Public Transportation

Most of us undoubtedly have pretty good stories of unsavory or just plain not-quite-there characters on public transportation. I have a few. There was the tram between concourses in Paris where the guy sitting next to my sister-in-law smelled like a farm. Really, he encapsulated every stereotype surrounding Parisian hygiene. Or, there was the time while riding the light rail that I got invited to "take it outside" by a young "lady" because I took exception to her spitting the shells of her sunflower seeds on the train floor.

Today, I had another such experience. Unfortunately everyday downtown I witness numerous men and women who are homeless and wander the streets stealing spent cigarette butts and some cover from the rain and sun. Most of these individuals are also mentally impaired in some way. The majority of those keep to themselves and you may once in awhile hear them muttering to themselves but you can't quite make out what they're saying. And that's okay because I, like most people, would rather not hear it anyway. This morning, my bus arrived downtown and turned onto Nicollet. At the very first stop, a middle-aged gentleman boarded the bus. I'm relatively certain by the stories he was telling that he is homeless albeit one of the cleanest homeless individuals I have encountered downtown. He proceeded to speak at top volume so all on the double-length bus could hear his story. He just left the mission because his girlfriend kicked him out. She was upset because he couldn't keep it up. *insert requisite chuckle here* He then proceeded to ask everyone on the bus if they wanted some of the food he got from the food shelf. As he held up some canned ham he remarked that he didn't know why they give him this stuff since he has nowhere to cook it, damn it! Fo sho. During his harmless and funny diatribe, the bus driver kept chiding him saying "let's not disturb everyone on the bus" to which he'd reply "yes, ma'am" and continue with his story. All in all, he was actually quite a happy guy.

When I was standing at the front of the bus as it pulled up to my stop, the bus driver bid me good day and I said the same. She then apologized to me. I can only assume she was apologizing for the man who entertained me for 5 blocks. Of course I told her not to worry. No harm, no foul. But it got me to thinking. It's unfortunate that this display is embarrassing and inconvenient for those of us who work 9-5, pay a mortgage, and help our kids with homework. It's sad that the bus driver felt the need to apologize to me for another individual...one who she doesn't know, certainly has no control over, and generally was not a problem.

So while I still chuckle 12 hours after the fact, I continue to think about that lonely man who likely just wanted a friend or two to listen to his story and care. I think about the quiet woman who carries 3-4 bags around downtown with her everyday and quietly picks through the ash trays looking for a trace of tobacco. Or the slightly scary guy who showers twice a year and sports an impressive mass of hair atop his head that progressively starts to look like moldy cheese.

I should probably do more. But I'm awfully comfortable in my house thankful for what I have.

My thoughts on...bags

Bags are wonderful. They allow you to carry gear and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and purposes. You can have a backpack or a messenger bag. A purse or a clutch. You can carry items in paper, plastic, or reusable canvas. You can even imagine a bag of holding and carry EVERYTHING you ever wanted. Really, they're quite wonderful things.

So imagine my surprise when I happened upon a man in the skyway this morning carrying a bag with his BIKE in it. I've seen this before but it never ceases to cause me to roll my eyes and wonder why this is such a necessity. What's next? A bag to carry your stove in? In case you want a home cooked meal in the middle of the workday in your cube?

I am freaking out

In my new role at work, my biggest area for "improvement" is the ability to delegate tasks. I am like many over-achievers and seem to subscribe to the old adage that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. As part of a project at work, I have seized upon the opportunity to work with another individual and have them take on some of the tasks that don't really need my expertise. I wanted to do it so that I could get accustomed to delegating and I had to do it because I just couldn't complete those tasks with the other responsibilities I have.

Today it was proven, yet again, that I just can't trust others to do work. None of it is done and he was asking me "what were the instructions again?" I also found out today that he had passed some of the work onto another person. Now both of them are out sick.

I will be working the majority of the weekend trying to get these things done this weekend because they have to be ready for some temps that are coming in on Monday.

I really wish this would have worked out. I really wanted to have it proven to me that I could trust other people. Now what?

Oh happy place, where have you been all my life???

I'm starting this out by sending a few apologies out to some of my friends. I know I was a total jerk face this weekend by generally cocooning in my hovel. I'm sorry about that...I just reallllly needed some quiet time I guess. But perhaps you'll forgive me once you know that it was an amazing wonderful weekend. Yesterday was low-key and after my brain aneurysm of hate (re: previous blog) it felt good to just be. How very zen of me. Phil, are you proud?

Today I spent the day cleaning. My plan was to just do the standard vacuuming/pick-up/make presentable kind of clean. Instead, I attacked the house like a homemaker on crack. I cleaned every square inch of the main level and put the new vacuum cleaner to work. I still don't know whether to be pleased or utterly disgusted by the filth it pulled up. Oh well. I went grocery shopping and planned our meals for the week, cut up fruits and veggies, and all-in-all did a great job of prepping for breakfast and lunch-taking to work.

The laundry is just finishing and I will fold and put it away before cuddling up with a good book and falling into a comatose-like sleep.

I feel a bit refreshed and renewed and ready to take on a particularly stressful week. I didn't do the work I needed to this weekend but I'll be okay by my meeting in the afternoon. If I'd have gotten THAT done, I'd be running naked through the streets in a state of delirium. Thank God I didn't get it done, eh? :)

I raise a glass (sugar-free Kool-aid anyway) to all of you and hope that you all had wonderful weekends as well. I miss you all and hope that my funk has been banished to the depths of hell.

Dear PCOS

Dear PCOS,

You really piss me off. Even your name - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - sounds like a stab in the gut. I'm really tired of your bullshit so I would like to request that you kindly go fuck yourself. Your insistence that I constantly carry around extra poundage, that I suffer 13 year old-esque acne, and your commitment to trifling with my monthly cycles is really enough for me to hire a hit man to hunt you down and punch you in the wiener. Because yes, I'm convinced you're a man. No woman would inflict this on another.

I've had enough. I have things I want to do and you keep getting in the way. The blood work, the numerous medications, and the inability for any medical professional to explain where you came from are making me tired. It doesn't matter to me that it's relatively common. It matters to me that that quite frequently I feel like a man. Really, the hirsutism (excessive hair growth) is only welcome on my head. I guess I should "thank" you for that. Meh!

So I would like to disrespectfully unsubscribe from this crap you're selling. This letter shall mark the severing of our "relationship." So again, kindly go fuck yourself and leave me the hell alone.

Sincerely,
Kris