burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness

I was uncomfortably cold walking to the train this morning, even though it was just as cold as it was yesterday. My cheeks were cold and I considered, for not the first time this season, the merits of investing in a scarf. Given the past 2 days, I expected some sort of Red Line delay thanks to Downtown Crossing. Instead, I waited 40 minutes for my commuter rail. [My mom, the experienced commuter, called frozen switch early on.] I actually put my gloves on after a while, and oh my toes started hurting so bad. I always say I would much rather freeze to death than be burnt to death (eventually you just fall asleep and never wake up, plus it's on the whole far less painful than burning) but my toes were making me seriously reconsider any sort of fond feeling toward freezing to death.

I considered calling trijinx but frozenness is not conducive to taking out and dialing a cell phone. [I did call after I was on the train and thawed. I considered calling my temp agency to tell them I'd be late, but I knew I'd only be about a half an hour late, and I recalled that last time I called in, whomever they sent didn't know where I worked or who I was. I would have called Amanda who sits behind me, but I don't know her number -- since obviously I never call her.] Other people called SmarTravaler (or something) however, so we learnd that the 7:05 was disabled and the 7:30 (my train) was running a half an hour late. [And it's not like we were special. The Providence, Plymouth/Kingston, and others were also running delayed.] There were people waiting since 6:55? Ouch. Someone pointed out that there's supposed to be an 8:00 train as well, so what's up with that?

Anyway, at 8:05 a train showed up -- all single cars. The 7:30 is usually all double-deckers save 2 single cars and it's crowded as is. Somehow everyone in my car actually got a seat, though. (Next stop, of course, lots of people were standing.) Sidenote: I can understand wanting to preserve the space between you and the guy next to you on a 3-seater for as long as possible, but don't you know the trains are running delayed so there are more than one train's worth of people on this train and perhaps you could move in before someone asks you to?

According to the conductor, we were on the 738 from Walpole. [Which apparently is what I would call the 8:00.] Oh, and my train is usually an express, but of course this one had to make all the stops. Made me glad I usually get into work ~20 minutes early, 'cause it gives me a cushion for train delays.

As I walked through South Station, I heard over the PA: "Due to cold weather conditions, both inbound and outbound service are experiencing delays."

Checking the MBTA website when I got in to work ("Transit Updates - Last Updated : 12/14/2005 - 9:38:26 AM")

Franklin Line:
# Inbound Franklin trains #706 (6:35a) & #708 (7:00) have been combined due to an earlier disabled train. As a result, the #706 is running 90 minutes late and the #708 is at least 40 minutes behind schedule.

Understatement much? ( Collapse )

"Last Updated : 12/14/2005 - 10:48:54 AM" we're down to

Providence/Attleboro Line:

# Inbound train #812 (9:43a) is running 15 - 20 minutes behind schedule due to traffic in Mansfield.

All other Commuter Rail service is on or near schedule.

Though of course, do we really believe that?

Anyway, the day has been fine otherwise, though I'm not optimstic about grabbing my prof in between meetings to get reimbursement info.

Last night I read goovie's touching all the places that are yours, which is the best fic I have read in some time.

And hernewshoes posted the full text of the "dried leaves boiled in water ... dying for a cup of tea" section from The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series).

[Advent day 18] Isaiah 52:7-10

⁷ How beautiful on the mountains
      are the feet of those who bring good news,
      who proclaim peace,
      who bring good tidings,
      who proclaim salvation,
      who say to Zion,
      "Your God reigns!"

⁸ Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
      together they shout for joy.
      When the LORD returns to Zion,
      they will see it with their own eyes.

⁹ Burst into songs of joy together,
      you ruins of Jerusalem,
      for the LORD has comforted his people,
      he has redeemed Jerusalem.

¹⁰ The LORD will lay bare his holy arm
      in the sight of all the nations,
      and all the ends of the earth will see
      the salvation of our God.

Prof was at meetings most of today, so I got to have a relatively veg day.

Our irregular mail guy did an impromptu rendition of "Blue Christmas" which helped break up the afternoon.

The e-mail about today's NOM talk said: Michael Jensen from the Strategy Department at the University of Michigan Business School will present “Legitimizing Illegitimacy:  Creating Markets for Socially Illegitimate Products”.

Listening to the speaker talk with Andy afterward, I would say that an alternative summary could be: Danish film buff talks about porn.  If I'd known that beforehand I might have weaseled my way into attending.  (I think the talks are open to anybody, and it's not like I had anything to do this afternoon.)

I have a meeting with Jessica and Bianca tomorrow, which may or may not be useless; we shall see.

P.S. Mmm, the heat just came on.  Additional incentive to go to bed nowish.