Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 8:25 a.m.

A friend of mine had called this morning offering a ride but I was still in bed and could not get ready in time. As I approached the el, I had wished that I had hustled and rode in with her. Nothing like the "el" with a slight hangover. Realizing the masses can smell last night's double Maker's oozing through your pores not to mention the hundreds of pleasant smells that the CTA must bottle and spray in their cars like Febreeze.

Today's set of riders was particularly tall. Across the aisle was a woman who was at least six feet and wearing brown striped slacks (just like me, although mine are pants ... not slacks). Two tall door-hugging men with iPods. Tall everywhere. Maybe I felt small...

I was on the "blessed" train. One particular red line route in the morning is the blessed train ... according to the conductor. Unfortunately, blessed did not get you out of a police search of the train at the Chicago stop.

One particular note is that this past weekend, I actually took a bus. i was nervous and granted teh Clark bus took forever to appear but it was pretty flawless. I suggest everyone take the bus every once in a while - the variety of life there is unlike the train.