Trainspotting, Issue No. 2 "Herding Cattle"

On a good day I actually get done work at the time I'm supposed to, 8:00pm. The problem with getting done at 8:00pm is the way NJ Transit runs its train schedule during that hour. They have trains at 8:04, 8:11 and 8:41. My building is a good 12 blocks from the station, so it's safe to say the first two trains are totally out of the question (that is, until they finally get around to inventing teleportation). So, you can only imagine my dismay waiting around for the 8:41, which doesn't get me home until 9:30pm. Grr.

Occasionally a really good day comes along when I'm able to run out of the office 5-10 minutes early and actually catch the 8:11 train. Now this rare phenomenon comes about once a week, and when it does I'm like a kid getting out of school on a half day. I rush out of the office in a windstorm, bewildering my coworkers with a faint "good-bye" shouted from down the hall and half-way out the door. It's really rather sad that five minutes determine whether I get home at 8:45 or 9:30 —and ultimately my mood for the remainder of the evening.

Trainspotting, Issue No. 1

I've opted to call the new segment of my blog about strange encounters on the NJ Transit rail, "trainspotting." I thought it fit pretty well, considering trainspotting is actually a hobby of watching trains. It's basically the same thing as bird watching and originated in Britain sometime back in the 1940's. Of course, nowadays trainspotters would more commonly be likened to "terrorists," so I'm not sure how popular the hobby remains. Anyhow, on to today's story....

I had to pee on the train today. In case you didn't know, they do have bathrooms on the train. They're similar to a port-o-potty, except imagine that port-o-potty on the back of a stick-shift truck that constantly slams on the breaks and then guns it forward. Peeing in these things takes a certain amount of talent, unless you're lucky enough to finish up while the train is stopped at a station. These restrooms are also about as clean as a port-o-potty, and it probably would have been more hygienic to piss my own pants. Anyhow, I elected to go through with the less-embarrassing option and brave the stinking toilet.

Reflections From The Train

My savings account has increased over 1000% in the last 5 days. Now isn't that an impressive number?! I have gone from a mere $0.67 to a whopping $7.00! At this rate I should be a millionaire in no time! No really though, I actually opened that new Orange savings account a few days ago and started myself off with a grand total of $7.00. It's not much, but it's a start. I also set up an automatic withdrawal from my checking account for $10.00 a week on the day I get paid. I plan on increasing that amount when I feel secure enough in my finances, but for now I'll stick with what I feel is safe. One day I'll catch up to my little sister (who we are still convinced has the first dollar she ever received).

I also finally answered those collection calls, mostly due to the inspirational text messages from my Dad telling me to "man up." The bastards were calling my parent's house too, so now I'm really curious to know what the daily totals were! For now my phone has stopped ringing, hinged on promises of payment tomorrow. I've been telling everyone they'll get their money tomorrow... Oh, and rent is due Tuesday.

I feel it's necessary to note that as I write this post on the train, a guy just walked by wearing a hat with cat ears (just another dirty-looking hipster jackass, I suppose). I think I'm going to start a new section on this blog about the crazy shit I see every week while riding the New Jersey Transit rail. And just as I finished the last sentence, I looked to my right and spotted another gem. Here's a smart-looking guy, wearing a business suit and fancy watch, with his iPod wrapped in a leather Burberry case, drinking a super-sized can of Budweiser out of a paper bag... is something wrong with this picture, or is it really just me? People from Jersey are just so classy.

I'm working on my weight-loss update right now (it involves the Devil and $3.00). In the meantime, please leave your thoughts and comments on whether or not you're enticed to hear more about my daily train adventures. ;-)