#40 So THAT'S why the trains sucked yesterday...

365 Blog Challenge: Post #40

Yesterday, while enjoying my new desk chair, Scott texted me from work to report that the trains were running terribly.  This isn't exactly news on a weekend in NYC.  The MTA often does track work over the weekend and trains run wonky because of it, skipping entire sections of Manhattan while the MTA uses our tax dollars.  However, Scott, who left for work around 11:45am, was onto something yesterday.  Apparently, a Brooklyn man went on a killing spree through three boroughs over the last two days killing 4 people and injuring many more.  His escapades ended on the subway, the #3 train, where he stabbed a man in the head and neck (the man lived, phew).  This was just after the suspect had gotten off the #1 train which is the line Scott and I take from our northwestern apartment to the main areas of the city.  Kinda freaky.  Even freakier, he got off at 34th street which is my stop for work.  However, he apparently avoided the platform and stairs and walked directly across the tracks to the #3 train.  (What about the 3rd rail??)

Does this make me feel unsafe on the subway?  Not really.  There are crazy psychos everywhere.  Let's just hope there are no more using MTA anytime soon.  For more details on this story, see the CNN article and the NYTimes article by clicking the links.

Things I've seen lately...

Late this Saturday night...more like early Sunday morning, I was riding the N train with some girls from my program at school (namely Cori, Monica and Kristin, as well as K's girlfriend Elyce) back from a birthday bar crawl in Brooklyn.  Seeing as how I had been at a play earlier and Cori and Monica had been out all day watching Columbia Football as well as Gator Football, we were all exhausted.  Monica and I snagged seats across from a white-trashesque couple, of which the woman was lying across the man's lap presumably passed out.  Part way through the trip, the woman eventually chatted a bit with her boyfriend and the guy next to us (who was either really impressed we all went to Columbia or really appalled that we were paying Columbia tuition to get a nursing degree).  The train was getting more crowded, and had it not been for my keen observational skills, I may not have even noticed that the formerly passed-out woman pulled out a small, circular tupperware container from her bag.  Monica noticed as well, however she chalked it up to being food and lost interest.  I, however, caught the woman opening the lid of the tupperware, only to see a little white mouse with a long tail running around, frightened as hell.  The woman proceeded to close the lid, smile at Mr. White Trash USA (i.e. her boyfriend) who rolled his eyes at her, and we continued on our merry way.

Sadly, I've probably seen stranger in NY. However, thought all my dedicated readers...you know...all 3 of you (*wink*)...would enjoy my little anecdote.

Luxury Condos for Fish!

I love it! There was an article in the New York Times this morning about how a group in Delaware is using old New York subway cars as a way to stimulate marine life/growth. The article talks about how this is becoming so popular that it's causing problems for the group that started it in Delaware. But I love this idea! Finally MTA (metro transit authority) has contributed positively to the world (instead of just pissing all of us off).

Pics of the subway cars being sent undersea to be new homes for fish!

And this is how the fish would experience it: Fun fish movie!

Finally someone who can respect the space of a subway car! No pole dancers down here!

Guest blogger: Shauna (aka Shizzy)

Hello all,
This entry is from an email I received from my coworker Shauna who just moved to the city in July. It reminded me so much of my early experiences in the city that I had to add it. And Shauna is just such a character, I thought maybe some of you would enjoy it. And of course, it involves the New York suwbays system as all crazy new york stories should. Here it is:

...I've started studying for the GREs and i'm having an absolute blast. read: the GREs make me want to throw myself on the subway tracks. which apparently people in the city like to do on a regular basis because the only train that takes me to my job has been shut down approximately 3 times in the last 2 weeks due to things like, "a robber jumped into the train tracks," "someone jumped in front of the train," etc. Really, if people want to commit suicide, can't they pick another goddamn train line to do it on?? I need to go to work.

So one of these times the train stopped at 149th street (i need to get to 195th ish) so obvoiusly there's no way in hell i'm walking. and i'm poor so i'm not taking a cab. and of course nothing i need merges at 149th street. so since everyone and their mom was switching to the bus i didn't want to take it. not to mention i figured i wouldn't get as lost on foot as i could get on the bus. so i asked the police officer where the next closest subway station was. he told me and i thought i was following his directions perfectly (i still maintain that i was, and that 149th street is NOT only 5 blocks away from 161st street), but somehow i ended up on some back roads with no one really around over by yankee stadium, which let me tell you, is absolutely not the nicest neighborhood i've ever been in. oh, and i was wearing my neon orange north face jacket. needless to say, i wasn't exactly blending in.

So i asked this parking attendant where the subway was when i decided i was lost again, and naturally he didn't speak english (no one in the bronx speaks english) so he just repeated what i said. (i would've tried spanish but i couldn't tell if he spoke that either because he looked like a frog and i couldn't figure out a clear ethnicity). finally he understood and pointed in the direction, but then motioned for me to get in the back seat, that he'd take me there. so i said no of course, that i was fine walking, and we went back and forth for a few minutes, and then i said thanks and started walking.

A couple minutes later as i'm praying that God would turn my bright orange jacket into a nice foggy gray to blend in with the slums i was walking next to, i hear this honking. I ignore it b/c it's usually some d-bag who thinks that's a good way to pick up girls, but it continues so i finally turn and it's the same parking attendant dude trying to motion for me to take a left at the next intersection. I wave thank you and he drives off, thank the lord. So i get up to the corner where i'm supposed to take a left, but i see the stairway leading down to the subway station on my right. So i ask one of the construction workers there if i can get to the subway going left or do i need to take that one on the right? He looked at me kinda funny and was like, no you can go that way (pointing left). I say thanks and start walking and then look up and realize why he gave me that look.

About 20 feet ahead and above me is blatantly the subway rail with monstrous staircases leading up to it, like impossible to miss if i was paying any attention at all. i like to think that had someone attacked me that morning, my stupidity might have deterred them from following through. So that was a little more long-winded than i had expected, but really, are any of you surprised that my story was long-winded? I'm not.

New York vs. Minnesota

My friend from Mn, Amy J, sent me these links and I found them quite interesting. No wonder I find NY so dirty! Minnesota is ranked #1 for cleanliness! I miss that Minnesota clean! (Though they've got nothing on New York's public transportation. Even though I continually bitch about it, it's pretty good.)

New York vs. Minnesota

When it rains...it pours....

The people in this picture were gonna keep waiting...

This morning I awoke to a call from my friend Amelia (yes, the notorious poop story Amelia), who left a message saying that the number 4 train (on the East side wasn't running. She was nice enough to inform me of this as I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment for my ankle at 10am on the lower east side. A few text messages later, I discover (and to New Yorkers, this an emergency) THE SUBWAYS WEREN'T RUNNING...basically anywhere. Apparently due to a heavy rain storm (that occured while I was sleeping...I missed it compeltely) the subway was flooded and trains were unable to run. If they were running, they took a reported 45 minutes to go 3 stops (usually on a local train that takes less than 5 minutes). Amelia by the way was the one with the "shitty" day yesterday (sorry AB, couldn't resist...such a multitude of shit puns for this experience), but today, the majority of New Yorkers were having a bad day too! I tried to explain this terrible predicament to my Minnesota family members, none of whom seemed to understand...but picture this all you suburbanites:

It is a Wednesday and its time for you to hop in your car and sit in rush hour traffic and go to work. However your car isn't working...nor are about 65-70% of the cars normally running. Try to picture all of those people with broken down cars trying to fit into the remaining 30% of cars. That was the bus situation....below is a picture of the bus I FINALLY got on (because I got it at the first stop) after only 2 stops.



To make matters worse, it was (and still is) disgustingly hot outside. I finally made my way over to Mount Sinai (again on the trusty M96) to take a shuttle bus up that runs from Sinai to the Bronx VA (there was no way I was making it to the lower east side for my MD appt). I got there with about an hour to wait until the next shuttle came so I went into the building I used to work in cause I know they blast the AC. Just look at the windows...that's condensation from the air conditioning!!!



Disgusting. I saw a man in a white button up dress shirt walk in looking like he had run through some sprinkers. There was about 1 dry spot on his shirt. He was soaked.

Gotta love the summer in the city...Here's to better luck next week! (We've already decided this week has gone to shit...ha!)

Minnesotans, Muffin-tops and MRIs...oh my!

It's a very funny thing to be walking down the street in New York and see a University of Minnesota t-shirt. It's an even funnier thing to see a familiar face in that shirt. Yesterday, while I was limping my way from Loehmann's (AMAZING outlet store) to Filene's basement in search of some jewelry for an upcoming wedding, I had this experience. I get super excited to see Minnesota apparel around the city so the maroon and gold U of Mn shirt caught my eye, but who would be wearing that shirt?? An old friend named Kyle who Scott and I were friends with the summer that we met. We all were in the play Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Scott did the cowboy solo, Kyle did the calypso solo and I was the slutty wife of Potiphar...classic). While it took us a minute to remember each other's names, I learned that this old friend had been living in NY for 2 years and auditioning for shows, looking to make acting his career. I love it. Once I get a picture of the three of us, I will have to show you. We were some hot looking Egyptians.


I'd also like to make a clarification this morning. Scott thought that perhaps some people could take it the wrong way when I said I was sick of seeing the muffing tops of the girls in the Bronx. I must inform you that these muffin tops are not only a thing of the Bronx but are a universal tragedy that can occur anywhere. I just happen to see them the most often in the Bronx, though I'm not quite sure why.

I'd also like to clarify that while I rag on the Bronx a lot because it is so different from what I'm used to, there are many many friendly people who come from here. One, for example, is the assistant to the director of my department, Mary. She is a angel, putting up with the demands of an extremely difficult man, and still having a smile on her face whenever you talk to her. She's a great lady.

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Between the toothless man singing "Under the boardwalk" on the subway on Saturday night and my encounter with an old friend, I'd say mine was quite enjoyable. Unfortunately this evening will not be quite so much fun as I am finally going in to get an MRI on my ankle (which I am STILL having trouble with). This is very frustrating. I feel like after 2 months, including almost a month of physical therapy, this thing should be healed, or at least not painful anymore. And yes, a lot of walking is required in NY, but is that really enough to cause the same amount of pain 2 months later as after it happened? And does anyone know any good lawyers who can help me sue the city for this inconvenience due to their lack of side walk repairs? Have a good week all. I'll keep you updated on my silly ankle.

Thats hot.

And no, I don't mean Paris Hilton getting out of jail. (Though I must say she looked the most attractive I've ever seen her with her natural, make-up free skin.) I mean it being 83 degrees at 9:30 in the morning (though weather.com says it feels like 88 due to humidity). Ick. It is hot. And hot in New York is miserable. It is not refreshing, cool breezed filled hot. It is not warm, soak up the sun hot. It is humid, sticky, thick stinkin hot. Keep in mind for those of us who don't make more than, say $50,000, and probably some of those who do, we can't afford to take cabs everywhere. And that means public transportation. And I promise you, if its 83 degrees outside, its at least 10-15 degrees hotter in the underground subway stations. Some may imagine its cooler down there, out of the sun. But just imagine millions of bodies occupying this space daily (which is open to the street above through vents and stairways, etc). It is like a brick oven. I feel like a frickin deep dish pizza sitting down there in the AM. And it doesn't help that:

#1 I am a natural sweater.
#2 I am on medication that makes me sweat more
#3 I have to walk at least 5 minutes to get to any subway station
#4 I am a natural sweater who is on medication that makes me sweat and I have to walk at least 5 minutes to get to any subway station.

It is seriously embarrassing. My damn eccrine and apocrine sweat glands (that's a little anatomy and physiology talk for you) are on overload and people often stare at me. Some even ask me if I'm ok. And I look up at them with water pouring out of ever pore in my face and say, "Yes, I'm fine thanks." Damn Minnesota nice. Oh well....my co-workers and I are planning a rain dance later this afternoon and we'll pretty sure it'll work. So we're hoping for some great thunder storms tonight and some breezy 70 degree weather tomorrow. Hope all of you are staying cool. Stay away from New York for a few days. We don't need any more bodies heating this place up!!

Law and Order SVU episode waiting to happen

I've got a great New York story for you. SOOO Law and Order SVU (see link...its worth it). So the wife of an acquaintance of Scott was on one of those subway cars that was packed like a can of sardines. Let me just say from experience that those cars SUCK. You're around a bunch of dirty, smelly strangers and you have to be like skin to skin with them. So this woman manages to step into the car as one of the last passengers who fits and is close to the door. She is annoyed to see a "dirty looking" man heading towards her from the platform. He makes it onto the train too, the door closes and while she's standing there, she feels this man grinding up against her. SICK AND WRONG! I told Scott that at this point my elbow would have been in his gut and he would be doubled over in pain. However, this lady apparently doesn't have my violent nature, so she just queasily put up with it until she got off the train.

When she got off, she sort of glanced back to look at the guy and asked herself if she should do anything about it. She had just chalked it up to one of those crazy New York experiences when she gets tapped on the shoulder from behind. She turns around and this very large black man wearing chains is standing behind her. She's thinking Jesus Christ, what now? The man asked "Was there someone on that train who was bothering you?" And she said there was, surprised that anyone had taken notice.

Turns out this guy is an undercover cop and he and his partner have been tracking this sick dirty grinding-strangers guy all day! They first found him suspicious when he would wait at the subway stops and let a bunch of trains go by until a really crowded one pulled up. Then he would get on. Ewwwwww is all I have to say about that. So this wife of my boyfriend's acquaintance (who will remain anonymous) will be testifying at a trial for this guy and they're pushing the trial up because she's moving out of the state in a few weeks. Crazy shiz I tell you. Also, we learned that there is approximately 1 undercover cop on every subway train, most likely (in Scott and my opinion) looking for terrorists. But if they catch guys like this, that's an added bonus. Hotcha! Who would have known??
I thought that story was so great, I had to share it with all of you.