Category: Daily Life

These are my daily rants, stories, and what not.

Amtrak

meisajDaily Life

I love traveling home by train. Less hassle than flying, less stressful than driving, cheaper than either (usually) and I can sleep 90% of the way.

However…

This morning I get on the train. As I hand the lady my ticket and say Schenectady she gives a double take and I say “I’m in the right spot right? He (the other conductor) sent me down here.”

“He did what?”

I replied again, “I said Albany first but then immediately corrected myself to say Schenectady and he sent me down here.” In my mind Albany and Schenectady are the same place, regardless he (the other conductor) said “Schenectady down there.”

The second conductors reply is what is bugging. After I tell her this she says “I don’t know why you said that sir,” with a tone in her voice that says she frustrated with me. And then let’s me on the train at her car anyways.

Don’t know what? Why I corrected myself to say Schenectady. If it was such a big deal (and I can understand sorting people by stop) then send me back to other car. The train was early, I sat on it for almost ten minutes before it left the station and only two other people got on the train at my station anyways so it wasn’t busy.

Shit like that is part of the reason Amtrak is a joke in the US. Either it’s not a big deal and you let me sit in this car (which seemed to be the case) or it is a big deal and you ask me to go back to the other car. But making a snide remark is ridiculous.

Anyways, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the rest of the train ride in peace, just a stupid way to start the trip.

FAKE

meisajDaily Life

Sam wants a FAKE Christmas tree.  I’ve repeatedly had to tell her how FAKE Christmas trees are not allowed in my / our apartment.  FAKE Christmas trees are evil.  They pretty much come to life at night and suck all that is good out of your soul.  FAKE Christmas trees were the original inspiration for transformers.

I cannot abide by a FAKE Christmas tree in our apartment.  I told her it was real of nothing.  I want the pine-e-ness of a real tree.  None of that FAKE Plastic Trees (saddest song ever and Sam wants to relate it to our Christmas).  So we are currently looking for potted small Christmas trees that we can put in our bay window.

Sam is anti-murder so she does not want to cut down a tree.  But I’ve seen her rip down a branch from a live tree before (technically that’s maiming not murder).  So its a potted live tree this year, not a cut down tree.  I’m ok with that.  As long as its not FAKE.

Small Christmas

meisajDaily Life

I am trying to do all of my shopping at smaller stores and businesses.  I’ve been scouring Etsy and Kickstarter, looking at local Cleveland businesses, and generally trying to keep my money going into places where I will feel good I spent it there.

Its not easy, but there are tons of options.

In line with my small Christmas ideals this year I am excited to read about a Cleveland Cash Mob.  May have to join some time.

Super Committee

meisajDaily Life

Did anyone really think the Super Committee would solve the debt crisis?

Wasn’t the whole point that they could get above the partisan rhetoric and ideals behind closed doors and make compromises that couldn’t otherwise be done without party fervor getting in the way? (mmmm…. Fervor)

It’s sad.  But I like that Obama is going to stick to the consequences of no deal being reached.  That needs to stay as a both a consequence and an incentive (negative one though) to make deals in the future.  I would respect Obama a lot more if he called out his party along with the Republicans for not making a deal.

I suppose no deal is actually good for each party.  Republicans can say “We didn’t give in on taxes, and Democrats couldn’t make the cuts needed for the economy.”  Democrats can say “Republicans want to keep giving tax breaks for Millionaires, and want to cut entitlement programs.”

Whatever.  I would have been impressed and reassured in our government if for some reason the Super Committee came to a huge deal with compromises on both sides.  In my mind politics was about making compromises and deals that were good for the whole, with both sides giving in.  Instead, with gerrymandering  and general voting apathy nothing will change.  I sure hope I get 32 more years of this exact same thing in American Politics.