Elizabeth Perkins rides the subway?

Did you ever spot a random celebrity, but you weren’t really sure it was them?  I just did, and she’s standing about 5 feet away from me.

I swear this woman is Elizabeth Perkins.  Why would I make that up?  That’s one of the most random people ever to see in the subway.

Anyway, if it isn’t her, then it’s her twin.  She has on dark clothes, coat, gloves, etc.  BIG sunglasses that cover much of her face.  Nothing really that screams “celebrity.”

So anyway, no I’m playing the, “What makes this woman look famous” game.  The big sunglasses are usually a giveaway, but that’s about all.  She has on some modest jewelery.  She has a handbag, but it doesn’t look like one of those insanely expensive ones from 5th Avenue. 

Ok, well in my head, I’m just gonna go with it unless I’m proved otherwise.  So there.  🙂

So far so good?

The immediate impact of todays generally crappy weather did not seem to have much effect on the subway this morning.  You can never tell what’s going to throw the wrench in the system when it comes to the weather.  Sometimes, all it takes is enough rain, and you’re S.O.L. in terms of getting to work on time.

This morning, it was just an icy mix.  It didn’t seem like the kind of stuff that would freeze on the exposed tracks.  The stairs leading down to the subway weren’t even that slippery!!

Can we expect the same for this afternoon’s commute home?  Let’s hope so, but it isn’t looking good.

Catchy clarinet

So a guy got on my train to play us a little tune on his clarinet in hopes of scoring some pocket change.  First off, the clarinet is a nice change.  You don’t see many clarinet players in the subway.  It seems to mostly be keyboards and guitars with the occasional trumpet thrown in.

I especially liked his little sales pitch, although the jury is still out on whether I believed it or not.  He said:

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.  I’m trying to make a little money and finish paying for school.  Any help you can give me would be great.

He then proceeded to play his song.

A little more info…He didn’t seem like a college type.  He was older, and looked like he may have been homeless.  He had that sort of vibe about him. However, he did have a little mp3 player that he had on that must have had a beat or tune for him to listen to as he played.  So that says that he at least had the money to buy the mp3 player and must have access to a computer.

Anyway, I say all this because not a single person gave him any money when he was done.   I think it was because he looked homeless!  I think no one bought his story of trying to pay his way though school.  However, the fact that he had and instrument, mp3 player, and access to a computer for the mp3 player points to him perhaps not being a bum.

All I had on me was a $20.  So I couldn’t help him out. 

Sharing headphones is stupid

I hate to do another headphone related story, but it was in my face this morning.  Last time I wrote about it, there was some controversy. 

Anyway, some people have really crappy headphones that leak.  By that I mean that they are not very well made, so the sound it puts out is almost louder outside the headphone than the part that faces your ear.

This morning, it was to the point where it was almost painful.  It made me flinch just thinking about how loud the sound was.  I could not believe that someone was going to put that screaming earbud in their ear.

So crappy earbud headphones almost turn your ear into a mini-speaker.  The shape of your ear actually reflects out all the leaked sound.

On to the annoying part…These two girls were standing 2 feet from me on a not so crowded train.  No big deal, it happens.  They have just as much right to stand there as I do.  Anyway, the one girl had her iPod blasting away, when the other one reaches over and pulls out one of the earbuds and puts it in her ear.  First, that’s gross.  Second, that is probably the most retarded looking thing I have ever seen.

Take your cheap ass and get your own iPod.  On top of that, don’t stand there and attempt to sing along.  You’re not Beyonce.  Stop it. 

Not only were they singing along, but they were trying to do it as a duet.  It was horrible.  So there they are standing around me.  Now that they are sharing the earbuds, the cord has essentially roped me into the corner.  Now, there was no escape route.  Singing in my face.  Badly.

It got to the point where other people were laughing at them.  Of course, they did not notice because they couldn’t hear the laughs. 

So what’s the moral(s) of the story?  Buy your cheap ass your own iPod.  Then, if you get new headphones, pay more than $4.99 for them.  Also, don’t sing.  You suck.  If you are a good singer…well…then that’s probably ok.  But if there is any doubt in your mind about you being a good singer, don’t.  You’re friends are just being nice when they say you have a good voice. 

Cat Fight

An older lady cat fight though.

So this older white woman decided she was going to get on a train that was already full. Meanwhile 6 people or so are already standing on the platform not able to fit in the train.

Out of no where, she goes for it and pushes her way on. The older black woman she pushes turns around.

“You better stop pushin’ before I push you back off this train! We all got someplace to go.”

The old white lady that thought she was a rebel immediately shut up. She was clearly affraid of the other woman’s reaction.

That must have been an awkward ride to the next stop with the two of them stuck face to face.

I waited for the next train, and I even snagged a seat.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

It’s not a lot of snow, but you can still break your ass

steps.jpg 

A light dusting of snow this morning might look like nothing to be concerned with, but you (and I) would be dead wrong.

As soon as that light dusting of snow comes into contact with the freezing cold metal plate on the top of the subway stairs, there is an instant Slip n’ Slide created.

I almost took a dive down the stairs this morning.  Luckily I slowed my walk down just enough before getting there.  Walking on the side walk, there was a light coating of snow, but it was by no means slippery.  Slick metal stairs though…that’s another ball game.

Who’s idea was it to make the subway stairs out of steal?  It’s not even like it’s textured steal either.  It has diamond pattern cut into the stairs like grooves, but that definitely doesn’t provide any traction. 

There should be something with more grit on the stairs.  Right now, most stair cases have been so worn out.  Actually, not so much worn as polished.  The steel actually is polished to a smooth shine.  They still have the carved grooves, but the elevated parts (where the foot meets the surface) are slick.

It’s not a lot of snow, but you can still break your ass

steps.jpg 

A light dusting of snow this morning might look like nothing to be concerned with, but you (and I) would be dead wrong.

As soon as that light dusting of snow comes into contact with the freezing cold metal plate on the top of the subway stairs, there is an instant Slip n’ Slide created.

I almost took a dive down the stairs this morning.  Luckily I slowed my walk down just enough before getting there.  Walking on the side walk, there was a light coating of snow, but it was by no means slippery.  Slick metal stairs though…that’s another ball game.

Who’s idea was it to make the subway stairs out of steal?  It’s not even like it’s textured steal either.  It has diamond pattern cut into the stairs like grooves, but that definitely doesn’t provide any traction. 

There should be something with more grit on the stairs.  Right now, most stair cases have been so worn out.  Actually, not so much worn as polished.  The steel actually is polished to a smooth shine.  They still have the carved grooves, but the elevated parts (where the foot meets the surface) are slick.

This might be my last ride

This is just a disclaimer…

If SUBWAYblogger wins Mega Millions tonight, we won’t be riding the subway anymore.

Sure, we love the subway and always will. However, LIMOblogger has a nice ring to it!

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

It’s so windy!

How windy is it?

It sounds like a jumbo jet is going to land on the roof of the subway ceiling.

All along the tracks are big vent shafts to exhange air with the outside. When the wind blows over them, is creates a really low rumble sound. I’ve never heard it before today.

You can tell it is the wind because little leaves and small debris fall through the holes like snow everytime the wind blows or a train goes by.

This must be mildly similar to what a tornado sounds like.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

It’s so windy!

How windy is it?

It sounds like a jumbo jet is going to land on the roof of the subway ceiling.

All along the tracks are big vent shafts to exhange air with the outside. When the wind blows over them, is creates a really low rumble sound. I’ve never heard it before today.

You can tell it is the wind because little leaves and small debris fall through the holes like snow everytime the wind blows or a train goes by.

This must be mildly similar to what a tornado sounds like.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…