First, some really exciting news!
At SOC Tuesday night, I found out what I will be doing next year. My official title will be "Intern-Education Department", first Education intern ever. My role will be fairly expansive. I will help train the Ambassadors (I am currently the senior Ambassador), I will help the Ambassadors with any problems they have, I will help them with their conversation project, I will be the liaison between the Ambassadors, the Mentors (the adult volunteers), and the staff, I will help assemble the PowerPoints for the meetings, and the year-end meeting. This is very exciting to me!
This is an article I found that was very interesting, and pretty funny to me. It was striking to me how hard to replicate the human touch is. I loved listening to the audio clips, highly reconmmend doing so.
http://www.slate.com/id/2212800/pagenum/all/#p2
I also need to rave about a great book I just finished.
Moral Politics, How Liberals and Conservatives Think, by George Lakoff. Mr. Lakoff is "cognitive linguist" at UC Berkley. Much of the book looked at what shapes the conservative and liberal position on issues, how the language used in discussion shapes the discussion, and why conversatives and liberals give each other that look questioning what planet the other is from. Such an interesting lens through which to look at politics. Great stuff!
I have been riding the bus a bit recently, and I have noticed a few classes of people on the bus.
The Babe in the Woods-This rider doesn't realize what kind of people are around him or her, and smiles happily at others, talks loudly on the phone, moves over for others, not pay attention to any commotion, and repeatedly request a stop, then shout "Sorry, wrong one!!".
The Woody Allen-This rider realizes exactly what kind of people are around him or her, and huddle in the corner of their seat, not touching anything until they get off, avoid eye contact, speak, if at all, on the phone in hushed tones, look at every passenger as if they want to do awful things, and in general look meek and defeated.
The Unwilling Rider-This rider most likely is riding to save money, or because they don't have a car, or because they got their license revoked. Typically seen brooding in a seat, glaring at those around them, complaining about the tiniest problem with the driving, listening to music just loud enough for those around them to hear, but too quiet for the driver, and muttering "50 in a 35 zone, 50 in a 35 zone" over and over.
The Commuter-This rider is the best kind to sit next to, they will leave you alone, they smell nice, and are quiet. They typically carry briefcases, wear a tie, use a headset or Bluetooth for phone calls, take exactly half of the seat, thank the driver, get up and off in a courteous manner, with plenty of "excuse me's", and never offer their seat up.
The Crazy-This rider has many variations, but typically listen to music, eat food, or read the newspaper. Other identifying characteristics include unidentifiable smells, an encyclopedic knowledge of the bus system, an unsettlingly friendly demeanor, and a constant moving, in search of "The Best Seat".
The Battle-Scarred Veteran-This rider is rarely seen, due to its amazing ability to move silently onto the bus, and exit, without drawing any attention to itself. Characteristics are rumored to include clothes patterned to match the upholstery on the seats, the ability to ride in the same seat as another passenger, knowledge of every bus driver's first name, and being able to jump out the window, instead of requesting a stop.
The Tourist-Any rider with luggage not riding to the airport is a tourist, and as such is shunned by other non-tourists. Common features include a total inability to stow their luggage somewhere convinent, repeated phone calls asking where they should get off, getting up to look at a route map, often for the wrong route, talking to the driver, and unnessecary smiles at other riders
The Loud Talker-Typically juveniles, in groups of 3-10. Identifying features include the ability to talk so loud that even music turned up all the way on headphones is still drowned out, to talk about absolutely nothing for 2 hours straight, at least 3 times the lung capacity of regular riders, which allows them to talk longer without breathing, and the insidious desire to draw other riders into their inane conversation.
Anyone can fall into these catagories, and there are exceptions, sometimes riders in multiple categories, sometimes new catagories are discovered, but typically these hold true.
This very moment, I sit on a couch, "babysitting". In reality I am hanging out at a different house, mooching a neighbor's Internet, and listening to hear if anyone wakes up.
That's all I have for now.
Have a great day, and report new catagories of riders if you spot one!
