I survived Compton (do I get a T-shirt?)

So things got interesting today.

I left for work at 6:15 and arrived at the train station on time. The train was already at the platform, so I booked it across the street, running on the train just in the nick of time. Or so I thought. As we waited. and waited. And they made an announcement off in the distance about some elusive delays, but I wasn't too worried about it as the train driver (conductor?) didn't seem to be saying anything about it.

Word to the wise: "Delays" on Metro equals "return to your car immediately."

We finally left the station and INCHED to the next stop. I knew I was going to be late, but I was committed at this point. Or I should have been committed... to an asylum. I emailed my boss and told him the train was running behind. No biggie, he's understanding about LA traffic nonsense.

About five looong stops later, I was sitting on the train at Compton station, where the waiting continued. I sat. and sat. And then I heard: "This train is stopping at Slauson station."

WHAT?! Is this not information that they should make abundantly clear BEFORE people get on the train? This little tidbit of news meant my train was getting me only about halfway to downtown, without so much as an explanation as to why.

I practically knocked over some guy blocking the soon-to-be closing door and hurled myself from the train onto the platform. There I was. Compton. I called one of the girls that works with me/lives close to me to ask her how to drive to work (I've only done it once) so that when I eventually made it back to my car, I could turn around and drive myself. She was BEYOND nice and came to Compton to rescue my nappy ass weave from the side of the road, going several miles out of her way to do so. Thanks to carpool (it's a verb here), we were only a wee bit late.

Ahh, Mondays.... EEEK!

I can't say it enough. Go Metro.

Commuting Trials

After a NIGHTMARE commute yesterday--it took me about two hours to get to work--I can't say how exponentially more glad I am that today is a work-from-home day.

This is right by one of my bus stops... Right at the time I would be there. YIKES!

Bomb scare in downtown L.A.

From a Times Staff Writer
8:56 AM PDT, October 3, 2007

The federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles was being evacuated this morning and some streets closed off as the police bomb squad responded to a report of a suspicious package.

Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman April Harding said that bomb squad officers were inspecting a black brief case that was left in front of the courthouse, which occupies a city block at Spring and Temple streets in the Civic Center.

Harding said Department of Homeland Security officials ordered the building evacuated shortly after the briefcase was reported about 7:45 a.m., and that the police had cordoned off nearby streets.

You look great... have you been going Metro?

Metro Bus: Where the woman in a skirt sitting across from you may or may not be a woman.

Go Metro!

I think I need a hug (?)

I must have looked like I needed a hug today. As I got on my last bus to head to work, I sat down in the middle/front by the window. A lady carrying a shopping bag and a large purse came and plopped down right next to me, her stuff overflowing on her lap and on the floor (sidenote: EWW.).

Uhh .... when there are like 8 other people on the entire bus and you have enough stuff to fill up an extra chair, why why why? Doesn't general bus etiquette scream "get your own row unless otherwise necessary?" sigh...

Then I got to work, iPod still on, and a visitor got on the elevator. He stood right next to me in the otherwise empty lift and asked how my day was going.

good, good. fabulous really. thanks.

Just feeling approachable today I guess....? :)

I think I need a hug (?)

I got confused

I get on the train at the beginning of the line. In other words, there is only one way the train can go.

So, riddle me this... sometimes when I get to the platform, there will be a guy waiting for the train. The train comes, we all get on. The train isn't full... but he remains on the platform where he appears to be waiting for the next train. Where exactly does he want to go? He appears to be a perfectly lucid businessman, so I'm really kerfluffled by the whole situation.

Just another unsolved mystery of Metro? Or an alien from the planet Mercury. You decide.

Tickets and Trains

After working out at the downtown gym, I headed to the train station for my final trek home. When I arrived, there was an unusual amount of people standing at the top of the stairs overlooking the train platform. As I approached, I found out why: The platform was FULL. Like NYC in rush hour full. I don't think so many people have ever been at an LA Metro train station ever.

The train at the platform was FULL of people--so full that some were halfway hanging out the door (that couldn't close) like they were in a third world country where people just grab on to the backs of busses and sit in each others laps (this is LA--get off my couture. sniff.).

When they finally got the people contained so the train could close its doors and make way for an empty train to pick up the overflowing throngs of Californians.... it inched. inched. inched away from the platform. Then inched. inched. inched its way back.

It was broke. "mechanical issues" ... Are we sure we can't just take our chances?? :)

So back it came and emptied off the people onto our shoulders, because clearly that's the only place they would fit. I ran upstairs to the other train platform when I found out it was secretly allowing people to board and ... For the first time ever, I stood in the aisle half way home on the train (until I was lucky enough that the girl I was hovering over finally got off. PS to her--maybe wear a bra that matches your shirt if you are going to show off your tickets to the entire train. I'm just saying.).

All and all I only got home about 30 minutes late, so I was thankful that it didn't turn out worse than I originally thought. Nevertheless (the band), it was definitely a Good Day for me to work from home today... I was really thankful to take a break from All That.

Choo choo!

I'm pretty sure some of the train operator's take the Metro job for one reason--so they can say ALL ABOARD approximately 187 times per day. At each and every stop. They probably played with trains as kids, and this in some way is fulfilling a childhood fantasy, so who can blame them for taking advantage of what little joy they have in saying ALL ABOARD--it has to be a pretty boring and thankless job to drive those trains up and down a very limited track.

But there is now a Red Line driver that takes it to a new level. The black man has no interest in childhood train fantasies, oh no--he is an aspiring preacher in the charismatic movement I think. TD Jakes, eat your heart out.

"alright, alright ... yes yes yes. Welcome aboard the red line train. that's right, that's right. you all are looking GOOD today. Oh yes. It's going to be a Beeeautiful day, you Beeautiful people yes yes, that's right. Red hair, yellow black OR white ... I'm like a kid in a candy store, more candy, more candy, more candy, MORE candy. Our next stop is PERshing Square. that's right yes yes YES. Watch your step and have a JOYOUS day that is RIGHT."

Then he sometimes sings. Or continues to ramble/mumble until we get to the next stop. I keep expecting him to take up an offering.

But here's the funny thing--he's very quiet while people are getting on the train. Very quiet until he closes the doors and he has a captive audience. then BAM. the preaching begins.

I look around to my fellow passengers, expecting to see the amusement on their faces as well... but they all have completely blank expressions. Nothing. Nada. Hardened from the years of Metro travel I suppose.

I seem to be the only one laughing every morning, but that's okay. Yes yes, that's right. I WILL have a joyous day. alright. yes.

The ride of my life

Today I got on the bus at work to head home ... and it was completely empty. This is absolutely unprecedented--I stopped and literally thought I must have got on the wrong bus. Usually I ride with a bus full of 12 year olds on a 7-11 Slurpee buzz and have to stand for two or three stops until they all unload.

But today... no one. And no one was at ANY of the stops to be picked up. I got to the train station in under 10 minutes--usually it's a 15- 20 minute ride.

Aah yeah. I love the VIP life.
Booyah.

See you on the 2

"He's probably out trying to catch a F***ing bus out on Sunset right now!"
-Chef Ramsey after suddenly kicking Josh out of the kitchen and off of Hell's Kitchen.

Save me a seat, Josh.

Do the hustle

What kind of job (personality type?) does one have that require them to carry a Hustler Lingerie duffle bag as one's carry-on at a busy train station? hmm...

Model? Salesperson? Office on a street corner?

Curse & Blessing

Well the curse of declaring publicly that something happens every single day is of course that it stops happening. This is both a blessing and a curse I suppose--a blessing that I haven't had too much mayhem this week, but a curse in that no mayhem makes for a rather uneventful blog atmosphere.

I did, however, learn recently that the train is a great place for fitness! That's right, one guy demonstrated for us all how you can do squats and calf raises in the aisle while you are commuting. Yep. Might I suggest not getting too close to a train-riding fitness guru? You might get kicked. Or worse.

The skinny

Something happens everyday on my way to work.

Every.
Single.
Day.

I guess the odds are stacked in my favor, what with my 90 minute (one-way) commute and the varied combination of trains and busses I take into Los Angeles ...

I have to hand it to the Los Angeles Metro system though. They spent some big bucks I'm sure to hire an amazing advertising agency to make them look very cool on the surface. Bubbly fonts on the cement walls say cute things like "You look great. Have you been going Metro?"

But then the rubber meets the road and a women appears out of nowhere approaching random people for train fare. When one woman ignores her, she suddenly starts running around in circles saying "little botox girl, little botox girl."

There's also the bus driver who stopped making the stops because he was too concerned with chasing down another bus driver who he didn't think was driving very well (irony anyone?) ... the bus driver who opened the door to shout at the Comcast guy to get some 411 on getting cable ... The train driver who parked the train at the station, left the driver's box and wandered off to God knows where while we all sat trapped in the train car for an undisclosed amount of time ...

Yep. This is my new life. And now, thanks to the magic (curse?) of the blog, you too can share in my daily (daily!) experiences.