This week, I’m thinking about commuting. No, this is not about RTO vs. WFH (if you know me, you’ve already heard my ranting about this) I spend many hours on the train each week and at some point decided to start keeping some subway notes.
Initially, I wanted it to be an overheard situation, but turns out I have a harder time hearing/listening than just noticing. Something to consider, I suppose. Here are some of the things I’ve noticed over the last few weeks.
I am nosy and read the screen of the woman sitting next to me. she has an appointment today for “NYC nuclear stress test” - I look away and try to forget I saw it.
I’m bad with dimensions but a young person with green tipped hair is carrying a flat portfolio as wide as three subway seats. It is as tall as their waist.
A woman on the train who looks like the real life main character from the Disney movie Brave. I cannot get over her hair or the fact that she may not actually have a single pore.
Moment of Rage Number 1: to be fair, this isn’t an observation beyond, my blood pressure is high - why oh why don’t I have service my entire ride? WTF is this SOS b.s.
A woman doing vocal exercises has never suffered from stage fright a day in her life, CLEARLY.
A man holding a large, unmarked box on his lap and all I can think of is this:
I keep noticing women in monochromatic outfits. two women, separately on different 6 trains — one in all cream, one in all brown, both looking Expensive. a woman on the F in all bright orange. This is not like my all-black-looks like-a-stage-hand situation.
I’m wearing a mulberry colored cardigan today, somewhat unusual in color, all black underneath for preproduction day. There is a woman wearing the same color sweater, but a turtleneck and well tailored pants and she looks like the stylistic “after” photo.
I hate taking photos of people on the train but this project is emboldening me and this woman was AMAZING. She was older and her hair was very very obviously dyed blonde. Love.
HI BARBIE!
Moment of rage No 2: man in MTA uniform manspreading across two seats
Late night on the F, an astounding number of young men in t-shirts and baseball caps are waiting to get on the platform. When we get on, there is a large group of young men in suits. I quietly make a joke about jocks vs. preps. There are four young women in the middle and inexplicably they are all dressed as goths. NYC is a simulation.
I keep seeing people with essentials/fear of god sweatshirts. Nothing more to add, they just seem to be everywhere.
Absolutely fascinated by people who work on their laptop. As a young person told to tuck their chain into the shirt so it didn’t get yanked, pulling out a laptop feels insane. This woman is organizing her desktop. It feels like a very low stakes reason to have your laptop out, although I, of course, understand the desperate need to organize a desktop
This week in reading. . .
I have spent all week trying to get into Wolf Hall and while I couldn’t this time around, I think it is something I will come back to and try again. My library queue and TBR pile was screaming so loudly at me as I struggled to really get into it that I have to admit defeat.
This week in Good Hang with Amy Poehler. . .
Well the time has come for me to confess something HUGE. I have never seen an episode of Law & Order or SVU or any of the letter shows. I will let that sink in for a moment before explaining while I appreciate and respect this week’s guest Mariska Hargitay as the icon that she is, overall, she is not part of my ministry. Mariska called Chris Meloni (who was on talking well about her) when he was on with Amy and then he had Amy listen in on his convo with Mariska and it was weirdly stressful. I suppose they would’ve cut it out if Mariska had said something bad, but I did NOT like it. Overall she was a very good sport and I felt like she was really into the levity of interview.
This week in TV. . .
Obviously watching the latest season of The Diplomat. It picks up exactly where it left off and honestly does not skip a beat. I am only two episodes in, but I am 100% along for this wild ride.
Sabrina Carpenter was genuinely funny on SNL and her Man Child performance was great.
This week in a gif. . .
This week in a newsletter. . .
Aisha Joshi on girl rooms.
Gender stereotypes in Halloween costumes are not new, but these comics by Mary Catherine Starr are fun.
Absolutely obsessed with the concept of knowledge hoarding via bookmarks. And yes, it has often sent me on a spiral, including this time.
This week in google searches. . .
wolves vs. coyotes
vintage rolex
bobby's world fish underwater
This week in one good thing. . .
I’ve had a really social week - a fun dinner out with neighbors, a beautifully hosted dinner party with beloved friends, an accidental run in with old friends - and while my social battery is running on E, I am feeling grateful.
This week in a quote. . .
“If anything makes time feel condensed, it’s being a parent. Witnessing your child grow is like ripping the pages off a one-a-day calendar with abandon, watching them fall faster than you can catch them.” - Katie Hawkins-Gaar
This week in artsy stuff and photo things. . .
I have to tell Zu that Mousey and fam are internet famous.
Love love these paintings by Sierra Montoya Barela.
This week in last week’s most popular link. . .
You all love Amy as much as I do because the most clicked link on pub day was the New Yorker piece, but by last night, this book review took the win: The title and cover art do this very fun book zero favors - really fun world building and magic. Con? It’s a duology and I hate waiting.
This week on the internet. . .
This on writing your own death notification.
I wept while reading this excerpt from Gaza: The Story of a Genocide.
Yes, I want to read about all the heists and then I want movies made based on all the heists.
This piece about season 2 of Nobody Wants This along with some background from season 1.
Irina Dumitrescu on picky eaters.
I’d never heard of culinary epitaphs. I love the concept and the opening lede was darkly funny.
me, to all my besties,
Leonor
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