The windows of my office face west and there is a huge thunder cloud hanging over New Jersey. Hopefully the heavy rains will hold off until everyone (at least in my family) is safe at home.

The best part, though, is the customer service. Two days ago I noticed that there was something wrong with the display.  A small square in the upper right hand corner was not displaying properly.  I called the 800 number and spent about 5 minutes talking to a technician who had me try several things. He then said Amazon would replace the unit at no cost to me within 24 hours. They did. The technician even was a native English speaker!

The Kindle is pricey, around $360, and it will never be as satisfying as a real book but we all have to make compromises. Riding the bus is not as satisfying as a limousine with a wet bar and flat panel television but we do learn to cope.

This wasn’t the blog that I intended it to be.

I’ve gotten a lot of comments about this and reading over them has made me feel superficial and mean; much like the people that I was describing.

So I want to try to rephrase this. It’s not the people that are ugly and mean it’s the environment that has made us this way. I bet that these are perfectly wonderful people in their own backyards and among their friends. Being squeezed into a metal container, sitting next to strangers and trying to maintain our personal space and dignity, breathing recycled air, losing 10 hours a week, that’s the ugly part.

We walk in a Matrix of disconnected existence(s), seeking connections towards things we often forget how to approach or realize. Why Dream if you don’t LIVe to capture it? Why LIVe and fail to Dream? We possess the ability to travel where we wish, in our minds if for the time being, experience true LIFe by indulging in its knowledge and study your passions! Study them so that you may be able to understand each quality that elates you, so that it may elate you further and so you may travel further.

Ask yourself which was created 1st, The key or the Door… which would you rather control and which would you fear least in losing track of?

LIFe is a Test of Memories, Enjoy the Exams for each is Timed!
Darren Eath

For those of you who don’t know what we are honoring on this day off it is the men and women who have died in service to United States in the armed forces. It appears more like a testament to driving, shopping, and eating.

As a commuter I like three day weekends. On the Friday before there are lots of people who try to grab an extra day and don’t even bother coming in. Everyone leaves early so that if you stay until the normal closing time most folks have left already. It would be wonderful if I could say that the roads were less travelled but it’s impossible to predict what a good time to leave is or when the traffic will be better. Everyone has a theory but more often than not you’ll be wrong.

OK, I don’t like where I live. I’ve been there for 14 years and I find the people snooty and unfriendly. I’m there because my wife and kids won’t entertain the idea of moving and I’m too timid to push the issue. Still, there are other places whose residents are snooty and mean but they are interesting to look at.

There was a time when there were some nice looking people on the NJ Transit 113 route and I used to look forward to seeing them on the bus. Some of them I would even talk to. The economic upheaval and maybe the stresses of commuting have taken them away from me. I miss them.

What exactly are we paying almost a 6th of our annul income for? Is it for the comfort, tranquility, time efficiency, speed… I mean what is it that deserves the hike, aren’t we losing jobs and failing to produce new ones? I’m pretty sure if they gave any of us a crack at figuring out a FAIR.. I mean fare plan we can come up with another suggestion OTHER than “Squeezing the public”.

Going GREEN? Does that mean more mullah? Anywho… By the next week and a half we’ll be paying an extra half to… WHAT exactly again? Oh yeah to get theirs!

Roman S

About 2 years ago I hired a guy that told me that he lived in Hopewell Junction, New York. He was surprised that I knew where this was. I explained to him that when I was in college I worked during the summers at a hotel there. I would leave my home in Brooklyn at the end of June and return at the beginning of September. I was making the round trip once a summer and he was doing the 2 plus hour trip each way every day!

Shortly after that I started reporting to a guy that lived even further away. He drove 30 minutes to get to the last stop on the Harlem line. Also a 2 plus hour commute each way. The best story was a guy that I met who lived in Bucks County Pennsylvania who took the 2.5 hour bus ride on Monday morning, worked 10 hour days and then took the bus home on Thursday evening. He figured it was easier to rent a room in Manhattan for the other nights than braving the journey every day.

I’ve always dreamed of being able to walk to work or at least have a short bike ride of it. There is something wrong with a world where people spend so much time getting from place to place. I realize that these people are paying for their larger homes or nicer surroundings in time rather than cash but what kind of life is it when such a significant part of it is spent in such a useless activity?

I really don’t know what to say for this one.

You guys have fun putting a caption to this one.  I don’t have any idea what part of this outfit looked good or what part was supposed to be sexy and in fashion.

Go figure.

Tip #1 – No one can get off the train until you get on.

Allowing people to get off the train while you are trying to get on is just totally not acceptable. They should realize that you are royalty and superior to them and just stand back.

Tip#2 – Get the handicap seat and occupy them both.

This way you make sure that no one can sit next to you (and ask for photos, autographs clippings of your hair). This also helps you stand out from the crowd and lets the other plebs on the subway realize that you are important!  Plus it looks good to see the guy hobbling on a crutch on one foot or the pregnant lady, or the old man who can’t stand up for long, just standing next to you sitting. It will help with your status if people see them all standing while you sit, because it will let other;s know that your status overrides. Little kids will look up to being just like you.

Tip#3 – Dark shades are a must!!!!

What celebrity do you know does out in public without shades. It may not hide who you are, but people will look at you more to try to figure out if you are really that person they saw on TV….Come on you know you want the extra attention too.

Tip#4 – Make sure to give the Angelina Jolie pout for the entire ride!

It’s sexy. It worked for her and it will work for you. Don’t worry that it hurts your cheeks or that people say it does not quite suit your face. That’s just their opinion because they just can’t do it.

Tip#5 – Strike a pose with every movement.

You just never know when the paparazzi will be on the prowl. Make sure they always get your good side. No panties are a must, because crotch shots are the best….Settle for tights as a last resort.

That’s it…

Follow these tips and trust me. Everyone will think you are a celebrity.