Hard Knock March Madness Lessons

Last year, I was so excited to be included in my March Madness pool at the office. In an office full of guys, I tend to get left out. Not on purpose, it just happens to go that way.

I had no idea how to do my picks. I looked into it and everyone had a different theory on how to pick their teams. By stats, by color, by state… clearly I went by color since I didn’t know that first thing about stats. I threw in my 25 bucks and my sheet and was good to go.

That night I was on the train and I was sitting with my train friend John. He asked how my day was at the office…ya know…typical small talk.

I told him how I was so excited to be included in the office March Madness Pool even though I had no idea what I was doing.  He chuckled and goes “The only reason why people in my office include people like you is to build the pot.” I laughed and thought “No way!”  and joked that my color scheme brackets will take me places!

By the end of the week, I held the record for the person to go out of the bracket pool the quickest! I didn’t even last a week. I mean… picking brackets based on team colors isn’t the best strategy but it’s a strategy!

This year, the pool came around again. I politely declined. I’ll be taking myself out to lunch instead of cushioning the pot!

Hard knock train lessons right there! Enjoy March Madness everyone! GO Purple team!!

I Took The Bus!!!

This weekend on my way home from Connecticut, I stopped for gas about a mile down the street from my house. I noticed an awful smell coming from my front wheels. I looked at it and didn’t notice anything and a guy came over and checked them for me. He told me how his daughter was around my age and he’d hope that if someone saw his daughter in need, they’d help her so he did what he hopes someone would do for him. He said my brake pad was missing on the driver side and it was metal on metal on just that one side.  My rotor was so hot and the friction caused all the heat and that awful smell. He said I could drive it home but not to scare me, it could cease up. I drove it home and had it towed to an auto body shop. So, yay it got there. Now…the tricky part was picking it up. I don’t really have anyone local to bring me since I recently moved to the area and an Uber would take forever to get to me so I googlemapped my way to the body shop on public transit. I ended up taking the train from work one stop passed my stop and connecting to a bus. I have never taken an MBTA bus before so I was nervous. I mean… I am the train girl but busses…forget it! Those are intimidating to figure out.

At the train station, I walked over to the bus pick up. I looked for a sign for the 450 bus. There was a sign for every bus BUT the 450! As busses pulled up and people got on and left, I wondered if I needed to wait for the 450 bus somewhere else. I then notice these two women standing around. I ask them if the 450 bus will stop here. They were so sweet and took me under their wing. They happened to be waiting for the 450 bus as well.

A bus pulled in that said “Out of Service”. The women knew it would become the 450 bus. We waited for him to change his sign and then we boarded. We were the only ones on the bus. They then asked me where I was going and taught me how to use the “STOP” buttons. They got off. Wished me good luck and were on their merry way. When it was close to my stop I walked up and stood near the door. The driver asked where I was heading and I told him I was picking up my car at the auto body and was hoping my brakes were working properly now. He stopped the bus right outside the auto body shop and as I got off the bus he says “Good luck love!”.

I got off the bus in front of the shop and had this epiphany moment. A.) Riding the bus isn’t that bad B.) There are some good people still out there C.) I am independent and can figure sh*t out on my own. It was a great feeling! After a year of being on my own, I finally realized I really can rely solely on myself when I have to and that’s OK!

Thoughts of a Delayed MBTA Rider

My thoughts yesterday whilst being stuck on the commuter train for nearly 2 hours:

1.       YES!! I made the 5:30 and they are making ALL STOPS! Yahoo!

2.       Maybe I’ll find a seat if I keep walking.

3.       Oh, everyone is stopping. No worries I’ll just ride in the vestibule where there is a sign that states “PASSENGERS NOT PERMITTED TO RIDE IN VESTIBULE”.

4.       I’ll be safe! They wouldn’t let me ride here if it wasn’t…right? They’d come kick me out.

5.       Oh, 10 other people are cramming into the vestibule with me. I hope they don’t smell…

6.       UGH! That one looks like she would smell.

7.       Oh good, she is going next to the door and cracking the window. OHH and she announces that she’s having a hot flash. Poor lady.

8.       OK, it’s 5:30. We should be moving. Why aren’t we moving?

9.       Switch problem…on the bridge. No problem. I don’t have anywhere to be right now or anything.

10.   You appreciate my patients? Does MBTA really appreciate my patients?

11.   Gross…that artsy lady has a booger hanging out of her nose.

12.   Do I have boogers stuck in my nose? (Selfie check in phone. Damn my hat is cute! OK.. no boogers! I’m safe!)

13.   Still not moving! So glad I didn’t get that end of the day coffee! Coffee goes right through me.

14.   UGH! I really wish I did have that coffee…exhausted from standing with work bag and purse…my poor shoulders.

15.   I just want to rest my head. Think ‘Hot Flash’ will mind if I just rest my head on her. I mean she is leaning on me while hanging out the window.

16.   Never mind…she is sweating. Gross. Don’t want to ruin my cute hat!

17.   Oh we’re moving forward! Yay!

18.   Why do I hear it creaking under my feet? F*cking Vestibule!

19.   Oh wait…now we are going back to the station…what the…

20.   The switch needed to be tested…wait a minute… is that what we just did. Were we the testers? Is that dangerous to do…I AM RIDING IN THE VESTIBULE PEOPLE!

21.   Oh… and we’re moving forward again.

22.   What’s that smell? Is that brake dust? Metal on metal? Are we going to die? How much weight do you think this is carrying?

23.   (Train takes sharp corner and I go flying. Artsy catches me.) “Oh thank you! I nearly fell flat on my face!”  I say to her while thinking- Sh*t, did that booger land on me?

24.   Nope. Booger still there!

25.   Oh here’s my stop! Phew! Ok… vestibule is kind of handy. I don’t need to crowd surf to get off the train. I am right here!

26.   Ok! I survived. I survived!

27.   You deserve a glass of wine...or a bottle….ya....a bottle!

What Do You Do?

The other night I sat down in a two seater next to the window. An older woman sat down next to me and I recognized her from the train stop I usually get on and off at. She smelled like booze and whipped out her phone. After a while of texting, she broke down sobbing. She took off her glasses and wiped her face with her hand. I didn’t say anything and continued reading.

She started crying again and was trying very hard to hide it. I went through my bag knowing I had tissues. I pulled out my tissue pack and offered it to her. She refused it. I didn’t even know what to do. I am just trying to be nice and her tears are just pouring down her face. I felt so bad…and I am stuck awkwardly on the inside seat until our stop.

I continue reading and try to pretend I don’t notice that she is just miserable next to me.

The train ride felt like forever. We finally get to our stop and she stands up, still crying and looks at me and mouths “Thank you.” to me and winked. I smiled back and I felt much better after that. Not because my niceness was acknowledged but because it seemed as though she was calming down and was going to be ok after we got off the train.

I have no idea what made her upset but sometimes just knowing someone is sitting next to you with a tissue for you is what you need whether you accept it or not.