Station Delay consideration

Transit taken or to be taken: Blue Line to Belmont, Kimball bus to Catalpa, Kimball bus to Brown Line Kimball, Brown Line to Red Transfer at Belmont, Red Line to Sox-35th, Red Line to Granville, Red Line to Fullerton, Fullerton bus to California.

Strangest thing seen so far: a dude's shirt read "My dreams end yours". That is not a polite sentiment, I think.

Nope nope nope. Never moving while taking part in a wedding while teaching two new classes ever again. Individually, these things are not painful great but together they are a shitstorm of Gomorrah-like rage and scheduling and fear inducing ragepain difficult. I moved a bunch of liquor and books I haven't read  to the new apartment last night and it was okay.  I'm excited to be seeing another play tonight and the wedding this weekend will be great, but I am so freaking tired of it all that I am going to jump down the throat of the next person who asks me to do something.

I am really considering traveling next year. I think that I could make enough money to take care of some bills and work a lot less.  I'm still not sure, but we will see.

I've got a big old apartment coming soon. I am moving in with two awesome people. I have the chance to see a great play. I still have some beer left at home.

Things are good, but man, I am ready for things to be less thingy soon.

The joyful terror of motion

Transit taken: Blue Line to Belmont, Belmont to Kimball bus, Kimball bus to Brown Line, Brown Line to Red Line transfer at Belmont, Red Line Belmont to Sox 35th, Green Line IIT to Ashland-Lake, Green Line Ashland-Lake to Blue Line California.

Nothing of note on the trains so far.  Still a lot of traveling to be done, so we will see what happens.

I wasn't planning on going out at all after work, but a friend has invited me to a sausage and wine tasting event.  This sounds pretty awesome, but so does sleep and cleaning up my wreck of an apartment. I am really looking forward to moving in with people as it will help me clean up after my sloth god avater ass get better about managing my time.  It'll also be nice to live in a place with pets again. I miss having an animal to come home to, but I am so unsure about where I am going that I can't feasibly get one for myself and know I will care for it enough.

I think I have ideas for this blog finally.  They may not be the best, but they are going to be something. at least. Even a step off of a plank is a step forward.

Three times on the red

Transit taken/to be taken today: Blue line to Belmont, Kimball bus to Catalpa, Kimball bus to Brown line, Brown line to Belmont Red transfer, Belmont Red line to Lake, Red line to Sox-35th, Red line to Lawrence, Red line to Fullerton, Fullerton bus to California.

Transit highlight: I ran into one of my old students at the Jackson Red line station. He may be going to a different school this fall, so it was nice seeing him one more time.  He's actually the one who introduced me to one my latest obsessions, Welcome to Night Vale, so I have him to thank for my creeping madness and belief that mountains aren't real.

I'm still figuring out what I can and can't write about here. In theory this is supposed to be anything that happens on a daily basis or thoughts that occur, but I worry about the lack on anonymity and my speaking about things that are complicated/personal.  Part of me wants to say, "DAMN IT ALL! HERE IS MY BLOOD MEAT TO LOOK UPON! BEHOLD MY BLOOD MEAT FEELINGS AND CONSIDER IT!", but the other part of me says, "Don't say anything that relates to your job, personal life, history, or existence." 

So, those two voices are still fighting it out.

We had a meeting at my new job today, which was pretty interesting.  I've been worried about one of my programs for some time now, and I have received what is essentially a confirmation that it is going to be closed.  However, that was quickly countered by the possibility that it could be reopened by another department. And then I was told that I would probably no longer would be able to teach it.  That was no small roller coaster of feelings, as this is my community ESL program and the reasons for its closure are, in my opinion bullshit less than justified.

The meeting also has gotten me worried about the Fall semester for several reasons. This new program is great, but I am severely concerned about compensation and stability. Right now, the pay schedule is fairly horrific, but that is most certainly not the fault of the administrator.  It is something I can work around it and find odd jobs to fix this, but the news that I am losing another income stream this fall coupled with the smaller amount of hours at the new position and the aforementioned payroll issue don't make for a solid seeming future.

Not all of my blood meat is money related. These are things I must remember.

I think I have an idea for a new piece of short non-fiction for the next reading I do.  Thanks to Jeff and Pungent Parlor for that inspiration. And the mild hangover today.  And a chance to see a person I had a short tryst with.  And a chance to have a short rib sandwich. Some of these things are things to keep thinking of and some of them are either people or sandwiches.  

Today I was rocking out to Patton Oswalt's latest album "Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time". The doggie was wearing a shirt.

Second post, first day

Transit taken and to be taken today: Taxi (damn Blue Line delays and my inability to move fast enough to compensate), Kimball Bus to Brown Line, Brown Line to Belmont Red, Belmont Red to Sox-35th, Sox-35th to Brown line transfer, Brown Line to Western, Brown Line to Addison, Brown Line to Fullerton, Fullerton Bus home

Best thing seen commuting today: The warm weather has brought out rude t-shirts. Off of the Sox-35th, I saw two key shirts: "Jealousy is a disease...get better, bitch" and another that I can't remember exactly but involved the word motherfucker.  I do remember that it was pink.  

Damn. Writing out all of this really puts into perspective the amount of time waiting to get to places versus the time that I spend at these places before I wait to go somewhere else. A coworker was watching a video about the humiliation of the commute. I don't feel that commuting is at all humiliating; it may compromise some of my humanity when I am smashed and jostled and pushed and enraged at times, but it doesn't seem humiliating. It does seem more tiring these days than before. The train gears wear down from use; maybe my own gears are doing the same.  

I had my first day teaching in my morning program and my first day teaching a new class for my afternoon school. In both cases, the students were great. Teaching a new class is still a very exciting experience for me and is certainly terrifying.  However, it was nice feeling the surge of "the new" in both cases.  Who knows what is going to happen in the next few days, let alone the rest of my time here. By here, I don't know if I mean this summer, in this city, or in this world. I have a feeling it's applicable towards all points.  

Do yourself a favor, listen to Brother George's "Sailor" when you get a chance.  It's one I often bop my head to at intermittent points.  I think you might could like it, too.  

First Stop:5/19

Trains/Buses taken today: Blue Line to Jackson, Red Line to 35th, Red Line to Harrison, back on the Red Line to Belmont, Brown Line to Kimball, Kimball bus to Catalpa.  I'm still not done for the day...

Best thing seen: An old man at the Kimball stop was wearing a bright blue blazer, something out of an Easter parade. He had an awesome paisley ascot and carried himself with a four-legged cane.  He stood near the front and spoke to both the driver and another passenger, a young man with beaded cornrows.  In my imagination, he told them lottery numbers or dirty jokes.

Today's the first day of this insane summer schedule. I've wanted to keep track of things I've seen on the trains for quite some time now; today's events were a good impetus to get rolling.

These past few years have been pretty strange.  I've gotten to take part in brand-new programs across the city, and this summer I am joining a pilot program that is taking me from Albany Park to Bronzeville every Monday through Friday. To be honest, I am not looking forward to the amount of time that I'll be spending in the clutches of the CTA, but this is the life of an adjunct without a car.  Or the desire to get one. Or the balance/spatial awareness/bravery necessary to ride a bike. 

I don't know what this will be besides a series of rants about things I've seen on trains, things my students have said/shared/taught me, and whiskeys and beers I've consumed thoughts I've had.

It's good to be writing again.  Hopefully you enjoy reading it. If not, try reading this in the voice of your favorite preacher, as that should make it more enjoyable.