train travel

I posted the following as a comment to this blog entry.

I had an opportunity to travel to nyc around solstice this year. I got on the train in richmond, va and took it to penn station in new york. The train ride was peaceful, spacious (even in coach where I was for the trip up) and comfortable. It took 5 hours to get from richmond to nyc, but I was neither searched, scanned nor molested. I was able to take my pocketknife (The pocketknife is a tiny little thing no more dangerous to anyone than a sharpened pencil.), a bottle of shampoo big enough for my actual stay and whatever food I wanted. In my case 2 oranges, a bag of peanuts and an apple. I had a power outlet at my seat and I got to use my computer, talk on the phone and read on this trip. When I was feeling a bit cramped I got up, walked to the cafe car, got a drink, and stretched my legs.

The train was 100% full, not an empty seat in any class. I know it’s not an option in every case but if it is an option, take the train. It was the same cost or cheaper than flying. It was much more comfortable and you don’t have to put up with the privacy violations. Not to mention it’s a better use of energy. It ended up taking about 2 hours more to go by train than it would have to fly, once I factor in getting to the airport an hour early, fiddling around with getting on the plane, waiting to get off the plane and traveling from the airport to my actual destination. And since I could be on the phone while on the train I wasn’t disconnected from the world at all.

Take the train, and write your congress person about why we should support and rebuild our train infrastructure.

2 days left and 2007 is showing just how much it can suck

Let’s talk about Dec 30th a little bit:

1. wake up with a stomach ache

2. have the stomach ache turn into rather pronounced diarrhea.

3. find out that your hosting provider has suspended your domain for a rather spurious reason

4. drive 2.5 hours

5. get home to find the sink in your bathroom mounted a good half foot above where it should be.

6. also find your water not on due to the plumber working on the hot water heater.

7. get hot water heater working and water turned back on and attempt a normal evening

8. get up to go to the bathroom: drop phone in toilet

9. rescue phone, go to wash it and your hands in the kitchen sink b/c the bathroom sink is not yet hooked up.

10. Notice through the kitchen window that the new plumbing for the hot water heater has sprung a leak and is spraying newly sheetrocked walls with a fountain of water.

11. Turn off water, go to call the plumber and notice you have no way to do this b/c your cellphone has been drenched in water.

12. IM your mom and get her to call the plumber to tell him about what’s going on.

13. Go to bed and consider crying for quite some time.

Just so we’re clear, 2007 can kiss my arse.