On Location: Biopark and Christmas Lights

Waiting in a very long line in the cold to get on the shuttle bus.

Differences between city bus and shuttle bus

1. They ask for volunteers at the stop to stand in the aisle (yes, I am in the aisle)
2. There is nothing to hold onto except seat backs and strangers (whoever is reading this should be very impressed that I am standing on a moving bus with nothing to hold on to AND blogging on my phone)

It. Is. Windy. 40 miles per hour. I am at the stop will a collection of strange people: a person all wrapped up in black to try and block out the wind, a girl with orange pants and pink and purple hair, and someone with an orange spiky backpack. It makes her look like an ankylosaurus. On the bus now. Across from me is a girl who clearly wishes she was a rock star. Her ensamble includes sunglasses, ripped jeans, a leather jacket, guitar necklace, and a lip ring.
Oh, dear. Central is closed. I do not know where we are now. Hmmm... this is an interesting development. I hope I don't miss my next bus. Back on Central!
On the 140 now. This dude on the phone just said, "how was my Thanksgiving? I didn't have no pilgrims to hang out with, bro!"

Lots of people on the 777 today. There's a gal with bleached hair, drawn on eyebrows, and two nose piercings. Someone just said, "I'm on parole, cause I head-butted someone."
While waiting for the 140, a drunk artist tried to sell me a drawing. Then he sprayed me with spit. Yuck.
When you're on the 140, the stops are so close together, you have to request your stop 20 feet away. There is so much brake-slamming on this road.

New Buses

Going somewhere I don't usually go today. I will be taking two buses I've never been on before: the 11 and the 790. Right now I am on the 140, heading to the 11.
On the 11, behind a guy in a black hat, telling me I just missed all the fun with the harmonica, whatever that means. Some gal towards the front of the bus has safety goggles perched on the top of her head. You just never know what's in style these days.
On the 790 now. It is really cold. I think the heater is broken. The old lady a few seats down from me has the right idea. She is wearing a parka and knitting a scarf.
And... now I'm on the 50, which smells like really bad perfume. It has been an interesting day.

Multi-Generational Crowd

I'm heading to the back to sit down, and this weirdo tells me "don't be afraid!" Not sure why. Now I'm sitting behind an old man with an eye patch. The guy who told me not to be afraid is now telling this student all about Occupy. He ended with saying, "That is what those people are about! That's what YOU should be about."
On the 140 now. There's a guy with a casset tape player that he's holding up to his ear. His 40s music is blaring at the front of the bus, while at the back, a six year old is listening to Black Eyed Peas on his iPhone.

So... the guy in front of me is eating a lemon-- peal and all. Very odd couple to my right. The girl is stylish with curly hair and pink nails and big hoop earrings, and the dude has this long sweeping coat that makes him look like a magician or something.

Just chilling with a hobo, here on Central.

Very crowded today. A little kid keeps singing and singing. Oh, no! He's singing Barney now! There's a Beatles wannabe across from me. He can just keep on thinking that he's cool. Some weirdo just got on and announced, "who's on the bus? It is I on the bus!" Moving on to "Miss Mary Mac" in the kids corner.

Just when I thought there would be nothing worth posting, three people board the bus, each of them with their arms full of mannequin heads! And one of them is a guy. He's carrying his two heads by the neck. One of the girls is cradling hers, and the other is holding hers by the hair.
Sweet! The heae people got on the next bus with me. Some really loud woman just said "I want a hut from the chocolate man! Get over here and give me a hug!" Some dude gave her a hug. Whatever. Whoa! He really is the chocolate man. He just gave her a huge handful of candy.

Well, it is freezing and I am standing at this stop, mitten-less, to make this blog post on my phone. So I hope whoever is reading this appreciates my dedication to the blog. It is coming! And I'm on the 140.
On the way home now, across from a cowboy with a Reese's jacket and next to a father-son goth duo.

At the bus stop. In the rain. But, at least I'm heading home. The 766 is crowded today! I am sitting across fom a balding man with dreadlocks and a cross and star of David around his neck. Someone in the back is cackling. I wish I knew what about. Somebody is saying "it fit last time, so it has to fit now!" I also wish I knew what that was about. The gal next to me keeps pulling really strange faces. Dreadlock Dude just smiled. All his teeth are gold.

Waiting for the 766...
On now, but there's only 8 people on right now, including myself and the driver. One od the people on here is a smelly guy with a big duffle bag full of... something.
The bus squeaks every time it turns right.
People are getting on! Some wacko just asked if they could "borrow" my phone. No thank you, I'd rather just blog about you. Her buddy is borrowing someone else's phone and telling his boss how he's running late to work because he had to hustle some people for bus money. More people piling in. And now every seat is full.
Someone is sneezing and coughing and hacking away. His germs better not fly up here. Sometimes I can't believe I've never caught some deathly disease from the people on the bus.

Made it onto the 140! Unfortunately, it's very full. I am standing while blogging and holding a heavy backpack and motorcycle helmet. It's very tricky.
Oh no! Screaming baby on board! The girl across from me has sparkly basketball shoes. They also have velvet on them. I wonder if she can actually play in them or if they're just for show.

stink and bling

On the 66 again. What is wrong with me? Sure doesn't smell pleasant on here. A really old man with a long beard is sitting across from me. His stare is kind of creeping me out. The guy next to him has a whole lot of bling going on. 5 necklaces, 7 rings, and 2 bracelets. All gold. In coloring, not the actual element.
On the 140 now. There's two guys across from me speaking Spanish and two guys next to me talking in sign language. What a cultural bus experience. Oh no, here come a bunch od high school kids. They're taking
up all the room!

Buses I Try Not to Take

So... I'm running late again, which means another bus that I don't usually take. Today, it's the 31. I'm at the stop right now, next to this kid who is hitting his older brother with his backpack. Now they are both tangled in one of the straps.
Not much is happening on the 31.
Off the 31 and onto the 66. I usually avoid the 66 at all costs, because the creepiest people ride the 66. I guess I'm among the creepiest today. Here come a whole bunch of them. Guy with a bag of laundry, gal with lip ring, guy with Lincoln-style tophat, and grandma with straw farmer's hat. Here come more! It's like the Foot Book or something . There's this kid with bangs so long, he has to flick his head every two seconds so he can see.
Another kid obviously has an Afro, but wants to be emo. His hair is straightened but isn't doing very well at lying flat. A comic-clasher is next to me now. He has a Green Lantern (DC) ring, and a Spider-man (Marvel) hoodie.

Ran to to catch the 777. Missed it. So I am waiting for whatever bus comes next.
On the 766, middle section. It's pretty full today.
Now I am waiting for the 140 and the sun is very bright. I can't really see the screen. Okay, on the 140. Stinks like Top Ramen. Lots of people piling in right now. The guy next to me is rapping in a really high voice on the phone to someone. It's quite bizarre. He keeps saying stuff like "let me spin ya somethin else" and "you gonna roll with me this Friday?"
Oh, and here come a guy with half a head of hair. And a really smelly guy who just sat down righ next to me. Tryint hard not to breathe! He moved! Hooray!
Th guy next to me has short pants on and long argyle socks.

Celery

So... on the 157 today, a bus I have never been on, but, I missed the 766. Now I am waiting for a bus to show up at Central. There is a plastic plate with celery on it here.
Sure hope a bus comes soon. I'm running late and this bench is freezing.
Okay, I am on the 777 now, heading toward school! It smells like celery on this bus. I wonder if it has to do with the plate full of the stuff at the stop.
Lots of people getting on right now. There's an old man with a pink plaid shirt and a pipe among them.

Two Months

It has now been two months since I started this blog, and I have to say, it has changed me.
Before, I used to wear headphones with nothing playing, so people wouldn't talk to me. Now, I strike up conversations with strangers and eavesdrop on arguments.
I used to try to sit by myself and avoid all the creepy people. Now, I pick the most crowded part of the bus, and sit next to the strangest person I can find.
I used to avoid taking the bus. Now, I look forward to it.

People

Very noisy at the bus stop today. A whole bunch of hippies are having a protest across the street in front of the university, and every car that drives by is honking the driver's approval or disapproval.
On the bunch next to me, this drunk guy with bloodshot eyes is talking about Canada. "Canada! I always wanted to go o Canada and do a show there!"
Now, I am on the 766, heading toward the 140. And now I am at the 140 stop. I am sitting next to this gal who keeps coughing and it sounds like a duck.
On the bus, heading toward the other campus. A bunch of high-school kids just got on. One has two inch gauges in his ears. Gross. Another... well I can't really see his face because all his hair is in the way. A guy with spider web tattoos on his ears just got on.
Getting off now...

Quote from the driver: "catch the next bus, dude. I don't want you sleepin on my bus again!"
The guy next to me is rubbing some kind of weird lotion all over his arms and face. I would lke to think it's just sun screen, but you never know about those weirdos on the bus.
Behind me, this little man with a beard has his head on the shoulder of a very big woman with some bright lipstick. It's an odd sight.

Million-Year-Old Stop

So this is the ancient bus stop I ended up waiting at the other day when I got on the 140 that was really the 141.

One of Those Days

Waiting for the 140 and this girl with pink streaks in her hair and several facial piercings walks by, moaning and howling like some bus stop ghost.
Next to me is a girl with bright pink lipstick and a cigarette in her mouth. On her other side, a very tall man with a vest and a walking stick is standing. Lipstick girl only has one sock on. Man with stick is now smoking something funny. And, he's wearing a hat that says "SAY NO TO DRUGS." Oh, the irony.
On the bus now. Sitting across from another girl with pink hair. The driver just announced, "everyone knows this is the 141?"
WHAT?
Why on earth would the lights on the front of the bus display "140" if it is NOT the 140 bus? Oh, I am glad I left early.
Now I'm on the 140 and it smells horrid. It reeks like vomit. Oh, I want to get off.

Freezing on this bench. All of the bus stop benches are made of metal, so sitting on them makes you very cold. Sometimes I take a text book out if my backback and sit on that. It actually does make me a little warmer. On the heated bus now! A few seats down from me is this very very grumpy-looking woman. She looks angry, and she's wearing all black... except for her butterfly socks.
More people just got on: a nerd boy, a tall, lanky guy with his hair in braids of random sizes. Oh, there is another guy with a curly ponytail, but this one has a bandana headband. Then some kid with saggy bggy pants took so long paying with change, I'm pretty sure he paid in pennies.

So, it's really hot on the bus right now. However, I am hiding from someone I know, so my sweatshirt is on and my hood is up. I'm getting pretty toasty in here. My stop is coming up soon, thank goodness. Wahoo! I made it!
I am now waiting for the next bus and it is free-zing.
Finally on the bus.
A middle-aged woman just had this conversation on her phone:
"I can't talk now, I'm on the bus! I don't wanna text! I'll call you later!" You'd think she was a teenager.
There sure are a lot of smelly peopleon this particular bus. It smells like a sweaty swamp.

The Things People Wear...

We've got some interesting outfits today. There's a lady in nice shoes and slacks with a Tweety-bird scrubs shirt. The man next to me has a seriously bad 90s sweater on, knitted and brown. The gal across from me is wearing a neon pink tracksuit. On comes a lady in a brown hat with a wide brim and a mustard-yellow hoodie. What occasion is she dressed for?

The Ups and Downs

I am sitting on the only dry part of the bench-- clearly someone else's butt has been there recently. I will try not to think too hard about that. I hardly had to wait at all. I am on the 777 heading toward the 140. Across from me, there is a man in a long black coat, rubbing his hands together evilly. A guy near the front has very crossed eyes. It's hard to tell what exactly he is looking at. And older guy, who should really know better, is wearing a cap with the rim popped up, like he's eight or something.
Now waiting for the 140. And I'm on! I haven't had this much not-waiting in a long time.
Someone has something that smells very strongly of fake cheese. It's stinking up the whole bus. It smells worse than McDonald's in here. The cheese is toxic.

On the 766. It's busier than usual today. However, no one too exciting is on right now. My sister is telling me all about how everyone in her second grade class was dumb except for her. An old lady in the most hideously brown pattered shirt just got on. The man next to me has a big metal yard stick. It looks more like a weapon than a ruler. That thing definitely would not be allowes on an airplane.
There's a lot more people piling in. A guy with a long braid, and a guy with a long hat. Ooh, and a guy with a curly ponytail but no hair on top. Getting off soon...

Crazy People

On the140, sitting across from a man with a big beard and very long hair. Some scary-looking dude with a leather jacket, leather cowboy hat, and sunglasses is sitting behind him. The bus is old and sqeaky. It seems to be working very hard to keep going. Big crazy afro just got on! Along with old man and stinky man. A Wendy's employee sat down next to me. She just had three phone converstions-- in English-- and I did not understand a word of it. There seems to be a cricket on the bus now. He's conversing with the bus through a series of sqeaks. Wendy's gal got off. Her place was taken by a... Guy? Yes, I think so. His shirt is very sparkly.
My dad picked me up at the bus stop! Two less buses for me today!

Today

141 today. The speaker is on the bus, and it keeps saying the bus is approaching a whole bunch of streets that we're not even close to. I've never even heard of some of them, and one intersection it named isn't even on this routte. Some weirdo from out of town really doesn't know how the bus system works. You pull the cord to request a stop. You don't yell at the driver, "Yo, this the best place to ger coffee? Okay, let me off at the next stop!"
Oh, someone farted! Eeew, that's nasty. It's seeping throughout the entire bus! Dang, that's toxic. Seriously time to get off.

Rainy Day

At the bus stop. In the rain. Obviously, I've had better days. Okay, on the bus now, next to a purple-yellow-and-brown mohawk. Two cell phone addicts in wheelchairs are sitting at the front of the bus.
off the 766 and waiting for the 140. In the rain. For another 24 minutes. I have now been joined by a super gross make-out couple with matching lip rings.
Now I am on the 140 and the girls with the drawn-on eyebrows are here again, but today, one looks sulky and the other confused. Do they pick these moods out in the morning when they're drawing them on, or does it just turn out that way? Some really good-looking guy just sat down next to me. This could definitely be a worse day on the 140.
The guy across from me is sleeping with his elbow on the back of the seat and his head balanced carefully on his hand. Wonder what will happen when he slips...
Ah, he woke up. That's no fun.

To School This Morning

Dullest ride ever so far. There are six people on the bus: an old man, an old woman, a gal with red hair, the drivee, my sister and me. Two more people just got on, a guy that looks like he shouldbe carrying a fishing pole, and a guy holding a big pink plastic cup full of something. All male passengers at the moment are wearing plaid. Hey, the old man has a Scooby-Doo backpack!
Ah, now there's some people! We're almost halfway full now. Okay, just stoped at the busiest intersection and only ten people got on. Usually it's between 15 and 50. And several people got off. Where is everyone today?

On the 766. Some gal with a horribly bright pink patterned shirt and a big sun hat just got on. And I am sitting across form the loudest gum chewer I have ever heard. He's chewing in time with the blinker in the bus. It reminds me of my friends who are in marching band. A gal up front has been filing her nails at an incredible speed for several minutes now. She will surely run out of nail soon. This guy all the way in the back is yawning every time I look back. Maybe his face is just stuck like that. Approaching the busiest intersection... Wow, that's a lot of people. And a dog. Just like that, the bus is packed.

On the 766 heading toward the 140 to go to the other campus. I'm sitting across from this guy with really creepy tattoos on his face. He has red, green and yellow tears and his mouth "sewn shut" among the tattoos of stitching, he also has a lip ring.
Now at the busiest intersection in town, waiting for the next bus. There is sock on the bround, next tothe bench.
I am on the 140, listening to the guy behind me rap slowly. He thinks he's cool. The guy in stripey baggy shorts across from me smells super bad. Okay, I think he just read my mind, cause he moved to the seat next to me. Ew. A guy with a Budweiser cap just pulled his bike in. I did not know that was allowed.
Several of the guys back by me are all talking to each other a lot, but I would never repeat most of thr words they're saying. Two girls with drawn-on eyebrows just got on. One looks permenantly angry, and the other permenantly surprised. Stinky guy got off. I will be getting off soon too...

Weirdness

On the 140 heading home from interning. I'm on a mostly empty bus, but it'll fill up fast. Guy with super long nails is sitting next to me, and two friends with matching red shirts just got on. Two girls in matching hoodies are now sitting next to me. The themes on the bus are very amusing sometimes. Off the 140, waiting for the 8. I sat down on the bench next to a gal with a lip piercing and way too much lip gloss. She all of a sudden bursts out laughing-- loud hysterical laughter-- then she told me "I just remembered something funny. I work at Goodwill and every time I wanna buy something, by the end of my shift it's gone. I'm not allowed to hide it cause they got cameras." She laughed about every five words.
Now I'm on the bus next to some really stinky people, and a girl with neon pink hair, a yellow crocheted headband, and a huge nosering. The bus just ran over something. I have no idea what it was, but it was really loud. Found out what it was! The bikerack sign on the front of the bus... Well that's where it used to be, anyway.
Hundred-year-old lady with a rainbow gardening hat and green pants and vest just got on, and Pink Hair back here is throwing a tantrum. She just made this squealy noise and said, "sorry, I squeal often."

Apologies

Sorry there have been so few stories this week. Getting sick and running late have worked together to minimalize my bus trips this week. But be prepared for more bus adventures next week!

The Usual

Guess where I am at? No, I'm not in a limousine. No, I'm not in a convertable corvette. I am on the 766, off to school. Why is it that you're IN a car, but ON the bus?
Somebody on here seriously smells like popcorn. Old stale popcorn.
Heading home now. Nothing exciting happened on the way to school. I am sitting next to someone who has Schizophrenia. Not making fun, he honestly does. He just keeps talking and talking about everything from the US treasury building on the ten dollar bill be is waving around, to the Chinese restaurant on Mulberry Street.
There sure are a lot of weird people here...

Finally got a new yearly bus pass! I spent six dollars this week on daily buspasses. Isn't that terrible?
On the 141, heading to the place where I intern. The 140 is better, because it goes farther, but I was too lazy to leave earlier. The guy in front of me has a shirt that says "re-new re-cycle re-discover. It all starts with re-Goodwill." Re-Goodwill?

Chicago Bus

This is short, but it's too funny not to post. My friend who lives in Chicago had this as her status today:
"A stripper named Winter told me on the bus that she liked my swagger."

WARNING! MAY CONTAIN GROSS CONTENT

As I sit at the downtown bua stop, I can't help but wonder, "WHY does it smell like cow poop?" I am in a city after all, but there's no mistaking that fragrance.
A girl next to me just asked another girl, "you were in his bed, right? ...NO not like that!"
A very tall very skinny guy next to me hasa rabit foot hanging off his cell phone. DUDE! IT'S MICHAEL JACKSON/ RALPH MACCHIO AGAIN! Twice in one day. Goodness. Bus is coming, and good thing too, cause there's about 50 people at the stop now.
On the bus now, and blogging while standing. Screaming baby on the right. Turtle shell backpack on the right. The gal turtle shell backpack is in front of said, "'scuse your shell."
We all just shuffled around a bit, and now I'm next to a boring accountant. Of all the crazy people, I ended up next to Mr. "everyone needs accounting."
Yes! Finally got a seat... next to a guy who smells like a fart. Ah, well, it could be worse. Sometimes, when it's really busy during the summer, the people standing and holding on to the rod will drip armpit sweat on the people sitting.
Stinky guy got off.
Next stop is mine. Good.

Celebrity Look-Alikes

On the bus, sitting in front of Michael Jackson/ Ralph Macchio. He thinks he's pretty cool.
Some gal who is a Naval cadet, according to a badge on her shirt, is in front of me she has her pants pulled up so high that they appear to be too short. She is carrying a purse with a marijuana pattern on it. Weird.
Okay AnnaSophia Robb just got om the bus. It must be Ride the Bus Day for celebrity look-alikes.

Just Another Day

Just got on the 766 with about 30 other people. Nothing too nutty going on yet...
A guy with a longish beard and a huge leather man purse just sat down next to me. New people piling in, but a whole lot more piling out. Now it's sort of empty. why aren't any of these people doing anything blog worthy?
Two kids with bad haircuts just got on they both have monster drinks. Those are so bad for you. And now that they're close to me, I'm realizing that they also smell funny.
At the bus stop now, watching this dude feed a pigeon his chip crumbs. The pigeon is enjoying the little ones, but having a lot of trouble with the bigger ones. They just won't fit in his beak and he can't break them.
On bus 8 now and it's the fullest I've ever seen. There's some wacko opposite me. He keeps raising his arms and lowering them slowly, like some drunk form of yoga.
Getting off soon...

Silver

So, my darn bus pass expired! I had to pay two dollars for a day pass. I am sitting across from a gal with incredibly sparkly silver shoes. Don't know why she's on the bus; she could just click her heels together and get home.
I think the guy who just sar down next to Dorothy is a little loopy. He's seriously bobbing his head to the music on his headphones and pretending to dump out his waterbottle, but the lid is on. Bus is filling up fast. Some punk next to me is obviously trying very hard to grow a mustache, but all he has is some yucky-looking fuzz. A girl with a shirt covered in silver spangles just sat down next to Dorothy. How did I not get the message that the 766 theme today is silver sparkles?

Waiting for the bus next to an old Chinese couple who has a lot to say. On my other side is a guy drawing a person who is about to die, I think. But I'm not going to ask, beacuse my sister who's an artist says to NEVER guess what someone is drawing. There's also a guy who's carrying around a gallon of water.
Crowded again. I just hit a guy in the face with my backpack. The guy next to me is putting on black gloves. No idea why. The guy across the aisle is silently rocking out to his iPod. Air conditioner smells bad. Like the bus is about to overheat. The guy in front of me keeps on talking to me. Wish he'd stop, so I could blog about the guy in the plaid beret. Or the man with the Merlin-sized beard.
Okay, they guy in front of me finally said something blogable, "They feed me at work." So I said "that's good." And he said, "that's not just good, man, you can't beat that! You can't beat that with a stick!"

Calmer Than Yesterday

Let's hope we don't break down again today...
A very large man in a green shirt is talking loudly to strangers. We wants them to join his Cricket plan so they can get a discount. A stinky guy is standing right in front of me. Why do people stand when there are tons of empty seats? Large green man got off. His seat is taken by some kid who looks 13, but he has an I D for the university. He must be older than he looks. A girl a few seats down is whispering to herself. Hey, she moved! It's like she knew I was watching her.

Mohawks and Breakdowns

I am on the 766 with my mom today. She likes to sit up front, so I guess I will be bloggeing about a different bunch of people today. This dude just got on that has a six inch long mohawk and some lip piercings. He thinks he's pretty cool. Bus just turned off completely. Driver's trying to get it going. Bus is jerking a bit. Not good. Okay, it's running again. Let's hope it moves.
.....there we go. Hooray! But we are now running very late. Less study time at the computer lab for me.
We are sure full today. Every seat is filled. I really wish the driver would step on the gas a bit.
Just moved to the back in the hopes of finding someone to spy on. But everyone is being ridiculously quiet. It's kinda bizarre.
Ah, there we go! Guy with a mohawk with tentacles just got on. Along with about 15 other people. I thought it was full before, but now, it's overflowing!
Just when I thought we couldn't be any later, the bus breaks down. So everyone from our very full 766 piled into a very full 777. I am sandwiched right now. My elbow is rubbing on a strange man sitting next to me. Okay, new strange man sitting next to me. I'm feeling a bit claustrophobic. The gal next to me just said, "you got good swagga, dude. You could pass for one." Pass as what? I have no idea.

Fantasy... and Reality

Today, on the bus, Vivaldi played on overhead speakers. I sat next to a blue-eyed young man wearing a suit. He smelled really good....
Oh, no, wait, that's not what happened.
I was across from a super hung over couple. The guy had a lazy eye that was kina creepy. Next to me, there was a guy who said, "I just smoke my weed and drink my beer and that's it!"
The glass wall next to the back door was loose and it rattled around so loud, I thought my eardrums would shatter.
But now I'm at the bus stop, waiting for bus 8, which is taking its time.
On now. This bus is not filled with the most pleasant-smelling people in the world. Sometimes I wish I could roll the window down while sitting on the bus.
My stop is coming up. Fresh air on the way!

Bus Sleeper

I am soooo not late for the bus today!
Bus is filling up quickly as we rumble down central. We're now approaching the busiest stop...
There is a very large amount of old people getting on. Out of the 26 people that are now on the bus, 10 are super old and gray.
This guy with a mustache a few seats down is very asleep. Everytime we go over a bump, his head just lolls around. I don't know how anyone can fall asleep on the bus with how bumpy and loud it is...

My Mother and Sister's Latest Bus Trip

This is a conversation between two guys that were, as my sister said, "high as a kite." My mom and sister heard the conversation as they were waiting at the bus stop. They both said that the two guys were VERY loud.

"Me and him, we're going to Oregon."

"Zat the HoHo's special? You eatin' the HoHo's special? I had HoHo's every day for three years!"

"I'm so messed up. Because I took so many pills. I really wanna take more pills, but I took them all. I like to take them all at the same time. Because... my heart is broken, and my soul is hurting." (Said with a huge grin.)

It was not raining at all, yet one of them still said, "It hasn't rained like this in this town for a looooong time. That's why we're going to Oregon!"

Wonder how far they got....

Very. Full. Bus. There's all kind of crazies, and I'm not talking about me. This girl is cracking up at anything anyone else on the bus says. There's a guy with long nails talking about how he's inventing ice cream filled twinkies. Oh, okay, now the girl mentioned earlier and her girlfriend are fighting with twinkie guy. They think he's eavesdropping in on their conversation. They're practically screaming and they're right next to him, so it would be hard not to listen.
Two nerds across from me are talking about fighting a giant rat. I'm assuming this is a virtual rat. WHOA! Bus driver just slammed on the breaks. And I mean slammed. I almost flew out of my seat.
Switched seats so I could watch some different people. The man across from me is using a pink cell phone. Hmmm...
I'm pretty sure Santa Claus just got on the bus. He's got the cherry nose and white hair and long beard going for him.
Now at the bus stop, waiting for bus 8.
On 8 now. Neon blue '80s pants at 9 o'clock. Giant eagle belt buckle at 12 o'clock. VERY saggy baggy pants at 2 o'clock. Getting off soon.

September 1

This is the day that, traditionally, the Hogwarts Express would leave from Platform 9 3/4 in the Harry Potter world. But I'm not that lucky. I'm on the 766 with my severely hairsprayed sister. She is mad at me for making her sit in the back with me, because it is freezing back here. When I say "back" I mean waaaay back. Thr 766 is like two buses connected. There's a circular thingamajig in the middle to help it turn corners. On this particular bus, every time it turns the circle goes, squeeeeek!
This morning, my sister and I seem to be the most interesting people on here though. We're very loud when we're togther. Everyone else is kind of sleeping with their eyes open.
Not a lot this morning. Maybe I'll have better luck this afternoon.

So, I had to take the 140 down to the place where I intern today. It was the crappiest bus I have ever been on. The flow of it was kinda like /\/\/\------------/\/\/\/\/\/\_______________/\/\/\/\ it was terrible. I was sure that at any minute, it was going to break down completely and just stop. And the air conditioner was BROKEN. I was so happy to get off that bus. But then, when I was done with getting everything ready for interning, I got back on the 140 to go to school and... IT'S THE SAME STINKING BUS! Except more crowded this time. So right now, I'm still on the bus whose wheels do not go round and round, but /\/\/\/\___________/\___/\/\/\/\.
A guy missing several teeth and carrying an ice chest just sat down opposite me. Next to him, there's a kid who looks abou 14 with a tattoo on his arm that says, "Jen." I sure hope Jen is his mom or sister or he will soon be wishing Jen wasn't permenantly stuck to his arm.
A gal a few seats down from me is now explaining that no one can sit next to her because her backpack has a name, and that is "his" seat.
Getting off 140 soon.
Now on the 777, heading to school. ....okay, boring 777 ride.

Ride Home, Same Day

Extremely crowded 766 right now. I'm amazed I found a seat. There is probably someome reading this over my shoulder right now. The driver seems to not understand the concept of braking slowly so as to ease into a stop. He keeps slamming on the brakes in the manner some would refer to as a "seatbelt check." Unfortunately, there are no seatbelts on the bus. Everyone is flying around a lot.
Now on bus 8. The guy across from me has a tattoo of a vampire bite on his neck. I guess he's more of a Stoker fan than a Meyer fan.
I just caught the end of a conversation that this couple next to me is having. He said, "no one's getting charged unless the cops catch us." Weirdness.
Getting off soon. That was relitively eventful.

First Bus Trip of the Term

7:36 in the morning, just a-waiting for the bus... Now sitting on the 766, waiting for it to fill up with people. Among the people here so far, there's a girl with a giant make-up case that looks more lile a laptop, so now I'm thinking she's probably some kind of Miss Congeniality secret agent with a laptop disguised as a make-up case.
Also, there is this fly landing repeatedly on my foot, and it's driving me a little bit bonkers.
Just stopped again, and a variety of strange people got on. It's the busiest stop in town. An old dude is now sitting across from me, a gal in pink scrubs next to me and now nearly every seat is filled.
I will be exiting the bus soon, so that concludes the term's first bus trip.

Quote List

Hello to all of my four followers!
As you may have noticed, I have a list of interesting quotes I've heard on the bus over here
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If you ever hear anything super funny or bizarre on the bus, be sure to leave it in the comments, so I can add it to the list.

My Friend's Bus Trip Today

I did not have to take the bus today, my mom dropped me off. However, my friend Softball-Stud took the bus and told me about it.

This is paraphrased.

"I was waiting for the bus for forever, and then it started raining and it was pouring! And I got completely soaked and then I come to class and they have the air conditioner on like forty, so I was shivering all through class. I'm still freezing. Is it cold out?"

It was actually quite hot, but getting drenched while waiting for the bus and then freezing in refrigerated air can mess up one's personal thermometer.

Currently waiting for bus 5 and it is sure taking its time...
Finally on. Heading toward bus 31.
Someone has a spanish radio station going really loud on a boom box, but other than that, it's uneventful. Relitively normal people ride the 5. Weird driver, though; he's talking animatedly to himself.
Now waiting for bus 31 along with some guy in scrubs and a nose ring and a guy eating a carmel sundae. Why didn't he get chocolate?
Now I think he's starting to wonder that too, because he just threw away the sundae cup with all the carmel in it. Hmmm...
31 came 6 minutes late. Don't take the bus anywhere if you're in a hurry.
Some gal next to me just announced that she wants someome to make her mad so that she can kick them in the face. Guess she's having a bad day. Getting off soon sorry the eide was boring. Doesn't make for very good reading.

Family Bus Trip

As I posted earlier, on Monday, there was a family bus trip. My sister and I, who both ride the bus frequently, taught my mom and two little sisters how to ride the bus.

People in this story:
Mom-- Webname: Mom
My older sister-- Webname: Bikerchick
Me-- Webname: Rangergirl
Younger sister-- Webname: Red-Headed-Swimmer
Youngest sister-- Webname: PrincessSarah

To get to the Community College or the University, the fastest way to go is to take the 8 to the transit center and then take the 766 from the transit center. This is one of about four ways to get to school.

We live a block away from Park Avenue, where bus 8 stops. I planned this grand adventure in which we would all take the 8 and the 766 to get there and then the 31 and 777 to get home. This way Mom knows more than one way to get to and from school and the family gets the full bus riding experience. But... the family did want the full bus riding experience. So we took the car-- that's right, the CAR down to the transit center. It turns out, the transit center has a very tiny and full parking lot. So we parked over at the mall and then walked back to the transit center.

We boarded the 766. The transit center is its last stop, so the bus is empty and all five of us sit together and we have a nice, quiet, air-conditioned, uneventful trip down to campus. Sadness. Not a lot of blogging material there, other than Mom getting very excited about her one-day bus pass and how it was so nice and cute, with the little picture of the bus on it.

Once we got there, we had to go to the community college because Bikerchick needed to talk to one of the extra-helpful people there to get her transcripts transferred to the University. I head my usual direction. To get there, you go straight and then turn right once you reach the street that the CC is on. You walk down that street until you reach it. But oh, no, Bikerchick had other plans. So we walk straight for just a few steps, then we turn down some creepy alley behind some run-down restaurants. So we all walk down the creepy alley and pas some hobo wearing nothing but a pair of cutoffs and we almost get run over. Not a whole lot of wiggle room in an alley. Then we walk up another street to school. Now, she hasn't been to school all summer like I have, so she doesn't know that a street between here and there (when going her way), is completely under construction. There's a sign that says the sidewalk has closed and past that, there is no sidewalk. It's all very uneven ground, like some mud sculpture that's been hardened. And there's tractors and huge cement cylinders.

I knew we shoulda gone my way!

So, even though there is NO SIDEWALK and there's a sign that clearly states SIDEWALK CLOSED. Mom and Bikerchick just keep walking. Red-Headed-Swimmer and PrincessSarah trailing along behind them, and we go right between the two tractors. What the heck? THE SIDEWALK IS CLOSED!!!!

We took care of all our school stuff at CC and then went over to the University to take care of MORE school stuff, and then back on the bus. The stop downtown where we were is not nice and empty like the transit center. Two buses stop there and it was packed with people. I sat down on the bench next to a guy with a cheek piercing and eyebrow piercing. We wait for about ten minutes and then the bus comes.

All of the people at the stop load up the bus. It was packed and there weren't a lot of seats left. But a very nice man gave up his seat for my mom and littlest sister. I sat in the back. It's always this way on the bus. A bazillion people pack themselves into the front, sitting and standing on each other, but the back is nice and empty. The back is a good place to be. My other two sisters found seats close to Mom.

I didn't mind sitting in the back, because it was a lot cooler-- not as many bodies. But I was right across the aisle from some supergross make-out-couple. That should be outlawed on the bus. People have to sit next to you, ya know. Once the middle was emptier, I moved farther away from make-out-couple and sat across from my family. Then I learned that that seat is the seat where there's a crack in the ceiling and all this dirt and who-knows-what-else started blowing continually onto me. I was quickly coated in dirt.

We soon reached the transit center, where we got off and headed back to the car. The end of the family bus trip. The goal to teach Mom how to ride the bus to school: Accomplished.

Here it goes....

I am teaching my family how to ride the bus today.... It is going to be quite an adventure.
Y'all ready for this??

On Location: Orlando

In Orlando, FL right now. Tonight we took the bus from the hotel to Downtown Disney. (Downtown Disney Bus.)
The driver: Super nice
Bus ride there was not too eventful, but the bus ride home....
When we reached the bus stop, there was bus there with the windows covered in some anti-bacterial cleaner and right there, just inside the front door was a giant pile of vomit. Needless to say, we waited for a different bus.
The ride back to the hotel was quite packed, and then in the middle of it all, the kid next to me shouted, "AAAH! My butt crack!" Yeah, don't really want to know what that was about.

The Buses

The 766-- from uptown to downtown, passing by the Community College and University
The 66-- Up and down Central Avenue. Very packed. Very smelly. Lots of weirdos, but comes every 15 minutes.
The 31-- Up and down Forest Road. Only comes once every forty-five minutes or so. Has several grumpy drivers, but a few nice ones.
The 777-- Also goes up and down Central, but with fewer stops and less people.
The 140-- Up and down Washington Street, then onto Frankfurt Road.
The 141-- Up and down Washington Street, then onto North Pine Road.
The 8-- Up and down Park Avenue. Connects with the 766 at the transit center.

These are the usual buses that you will be hearing about. Stories on the way!

The Bus System

Anyone who has never taken the bus is under this strange illusion that the bus picks you up exactly where you're at, at the most convenient time for you, and then takes you exactly where you need to go. NOT TRUE. There is a whole bus system. The buses are each assigned to one street and they go up and down the same street all day long. Some streets have buses every hour, some every fifteen minutes, Some just when they feel like it.

However, taking the bus is a fantastic way to make your life more exciting. Taking the bus is always an adventure.