“You get closer to people on the train than you will in any other setting.”

“You get closer to people on the train than you will in any other setting.” I over hear on the platform knowing full well that I am not getting on the train I see before me. “Some woman just did a face plant into a perfect stranger and doesn’t even care.” The girl behind me continues to her friend.

“Ya, you’d never see that in any other setting. Not even a night club!” her friend replies.

The train leaves and we wait for the next train which is usually far less crowded than the first train that comes through. The two of them go back and forth with small talk and finally the next train pulls in.

This train has ample room compared to the previous one. However, it was still packed. We all hop on the train with arm room, which means we aren’t packed in like little sardines. We get situated and head out of North Station. The pair of friends start giggling uncontrollably at what I assume is just them seeing validation to their previous comments as we are packed in but not too packed in. People are looking at them like they are on something. Some, who may have a low self esteem, give them death glares. Their giggling was infectious to me and made my morning! Most people get cranky on the train but to be able to laugh at it and accept it as a way of life, is comforting.

The MBTA is not Southwest!

I got on the commuter rail this morning and this guy in a three seater in the front row is sitting smack dab in the middle of the seat! My immediate thought was “Buddy, this isn’t Southwest!” Ya know the old Southwest drill, you check in online the second you get the email that you can and hope that you are in zone A. The following day you board the flight, sit in the middle seat, put your Bose headphones on and hope that no one has the guts to interrupt you to ask if the seats on either side of you are taken.

Eventually someone asked him to move in but I hadn’t seen the Southwest drill on the train ever. This guy must travel a lot and enjoys his personal bubble. I don’t think I could ever get away with that on the train. However, on Southwest, I have pulled that maneuver before.

Girl Changes on the Train!

I thought I had seen it all on the train. However, the Brookline Selectwoman Jesse Mermell recently tweeted “New MBTA experience: Woman across from me changing her whole outfit on the train, including stockings. I'm torn between being appalled & impressed. I didn't have room to tweet about the full body lotion application. It was intense. No towel. Not even close. And there was extensive lotion application.”

Train Etiquette Tip #15:

OK People, you can’t get changed on the T! Period! End of story! Although this is in a way impressive, people do not need to see you changing and applying body lotion.

I will admit I changed while in the driver seat of my vehicle at a stop light once. However, aside from my arms, nothing was visible to the other drivers/cars around me. (And I did not attempt body lotion application!)

(Picture from mychinaviews.com)

Hot Mess!

Every night as I head into the train station,  I check the board to see what track I need to head to. Once The board displays my track number, I head the the track but before I enter onto the platform, I make sure that the screen says Lowell. Then, usually I recognize the conductor and he's usually screaming "Express train to Lowell". Once I have passed all those things, it is safe to say that's the train I need to be on. I hop on board and find a seat, grab my book and am good to go.

Once we depart North Station the loud speaker says "This is the train to Haverhill making the following station stops..." The entire train car is in a panic! We are all expecting to be heading to Lowel! What the??? There is no conducter in our train car so we sit in panic mode until a conductor enters and screams "This IS the train to Lowell. You can stop panicing!" Thank goodness we were all on the right train. I have gotten on the wrong train before and it is not fun. However, when I was on the wrong train, I got off at the first stop after I realized I wasn't heading in the right direction, walked into the first bar I saw and waited for my ride to come get me. What do you do when you get on the wrong train? Order yourself a martini that's called "A Hot Mess"... which was rather delish by the way!

Which T line best describes you?

I am:

Silver Line

"Trendsetter"

You are trendy, always ahead of the curve in terms of fashion, food, and Boston’s fledgling nightlife scene. The silver line is the newest of the MBTA lines and represents a transforming Boston. It connects hot spots such as the up-and-coming South Boston waterfront and the South End’s posh restaurant scene. Your friends look to you when it comes to making plans for the night.

Click the link below and find out which one best describes you!

Which MBTA Line Best Describes You?

Shecky's Girls Night Out!

Last night after work I went over to Shecky’s Girls Night Out! I had been before and was so excited to go. You buy your ticket, arrive and it is sheer girliness. Cocktails, goodie bags, make up, jewelry… ultimate girl time! In order to get there I had to change up my normal train routine. I had the pleasure of taking the Green Line! I walked to Haymarket and hopped on the Green E line and got off at Copley to meet a friend and walk over to Tremont.

Well, this Green Line, let me tell ya… It took me 20 minutes to go five stops. First of all, the trolley was so slow and then in the middle of the tunnel it goes dead and the lights go out. Then they go back on and we are creeping through the tunnel again. We get to a stop, people get on and then the lights go out again. Slowest T line I’ve been on yet. It also didn’t help that I was sitting next to a woman who had the absolute worst breath and the worst part about it was that she had no idea. She kept breathing with her mouth open. Yuck!

I finally get to Copley and head up the stairs to meet my friend and walk to Shecky’s. We chit chat about our crazy days in the city as we stroll through the amazing brown stones. We finally arrive at Shecky’s and meet up with three more girls. We all look great and we head inside! Sake cocktails, goodie bags and jewelry are everywhere! Oh, and chocolate cupcakes that are to die for! I picked up some Dolce sunglasses and a cute summer dress. I also took away from this girls night out, many fashionable idea’s that I can incorporate in my wardrobe with things I already have.

After we perused Shecky’s we all declared we were starving. We tried getting into a chic little restaurant. However, it is restaurant week and there was an hour and a half wait. That wasn’t going to work so we found a pizza place across the street, grabbed mozzarella sticks and cannoli’s, snagged a seat outside and giggled and laughed while we nibbled our nutritious (sarcasm) dinner.

Top notch night and much needed for all of us. Thanks Girls for a fabulous evening in Boston.

Thrill of the Hunt-Closing Bell

This morning was beautiful! It is March 22^nd and I threw on a wind breaker to walk my dog at 6am. I am generally in a winter jacket in the mornings until at least June! When I got back from walking my dog, I checked my facebook and saw many friends trotting off to the beach today. I thought it was great. Good for them! I wish I was going to the beach but I’m not, I’m heading into work just like everyone else in the city was going to do right? Wrong!

I pulled into the parking lot at the train station and I got a great spot! Then I await the train and there is hardly anyone on the platform. However, that’s normal because people wait inside until the train comes. Then I though “Why on earth would these people wait in side when it is this nice out?” The train pulls in and I hop on. There are empty seats! I got a seat all to myself. Through out the 7 or so stops I remained by myself reading my book. I heard as people walked down the aisle that generally don’t even get seats say “Everyone’s playin’ hooky! They are all at the beach! I could get used to this.”

Once I got to North Station, I quickly got to the T platform in record time. There weren’t crowds of herded people to cut through. The T pulls in and there is hardly anyone on it. It feels like a ghost town. There is no hustle and bustle. It’s just a few people heading into work instead of doing what everyone else was doing, going to the beach.

Once I got to my office I was assured I did the right thing. Everyone was here who wasn’t traveling and then I didn’t feel so left out for not going to the beach. Today has been a busy day and there is the hustle and bustle of deals closing all around me. The heart of the office…. What I live for! It’s so great when the company closes a deal and I am here to witness it. Sometimes the thrill of the close and the thrill of the hunt can offset the beach any day.