So I'm over the whole attack of the homeless thing, and everyone has been wonderful and supportive and caring and I really appreciate it. It really wasn't that big of a deal, just shocking.
So this weekend I'm going on the Sierra Club retreat down in the Okefenokee swamp, which gives me a chance to go camping and get away from the city. However, as a part of the retreat, I'll be checking out the Folkston Funnel, so I still won't be away from the transit geekery, despite the boys being in Boston at Railvolution and me being in a swamp. However, I'm betting that there aren't any crazy homeless dudes at bus stops down there. They'd get eaten by the alligators when they'd lay down.
For those of you unaware (like me about five minutes ago, let's not lie) the Folkston Funnel (yes, that's funnel, I thought it was a typo at first, and was expecting a tunnel) is the the railway super highway between Georgia and Florida. So on Monday, look for a blog with pictures of my train adventures!
Friday, October 30, 2009
the marta make-out
by the Accidental Commuter
Let me start off by saying that old people love me. Maybe adore is a more appropriate word. So this morning as I boarded Marta (I think it's actually supposed to be in all caps because it's an acronym but all caps make me feel like I'm shouting, so from here on out please accept my spelling liberty) I did a quick seat scope-out. Let's face it, you don't want to sit down next to the lady who looks like she wants to tell you all about her bladder infection and recent divorce. Out of the corner of my eye I could see an oldish woman gazing at me with a familiar look of admiration that says "that girl is old-fashioned yet going places." I didn't want to sit next to her, either.
Let me start off by saying that old people love me. Maybe adore is a more appropriate word. So this morning as I boarded Marta (I think it's actually supposed to be in all caps because it's an acronym but all caps make me feel like I'm shouting, so from here on out please accept my spelling liberty) I did a quick seat scope-out. Let's face it, you don't want to sit down next to the lady who looks like she wants to tell you all about her bladder infection and recent divorce. Out of the corner of my eye I could see an oldish woman gazing at me with a familiar look of admiration that says "that girl is old-fashioned yet going places." I didn't want to sit next to her, either.
The train is usually pretty empty when I get on since I'm so far out in the burbs. And it wasn't really morning, it was more like after The View ended and I couldn't put off going to class anymore. I found a seat in front of an innocuous-looking man of about thirty. I pulled out a textbook, started reading, and everything was cool. Until the couple from hell boarded.
You know those moments when someone is doing something terribly awkward or disturbing and you just know that surely they'll recognize the inappropriateness of their behavior and stop? Multiply by two. It started out with a simple peck on the lips. Then two, then three, then eew. I could even hear that slurping "stirring macaroni and cheese" sound, as my college roommate used to call it. There was that train-wide feeling of "really?" as we all tried not to stare. I immediately thought of the old woman sitting next to the door and across the aisle from the couple. A few days ago on my way to school some guys got really loud and started swearing at each other and the man sitting in front of me stood up and shouted "hey y'all, there's old people and stuff on here and they don't need to be hearing your cussing and crap." Where was that guy when I needed him? Innocuous Thirty Something behind me was no help at all.
I figured that surely they would get off at the Buckhead stop or maybe they were on their way to Atlantic Station to buy some faux fur and skinny jeans. That was my only saving grace. They were in their early twenties but nothing about them said "student," no backpack, no books, no intelligence. We pulled into the Buckhead station. Nothing. Unless more sucking face counts as something. I guess that I have a little bit of a hang-up about PDA. I'm not usually a willing participant in anything beyond hand-holding and maybe a quick peck on the lips. When it comes to other people I can tolerate about as much as I can dish out. So at this point we're just sitting at the Buckhead station watching young love in action. Then, because things like this just happen to me, the driver/conductor/engineer (whatever they call people who drive big electric trains) announces that we will continue moving but at a much slower pace because of some construction up ahead. Fab.
Now I feel really horrible posting about all of this after my partner in crime was accosted by a homeless man at the bus stop earlier this evening. The lusty youths from my morning commute eventually stopped being vomity and de-trained at Peachtree Center. But on a Skeeve Scale of one to ten these folks were about a nine and a half. Plus a sh li can (and should) legally pack heat. My story doesn't have a moral, no one out there needs to be more aware of their surroundings because you never know when someone seated in front of you on the Marta is going to start making out. But today someone learned a little bit less about children's early comprehension of syntax and a little bit more about what is wrong with the youth of Atlanta.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tonight the bus has defeated me :(
In a word, tramatized. My transit adventures have left me in tears and I feel like an epic failure. So here's what happened:
This evening there was a Greenpeace talk on climate at a joint in the nether-regions of Memorial, off of Flat Shoals. This required me to take the bus from work to the train, and then get off at Five Points and take the 21 eastbound down Memorial. I wasn't a fan, because this doesn't have me going through the best parts of town. But whatever, I'm a bus girl now, three weeks in should have been enough to prepared me for this, right? And even the shelter has me in not the best part of town. But the not best part of Decatur is much much different than the not best part of Atlanta.
To catch the bus from Five Points, you have to go to the street level of Underground Atlanta. To catch the 21, you have to walk to the furthest end of the street, away from the station and the police precinct. So I walked down to the bus stop around 7pm and leaned up against the wall of whatever building along side two other men who were talking amongst them stuff. Over by the signpost, between it and the trash can lay a man. Whatever, homeless folks all over, I've become a little hardened to this fact after my shelter stint.
So the homeless guy gets up and walks over to me. As soon as he does, I tell him I don't have any cash on me. He has some tickets to something, free stuff they hand out to tourists, and says he wants to give them to me, but do I have any change because he's homeless and hungry.
When I first moved to Atlanta, I used to be so heartbroken by the homeless on the streets. I even called my mom one time, the December I had first moved here, crying because a man had asked me for money and he was so nice and seemed so hurt but some cops had told me the week before to never give them money because they may be trying to steal my wallet. I cried over that man. Now I've learned that there are resources out there and some people are homeless because of really bad decisions and that's changed my perspective. But sometimes I still see people that I think really need it and try to help them.
But they are never the people on or around MARTA.
So this homeless guy, after I tell him the second time that I'm sorry, but I have no money, puts his hands on my shoulders and pinned me against the wall and started yelling in my face, cursing me out. And the worst part is, those men standing beside me do nothing. So he walks off and I'm in shock. A couple of minutes later The Screamer comes up to us and I just start laughing.
One is the one who told me about the Screamer, and thank heavens he prepared me. Apparently the man has no tongue and is a little crazy, so we hangs out at the station and screams at people, generally pointing to something. He had a small scrap of paper tonight, but I have no clue what it said. But One has assured me that he's harmless, so rather than be shocked or afraid, I'm just happy to see him. At least he won't try to assault me.
So here's this guy screaming at us, then he stands in the middle of the street screaming some more, and I have had it. I can't do this any longer, I can't wait a second more for that damned bus and I can't stand out there on that street and God forbid it, I am NOT taking that bus BACK to that station at 9! So I walk across the street and back into the station to get back on the train.
And I started crying because I should be able to do this. And honestly, that was the first time in the three years I've lived here that I've been scared in Atlanta. And I feel so defeated and like such a fool that I couldn't wait on a stupid bus in downtown. Seriously, who walks away from a bus stop crying?
This evening there was a Greenpeace talk on climate at a joint in the nether-regions of Memorial, off of Flat Shoals. This required me to take the bus from work to the train, and then get off at Five Points and take the 21 eastbound down Memorial. I wasn't a fan, because this doesn't have me going through the best parts of town. But whatever, I'm a bus girl now, three weeks in should have been enough to prepared me for this, right? And even the shelter has me in not the best part of town. But the not best part of Decatur is much much different than the not best part of Atlanta.
To catch the bus from Five Points, you have to go to the street level of Underground Atlanta. To catch the 21, you have to walk to the furthest end of the street, away from the station and the police precinct. So I walked down to the bus stop around 7pm and leaned up against the wall of whatever building along side two other men who were talking amongst them stuff. Over by the signpost, between it and the trash can lay a man. Whatever, homeless folks all over, I've become a little hardened to this fact after my shelter stint.
So the homeless guy gets up and walks over to me. As soon as he does, I tell him I don't have any cash on me. He has some tickets to something, free stuff they hand out to tourists, and says he wants to give them to me, but do I have any change because he's homeless and hungry.
When I first moved to Atlanta, I used to be so heartbroken by the homeless on the streets. I even called my mom one time, the December I had first moved here, crying because a man had asked me for money and he was so nice and seemed so hurt but some cops had told me the week before to never give them money because they may be trying to steal my wallet. I cried over that man. Now I've learned that there are resources out there and some people are homeless because of really bad decisions and that's changed my perspective. But sometimes I still see people that I think really need it and try to help them.
But they are never the people on or around MARTA.
So this homeless guy, after I tell him the second time that I'm sorry, but I have no money, puts his hands on my shoulders and pinned me against the wall and started yelling in my face, cursing me out. And the worst part is, those men standing beside me do nothing. So he walks off and I'm in shock. A couple of minutes later The Screamer comes up to us and I just start laughing.
One is the one who told me about the Screamer, and thank heavens he prepared me. Apparently the man has no tongue and is a little crazy, so we hangs out at the station and screams at people, generally pointing to something. He had a small scrap of paper tonight, but I have no clue what it said. But One has assured me that he's harmless, so rather than be shocked or afraid, I'm just happy to see him. At least he won't try to assault me.
So here's this guy screaming at us, then he stands in the middle of the street screaming some more, and I have had it. I can't do this any longer, I can't wait a second more for that damned bus and I can't stand out there on that street and God forbid it, I am NOT taking that bus BACK to that station at 9! So I walk across the street and back into the station to get back on the train.
And I started crying because I should be able to do this. And honestly, that was the first time in the three years I've lived here that I've been scared in Atlanta. And I feel so defeated and like such a fool that I couldn't wait on a stupid bus in downtown. Seriously, who walks away from a bus stop crying?
Ah DC
Thursday Morning
You may think I'm crazy, but commuting in like this actually helps me have better mornings! I get out of the shelter at a good time and I love the routine it forces me into to catch the 10b. I drink my coffee and relax while watching the sun rise. I'm falling in love with this whole transit thing and it reaffirms everything that I love about the city. I think that coming into the city from Kennsington may be the greatest view of Atlanta, the morning fog over Oakland, the pink tones of the sun through downtown, Atlanta really is an awesome place to live. And of course, my most favorite view, the mists of the Chattahoochee in the mornings as we cross over it. And it's fall now, so the leaves are changing; man, I don't think it could get any more gorgeous than it is down here! Granted, Atlanta has her issues, but we're not focusing on those today! And, I really like the regular bus driver for the 10b, now that I've got the knack of catching the fool thing. She's really nice, and funny. Today she called out a guy who tried to sneak past her without paying. It is an awesome day!
Storytime! Boys, you can stop reading here, it's only my musings. ;) Lillian, the Russian co-director of my shelter, remarked this morning how European it is of me to commute to work. While true, Europeans are more transit friendly, this made me think of something that I've noticed. These transit boys that I've come to find myself surrounded by seem to gravitate towards whatever transit girls they can find. M. married a girl from France and Erik Steavens at GDOT, his wife is from Germany (I think that's what he said), so obviously they went the European route. Two's ideal girl would be car-free, like him, and R.'s wife has the L map tattooed on her arm. My advanced degree tells me this is a noticable trend. That's what us psychologists are for, studying patterns in human behaviors. :p Maybe I should start a dating service.
Storytime! Boys, you can stop reading here, it's only my musings. ;) Lillian, the Russian co-director of my shelter, remarked this morning how European it is of me to commute to work. While true, Europeans are more transit friendly, this made me think of something that I've noticed. These transit boys that I've come to find myself surrounded by seem to gravitate towards whatever transit girls they can find. M. married a girl from France and Erik Steavens at GDOT, his wife is from Germany (I think that's what he said), so obviously they went the European route. Two's ideal girl would be car-free, like him, and R.'s wife has the L map tattooed on her arm. My advanced degree tells me this is a noticable trend. That's what us psychologists are for, studying patterns in human behaviors. :p Maybe I should start a dating service.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Guest Bloggers
I've decided to have some guest bloggers to regale you with tales of thier mass transit misadventures. But these aren't any ol' normal riders, there are the following most awesome people:
The Accidental Commuter - is my heterosexual life partner and has recently been inducted to the transit world now that she has started grad school downtown. The AC is a suburban dweller who takes the train to class so she spends way more time on it than I. She is also by far the funniest girl I know, so I'm looking forward to her snarky comments!
E - is kinda like my other half. She recently, following some crazy tire issues, decided to hit the bus and train. Like me, she also fell in love with the awesomeness that the bus is. However, E rides it in town more, while I'm out in the burbs.She's also hilarious and new to the bus world as well as being overly enthusiastic, so this should be fun.
Two - Two is, well Two. But Two lives in town and is car free, which is a way bigger step than I am prepared to take, though he tells me that my commute is more hardcore than he could do. But Two also has a little more insight into the world of transit, so look out for his informative posts!
The Accidental Commuter - is my heterosexual life partner and has recently been inducted to the transit world now that she has started grad school downtown. The AC is a suburban dweller who takes the train to class so she spends way more time on it than I. She is also by far the funniest girl I know, so I'm looking forward to her snarky comments!
E - is kinda like my other half. She recently, following some crazy tire issues, decided to hit the bus and train. Like me, she also fell in love with the awesomeness that the bus is. However, E rides it in town more, while I'm out in the burbs.She's also hilarious and new to the bus world as well as being overly enthusiastic, so this should be fun.
Two - Two is, well Two. But Two lives in town and is car free, which is a way bigger step than I am prepared to take, though he tells me that my commute is more hardcore than he could do. But Two also has a little more insight into the world of transit, so look out for his informative posts!
Bus Stories
I tried to make that clip art bus look like my bus. Yes, I am a dork!
Bus Stories
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Bullet necklace, part Two.
So this bullet necklace has been a transit nightmare, or piece of quality entertainment, one. The first week I had it, Two and I were on the train riding back from the Sierra Club office (where all gangstas hang out). Well the chain broke and the bullet went rolling across the floor of the train. Two, the gentleman that he is, immediately started chasing it for me, not realizing what eactly he was chasing. A bullet. Across a MARTA train. Some nice man stopped it with his foot, and Two retrieved it for me. He was not too pleased with me. What can I say? It's how us gangsta roll.
So I know...
that I wrote about the things that suck about the bus, and thank goodness, as the Lady in the Cube pointed out, I do have options. But this morning reaffirmed why I'm doing this - 285 at 8 am in the rain may be hell on Earth. I don't REALLY need a car, do I?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Things That Suck
Mostly, I love the bus. I like the time to read, to relax, to not have to fight the urge to kill someone on 285 in rush hour. But there are a few downsides.
Things That Suck
Things That Suck
Makes me at least glad that Stoner represents me
From another blog, which also mentions the MARTA and GDOT merger:
http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=2268
http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=2268
The blog post to beat all blog posts!
Really, I'm just trying to catch up.
So Erik Steavens - he attended the CfPT Happy Hour last Wednesday and is some something or another for the GDOT. I could look it up, but you could too. Point being he's a great transit oriented dude who did (at least that night, from what I've heard of when he spoke to the RAIL committee) seem to have some hope for transit in Georgia. However, he completely skirted the issue when he was asked his opinion on MARTA being merged with GDOT.
My unprofessional opinion (maybe someone way more educated on it, like One or Two :p, could chime in) is that this is a bad idea. I mean, GDOT recently got into a bit of trouble for loosing some buses they had purchased. Buses. How do you loose buses? I mean, those are pretty big. In fact, one had been totaled and they were unaware. Some were in other states, like Virginia and Texas, and those, my friends, aren't even neighboring states. Granted, they were buses for intercity transit, but that's a huge intercity distance. So if GDOT can't keep up with a small fleet of buses, do you think they can handle MARTA? I think we're best to leave that one up to the folks that seem to be doing pretty well with it already given the circumstances, and just give them a bit more money to make it work. That't where GDOT can lend a hand, in lobbying for funding for MARTA, because if MARTA operates, there are less people on the roads, so less wear and tear. These people should really let me be the decision maker.
Some politicians and political candidates also showed up at the CfPT happy hour, including Amir Farokhi, Graham Balch, and Elena Parent, who I think we're all pretty excited about. She is running opposed to Jill Chambers, who I'm a bit miffed at (but that's another post to be written). It was a great evening and well attended, it was standing room only in the meeting room.
In other news, my morning commute went really well. I have this down to a fine science, as long as the train is running on time. I am now driving to the station, it saves me 30 minutes and when you've got that long of a ride, I think it's a fair trade off. Be mad at me if you want. But if I leave the shelter by 7:15 then I make it to Arts Center by 8 to make the 8:05 10b, which is epic. And that gets me to the office by 8:50. So this morning I had my coffee (I know, what's become of me? Coffee?!?!?) and read my book, 46 pages to be exact. I'm currently reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite authors. Ironically, this book heavily features the tube in London, complete with a map which includes the dates the stations opened. I really had no clue how old the tube is; it was founded by an Act of Parliment in 1854. Anyways, other than the wierd dude on the bus who kept staring at me (yes, I am the only white girl on here, but this is not a zoo!), it was a perfect morning!
So Erik Steavens - he attended the CfPT Happy Hour last Wednesday and is some something or another for the GDOT. I could look it up, but you could too. Point being he's a great transit oriented dude who did (at least that night, from what I've heard of when he spoke to the RAIL committee) seem to have some hope for transit in Georgia. However, he completely skirted the issue when he was asked his opinion on MARTA being merged with GDOT.
My unprofessional opinion (maybe someone way more educated on it, like One or Two :p, could chime in) is that this is a bad idea. I mean, GDOT recently got into a bit of trouble for loosing some buses they had purchased. Buses. How do you loose buses? I mean, those are pretty big. In fact, one had been totaled and they were unaware. Some were in other states, like Virginia and Texas, and those, my friends, aren't even neighboring states. Granted, they were buses for intercity transit, but that's a huge intercity distance. So if GDOT can't keep up with a small fleet of buses, do you think they can handle MARTA? I think we're best to leave that one up to the folks that seem to be doing pretty well with it already given the circumstances, and just give them a bit more money to make it work. That't where GDOT can lend a hand, in lobbying for funding for MARTA, because if MARTA operates, there are less people on the roads, so less wear and tear. These people should really let me be the decision maker.
Some politicians and political candidates also showed up at the CfPT happy hour, including Amir Farokhi, Graham Balch, and Elena Parent, who I think we're all pretty excited about. She is running opposed to Jill Chambers, who I'm a bit miffed at (but that's another post to be written). It was a great evening and well attended, it was standing room only in the meeting room.
In other news, my morning commute went really well. I have this down to a fine science, as long as the train is running on time. I am now driving to the station, it saves me 30 minutes and when you've got that long of a ride, I think it's a fair trade off. Be mad at me if you want. But if I leave the shelter by 7:15 then I make it to Arts Center by 8 to make the 8:05 10b, which is epic. And that gets me to the office by 8:50. So this morning I had my coffee (I know, what's become of me? Coffee?!?!?) and read my book, 46 pages to be exact. I'm currently reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite authors. Ironically, this book heavily features the tube in London, complete with a map which includes the dates the stations opened. I really had no clue how old the tube is; it was founded by an Act of Parliment in 1854. Anyways, other than the wierd dude on the bus who kept staring at me (yes, I am the only white girl on here, but this is not a zoo!), it was a perfect morning!
Friday, October 23, 2009
I know, I know
Yea, I gotta do that whole blog post on the CfPT happy hour, which was awesome and loads of fun, by the way, but until I can devote some quality time to it, I wanted to share this local news story with you, in case you missed it:
Homelessness & Buses
Homelessness & Buses
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
CfPT Happy Hour
Tonight the Citizens for Progressive Transit are having a happy hour with special guest Erik Steavens of the Georgia Department of Transportation. I plan on being there, and blogging about it, but I'm so concerned over HOW to get there!
My dilemma is that I'm at the shelter tonight, and I have to make cupcakes tonight for the Sierra Club open house tomorrow night. And in order to make cupcakes, I have to go to the grocery store. Which is NO WHERE near the shelter. Or transit out that way. And I have to take my baking stuff and fancy smancy cupcake carrier out the the shelter in order to make said cupcakes. AND I totally do not see myself lugging four dozen cupcakes on that two hour commute around town in the morning, and then again in the afternoon back down to the office. On top of the pumpkins, apple cider, and crock pot. So I NEED my car. Now what to do?
I could leave my car at the mall, take the bus downtown, and then come back up and get it, but that's a lot of time spent that could be used on cupcakage, which, being that it's for the Sierra Club, is essentially carbon-neutral, right?
But I can't show up to a CfPT happy hour in my car! Grr!
My dilemma is that I'm at the shelter tonight, and I have to make cupcakes tonight for the Sierra Club open house tomorrow night. And in order to make cupcakes, I have to go to the grocery store. Which is NO WHERE near the shelter. Or transit out that way. And I have to take my baking stuff and fancy smancy cupcake carrier out the the shelter in order to make said cupcakes. AND I totally do not see myself lugging four dozen cupcakes on that two hour commute around town in the morning, and then again in the afternoon back down to the office. On top of the pumpkins, apple cider, and crock pot. So I NEED my car. Now what to do?
I could leave my car at the mall, take the bus downtown, and then come back up and get it, but that's a lot of time spent that could be used on cupcakage, which, being that it's for the Sierra Club, is essentially carbon-neutral, right?
But I can't show up to a CfPT happy hour in my car! Grr!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Mission: Commute on Monday
The reason why I'm writing this blog is because I've yet to have one commute that went perfectly as planned. I don't think I could make this stuff up if I tried!
Cct Monday
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My Adventures On The Bus!
With some encouragement from Two, I've started a new blog of my commute. He says it'll be good to bring more awareness, I just think it's fun.
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