Funk

@trimet would do well to come on board the blue train pullling up to Galleria right now. The level of funk coming from sone riders and their multiple bags is pungent at best. 

My eyes are watering... Dizzy... Ugggh.

Power

Music has otherworldly abilities. If sad, it can make you happy, or even more deeply sad. If you are lacking motivation, the right playlist will make you clean the whole house. These are well documented and borderline cliché observations.

But music has other powers. If lost, it can draw you a map. If you are heartbroken, can tell you why. The right notes and words strung together can explain a situation, provide solace, or kick down roadblocks in your brain. 

It's no wonder everyone would rather listen to music on the train and throughout the day: we aren't entertaining ourselves so much as weaving magic around us to make sense of life. 

But even magic has limits and silence can be the wise sage sitting high atop the mountain with a single finger pressed against his lips. There are times to listen to the music within.

Brevity

People are disappointing.

Reluctant

It was easy to get out of bed this morning considering my brain seemed to have no intention of using it. I hit snooze out of habit, not necessity.

At this time of day, the train seems to have orphans; the people here are either early or late to whatever obligation they have. Regardless, nobody seems in a hurry.

The most interesting guy here is a larger, young guy with a long nose, rosey cheeks, and greasy hair. He is wearing a Boba Fett tshirt which makes him appear in the Mandalorian armor. He looks like a very peaceful bounty hunter with his eyes closed, slowly bobbing his head to whatever soothing rhythms contracted killers enjoy.

Hurtled

We shot out of the tunnel so fast I would swear we caught air. It may have been imagined, but I felt a thud upon emerging. 

There is an infant behind me now bawling his ass off. He is either upset at the jolt, or at the unwashed person nearby that smells like garbage and sweet soda cans left out on a hot day. 

Its Friday and all I want is a beer and an ice pack. Its been a good day, and its time to relax with music.

Motivation

It's no secret that I am not a fan of my physical appearance on most days. Sometimes I feel a little better about it, like when a large, sweaty guy mashes his huge frame into a tiny seat next to me. 

This served a couple of purposes: it motivates me to not let myself get that large, and it makes me thankful that I am not there yet... 

I need to add two more hours of sleep per day, too. 

Irish

It's interesting how everyone is Irish on March 17th. Little leprechaun hats, light-up shamrocks and green beads are everywhere. I just wanted a beer with my best friend. 

The train is somewhat empty at this time of night. I am guessing the butter-zone between people getting off work and going home semi-puking like morons.

Thankfully this gets me my own seat and a quiet ride all the way home. (That is if people turned down their ring tones.)

Phones

One hundred percent of the people in my view are on their cell phones reading, browsing, watching shows, and blogging. That would be all twelve people in front of me. We are all so connected. 

I wonder what would happen to society if all cell towers crashed for a day. The forced disconnect would be incredible.

The guy sitting in front of me is wearing a Blazer ball cap, and it's on backwards. The kids these days like to leave price tags and holograms on the bill of the hat for some reason.

On his phone, he has his head tilted forward which makes me able to read the tags. In this case, I see the hat is an Adult Unisex and cost $32.00. What amuses me is the neon pink discount sale sticker next to it for $16.00. 

Boozetrain

The smell of beer, wine, whiskey and vodka swirl around this train. You may be thinking, "how do you smell vodka, isnt it supposed to be odorless?"

Maybe if you buy Grey Goose it has nearly no odor, but that bottom shelf plastic jug vodka smells like antiseptic and nail polish remover. 

It is Friday, so I guess much of this is expected. And sadly this is a red train do I will have to switch out to a crowded one soon. Blah. 

Memory

Left my headphones on my desk at work. This means I am once again forced to listen to one guys music, the bleeps and bloops of another girl's phone, and (my biggest pet peeve) the sound of the girl next to me eating her cereal and schlorpping her disgusting coffee. 

Lovely! But thats okay, because it is Friday and I am looking forward to the weekend. Yay!

In just a handful of hours I will be on my way home (with headphones) and ready to relax.

Many

Caught a later train and there are many people. From the ass talking on the phone, to the ironic hipster with a Power Rangers ringtone. 

The older lady next to me smells like soap and winesweat. (Or maybe her soap is just wine-scented. Who am I to judge?)

I also just saw a guy sneeze. Now most people sneeze into their hand or elbow. It makes for a pretty standard fare, but this is not a typical sneeze. This guy lifted up the shirt collar above his nose and sneezed down the front of his chest. This may be in some way hygienic for the rest of us, but all I can imagine is how gross his chest is at the end of the day. 

Erp.. Show me the way home please.

Sorta

I woke up this morning, technically. I wanted to stay there. 

On the train, this over-smiling girl won't stop talking on the phone. I can hear her voice over the sound of my music playing in my headphones. 

The guy next to her seems to be weighing his options if 20 years is worth strangling her.

Missing

Not having my headphones on the train is like not having my sunglasses at the beach. Too much stimulus. The din of conversation, phone calls, sniffles, coughs and other ambient train noise is not as tranquil as my music or a podcast.

Closest I have right now is the tst tst tst tst tst of whatever music the guy sitting next to me has playing in his headphones.

Tat tst tst k-tst... That's what I get for being forgetful. Not tomorrow!!!!

Flight

Somehow they started sending airport trains as far out as my station near my house. This will be awesome if I ever have to fly, but there is a lot of luggage on this train, and bleary eyes reading departure information.

But I will take the inconvenience if it means there are viable one-train options from my place to the airport now. 

The one old lady here near me is so sweet. She is apologizing repeatedly for her bag being in the way. I told her its no problem. Another passenger said, "we have all been there." And a third simply asked where she is off to.

Nice folks this morning. Yay for that!

The kid next to me is incessantly sniffling, and I forgot my headphones in my car. So I have to hear that the whole way in. Heh. Slurp.. Slurp.. Slurp..

Sweet

The guy next to me loves his candy. A middle aged guy with a bald head and caramel-colored skin. Which is appropriate because of all the sweets he is horking down.  Handfuls of different confections are chewed vigorously and swallowed. I am not certain he is a candy addict, or if it's a nervous habit of his while in public or on a train.

He finished his feast with three strips if mint gum. You know, gum: the dessert candy.

And now I nap.

Late

Insomnia can lead to change. Not so much in profound ways, but in weird subtle ways. A prime example would be deciding to sleep a little longer and catch a later train. 

There is an extremely different cast of characters on this train than my usual: muted artsy types trying hard to take up as much space possible without looking like they are doing it on purpose.

The kid behind me reminds me of someone else I know. The guy I know is a sweet kid in his early twenties who means well, but has this low, stuttered pothead laugh that makes him sound like a car that wont start.

This guy apparently is his laugh twin. And the guy with whom he is talking keeps making him laugh, so that is just awesome. Huh huh huh.

Train-Lite

Weirdness is almost nobody on my train home. Caught a nice seat next to a coworker. Works out great.

Only thing of note is the teenager whose hair is so blue it looks like a smurf exploded on her.

Sniff

Back in the 80s, there was a movie called, "The Incredible Shrinking Woman." It starred, I think, Lily Tomlin as a housewife who accidentally spilled all her cleaning chemicals on her one day. The mixture was just right, and she shrunk. Hijinx ensued.

Fantastic premise I know, but also the biting social commentary of a chemically reliant society. 

I want walk down the platform of the train and sniff each person, and if they are drowned in perfume or cologne, should be able to poke them in the face or pour water on their head. I feel with all these chemicals, I may emerge from my commute with a second head or gills.

Gag.