#4143

Whew - long time gone! Worked from home last week while new windows were installed. Missed the whole first week of school and I'm not complaining. Too many people - what are they thinking?

Wondered if the bus would have new wrinkles, but will take a few weeks to see what's up and who's riding. Bicycle guy is back, along with Engineering guy. We were all in the BTA and it felt nice and comfortable. If grades stay good and all goes well, we'll have some graduations in May. Need to have a bus party - mimosas at 6am?

A young girl got on the bus and I wondered about her destination. I wanted her to be in kindergarten, but reality told me she probably wasn't on the bus alone unless she was at least in high school - puhleez god don't let her be in college. Gloriosky, she got off at Mill and Broadway, the corner where Tempe Union High School lives. She just looked so very, very young and I didn't want to think I was old enough that college kids could look as young as her. Bad enough she's in high school, but hopefully a freshman. I remember when the NCAA basketball players looked like old men - somewhere along the line, they started to let children play the game. So what's up with that?

#4133

Haven't posted in a few - things have been same old, same old, so nothing to report. I can verify, however, that today's bus had a white wall in the back and it does make a difference in bus lighting. Breathtaking news, eh?

Dave was back in the BTA - medical report must have indicated he is still alive as he got on the bus and sat upright without assistance. Good going, Dave. One of the Steves was riding and eventually we were joined by a man I will call Liberal Guy. He's been on before, but no discernible pattern of riding. I call him Liberal because he uses all the language and commentary that would make a good liberal proud. This is not a criticism, especially since I tend toward the left of center myself; however, he is so negative, it almost makes me want to be conservative. He definitely sports the half-empty perspective which indicates to me that no matter what happens, he wouldn't be happy with it. Even if everything happened as he thought it should, he'd find fault with why it happened or how it happened or etc., etc., etc. It's interesting to listen and, hopefully, learn.

On a totally non-bus topic (I know it's a bus blog, but it's mine and I'm the writer) I have to explain today's image. Through a feed from 37Signals, I read a blog entry about "pimp cups" which led me to a website called IcedOutGear. It is a place for the hiphop fan to outfit his/her gangsta self. What fascinated me most were the "grillz" - appliances that fit over the teeth for the ultimate dazzling smile. Initially, I could see the food trapped between the rhinestones; however, the ad cautions that these are decorative and not for eating. Since I'm not much of a hiphop fan, I probably won't ever get to see some grillz in person. Have to settle for the internet.

#4154

Made sure and looked at the bus number today. The bus seemed different when I got on - finally decided the back wall was covered with dark carpet and it changed the lighting effect. Lighting effect on a bus? Seems a bit incongruous... Hope I remember to look tonight and see how the back wall is decorated in this evening's bus.

Today is a mishmash of uneventfulness - ridership was low, but this is one of the slowest times of year on campus and most humid in Arizona. I think people head for the hills and there's only a skeleton crew of us left to hold the place together. When I got on today, the driver was talking and it sounded like she was placing death-like threats on her husband. Newspaper Guy was fearful of more male-bashing when I joined the group, but I told him I'd save it for another day. Need to hold those cards sometimes. NG, who unintentionally collects dogs, was pleased to announce that two of his current collection are leaving his nest. Round of applause and yay!

In other news, Dave is in absentia - he's having some medical tests done and hope the results are good. He helps anchor the BTA on Mondays when NG is off and we need him back in position.

Not much else to report from the 66.

#41.......

Back in the saddle today - spot on time for the 6am 66. When I got on the bus, the driver and Newspaper Guy were chatting away and I joined the fray. Quite a bit of friendly male-bashing - NG was battered and bruised, but he'll get even, I'm sure.

Engineeering Guy was back! Said he's moved closer to the Southern/Mill stop and thinks he can make the 6:10am 66. He's so refreshing - hope we see him more often. No exciting engineering terms today; however, we discussed polynomials - one of my favorite words. Apparently, he looked at prime-rich polynomials from a new, non-math point of view and discovered (created? invented? not sure how new things evolve in math) a unique approach. His discovery so impressed his math professor, he will make a presentation at MathFest, the big annual conference of the Mathematical Association of America. We have a math celebrity on our route! Is that cool or what? In searching for polynomials to help create today's image, I found a nice website about math. Check it out. We'll send positive thoughts and karma to EG as he prepares for his presentation.

4130, I think

A bit of a twist today. I fiddlefarted around and missed the 6AM 66. It wasn't a mad dash to the stop only to see the bus drive away - I knew I wouldn't make it, so hung around the house until time for the 6:30. I believe we can chalk this up to my vertigo, another dizzying experience.

The 6:30 was great, though, as Mark AKA Bicycle Guy got on and we had a nice catch-up chat as we rode to ASU. He said he'd be back on our 6am ride once classes start again. The 6:30 had a nice bunch of riders and the scooter guy from the other morning was there. It was just enough more people, I almost want to try the 7, 7:30 and 8am buses to see how they populate. I'll be staying late for a class on Thursdays starting fall semester, so maybe I'll use that as my experimental day and go in later to test the water. I'm thinking bus research could become a semi-career if I let it. There are places I want to go and things I want to do on the bus - just need to find the time.

something or other

Completely forgot to look at the number this morning. Let's blame it on the vertigo, OK? I might let this condition linger for awhile - could become the blanket excuse of the century. It was a medium level ride today - NG read the paper and commented while I knitted and commented back. Not too crowded and, at the end, a couple of men joined us in the BTA. After a good morning was exchanged, NG made a comment about going to work and let me tell you, release the hounds! The one man started in about his job and getting late notice and no time to get to work on time and etc., etc,. etc. He was not a happy man, but somehow it seemed he might be better for getting out his frustration. I got off two stops after he got on, so I don't know how long the diatribe continued. Hopefully, the rest of his day goes well.

In yesterday's mail, I received a Washington Post article from my Uncle John. He knows I write a bus blog and thought the article was appropos. It is about two guys who ride a Washington metro bus and wrote a play about the characters on their bus. I've often thought the bus could be the basis of a TV series - a kind of "Night Court" on wheels. You have the regulars and then each episode involves them with the different characters and situations that occur. I applaud these guys for actually doing what I only thought about. I found the article online and here's a link: "The 70" - Washington Post 25July2006" Reminiscent of the 66.