My first bus ride

So, while everyone may not know it, we do not have a car out here. It's been interesting getting used to that, but so far I like it. First of all, insurance prices are ludicrous (I saw first hand as to why. Let's just say that there is the potential for a lot of broken mirrors and scraped paint) and second, there is no place to park. That being said, we either walk, bike or take public transportation. After biking only 7 miles one way to Target the other weekend in 95 degree heat, I wanted check out the bus.
Yesterday, Kristin started orientation, and I, having no work yet, decided to leave my groove in the couch and get some things at Target. One thing would be different this trip: I would take the bus.
The are a lot of buses that travel throughout the Baltimore metro, so it's not like you just walk to the corner and catch the one that says "to Target" on the front. After lots of research on the MTA website, I thought it reasonable to take the #3. So, I put my backpack on, grabbed $3.50 (full day pass) and walked until I found a bus stop. The signs are bright blue and you can't miss them. The one I found also had a #3 on it and, using the skills that I learned in school, cleverly deduced that this would be where my bus stopped. Well, after lots of waiting and crooked looks from the construction workers, I went up a few blocks to the next one. More waiting, no bus; what's the deal? I it stops and one spot at 10:50 and the next at 11:03, it should pass by here. To the next stop. Finally, it came.
I hopped on, asked the driver how much for the day pass, he barked "$3.50!" and then stomped on the gas like there was the biggest cochroach in the world sitting on it. Luckily, my ninja-like relfexes were prepared for such a take-off, and I wasn't sent flying for the foul pole, I mean, back of the bus. There were almost no seats open, so I had to sit right between two people.
Riding on that bus was a very good experience for a suburban white boy like me. There were only about 4 other white people on the bus, and all of them were old. Apparently, most white people are either to scared or, more likely, too proud to take the bus (although you would think that there was exactly one-third black, one-third white and one-third asian people riding if you saw the MTA commercials). I just think life would be easier if people didn't insist on driving everywhere...anyway.
I got to Target, picked up my stuff, and got back all in one piece-a much cooler, much less sweaty piece than if I had biked again. Now I just need to figure out the other 40 or so local lines!

I FIXED IT!!

This will be a short one--for all you people who were trying to post comments on our blog, but couldn't without registering, I've fixed it so you can now comment WITHOUT signing up for another useless account that you will never use. :-) So comment away. We are lonely. And friendless...well, not quite friendless....more on that later. Enjoy your weekend and keep praying for cool weather...

Our new home...

So, after about a month of not posting, here we go again! (I figure I have the time because I'm unemployed).

We have fully moved into our apartment on the 10th floor of an old building here in Baltimore (ca 1915). It's quite a cool building (although I definately do NOT mean that literally...there's no AC) and located next to a market, a couple of fast food places, at least one pub, etc. One neat feature is the "fire chute"-it's bacially a big slide that goes from the top of the building to the bottom in case there's a fire (everytime I walk past it I have to fight the urge to use it...maybe someday).

One thing that kinda sucks is that there is construction going on all around us; every morning at 645 we awake to saws, hammers and large machinery going to town on the on the new building to our north and demolishing the building to our east.

As I said before, I don't yet have a full-time job, although I still will be doing some work for Westmark (thank goodness!). I do have some prospects, but I don't want to get my hopes up yet. Because I don't work yet, I've decided to take up the very masculine activity of baking (huh?)!

That's all for now.

Nick