Ride the Bus

For the past month, I've been using the city bus for portions of my daily commutes. I have a few reasons for doing so. First, I have assigned a project to my college students where they are to work on conserving natural resources. One possible project area is to reduce the number of single-passenger car trips, and two ways to address this are either through car pooling, or through using the transit system.

Of course the second reason for me to do so is to save a bit of money while saving the planet. The metro bus system for our area charges $16 for a month pass that provided unlimited trips. With gasoline hovering around $3 a gallon, $16 equals half-a-tank in most vehicles. So...for $16, I can travel far more distance than what the purchased gasoline would provide.

My other reasons include challenging myself to use the bus, supporting the transit system, and "slowing down".

Since I started riding the bus (I'm doing so at least once a week), I've found that other than getting ready to ride the bus, my life is "slowed down". It takes about 1 1/2 hours to travel the distance I can drive in 25 minutes (17 miles). During that time, however, I can read and prepare for my work day, or I can socialize with the interesting people I meet on the bus, or I can close my eyes and relax, or I can gaze out the window and notice things about the city that I didn't see before. Bus routes take a person to all of the key locations, as well as traveling through some residential areas that one doesn't typically see. Fact is, I noticed a little coffee shop that I'd like to visit---I never would have found it otherwise.

Yesterday I decided to take the bus to the grocery store. It meant some planning on my part so that I could figure out where I wanted to go, as well as how long I would have in that location before the bus passed by again to take me home. I left my home around 8:30 a.m., and I was back home by 10:15 a.m. I arrived at the grocery store at 8:45 a.m.

The first thing I had to consider was that I had about an hour to do my shopping. Secondly, I had to remember that I was going to need to carry whatever I bought, for at least a block, once I got back to my home area bus stop. This made me make some choices that, if I'd have driven my car, I would not have had to make. Shopping had to take on a bit more thoughtful choices as I considered "What can I carry".

The grocery that I went to is just a standard grocery store. No little coffee shop or cafeteria, and no strip mall. As I collected the various items I needed, I noticed that I was nearly done within 15-minutes, not good since I had 45-minutes left to wait for the bus. I slowed down. I still was done within 30-minutes, and had 30-minutes to wait.

An interesting thing happened when I went through the check-out stand. I asked the cashier to double bag my groceries so that I wouldn't have trouble with bags breaking. I told her I was riding the bus, and then we had a short conversation about good reasons to try it. I told the cashier about having to make some shopping choices related to carrying my groceries rather than loading up my car.

The woman in line directly behind me suddenly took pity on me. She had intently listed to my story, including that I'm doing the grocery thing so I can report back to my college class about what it takes to ride the bus and shop. The woman offered me a ride. Said she would help me out, take me home, even if it took her out of her way. (This is not the first time this has happened to me since I started riding the bus). I thanked her and told her no, I needed to ride the bus. She became a bit more insistent - kind in her insistence. I told her thank you, again, and praised her for the idea of car pooling.

I still had the 30-minutes before the bus came. I decided to carry my 5 bags of groceries and walk to the next bus stop. I then walked to another bus stop beyond - carrying all of my groceries. I was walking back along the bus route towards my home. This, of course, meant that I was actually increasing the number of minutes I would need to wait for the bus! (smile).

I found a bench along the main street, and sat down to await the bus. Strangely, our town has not put the benches at the bus stops. I selected a bench within quick walking distance to the bus stop. I sat there, with my sacks of groceries surrounding me, watching the cars pass by and enjoying the crisp, sunny autumn day. Again, I was slowed down enough to "smell the roses"...(so to speak). While I was sitting there, a few people waved, and one car passed by an honked a hello. (Not sure who that was, but they were friendly!).

The bus came. I got on for the quick ride home, and felt satisfaction when I walked in the house with my purchases.

One thing I realized, while on my shopping adventure, is that when I'm awaiting the bus, and then see the bus coming down the street, I get this feeling of joy. I suspect it comes from when I was a youth and the bus was my way around a large city. Its arrival meant I had new found freedom, and my parents trusted me enough to let me take the bus to various destinations.

I hope you'll try riding the bus. I also hope you'll find that bit of excitement and joy that I feel when the bus arrives and I step on it to begin my little daily journey.

S~

Hope and Smiles

When I think about how one person can make a difference in the world around them, I think about how attitude and interactions are what count. One way is to bring the spirit of hope and possibilities to a situation or circumstance.

Hope! When someone has hope, then possibilities seem to be within reach. Its the old idea of is the glass half empty (hopeless) or half full (hopeful). Its also the mind set of dwelling on problems (hopeless) or being open and creative in solutions (hopeful).

The other piece to this is whether a person is in the "Can Do" attitude or the "Can't Do" attitude. When I write "Can't Do"....I mean that the person has come up with rationale that is real or imagined to keep him or her from doing something. The "Can't" world can get rather large, and in essence causes the person to live in a very small box of "Can" possibilities. When I think of this phenomena of "Can't" in the extreme, its like a person has created a self-imposed prison cell, the confinement imposed by all the "Can'ts" that set the boundaries and limit freedom, problem solving, learning, and creativity (to name a few).

I've felt that my life has been lived primarily in the "Can Do" world. Part may be attributed to my personality - Meyers Briggs assessment suggests I'm an "intuitive-perceptive" type. What I do know is that I love when my mind roams freely in exploring possibilities, seeing beyond the barriers....for it is then that I feel able in some small way to make a difference. It is in the hopeful, creative, possibility moments that life is good, and I can lend my smile and laughter to others.

S~

Madison Part 2 - Soozee's Big City Adventure?????

I promised a follow-up on my adventure in driving to Madison, WI, so here it is, for what it's worth.

The journey from where I live to Madison takes about 2 1/2 hours or so. I left a little after 7 a.m. and did need to make a quick stop at the college (where I work). The stop took about 20-minutes, and then I was back on the road again at about 7:55 a.m. I arrived at my destination at about 10:10 a.m.

A lot of time was lost getting through the city of Fond du Lac, as it seems the route I took was filled with detours and slower speed limits winding through residential areas. (Luckily I found another way on my way back home). I also needed a "break" - my morning coffee had worked its way thru me - so I stopped for a few minutes at a gas station near Columbus, WI. I would estimate that once I got to Madison, about 10-minutes was spent backtracking, as I missed a couple turns & thus had to quickly correct my errors.

The good news for me was that my destination in Madison was on the North edge of town. Being the rural soul that I am, I didn't have to negotiate through lots of traffic. By hitting the "avoid highways" (whatever that means) option on Map Quest for directions before I left, I even found a way that avoided the Interstate and busy trafficways within Madison, offering me a route through the country on the edge of town. Again, this was also due to my destination being to a house in a suburb area that was also on the edge of the city.

Since I only saw the "edge", I actually have no idea whatsoever about Madison!! The housing area I was in was absolutely beautiful. The homes looked like 1960 editions - ranch style homes. The trees were lush, and the location certainly didn't feel like living "in the city", even though it was a very typical neighborhood. In my moments of being "lost", I did drive past shopping and business areas on the edge of Madison off of Highway 151.

So....I will admit that when I left Madison, after a long day of sitting in a meeting, I was ready to head back home with no desire whatsoever to drive in traffic or explore the city further. Our meeting ran until 4:30 p.m.

One musing that passed through my mind while I was driving down were the number of towns/cities that had names the same as those in Montana, where I had once lived. For instance....Columbus....a common name for towns/cities. There is a Columbus, MT - a town of about 1200 - about 50 miles West of Billings that I am very familiar with. There is also a Montana town called Sun Prairie. When Wisconsin folks talk of Sun Prairie, my brain brings up pictures of a very rural place in Northern Montana - which is in significant contrast to what Sun Prairie, WI, is.....Basically a bedroom community of Madison.

My trip to Madison....it really did not equal up to a story title of "Soozee's Big City Adventure." There will be more trips, as many meetings and activities are scheduled in the Capital city. Maybe something more will come of those where this rural gal can report on "city" experiences.

S~

Madison and ?

This morning I'm heading to Madison....Madison, WI. When I lived in SD I often went to Madison...Madison, SD, that is. I never really had the feelings about traveling to Madison, SD, that I'm experiencing today about traveling to Madison, WI.

Madison, SD, is a small, sleepy college town...I think they have 3 traffic lights total! It is the home of Dakota State University (DSU). (DSU happens to have a very fine on-line/distance learning Master's Degree in computers [information systems as well as education]) DSU - a jewell of a small university. The town is quaint, and it took me one trip to explore the entire place. Even as I sit here typing this, I can picture driving through Madison, SD, and experience the feeling of securely knowing it would be rare that I would get lost in a town of it's size.

But today I'm trying to gear myself up for entering the big city of Madison, WI, dealing with traffic, and making my way around a large community where I've never been before. I've been to Mapquest and I am armed with directions to where I'm headed. I have a meeting to attend.

When I mention Madison, WI, to folks living in my region, they seem to get a sort of dreamy look in their eyes. Madison - seems everyone has a story about going to Madison, experiencing Madison, attending things at the University of WI in Madison......the culture of Madison. I've also heard that it is pretty in Madison. Of course, WI government is in Madison.

So....it is nearing time for me to depart. That is my other difficulty. I am having a hard time figuring out how long it will take me to drive to Madison. Its about 130 miles away, and Mapquest suggests that will take me nearly 3 hours. My Western trained brain is having a bit of trouble wrapping around the idea that 130 miles takes 3 hours to cross. What I forget, however, is that whatever way I go, I have other towns and cities that I must negotiate. The "long way" on Interstate requires going thru Milwaukee...which to me seems like a strange route, when Madison is diagonal from my location. The "short way" is on mostly 2-lane highway with many small towns that require speeds of 25 to 45 mph while moving through them.

I have selected the "short way." I'd rather drive thru small towns than deal with the traffic in Milwaukee....as well as negotiating the Interstate maze and construction there. I'm a novice at getting around Milwaukee...
Spending the majority of my life in very rural places where the definition of a "City" was a place a little smaller than Green Bay means I'm not exactly wanting to throw TWO city driving frustrations into my day. Watch for the continuing story....Soozee's Big City Adventure.

Okay....take a deep breath....you can do this, Soozee....lets get going.

Searching for the Music

How do you find the things you enjoy doing with people when you uproot and move yourself 650 miles? That's been a situation I've been trying to address since moving 2-years ago. I'm searching for "the music"....well, actually the musicians who make folk music. (That's me at my last gig with Philip & Friends Band in SD, July 2003).

Along with all my other "hats", I am a folk singer and song writer. Playing guitar and singing has been an intermittent part of my life since age 14. This hobby came back into full bloom in 1996 when I started performing at Open Mikes in W. South Dakota. The encouragement from new made acquaintances as well as long-time friends spurred me to make connections with other folk singers, as well as hone my skills. For a few years I was blessed by a marvelous circle of musical friends and many folk venues to enjoy and/or perform at. I started writing original music, and mostly left the world of "cover music" behind. Then I moved.

The first major move took me to the opposite side of South Dakota, and I could not find a folk scene. I instead became part of a polka-jazz band, and that nourished my musical musing. I had lots of fun, made some great friends, and expanded my skills. I found the band practices to be a place where I could let down my hair, get a bit wild-n-crazy, and it served as one of the best stress relief activities I did during a time when my work was anything but easy. I longed for the folk singers, but I was surrounded by some wonderfully wild and crazy guys (Mike & Roy in the picture) and gals, excellent jazz musicians, and new ties were formed. Then I moved.

It is this move that has rather surprised me in my search for the "folkies" (even the "jazzies"!). Reviewing on-line information, I thought I'd be able to find the "scene" within weeks and certainly months of my move...more people, more places. Well, the combination of the chunks of time my work takes, my work schedule the first few years, and basically a hard to find "scene"....I'm still reaching out and seeking.

Last night was my first attendance at the Green Apple Folk Society meeting . I wrote previously about the Green Apple campout...it was a lot of fun. Last night was my first time at an "official meeting", and that was an interesting time of learning about the organization. Its amazing, the society has been alive and well in the Appleton/Green Bay area for a long long time. (I fear stating a no. of years...cuz I don't know the specifics...).

After the meeting, we had a jam session. There were about 15-20 musicians playing a variety of instruments, and there were about 15-20 people in the audience enjoying all the music making. It was a round-robin jam with everyone getting a turn to chose and sing a song, or request a song. It was a lot of great fun.

The night, however, made me a bit home sick for wide-open spaces, prairies, and mountains. Seems all the old folk songs sing of the places of my 50-years of life: Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, etc. I was glad, however, that I really do have a visual memory to tap of all those scenes when lyrics speak of hawks and mountains, prairies and distant vistas.

Driving the 40+ miles home from the event made me think of those friends I made back in South Dakota. I miss them. I miss the music making. I miss the fun times, the crazy times, the after midnight breakfasts in Deadwood; the joy, the triumphs, the chats late night after practice while we swatted at mosquitos in Delmont..., etc. I hope time will help me find some folks to fill those "empty spaces" in my music world.

For this moment while writing, however, in my mind I'm sitting at the table at Biff's in Deadwood enjoying Steve's company (that's Steve in the picture), watching the "young-uns" take a turn at the open mic, sipping an ice cold ice tea.

Shadow

A few weeks ago, my husband and I considered rescuing another dog. We were at the Vet's and we saw an ad on the bulletin board. An 11-year-old lab needed a home. His owner was no longer able to care for him, and he was in a temporary foster home.

We called the number and arranged for a meeting. We met "Shadow", and we took him home with us for a "trial", to see if he would fit in with our other dogs, as well as be able to negotiate the steps in our home and so forth. Shadow had had leg surgery in 2002, and due to his age, he was not very mobile. His hip strength and range of motion was less than optimal. His owner had disabilities, so when Shadow wasn't in the house, he had been limited by the length of a chain for his outdoor adventures. The dog had had excellent Vet care, but his rehabilitation from the leg surgery had not been carried out.

Shadow came to our home and I believe he was absolutely astounded that he didn't have to be on a chain. We have a large fenced yard, and for the first several hours, Shadow wandered around the backyard and was not very interested in coming into the house. He also had to climb stairs to enter, and each time he looked up the 5 steps, he had a rather forlorn look upon his Labrador face. With encouragement (and some physical lifting of his rear up the steps!) he finally entered the house. He quickly made himself at home.

Shadow stayed with us for 5-days. For the first couple days he would go down the steps to the backyard, but he would not attempt coming back in without help. I called his foster mom and she indicated that yes, Shadow could walk up and down basic porch steps. I swear the dog heard the conversation, as right that moment he decided to show me that yes, he could do what he had been refusing to do. It was uncanny.

I fell in love with Shadow, and really got a kick out of how he kept track of his favorite toys. He would have "conversations" with me, which although noisy, were very fun. I'd forgotten how a big dog could be fun that way! I found an old soft ball and decided to give it a toss. Shadow momentarily forgot that he was 11-years-old and not very spry. He trotted across the yard and showed that he still had the puppy spirit within.

We had to return Shadow to the foster mom, things with the other dogs were not working out quite like we hoped. The day after I returned him, I got a panicked call indicating that the owner had decided to put Shadow down. I had 1 1/2 hours to either take him, or find someone who would take him. Well, our college department secretary came to the rescue.

Shadow now lives with her and her family, out in the country. She reports to me that he is a joy to have, and such a character. His mobility is improving. She said the exciting thing was watching him actually be able to run...he ran down to their pond to have a drink.

Shadow has been well loved by all of us that have been touched by his life. His foster mom calls my secretary to see how he is. His old owner calls, and had recently given some tips about what are his favorites. I check every few days and hope to have Shadow come to visit. I love hearing the stories. "Yes," Julie says, "he's still carrying around his green Frisbee, and he loves tossing and chasing his lighted ball."

Even writing this note about him, I can see his loving big brown eyes looking at me. Shadow...a great dog, with a marvelous place to spend his last few years.

Rodent Rider

Heading off to work on Monday morning, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a little black blob darting around on the floor on the passenger side of my car. The sunlight was dancing in through the window, so at first I thought it was just a trick of the light.

After driving about 4 miles, nearing the second stop sign on my morning commute, I turned and looked at the passenger seat.

Standing on the far edge of the seat was a plump gray mouse, with its beady eyes focused upon me. When our eyes met, the mouse decided it was time to dart to somewhere else, and away it went up over the front seat into the back seat - lightening fast!!.

I immediately had these thoughts of...."oh my, Mr. Mouse, please don't run over here on my side of the car and pounce upon me!" I kept track of the mouse (sort of) out of the corner of my eye as I continued on to complete my 17 mile journey.

When I got to college, I left the sun roof open, hoping that my little passenger would find its way out into the freedom of the woods. I also prayed that the book bag I was carrying into the college didn't have the mouse as a hidden passenger. Luckily it didn't, although I did have a few moments in my office where I thought I heard scampering.

I had a long long work day, and I really hoped my journey home would be mouse free. At 10 p.m. I got into the car to head home. My routine is to turn on the stereo ...loud rock music...and head on down the highway. There, driving in the dark, things seemed to be okay. I seemed to be alone in my car, so I sighed with relief. Then, about 10 miles into my journey, that little scamp came to life and started darting around in the car. With no light within the car except from the dash controls, it was hard to see what was happening. What seemed to take place, however, was that the mouse shot across the dash, and then jumped down into my side of the car. I felt it running over my feet and, well, I worked to keep my head. I didn't exactly want to explain to an officer: "Ummmm, why did I wreck my car? Well, a mouse ran up my leg!" I slowed down, began stomping my feet, and for a moment, in my startled state, knocked the headlight switch to off! Panic!! The lights snapped down in the GT, and I was cruising down the highway (a two-lane) with no lights. Luckily there was no traffic!

I got the lights back on, continued stamping my feet, and prayed that the mouse was anywhere but on my side of the car. The sounds suggested it was darting back and forth in the back seat, possibly up in the back window, possibly banging into the glass. I didn't stop to look. I had only a few miles to survive the mouse adventure....and I was so relieved when I got home safely.

Although my preference would have been to lock the cat up in the car (we have an excellent mouser), my husband convinced me to put the live mouse trap in the car instead. This morning the mouse trap was empty.
Dang!!!!!!!

My husband decided to leave the car door open a crack, hoping that this might help the mouse decide to move elsewhere. I'm not overly convinced. I'm a little worried that more mice friends might move in. Maybe I'll take the car for a little "test drive" before I attempt my commute again. The rock music sure seems to get that mouse a dancing!

A Day with Extended Family

Today, the Wisconsin Cousins gathered to spend some time with our elderly Aunt Bert. It was a wonderful day of food, connecting, and conversation. Here are a couple pictures from our day together at my cousin Anne''s home near Steven's Point.
Left - My cousin, Anne
Center - late afternoon conversations
Right - Aunt Bert, enjoying the day with family.

Some Still Don't Know About Katrina's Rath - Cable TV Choices & Communication

With all the graphic and vocal news about Hurricane Katrina, a person might think that the entire population of the USA is attuned, aware, informed, and so forth. Not so...for our choices of TV stations can isolate folks from what's happening.

With the hundreds of TV stations, and the "blabber" that is on so many, there are folks in our country that limit themselves to a steady diet of "Spike", or "Comedy Central", or "HBO", or...well, you name the channel that caters to a specific audience and has eliminated news from their offerings.

I spoke with my daughter today, and she brought this very situation to my attention. I'd helped her move to her college apartment (in another state) a few weeks ago. In our conversation about "how did the first week of classes go"...and etc., she said, "Mom, what's the price of gas down there? Its $3.49 a gallon here. I heard there was a hurricane or something that made the oil companies raise the price of gas." She then suggested that she didn't know why, other than it was "something about New Orleans."

I told her about the devastation, the people stranded, the people dying, the chaos, the anarchy, the loss of shipping ports, etc. etc...(you know the details if you've had "mainstream TV on"....) I decided to bring the picture to her mind by stating, "Think of New Orleans as 'the lost city of Atlantis'." She said, "Its under water? New Orleans is under water?"

How could she not know? Well...she watches "Comedy Central" when she watches TV. She mentioned that she'd listened to jokes about New Orleans, but she just thought they were jokes. She didn't have the "background understanding" to connect that there was a bigger than life situation in our Southern USA.

So...I've concluded today that there is a chunk of our USA population that really doesn't know that people are dying along the Gulf, that there are streams of "refugees" being tediously moved out of Mississippi & Louisiana, that gas prices are rising because of serious problems cutting supply and production, as well as other things that are happening. Why? Because:
A. They don't have TV because they can't afford Cable. (Think about it, it could be a possibility).
B. They don't watch or listen to TV stations that have news....and associate with other people that don't watch/listen to news.
C. They don't listen to radio stations that have news, or detailed news.
D. Their media use is primarily CD's and DVD's...no outside sources.
E. Etc....you might think of some more reasons...I think there are many.

When thinking about those hours before the hurricane hit, USA practice is that anyone who was watching any TV station or listening to a radio would not have missed the evacuation announcement because of our Emergency Alert System. The emergency sirens would also sound, and so forth. Was everybody listening?

Regardless of all of the above, I guess today opened my eyes that a person could, this day, not know that Hurricane Katrina has, is and will effect all lives in the USA, and most likely the world. WE live in an interdependent economy...and as the next few months unfold, the economic impact on everyone's daily life will also unfold.

I was looking at what the price of heating oil for my home will be come winter.....200 gallons at a likely $3+/gallon = $600+ for about 2 months of warmth. Anyone reading this may also begin doing the math and cost projections....what we all need to remember is that it will be EVERY ONE OF US, including schools and industry and ALL consumers....everything we know in our day-to-day lives will be struggling (yes, I said struggling) with the costs. (An older person said to me, "This could be the depression-like event that wakes us up.")

I am taking personal steps with all this in mind. No, not panic, but conservation and smart choices. Panic will not serve us. Smart choices will. Remember...think Globally, Act Locally. Let us all join together during these times.