Thursday, September 21, 2006

This Baby Takes the Morning Train

****This "bitch-rant-n-rave" (sung to the tune of "shake rattle and roll") is directed at no one in particular and everyone who rides the TTC.

I absolutely, positively HATE people on public transit who get up from their seat or move from their spot LONG Before the bus/subway comes to it's designated stop. Cramming yourself onto the TTC is a delicate balancing act these days, and these people upset the cohesion all because they're paranoid that they're going to miss their stop. I understand that... I really really do. But for fucks sake... when the trains next stop is Yonge/Bloor (for example) do you honestly think you're the only person getting off?? Is this your first time riding the subway?? Are you hoping to be "first" for some unknown chronic-competitive-disorderly reason??? I get so sick of getting bumped and jostled by these people that I've actually begun to make myself an purposeful obstacle just to make them sweat, and for those who refuse to be detained from worming their way to the door whilst the vehicle is still in motion I've even been known to speak to them... (that's something that's frowned upon in today's society, it's an unwritten rule in transit that you should keep to yourself and not be a disturbance) just to let them know "I'm getting off too'. Translation: "fucking chillax before I open a window and personally guarantee you arrive earlier than the rest of us at the next stop". Something I've never actually said to another living being, but the more I traverse this great city, it's bubbling dangerously close to my tactful boiling point. Now that I've said that... I'll say something positive about my commute. "YAY it's fall, which means it's cooler, which means people stink less than they normally do." ....uhh.... ....yeah... I think that's all I can muster for now. Not that I hate my commute entirely. I do enjoy my alone time to read, and listen to my iPod, and conquer the daily sudoku and look at hotties when they're around. But get me on a crowded train or bus when people become rude and unruly and I'm ready to take a swing at someone.
(oh... I feel another one coming on)
I think when I first started riding the subway (daily at least) it was the first time in my adult life that I've been pushed by another human being. To say it leaves me indignant and cranky is a vast understatement. But it happens to people all the time. When you're getting on the subway in particular... it's not at all uncommon to feel hands on your back, pressing you into the person ahead of you. Now what? ...I ask justifies that kind of behaviour? Not one to utter death threats, I have actually responded to pushing with a simple "you push me again, and I'm going to push back" without even turning around to look the offending "pusher" in the eyes. That is SOO not me. I'm not an aggressive person, nor am I rude or even outspoken for that matter.

Look what public transit is doing to me!!!
(now another positive)
Granted there are interesting things happening around you all the time if you're a people watcher. Just a few weeks ago I watched with admiration, a father sitting with his young son (maybe 6 or 7 years old) on the subway and they talked and hugged and laughed, and I genuinely felt warm inside for witnessing such a tender and loving exchange between them. An affectionate (non-creepy) dynamic like that is seldom seen, and I don't think I'll ever forget it. Not to say my dad didn't love me or anything like that. Just it was "closeness" personified and I felt lucky to see it, and almost felt compelled to say something kind to the father about it.

Anyhow, on to a different topic.

The screen-door-in-a-hurricane approach to blogging I've taken sometimes makes me think I'm doing it wrong, if there is such a thing. My friend Bo recently wrote in her blog that she sometimes felt she wasn't talking about things that were worthwhile in her blog, and I can appreciate that completely. I'm no political commentator either, and I don't feel my views on any particular topic are earth-shattering or even relevant at times, but I do feel that it's a great outlet, and I can't believe just how much I enjoy doing it, even if very few people ever read it. I'm a quiet guy by nature, so sometimes I read over the relatively few entries I've made and think "wow, this is me", "I wouldn't ordinarily talk about this stuff to anyone". Maybe that's a good thing too, 'cause I think people in general talk too much and listen too little, and I'd rather be a listener than a talker. Hmmph... I wonder whether Eak would cry foul on these little self-revelations. I'll have to force him to read my blog and give me an honest answer. hee

Alrighty, song o' the day.

"Somewhere Down the Road" by Amy Grant. Amy's been one of my personal faves since I was yea-big. Only recently did I have the opportunity to see her in concert, and I can honestly say she's a beautiful and wise soul. Her music is usually very accessible, and heartfelt. This song is from her album "Behind the Eyes" which was a complete failure commercially, but it's my second-favourite CD by Amy Grant.

So much pain and no good reason why
You've cried until the tears run dry
And nothing else can make you understand
The one thing that you held so dear
Is slipping from your hands

And you say
Why, why, why
Does it go this way
Why, why, why
And all I can say

Somewhere down the road
There'll be answers to the questions
Somewhere down the road
Though we cannot see it now
And somewhere down the road
You will find mighty arms reaching for you
And they will hold the answers at the end of the road

Yesterday I thought I'd seen it all
I thought I'd climbed the highest wall
Now I see the learning never ends
And all I know to do is keep on walking
Walking 'round the bend singing

Why, why, why
Does it go this way
Why, why, why
And all I can say

Somewhere down the road
There'll be answers to the questions
Somewhere down the road
Though we cannot see it now
And somewhere down the road
You will find mighty arms reaching for you
And they will hold the answers at the end of the road

9 comments:

Jerome said...

Of course, MY weblog is filled with very relevent and weighty topics. Like laundry and grocery shopping. Please don't feel pressure to write about such high-brow matter as I do.

Incidentally, I'm with you on Behind the Eyes.

Johnny said...

Ahh, but your intellectualism shines through even the most seemingly hum-drum of topics Jerome. I enjoy reading your blog.

Even if you are trying to force your own made-up words into the world of vocabulary. ;)

Jerome said...

Isn't that pretty much how all words start? It's a longstanding tradition. Apparently someone can create the word BLOG but somehow PROCRASTINATIOUS is unacceptable? I think not.

Johnny said...

You're totally right. I was thinking about "procrastinatious" just this evening... so you've made an impact on at least 2 people thus far. That's got to be how silly dialects/accents like the one in Kingston get started. True old-school Kingstonians will tell you the days of the week start with Sundee and end with Saturdee. ;)

Johnny said...

Not that "procrastinatious" is a silly word I might add. It doesn't make me cringe like other abominations like "orientated". Someone at one point "tried" and evidently succeeded in making that a word in our lifetime if I'm not mistaken. I certainly don't remember ever being taught the word "orientate" in school.

Jerome said...

Orientate is an abomination. For some reason people don't trust themselves that "orient" will do. It's just like "irregardless", which is not a word nor should it be a word because "regardless" will do. Procrastinatious is different because there isn't currently an adjective out there to do its job. Hey. I've thought this one through.

(And reading this, I feel like such a geek, though I prefer to think of myself as a Wordsmith. Ha!)

Keltie said...

My least favourite non-word is 'agreeance'. I HATE that word. Hate it.

Jerome said...

I am in a complete agreematorium with you.

Heh.

Unknown said...

"before I open a window and personally guarantee you arrive earlier than the rest of us at the next stop"

Okay, so my comment is like 9 months late, but this literally had me LOL'ing here at work, and my boss visiting a coworker in the next cubicle actually peered over the edge of the cube wall to wonder what was going on. Luckily I was quick with the ALT-TAB move to appear to be working...