week.of.b . bike week

week.of.b - bike week:
it's officially 'bay state bike week' in massachusetts, and people all across the state are surrendering their cars and trading from four wheels to two wheels for their daily commute. the goal is to reach 250,000 pledged bicycle miles in the state this week. it's widely known that boston is one of the least bike-friendly cities in the nation, and mayor menino is committed to changing that, including promotion of events like this one.

i personally have been a big biking and alternative transportation supporter, but honestly i have been afraid to tackle the confusing, crowded boston streets on a bike. i've instead biked recreationally on isolated bike paths and opted for public transit to get me to and from work and around the city. but this week i decided to step up in support of bike week, and ride my wheels to work. tegin, a good friend and dedicated bike commuter, offered to help me find a decent route and ride into downtown with me this morning. i was nervous, but definitely wanted to take the opportunity.

the result? i loved it. now that i've conquered much of the fear of boston traffic and a become a bit more bike-confident, i'm excited to start riding my bike to work more often. the least congested route i can take is about 7 miles each direction, which has proved to be an excellent way to start my day. the majority of the route is along the charles river, complete with birds, sailboats, and early morning rowers.i'm really happy i manned up and gave it a try. and if i can manage on a bike on boston roads with boston drivers, than anyone can do it. hooray for bike week!

week.of.b . baseball

week.of.b - baseball
i've appointed this week as the week.of.b; kicking things off is baseball.

i began to have an interest in baseball when i was 8, when my older brother got me started collecting baseball cards. my allowance wasn't enough to get the hologrammed upper deck cards, so i quickly became a donruss collector. i have almost the entire set of donruss '90. admittedly, today i don't follow baseball much on tv until the end of the season, but i will say that there's nothing like being at a ballpark with a hot dog and a beer on a sunny day watching a baseball game. i started thinking about the short list of stadiums i've been to for mlb games, and thought i'd start a formal blog list about them.

1.the metrodome - minneapolis, mn - minnesota twins
i've been to more games than i can count at this indoor stadium. i remember taking trips up to minneapolis with my family when i was young to see the twins play ball. we used to do some family bidding about what the final score of the game would be. i won two years in a row, spot on. my grandpa was convinced i was lucky. in college at the university of minnesota, wednesday nights were student nights, so admission with a college id was $3.00! incidentally, wednesdays were also dollar-dome dog nights, so you could get dinner and mlb entertainment for $5 or less. dome dogs became a form of currency for bets in one of my college apartments. (b.b.b. - i believe you still owe me 3 dome dogs.)

the metrodome is a fixture of the minneapolis skyline, built in 1982, but is sadly finishing up its service as the home of the twins for over 25 years. the new open-air 'target field' in minneapolis's downtown warehouse district, with an expected completion in 2010, will seat 40,000 fans and is estimated to cost more than $412 million. though i'll miss the metrodome, i'm sure the visiting teams won't--the ceiling made it tricky to catch fly balls. the metrodome and the twins will always be fundamental to my love of baseball.

2.rfk stadium - washington d.c. - washington nationals
the home of the new washington nationals team (formerly the montreal expos) for a few years (2005 - 2007) was rfk stadium. the first home opener for the nationals was in april of 2005. i went to dc to visit my brother a few months later, and got to see the new team play in an old stadium. (rfk was built in 1961.) the nationals played the new york mets; it was an excellent way to spend a sunny 4th of july afternoon before heading to an overlook point to watch our nation's capital's fireworks display.

the national's new home stadium, 'national park', opened in march 2008.

3.fenway park - boston, ma - boston red sox
the grandfather of all baseball stadiums...fenway. it's the oldest stadium in all of the major league. it was built in 1912, and is located in back bay between kenmore square and the fens. i've been to a handful of games here since i moved out east, and my luck hasn't been good--every game i've been to has been raining. i attempted to go to a game a few weeks ago (red sox vs. twins) but it was rained out and postponed. but i've definitely had a great time when i have been there. i've done the corporate box seats (sat just above matthew mcconaughey--see left), but frankly, i prefer the cheap seats. they have the more entertaining spectators. there are no other fans quite like boston red sox fans, believe me. bostonians are more than proud of their team. i've never seen such loyal fans in my life.

just before i moved out east, the red sox won their first world series in 86 years. it was an awesome moment. and almost as awesome was their 2007 world series win, just a few months after i moved to boston. the energy in the boston air during a sox world series is palpable. so here's to fenway, one of the greatest stadiums of all time. the fenway franks, the green monster, the heckling fans, the legends. you'll be hard-pressed to find a better place to watch a ball game.

4.safeco field - seattle, wa - seattle mariners
and rounding out my mlb stadium list, i just visited safeco field in seattle for a mariners vs. oakland a's game while on my seattle/portland trip. keeping with my baseball game weather luck, it was raining, but fortunately safeco field's cool retractable roof kept things dry. the safeco field stadium was opened in 1999, and is a great venue to watch a game at. it's the only sporting event i've been to that had specialty food stands (thai, burritos, sushi, bbq, espresso...) beyond the standard hot dog/pizza fare, which is why it's no surprise that safeco won the food network's 'best ballpark eats in america' title. and speaking of titles, the beer garden adjacent to center field at safeco was recently named the number one place to meet singles in seattle. having been there, i can see why.safeco field is located just south of downtown seattle, and will be a stop on the new light rail transit line opening this summer in seattle.

concert.review . flight.of.the.conchords

concert.review:
flight of the conchords - boston, ma - agganis arena - 4.17.09
opening acts - eugene mirman (the landlord), kristen schaal (mel)

thousands of students and 20-somethings filed into boston university's hockey arena for the flight of the conchords concert last month to see the new zealand comedy folk duo perform. tickets were expensive and hard to get. (i paid $130 for mediocre floor seats.) the band played a lot of new songs from season 2 of flight of the conchords, but also a few old favorites from the first season (but unfortunately not my favorites--hiphopopotamus vs. rhymenoceros & the humans are dead).

the good:
* eugene - the man who plays bret & jemaine's landlord was the first opening act, and was hilarious. definitely one of the high points of the night for me. his jokes included comparing god to a 12-year old kid with asperger syndrome, and reading a letter he wrote to delta airlines about why delta is like al-qaeda. hilarious.
* whales on cell phones - my favorite part of the night was what seemed to be one of the few improvised parts. bret and jemaine did an impromptu demonstration of a whale trying to use a cell phone to call 911. i laughed hard for about 5 minutes straight.
* musicianship - bret & jemaine's songs are popular because they're funny, but this should not overshadow the fact that they are both excellent musicians. they played guitar, bass, drums, etc. (where 'etc.' includes random instruments like the vibraphone) flawlessly.the bad:
* mel - the fotc character mel makes me so uncomfortable on the show. probably even more so onstage. her jokes were overly intense. but i believe all this is her intent... so she's definitely good at what she does.
* lack of improvisation/variation - the songs that fotc played sounded exactly like the songs on the show. the lyrics were almost word for word, and if you've watched the episodes a few times, you already know the punch lines. some variation and/or new material would have been funnier. but, to their credit, if you hadn't seen much of the show before, it would have been completely hilarious.
* requests - this is not a criticism of fotc, but why oh why do people think that it's appropriate to yell out requests at huge concerts? this definitely jams.me.up. no doubt the band has a set list. and when there's 7,000 plus people at a show, what makes you think that they're going to play the song you're screaming out? there's hundreds of other people who also don't get it doing the same thing. save it for a small concert.

my rating (out of 10): 7. i'm a huge fan of the show, so this set a high bar for the concert. all in all, their performance was more than decent.

song.of.the.day:
to continue the fotc theme, the weekend-edition song of the day is my favorite live song done by the flight of the conchords. jemaine's robot voice is commendable.

song.of.the.day - flight of the conchords - the humans are dead

aloha.boston

song.of.the.day:
after spending two weeks on the west coast, it's more than a little difficult to wake up at 7am eastern time on my second day back on the east coast. to help ease the pain, i needed the help of a few external aids to make the day better. i stopped by dunkin' donuts on my way in to work to get an iced coffee and a croissant, and as soon as i sat down at my desk, i turned on a song that puts me in a good mood without fail. it's a fitting and much-needed song.of.the.day.

the significance of songs often has more to do with the time and place that they take me to than it does the actual song itself. today's song.of.the.day takes me to maui, hawaii, where i spent a week in january for a friend's wedding. it was an amazing and relaxing week. i spent a lot of time driving around the island, seeing the sights--volcanoes, waterfalls, beaches, mountains...while listening to hawaiian radio--mainly reggae and old hawaiian folk music. and this song in particular was in heavy rotation that week. listening to it now puts me back behind the wheel with the windows down on the curvy beach-flanked roads...

song.of.the.day - jason mraz - i'm yours

back.on.line

latin.for.the.day:
melita, domi adsum - honey, i'm home

i've been away for the last few weeks in portland and seattle, but i'm finally back in boston, and eager to play catch-up on the fresh.prolix blog.

upcoming blogs:
* t.r.a.v.e.l.i.n.g - seattle
* t.r.a.v.e.l.i.n.g - portland
* transit.of.the.week - san francisco
* book.reviews (several)
* song.of.the.day - coming tomorrow

here's a quick preview of my latest trip out west:
more to come...

insanity.of.runners

r.u.n.n.i.n.g:
yesterday was the boston marathon! the city was full of energy. runners and spectators were everywhere--on the streets, on the t, on the news--the boston marathon draws a huge crowd. i watched the runners come by around the 25-mile marker. there was a lot of fatigue and cramping and injuries and blood, but far exceeding any of that, there was so much excitement and passion and drive and emotion. it was incredible to be a part of.

oh--and here's a great idea if you're running a race. put your name on your shirt. it's genius. people (like me) love cheering for you by name. i can imagine that when you're tired and trying hard to push on, hearing someone cheer for you by name has got to be uplifting. there were tons of people that labeled themselves yesterday, and it was actually really fun to cheer for them. i'm so doing it for my next long race...i'm just over one month away from the half.marathon, and i've got a pretty solid mileage base built up thus far... i did a 9.5 mile run last weekend (38 laps around a track can get pretty boring), and i'm slated to do a 10 mile run this weekend while i'm in seattle. i'm doing 2-3 shorter runs each week between my long runs. in order to get my speed up, i'm starting to incorporate interval training into one of my mid-week runs. this means that i do a number of shorter, faster runs (1-2 miles), with 10-minute sections between runs where do short, fast cycling and lightweight lifting. i've already noticed a difference in my pace on longer runs. interval training definitely seems to do the trick.

here's my latest mileage chart:
and finally, a poem (of sorts). my dad taught me this when i was little, and i still remember it word for word.

poem.for.the.day:
ed cunningham - why do i run?

why do i run? 'tain't no mystery,
want to have a good medical history.
doctor told me running is great;
helps them blood cells circulate.
great for the lungs, great for the ticker;
can't nothing get you in better shape quicker.
feels so healthy, feels so sweet--
pumping my arms and flapping my feet.
molding my muscles, firming my form,
panting like a pack-mule, sweating up a storm.
keeps me youthful, keeps me loose,
tightens my tummy and shrinks my caboose.
beats being sluggish, beats being lazy.
why do i run? maybe i'm crazy.

catching.up

word.of.the.day:
propinquity - nearness in place, proximity; nearness in time; nearness of relation, kinship.

so this has been a stressful week. it even involved spending a night at the office. bummer. but i can finally feel the propinquity of light at the end of the tunnel. i've been really excited to write the next transit.of.the.week blog, but i've been too busy working on transit projects to have any time to actually write about transit. the load should be lightening soon...

song.of.the.day:
this song came on my pandora station just as i started thinking about what the song.of.the.day should be. it's meant to be. i love feist, and love her (them?) even more live. the song this week was done live, and includes two of my favorite feist songs, and this particular video was shot on a public bus. so awesome all-around.

song.of.the.day - feist - i feel it all (+ the park)

one.world . conservation@home

word.of.the.day:
ineluctable - incapable of being evaded; inescapable; inevitable (from ulysses, my current reading choice [read: torture]...'ineluctable modality of the visible')

latin.for.the.day:
orbis unum - one world

five.conservation.ideas:
as a reminder to try to do little things for the environment where you can, here's five random ideas for energy and waste conservation around your home:

• hang your clothes to dry - this uses less energy than a dryer, it's cheaper, and it's better for your clothes.
• switch to paperless billing - change all your bills (utilities, cell phone, bank statements, etc.) to electronic billing. it can save a lot of paper, and can also help to protect you against identity theft.
• use recycled paint - if re-painting your home's interior, consider buying recycled paint instead of new paint. it eliminates waste and saves you money at the same time. recycled paint comes in a number of colors, and there's a lot of suppliers.
• permanent vs. disposable -buy permanent items instead of disposables as often as possible. use digital cameras instead of disposable cameras or film; cloth napkins instead of paper napkins; storage containers instead of plastic bags; quality vs. quantity.
• run full loads - wash full loads of laundry and dishes in your washer and dishwasher. several smaller loads use much more water than fewer bigger loads.
  

why.hate.public.transport?

last weekend while i was riding the bart from berkeley to san francisco, i overheard a woman riding the train say, "i hate public transportation." i can't say this is the first time i’ve heard someone say this. but i’m always so surprised that people feel this way. and it really jams.me.up.

yes, i understand, people get frustrated because trains and buses can be late, and they are sometimes crowded… but what we need to remember is that public transportation is here as a service to us. transit is built specifically to make our lives better. no, really, it is. it serves to help us get around town easier. it provides an alternative for people who can't afford their own cars to get from place to place. it’s not forced upon us. it’s not a requirement. if you can’t stand public transportation, then don’t ride it. it’s that simple. but if you’re able to tolerate a little waiting, and able to tolerate sharing space with other people, it can be an incredible tool.
i grew up in a small midwest town where it was pretty necessary to have a car to get around. i have spent the majority of my life with a car at my disposal. but about a year ago, i decided that since i now live in a city with great transit options, maybe it was time to give up the wheels. i was really worried that life would be tough without a car--that i would feel trapped, feel stuck, feel limited. it’s been quite the opposite. i haven’t looked back. i joined zipcar, which is an awesome tool for those without cars, but i haven’t even needed to use it yet. in the past year i’ve rented a car exactly 2 times to get out of the city for a bit. and i assure you, life has been much more free without a car.

here's a few reasons why i love using public transportation instead of having a car:

• no car expenses--car payments, insurance, parking fees, gas prices, oil changes, car maintenance, etc.
• i have more free time--i can read or do work during my commute (which is not a good idea while driving...)
  
• no more sitting in traffic (and if there is ever train traffic, i can at least be multi-tasking while waiting)
  
• no parking hassle
• i'm much healthier (getting exercise from walking). it’s a proven statistic that people who consistently use cars are more likely to be obese.
• every time i hear a car alarm, i have a moment of relief that it's not me
• i'm much safer--car accidents are frequent. i feel like i extended my life by a few years.
• i have a smaller carbon footprint, contribute less pollution, and have greater social responsibility
• i have saved a significant amount of money ($59.00/month with transit vs. $180+/month with driving)
  
• the money i am spending monthly is largely going back into city infrastructure, not non-renewable resources like oil and gasoline

i also want to acknowledge that a lot of people aren't able to easily get by without a car, depending on the city/environment they live in, and their proximity to good public transportation. if this is you, i understand your plight. (i lived it for many years.) but at the very least, consider walking or biking to get where you need to go whenever it's an option, and you'll experience some of the benefits listed above. there's a web tool that i love called walkscore that rates your home address for walkability, according to what's nearby. what's your walkscore?

song.of.the.day:
in honor of all this public transport talk, the song of the day is transit-related. the band doesn't have an official video, but this homemade youtube video has good audio of the song.

song.of.the.day - my my metrocard - le tigre

*a metrocard is a card used to pay for transit rides in nyc.

equality . lessons.learned . pop.drop

latin.for.the.day:
aequitas - justice or equality (in honor of vermont's decision to legalize same-sex marriage)

march.madness:
so i didn't have the best luck in picking...but i was right about unc being the champion, which helped me to place 4th in my office pool. and i learned a few lessons this year:

• always go with your first instinct. i had 5 choices crossed off and replaced on my final bracket...on 4 of those 5, i should have stuck with what i picked first.
• never put stock in clemson again.
• don't trust the president. he knows politics, not ncaa basketball.

d.a.n.c.i.n.g:
her name's luam. she's one of the best on the east coast. love her style.

t.r.a.v.e.l.i.n.g . san francisco . sonoma

i spent a long weekend under the sun and stars of nor cal. i headed out west for my friends' carly & jake's wedding. i got to spend a couple of days hosteling it up and wandering around san francisco, and then swanked it up in sonoma with fine company and fine wine for the wedding. here's the top five highlights of my trip:

wandering around san francisco
i stayed in union square at the adelaide hostel (+pretty clean. +good rates. +excellent location. -loud beds. -spotted a tiny little mouse.) i spent a couple of days in san fran, wandering around via transit and my own two feet. the verdict is that i love san francisco, love the vibe, and would move there in a heartbeat, given a decent opportunity. the people were exceptionally (and surprisingly?) friendly, the city felt safe, the food was great, the transit was awesome, and the sights and sounds were so very enticing. i mainly wandered around the waterfront marina, crissy field, union square, tenderloin, soma, the civic center, mission (between 24th & 16th st), and even took the bart out to visit uc berkeley. san francisco has solidified its spot in my top 5 favorite american cities. bravo. can't wait to visit again.
running across the golden gate bridge
i got up early the first morning i was in san francisco, took the powell & mason st. trolley over the hill to fisherman's wharf, and ran along the waterfront through fort mason and crissy field to the golden gate bridge. i had such a swelled sense of adrenaline running across the bay, looking down at the pacific, and feeling dwarfed by the giant rusty-colored steel towers and twisted cables. after i crossed the bridge and stopped to catch a few photos, i ran back to the presidio beach to stretch and take in the warm morning sunlight. the whole route was an awesome 9-mile run, and i'm so glad i did it.


visiting the sfmoma
i love modern art museums, and the san francisco museum of modern art certainly did not disappoint. there were some excellent pieces there, and while the outside of the museum isn't a whole lot to look at, the vibe and the layout of the inside is chic and refreshing. (i especially like the central stairways between the floors.) my favorite pieces were james rosenquist's 'leaky ride for dr. leakey', the 1000 journals project, and katharina frisch's 'kind mit pudeln', shown below.
driving through the vineyards of sonoma
after a few days in the bay area, i rented a car and drove up north into wine country. as someone who doesn't own a car, there's something so freeing about the rare occasions when i get behind the wheel and drive fast on an open road. the rolling views were incredible and the warm weather couldn't have been more welcome to this new englander. we stayed at the sonoma hotel (+excellent location. +very clean. +unique cozy rooms. -a little expensive, but totally on par for sonoma.) right off the corner of the town square. sonoma was a bright, relaxing place to spend a weekend.

being part of a beautiful wedding
saving the best for last, i got to spend a beautiful day watching my friends get married under perfect skies, and tasting savory wine at some of the country's finest vineyards. we visited sebastiani (handsome facility, delicious merlot and cheese), imagery winery (home of 'wow oui' - my new favorite white), and domaine carneros (best view in sonoma, perfect brut rosé). many congratulations to jake & carly. thanks so much for making me a part of your awesome day.

going.going.back.back.to.cali.cali

song.of.the.day:

i'm going to rest my heavy head tonight
on a bed of california stars

i'm flying to san francisco in a few hours. i'm going to spend a couple of days in san francisco, and then a couple of days in sonoma valley for a friend's wedding! the wedding includes wine tasting at several different sonoma wineries--should be amazing. and on top of that, i just booked another ticket to los angeles for june a few hours ago. i'm going with friends to visit friends. lax never disappoints. so on that note, the song.of.the.day is obviously california-themed. and by my favorite band.

song.of.the.day - wilco - california stars

transit network of the week . london

. the underground . the tube . mind the gap .
london is home to the world's oldest and longest underground railway. it was first operated in 1863, and now has roughly 270 stations and over 250 miles of track, and is still expanding. there are currently 11 "underground" lines (though 55% of these tracks are actually above ground) in operation. transport for london's website states that there are over 3.5 million passenger trips made each week. london's transit network includes more than just underground trains--they also have bus, light rail (docklands light railway), heavy rail, commuter rail, and tram systems. the london overground network (commuter rail) began operation in 2007 and is rapidly growing.

the rail track orientation is left-side driving, just like england's automobile traffic. their trains are run on a unique four-rail system (two rails for the track itself, one rail for the electrical contact (often overhead wires in other systems), and a fourth rail for the electrical return (which prevents return currents from improperly running through the iron tunnel lining). in many cases, the underground network runs 20 miles or more away from central london in nearly all directions. it's no wonder that the underground counted over one billion passengers per year in each of the last few years.

as shown in the photo above (taken at one of london's heathrow airport stations in 2008), the underground uses real-time countdown signs to alert passengers of the next-train arrival times. london has excellent customer information. beyond next-train arrivals, they provide service alerts, mobile journey planning capabilities, live travel news, timetables, web departure boards, advanced trip planner software, and much more. their features can be found on their website, shown to the right.

london's transit fares are assessed by zone, and passengers are thus required to scan their ticket upon entry and exit of the stations (similar to dc). for discounted transit rates, an 'oyster card' can be used, which is a stored-value card that carries a balance. fares are assessed and automatically deducted from the card when a passenger taps their card to the sensor upon exit. fares are considerably cheaper when using an oyster card (£1.60 vs. £4.00 for a paper ticket for zone 1 trips). oyster cards can also be used for bus, tram, and light rail trips.

one can't talk about london transit and not mention the bus system, famous for its bright red double-decker buses. there are over 700 bus routes (no, really), which can be confusing, but for the most part, they are surprisingly well-organized. the system includes over 100 overnight routes, making transit easy for london passengers to get around town in the wee hours of the morning. and in my opinion, there's no better (or cheaper) way for a tourist to get a quick overview of central london than to take an afternoon ride and peer out over the streets of london from a second-level seat on a public bus. (photo from my first visit to london in 2004.)

worst thing about london transit:
i'm tempted to mention the high transit fares here, but it's truthfully not inflated over the high costs of anything in london...so i'll have to go with the summer heat of the trains and stations. the trains are not air conditioned, and a high of 117 degrees farenheit on a train was recorded during a heat wave.

best thing about london transit:
the history. not only is the history appealing for a transit geek like me to have the novelty of knowing i'm riding the tube, the oldest underground network in the world--the long transit history also means that they've been in the transit business for a long time and they've got it down. their system technology is cutting edge, and they've stayed ahead of the curve as transit operations go.

on.my.way

word.of.the.day:
rapture - ecstatic joy or delight, joyful ecstasy, the carrying of a person to another place or sphere of existence

r.u.n.n.i.n.g:
i'm just 8 weeks away from the 1/2 marathon, but have managed to build my mileage up to 7.mile runs. barring any injuries, i should be ready to go come race time. i've been able to push my pace faster than i expected, even on the longer runs, so i just may meet or break my goal. i've been running every other day, and gradually adding on the miles, with shorter runs spaced between the building runs. here's a graphical look at my last 10 workouts:as time goes on, i'll start to put two short, speed-building workouts in between the longer runs, but wanted to make sure i had a good mileage base before doing so. whether or not i stay in good enough form to make it to race day (i've been sidelined by stress fractures all too often in the past), i am enjoying the consistency of running in my life, and i actually find myself missing it on my off-days. running is surprisingly therapeutic. i'm excited to feel the rapture of the post-10-mile-zone that i experienced when i was training for a marathon. trust me--it does exist, and it feels great.

on a lighter.note

latin.for.the.day:
nunc est pede libero pulsanda tellus - now is the time to dance footloose upon the earth

i realized that the content of yesterday's post was a little heavy...so i'm lightening it up today with a youtube video from one of my all-time favorite dancers: nick bass. i've had the distinct pleasure of getting to take a hip.hop class from nick, and am blown away by his genius. dancing may not be your thing, but you've got to recognize this guy's talent. and his choreography is unparalleled. without further ado, here's nick bass (in sweatpants) and kenny wormald doing a short segment of marty kudelka's coreography:

dance.is.my.passion.

march.madness:
oh, there's little to say here... my teams have not fared so well this year. major props to michigan state and villanova for the upsets. it's always good to see. the only team i have left in the final four is unc, but luckily i have them winning the championship. though at this point, and due to all of my unfortunate picks, even their wins won't get me very far. ah, here's to the greatness of the unpredictability of the march.madness tournament.

sad.song for a rainy.day

word.of.the.day:
lachrymose - suggestive of or tending to cause tears; mournful

my current view from my window:

i've always insisted that i look forward to rainy days and savor the depth of emotion i feel when i walk through the somber raindrops or peer through a window's rain-soaked tear tracks. just as a sad, tortured song can evoke more emotion in me than a happy melody can produce--a clouded melancholy day stirs up more feelings than a bright sunny day ever could. it is for this reason that my favorite songs are often heavy, sorrowful, lachrymose songs. because sometimes, to feel more is to feel alive...

poem.for.the.day:
henry wadsworth longfellow - the rainy day

the day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
it rains, and the wind is never weary;
the vine still clings to the moldering wall,
but at every gust the dead leaves fall,
and the day is dark and dreary.

my life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
it rains, and the wind is never weary;
my thoughts still cling to the moldering past,
but the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast
and the days are dark and dreary.

be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
thy fate is the common fate of all,
into each life some rain must fall,
some days must be dark and dreary.

song.of.the.day:
one of my favorite songs of all time was covered by the late eva cassidy, an incredibly talented blues/jazz voice who left this world far too young at 33, a result of melanoma. though i've heard her version of 'autumn leaves' more than a hundred times, it never fails to stir up my soul.

song.of.the.day - eva cassidy - autumn leaves

transit network of the week . dc metro

the washington metropolitan area transit authority (wmata), more commonly known as the metro, started in 1976. because of the late start date (nyc and boston's subway systems opened in the late 1800's), dc's metrorail subway system has a few defining features: deeper tunnels (to avoid the underground infrastructure built up over the years) and a few forms of advanced technology (built into the system, as opposed to retro-fitting older transit systems). the dc-area metrobus system is decent, with an new up-and-coming brt network just underway, but in this blog, it's all about the rails.

dc's metrorail has the second highest subway ridership in the united states, after new york city. the metro's network consists of 5 subway lines (red, orange, yellow, green, blue), and 85 stations. the station list includes only one of the region's airports (dca--reagan national), but plans for an extension to iad-dulles airport are being discussed. metrorail offers a high number of transfer points on their routes. most of the metrorail stations are similar in appearance, with their unmistakable high arched concrete ceilings.

best thing about the metro:
there are a number of 'best things' about the metro, but i think it can all be summed up in passenger experience. upon entering the station, escalators (almost always in operation) take you down into the deep stations. passengers scan/insert their fare cards upon entry and exit of the stations, thus only being charged for their distance traveled (often cheaper fares), and not a flat rate ($2 in ny and boston). once down on the platform, next-train arrival systems tell passengers in exactly how many minutes they can expect the next trains (also available on the wmata website and on your phone), and flashing platform lights indicate approaching trains. all in all, the technology and ease of travel make for an excellent in-station passenger experience.

worst thing about the metro:
i'm going to have to split the 'worst' title between the often long distances between stations, and the unfortunate retro subway car interiors, with their brownish carpet and red/orange/yellow vinyl seat color scheme. in contrast to the cool architecture and the advanced technology of the stations, it feels as though you're taking a time train right through the 70's once you board the subway car. although--it does remind you of the groovy age in which the system was built.

conservation . madness

march.madness:

we've now entered the sweet sixteen, and i'm still hanging on with 14 teams. i'm sitting in a respectable 3rd place in my office pool right now--but unfortunately, i took way too many chances in the first two rounds, so it would be a mathematical impossibility for me to win. (1st and 2nd place have the same final four and championship picks as me, so there's no way to win.) i blame wake forest, florida state, and clemson. (ooooh, i'm never picking clemson again. ouch.)

five.conservation.ideas:

energy conservation is about much more than changing a light bulb... don't get me wrong--compact fluorescent light bulbs are an excellent idea. but don't stop there. here are five transportation-related ideas for conserving energy (and saving $):

• use alternative transportation! (my personal favorite.) so obviously not everyone has access to advanced subway systems...but most cities across the country have access to public bus transportation. there are over 6,000 transit authorities in the us alone.* and using public transportation does more than reduce pollution, it can: save you money, aid in economic development for your community, reduce traffic congestion, give you more productive time (reading, working, or relaxing, instead of driving), increase your safety, and create more jobs in your community. the next time you're driving next to a bus on your way to work, think about all of the benefits of being on that bus, and see how you can fit public transportation into your life.
• don't forget about carpooling! even having just two people in a vehicle cuts pollution and consumption in half. not to mention fuel costs and vehicle maintenance & depreciation.
• thinking beyond public transportation, consider biking or walking (or running or rollerblading or skateboarding...) to get where you need to go. most of the errands we need to accomplish can be done on a bike or on foot. and it's obviously much healthier for you than the alternative. do yourself and your environment a favor.
• plan your trips to conserve miles spent on the road. if you can run two errands in one trip, you could be saving a lot on resources and preventing further pollution. wait a few days until you have more errands to run, so you can consolidate trips and spend fewer miles on the road. plan things out logistically so you minimizing driving.
• buy local! just think--buying foods and goods that are locally grown and made saves significantly on transportation costs. if the products can be delivered from a few miles down the road instead of shipped across the country or world--you're making decisions that ultimately reduce environmental costs.

* publictransportation.org