Ohhh the MTA

My commute in the morning has always been somewhat torturous. I live in the middle of several different subway lines.

The F line, which gets me 2 blocks away from my office, but it's jam-packed and makes 12 stops. It takes forever so I rarely take the F.

The 2/3, which is probably the longest walk. It gets me one long block and 4 short blocks away from work. It also makes a ton of stops, I don't think I've ever taken the 2/3 to work.

The Q, which gets me one long block and one short block away, but it's jam-packed in the morning and I often have to wait for several trains to go by before I can squeeze on. I don't often take the Q direct.

The B, I have to transfer for the F at Broadway-Lafayette or West 4th, but it's a pretty quick ride. However, like the Q, it's often packed and I have to wait for several to pass me by before I can shove on. I almost never take the B direct.

The R, which I can take all the way to work, it gets me one long block and one short block away, but it's local so it makes a lot of stops. However, I usually can get a seat. I think I've only taken it to work once.

Then there is my preferred option, taking the R one stop to the N which then gets me one long block and one short block away from work and only makes 2 stops. If I'm lazy I'll take the R to the D to the F, but I prefer the longer walk in the morning to listen to music and relax. Plus, the spring, summer, and fall there is the Greenmarket in Union Square.

However, mornings have been bad on the subways. I've waited 5-10 mins for the R to come and by that point the train and the platform are filled with people. Then nearly everyone gets off the R at the next stop to transfer and most of them want to transfer to the N or D, just like me. Which means that those trains are then packed. So for the past few mornings I've taken the R one more stop to DeKalb Ave. where I can get on the Q or the B, and although they're both usually packed, they have fewer people getting on them at DeKalb so I usually have some room.

All I want on the subway is a bit of personal space, something to hold onto (although I prefer a door to lean against), and room to hold my book. Oh and no smelly people. Unfortunately it's usually too much to ask for.

I realized that I forgot one of my favorite things...



I love this cookbook. Tonight I made the chicken taco salad and it's delicious. 5 stars!

And, sad note, Helen Levitt, NYC photographer died. Hers certainly weren't the most attractive photographs, but they're real and interesting.