The Train and I

I have a strange relationship with trains.  Most of my life I took public transportation and while I never reqlly enjoyed it (though occasionaly if I got a seat on the edge I could nap which was cool) it seemed to me to be perfectly adequate.  It was either that or I walked, and seeing as I am not exactly thin and admiteddly lazy, I frequently purchased my metrocard to go hither and yon.

When I was 29, I started a relationship with a woman in New Jersey and at her (not so) gentle urging I began the process of getting a liscence and subsequently a car.

Since then I have been enamored with the life a car owner and look upon the life of a commuter in disgust.

Don't get me wrong, driving is not all peaches and cream.  Gas is expensive.  Tolls are expensive.  Maintenamce is expensive.  Parking tickets are expensive and aggravating.  Traffic is a pain.  Don't get me started on parking.

Certainly the life of straphanger is far cheaper.  Between parking, gas and tolls if I were to drive in to my job in manhattan it would set me back $35 easy.  A day.  That's compared to the $5 round trip I pay daily.  I get to nap if I can find a seat.  Hell my stop is feet away from my job.

Yet I hate it so, and if I were a stockbroker making 100's of thousands of dollars, would never see the inside of the 7 train again.

Well...hate is a strong word, but to be sure if I had the means to do so I would drive everywhere.  Hell, I value a spacious parking lot or at the least a sparsely populated street far more than any Zagat rating. 

Despite the many financial and practical advantages of mass transit, there are just some advantages that the car has over the train or bus that make it the preffered mode of transition.

Nearly all of them have to do with comfort, and I admit, I crave comfort and avoid inconvenience at all costs.  Someone who is not as enamored with comfort and more enamored with the environment or getting an authentically stale slice of New York would preffer mass transit.  Either that or they live in Manhattan an area where owning a car makes no sense whatsoever.  But this is my blog and those people can go write their own.

Lets look at specifics:

On the train or bus, you are lucky to find a seat and in fact you rarely do unless you live very close to the first stop on the line...or are traveling at 2 am.

In a car you are guaranteed a seat.  In fact sitting is a prerequisite.

If you were to light up a ciggarette or cigar on public you would, I immagine, face a stiff fine if not jail time.

You have to wait for the train to stop to get off.  Only thing you have no control over where the train goes.  It will go where the MTA has ordained and will stop simmilarly.

And then there is the wait.  In the subway in the summer you melt.  Waiting for the bus in the winter causes you to freeze.

Too hot on a train?  Too bad.  Too cold on a bus?  Bring a sweater next time.

By comparisson in my car I am lord high exaulted emperor.  I control the temperature, whether or not the windows are open, what goes on the radio if anything. 

If I want to smoke, I smoke.  If I want to fart or take off my shoes I can do so.  I can do anything I want inside my car that makes me comfortable or strikes my fancy

I can stop the car when I want.  Go when I want.  It is my faithful coach that waits for me patiently till I am ready to go and goes whete I tell it.  It lives on my schedule, not the reverse.

Well...there are those traffic laws and all, but that's outside.  Inside, ego sum rex.

Still, the train, regardless of how I feel about it is the most financially viable way for me to get to work and without work I would have no money to make the car payments, pay for gas, insurance or tolls.

That which I hate is necessary to maintain that which I love.

Hence, my strange relationship with the train.

For the record, I wrote this on the train on my way to work.  I could never do this driving in my car, so I guess I can throw the train a bone.

All aboard!

Pope John Paul II to be canonized in October!

For the longest time those of the elder generation had one experiece I had never had.  They lived through the death of one pope and the election of another. 

For most of my years so far on this earth I knew only one pope, John Paul II, or as he became known to us at World Youth day (aka Popestock ) '93, JP2

He was a once in a lifetime, maybe even once in a century pope whose impact on the church will be felt far into the future. 

He had a special connection with people of all faiths and especialy with the Youth of the faith that stays with me to this day.  A connection of closeness and spiritual intimacy that belied the exaulted position he held in the church and in the world.  It is what made him special, not only in its uniqueness but also because it is the way it was supposed to be. 

Christ was love, a close personal love to not only his Apostles but also to all of those he encountered.  The position of his vicar, leading a flock of a billion, in many ways creates a distance between the Christ and the faithful.  Yet somehow this first non-Italian pope in centuries managed to bridge that gap in the hearts of the faithful.

I remeber being in Denver.  I forget the name of the stadium and forgot the name of the national park, choked with dust, where I passed out right after the final blessing.  But I do remember how I felt. 

As a young semminary student I had wondered what it would be like to be in the pressence of Christ in the flesh.  This human who I believe was also divine, this being who died for my sins, suffered a death on the cross, this being who was Love in a way that I could never hope to emmulate or even fully comprehend.  Christ, who so encompassed the center of who I am and what I believe.

I belive I know how it would feel.  I beliece this way because in Denver, sinuses clogged beyond relief, my heart was touched by the divine hand adorned with holiest of wounds.  I believe the real presence of Christ was present there among the faithful shivering and covered in dust. 

Now I know that Christ is present wherever two or more are gathered in his name.  But I feel, in my heart, there was something special, supernatural about the goings on in Denver, and I think it was because the Spirit was with JP2 in a special way. 

Some of you reading know what I mean.  Some of you think it was lack of sleep, fatigue or mass hysteria.  So be it.  I know what I felt andnit was life changing.  It was a gift from God through JP2.  That's good enough for me.

Now this popular pope and significant historical figure (few would argue his importance in taking down Communism) is to be cannonized in October. 

When he died, there was an upwelling of support for sainthood, indeed a cry went up from the faithful; Santo Subito!  Sainthood Quicly! 

The church listened and I am happy.

Even as I wipe tears of joy from my eyes.

Me and my dog..

Just hanging out with my dog trying to figure out what to have for breakfast....his choice is easy, he kets Blue Buffalo puppy food.  For the record, if the makers of Blue would like to give me a bag or two for the free plug...

Anyways he just walked away and I have to go see what mischief he is getting into...

TThis will not be an auspicious first post, but hopefuly more will be comming!  I will be commenting on politics, culture, whatever!  Comments welcome!