So, I was back to uni today. I have four essays due so I figured I’d get a lot of work done on the train. This reminds me of a story in the press not long ago. A politician claimed he had to travel first class because he couldn’t work in second. He managed to make it sound like he was putting himself in some better class than the other passengers by saying they weren’t ‘the same’ as him. Bad choice of words, clearly but a more than accurate sentiment. I can but dream of first class.
Firstly, the new trains do not lend themselves to giving enough room to work properly. I’ve mentioned before that they’re modelled on a very thin, very short German midget as opposed to a normal sized human being. This makes it difficult to type, one arm being wedged against the side of the carriage or one leg extended into the aisle – neither helpful.
Actually, having a Netbook helps a bit. The keyboard being 97% the size of a full sized machine means I can just rest my wrists on the base and my fingers can reach all the keys. I am still squeezed up against the wall of the carriage though. Not the most ergonomic of typing positions.
I guess one of the worst things is the annoying habits of other people. They plug in their earplugs, have their music (or whatever) WAY too loud then can’t hear themselves eating with their mouths open. This simply sends me totally insane. And jiggling legs. I like the way some ‘expert’ has given this a name, as if it legitimises it somehow. Restless Leg Syndrome. It’s a SYNDROME? No it’s not! It’s a HABIT! Personally, I just think it’s because they desperately want to annoy me. It’s times like this I’m glad I have a laptop so I can freely vent the vitriol which otherwise threatens to engulf me.
Do they not care about anyone else? Are they so egocentric they only have brains attuned to themselves? Whenever I listen to my iPod, I always check the amount of bleed from the earplugs because I don’t want to annoy anyone. Is this just me? I must admit, I also do it so I can still hear what’s going on around me. I live in fear of missing an emergency flood announcement because Frank Zappa is screeching in my head.
I know the train is so crowded that people want to surround themselves with their own little happy bubble of aloneness, but just a smidge of consideration for others would be nice. Just like the people in cars who think everyone wants to listen to the constant drivel they call music which might be ok except all you can hear is thwump, thwump, thwump. OK, I know it’s never going to happen but it’s nice to moan about it. After all, what else is a blog for?
It was clear I wasn’t going to get a lot of work done, so I wrote this entry instead. I hoped he’d read it as I typed but, sadly, he didn’t. I also hoped to catch a glimspe of his email address (he had his laptop opened in front of him) so I could send him a rude email but I couldn’t make it out.
And while I’m moaning about people without social skills…I’m also not keen on the people who have to yell into their phones. Surely there’s been enough comedy skits showing how ridiculous it is. Sometimes I feel like joining in the conversation, just for a laugh but fear they have little (or no) sense of humour. Actually, when I think about it, if they don’t get the comedy skits, they are not going to get anything. Probably a good idea NOT to join in, then.
Well, that managed to take me from Clapham Junction to Aldershot, and I felt a little bit better. Not that I managed much uni work, but it did deter me slightly from the slurping next to me.