ginger foutley couldn't have said it better: what's life without taking chances? (hence, she is our cover girl of the day! -- well, "as told by ginger" is one of my favorite cartoon shows... ;-) )

alrighty, i'm not supposed to really talk about anything due to my self-suppression of all things internet-related in the house for 2 weeks (see last post), but anyways i would love to share (and would itch if i didn't) my fateful january 9 experience...

1) arrival: my first solo train expedition
otherwise, monday would've been still a humdrum, boring day, were it not for the annual nazarene feast in quiapo... it was the root of all my worries since saturday because if you didn't know, there's bound to lots of devotees rushing in and i bet it will humongous traffic and bs whatnot. and boy, i hate traffic -- the agony of waiting, the smoke, the sweat and all the horrible effects! the problem is that i cross through the quezon (?!) bridge -- very unavoidable -- in my daily college commutes since the first day of classes, and holy f i'm going to be stripped off of that convenience for the day! i was tuned in to the tv for all the updates in that side of town, and they were saying (and showing) there's a lot of people already geared up for the festivities, and they're closing the bridge by 10! my class being scheduled on 11, and the usual time i set off from home is 10:15+, i'd better have to leave early!

and so i ate my brunch an hour short, frantically going around the house for anything i missed, finally getting out at 9:25... it was good that i was able to board a bus in a short while... but the horrendous came -- there's already traffic in our road! we're not even near the area! so for 40 impatient minutes (instead of the usual 10-15 min) i was stuck on the way to city hall. after that, i'm supposed to board a PUJ (the one that crosses the impenetrable bridge), but i've made up my mind: i'm gonna take the LRT.

my classmate-friend told me about this alternate route saturday, because i know of a station near city hall, and she says it connects to a station a mile near ust, so i can try riding one in case of traffic. still being a newbie about all these commuter trains -- i only rode the MRT twice in my life (mrt, lrt -- what's the difference?!?!), and they were both accompanied with mom... i was a little hesitant to embark on this seemingly scary journey... but (!) nevertheless (ha... my flair for being overdramatic ;p), i mustered my guts and went on the underpass to board a jeep to the station... when i went down, i raced up the stairs to the LRT station... and on the ticket booth, i said i was going to tayuman, but the guy said that's on station of the opposite end! i went to the other staircase, turns out they're just the same! you'd think i really was some lost soul (stupidus maximus)... so i crossed the street to the (finally!) right station. i went on the booth again, paid the 15 bucks, got the ticket. everything's going fine eh?? wait till you laugh at my ignorance! :p

getting a ticket card was one proud moment for me, but swiping it right? wait a second. i was in front of the "swipe-to-hole-machine" entry gates before you go and wait for the train to arrive, and i tried jamming my card in... once... twice... hmph. i was starting to make an a*hole of myself (i probably looked ridiculous to the guards -- didn't know their reaction, gladly there were only a couple of people around then), and so i backed down, waiting to see others swipe and enter. i observed my card -- oh! did i only know that my card was to be turned the other side, with the arrow in. (crap, being amnesiac and unobservant doesn't help in my past rides...) ahhh, freedom!!!

it was fascinating that the trains are prompt and fast... the feeling of a stress-less, traffic-less ride was comforting amidst of my OC-ness (obsessive-compulsiveness, more on that soon) to do things right. this is my first solo journey, remember? i might miss my stop, get stuck with the crowd and everything! after few seconds of waiting, the cable of trains came... there were so many people inside, and few people coming out... i went in and stood near the exit. oooh, air-conditioning! that was a welcome factor to my wracked nerves... i compulsively looked at my card -- 5 stops... 4 stops... at the 3rd stop i was already able to sit... 2... 1 more... this is it. my stop was correct.

as the doors open, i took a step out and swiped the card in the machine (which ate it, yes!). i looked both ways, and saw a commerce freshman! i MUST follow her - or else i'll go idiotic again! so being the natural stalker that i am, i walked near her, following the straight stretch until i saw the bank my classmate was talking about -- it has a semi-terminal of PUJs beside it that will me to the intersection of ust... whee! success! there was barely 15 minutes before 11, and i had my stop. (the jeep was load mostly of studes like moi)... walking, walking, and i got through.

pat myself on the back for this "wild" adventure!

2) departure: a stroke of lovely luck
after the differing trip to ust, i found out there wasn't much hullabaloo with my other classmates' arrivals (they said there was no traffic yet on the bridge -- WHAT?!) ... i tell you, every single classmate was present today, and all the profs present too... yuck! seems like nothing beat them. i was a little frustrated my trip wasn't worth the hassle and the extra fares, but still i was surprised i could do it. so i justify my actions.

what about going home?!? that was the other half of my problem. definitely the bridge will be blocked by the time, and the roads will be suffocated with people and cars (since the procession will cover it)... the PUJs will be diverting to another route, one i have NEVER tried. i thought of taking the LRT again, but it will be costly and takes a lot of walking. and i thought the diversion will take me to mendiola, the street near my high school (that will be easy by then)... so again, i'm risking for another less-traveled road (drama, drama!)

i went solo again, walking to the other side of school (espana), walking through the park. i was a little scared of the possibility of getting lost, and annoyed i might be in the middle of jam-packed traffic while at it. but anyways, i passed by the so-called "lover's lane" and thought that was such an apt description of the place -- there were a dozen couples in benches in the whole strip! i wallowed in self-pity for being unattached... reminder, i have no crush for almost 10 months! grrr!

and so i walked past through the arch, heading for the exit, when then someone was calling me. it was desiree!!! (Hi!) i was surprised at seeing her there, and anxious for all my troubles ahead, and told her i don't know exactly what i'm going to do to go home... the recto route was unclear to me... but she said that they were passing by the 7-11 near my SJ route home, and offered me a ride there. that's manna from heaven! just then her dad arrived and we got in the car. i was relieved i wouldn't have to think of all the hassle i was to encounter if not for the coincidence of meeting des! (ok, my face was probably expressionless that time, but i was immensely relieved. *sigh*) she showed me her iPod nano -- my eyes couldn't believe it was that small and wafer-thin! such a joy to behold! :) and before i knew it, i was already at 7-11! there was only 1 jeep ride to go, and i'm actually home after only 40 minutes -- 3:40, earlier than ever in my 3pm dismissals! thank you soooo much des! :)

this is one awesome day i'll never forget!

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