Tuesday, March 9, 2010
6:14A: I awake with slight urge to get out of bed much much earlier than normal, glance at my alarm clock, and notice my alarm clock is going to go off in less than 1 minute.
6:15A: You guessed it...EEEECCCKKKK!! EEECCCKKK!!! EEECCCKKK!!! EEECCCKKKK!!!! I'm already out of bed.
6:25A: I fix coffee and a bagel and turn on morning news to hear the neighboring apartment complex has been fighting a 4 alarm fire for the past 3 hours. Good thing I didn't move into that place!
6:45A: Hop in for a quick shower...it turns into a 10 minute shower as that hot water feels too good early in the morning.
7:00A: Out of the shower, dressed, and pulling all my bags together to head out for the train station. All aboard and pulling out of the station in 40 mins. Google maps tells me I'm 11 mins away by car. I actually like being up early. It's the first 5 mins of waking up and getting out of bed that always pose the biggest problems.
7:15A: Pulling out of my parking spot and on my way to the station. Fire trucks and police cause me to detour slightly but GPS puts my arrival time 10 mins before departure.
7:20A: Little to no traffic...I'm good.
7:24A: Uh-oh. I think I made a wrong turn. Confusing exit ramp sign placed just behind side street. Yep, I made a wrong turn. Nuvi recalculate! I'm still on pace to get arrive at the station a few mins before departure, but I'm cutting it close. And I know it.
7:28A: Uh-oh and a few expletives. In a scene reminiscent of the Griswolds' European vacation, I circle the same block 3 times b/c my GPS' 2008 maps don't account for the 1-year old mixed use property I'm am now driving through and around as it keeps telling me to pull into the parking deck. I may as well pull in and stay a while. Train station ETA is now 3 mins beyond scheduled departure.
7:32A: FUBAR. SNAFU. Status quo.
7:36A: Finally, I've broken free from the vortex. I think watching that Discovery Channel special on whirlpools may have just helped save my life, or at least gotten me out of this GPS and driver-inflicted roundabout and back on track. To the tracks! There's little point, though, unless the train is running about 10 minutes late, which it rarely does.
7:47A: Arrival! I pull into the carpark and sprint into the station. Any chance my train hasn't left? Nope, it departed a minute late, or 6 mins ago. Any chance I can make it to the next stop in Kannapolis? The ticket window workers all laugh as one gentleman says, "Son, that train is going 75-80 mph and doesn't have any traffic to contend with. Unless you plan on driving like Mr. Kannapolis himself, the late, great Dale Earnhardt,Sr. and can somehow avoid getting a ticket and/or crashing into a wall, I'm gonna say no." I consider this for a moment and then remember that I drive a 10-year old Jeep Cherokee. The time for denial and wishful thinking has passed. I am forced to accept the fact that...
7:50A: I'm not going home today. Oh well, at least a nice lady working the window printed a ticket for me to use tomorrow. Next train to Richmond departs in 23h50m.
7:51A: I walk outside, call a friend to tell my story about how I missed the train and I suddently realize that I'm up early and it's a beautiful day. I'm going golfing.
10:45A-5:45P: 18 holes of golf. I shoot close to 90 and love my new putter and chipper. I was rolling them in from all over the place. Renaissance is a tough course and I'm confident I will play consistenly in the 80s this spring with just a bit of practice. A couple rounds of softball bp. I swing and miss at first 5 pitches. I've gotten too used to hitting a ball just sitting there still on the ground. Loosen my grip, open my stance, and improve my patience. I don't miss for the rest of this round or the next and begin hitting laserlike shots into the gaps. Vinnie's on S. Blvd. Oyster Po'Boy and a $1 ice cold domestic bottle. Mmmmmm. Zzzzzz. Time to go home and sit on the couch.
6:00P-Midnight: Couch. Nap. Shower. Catch up on dvr. Nap. Idol. Bobcats. Write article. LOST. I reflect on the day and smile to myself as I realize all the pros and cons of Jimmy Time have been encapsulated into one topsy-turvy, exhausting, and incredibly full and enjoyable day.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
6:12A: Really? 2 mins earlier? I'm gonna snooze at least once this time, though, b/c I'm all packed and ready to roll.
6:15A: EEECCCKKK!!! EEECCCKKK!! EEECCCKKK!!! Snooze.
6:22A: Same as above.
6:29A: I'm up, I'm up! Abbreviated version of yesterday morning.
7:03A: On the road. Headed back to the Charlotte Amtrak station.
7:18A: I made it.
7:30A: On the train. Mama, I'm coming home.
7:40A-Noon: Coffee. Paper. Movie. Sandwiches. Music. Stretch. Take pics to post on fb and document trip. I really like taking the train. I also somehow managed to sit by myself despite the cab nearly reaching capacity in Raleigh. I cleared out the window seat, then kept my head down, Bose headphones over my ears and my eyes fixated on a very boring Val Kilmer "suspense" movie called Double Identity. Val's love interest is sexy (Isabella Mika? Miko? Something like that...) but that's about it. If you haven't see it, rent The Saint instead.
12:05P: Begin writing this blog and spread out now that the train unloaded about half our cab in Wilson.
12:30P: Publish post and...Naptime.
12:31P: I remember this train doesn't have wi-fi. Guess I'll publish it when I get home. Gonna walk around the train now, then...Naptime.
4:00P: Back home in RVA!
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