Good Husband...Bad Metro

So...I tweaked my calf muscle a couple weeks ago during ballet class. It was feeling 100% again at class on Monday, but during the second jump exercise I started to feel the twinge.

Nothing that a little rest and stretching won't cure, so don't worry. However the one thing that makes it hurt is climbing stairs.

So Metro...I am unhappy with you!

The station I use to get to/from work is 5 stories under the ground. It has two exit/entrances. Each is about 1 block apart. The entrance closer to me job only has stairs and escalators, no elevator. So imagine my dismay when I found this sight this morning.

Noooooooooooo!

That's right, 4 stories of stairs to climb with my bum calf. (There is a smaller escalator right next to the tracks, knocking 1 story off my climb.)

Wouldn't be too bad except I then have to climb two steepish hills and a few more staircases to reach my office.

My calf is not happy with you Metro, and neither am I. 

I am happy with my husband though. Look what he found for me...

Pliny is for him, but that Scotch Ale...Yum!

Urgh! Frustration

Update:

Friday my boss let us leave early. No waiting for the train. Both were perfectly timed. And John happened to make it home from work in perfect time to pick me up from the station. Much better!

                                                                                                                                                     

If you stop by my office at 5pm and say 'Oh good, I caught you.' I'm going to look at you like this. Because I'm logged off, I have my coat on, and my purse in hand. Clearly I'm off the clock.

Karma, why did you have to follow up with a crappy Metro ride? Why?

Ladies with small children, why did you drag your children into the danger zone as the train pulled up? They almost got smacked in the head.

Handicapped guy, why did you block the entrance to the train so no one could quickly get on the train and thus lost their chance to get seats? Also, why did you blast music from your phone the whole ride? I'll grant you 'I'm your puppet' is a classic, but your other selections were not so good.

Metro, why do you not have a space on your Gold line trains for people to store bikes, strollers, luggage, and for the wheel chair bound to park? You have such spaces on your other trains.

Why did the train smell like fart?

Lady with the giant suitcase, why did you drag your suitcase throughout the train? Seriously, it was giant.

Lady with the giant jogging stroller, just why? I wouldn't think a giant jogging stroller would be the best choice for riding public transportation.

Wednesday you gave me such a wonderful ride. Did I have to pay for it with my pain and discomfort?

End rant.

Riding the Train

Last time I posted about the train I think I was complaining, but let me follow up by saying taking the train is also possibly the best thing I've ever decided to do. I've already taken the train 6 of the 13 days I need to ride this month to make the monthly pass worth it.

Good Points about the LA Metro System

1. It is generally on time barring freak accidents involving semis crossing the tracks or brief periods of flooding.
2. As long as I catch my train at 8:13am I will be on time to work.
3. My husband drives me to the stop in the morning when he's not working, thus I get to spend a few minutes with him before I go. Dottie Jo likes it too because she gets a brief car ride.
4. I can knit or read as long as I can find a seat.
5. My balance on a moving vehicle is getting better as long as I'm not wearing heels.
6. My husband and Dottie come walk me home when they can.
7. Most importantly I can witness excellent art work like this...

 I'm not sure what the artist was thinking, but it looks like the person is being tortured because this is a picture of a man hanging from the ceiling. There are several of these in the Civic Center stop and they are all in this same pose. I think it's supposed to imitate flying, but it just looks like the train hit them and flung them up into the rafters.

Not lazy.

After posting yesterday I got a bug in my bonnet. Must finish knitting projects, preferably now.

Did I mention I'm trying to take the train to work everyday? I paid my $75 for a monthly pass, now I just need to ride 13 days this month to get my moneys worth. 4 days down...9 more to go.

Anyways, I really planned to knit all the way home last night, but my plan didn't totally work. I walked to station #1 and rode one stop to my transfer. Didn't knit because that train ride is short and always extremely crowded. Not worth it. Then I walked to station #2 and waited for my next train. There was a gal in front of me with a Ravelry tote knitting and I was totally jonesing to knit, but just then the train pulled up.  As I got on the train I knew things would just not work out well.

It was crowded too! Way more crowded than usual and I couldn't find a seat. Did I mention I was wearing brand new shoes? Ouch! The train driver was terrible too. Stop...go...stop...go...nausea. I kept getting thrown onto the guy standing next to me even though I was gripping the handrail trying to brace myself. I felt really bad for a little old lady who was made to stand. Seriously where did people's manners go? Basic rule of public transportation...give up your seat to the elderly. It's good karma. At least I got to over hear a man's conversation about his son's adjustment to his parent's divorce. Sweet!

So knitting was not so good. The train ride was more than halfway over by the time I got a seat, but I pulled out the knitting anyways figuring I still had a good 15 minutes. See? I overcame the lazy. I was rewarded too. Between the ride to the station, walking home, and the ride this morning I almost finished part 2 of Kathryn's gift!

When I got home last night I finished another 10 rows on Dottie's blanket so hopefully that will be done this weekend!

Yay for me! Progress!