#4157 (81S)

Gearing up for my trip to NY so not much time for blogging. Must write about last night, tho. I chatted with a woman who I frequently see on the 81S. She, too, works at ASU and at one time lived in my little neighborhood. We compared notes about our rides home the evening of the Great Monsoon Flood Extravaganza. Her ride exceeded mine in both time and interest. While I experienced a bus u-turn, her driver took them through back roads and neighborhoods, on small side streets with parked cars and tight turns. It took them two hours, compared to my one. She always rides the 4:45pm and I took the 4:30 that night. Amazing what a difference 15 minutes made.

Our conversation moved on to general bus riding and she told me about a new woman in her office, from Denmark, who intended to use the bus. However, this woman's son told her not to ride the bus, that only poor, uneducated low-lifes ride the bus "here" (quotes added since I don't know if he meant Arizona or the US). Poor, uneducated low-lifes - what the ...? Only an uneducated low-life would make a statement like that. Some people must use public transportation and not always for reasons economic or intellectual. I could not drive after my eye surgery and still needed to get to work. My options included what - taxi? bicycle? limousine? All of the above, but I chose the bus as the most convenient, economic and practical approach. Amazing logic for a poor, uneducated low-life. Wonder what this guy would think if he heard some past discussions on the 6am66? Engineering Guy would dazzle him with Quantum Polynomial Propagation! Some of the most rude, boorish, low-life behavior occurs among the rich, educated, high-lifes - look at our president, for gawdssake. What a doofus! Oh well, he's only allegedly educated.

Today's image relates to nothing about the ride or the blog post. This cactus, which grows outside my office building, completely fascinates me. I love that it begins straight and takes such a lovely twist at the top. Reminds me of my hair, which starts straight at the root and grows out with a twisted curl at the end. Even more, it looks like a soft-serve ice cream cone - ummmmmm.....if only soft-serve came in pistachio or mint chocolate chip!