Yesteryear

This past week marked the completion of the first Transcontinental Rail Road.
It also marked my third train ride. I don't mean the tiny things malls have at Christmas or the things at children museums or zoos. I have never been on one of those, much to the chagrin of my inner child, and I'm sure it has something to do with my adult personality disorders. A Real honest to goodness trains. Not the elevated, subway, or suburban lines. Although I have been on those, much to the chagrin of my *OCD germaphobia. Okay so they aren't coal burning anymore and none of the women I've seen wear hats and gloves, but it really is a different type of travel. Sure its not a fast as a plane, but it is more spacious. You are more likely not to have to sit next to some fat breathing-smelling like bandaids-let me tell you about myself-I'm so fascinating and even if you do it's not as though your crammed on top of one another. Although you still don't want to sit next to that person. There are other cars you can go to if one is too "crowded". There are actual other cars for food, real food. I had the Rib eye, potatoes, veggies salad and wine for dinner; the pancakes, hash browns & ham for breakfast and thought about the grilled tuna for lunch. If your lucky there are observation cars, and movies. There are station stops, extremely nice conductors (who, if you have a sleeping room, actually make your bed at night and in the morning). When I went to New York (an 18hr. ride) I arrived fresh and when I got back there was no need for the additional day off to recover from vacation. There were also some amazing scenic views. One of the more impressive was seeing Westpoint from the Hudson side. From that side you are forced to realize it is a military post not just a school.
So I'm in love with trains at this point. I see no reason to fly again, except if I want to leave the continent. I have no vacation time anyway (since I just started this job) and no money (see previous parenthesis). And NOW that I discover this new way of travel, that has been around since before high-ways and air-ways, now Amtrak is threatening to go away because of underfunding.

*not that I'm a freak. Well not that THAT makes me a freak. Seriously, haven't we all become a little OCD and germaphobic.


If you want to see a slam fest watch Hockey, staged wrestling, boxing, and perhaps rugby

I love the violence of hockey and so was saddened this year with the strike. (Strike, what strike?). Yes, there is amazing skill involved. Dress me up like a linebacker and expect me to skate at all, let alone fast and backwards. That is talent! But I think hockey is the only game designed for fights. No, not even football (either European or American). After all they don't have a penalty box nor do they define "legal" and "nonlegal" checking. Football, you tackle, you run, you pile, you grab the face mask? Grabbing for the face mask is just a wuss play of desperation in my opinion. Why is it that every sport now strives to be hockey? Why can't they be happy with the roles they have. And what ever happened to Sportsmanship? Part of the drama and raised tempers sprout from arguing calls. Even if...even WHEN they knew they were in the wrong they are willing to fight to the death. Sportsmanship use to be a standard. These days it seems most fans are not happy with a game unless there is drama above and beyond game. We'll even create our own drama if we have to the fans attack the players, the players attack the fans, the referees get it from everyone. Even Tennis, which use to be a gentleman's sport, changed when players began behaving like John McEnroe. That is until last week when Tennis made me happy. When Andy Roddick lost last week at the Rome Masters. What Andy did was (unfortunately) extraordinary, unusual, and ethical behavior. Frank Deford really expressed it best.

And perhaps now players will discover this new way of playing, that has been around since...before everything got so out of hand.