose). John Lackey doesn't like pitching against Boston and hates Fenway, so the Sox should be in control. Meanwhile, I know the Patriots' opponents are a combined 4-12. However, New England is outscoring opponents 148-48, and is able to pass, run, defend, return, etc. The team can't overlook the upstart Browns, but I can - bring on Dallas and the Cowboys, for a big test...
~SS
As I've been busy and it's late, this will be a short post. Frustrated, as usual, with many work things today, but at least on the drive home I found out many of my frustrations are shared by a co-worker. I'll no doubt get into those more later.
Apparently my sister needs to spend more time Saturday with me, so no Badgers game at the Wisconsin bar :-(. Jeff may also make the trip from Milwaukee out here for the weekend, which unfortunately hits the same time as that, so who knows what I'll actually be up to. In either case, I really need to make some headway on the apt. Unfortunately, the Red Sox playoffs start tomorrow, so again, the amount of time to really progress is limited.
Speaking of which, I predict the Sox win in 4 games (not sure whether it's game 2 or 3 that the Sox lose). John Lackey doesn't like pitching against Boston and hates Fenway, so the Sox should be in control. Meanwhile, I know the Patriots' opponents are a combined 4-12. However, New England is outscoring opponents 148-48, and is able to pass, run, defend, return, etc. The team can't overlook the upstart Browns, but I can - bring on Dallas and the Cowboys, for a big test...
~SS
Monday, October 1
Getting back to it...
In the 2+ years that I've been in the NYC area, I've been looking for a creative outlet. When in both Amherst and Madison, I could easily let lose at my respective radio gigs (props to 91.1 WMUA & Z104). Much as I've tried to find something in New York (and trust me, performing weekly at Musical Mondays, if you can call it that, is a lot of fun - but it's not quite the same).
So here I am a few years after I let my LiveJournal go dormant, getting back into something I've enjyoed for a long time - writing. Just last week I was looking online at some old ed/op pieces I'd written for the Collegian, and realized how much I missed the freedom to just express my thoughts for what it's worth. I'm gonna try to be religious about updating this blog daily (provided I have computer access), even if it's with a minimal change, simply to keep the page constantly fresh.
it's the 1st of October, start of a new month, so why not start something else new (this blog, duh). It is also a Monday, and yep, work has been beyond boring, even for how my job usually goes. Thankfully, soon I'll be at the club drinking and singing showtunes (as is required on Monday). Tonight though requires split time, as the pats are playing MNF tonight against Cincinnati. Let the assault of Brady's Bunch continue (sorry Carson). So Splash & Gym bar, Larry's drinks (and they're 95% alcohol content) & some beer....isn't that how we should all spend MONDAY night.
In other sports news, the Red Sox post season schedule was announced: 6:30 on Wednesday, 8:30 on Friday. Those are great, as there's no need to miss part of the game Wedneday cause of work. Finish up at the office (the only day in the city again - gosh these LI days have got to stop), then head over to the bar, ready to begin the hunt- 11 More Wins! The Badgers also had a good weekend, not much through their own doing. Another subpar effort, but Wisconsin improves to 5-0, and moves up to 5th in the nation (much thanks to Oklahoma, Florida, West Virginia, and Texas for vacating spots on the undefeated list). Now two road games begining with the hated Illini. Oh I can't wait to run all over those FIBs (now can the defense manage to contain Juice Williams).
And as this is not going to simply be a sports only blog, this has to be one of the strangest news stories I've seen in a long time. I've always been a major advocate of oceans being superior to lakes and rivers, even in spite of such things as jellyfish, red tide, sharks, etc. While oceans may have all those, they are lacking in a brain eating amoeba. Don't believe me, well check out this story (even if such an event is rare).
I'll leave it short/sweet for day 1, and hopefully, whoever decides to read this, you get a little chuckle or enjoyment out of the day. Of course, if you know me, feel free to bitch to me about anything and everything through all acceptable means of communication (email, IM, cell - sorry I've stopped allowing carrier pigeon use).
I can see the headline on the back of the Herald now: "Bungled Bengals!" along with Tom brady's gawdy stats. Though I miss summer dearly, it's great to have football back, isn't it?
~SS
So here I am a few years after I let my LiveJournal go dormant, getting back into something I've enjyoed for a long time - writing. Just last week I was looking online at some old ed/op pieces I'd written for the Collegian, and realized how much I missed the freedom to just express my thoughts for what it's worth. I'm gonna try to be religious about updating this blog daily (provided I have computer access), even if it's with a minimal change, simply to keep the page constantly fresh.
it's the 1st of October, start of a new month, so why not start something else new (this blog, duh). It is also a Monday, and yep, work has been beyond boring, even for how my job usually goes. Thankfully, soon I'll be at the club drinking and singing showtunes (as is required on Monday). Tonight though requires split time, as the pats are playing MNF tonight against Cincinnati. Let the assault of Brady's Bunch continue (sorry Carson). So Splash & Gym bar, Larry's drinks (and they're 95% alcohol content) & some beer....isn't that how we should all spend MONDAY night.
In other sports news, the Red Sox post season schedule was announced: 6:30 on Wednesday, 8:30 on Friday. Those are great, as there's no need to miss part of the game Wedneday cause of work. Finish up at the office (the only day in the city again - gosh these LI days have got to stop), then head over to the bar, ready to begin the hunt- 11 More Wins! The Badgers also had a good weekend, not much through their own doing. Another subpar effort, but Wisconsin improves to 5-0, and moves up to 5th in the nation (much thanks to Oklahoma, Florida, West Virginia, and Texas for vacating spots on the undefeated list). Now two road games begining with the hated Illini. Oh I can't wait to run all over those FIBs (now can the defense manage to contain Juice Williams).
And as this is not going to simply be a sports only blog, this has to be one of the strangest news stories I've seen in a long time. I've always been a major advocate of oceans being superior to lakes and rivers, even in spite of such things as jellyfish, red tide, sharks, etc. While oceans may have all those, they are lacking in a brain eating amoeba. Don't believe me, well check out this story (even if such an event is rare).
I'll leave it short/sweet for day 1, and hopefully, whoever decides to read this, you get a little chuckle or enjoyment out of the day. Of course, if you know me, feel free to bitch to me about anything and everything through all acceptable means of communication (email, IM, cell - sorry I've stopped allowing carrier pigeon use).
I can see the headline on the back of the Herald now: "Bungled Bengals!" along with Tom brady's gawdy stats. Though I miss summer dearly, it's great to have football back, isn't it?
~SS
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