Welcome Back to Me

It's been a long time. Frankly, the whole fare hike business did me in; I was drained and tired of being obnoxious. Fortunately, I was able to persuade my employer to allow me to work at home two days a week to offset the considerable impact of the fare increase. You cannot imagine how that arrangement has enhanced the quality of my life. It effectively puts $52 a week back into my pocket, not to mention, the laundry is being done, mail is being opened and read in a timely way and I can have a full-on dinner prepared and served before nightfall - all while meeting deadlines and making things happen at work.

So without the hassle of a five-day-a-week commute and the full burden of that expense, I have mellowed out somewhat and only rage occasionally at the bad manners and bad hygiene of some fellow riders.

My current peeve actually has nothing to do with NJ Transit. At the moment, I am concentrating my wrath on people who don't follow escalator rules. We leave the left side free for passing, folks. If you want to stand there and take in the view as we descend into the bowels of Penn Station, be my guest - but do it from over there because I am going to make the 6:13 express by the skin of my teeth ONLY if you MOVE OVER and let me fly down past you. You would think most people would understand the concept of "rush hour." It's not "dawdle hour." I am mad tired and I want to get home - sooner as opposed to later. So when you commandeer the left side of the escalator when I need to be down at my track, and when you don't respond to "pardon me," you need to be prepared for me to cop a little attitude 'atcha.

I am trying to be a warmer, gentler commuter. Even though it's stinkin' hot, the summertime commute is infinitely more pleasurable than it was over the winter. There are more highly attractive people out and about I am just grateful to be working in a terrible economy.

Hopefully, I will be compelled to write about the more pleasant aspects of the commuting experience in the weeks ahead. Be patient as I adopt my new mindset. It is a struggle for me to surrender my curmudgeonly ways...