The MTA Made Me A Happy Man Today
I took my first real commute using the Metro Transit Authority’s resources today, taking both a bus and the Metro rail. This is the first time that I could plot a route that actually got me to where I wanted to go, with very little hassle. The commute was about 1 hour and 10 minutes each way; I’ve driven it in 35 min. but that was in mid-day traffic and taking the 101 to Sepulveda in Sherman Oaks/Encino, while the bus takes Ventura Blvd with many stops. Still, it was very uneventful and I can see doing it daily, with a $62 monthly bus pass (I guess I can’t buy that until September, but at $5.00/day it is still a bargain).
There was a little “culture shock”- I did not know there are still VALLEY GIRLS!!! Coming home tons on young girls got on and off the bus as it went down Ventura Blvd- talking “valley talk” and wearing big hair and funny fashions I have not seen for years and years (I’m still getting used to downtown dress, after wearing board shorts and jeans exclusively for 20 years in Hermosa Beach).
Then there’s the folks at the insurance company- almost exclusively upper middle age, overweight folks with not so much as a spark of enthusiasm or energy. The only other place I’ve worked that was this boring was Bank of America; the only worse possible place would be in a city or county government office, I would assume. But there is a Hollywood post-production studio in the building, so there may be some energy around, at least ini the elevators. The guy I’m working with has been there 17 years, as a programmer- thrilling.
But the contract is very cool- I have to work on-site, but can work basically any hours I want as long as I’m there for 9:15 daily meeting, and I can work as many hours over 40 as I want since the project is already 6 weeks behind schedule (of course contractors do not get overtime pay). And my task is challenging enough to keep me interested for at least 3 months, so today was an all-around excellent day! I needed this so much…
And this song kept running through my head as I was coming home… Berlin’s The Metro
Awesome!! Really glad it wasn’t horrific for you! How did white dog react? Is she STILL licking your face?
Like Ooo Muy Gawwd … Valley Girls? Are you kidding? Try not to strangle them, if you can help it. You gotta take video of them!!
“Cha-Ching” … what’s that? Oh nothing, just Eric working a little overtime … beeeee-cuz he can!!
What kind of coffee they be serving at the insurance retirement home? This is the one true measure of how a company treats its people!
When will you have time for commando work now?
August 11th, 2008 at 11:13 pmyou can totally get weekly passes to tide you over until the next monthly pass is available. $17/week. or free if you’re serving jury duty….
August 12th, 2008 at 8:13 amEverything about the Metro has been cool up until it comes time to buy passes, weekly or monthly. It’s pretty convoluted- you can buy a September pass on-line, but only up UNTIL August 19th, and they mail it to you. You can’t buy weekly on-line, but you can buy montly and weekly at several rather inconvienent places (at least for me). If you want to buy a monthly at store, you have to wait until Thurdsay before for a weekly and wait until the 25th of month to buy the monthly.
Whew!!! I may just stick to putting $5.00 in machine a day and be happy with that savings.
August 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pmThe other “not cool” thing about Metro is there are NO RESTROOMS in those huge stations they’ve built everywhere. It must be a security issue, and by-the-way, I have seen NO security yet ever, on the platform or bording a train to check tickets (it’s the “honor” system)- a little unnerving when you are 100′ or so underground with speeding trains going by.
I guess people can always get off at Pershing Square and go use the $250,000 auto-toilet that always has a line…
August 12th, 2008 at 7:42 pm