(Smar)Tripping Up

When SmarTrip came out and then began expanding, I didn't pay much attention to it. I kept not paying much attention it even when I moved out of metro-less Georgetown. And I still don't have one! Which has been due to a) laziness b) using bus/metro to get rid of my coins and c) my desire and decision, as of spring, to find a new city. But now unless I move before January, WMATA, I think you have got me! They are eliminating paper transfers, which would pretty much make taking the bus twice as expensive since I use them round trip. According to the press release, "Only passengers who pay with SmarTrip will continue to be able to transfer from one bus to another for free and transfer from Metrorail to bus for the discounted 35¢ fare."

It also sort of makes me feel like a jerk because of this bit:

Eliminating paper transfers will save Metro about $350,000 a year for the cost of paper and printing, plus expenses associated with the repair and maintenance of the old transfer machines in stations. It also is expected to minimize fraud and abuse of paper transfers by individuals who sell or give away their transfers to other riders, and reduce assaults on bus operators by riders who have disputes with operators about transfers.

To my credit, I've reused a lot of these slips in crafts (woven lightswitch covers--maybe I should tell DCist?), but having a SmarTrip card is really just logical at this point.

Airplane

On my flight from San Francisco to Denver, I was seated next to an airplane captain. This had never happened to me before, and I dunno how common of an occurrence it is. Anyway, he started talking to me, and I kept asking questions/quizzing him. He has over 35 years of experience (in addition to getting an MBA at some point). He also had just gotten back from a 12-hour flight from Hong Kong. Apparently they make it through these flights by using reserve pilots who come in after the four- and six-hour mark. He also extolled the virtues of water as a means of staying awake and feeling alright for so long.

The other story he offered, unsolicited, was about September 11. On that day he was flying from Paris to somewhere in the States, but they were forced to land in Halifax. Apparently they then sat on the runway for 12 hours, him all the while explaining what happened. Twwwelve houurrsss. Also, he said when he worked for United he used to fly the route of one of the planes and was sure he had piloted the same plane that crashed.

Onwards and upwards

So, my stomach and body in general are getting better; the salmonella is gone, and my cold's almost there! Woooo. Also, I bought tickets for my cousin's wedding in Portland in August, and now I need to book the train leg of the trip down to San Francisco. (Yes, that's approximately 18 hours on Amtrak.) It's remarkable how much the act of purchasing tickets makes things that much better.

Speaking of trips, I was in New York, and it was fun! My attitude about the city has progressed from a feeling of being totally overwhelmed to a desire to explore it all.

One thing I found: a preserved shark ("The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living"), the sale of which apparently made Damien Hirst the the world's second most expensive living artist after Jasper Johns. (He went on to claim 1st place by making a platinum cast of a human skull that is covered in 8,601 flawless - and, worth mentioning, "ethically sourced" - diamonds. It is aptly titled "For the Love of God" and made the rounds on BoingBoing, etc., last year) Qualifiers: I'm not really a fan of works like Marcel Duchamp's pissoir, this work isn't my favorite stuff either, and that many diamonds is ridiculous. But I have a strange appreciation for this shark, because I actually felt something when I saw it (unlike the pissoir). And I liked the title. At any rate, it does a lot more for me than most bowl o' fruit still lifes.

More photos on Flickr.