Lunch Break

Finally, a chance to post!

So, really quickly here as I eat my sandwich, I have to say that today's commute wasn't so bad. However, it did include an odd traffic slowdown that just does not make sense to me.

Normally if I hit a traffic jam there's usually a good (or at the very least acceptable) reason for it: accident, merging, end of HOV lane, etc. Not today, today after a merge where Route 50 drops from 3 lanes to 2 I found myself confused. You see, after I merged the pace of traffic started to pick up for a bit, then we went to a dead stop for NO reason. Usually when I'm held up in traffic at this point in my trip it's due to an accident, or a cop sitting on the side of the road, or a back up from where 295 drops commuters onto 50/the approach to the D.C. line. But none of this was the reason today, as by the time I hit the 295 point traffic was moving well again.

From what I can tell there just was NO reason for this random and painfully long stoppage. I would like to blame it on the weather/rain, which normally has drivers acting like panicky law students waiting in-line at Kinkos during a writing competition, but for the most part that surprisingly did not affect my commute. So I sat there on Route 50 and wasted 15 good minutes of time, causing me to get into work 5 minutes late.

You know what didn't happen when I was taking the MARC train? The arrival of my person at the office later than 8:50am. *sigh*

This morning's commute (I can't really post last night's as too many stops were made due to errands):

Start time: 7:25 am

End time: 9:05am

I'm back

Okay, so yes, I've disappeared for quite awhile due to the fact that I've been taking the MARC train to work. I've been staying with friends in Baltimore.

Now, the train really is better than driving the hour and a half to and from D.C. but there are issues with that commute. One is the fact that I hop on and off the train at Penn Station, I need to walk down Charles Street to get there. This wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that UB is, and has been for MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS, constructing its new law building. The last block to the station is completely blocked off on the right side of the road, which happens to be the side the station is on - is this a pain in the ass? Hells yes it is. It has caused me a never ending panic attack of wondering if I'll be able to cross the street without getting hit, and in time to make my train. Crossing during my morning commute can be a HUGE pain in the ass and very dangerous.

At one point the traffic light on Charles at the station rarely ever turned red, and it didn't have a working cross walk (let alone a button to push to activate the crosswalk) - you can image how fun that was. At least now I can push a button to tell the light "I'm here, stop those damn cars, I have 5 minutes to catch that train!"

Today's travel time which includes walking to and from the stations...

Start Time: 7:30am
End Time: 8:45am

Yes, I've been gone but we need to talk NOW.

Okay, I know I've been gone for a while, but that's because I've been staying with friends and taking the MARC train into work A LOT.

In any case, to take a break from bitching about the time that it takes me to get into Washington, D.C. I figured I would post something more important.

The U.S. Government and its current attempt to censor the Internet. This bill currently proposed would have majorly negative effects. Please visit this link to learn more.

http://americancensorship.org/

Write your representatives NOW! Heck I have a friend studying in London who just called her local home Rep, there's no reason you can't contact yours.