1/26/10

There are two reasons why I haven't written this week. First off, I haven't been talking to too many strangers on the train lately. The second reason is simple....some people are boring!

I have approached a some people over the last week and they all tentatively agreed to answer some questions. I got a lot of one word answers and a ton of strange looks. Hey, I'm a chubby, Jewish girl with glasses. Do you really think I'm a threat to you? But I get it...I'd be suspicious too if someone approached me about a subway blog.

But today I did meet David, 38, from Portland Oregon. He came to NY for the magazine industry. While riding the subway David likes to people watch. He says the subway and museums are the best places to people watch in the whole city. David's crazy subway experience intrigued me. According to him there was a homeless and deranged man riding a very packed subway. Every time the doors opened he would yell "NEXT STOP BAGDAD, NEXT STOP BAGDAD." Being that this was right around the beginning of our war with Iraq, David said it was a stressful train ride for everyone. I would imagine.

One last thought about it. David said the homeless man was deranged. Maybe he was. Maybe he was bat-shit crazy. But if he was totally insane wouldn't he have yelled something like "NEXT STOP POOPYVILLE" or "NEXT STOP MY ASS"? Seems to me like he knew exactly what he was doing.

1/19/10 the sequel

On my way home last night I got to interview a guy. Here are his answers:

1. Devin age 32

2. A train to Brooklyn

3. Poughkeepsie, NY

4. Devin came to the 5 boroughs 14 years ago for art school. He studied Illustration at Pratt Institute

5. He likes to read or do crossword puzzles while riding the rails. I glimpsed a Kurt Vonnegut book in his pocket.

6. Devin had two stories to tell me. One crazy and one sweet. Can you figure out which is which?

- There was a naked homeless man, with his pants around his ankles, pole dancing in the subway car. He then proceeded to lay newspaper on the ground and started to squat. The whole train, in anticipation of the homeless man's next move, scurried to the edges of the train while he relieved himself.

-Devin saw a pretty girl on the subway holding some paintings. He got up and offered her his seat. She replied that she was getting off at the next stop...as was he. They started talking and ended up dating for 1 1/2 years.

Both are pretty great stories...in their own way.

1/19/10

Well Subway Sanity readers here is the latest...

I decided to create a questionnaire to ask people on the subway and today I got 4 responses. Take a took at what people had to say. My comments will be in parenthesis and blue.

List of questions: 1. Name/Age

2. Train

3. Where are you from?

4. What brought you to NY?

5. What is your favorite thing to do on the subway?

6. What is the craziest or most interesting thing you have experienced/seen on the subway?

MICHELLE

1. Michelle / 27 (ok, i admit. Michelle is a friend of mine. I had to test this out on someone i know.)

2. C train from Clinton Hill to Midtown

3. PA

4. School - Michelle went to F.I.T. and has been here for almost 7 years.

5. Michelle likes to "check out hot guys and make fun of people's shoes". (Watch out, she could be judging you right this minute!)

6. "One day some guy showed me his balls. It was traumatic!" (Eh, who hasn't seen a little too much on the subway?!)

RACHEL

1. Rachel / 32

2. C train

3. Upstate NY

4. A job in design brought Rachel to Manhattan. She now lives in Brooklyn and has been here for 11 years.

5. Crosswords

6. Rachel once fainted while waiting on the subway platform. She was pleasantly surprised that a half a dozen people or so all came to her aid. One man offered her the orange juice he was drinking. Another stayed with her while she waited for medical help.

(You know, people think NY is this cold place filled with mean people but when push comes to shove New Yorkers are the BEST people to have on your side.)

***Rachel went on to air her grievances about the subways. She wished people wouldn't block the doors or lean on the pole. Then she went on to complain about how the MTA does a bad job of posting service changes. I reminded Rachel that I was in no way affiliated with the MTA but I would be happy to put her complaints on my blog. So if anyone from the MTA is reading this please take note!

1/17/10

Thinking of having a questionnaire to ask people I meet on the subway. I would love any question suggestions.
So far I'm thinking:
1. First name?
2. Where are you from originally?
3. What brings you to NY?
4. What is your favorite thing to do on the subway?
5. What is the craziest thing that has happened to you or that you have witnessed on the subway?

How would you react if someone handed you this questionnaire on the subway?

1/7/10

Dear creepy guy that I accidently made eye contact with on the subway,

I appreciate that you smiled at me. I also appreciate your "God bless you" to my sneeze. I did not however, appreciate the awkward staring, weird breathing noises or unique body odor. You may continue to smile but please cease and desist all creepiness at once.

Yours truly,

Susan

1/7/10

This morning I met a young, fashionable woman who looked like she just might be open to a conversation. I started by complimenting her tights. They were cute. Ends up that she is a design director at an lingerie company and is looking for a textile designer to join her team.

So this morning's anxiety led to a job interview. I'm meeting with her on Monday. Not too bad!

1/6/10

ARGH! My anxiety got the best of me tonight and I didn't take the subway home. I just couldn't do it alone. And now I hear my therapist in my head reminding me that I "can" do it I just chose not to. Ok, ok, ok. I CAN do it...i just didn't effing feel like it. How is that?! Sometimes $20 and a cab ride is all this girl needs!

1/5/10

Sometimes my subway relationships last for one stop, some last a whole ride. Every once in a while I meet someone I really click with. Even less often email addresses are exchanged. And once in a blue moon a real friend is made.

I met Tamika a few weeks ago on my way to work. She was nice enough to indulge me in a conversation. Ends up we have a ton in common. She is like a younger, smarter, blacker version of me...without all the train mishegas. We have been riding the train into the city together for the past few days and it has been really fun getting to know her.