Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Brave little toaster
Y'all lucky my mom is in some backwoods area of New Brunswick vacationing in her summer home cuz if she saw the new logo banner she'd breathe some fire and brimstone up in here.
I find all references to the Exorcist hilarious and after reading all the suggestions, I combined them all into what you see above. Brilliant, I know. Pat yourselves on the back. It's all you. Really.
I will do something with the burning of a Presto card for the next version. I understand the resentment many hold towards the product. It will come. I will build it.
Background here. Be sure to check out past versions of the TCT.com logo banner in the gallery.
I find all references to the Exorcist hilarious and after reading all the suggestions, I combined them all into what you see above. Brilliant, I know. Pat yourselves on the back. It's all you. Really.
I will do something with the burning of a Presto card for the next version. I understand the resentment many hold towards the product. It will come. I will build it.
Background here. Be sure to check out past versions of the TCT.com logo banner in the gallery.
Poll Results
Why do you ride the GO train everyday? To work at what?
Learning
6 (5%)
Banking
7 (5%)
Financing
5 (4%)
Accounting
2 (1%)
Taxing
0 (0%)
Driving
1 (0%)
Insuring
5 (4%)
Advertising
4 (3%)
Marketing
4 (3%)
Administering
16 (13%)
Computing
9 (7%)
Calculating
0 (0%)
Analyzing
11 (9%)
Lawyering
14 (11%)
Teaching
1 (0%)
Researching
11 (9%)
Writing
1 (0%)
Designing
4 (3%)
Editing
0 (0%)
Serving
0 (0%)
Cooking
0 (0%)
Training
0 (0%)
Cleaning
0 (0%)
Selling
2 (1%)
Buying
2 (1%)
Brokering
5 (4%)
Planning
1 (0%)
Engineering
2 (1%)
Gardening
1 (0%)
Constructing
0 (0%)
Tooling
0 (0%)
Singing
0 (0%)
Dancing
0 (0%)
Acting
1 (0%)
Doctoring
0 (0%)
Nursing
3 (2%)
Votes so far: 118
All right, I gotta ask. Who's the actor?
Learning
6 (5%)
Banking
7 (5%)
Financing
5 (4%)
Accounting
2 (1%)
Taxing
0 (0%)
Driving
1 (0%)
Insuring
5 (4%)
Advertising
4 (3%)
Marketing
4 (3%)
Administering
16 (13%)
Computing
9 (7%)
Calculating
0 (0%)
Analyzing
11 (9%)
Lawyering
14 (11%)
Teaching
1 (0%)
Researching
11 (9%)
Writing
1 (0%)
Designing
4 (3%)
Editing
0 (0%)
Serving
0 (0%)
Cooking
0 (0%)
Training
0 (0%)
Cleaning
0 (0%)
Selling
2 (1%)
Buying
2 (1%)
Brokering
5 (4%)
Planning
1 (0%)
Engineering
2 (1%)
Gardening
1 (0%)
Constructing
0 (0%)
Tooling
0 (0%)
Singing
0 (0%)
Dancing
0 (0%)
Acting
1 (0%)
Doctoring
0 (0%)
Nursing
3 (2%)
Votes so far: 118
All right, I gotta ask. Who's the actor?
Bar Rider Brawl
Lovingly penned by Donna F.
3:15 train, Friday afternoon of the long weekend
Packed train as usual, more so given long weekend
Two bag riders, male and female in their 20s... 'm guessing with 2 XL suitcases and a variety of bags. They were sitting on the outside 2 seats of a quad with bags taking up 2 inside quad seats.
Me and my friend are sitting in the quad across the aisle.
An older gentleman comes by asking the man and the woman to remove their bags so he can sit down.
They refuse saying there is no room. Another guy comes along and tells the older gent that they cannot put their bags in the aisles because it is a fire hazard (See! Bags can spontaneously combust! - CJ).
Loud arguments ensue with a few other passengers surprisingly agreeing with the bag riders... that there is no room in the aisles for their luggage.
So I suggest that one of them stand and give up their seat to this gentleman.
That didn't happen as apparently the guy with the luggage had a broken leg or was recovering from a broken leg. The hell? He looked fine to me, especially if he can carry all that freakin' luggage ... he can stand for 30 minutes! So I suggested the woman stand and give up her seat.
All I got was a dumb look.
The older gent got pissed off, asked them if they paid for 4 seats and since he paid, he was entitled to a seat. More loud arguments ensue.
Older gent stomps off saying he's going to speak to the CSA.
Shortly thereafter it is announced on the speakers that seats are not for luggage and to provide room for passengers on the seats and not the luggage.
Only then did they move some luggage around and make room for ONE seat which a lady standing on the train took.
3:15 train, Friday afternoon of the long weekend
Packed train as usual, more so given long weekend
Two bag riders, male and female in their 20s... 'm guessing with 2 XL suitcases and a variety of bags. They were sitting on the outside 2 seats of a quad with bags taking up 2 inside quad seats.
Me and my friend are sitting in the quad across the aisle.
An older gentleman comes by asking the man and the woman to remove their bags so he can sit down.
They refuse saying there is no room. Another guy comes along and tells the older gent that they cannot put their bags in the aisles because it is a fire hazard (See! Bags can spontaneously combust! - CJ).
Loud arguments ensue with a few other passengers surprisingly agreeing with the bag riders... that there is no room in the aisles for their luggage.
So I suggest that one of them stand and give up their seat to this gentleman.
That didn't happen as apparently the guy with the luggage had a broken leg or was recovering from a broken leg. The hell? He looked fine to me, especially if he can carry all that freakin' luggage ... he can stand for 30 minutes! So I suggested the woman stand and give up her seat.
All I got was a dumb look.
The older gent got pissed off, asked them if they paid for 4 seats and since he paid, he was entitled to a seat. More loud arguments ensue.
Older gent stomps off saying he's going to speak to the CSA.
Shortly thereafter it is announced on the speakers that seats are not for luggage and to provide room for passengers on the seats and not the luggage.
Only then did they move some luggage around and make room for ONE seat which a lady standing on the train took.
Breakfast
I had breakfast this morning. Okay, now, before you clap, understand that to be fair to everyone, I had a buffet. In the car.
I ate:
1 Cheese String
1/4 Cup Almonds
1/4 Cup Granola
1 Danone Yogurt
1 Danone Cottage Cheese
1 Poptart
1 Slice of Smoked Chicken Breast
1 Juice Box of Orange Juice
1 Small, Roasted Pheasant, with gravy ... and potatoes - mashed.
1 Boiled Egg
1/4 Pound Grapes
1 Slice of Toast w/Peanut Butter
1 Breakfast Bar
I couldn't make it to the strawberry smoothie.
I guess I should have spread it out more.
I ate:
1 Cheese String
1/4 Cup Almonds
1/4 Cup Granola
1 Danone Yogurt
1 Danone Cottage Cheese
1 Poptart
1 Slice of Smoked Chicken Breast
1 Juice Box of Orange Juice
1 Small, Roasted Pheasant, with gravy ... and potatoes - mashed.
1 Boiled Egg
1/4 Pound Grapes
1 Slice of Toast w/Peanut Butter
1 Breakfast Bar
I couldn't make it to the strawberry smoothie.
I guess I should have spread it out more.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
How about a ride home with a pair of dirty feet parked next to you?
I hope to hell these people bathe their feet before bed. Yuck.
Thanks to Anonymous for the Friday picture message.
Banner change
I wish there had been a recent fight or something that I could parlay into a theme but it's been awfully quiet.
Maybe I'll get another bizarre text exchange or email this week, like Ken accusing me of being a closet lesbian. I can only hope.
Thoughts?
Do I owe anyone art to a past idea?
Maybe I'll get another bizarre text exchange or email this week, like Ken accusing me of being a closet lesbian. I can only hope.
Thoughts?
Do I owe anyone art to a past idea?
Food ... new poll coming ...
So I'm curious, how many of you eat breakfast?
This is a serious question so put down your phone, close your office door (if you have one) and let's chat. I've been trying so hard to eat before I leave in the mornings but eating at 6 am is proving difficult. I feel like we're all friends now so we can have conversations like this.
I have also noticed that it's rare to see people eat on the train in the morning. It seems more commonplace to have people eat during the evening rush.
I'm stumped at what would be a good food for morning commutes. Something that isn't a pastry. Something that doesn't smell.
This leads me to fruit. I hate the smell of bananas (I have numerous posts on this). The smell of oranges also drives me batty.
Nuts? My mother suggested I eat a handful of almonds each morning.
I'm up for suggestions. I've been told this will help me in my quest to develop a more healthy lifestyle.
Breakfast is such an easy meal to skip.
Don't write that this post is boring ... I enjoy the thoughtfulness some people put into their answers and most of you are an intelligent bunch. Most of us who ride the GO train are.
This is a serious question so put down your phone, close your office door (if you have one) and let's chat. I've been trying so hard to eat before I leave in the mornings but eating at 6 am is proving difficult. I feel like we're all friends now so we can have conversations like this.
I have also noticed that it's rare to see people eat on the train in the morning. It seems more commonplace to have people eat during the evening rush.
I'm stumped at what would be a good food for morning commutes. Something that isn't a pastry. Something that doesn't smell.
This leads me to fruit. I hate the smell of bananas (I have numerous posts on this). The smell of oranges also drives me batty.
Nuts? My mother suggested I eat a handful of almonds each morning.
I'm up for suggestions. I've been told this will help me in my quest to develop a more healthy lifestyle.
Breakfast is such an easy meal to skip.
Don't write that this post is boring ... I enjoy the thoughtfulness some people put into their answers and most of you are an intelligent bunch. Most of us who ride the GO train are.
Lawyers and Administrators
My non-scientific poll has revealed that the two largest career-types who read this site (and faithfully I may add) are people who work for law firms and people who do an administrative job (probably at a law firm).
Am I right?
Am I right?
Friday, July 29, 2011
Not once, but twice! TCT.com reader suffers abuse at the hands of parking donkeys
I don't have a name just a phone number but I'll call the person who texted me these pictures "Janet". She sounds like a Janet.
On July 15th, at the Streetsville GO station, Janet parked her Hyundai in the parking lot and went to work. When she returned to her car, she bore witness to this:
Someone had scraped her car.
There was no note. No banana offering to show apologies. Janet drove home - pissed off and in disbelief that people can't drive out of a parking lot without causing mass destruction.
Fast forward two weeks later. Janet again parks at the Streetsville GO and last night, when returning to her car, she discovered this:
Again, someone had hit her car, only this time, the donkey managed to scrawl out a note offering to pay for the repair.
The paint colour looks the same to me and I'm willing to bet all the fat in Kim Kardashian's ass that it's the same car, same driver.
Tell me, how in the hell does anyone manage to scrape another car? Did the person graduate from the Stevie Wonder School of Driving? Seriously.
On July 15th, at the Streetsville GO station, Janet parked her Hyundai in the parking lot and went to work. When she returned to her car, she bore witness to this:
Someone had scraped her car.
There was no note. No banana offering to show apologies. Janet drove home - pissed off and in disbelief that people can't drive out of a parking lot without causing mass destruction.
Fast forward two weeks later. Janet again parks at the Streetsville GO and last night, when returning to her car, she discovered this:
Again, someone had hit her car, only this time, the donkey managed to scrawl out a note offering to pay for the repair.
The paint colour looks the same to me and I'm willing to bet all the fat in Kim Kardashian's ass that it's the same car, same driver.
Tell me, how in the hell does anyone manage to scrape another car? Did the person graduate from the Stevie Wonder School of Driving? Seriously.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
About those Chrysler employees parking at the Oshawa GO lot
From: peterbright@durhamchrysler.com
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:03:31 -0400
To: Cindy Smith
Subject: RE: DDC employees parking in GO Transit parking lot
Thank you for the information about our employees parking in the Go lot.
We have an assigned area off sight for our employees to park and I will remind Everyone that they should be parking there.
Thank you again
Peter Bright
Awesome. However:
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:03:31 -0400
To: Cindy Smith
Subject: RE: DDC employees parking in GO Transit parking lot
Thank you for the information about our employees parking in the Go lot.
We have an assigned area off sight for our employees to park and I will remind Everyone that they should be parking there.
Thank you again
Peter Bright
Awesome. However:
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Keep Bitchin'
I love it.
I love it, love it, love it aaaaaannnnnd love it.
I especially love it when you bitch about asshole drivers who can't park, can't stop at a stop sign, attempt to run people over or have no idea that a turn lane isn't a through-lane!
A woman pulled this stunt at the Oshawa GO Station this morning and nearly broadsided me. Then, she had the nerve to confront me after I parked about why I blared my horn at her. Holy crap, she was in a left turn lane. When the light turned green, she gave no indication she was going to be a jackass and enter the intersection where she drove forward into what is the merge lane for the next entrance into the lot. It was a stupid driving maneuver.
I also want to let Kevin, Derek, Tessa and Elisha know that I did contact Durham Dodge Chrysler to inquire why their service technicians are using the Oshawa GO Parking lot for employee parking. Parking is already at a premium and the capacity is reached by 8:30 am making it difficult for those who take later trains to find parking. Those employees have no business parking in the GO lot. If Durham Dodge Chrysler can't provide parking for their employees, they need to expand their own lot. I'm pretty sure if GO customers were parking on the dealership property, the tow-trucks couldn't arrive fast enough! I wonder if the dealership would extend me the courtesy to park in their Customer Parking spaces on days when I can't find a spot in the GO lot? Doubtful.
However, what I would like is photographic evidence. These guys have the balls to be in their work uniforms so I'd like pictures. If you've also witnessed this, please email me (cj@thiscrazytrain.com). UPDATE - Email from Durham Dodge Chrysler
I love it, love it, love it aaaaaannnnnd love it.
I especially love it when you bitch about asshole drivers who can't park, can't stop at a stop sign, attempt to run people over or have no idea that a turn lane isn't a through-lane!
A woman pulled this stunt at the Oshawa GO Station this morning and nearly broadsided me. Then, she had the nerve to confront me after I parked about why I blared my horn at her. Holy crap, she was in a left turn lane. When the light turned green, she gave no indication she was going to be a jackass and enter the intersection where she drove forward into what is the merge lane for the next entrance into the lot. It was a stupid driving maneuver.
I also want to let Kevin, Derek, Tessa and Elisha know that I did contact Durham Dodge Chrysler to inquire why their service technicians are using the Oshawa GO Parking lot for employee parking. Parking is already at a premium and the capacity is reached by 8:30 am making it difficult for those who take later trains to find parking. Those employees have no business parking in the GO lot. If Durham Dodge Chrysler can't provide parking for their employees, they need to expand their own lot. I'm pretty sure if GO customers were parking on the dealership property, the tow-trucks couldn't arrive fast enough! I wonder if the dealership would extend me the courtesy to park in their Customer Parking spaces on days when I can't find a spot in the GO lot? Doubtful.
However, what I would like is photographic evidence. These guys have the balls to be in their work uniforms so I'd like pictures. If you've also witnessed this, please email me (cj@thiscrazytrain.com). UPDATE - Email from Durham Dodge Chrysler
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Parking lot assholes (the rage spreads beyond Oshawa)
From: KXXXXXXX Foster
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:41:51 -0400
To: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
Subject: Asshole Drivers
Is it just me, or is it extremely irritating (rage-inducing even) when people drive diagonally across the GO lot, cutting through all the empty spots to get to the parking spots that are filling in closest to the station? Personally, I like to be SAFE and drive down the main lane of the parking lot to where the front rows are filling in, turn down one of the aisles, find a spot and then park. You know, the way you’re legally supposed to. But everyday it seems there’s some jackass who can’t be bothered to drive properly. Instead, they come in from the back of the lot and cut through all the aisles and empty parking spots until they get to the front where people are parking.
So we have all these people speeding in diagonally across the lot, and other people driving in the marked aisles horizontally. Naturally, this makes it dangerous. Several times I have almost been hit this way! Every time I come into the lot I have to be on the watch for these people so they don’t smash into my car and myself. Do you have this problem in Oshawa or is this just at my station (Appleby in Burlington)
Yep. Just as bad as Oshawa.
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:41:51 -0400
To: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
Subject: Asshole Drivers
Is it just me, or is it extremely irritating (rage-inducing even) when people drive diagonally across the GO lot, cutting through all the empty spots to get to the parking spots that are filling in closest to the station? Personally, I like to be SAFE and drive down the main lane of the parking lot to where the front rows are filling in, turn down one of the aisles, find a spot and then park. You know, the way you’re legally supposed to. But everyday it seems there’s some jackass who can’t be bothered to drive properly. Instead, they come in from the back of the lot and cut through all the aisles and empty parking spots until they get to the front where people are parking.
So we have all these people speeding in diagonally across the lot, and other people driving in the marked aisles horizontally. Naturally, this makes it dangerous. Several times I have almost been hit this way! Every time I come into the lot I have to be on the watch for these people so they don’t smash into my car and myself. Do you have this problem in Oshawa or is this just at my station (Appleby in Burlington)
Yep. Just as bad as Oshawa.
I'm sorry, your umbrella is too fat to ride
From: s@xxxxxxxx.ca
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:49:00 -0700
To: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
Subject: Umbrella Fail
A woman got onto the second train out of Barrie today (sorry, I didn't pay attention to what station we were at) with a really big umbrella - picture a golf umbrella, but bigger (someone later quipped that it was a patio table umbrella). It is pouring, people are rushing to get on behind her, and... the big umbrella won't close! She's up against the opposite doors blocking access to the stairs, fighting with this thing. People are piling up behind her until another person took pity on her and gave her a hand. I guess this goes to show that bigger is not always better.
Sounds like she had one of those beach parasols!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Carpool to Whitby for priority parking
According to those who have VIP parking spots, GO can't even protect the spaces people actually PAY for from drivers who park illegally and we're expected to believe FREE spaces (for carpoolers) will be enforced. Here's hoping. The lots need to be monitored. Parking abuse is a huge problem.
In a pilot project, GO Transit is offering carpool parking at four of their stations. If you use one of these stations, you can apply for a free carpool parking permit: Oakville, East Gwillimbury, Burlington and Whitby.
MORE INFO HERE
In a pilot project, GO Transit is offering carpool parking at four of their stations. If you use one of these stations, you can apply for a free carpool parking permit: Oakville, East Gwillimbury, Burlington and Whitby.
MORE INFO HERE
Friday, July 22, 2011
Why is it that those of us who leave from Oshawa always get the shaft?
I'd like to share what I wrote on GO Transit's Official Facebook page:
The LSE issues this morning could have been handled better in regards to those departing from Oshawa who were unaware that the 7:15 and 7:53 trains had been cancelled.
The 7:00 train had been holding at Oshawa and left at 7:49, only to sit outside Whitby for 2 minutes. How difficult would it have been to hold that train for four extra minutes at Oshawa for those who thought it was the 7:53?
People aren't supposed to be checking mobile devices as they drive to the station and those who were on buses, weren't even told by drivers of the delays/cancellations. This is pretty rotten customer service.
Those people left standing on the platform this morning at Oshawa deserve a text message apology. I was lucky enough to be on the train but how this was handled wasn't fair to those who were not.
The LSE issues this morning could have been handled better in regards to those departing from Oshawa who were unaware that the 7:15 and 7:53 trains had been cancelled.
The 7:00 train had been holding at Oshawa and left at 7:49, only to sit outside Whitby for 2 minutes. How difficult would it have been to hold that train for four extra minutes at Oshawa for those who thought it was the 7:53?
People aren't supposed to be checking mobile devices as they drive to the station and those who were on buses, weren't even told by drivers of the delays/cancellations. This is pretty rotten customer service.
Those people left standing on the platform this morning at Oshawa deserve a text message apology. I was lucky enough to be on the train but how this was handled wasn't fair to those who were not.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
When it's this hot, you set your A/C to "crotch"
Enjoy getting into your cars tonight folks after they've been sitting in the GO lots all day today.
Thanks to Beth for the photo. Yes, that's the real temperature recorded by her Ford Edge's exterior thermometer.
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