Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Who cares that it was raining?
At least the seats are available for these donkeys to dry the bottom of their shoes.
He puts his phone in and he pulls his phone out. He puts his phone in and he crams it all about...
Before I begin this post, let me preface by saying I am well aware that first world commuting problems pale in comparison to everything else that is happening in the world such as Twinkies no longer being manufactured and Prince Harry's dilemma over whether to ask Cressida Bonas to marry him, so this observation of mine may seem petty.
Last night (and I have friends who do this as well) I sat across from a guy who pulled his iPhone from his pocket, read a text message, wrote a text message and then pushed his iPhone back into his pant pocket. Thirty seconds later, he retrieved it, read a message, wrote a message and put it back in his pocket. This was done with a lot of grunting and wriggling each time. This went on for the entire train ride. The longest duration his phone sat in his pocket was two minutes. I timed it. I couldn't concentrate on anything else but this ridiculous display of passive/aggressive obsessiveness.
I have a friend who does the same thing, but instead of her pocket, the phone is in her purse. She will pull her phone out and check it several times, rather than just hold it in her hand. She will put it back in her purse only to remove it seconds later.
It ... drives ... me... CRAZY.
You'll notice this same tic-like behaviour displayed with people with BlackBerries and the holders that flip up. How many times does the phone go in and out of the holder when you stand next to these people in a line for coffee, at the bus stop or at the bank?
I can go hours without checking my phone. In fact, I enjoy the silence. I can't imagine how distracting or disruptive it must be to be so attached to a device that one jumps or reacts each time it blips or you have to look at it to just squelch the desire to check it.
Anyone who has texted me knows I can take hours, sometimes a whole day, to text back. I'm not ignoring you. I'm probably down at the soup kitchen or at the humane society brushing bunnies, or I'm writing a letter to my sponsor child in Africa. But I always answer... eventually.
Last night (and I have friends who do this as well) I sat across from a guy who pulled his iPhone from his pocket, read a text message, wrote a text message and then pushed his iPhone back into his pant pocket. Thirty seconds later, he retrieved it, read a message, wrote a message and put it back in his pocket. This was done with a lot of grunting and wriggling each time. This went on for the entire train ride. The longest duration his phone sat in his pocket was two minutes. I timed it. I couldn't concentrate on anything else but this ridiculous display of passive/aggressive obsessiveness.
I have a friend who does the same thing, but instead of her pocket, the phone is in her purse. She will pull her phone out and check it several times, rather than just hold it in her hand. She will put it back in her purse only to remove it seconds later.
It ... drives ... me... CRAZY.
You'll notice this same tic-like behaviour displayed with people with BlackBerries and the holders that flip up. How many times does the phone go in and out of the holder when you stand next to these people in a line for coffee, at the bus stop or at the bank?
I can go hours without checking my phone. In fact, I enjoy the silence. I can't imagine how distracting or disruptive it must be to be so attached to a device that one jumps or reacts each time it blips or you have to look at it to just squelch the desire to check it.
Anyone who has texted me knows I can take hours, sometimes a whole day, to text back. I'm not ignoring you. I'm probably down at the soup kitchen or at the humane society brushing bunnies, or I'm writing a letter to my sponsor child in Africa. But I always answer... eventually.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
So you're pissed off I commented on your Instagram pic
Too bad.
You can't expect everyone who stumbles across your hash tagged photo (i.e. #gotrain) to sit back and think, "Wow, there's nothing douchey at all about this chick grinding the soles of her dirty, 18-hole Doc Martens into that fabric seat cushion. In fact, she's cool!"
Not likely.
I find it hilarious when people get upset when I write a comment hoping that the seat they sat in had traces of dog poop on it from a foot rider before them. Even more hysterical is when I get called a "creeper" or a "stalker". Really?
Listen kiddies, if you hashtag a photo whether it's on Twitter or Instagram, people are going to find it and quite possibly, question your behaviour. That's how the world works and if you don't like it, don't tag it. Or better yet, how about you keep your goddamn feet on the floor?
Mmm'kay?
Happy Monday.
You can't expect everyone who stumbles across your hash tagged photo (i.e. #gotrain) to sit back and think, "Wow, there's nothing douchey at all about this chick grinding the soles of her dirty, 18-hole Doc Martens into that fabric seat cushion. In fact, she's cool!"
Not likely.
I find it hilarious when people get upset when I write a comment hoping that the seat they sat in had traces of dog poop on it from a foot rider before them. Even more hysterical is when I get called a "creeper" or a "stalker". Really?
Listen kiddies, if you hashtag a photo whether it's on Twitter or Instagram, people are going to find it and quite possibly, question your behaviour. That's how the world works and if you don't like it, don't tag it. Or better yet, how about you keep your goddamn feet on the floor?
Mmm'kay?
Happy Monday.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Hitting new records
In this blog's first year, 6,000 was the total visits for that year. Now it's the total for one week.
By the time this site turns four years old in February, I think I may hit the 500,000th mark. What that means is that this site will have been visited by 500,000 unique visitors in four years, or pretty much by everyone who lives in Hamilton, if you want to put it into perspective.
And I did this all without advertising. I never made a dime off of anyone's click. ThisCrazyTrain remains ad-free.
There's a few people, faithful and long-time readers, who have been around since pretty close to the beginning and that means a lot to me. You know who you are.
I want to thank everyone who continues to share the site with friends and fellow commuters. Your cheque is in the mail!
Happy Thanksgiving! Like my pie?
I discovered the recipe for this sky-high, pecan pumpkin pie last year in a copy of a Chatelaine magazine I read in my doctor's office. We get to enjoy this masterpiece at my parents' house for Thanskgiving dessert Sunday night.
I modified the ingredients so that my diabetic husband can enjoy it but I recommend that if you make it, and you should, you follow the recipe as it is. Oh, and save the $5 and don't buy a container of Cream of Tartar. Substitute with white vinegar. This will stabilize the meringue just as good. And an additional tip... if you have stainless bowls for your brand of stand mixer, put it and the beaters in the freezer for ten minutes prior to whipping. Egg whites like cold metal.
LOOK AT ALL THOSE CANDIED PECANS!!!
The recipe can be found online on Chatelaine's website.
I hope all of you have/had a lovely Thanksgiving.
Eat and be merry and all that jazz...
Friday, October 11, 2013
Got my phone back - what is this Jelly Bean crap???
Prior to sending my phone in for repair, I was running Ice Cream Sandwich. And for the record, I love Ice Cream sandwiches. When I got my phone back, the O/S had been updated. I now have Jelly Bean. I do not *like* this Jelly Bean!
So I'm putting this out there, anyone ever tried to downgrade their Android O/S to an older version and did you have any issues or success?
Oh, and save your Apple iPhone cult-like, group-hugging. If I wanted one, I'd own one.
Every time someone says, "Get an iPhone", I want to throw a boob punch.
So I'm putting this out there, anyone ever tried to downgrade their Android O/S to an older version and did you have any issues or success?
Oh, and save your Apple iPhone cult-like, group-hugging. If I wanted one, I'd own one.
Every time someone says, "Get an iPhone", I want to throw a boob punch.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
More mailbag love. This one from a very decent foot rider
from: Jess Stonehouse (frygurlprince@gmail.com)
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Fri, Sep 27, 2013 at 9:56 PM
subject: Feet on seats..... who cares?! And remove my photo
Dear Fucking Creep with Two Much Time on YOUR Hands.
Thanks for creeeping my instragram and stealing my photo for your stupid web site. Did I giveyou permission?!! NO!!! What I do on a go train is my fucking business not yours. You really need a life you loser. What business is of yorus where my feet are??? Why teh fuck should you care???? You creep people's instagrams and take photos that don't belong to you and then you put them on your site for people to judge. you don't know anything about me like how I volunteer my time at scholl helping international students or that I see my nan at her retirement home every weekend and we play scrabble for hours. I'm so decent and you do this to me. First of all, it wasn't raining or bad weather that day and my feet were dry. I didn't walk in dog shit! I would know if I stepped it dog shit. Don't you think it would smell???? And it's plastic seats. Use your tongue to clean it, you loser!!! TAKE MY PICTURE DOWN. You have no right to use it.
Thank you......
Jess
from: Cj Smith
to: frygurlprince@gmail.com
date: Sun, Sep 29, 2013 at 1:33 PM
subject: Re: Feet on seats..... who cares?! And remove my photo
Dear Jess,
Oh my god, you play Scrabble?! I love Scrabble. What's your best word? Mine is "SQUISHED" but I've had better over the years. I've attached a screen shot from the Facebook version of the game. We should totally play.
Problem is, I'm really good at the game. My husband won't even play me. Of course, he plays words like cat and ball, and doesn't stack them and stuff - drives me nuts. It's so bad that my sister burned her copy of the game at the cottage. She was pissed I kept winning... and she's a Rhodes scholar! I'm told that all our friends hide the game when I come over because they can't deal with the humiliation.
I'm pretty sure I would beat the pants off you, seeing as you can't spell "school", but I think it's wonderful you play for hours with your nan. Do you put your shoes up on her bed and all over her quilt, too, when you play?
Tell you what, since you swear you're decent, when you go to visit your nan next weekend, take a picture of yourself with your shoes on standing right on the pillow of her bed. It's supposed to be dry and nice out on Saturday, so that shouldn't be a problem.
If it's not a problem on a train seat, then it shouldn't be a problem on nan's pillow, right?
Let me know what email address I should use to send you a Facebook friend request so we can play Scrabble online together.
I would like that.
Cj
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Fri, Sep 27, 2013 at 9:56 PM
subject: Feet on seats..... who cares?! And remove my photo
Dear Fucking Creep with Two Much Time on YOUR Hands.
Thanks for creeeping my instragram and stealing my photo for your stupid web site. Did I giveyou permission?!! NO!!! What I do on a go train is my fucking business not yours. You really need a life you loser. What business is of yorus where my feet are??? Why teh fuck should you care???? You creep people's instagrams and take photos that don't belong to you and then you put them on your site for people to judge. you don't know anything about me like how I volunteer my time at scholl helping international students or that I see my nan at her retirement home every weekend and we play scrabble for hours. I'm so decent and you do this to me. First of all, it wasn't raining or bad weather that day and my feet were dry. I didn't walk in dog shit! I would know if I stepped it dog shit. Don't you think it would smell???? And it's plastic seats. Use your tongue to clean it, you loser!!! TAKE MY PICTURE DOWN. You have no right to use it.
Thank you......
Jess
from: Cj Smith
to: frygurlprince@gmail.com
date: Sun, Sep 29, 2013 at 1:33 PM
subject: Re: Feet on seats..... who cares?! And remove my photo
Dear Jess,
Oh my god, you play Scrabble?! I love Scrabble. What's your best word? Mine is "SQUISHED" but I've had better over the years. I've attached a screen shot from the Facebook version of the game. We should totally play.
Problem is, I'm really good at the game. My husband won't even play me. Of course, he plays words like cat and ball, and doesn't stack them and stuff - drives me nuts. It's so bad that my sister burned her copy of the game at the cottage. She was pissed I kept winning... and she's a Rhodes scholar! I'm told that all our friends hide the game when I come over because they can't deal with the humiliation.
I'm pretty sure I would beat the pants off you, seeing as you can't spell "school", but I think it's wonderful you play for hours with your nan. Do you put your shoes up on her bed and all over her quilt, too, when you play?
Tell you what, since you swear you're decent, when you go to visit your nan next weekend, take a picture of yourself with your shoes on standing right on the pillow of her bed. It's supposed to be dry and nice out on Saturday, so that shouldn't be a problem.
If it's not a problem on a train seat, then it shouldn't be a problem on nan's pillow, right?
Let me know what email address I should use to send you a Facebook friend request so we can play Scrabble online together.
I would like that.
Cj
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Half-Pint
from: Christian (c.graham5157@hotmail.com)
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Tue, Oct 8, 2013 at 1:56 PM
subject: Your problem with smokers
Hello C.J.
So a colleague stumbled onto your blog when actually looking up where people were allowed to smoke at GO stations when he pointed out one of your posts to me. We both believe you really feel you are justified and entitled as much as the smokers you hate when you declared you'd be willing to shove a bullhorn in their ears and scare them with your no smoking announcements. We all work in law here where I am and I can tell you without a doubt that is harrassment, especially if you were to damage the hearing of one of these people. Oh, we read ALL about your asthma and other health issues and you may think a smoker is risking your health but not so much as you shouting at 50 Dbs in their ear. You are OUTSIDE and you can move away from cigarette smoke. The platforms are large enough. Better yet, how about you stand or wait in the parking lot? The bottom line is smoking was the norm for well over 100 years before the governments decided that people could no longer think for themselves. Not everyone who smokes, gets cancer. My grandparents, all four of them, smoked from teenagers to their 80s and 90s and all died from old age. People know the risks. They don't need Big Brother. It's gone so far that no one can enjoy a cigarette with dinner in a restaurant, yet, we have to put up with people like you, with your disease, coughing into our food. Germs are just as bad as toxins. Look at SARS and H1N1. Smokers weren't to blame.
The government can legislate all they want, the only way to make anything smoke-free is to ban cigarettes entirely. And may I point out that the pollutants generated by the bus, train and cars are far more toxic to you than cigarette smoke.
from: Cj Smith
to: c.graham5157@hotmail.com
date: Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 8:56 AM
subject: Re: Your problem with smokers
Dear Christian,
When I was 9, I was given a book, the first in a series, called Little House on the Prairie. I imagined how amazing it must have been to live 100 years ago and have a "Ma" and "Pa" and go to school in a one-room schoolhouse and roam wide open fields with my arms spread wide and sleep in a dress and hat. I even asked my dad if he would call me "Half Pint". I told all my friends to call me Half-Pint. Only one ever did and that was Alex. Alex loved Little House on the Prairie as much as I did and he decided I was to call him Albert. So we would walk down to Bloor Street calling each other Albert and Half-Pint and talk about Mr. Edwards and Nellie Olsen. Not that you're probably familiar with the books, but I think I'm going to call you Willie from now on. If you write me back, be sure to call me Half-Pint or else we're done here.
Seriously, though, were you high when you wrote this email? Remember, Half-Pint or no deal.
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Tue, Oct 8, 2013 at 1:56 PM
subject: Your problem with smokers
Hello C.J.
So a colleague stumbled onto your blog when actually looking up where people were allowed to smoke at GO stations when he pointed out one of your posts to me. We both believe you really feel you are justified and entitled as much as the smokers you hate when you declared you'd be willing to shove a bullhorn in their ears and scare them with your no smoking announcements. We all work in law here where I am and I can tell you without a doubt that is harrassment, especially if you were to damage the hearing of one of these people. Oh, we read ALL about your asthma and other health issues and you may think a smoker is risking your health but not so much as you shouting at 50 Dbs in their ear. You are OUTSIDE and you can move away from cigarette smoke. The platforms are large enough. Better yet, how about you stand or wait in the parking lot? The bottom line is smoking was the norm for well over 100 years before the governments decided that people could no longer think for themselves. Not everyone who smokes, gets cancer. My grandparents, all four of them, smoked from teenagers to their 80s and 90s and all died from old age. People know the risks. They don't need Big Brother. It's gone so far that no one can enjoy a cigarette with dinner in a restaurant, yet, we have to put up with people like you, with your disease, coughing into our food. Germs are just as bad as toxins. Look at SARS and H1N1. Smokers weren't to blame.
The government can legislate all they want, the only way to make anything smoke-free is to ban cigarettes entirely. And may I point out that the pollutants generated by the bus, train and cars are far more toxic to you than cigarette smoke.
from: Cj Smith
to: c.graham5157@hotmail.com
date: Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 8:56 AM
subject: Re: Your problem with smokers
Dear Christian,
When I was 9, I was given a book, the first in a series, called Little House on the Prairie. I imagined how amazing it must have been to live 100 years ago and have a "Ma" and "Pa" and go to school in a one-room schoolhouse and roam wide open fields with my arms spread wide and sleep in a dress and hat. I even asked my dad if he would call me "Half Pint". I told all my friends to call me Half-Pint. Only one ever did and that was Alex. Alex loved Little House on the Prairie as much as I did and he decided I was to call him Albert. So we would walk down to Bloor Street calling each other Albert and Half-Pint and talk about Mr. Edwards and Nellie Olsen. Not that you're probably familiar with the books, but I think I'm going to call you Willie from now on. If you write me back, be sure to call me Half-Pint or else we're done here.
Seriously, though, were you high when you wrote this email? Remember, Half-Pint or no deal.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Sad news
Hi Cindy,
It is with great sadness that I must share with you that Mark Kulak passed away suddenly on Sunday morning.
Mark was a driver for GO Transit assigned to the Niagara Falls garage. Mark was loved and admired by drivers and passengers alike. His smile, good nature, and kind heart will be missed by all in Bus Operations, especially Route 12.
Visitation is this evening at Marshall Funeral Home in Richmond Hill and Mark's funeral is tomorrow morning. Details are carried in The Toronto Star obituary.
Kindest regards,
Peter S.
It is with great sadness that I must share with you that Mark Kulak passed away suddenly on Sunday morning.
Mark was a driver for GO Transit assigned to the Niagara Falls garage. Mark was loved and admired by drivers and passengers alike. His smile, good nature, and kind heart will be missed by all in Bus Operations, especially Route 12.
Visitation is this evening at Marshall Funeral Home in Richmond Hill and Mark's funeral is tomorrow morning. Details are carried in The Toronto Star obituary.
Kindest regards,
Peter S.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Derailed freight train in Brampton a Monday morning mess for Kitchener GO passengers
Photo by jiwan_bhamra via Instagram
Text graphic by Yours Truly
From GO Transit:
The freight blocking the tracks west of Bramalea GO is partially derailed and we are not expected to be able to pass the affected area for some time. As a result, trains on your line will be rerouted into Union Station and there will be no train service east of Bramalea GO.
Malton passengers are being shuttled to the Long Branch GO Station to connect with the Lakeshore West GO Train service. Passengers may board the TTC with their GO tickets and passes at Etobicoke North and Weston and at a staffed entrance at Yorkdale and Dundas West subways to their destinations.
We continue to work with CN to resolve this issue.
Photo by avvsmith via Instagram
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Trespasser struck and killed by GO Train in Newmarket Saturday night
A man who had trespassed onto train tracks is dead after he was struck by a southbound GO train around 6:20 pm Saturday evening.
York Regional Police were called to the scene near Timothy Street in Newmarket where the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to police, the death is not considered accidental. No further information has been provided.
York Regional Police were called to the scene near Timothy Street in Newmarket where the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to police, the death is not considered accidental. No further information has been provided.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Live action douchebaggery at the Richmond Hill GO
She's parked right in the no parking zone and refusing to move...this is at Richmond Hill this morning.
See the no parking sign? See the road markings under it? We tooted the horn and the female driver just ignored us...she feels she's entitled and actually moved around and tried to find a better spot in the no parking zone!
- Submitted by Four Seasons
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
APTA awards GO Transit with the 2013 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award
GO Transit (GO), Toronto, Canada received the 2013 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award (Category: Providing 20 million or more annual passenger trips).
Since May 1967, GO has evolved from a single train line along Lake Ontario’s shoreline into a network of train lines and bus routes spanning 4,200 square miles in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) carrying 65 million passengers annually.
Between 2010 and 2012, GO’s daily service offerings increased from 180 to 195 train trips and from 2,045 to 2,333 bus trips. Three new rail stations have opened since 2012 (for a total of 63 stations), and through rail corridor purchases, GO now owns 68 percent of the rail network on which it runs.
Customer service defines GO’s culture more than 7,000 customers have provided feedback on GO’s online advisory panel.
GO is committed to sustainable development and operations and many of its facilities have been received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Finally, GO’s farebox recovery ratio is nearly 80 percent, one of the highest for any North American systems.
In a stunning upset, Presto won absolutely nothing.
Since May 1967, GO has evolved from a single train line along Lake Ontario’s shoreline into a network of train lines and bus routes spanning 4,200 square miles in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) carrying 65 million passengers annually.
Between 2010 and 2012, GO’s daily service offerings increased from 180 to 195 train trips and from 2,045 to 2,333 bus trips. Three new rail stations have opened since 2012 (for a total of 63 stations), and through rail corridor purchases, GO now owns 68 percent of the rail network on which it runs.
Customer service defines GO’s culture more than 7,000 customers have provided feedback on GO’s online advisory panel.
GO is committed to sustainable development and operations and many of its facilities have been received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Finally, GO’s farebox recovery ratio is nearly 80 percent, one of the highest for any North American systems.
In a stunning upset, Presto won absolutely nothing.
Inches from Death: UK cyclist narrowly escapes collision with train
British Transport Police has released footage of the shocking moment a cyclist ignores the barriers at a rail crossing and narrowly avoids being hit by a train.
The incident occurred at the Waterbeach level crossing, in Cambridgeshire.
British Transport Police said the cyclist was only inches from a collision. The driver of the train had to apply the emergency break before the cyclist stepped back, narrowly avoiding being struck, the agency said.
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