The attire for today is still a light jacket...is this mid-December?

# 59 Montgomery Village - 3:50 p.m. - Home

I love it when people just start talking to me like they've known me forever. There is just something warm and comforting about that. It's like they trust you and know you will respond in a positive way, and I always do.

This lady, who had a strong New Jersey accent, had obviously been Christmas shopping. She had two very large bags from Ross and wanted to know where the closest Dollar Store was located. We were sitting very near Lakeforest Mall so I told her about the one in the Mall. She said all she wanted was some very inexpensive ribbon for her gifts. She continued to expound on her philosophy on why people look down on others who shop in dollar stores. We concluded that everyone shops there, even rich folks! I know I've seen a Coach Bag or two in a Dollar store before.

We also shared a good laugh when she told me that she wished she could get rid of her husband long enough to wrap his gifts. She said, "I wish the man would just get lost for a little while!" "Why must he just keep hanging around?" "When will he have time to buy my gift?!" Too funny...

#59 Rockville - Lakeforest Transfer Center - 5:15 pm to Shady Grove Metro

Well...it's off to job #2. Someone took the time to tell me my hair was beautiful as he was rushing to his connecting bus. That compliment will get me through my second job with a smile.

The attire for today is light jacket...is this mid-December?

The bus ride in this morning on the #56 Rockville was pretty uneventful.

Channel 4 News reported the changes Metro has in store for us riders next year. It really is disheartening to think that the raise in fares and the cutting of service will have an impact on people like me who depend so heavily on this mode of transportation to get us back and forth to work every day. The good news is that there will be public hearings on these changes. The poll taken on readexpress.com shows an overwhelming dissatisfaction amongst the riders of Metro that these changes will be for the better. Let's just hope this change won't cause anyone to resort to jumping the fare lanes! Hey...we know what happened at gas stations when the price of gas climbed, right? People will do anything to get to work!

Old School In The House!

5 pm - #58 Lakeforest to Lakeforest Transfer Center

This was a pretty uneventful trip. The #59 Rockville was not on time so I had to go to Lakeforest in the hopes that it would show up there.

5:09 pm - #59 Rockville to Shady Grove Metro Center

I finally figured out how to get to Bethesda - to my 2nd job no less - ON TIME! Take the Red Line (Glenmont) to Grosvenor then take the #96 bus which puts me right in front of my bldg - haleujah! No more Rockville Metro Center waiting for the #47 Bethesda which came 45 mins late because the 6:02 pm bus broke down! I was 20 mins late for work! There were a lot of angry people waiting for that bus let me tell you! I felt so sorry for the bus driver. Some people really jumped on her with both feet. But she handled her business in a very professional manner. You go girl!

Well...after waiting for the 6:02 pm bus for nearly an hour everybody was pretty irritable. Little did we know that we had celebrities on board the bus LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...The Whispers! Well...not really, but they sure sounded like them! They serenaded us all the way to our destinations. It was only moments before everyone was smiling and laughing. God sent us 2 angels for sure!

OH AND DOGGONE IT! THE #59 TO SHADY GROVE STILL WON'T WAIT FOR US TO GET OFF THAT TRAIN AT 11:40 PM! GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

DC Metro We Love You!

Well, DC and Maryland, this is my first official posting as Buschick301. Unfortunately I am not a happy camper right now.

Metro is facing a budget shortfall so therefore we the riders have to suffer. You know us, right Metro, we are the ones making it possible for you to exist! We are the hard-working people who have promised the people who pay our salaries that we would be to work on time every day despite the fact that we don't own cars. We depend on you Metro to get us where we need to be at a specific time. Now that you want to raise fares - there is a reason why we ride the bus/train, we can't afford a car payment! - and also cut service! Before you decide to cut service please keep in mind that most of us travel quite a distance to get to work each day. If you don't start service until 8:00 a.m. that puts most of us in a real bind. We need our jobs Metro and we need you!

Oh and while I'm ranting and raving let me please ask the driver of the 59 Mongomery Village to Shady Grove bus to PLEASE WAIT FOR THE RIDERS TO GET OFF THE TRAIN BEFORE YOU PULL OFF at 11:35 PM! We have to wait another 45 mins until you come back and baby it's cold outside!! There...that felt good.

I promise my future posts will be more light-hearted and funny. I experience something worth writing about daily on my way to not one but two jobs every day. I can't wait to share them with you!