It was the bus of times (p365; 10.18.11)

Bus: It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. This year, along with the gizillon-page professional development plan (PDP) I have to submit to the associate dean, I decided to set some personal goals for the academic year (summer = all bets off). What inspired me is when I was about ready to submit my PDP, two of my colleagues were in the kitchen talking about their grown sons, lamenting that "the boys" kept clean dishes in the dishwasher, they were unsure when bedsheets were last laundered, clothes are the drying rack were there until worn, etc. Silently, I gasped: "They are describing me. I'm a bachelor." At that moment, I thought I can do better. Personal goal #1: Better homemaker. Then, I thought I should have an environmental goal (#2): Ride the bus to work (except for my five free parking days per month). With South Lake Union traffic, it is a shorter commute, esp if you count the time it took me to circle for parking. And, with my robot phone, I can see when the next bus will arrive. Ah, the bus. I love the idea of a people mover. But, I hate talking to strangers. Which is funny since I play online Scrabble with several people whom I've never met. In fact, I get a bit excited when I'm getting ready and I hear the push notifications of "my turn" (do I let anything else send me push? NO! Email and FB are not that important, clearly). Patiently, I wait until the ride to take my turn. Yet, it bugs me when next-seat-passengers lean over and watch me play (maybe I just have a one stranger-at-a-time interaction limit?). The only time I've really ever talked to a bus stranger is when the young woman next to me was reading one of my fav books, The Eyre Affair. I exclaimed my love, nearly inviting her to set up a permanent bus schedule/book club meeting with me (I stopped just before I was the crazy on the bus). Anyway, I'm doing pretty well on my goal(s). My house is a fair bit shinier, my brain sharper for the bus-Scrabble.

Strangers, Excpet Becka. Hi, Becka!