Everyday train » Personal

Last train

Patrick — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:24:57 +0000

On the train today, I made a sad decision. After almost 3 months and 43 posts, this is the last. And it’s not because there are no more stories to tell. There’s always something going on on the everyday train. But I am losing my tracks, my muse. And I’d rather explicitly end it now than leave it dragging like a slow lost train. It’s a hard sad decision. Thank you all for reading and your feedback. It was really good while it lasted. I will miss it.

Train doors closing, please stand clear.

p.s. if you have a commuter story that you would like to share on this blog please do so here.

p.s. if any other everyday commuter out there would like to take over this blog I’ll be glad to pass it on.

Not my day

Patrick — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:54:51 +0000

On the train today, rush cost me more. See, I pay my weekly ticket on Tuesdays. I insert the expired ticket into the machine; then I insert the money into the machine; then the machine gives me a new ticket. Blind folded routine.

Today the machine asked me for a few more dollars. I thought what the? But the train was already on the platform. So I grab a few more coins and chuck them in the machine, vaguely remembering that I had read something about a fare rise. To my surprise, two tickets come out of the machine. I figure out the person before me left a pending sale. The machine did not make it obvious to me, and I wasn’t thinking. I was barely looking at the machine. I was only rushed on catching the train. So I run down the stairs, while the train doors were closing.

Stupid ticket machine!

I missed my train, wasted some money, and to top it all the person now sitting next to me stinks. I should have stayed in bed. Not my day.

Back on track

Patrick — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:41:40 +0000

On the train today I am back. I am back after 3 weeks and nothing has changed. I was not hoping. People sipping on their caffeine boost, reading their or someone else’s paper, snoozing off, knitting, blabbing on their phone, staring blankly in the air, ignoring each other, on their way to another routine day at work.

On the train today I am back from my honeymoon in paradise Fiji islands where a father in the morning asks one of his sons to go fishing and the other to collect firewood. And they seem to be the happiest people, smiling and taking it easy all day long. It felt like paradise.

Back here a friend tells me ‘welcome back to reality‘. I’d like to believe that those Fijians live in reality. We live in a made-up life. I did not miss my everyday train.

chocolate train that i saw in darling harbour during my 2 weeks off before the wedding

Or maybe I did.

Train Brake

Patrick — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:44:09 +0000

On the train today, I will not be back for another 3 weeks. I’m having a break for my wedding and honeymoon. But stay subscribed. I’ll be back with a refreshed motivation to bring you more stories from an everyday train.

My friend Dougal

Patrick — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:31:51 +0000

On the train today, I have a friend. Dougal is participating in the Cancer Council’s Daffodil day, raising awareness and money for cancer research, support and education. Always spare what you can and donate to such organisations. You might never need them but other people sureely will. And my fiancee was happy I bought her a teddy too. She named it Snoogle!

Dougal - Daffodil Day by Cancer Council

Everyday train…

Patrick — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:08:40 +0000

On the train today, I finally decided to start this blog. I spend over two hours every weekday on a train. That is between 11 and 12 hours a week. That is a substantial 7% of my life.

So what do I do on the train that I want to share on this blog? Two main things: observe and think.

Observe: There’s always something interesting happening on the train. I like observing people’s behaviour, what they do and how they treat each other.

Think: Train time is sometimes a quiet alone reflecting and brainstorming time. I think a lot on the train, and I also come up with some crazy ideas. Like this one of starting this blog.

And I hope to receive similar stories from other public commuters.