Inevitable MBTA rant

Can I bitch about the MBTA here for a minute? I feel like it’s been awhile since I last went on an angry T rant so I’m about due. Also, I apologize for this basically just being a Boston Bruins blog as of late. If  you hadn’t noticed, hockey basically just takes over my life. And I’m also working 3 jobs this summer so I really haven’t had that much of a chance to go out and do fun stuff around Boston lately which is unfortunate, but c’est la vie.

So anywho.

I have found it increasingly more difficult to deal with subway shenanigans now that I have been to Europe for several months and seen how wonderfully efficient subway systems can work. Subway systems in cities that are literally thousands of years older than Boston. How is that possible? I’m actually pretty sure the Native Americans built the Green Line and it was just rediscovered in the late 1800s. It’s just ridiculous. If you have a transportation system that you can’t even track well enough to through ETA signs up then something is wrong! Or maybe they’re just bull-crapping us and saying that the Green Line can’t support those signs when actually they just don’t want us to be able to physically see how long we’re waiting.

And even so, 90% of the waiting I do for the MBTA takes place after I’m already on the train! I came across 2 disabled trains the other week in one trip. How is that possible?! We were stuck before Kenmore for 10 minutes because of a disabled train there and then we stopped again in front of Boylston (like half an hour later) and the conductor finally came on the PA system to say, “Sorry guys, but we’re actually stuck behind another disabled train.” Really?

And even on the lines that have ETA signs, it doesn’t mean much. I was waiting for the Blue Line yesterday and it was due to arrive in 3 minutes. 2 minutes. 1 minute. “The next train to Wonderland is now arriving.” And then….nothing. Nothing for 7 minutes until robot lady finally came on and said, “The Blue Line is experiencing delays due to wire problems.” Cool.

I leave for work at the same exact time every single day and I either get there 15 minutes early or 15 minutes late. Every single day. It’s just been especially bad this summer and I don’t know what the deal is. It’s so frustrating.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the T. I would obviously be lost without it. And I know there are about a million problems that they just can’t solve because of financial issues, but come on guys! There has to be something we can do!

Well anyway, I’m off to work now and luckily it’s close enough that I can walk today. For those of you taking the T, good luck! May the odds be ever in your favor.

Farewell Red Sox…Until Next Year

Something strange happened last night on the T. I left my internship around 5:00pm as usual and made the trek to Government Center. I swiped past the turnstiles without a problem and proceeded downstairs to the outbound track. I stood and waited for the train with room to breathe and stretch my arms. When the train arrived, I got on the train without getting punched in the face or shoved aside or slammed into the door. I took one of the many open seats and enjoyed a rather brief and uneventful ride home. I got off at Kenmore with a couple other people and easily made my way to the escalator and rode it up to ground level.

And that was it.

This, my friends, is what a T ride is like without Red Sox fans. Well, let me rephrase, as I’m sure a hefty percentage of the people on board were indeed Red Sox fans and I even saw a couple of hats, but this is what a T ride is like without Red Sox fans going to Fenway.

It is a glorious thing.

The Red Sox season is over…in all ways that really matter. (Please oh please oh please do not let the last series against the Yankees be a complete disaster. At least give the Rays a good chance at beating those bastards!)

We now head into an offseason that will probably be more full of more drama and finger-pointing than ever before.

I must say I enjoyed this stress-free ride. Without having my face shoved into other people’s various body parts. Without people stepping on my feet or inadvertently whacking me in the face. Without 87 tourists shouting across the train, “HEY JOHNNY, WHERE YOU SAY WE’RE GETTING OFF AGAIN?” “KENMORE!” “WHATMORE?” “KENMORE!” “HOW MANY MORE STOPS IS THAT?”. Without little kids whining to their fathers, “When are we going to get there???”

And the knowledge that the rest of my rides for the next several months will be equally roomy.

It is a wonderful thing. Wonderfully bittersweet.

I want to pretend that I don’t really care. I mean, our season’s been over for months now. We knew we wouldn’t make it to October. We knew we didn’t deserve to. But now it’s really here.

The yellow HAWT DAWG, pretzel and PEAnuts guys who roam Fenway (with killer calves and arm strength) are heading home to their families to enjoy extended periods of having the night off.

Jerry Remy’s is trying to figure out how to keep bringing people into the bar Monday-Saturday.

The souvenir shops along Yawkey Way are catching their breaths.

The cab drivers are probably angry that the Patriots don’t actually play in Boston, think of all the business they’d get!

And the Red Sox and company are going home to think “What the hell went wrong?”.

This is the current state of Boston.

Sure, the Patriots are just getting started (and are elated at the news of the real refs finally coming back!) But that’s about it right now. It’s a quiet time in the sports capital of the world. Because even when the Red Sox weren’t worth watching, Fenway was still worth visiting.

And now we’re in a lull. The Bruins won’t be starting. The Celtics regular season is a good month away. And we’ll stand by watching (or more likely for me, hear in passing) the results of the World Series Playoffs and let out a sigh of contempt. It’s been so long since we’ve enjoyed that feeling. Sure, we had 3 playoff appearances (all losses) this year with the Pats, Bruins and Celtics. But when’s the last time you could feel the buzz around Fenway Park as we entered into Game 7 with the Rays or the Yankees?

It’s been a long time.

And I don’t foresee it happening again in the near future. Who knows what next season has in store for us, but dear God please let it be better than this one. It’s been a rough 390ish days for Red Sox Nation and we still have another 180 days to go before we can put it all behind us and start over fresh.

I’ll be spending the next 180 days enjoying my evening ride on the T, praying for the end of the NHL lockout, trying extra hard to care about the Celtics before the Playoffs, and wearing my Giants jersey with pride. I don’t care who stays or goes over the next 6 months, but please!

Bring back the Red Sox we know and love. The Red Sox that were 3 outs from being swept in the ALCS Championships when they came back to win 4 games in a row against the Yankees. And eventually the World Series.

I want them back.

MBTA Bucket List

An MBTA Bucket List.

That’s a thing, right? Because it should be.

In fact, I challenge everyone in Boston to create their own MBTA Bucket List and complete it before you die, or before you move out of Boston, or next weekend! I don’t care!

Here’s how it works…very simple: all you have to do is ride every single inch of the subway system. (Except the Silver Line because as I said, I’m pretty certain it doesn’t actually exist). And that’s it! I’m talking Green Line (B,C,D, and E Lines!), the Red Line (including that weird Mattapan express-line thing), the Blue Line (make sure you go during the hours that Bowdoin station is open, don’t make him feel left out!), and the Orange Line.

It’s not that daunting, is it?

So I created my bucketlist at the beginning of this summer and thought that I could do it all in one summer, but alas…life got in the way. And then I realized that this isn’t something you can simply tackle in a small amount of time. My new goal is before I graduate, but even that I’m not so sure. We’ll see.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘You’re telling me to ride the T…for fun? Deal with the giant stress-ball that is the MBTA just for kicks? You’re crazy!’

But hear me out.

It’s actually really relaxing! No, seriously! Just don’t go during rush hour if that’s not your thing. Go on the weekend with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Take the kids on Columbus Day when you have nothing else to entertain them with! Seriously…little kids LOVE the subway! Or if you’re just having a stressful day, hop on the T after work, head over to the Orange Line, bring a really good book and just ride! Or even just throw your iPod in and enjoy the scenery! And the Orange Line is seriously always empty! I was on it the other day from 4:30-5:45pm, prime rush hour, and I had a whole row almost to myself for basically the entire journey! And there were a million Orange Line trains that kept going by!! What the hell, MBTA?? Save money by cutting half of those out and add 20 more B Line trains [okay, okay the C and D can have a couple more too]. It was a rather pretty ride actually. I enjoyed the scenery on the way North to Oak Grove…a part of Boston I’d never seen before.

And you have no idea how liberating it is to ride the street-level sections of the Green Line when you’re not actually going anywhere! You don’t have to keep staring at your watch and sighing loudly because it’s taking FOREVER. You don’t have to roll your eyes when people ring the bell for every. single. stop. when they’re only a block apart. You get to see all the cool neighborhoods. And it’s completely stress-free!

(And if you’re feel super adventurous…venture out to Cleveland Circle and walk around (Roxy’s Grilled Cheese is stationed over there a lot)! Hop off at Boston College and walk around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir! Take a stroll along Riverside and see whatever the heck is over there!

So as of right now..this is where my MBTA Bucket List stands: (bolded is what I have completed)

Green Line:

• Kenmore-Lechmere
• B-Line
• C-Line (only to Coolidge Corner)
• D-Line (only to Longwood)
• E-Line (to be honest, it scares me)

Red Line:

• Park Street-Alewife
• Park Street-Braintree (only to Quincy Adams..so close!!)
• Park Street-Ashmont
• Mattapan Line

Blue Line:

• Government Center-Wonderland
• Bowdoin (Grrr…one of these days I’ll find an excuse to go here!)

Orange Line:

• North Station-Oak Grove
• North Station-Forest Hills (Yay! One whole line complete! And it only took me an hour and a half!)

Silver Line

• ?????

And if you’re feeling very adventurous, you could resolve to visit every station! Or you could go get a hobby because that would literally take 27 years! But hey…in the dead of winter after the Red Sox are long gone into their hole of embarrassment, the Bruins are all in Europe and junior leagues because of the NHL lockout, and all you Patriots fans are realizing that Brady really isn’t the second-coming of God and is actually well past his prime, there may be nothing else to do but just that.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Any experienced T-riders out there? How much have you covered?

The Mystery of the Silver Line

What exactly is the silver line? Is it a subway? Is it a bus? Is it a spaceship?

Bear with me here.

It is something I’ve always wondered. Like, it’s kept me up at night.

I don’t understand it. I have had a few Silver Line sightings this summer, once at South Station where it looked like a green line car only silver and with GIANT monster truck wheels.

And then another time I was walking aboveground near Boylston and thought I saw a silver stripe down a regular old bus, but by the time I double-taked (double-took?) the elusive vehicle had already disappeared. It’s all a conspiracy I tell you!

The main MBTA subway map tells a rather confusing story…

What is that??

Now…I’ve been to Boylston Station many a time and there is no silver line there. So I’m guessing the bus-looking version that I thought I almost saw that day near Boylston must have been it and it lives aboveground in those parts. So then do you have to pay to get back on the silver line if you take the green line to Boylston?

I did what any normal person would do if they wanted answers to life’s big questions…turned to the internet. You’d think the MBTA’s website would explain exactly what this silver phenomenon was. You would be wrong. It only gives the schedule information and a map.

Now let’s talk about this map.

They list SL1, SL2, SL4 and SL5.

What happened to SL3? Maybe it was his ghost that I saw near Boylston that day. Or maybe he’s up in MBTA heaven with the green A line. Or maybe the new “real life” Charlie has driven it down to the deepest depths of hell and is reserving special seats just for the people who complain about the MBTA and call their mascot a character in a bad horror film on their blogs. Not that I’m now terrified or anything.

And now I’m even more confused then when I started this post. Let’s hope I’m never lost in the seaport district, aimlessly wandering around when I stumble into the silver line because I wouldn’t even know what to do.

I guess this is just one of those life mysteries that I’ll never get to the bottom to.

You win this time, Silver Line. For now. But I will discover your secrets one of these days. Mark my words.

On a side note, I sliced my foot open getting off of the T yesterday (the green line…a much easier to comprehend/actually real branch of the MBTA). I sent my mom a picture of my blood streaming down my heel and told her the T bit me. Her immediate response? “You washed it, didn’t you? With soap and water? Did you clean it good? Seriously.”

So now I’m deadly afraid that I contracted Mad Cow Disease. Luckily my foot is still attached to my body. Let’s hope it stays that way.

(You all now think I’m crazy. It’s better that you find out sooner rather than later.)

Charlie is coming to life?

So I read THIS article this morning…

And now I’m going to make an extra effort to stay inside all day and avoid the streets of Boston.

 

Look at that thing!

I can’t even…

It reminds me of the main character in some cheap horror film on a late night Halloween special. And we all know those are the scariest.

I will throw the MBTA a bone however though and say that this is a really good idea. And I can’t believe they haven’t had a store like this before hand. Now can we start getting discounted passes for college students instead of just middle/high school students? Thankyouverymuch.

Also, I love how the article ends by saying that the costume was paid for by the Mass Bay Credit Union. Don’t worry guys…they aren’t spending all the money they don’t have on creepy little bastards!

Oh MBTA…you bring such joy and laughter to my morning. Until now when I’m going to SPRINT to Kenmore to avoid any Charlie-sightings and then take a 20-minute train ride that will probably actually last closer to 40 minutes. But hey…that’s okay. The more I can hide underground today, the better.

Wait….he’s not going to be walking around the subway stations too, is he?? Maybe I’ll just call in sick.

Sunday at the Yacht Club

Happy Monday!

And it is a very happy Monday indeed! By the end of this week I will be relaxing on a beach in North Carolina with my family for what will FINALLY be my summer vacation. I cannot wait!

Unfortunately, from now until then, I’m working two doubles plus two full final days at my internship. But oh well, hopefully it’ll keep me busy enough that the time will fly by!

I hope everyone had fabulous weekends! Mine was spent packing like a maniac and then moving everything into my aunt’s house where it will live for the next few weeks as I vacation it up!

This is what my life has been reduced to…

 

Seriously, go to college for a few years and you will soon find yourself only needing what you can fit in the back of your mom’s Jeep. And then you find yourself staring at a small pile like this and wondering how everything you need to live can fit in such a little space. It’s some deep stuff.

So after a long day of moving, I got to just chill at my aunt and uncle’s yacht club for the evening. A wonderful way to end the day, I’d say.

 

I sipped some iced tea, got a lobster roll for dinner (which I have been craving for FOREVER but am way too cheap to buy for myself), and watched the beaUtiful sunset!

 

So let’s go back to talking about expensive lobster rolls. I thought there was a huge surplus of them this year or something and prices were at an all time low? Apparently this doesn’t apply to hooty snooty yacht clubs, because this little sucker cost 18 bucks!

 

18 bucks!!

It’s not even on a sub roll, just a hot dog roll. Ridiculous. I mean it was absolutely delicious, but not worth $18. Good thing I have an aunt and uncle who love me very much! It’s nice to live like the other half every now and then.

 

As the sun continued to set over the harbor it just got more and more beautiful. All the grown ups were talking and I was just sitting there snapping away pictures on my crappy phone. I have a slight obsession with sunsets. And taking pictures of everything.

 

 

 

 

If that’s how beautiful it looks on my crappy LG, you can only imagine how gorgeous it was in real life.

It was a wonderful way to end a crazy weekend and to start a crazy busy week.

Oh yeah, and I got a free ride on the commuter rail on the way home again.

Shocker.

Improvements to the MBTA and Deterioration of the Red Sox

 

I never thought I’d see the day!

But don’t get too excited, apparently it’s never going to happen on the Green Line.

This article in the Globe tells all about it, but it’s something to do with the fact that it only has a “rudimentary tracking system.” Whatever. I think it’s just because the Green Line absolutely sucks and there are so many problems and disabled trains with it that the signs would cause more uproar than convenience.

But I’m still pretty excited for this! Even if I do pretty much only use the Green Line.

It’s about time! When I was in New York the other weekend I LOVED these signs! They were so helpful! And actually made the time that you were waiting seem a lot shorter because at least you knew what to expect. You weren’t waiting anxiously for a train to come around the corner at any moment because you knew that it wouldn’t be there for another 4 minutes.

Sure, it’s a little disappointing when you walk downstairs and the sign says your train is 12 minutes out, but at least you know.

And like they say in the article, if you’re train is 15 minutes out, you know you have time to go grab a coffee before swiping onto the tracks. Pretty cool.

But then it did really suck when you went into one of the few stations that didn’t have it because it felt like you went back in time to the Stone Age. And then I got back to Boston at almost midnight and waited for nearly 20 minutes at Park St. for any Kenmore bound train, convinced that a Black Hole had emerged where Government Center was sucking in all the trains. Some things will never change.

These signs rolled out in South Station this morning and will soon be joining Park Street (Red Line only) and Downtown Crossing. And then to all Red, Blue and Orange Line stations in the next year.

Hopefully, someday they’ll be able to add the Green Line to this list, but it’s probably better they don’t. I feel the sign would look like this at all times:
B Line: 15 minutes
27 minutes
C Line: 1 minute
4 minutes
D Line: No freaking clue!
Probably never
E Line: 6 minutes (and then it would stay at 6 minutes indefinitely)

That probably wouldn’t sit to well.

So I guess we’ll just have to take what we have been given and be happy with that.

Just like with the Red Sox.

Where did that John Lester from Sunday night come from?? And where did that offense come from?? (And without Ortiz even! So when is he coming back again??) 14-1…what is this madness?

But alas…it was just our same old Red Sox getting our hopes up that maybe finally they were going to turn things around when really they were just going to put Beckett into the lineup for the next game. And Beckett clearly isn’t capable of the same kind of miracle that Lester was able to come up with.

Typical.

And meanwhile there’s even more chaos in the dugout after Yahoo released a story saying that a meeting between the owners, Pedroia and Gonzalez was calling for Valentine’s immediate firing. This apparently wasn’t the case, they just had a grand round-table discussion about how much everybody sucks. Now that’s a story I would definitely believe. But maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea. This article in the Globe actually made me kind of like Bobby V (shocking, I know), but only as a person. Not as our manager.

It’s time to move on Bobby V. Catch up on your sleep and keep contributing to the greater good. Instead of contributing to the Red Sox undoing.

People Are Rude

Let me preface this post by saying, that I understand the MBTA is a stressful situation in and of itself. I understand that by the time you actually get on the T you are probably now in a horrible, foul mood regardless of how your day had been going up until that point. I understand this. But people need to understand this: everyone on that T is also dealing with its crap, so you do not have any right to be rude to other people!

Exhibit A: I am a really nice and kind person. I’m not trying to brag and be all conceited, but it’s true. I say “Hi” and “Good Morning!” to friendly-looking people I pass on the sidewalks. I always hold doors for people. I always say “Have a nice day!” to any cashiers I may encounter throughout my day when I’m done with my purchase. And I always ALWAYS offer my seat on the T to injured or elderly persons.

Until last night.

But I had every intention of doing so! After waiting a good 20 minutes (during rush hour) for my train to finally come, I hopped on and grabbed a seat because I get on at the first stop and ride it for quite awhile. And then I looked around to make sure there was no one who looked like they needed a seat more than me. As the last people poured on, I pulled my book out of my backpack and began reading.

At last second this woman climbs onto the train, and she was having difficulty getting up the stairs. After noticing her, I began putting my book back into my bag so I could zip it up and offer her my seat. She grabbed on to the pole right in front of me and JUST as I was about to stand up and offer her the seat she starts LOUDLY bitching to this poor girl next to her about how rude the young people of today are.

She said, and I quote, “Can you believe young people today?? There are signs posted everywhere saying that you should give up your seat to the elderly, but do they listen? No! Not only is it just rude…it is against the law! But they don’t care! I can’t even believe it! There are signs everywhere and it is the law, but they just DON’T!”

And with this last “but they just DON’T,” she got within a foot of my face and practically spat it at me.

I looked up at her, probably a look of “Really, bitch?” on my face, as I held my backpack in my hand, clearly ready to stand up at any moment, and slowly sank back into the seat. Glaring at her the whole time.

No way in hell was she taking my seat now!

I don’t care if anyone else thinks I still should have offered it to her. My pride is too big for that and quite frankly, she did not deserve it! So I glared at her one last time, shook my head in disbelief, and pulled my book back out of my bag to read the rest of the ride away.

And you want to know the real kicker?

She got off at the next stop!!! The. Very. Next. Stop.

Are you kidding me???

I was so infuriated. Note to self: If I’m ever having a really good day, avoid the T like the plague. Because if the actual service doesn’t send me over the edge, the rude people around me certainly will!

Okay, rant over.

Lesson of the day: Us young people are a lot kinder (for the most part) than ya’ll give us credit for. And we will offer you our seats if you’re not a complete bitch. Kay thanks.

A Rant About the MBTA

Can I take a minute to vent about the ever-reliable Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority?

Well, it’s my blog. So yes. Yes, I can.

But seriously. What is up with it lately?

I understand that they have problems, but I have seen a significant increase in crappy service and awfully slow service in the past two weeks. It’s awful! It’s been taking me ONE HOUR to get from Government Center to a few stops in on the Green Line. A trip that could take 20 minutes, but I’d be happy with 30-45. I understand that I’m traveling during rush how, but for real. An hour? There’s no reason for that!

And it never used to be like that! All summer I’ve had plenty of time to get from my internship downtown (that I leave at 5) to band practice at BU at 6 and still have like 15 minutes to chill out and eat my dinner. But for the past two weeks…not the case. The MBTA has forced me into becoming one of those people who disgustingly eats her dinner in the middle of a crowded subway car. I apologize to everyone who has been standing next to me and had to smell my Subway or pretzels and hummus as I panickly inhale it as I realize that I’m going to be really late for band practice. But I can’t go until 9 o’clock at night without eating.

And the thing is, it’s not even just slow service! It’s annoying choices that they make! Like when they decide that the B line is only going to go as far as Park St. But they only announce this ever 15 minutes after several other lines have gone by and you’ve missed about 3 B line trains that have left Park. Unacceptable. Every single car that comes through should make an announcement saying that if you are looking for B Line service, get on and take this train to Park St. Come on, guys!

And then every single train that I get on ends up going express once I get above ground! I understand their reasoning for this, but hears the thing: You make half of us all pile out and wait on the platform for the next train that you promise is “right behind us that’s making all street-level stops,” but then when that train finally comes, it’s so jam-packed with people that only a few of us can actually get on this one. Delaying us even more.

It is so frustrating!

And it always seems to happen when I’ve just had a really crappy day and only when I’m in a hurry to get somewhere. Tonight…I have nowhere to be after work. I’ll bet you my life savings that I’ll get home in 20 minutes.

Good For the MBTA

Headline from the Boston Globe’s Metro section:

It is about dang time! I think the B Line is the one that has lost the most money from these free-riders because of all the “poor college students” who think they’re entitled to ride it for free anytime they want. The problem, though, is that it’s also the busiest, which will make struggling to get to the front doors pretty annoying, but unfortunately it had to be done. I am sick of watching the MBTA fall deeper and deeper into debt while all these people sneak on for free. People don’t realize that they are going to lose their precious  “free” subway altogether if they keep abusing it and pushing it further into debt.

And the worst part is that these are probably the same people complaining about the fare increases, which is a whole other story! People need to stop whining about having to pay $2 instead of $1.70. It’s really not a big deal. I know that it may be for some people, but those aren’t the people that I hear complaining all the time. Personally, I’m glad that it’s now an even $2, it will make it much easier for me to keep track of how much money I still have on my Charlie Card.

I think the MBTA chose the best possible solution from their reasonable options. Fares had to be increased, I don’t understand what people don’t understand about this. When food at the grocery store starts getting more expensive people aren’t boycotting in Copley Square because they know that’s just how it goes. It’s called inflation, people. Prices are going to increase every now and then. Even the subway.

But the MBTA managed to cut the fewest amount of services possible to the people who need them the most. So, people need to stop complaining that mommy and daddy are going to have to pay 20% more every month for them to take the T half a mile down Comm Ave. to get to class because they’re too lazy to walk.

(Haha wow..I’m getting a little angry here.)

I must put some blame on the MBTA though too. The B Line has been ridiculous lately. Unless I just pick the bad days to ride it. I only ride the T once or twice a month and it seems that every single time I do there’s some kind of significant delay. But it’s public transportation, it will happen. I’m just a bit worried that this new not opening the back doors thing will lead to even more delays, especially if people don’t know about it.

My biggest thing with the MBTA is the fact that the past 3 times I have gotten on the commuter rail, I have not been charged (I know I shouldn’t be complaining about this, but come on guys..you’re swimming in debt!) Leaving North Station they always take my ticket, but on my return trip (I’ll even have my money in my lap ready to pay) the conductor just looks at me and keeps walking. Is it because I’m a young female? Or that I just look like such a nice person? Or they just genuinely think they’ve taken my ticket already? I don’t know. Because it’s not like they ignore everyone who gets on with me. And I know they see me!

Last time, it was only me and two other people who got on, so I’m pretty positive that the guy remembered all of us. Me and one of my fellow commuter rail riders sat right across from each other. The ticket guy came down the hall, took the guy next to me’s ticket, looked at me as I was digging through my wallet for my $5 and then just went on walking down the aisle.

Not a good way to solve your debt problem. If everyone gets away with $15 worth of free commuter rail fare that could really add up. So I suppose the employees are almost as much to blame as these free-riders.

Well, I guess we’ll see how this latest crackdown goes and let’s hope the T starts moving in the right direction financially.