Wow. It's fall. It's taken some time to sink in that my favorite season has started. It has crept up on us in Austin...well, that's not quite the truth. It rather forced its way in. September 21st, the last day of summer, was 95 degrees, and September 22nd, the autumnal equinox, was a lovely 69 degrees! I love fall -- the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, as John Keats so aptly wrote. We don't go too much by way of mists here in Austin, but I know exactly what the man meant when he wrote that poem. There is something so...so...mellow and comforting and warm about fall. The rich colors associated with fall help that feel of mellowness. Sadly, we don't get much by way of foliage changes here. At times like these I wish I lived in Colorado, where I could see the aspen brilliantly change their colors. Here, there are a few random trees that do change color -- but very few. But I'm content to imagine the changes, and savor the crisp bite in the cool morning air. It's been getting cooler every passing day, a blessing after the ferocious summer. I love the cold. It's so much easier to cope with cold than heat -- you can always bundle up when it's cold, but you can't strip beyond a certain level of decency when it's too hot!
Fall also means fall fashion! I have to admit, the speed with which I've taken to following fashion trends has taken me by surprise. I can't wait to start dressing in turtlenecks and skirts and tights and boots and scarves...and all the goodness that comes with fall fashion. I was getting sick of wearing shorts. Besides, the colors of fall fashion are much richer, especially this season, with teal, berry, deep orange, rich chocolate brown and black. Lovely.
Fall also means Halloween! I've forever wanted to go dressed as Yuki Cross from Vampire Knights (the manga) for Halloween, for the Cross School's day uniform for girls is absolutely cuteness. But I think, at 25, I'm a little too old to dress up as Yuki Cross. Maybe a good old witch, then. I've never dressed up for Halloween before -- maybe this time will be a first!
I should visit the Bull Creek park sometime. It's been a while since I last went there, and I'm sure it would be beautiful in fall, especially since it's been raining a lot lately. The creek had dried up completely in summer, hopefully it's filled up now. I love that place. I wish I could live on Bull Creek, but I'm sure houses along the creek are extremely expensive!
It's fall! I can now sit in the patio and read books in the cool evening air. In fact, that is precisely what I'm going to do now (I'm reading The Da Vinci Code), so till later!
Showing posts with label austin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label austin. Show all posts
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Bull Creek Park
I went to Bull Creek District Park the other day. It's a little park in Austin, one of the few (the only?) park with an off-leash dog policy. And that means there are a lot of dogs there. And I mean a LOT. The big ones make me uneasy, because I'm barely taller than some of the bigger dogs myself; but they've all been fairly gentle so far. I went there on a rainy Thursday, and found myself thoroughly enchanted by the view.Bull Creek is an environmentally protected watershed in the hills of Austin. It's about 5 minutes away from my place, and an easy drive. To get there, you have to drive down Loop 360, which, pretty though it is, is after all a major highway. Off of Loop 360, you turn off on Lakewood Drive, and then drive down to the park. It was this little drive that pleased me -- it was a narrow road, with trees crowding both sides of the road. It looked like I was driving through a random forest, not Austin. I would've looked around more except that there were some cars driving down the opposite side, and I didn't want my little Mazda to crash into them.
Once I reached the park, I was enchanted. Bull Creek ran down the edge of the park in a sort of arc. Part of the creek actually ran over Lakewood Drive, though I decided the creek must've swollen because of the rain. The creek ran over some rocks, and was very shallow until it reached a rocky ledge and formed a tiny waterfall of sorts, with the water pouring into a little rock pool. This pool was a little deeper, and a few dogs kept jumping in to play and swim. The pool reached back into dark, mysterious recesses, and water lapped gently against the edge of the bluff that the pool was against.
I walked on further. The creek deepened slightly as I walked further away from the rock pool, until it came to some sort of trail (which I later read on Google was part of the Bull Creek trail). Here, under the overhang of some trees, I found a ledge-like rock, just begging me to sit on it. I curled up on the rock, and read the manga I'd been gifted earlier that day, and then drew the creek in front of me. It was beautiful there. The forest stretched behind me and to my left. On my right, a couple of dogs played fetch with their owners in the water. In front of me, on the other side of the creek, the hills rose sharply, and all I could see of the million-dollar mansions on top of the hills were their rounded rooftops. Against the red of the rooftops, the clouds glowed with a grey light. It was just beautiful.I hung out there for a little while, but had to return when it started raining. But I'll be back for sure!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Rain, rain, rain
Austin is so funny. It's hot and dry one day, raining and cold the next, and hot and dry the next day again! It's raining right now. It's been raining since yesterday, and Austin is now really starting to resemble Dunedin or Bombay more than the capital of Texas. However, I'm not complaining. People think I'm weird when I say this, but I love rains. I love it when it's dark and cloudy and windy, with a hint of rain in the air. I don't mind it so much when it actually starts to rain; but I prefer it in that 'twilight phase', as I call it, just before the rain. I dislike what people consider nice days -- hot and sunny and bright. I think I might've been a bat or something in a former life! I don't particularly love the dark, but I don't like bright sunlight either. Gentle sunlight filtering in through dark clouds is my type of day.
It's still raining. I can hear the pitter-patter of rain drops on the roof, the sound filtering down through the chimney. I almost expect to see water in my fireplace, but that hasn't happened. There's a large tree with red berries right outside my balcony that my coworker, Matt, said was an 'invasive plant'. It's now swaying slightly in the breeze, and perhaps under the weight of water. Large, luminous teardrops of water have formed on its leaves and some of the berries, which look like pearls, they glisten so. I can also see rainwater pattering down onto my blacony wall, from where it is dripping down in a steady rhythm onto the floor of the balcony. My patio chair and table are soaked, and I can see droplets of water gathered at the cross-beams of the table and chair. Outside, the roads are wet, and shimmering as they reflect the streetlights. The sun isn't up yet, or even if it was, I doubt it would be visible through the thick blanket of clouds. Water is running down the window of my study, trickling down and pooling at the base, before dropping off the sill. Outside, through the distorted view produced by refraction of light through the water droplets, I can see the gray skies with some luminosity, as if the sun were struggling to get through but failing. The green grass outside is weighed down with water, as are the fresh spring leaves of the trees outside. It's a scene worthy of a painting.
But I can't sit and admire it for long, as I have to get going for work. It's going to be tricky going to work again, as my tires tend to skid when I'm changing lanes while it's raining; but I'm sure I can make it. So I should get going, and take advantage of the fact that the rain has abated for a bit now, and driving the car should not be that hard. Adios!
It's still raining. I can hear the pitter-patter of rain drops on the roof, the sound filtering down through the chimney. I almost expect to see water in my fireplace, but that hasn't happened. There's a large tree with red berries right outside my balcony that my coworker, Matt, said was an 'invasive plant'. It's now swaying slightly in the breeze, and perhaps under the weight of water. Large, luminous teardrops of water have formed on its leaves and some of the berries, which look like pearls, they glisten so. I can also see rainwater pattering down onto my blacony wall, from where it is dripping down in a steady rhythm onto the floor of the balcony. My patio chair and table are soaked, and I can see droplets of water gathered at the cross-beams of the table and chair. Outside, the roads are wet, and shimmering as they reflect the streetlights. The sun isn't up yet, or even if it was, I doubt it would be visible through the thick blanket of clouds. Water is running down the window of my study, trickling down and pooling at the base, before dropping off the sill. Outside, through the distorted view produced by refraction of light through the water droplets, I can see the gray skies with some luminosity, as if the sun were struggling to get through but failing. The green grass outside is weighed down with water, as are the fresh spring leaves of the trees outside. It's a scene worthy of a painting.
But I can't sit and admire it for long, as I have to get going for work. It's going to be tricky going to work again, as my tires tend to skid when I'm changing lanes while it's raining; but I'm sure I can make it. So I should get going, and take advantage of the fact that the rain has abated for a bit now, and driving the car should not be that hard. Adios!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Harris Park Horror
To those who live near the North Campus area of UT, Harris Park needs no introduction. It's that green stretch of land between San Jacinto and Red River streets, that looks refreshing in the daylight and terrifying at night. Many a tale I've heard of murderers lurking in the undergrowth, waiting to slice through the throats of hapless passers-by. The leaves rustle at night, sounding downright creepy, more so than ever when you're returning home at 3am after a session of heavy-duty coding. Yes, Harris Park's an interesting place.
In the daylight, it's pretty innocuous. There are some swings and picnic tables there, and I've seen families there, having fun. It's usually inhabited in the mornings by joggers and people taking their dogs for walks. All-in-all, it looks like a very nice place in the morning. I've spent time with friends on those swings. Another reason I like the place is because it's a short-cut from my apartment to my department (hey, that rhymed!). Going down Dean Keeton takes a good ten minutes more than it would take to cut through Harris Park.
With this in mind, my friend Archana and I decided to take Harris Park when we were returning from a satisfying dinner at Thai Kitchen on 30th St. We looked at the park before entering it. It looked sinister, with large dark patches. There were a couple of lights shining bleakly, giving pale blobs of yellow light. Most of the park was shrouded in darkness. There was not a single soul there. A light wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves. Archana and I looked at each other.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Archana.
"Sure," I said, exuding bravado, though I was quaking inside. It looked creepy, and it didn't help matters any that we'd been discussing ghost stories on the way, with Archana telling me how she thought her apartment was haunted, and how she and her roommate heard random sounds at night that had given them the creeps. All this raced through my mind as we entered the park.
We walked through the lighted patch, my breath quickening. I gave a nervous laugh. "You wouldn't want to have a go on the swings, would you?" I asked Archana.
"NO!" Archana returned firmly. She probably thought I was eccentric enough to do that!
"No, of course not," I said, and we moved on ahead, till we reached the end of the lighted area. Then we stopped.
The part ahead was darker than black (borrowing the phrase from a favorite anime series of mine!), and looked like something out of a horror movie. Large trees barred our way, and made funny noises (wind whistling through the branches, but my overactive imagination thought otherwise). Strange shadows flitted across the area. It agonized me that the apartment was just across the "twilight zone" as I dubbed it, but it was too much for my limited stock of courage to try to make my way across the area.
"Er....." I asked. "Are we making our way across that?"
"No," said Archana, firmly. "I don't think so."
"It's a short cut," I told her. Just then, something seemed to move in the shadows, and it seemed to move at superhuman speed. I jumped, and grabbed Archana's arm in a vice-like grip, probably making her jump as well.
"What was that all about?" she asked.
"S-something moved," I told her fearfully. We took another step into the darkness, with me literally quaking. My breath was coming fast now -- I was close to hyperventilating.
"That's it," said Archana. "We're not going through there." She led me back to the lighted area.
As soon as we came out into the light, I let out a huge breath, my heart fluttering. For some reason, that had shook me up a lot more than usual! We started walking back toward the entrance to the park, when a shadowy figure ran by us. I jumped violently again, and the state of our minds wasn't eased by the fact that it was a large-ish black dog that had passed us.
"Meh," I said, not sure what to do or say any more.
"Let's get out of there," said Archana.
"I agree," I said, and we practically ran out of there.
"That black dog reminds me of something," I told her.
"Yeah, me too," she said.
"Shall I tell you what it reminds me of?"
"No!" said Archana sharply. "Not here. Let's get out first."
We were practically running when we reached the entrance. It was then that I noticed the leash around the dog's neck. I almost stopped.
"Hey, it's someone's pet," I said, almost stopping.
Archana pulled me along. "Sure, whatever," she said, and with a few more steps, we were out on the road. We stopped to catch our breaths. It was then that we looked inside, and saw a man walk over to the dog and pick up the leash. We stared.
"So it was a pet!" I said, vindicated.
Archana laughed. "We were so terrified!" she said.
I laughed too, feeling much braver now out on the road. "Wanna do that again?" I asked, with a devilish gleam in my eye.
"No, thanks!" said Archana. "Let's walk back along Dean Keeton."
"Okay," I said. "By the way, what did that dog remind you of?"
"The black dog from Omen," said Archana. "What did it remind you of?"
"The hound of Baskervilles," I said. "The black dog of death."
We looked at each other for a minute, and then shivered. "Let's just get out of here," said Archana.
So we did just that, and walked back home. All the way we discussed the incident, almost laughing at our cowardice. But it sure was spooky when we walked through that park!
In the daylight, it's pretty innocuous. There are some swings and picnic tables there, and I've seen families there, having fun. It's usually inhabited in the mornings by joggers and people taking their dogs for walks. All-in-all, it looks like a very nice place in the morning. I've spent time with friends on those swings. Another reason I like the place is because it's a short-cut from my apartment to my department (hey, that rhymed!). Going down Dean Keeton takes a good ten minutes more than it would take to cut through Harris Park.
With this in mind, my friend Archana and I decided to take Harris Park when we were returning from a satisfying dinner at Thai Kitchen on 30th St. We looked at the park before entering it. It looked sinister, with large dark patches. There were a couple of lights shining bleakly, giving pale blobs of yellow light. Most of the park was shrouded in darkness. There was not a single soul there. A light wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves. Archana and I looked at each other.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Archana.
"Sure," I said, exuding bravado, though I was quaking inside. It looked creepy, and it didn't help matters any that we'd been discussing ghost stories on the way, with Archana telling me how she thought her apartment was haunted, and how she and her roommate heard random sounds at night that had given them the creeps. All this raced through my mind as we entered the park.
We walked through the lighted patch, my breath quickening. I gave a nervous laugh. "You wouldn't want to have a go on the swings, would you?" I asked Archana.
"NO!" Archana returned firmly. She probably thought I was eccentric enough to do that!
"No, of course not," I said, and we moved on ahead, till we reached the end of the lighted area. Then we stopped.
The part ahead was darker than black (borrowing the phrase from a favorite anime series of mine!), and looked like something out of a horror movie. Large trees barred our way, and made funny noises (wind whistling through the branches, but my overactive imagination thought otherwise). Strange shadows flitted across the area. It agonized me that the apartment was just across the "twilight zone" as I dubbed it, but it was too much for my limited stock of courage to try to make my way across the area.
"Er....." I asked. "Are we making our way across that?"
"No," said Archana, firmly. "I don't think so."
"It's a short cut," I told her. Just then, something seemed to move in the shadows, and it seemed to move at superhuman speed. I jumped, and grabbed Archana's arm in a vice-like grip, probably making her jump as well.
"What was that all about?" she asked.
"S-something moved," I told her fearfully. We took another step into the darkness, with me literally quaking. My breath was coming fast now -- I was close to hyperventilating.
"That's it," said Archana. "We're not going through there." She led me back to the lighted area.
As soon as we came out into the light, I let out a huge breath, my heart fluttering. For some reason, that had shook me up a lot more than usual! We started walking back toward the entrance to the park, when a shadowy figure ran by us. I jumped violently again, and the state of our minds wasn't eased by the fact that it was a large-ish black dog that had passed us.
"Meh," I said, not sure what to do or say any more.
"Let's get out of there," said Archana.
"I agree," I said, and we practically ran out of there.
"That black dog reminds me of something," I told her.
"Yeah, me too," she said.
"Shall I tell you what it reminds me of?"
"No!" said Archana sharply. "Not here. Let's get out first."
We were practically running when we reached the entrance. It was then that I noticed the leash around the dog's neck. I almost stopped.
"Hey, it's someone's pet," I said, almost stopping.
Archana pulled me along. "Sure, whatever," she said, and with a few more steps, we were out on the road. We stopped to catch our breaths. It was then that we looked inside, and saw a man walk over to the dog and pick up the leash. We stared.
"So it was a pet!" I said, vindicated.
Archana laughed. "We were so terrified!" she said.
I laughed too, feeling much braver now out on the road. "Wanna do that again?" I asked, with a devilish gleam in my eye.
"No, thanks!" said Archana. "Let's walk back along Dean Keeton."
"Okay," I said. "By the way, what did that dog remind you of?"
"The black dog from Omen," said Archana. "What did it remind you of?"
"The hound of Baskervilles," I said. "The black dog of death."
We looked at each other for a minute, and then shivered. "Let's just get out of here," said Archana.
So we did just that, and walked back home. All the way we discussed the incident, almost laughing at our cowardice. But it sure was spooky when we walked through that park!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Back to school.....for the last time!
It's almost strange to know that this is the last time I'll be writing the words "back to school." Of course, if I do follow up on a whim on a PhD or an MBA (one of my two career choices), or if I do what my heart wants deep inside, and get a BFA/MFA in Drawing and Painting, then this ain't the last time I'm writing those words. But that remains to be seen, and for the foreseeable future, it's back to school for the last time.
I thought Spring 2008 was shaping up to be the most hectic semester for me, for I'd taken a CS grad course on a credit/no-credit basis, and that's a big no-no in grad school. It won't count toward the Program of Work I'll need to produce in May this year to graduate. But through a lucky string of incidents, this semester has suddenly become the lightest ever, with me having to take only two courses! Well, there's a third one -- CS 398T, Supervised Teaching -- but, as everyone knows, it's a register-and-you-get-the-credits course. For, ladies and gentlemen, meet the latest TA at UT -- moi!
Yes, I've been appointed as a Teaching Assistant this Spring. I'll be TAing the course CS 349, Contemporary Issues in Computer Science -- one of the coolest courses offered by the CS department this Spring, one that, had I not been TAing for it (and had it not been an undergrad course), I might have well registered for it. It deals with the legal issues, ethics and moralities related to computer science today. Enticing! I've always been very interested in all that. I sat for two of the classes, and they were both interesting enough to keep me captivated, in spite of being the last class at the end of a very long day! I even know some of the students -- some of them are members of the UT chapter of ACM, and hang out in Taylor basement most of the time. They're a brilliant bunch, these kids.
I'm also registered for CS 388L Intro to Math Logic (boring!) and CS 386S Network Protocol Security (security! Yay!) I love security, and don't even need to strain to understand what's being taught in class. IML, on the other hand, is one of those courses I'll probably end up straining through. Sigh! Thank goodness I have only two courses to concentrate on.
And, that's the round-up for the first week of school. Let's see how the rest of the semester progresses! With IML studies to keep up with, and assignments for the undergrads to be graded, it definitely ain't gonna be a walk in the clouds. It's going to be an interesting last semester all right!
I thought Spring 2008 was shaping up to be the most hectic semester for me, for I'd taken a CS grad course on a credit/no-credit basis, and that's a big no-no in grad school. It won't count toward the Program of Work I'll need to produce in May this year to graduate. But through a lucky string of incidents, this semester has suddenly become the lightest ever, with me having to take only two courses! Well, there's a third one -- CS 398T, Supervised Teaching -- but, as everyone knows, it's a register-and-you-get-the-credits course. For, ladies and gentlemen, meet the latest TA at UT -- moi!
Yes, I've been appointed as a Teaching Assistant this Spring. I'll be TAing the course CS 349, Contemporary Issues in Computer Science -- one of the coolest courses offered by the CS department this Spring, one that, had I not been TAing for it (and had it not been an undergrad course), I might have well registered for it. It deals with the legal issues, ethics and moralities related to computer science today. Enticing! I've always been very interested in all that. I sat for two of the classes, and they were both interesting enough to keep me captivated, in spite of being the last class at the end of a very long day! I even know some of the students -- some of them are members of the UT chapter of ACM, and hang out in Taylor basement most of the time. They're a brilliant bunch, these kids.
I'm also registered for CS 388L Intro to Math Logic (boring!) and CS 386S Network Protocol Security (security! Yay!) I love security, and don't even need to strain to understand what's being taught in class. IML, on the other hand, is one of those courses I'll probably end up straining through. Sigh! Thank goodness I have only two courses to concentrate on.
And, that's the round-up for the first week of school. Let's see how the rest of the semester progresses! With IML studies to keep up with, and assignments for the undergrads to be graded, it definitely ain't gonna be a walk in the clouds. It's going to be an interesting last semester all right!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
The Domain
Yesterday, my friends and I headed to The Domain near Braker and Burnet, on the Mopac frontage, to do some shopping.I'd heard about the Domain at Dell. It's a ritzy, exclusive shopping complex, with some good electronics stores -- I knew there were Apple and Sony stores there. There's also a Borders store there, which is what actually attracted me. It's my birthday tomorrow, and I wanted to do some birthday shopping there. So off headed me and two of my friends -- Sandhya (Sandy), my roommate, and Vaibhav, another friend (the guy in the photo alongside).
We caught the 3 to go up Burnet, and halt at Braker and Burnet. It was a pleasant day, so the trip felt rather nice. Even Burnet looked good for once -- I usually abhor the road, it looks horribly dry and dusty most of the time. As the bus hit US 183, pleasant memories of traveling to Dell every morning rushed back. I grew even more excited as we headed toward Braker. The bus turns at Braker, and goes along it. We got off opposite the UT TACC.
From there, it's a long walk to the Domain -- almost a mile, I'd say. It's a narrow, winding road, and gives hell to the pedestrians. Luckily, we were too enthused and in good spirits to count the close shaves we had narrowly avoiding being run down by passing cars. Prickly bushes scratched my bare ankles, and I fought the urge to let out growls of frustration.
Finally, we hit The Domain. The first store I saw was Borders, and I headed in as if pulled by a magnet. It was a large, two-story store, and I looked around in awe. In hindsight, it was probably smaller than the Barnes and Noble at Arboretum, but it certainly seemed huge!! I rushed over to the manga section, and grabbed Cantarella vol 5 and 6. It's one of my favorite mangas, and I'd searched everywhere for volumes after 3, and this was the first place I found it -- save Amazon, of course.
Sandy, Vaibhav and I went upstairs to the Seattle's Best cafe upstairs, and had a leisurely coffee milkshake. It was a nice place to hang about, even if we found a seat only after 15 minutes of glaring at people who occupied tables. We were in Borders for almost two hours, and left at about 6:30, deciding to see the rest of the Domain.
It's a pretty place. There is a long, tree-lined avenue, and flanking both sides of the road are stores. They are individual stores, not a huge mall -- I love stores like that. I hate malls. There were lost of stores -- Neiman Marcus, Apple, Sony, Puma, Macy's......the pricey types, the type of places you go to after you've started earning, not while you're a penniless grad student without any assistantships. I finally entered the Macy's store to get "something nice" for my birthday. I guess my usual dressing style isn't very "nice". I did get a very pretty blue shirt, gifted to me by my two friends. I'll wear that to the party tonight.
There was live music being performed in front of the little waterfall in the park sort of thing in front of the Sony store. It was a jazz band, and the three of us listened to the music for a while. It was beautiful, and we appreciated it.
We were in the Domain till almost 11. We left at 10:45 pm, caught a 11:04 bus back, and then went to Austin's Pizza on Guadalupe at almost midnight. We got back home at almost midnight.
It was a fantastic day, though....enjoyable all the more because I was with friends. And now I've struck another name off my list of things to see in Austin!
Monday, July 30, 2007
People on the bus
The people on the bus are such a motley bunch, that I had to write about them. They get up on the various stops along the way, but the majority of them board the bus at the North Lamar Transit Center when I'm going to office. They seem to be from all walks of life, all types of people. Young, old, happy, angry, or simply indifferent -- they make for interesting viewing. I usually go through The Daily Texan on the bus, but I put it aside and watch the people sidealong.
There's a guy called Billy who boards at the NLTC. He's probably in his fifties; maybe even sixties. Gnarled and with a weather-beaten face and wispy white hair through which his scalp pokes through, he is the chattiest one on the bus, the one who typically sidles along to the driver (today it was a guy called Bart), knows them all by name, and talks endlessly (I don't know what he says, though.....the iPod is going full-strength in my ears when I'm on the bus). I once met him while returning from the office, and since we were the only ones at the stop, we struck up a conversation, and that's how I came to know his name, and the fact that he has a 21-year-old son, and how he pooled his entire pay for the week to buy a $100 mountain bike from Wal-Mart of which he's inordinately proud.
Then there's this hippie-type guy who boards at US 183 and Burnet. He has long dark hair, which streams out open behind him. A cap is usually worn backward, and he usually wears dark t-shirts with the word 'Texas' written on it, with ferocious-looking flames surrounding it. Interesting chap.
Then there's this big, big guy who boards at NLTC. He glowers at everyone as he gets in, forehead seemingly forever puckered in a frown. His bald head shines in the overhead lights in the bus, and his loose Spurs jersey flutters slightly in the wind. His every footstep seems to make the bus shake from side to side. He usually goes right to the back of the bus, thankfully. I don't think I could stand that piercing glare for ten minutes, especially coming from a real-life Grawp (those who've read Harry Potter know what I mean).
Then, there's a little old lady who gets up somewhere near Metric and Braker (this is on the 392). She's tiny, with short dark hair going gray. She peers over her glasses at the driver as she swipes her Cap Metro card through the reader. She usually gets off on Shropshire Blvd, and an almost identical lady boards the bus at the next stop!
There's a good-looking guy who boards at the NLTC. He looks a little like Eric Bana, the actor, and always has some kind of book or the other clutched in his hand. He usually buries his nose in the book the moment he gets a seat.
There are so many people on the bus! It's almost impossible to describe them all.....but these are some of the regulars!
There's a guy called Billy who boards at the NLTC. He's probably in his fifties; maybe even sixties. Gnarled and with a weather-beaten face and wispy white hair through which his scalp pokes through, he is the chattiest one on the bus, the one who typically sidles along to the driver (today it was a guy called Bart), knows them all by name, and talks endlessly (I don't know what he says, though.....the iPod is going full-strength in my ears when I'm on the bus). I once met him while returning from the office, and since we were the only ones at the stop, we struck up a conversation, and that's how I came to know his name, and the fact that he has a 21-year-old son, and how he pooled his entire pay for the week to buy a $100 mountain bike from Wal-Mart of which he's inordinately proud.
Then there's this hippie-type guy who boards at US 183 and Burnet. He has long dark hair, which streams out open behind him. A cap is usually worn backward, and he usually wears dark t-shirts with the word 'Texas' written on it, with ferocious-looking flames surrounding it. Interesting chap.
Then there's this big, big guy who boards at NLTC. He glowers at everyone as he gets in, forehead seemingly forever puckered in a frown. His bald head shines in the overhead lights in the bus, and his loose Spurs jersey flutters slightly in the wind. His every footstep seems to make the bus shake from side to side. He usually goes right to the back of the bus, thankfully. I don't think I could stand that piercing glare for ten minutes, especially coming from a real-life Grawp (those who've read Harry Potter know what I mean).
Then, there's a little old lady who gets up somewhere near Metric and Braker (this is on the 392). She's tiny, with short dark hair going gray. She peers over her glasses at the driver as she swipes her Cap Metro card through the reader. She usually gets off on Shropshire Blvd, and an almost identical lady boards the bus at the next stop!
There's a good-looking guy who boards at the NLTC. He looks a little like Eric Bana, the actor, and always has some kind of book or the other clutched in his hand. He usually buries his nose in the book the moment he gets a seat.
There are so many people on the bus! It's almost impossible to describe them all.....but these are some of the regulars!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Altercation on the bus
And I thought all the excitement in the day was over.
This happened when I was returning from work. I was traveling in the 392, rather tired out from having to rise at 5:30 every morning for the past week (!). The bus went down Braker, driven by a tiny woman, shorter than even me, I should think. At Braker and Lamar, a scruffy man got onto the bus. I looked at him curiously, and then wrinkled my nose -- I bet he hadn't seen the inside of a bath, or something like it, in at least ten years. He stank!! I looked out of the window indifferently. I think he said something, but I had Linkin Park going on full steam in my ears, and didn't notice.
I first noticed how loud he was getting a couple of stops down the line. He seemed to be rather upset with the driver, and even I had to acknowledge that something was up. Anyone who can penetrate LP's music has serious lung power. Stinker was getting all worked up about something, and seemed to be letting it out on the driver. She seemed to be getting rather annoyed, and said something, which set Stinker off. "I asked a damn question!" he yelled, loud enough for me to hear. I couldn't ignore it any more, and looked cautiously at the pair. Stinker was sitting nearby, and I contemplated moving away, when he suddenly lost it. "I f***ing asked you a question!" he told the driver. Bad move, Stinker. Swearing on a Capital Metro bus is an offense, and a driver has full right to throw you out of the bus if you do so. That's precisely what the little woman did. The bus screeched to a halt (with no stop in sight), almost throwing me and the other guy on the bus to the floor. Stinker seemed well prepared for it, though.
"Get off," said the driver, rather evenly, I thought. My voice would have been quavering in such a situation, either through fright or rage.
"What?" said Stinker, obviously bewildered.
"Get off this bus, now," commanded the driver. I don't care how little she was, she was scary.
Stinker rose to his full height -- which was a rather intimidating 6 feet and some inches -- and refused to do so. "I asked you a damn question!" he repeated, like a broken record.
The driver reached for something -- a radio panel, I suppose, to ask for help, and Stinker finally for the idea. He got off the bus, muttering to himself (this I couldn't hear -- Chester's vocals drowned it out) and suddenly went ballistic. He hammered on the closing door, yelling, "F*** you!! I just asked a f***ing question!!" Now that, I must admit, scared me a bit. He looked mad enough to produce a knife or gun out of his (filthy) pocket, and start waving it around. Luckily, the bus moved off. I sat stiffly for the next ten minutes, relaxing only when Braker and Burnet came by.
Never a lack of entertainment on the buses of Austin!
This happened when I was returning from work. I was traveling in the 392, rather tired out from having to rise at 5:30 every morning for the past week (!). The bus went down Braker, driven by a tiny woman, shorter than even me, I should think. At Braker and Lamar, a scruffy man got onto the bus. I looked at him curiously, and then wrinkled my nose -- I bet he hadn't seen the inside of a bath, or something like it, in at least ten years. He stank!! I looked out of the window indifferently. I think he said something, but I had Linkin Park going on full steam in my ears, and didn't notice.
I first noticed how loud he was getting a couple of stops down the line. He seemed to be rather upset with the driver, and even I had to acknowledge that something was up. Anyone who can penetrate LP's music has serious lung power. Stinker was getting all worked up about something, and seemed to be letting it out on the driver. She seemed to be getting rather annoyed, and said something, which set Stinker off. "I asked a damn question!" he yelled, loud enough for me to hear. I couldn't ignore it any more, and looked cautiously at the pair. Stinker was sitting nearby, and I contemplated moving away, when he suddenly lost it. "I f***ing asked you a question!" he told the driver. Bad move, Stinker. Swearing on a Capital Metro bus is an offense, and a driver has full right to throw you out of the bus if you do so. That's precisely what the little woman did. The bus screeched to a halt (with no stop in sight), almost throwing me and the other guy on the bus to the floor. Stinker seemed well prepared for it, though.
"Get off," said the driver, rather evenly, I thought. My voice would have been quavering in such a situation, either through fright or rage.
"What?" said Stinker, obviously bewildered.
"Get off this bus, now," commanded the driver. I don't care how little she was, she was scary.
Stinker rose to his full height -- which was a rather intimidating 6 feet and some inches -- and refused to do so. "I asked you a damn question!" he repeated, like a broken record.
The driver reached for something -- a radio panel, I suppose, to ask for help, and Stinker finally for the idea. He got off the bus, muttering to himself (this I couldn't hear -- Chester's vocals drowned it out) and suddenly went ballistic. He hammered on the closing door, yelling, "F*** you!! I just asked a f***ing question!!" Now that, I must admit, scared me a bit. He looked mad enough to produce a knife or gun out of his (filthy) pocket, and start waving it around. Luckily, the bus moved off. I sat stiffly for the next ten minutes, relaxing only when Braker and Burnet came by.
Never a lack of entertainment on the buses of Austin!
Riding the bus to work
This is one I've been meaning to write about for quite some time...the unique experience of riding the bus to work. To begin with, I think I'm the only Dell employee that takes the bus to work, at least to the South Parmer campus (which is where I work). I live all the way in downtown Austin, so the journey is more of a voyage! It all starts with waiting for the bus at the little bus stop at the UT Law Library, the stop closest to my house. The Wait is an experience in itself. I can see all manner of interesting things while I'm waiting for the bus -- students rushing for classes (the ones who take summer classes, that is); cars whizzing by at top speed down the street; people scurrying to work; the occasional EMS truck howling down the quiet street; and, my personal favorite, little squirrels playing hide-and-seek with each other on the trees.
Today, for instance, I saw a family of squirrels, squabbling with each other for a piece of something that didn't even look edible to me! They are funny animals. After some time, they gradually started disappearing, and I wondered why. Finally, when the song on my iPod stopped, I realized the reason -- it had started raining! Chester Bennington screaming in your ear to Shut up when I'm talking to you! tends to drown out the pitter-patter of rain. By the time the last bushy tail disappeared into the undergrowth, the 174 came trundling around the corner, and I waved about an arm to flag it down.
Flagging the bus is quite an experience. You have to hop onto the road, wave your arms around like you're part of a dance troupe, all the while nimbly keeping out of the way of other vehicles. When you see the bus' brake lights flash, you hop back equally nimbly to the pavement before the gigantic vehicle can run you over. Quite a bit of activity! (Note to fitness freaks: catching the bus is good workout activity)
Finally, I got into the bus, nodded my usual good morning to the driver. I have no idea whether he said anything.....Chester Bennington was back to his usual activity -- screaming in my ears, this time to tell me that he wouldn't be ignored. Fine, Chester. With you screaming like that, there's no way I can really ignore you -- unless I'm coding or drawing. All the same, I like Linkin Park a lot. At least Chester screams tunefully.
Then began the ride through the I-35. Normally I like it a lot, because the bus moves without any hindrances; but today, the driver decided to take all the feeder roads instead of taking the highway, so we stopped and started more times than I can count. I had given up all hopes of reaching my stop on time, but the driver maneuvered beautifully through the traffic, getting the bus to the North Lamar Transit Center at 7:00 am -- right on time. Anyone who can handle the beast that the bus is so well has my respect.
NLTC is where the seething mass of humanity enters the bus. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. Not seething, maybe. But mass of humanity, certainly. The near-empty bus goes to near-full in a matter of minutes. Today was no different, but my interest was piqued by the Seeing-Eye dog that settled down near me. He was pushed under the seat, and lay there, looking out at me, and whoever else passed in the vicinity with soulful eyes. The bus, meanwhile, continued on the US 183, finally hitting Burnet. It continued down Burnet, all the way to Braker, which is where I get off. Braker and Burnet. Sounds almost like a law firm or something, but for me, it's time to change buses.
I got off with alacrity, for the next bus, the 392 that takes me to East Parmer, was just 6 minutes away. I walked up to the crossroads, and waited for the pedestrian signal to turn green. Next to me, a boy came to a screeching halt on his bicycle, dressed all in black like a goth follower, and smoking a cigarette. This intrigued me -- he managed to keep his balance on the rickety old bike, while smoking, and looking cool (or trying to), all at the same time.
The bus stop for the 392 is a little distance away -- a half-mile, perhaps? Not a lot, but a goodish walk. I kept glancing over my shoulder to ensure that the bus wasn't on the way. When I finally reached the stop, the bus still hadn't arrived, so I was glad -- I got some time to take a breather.
The 392 arrives at Braker and Burnet at 7:18 am, and today was no different. It was right on time, and the driver, a man I've come to know quite well by now, smiled a good morning, dreadlocks swinging. He knows by now it's no use actually talking to me -- I just yank the headphones out of my ear, and go "huh?" like a dimwit. I took my usual place, and watched the streets go by.
The 392 takes a long, circuitous route to East Parmer. It goes all the way down Braker, crossing the streets of Kramer, Lamar, Parkfield, Metric, and then the I-35. It finally turns down Dessau Road (I've often found myself wondering about the origins of the quaint names), then Shropshire Blvd, then Thompkins Drive, then Yager Lane, and finally down Tech Ridge Blvd, where I finally get off.
I did so today. The ride, in itself, was rather boring today. It is often livened up by strange people entering the bus, but today's passengers were all the same, including the freaky guy with hair longer than mine, dressed all in black with black nail polish on his stubby nails, and John Lennon glasses. It didn't even rain on the way, and I reached office safe and sound -- and dry! And that summed up a typical day's ride in the bus to the office.
Today, for instance, I saw a family of squirrels, squabbling with each other for a piece of something that didn't even look edible to me! They are funny animals. After some time, they gradually started disappearing, and I wondered why. Finally, when the song on my iPod stopped, I realized the reason -- it had started raining! Chester Bennington screaming in your ear to Shut up when I'm talking to you! tends to drown out the pitter-patter of rain. By the time the last bushy tail disappeared into the undergrowth, the 174 came trundling around the corner, and I waved about an arm to flag it down.
Flagging the bus is quite an experience. You have to hop onto the road, wave your arms around like you're part of a dance troupe, all the while nimbly keeping out of the way of other vehicles. When you see the bus' brake lights flash, you hop back equally nimbly to the pavement before the gigantic vehicle can run you over. Quite a bit of activity! (Note to fitness freaks: catching the bus is good workout activity)
Finally, I got into the bus, nodded my usual good morning to the driver. I have no idea whether he said anything.....Chester Bennington was back to his usual activity -- screaming in my ears, this time to tell me that he wouldn't be ignored. Fine, Chester. With you screaming like that, there's no way I can really ignore you -- unless I'm coding or drawing. All the same, I like Linkin Park a lot. At least Chester screams tunefully.
Then began the ride through the I-35. Normally I like it a lot, because the bus moves without any hindrances; but today, the driver decided to take all the feeder roads instead of taking the highway, so we stopped and started more times than I can count. I had given up all hopes of reaching my stop on time, but the driver maneuvered beautifully through the traffic, getting the bus to the North Lamar Transit Center at 7:00 am -- right on time. Anyone who can handle the beast that the bus is so well has my respect.
NLTC is where the seething mass of humanity enters the bus. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. Not seething, maybe. But mass of humanity, certainly. The near-empty bus goes to near-full in a matter of minutes. Today was no different, but my interest was piqued by the Seeing-Eye dog that settled down near me. He was pushed under the seat, and lay there, looking out at me, and whoever else passed in the vicinity with soulful eyes. The bus, meanwhile, continued on the US 183, finally hitting Burnet. It continued down Burnet, all the way to Braker, which is where I get off. Braker and Burnet. Sounds almost like a law firm or something, but for me, it's time to change buses.
I got off with alacrity, for the next bus, the 392 that takes me to East Parmer, was just 6 minutes away. I walked up to the crossroads, and waited for the pedestrian signal to turn green. Next to me, a boy came to a screeching halt on his bicycle, dressed all in black like a goth follower, and smoking a cigarette. This intrigued me -- he managed to keep his balance on the rickety old bike, while smoking, and looking cool (or trying to), all at the same time.
The bus stop for the 392 is a little distance away -- a half-mile, perhaps? Not a lot, but a goodish walk. I kept glancing over my shoulder to ensure that the bus wasn't on the way. When I finally reached the stop, the bus still hadn't arrived, so I was glad -- I got some time to take a breather.
The 392 arrives at Braker and Burnet at 7:18 am, and today was no different. It was right on time, and the driver, a man I've come to know quite well by now, smiled a good morning, dreadlocks swinging. He knows by now it's no use actually talking to me -- I just yank the headphones out of my ear, and go "huh?" like a dimwit. I took my usual place, and watched the streets go by.
The 392 takes a long, circuitous route to East Parmer. It goes all the way down Braker, crossing the streets of Kramer, Lamar, Parkfield, Metric, and then the I-35. It finally turns down Dessau Road (I've often found myself wondering about the origins of the quaint names), then Shropshire Blvd, then Thompkins Drive, then Yager Lane, and finally down Tech Ridge Blvd, where I finally get off.
I did so today. The ride, in itself, was rather boring today. It is often livened up by strange people entering the bus, but today's passengers were all the same, including the freaky guy with hair longer than mine, dressed all in black with black nail polish on his stubby nails, and John Lennon glasses. It didn't even rain on the way, and I reached office safe and sound -- and dry! And that summed up a typical day's ride in the bus to the office.
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