Random Thoughts/Observations For the 2nd Wednesday of 2025

 


Nothing earth shattering, although maybe some of the below will be though provoking...

  • Is it colder this January than previous years?  Is it just me?  I have waited for the bus in winter before, haven't I?  For the past two days (the first two days of the new year where I am required to be in the office) have been brutally cold (at least for NJ) and so windy.  (I'm so tired of the wind shaking the house all night long.  It's why I'm so tired.)  I've been taking an earlier bus just so that I have less distance to walk and less time to wait outside for the bus.  With that said...
  • The first "close" (meaning closer to my house) that comes after six in the morning (because I refuse to get on a bus before six in the morning...I mean I know I am an early bird, but even I have my limits...at least for now), has gotten earlier and earlier.  Yesterday I was grateful for that.  Today I wasn't because all of the sudden the bus that used to arrive at 6:14 (and did so just a minute before yesterday) showed up at 6:10.  Which meant I really had to hustle my butt out the door.  I've ridden this early bus before and it has never been quite so early.  I'm not really complaining (am I?), but I really need to keep my eye on that app if I want to catch this bus.  (Or at least this bus with this particular driver...I was really afraid he was going to miss me yesterday as right after my stop he has to swing 2 lanes over to the left to make a turn so if he doesn't see me, I'm SoL.)
  • The morning bus really flew today.  It's faster because there are less people at that hour and this week there seems to be fewer than usual.  (Could it have something to do with the temperature?  I know if I had an option not to go out, I wouldn't!)  Less people mean fewer stops, and hence a faster ride.  However, this morning, we pretty much hit every green light on the avenue.  Looking out the front of the bus (because there was minimal traffic at the hour) I could see a sea of green lights.  You NEVER see that.
  • With all that said, the ride home is another story.  I don't think there is a time in the afternoon (even early afternoon) where the bus isn't stop and go.  I usually book out and try to get the 4:04 or the 4:10.  For some reason the 4:04 can arrive at 4 (which is okay if I'm at the stop, but if I miss it...) and the 4:10 arrives between then and 4:20.  The afternoon buses are almost always packed with people, as is the afternoon light rail (which is why I still continue to wear a mask) and traffic is always pretty heavy.  While I left my house at 6:03 this morning (out the door in a rush because I didn't want to miss the bus), I was at Penn Station in Newark before 6:45 and at my desk by 6:48 (give or take.)  Getting home, I will leave my office at 3:45(ish) and will not arrive home until 5.  Unless I am extremely lucky.  I am very rarely extremely lucky on a Wednesday as that is usually the day that I arrive home from the office, do a few quick things and then head out to the Poconos.  Fingers crossed for some luck today!
  • There are 71 days till spring.  I am ready.  I am tired of snow.  We haven't had a lot of it, but we have it.  Accumulations have been minimal (both in NJ and the Poconos) for me, but I'm getting tired of the flakes.  And, as I noted above, I'm getting tired of the wind.  I'm not a cold weather person (sorry Cousin M).  I know by July I'll be bitching about the heat, but...
  • I tried a Dunkin (Donuts) hot lava cake latte today.  It was sweet (like me?), warm and delicious.  Dare I say that it might be the highlight of my day?  (I hope not because in that case I've already reached my day's peak and it's not even 8 as I write this.)
  • When I am in NJ, I miss my rowing machine which is in the Poconos (formerly at the NJ shore).  It's my new favorite workout (at least for the colder months when I don't want to be outside).  I can row in the family room and watch my new "obsession”, "The Good Fight" (a sort of sequel to "The Good Wife" which I am also watching.)  I know I am way late to the party on this one.  (I think my mother liked "The Good Wife".  I seem to recall her mentioning it in conversation.)  There is a Pluto channel  currently dedicated to both shows (although they don't show ALL of the episodes; Paramount + wants to entice you to pay for their services so that you can stream it all...so far I'm not lured in) and it makes the time go by and hopefully I'm doing something for my arms and abs.  (Will I ever have abs?)
  • I know we, as parents, cannot take credit for all of what my son has become (nor could we take all the blame for any "bad" he might do), but I do have to say (because I am a mom), that my kid (who is no longer a kid), continues to be my pride and joy.  (Even if he does irritate the heck out of me at times.)  During this winter break he has returned to his temporary sexton role at our church in NJ.  (Is it pathetic that I'm happy that they haven't found a replacement so that my kid can have a job.)  He's offered his services at another church this summer.  (Keep those fingers crossed.)  He's been making some very mature decisions and acting like an adult!  (Bfth, he IS an adult.)  Does any of this have to do with the fact that he desperately wanted me to get him an iPhone for Christmas?   (We are Android people.) We didn't, but...He did get one on Three Kings Day due to his 3-year-old phone slowly dying.  (Am I the only one who gets annoyed that mobiles don't last longer?  And how excited was I to go to the mall?  I don't think I had been in this particular one in a decade or maybe more!  What happened?!  OMG!  I AM so old!)  I paid what I consider a sh*t ton of money to get him one, but the joy he seems to be getting out of it brings me joy as well.  Now I'm just praying that he takes REALLY good care of it.  (That's one area where he needs some work.)

The sun is up in Newark now, which tells me it's time to stop here and dig into the day.  For my department this is "New Year's Eve" as we close out 2024 at the end of the day.  So wish me a Happy New Year!



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