Gossips on the Morning Train

Okay - first no, it is not a late train. Got it.

Ladies, if you insist on carrying on the conversations of how everyone else you know is a bad mother, on drugs, a dead beat, stupid, unemployable, on the wrong side of politics, are all "screwed," etc., could you quiet it down?

Nice how you throw in that you didn't make it to church this weekend because you were so busy. Don't worry. I'll pray for you. I'll also pray that my own gossipy, judgey habits are dissolved. It's an ugly thing, and hearing someone else do it non-stop for an entire train ride is saddening and humbling.

People: be nice to each other. In public, in private, in front of each other, and behind each other.

So, the Blackhawks Lost, but...on the Late Train

So, I'm on the 11:40pm train. It's late. I don't have to work tomorrow, so it's cool.

The people on my car are NOT dissappointing... One ginger chick is leading us in chants:

"When I say black you say say Hawks!"

"When I say Corey you say Crawford."

"When I say ticket you say man!"

It's a great night on the late train, peeps.

Cinco de Mayo on the Late Train

So, I worked late. Then I missed a train by 30 seconds. Then I waited 40 minutes to board and 20 more minutes for the next train to leave the station. I decided to get something close to Mexican food: tortilla chips and guacamole.

Next, a weird guy sat in front of me, only after giving me a weird look. Dude. I'm eating chips and guacamole. It's like my favorite train snack, AND it's May 5. Leave me alone.

Then, two more dudes sat in front of him. The one facing us had on A FAKE MUSTACHE! No lie. We are 25 minutes into the ride, and he shows no signs of removing it!

What the what?!? 

What Is Going on Behind Me on the Late Train?

Peeps, best I can tell, the dude in the seat behind me is either:

A. Having a great time with an invisible partner. (His hands are visible.)

B. Suffering from a serious case of shortness of breath caused by barely making the train. (I'm not judging. I lose my breath trying to catch a train an average of once a week. However, I'm in the car farthest from the station entrance, which means he could have gotten into any of the six cars he passed before reaching this one.)

C. Peter Griffin after hurting his knee on The Family Guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buHv1EvUHj0&sns=em

Happy Monday!

Sleeping Seat Mate on the Late Train

You guys, I get it. It's the late train. Everybody just wants to get home, me included. 

Couple things:

1. There are PLENTY of seats on a late train. You could find a lone seat of you tried hard enough. 

2. If you do choose to sit with someone (someone who hoped for a seat all to herself), pick someone who has the same zone of ticket as you or further down the line. Don't pick someone who is in a zone two closer to Union Station than you. Now I have to interrupt you when we reach my stop.

3. Working on your laptop is fine. Falling asleep while working on your laptop, with you head bobbing and coming close to sleeping on the shoulder of your stranger of a seat mate is NOT FINE.  Wake up, lady!  Below, find said seat mate quite close to sleeping on my shoulder.

Calm on the Late Train

Kids, I leave for my biggest event of the year in ten days.

Am I working late? Definitely. Am I stressed? Of course. 

However, I feel oddly calm right now.

Maybe it's that I finally found my groove on this event after 3 years. Maybe it's that our team is rocking out the logistics and last-minute details. I can't say for sure. 

What I can say is this: despite the late nights on the train over the last few weeks, I think Chicago is still too cold for crazy shenanigans on the late train. Maybe the crazy, late-train stories will come in a month or two when spring finally decides to appear.

Sarcastic Looks to Drivers while Waiting for the Bus to the Early Train

Yes. Yes I did just stand next to a car parked in the bus lane with its blinkers on while alternating looking up at the "no parking - bus stop" sign and looking at the obnoxious driver blocking my bus. 

Yes. Yes I did walk a half-block to do that. 

This girl's gotta get to the train.

Don't get in my way (or in the way of my bus).