day-log / crisp mornings & conversations with strangers
today was pretty good, another nearly perfect fall day. nice and cool in the morning, a little warmer in the afternoon. i biked to the station in the morning, and took the train into the city as per usual. this morning, as i looked out the window of the train, the sun was rising in the most beautiful way, beginning to fill the sky in varied peach tones. its sad that i didn't see anyone else looking out the window at it. i wish more people would notice the small things like that.
i think having varied methods of commuting like this actually makes me happier. the short bike ride in the morning is a great way to wake up, especially when its crisp like it is now. i always look forward to settling into whatever seat i find on the train, with my ipod, headphones, and a book. i've been finally getting back into saving time, by jenny odell, and perhaps this is why i'm suddenly thinking more about how time passes during the different parts of my day, versus how it passes when i drive to and from work. it really is all relative, and the 30 minutes on the train each day feels like an hour of wonderful rest time, where i can drink my coffee and read and not have to worry about anything else.
i find myself rushing a little less, now that i'm getting used to the short walk down to the orange line, and just knowing the route more in my body, rather than in the screen of maps on my phone. my timing is slightly faster, because i have longer legs, an 8 minute according to maps is a 5 minute walk for me. in fact, i've been trying so hard to know my world, my life, again in my body, and in my own way, that i've been leaving my smart phone nestled in the front pocket of my backpack for my entire commute. there's not a single moment i take it out. it feels really good, actually.
its also eye opening, to be the person in the train car, or room, who is not glued to their smart device. its a little eerie, actually, looking around at everyone doing the same exact thing, a blank look on their faces, and i notice that a lot of people actually get visibly annoyed when another person interrupts their phone time, even just to sit down next to them on a packed train. we've all some how allowed ourselves to become isolated from each other, each existing in our own little bubble, our own algorithms dictacting how we think before we think it.
what happened to just sitting down next to someone on a packed train, asking a quick do you mind if i sit here? and then maybe making small talk as we both sit there going to possibly the same place, every day? i think in my entire time commuting like this, i've had meaningful conversations with exactly two strangers. i talked with one person who was commuting to classes, they were in a very well known trade school, and were currently really excited about learning locksmithing (but also looked forward to learning carpentry). i also talked with someone who worked for the mbta, in their corporate headquarters downtown. i sat down next to them, put my ipod down in front of me on the table, and they immediately let me know they loved how i was using an ipod, and how people are doing this again, and then shared that they wrote their own article in a local magazine at their work about how old tech is coming back.
but that's only two great conversations with fellow commuters, in 3 months or so!
anyways, after work i biked home, had a little snack, and then through my bike in my car. i had to drop my car off for an inpection and oil change tomorrow, since the place is closed when i'm at work. i did just realize that i don't know when i'll pick it up, if they're closed while i'm at work. i guess i'll figure that out. maybe i can stop by on the weekend. i hope so, i need my car this weekend. i'll talk to them tomorrow.
i stopped at the grocery store on the way back from dropping my car off, got some ground beef, and biked home to cook. i made american chop suey, one of my favorite comfort foods, and watched a halloween episode of buffy (season 2).