Rambling Commute

Eight six seven five three oh ni-ine.

That's on the BilliPod shuffle this morning.

On the 6:19 R out of 95th Street.

This Sunday brought out the 7th annual issue of The New York Times Magazine's "Year in Ideas" issue. Always fascinating, I recommend heading over there to check out the issue online to read about interesting developments in ideas in 2007, such as the Braille tattoo.

Now playing:

"Halloween" by Mudhoney.

It's a balmy 51 degrees this morning in Brooklyn.

No express train at 59th Street.

I had a one dollar bill the other day, on which was stamped a speech balloon, forcing George Washington to proclaim "I Grew Hemp". That made me smile.

Now playing: an untitled live "Jam" by Pearl Jam from June 18, 1992, which includes a partial cover of Brass in Pocket (I'm Special) by the Pretenders.

In case you hadn't realized, this post is blackberried (and subsequently spell-checked and linked at a later date).

Switched at 36th Street, waiting for a D or an N express.

Jam just switched to Cheap Trick's "That 70's Song (In the Street)". We're all all right! We're all all right. Still waiting at 36th Street. I gave up a seat for this? Ah, here comes a D.

What are the odds? Another Mudhoney song? ("In n Out of Grace")

Here's them performing the song:

Next, check out the Foxboro Hot Tubs. The blogosphere (and subsequently wikipedia) started buzzing about them last weekend when a website popped up where you could listen to/stream/download 6 songs by the unknown band.

However, people quickly came to the conclusion that they were a side project by the members of Green Day. Even if that were untrue, the songs are pretty good and worth an audio taste.

Metallica's "2 x 4" from their album Load ushers me in and out of Pacific Street.

I think it's safe to say I've written fewer poems in 2007 than any year since 1992. Here's one I wrote a few months ago on the train. The title may be the best part. It's called "Sipping Red Bull Through a Straw".

On the Manhattan Bridge now, to the tune of "Double Talkin' Jive" by Guns N' Roses. Switching to "Goodbye Blue Sky" by Pink Floyd.

The ground is wet like it has been just hosed down by Hollywood prop men.

Guess I won't be napping on this subway ride. This is the sort of blog fodder that is loathsome to so many people. Yet you keep reading in case I drop a nugget of brilliance.

A schoolteacher behind me is talking about her job. Loudly. Intruded upon Floyd and now on U2's awesome "Running to Stand Still".

Cry without weeping, talk without speaking, scream without raising your voice.....

West 4th, the train empties....the loud woman says "Oh gosh, my bones hurt!" A woman sits next to me. She is reading the third different Spanish-language paper I have seen this morning.

And the Who's "Doctor Jimmy" from Quadrophenia carries me into 34th Street.

Have a happy Wednesday....