Stress-free and Carefree

Getting off the bus at my stop, I noticed a young man exiting at the same time. He was walking in the same direction as I, and after he placed his book in the library after-hours drop box, I decided to strike up a conversation (readers are cool, right?) I asked about the book he had just returned, whether it was a good read or not. He admitted he kept the book way past the due date trying to get into it, but the book never caught his interest, despite being written by one of his favorite authors.

As we walked the next block, we both agreed one of the great things about riding the bus was having time to read. We could also agree on how relaxing it is to get to a destination without being stressed over traffic or parking. Then my new bus buddy, Jake, admitted 'I just hate driving, that's all!' He shared that being driven, even if on the bus, was a bit of a treat, stress-free, and dare I say, carefree! And that besides the bus, there are other creative ways to get around Nashville without driving, or by driving less. He is also a bike commuter and avid walker, so getting around the driving thing is not a problem for him. As he walked a block past my destination, I thought about how nice it was to meet a young person with such an open perspective.

As I've said before, being car-less is not for everyone, but if more people considered alternatives to driving everywhere, would there be a little less pollution and traffic and more people becoming physically active? I believe so, and Jake and I are proof being car-less can lead to being a little more carefree. Try it for yourself and see...

Keep Walking

Today when I left work headed to school, I thought about walking, as I often do, but also thought I would catch a bus headed that way if available. So, I started walking, looking behind me every block or so to see if the bus was coming. As I got further along, I passed several bus stops with people waiting for the same bus I was on the lookout for. Seeing those waiting people reminded me of how frustrated my ex-husband would become when I wanted to walk instead of waiting, knowing the bus would eventually catch up with me. He would rather wait for the bus, and would ask, 'Why do you have to constantly be on the move? Can't you just sit here and wait?'

As I walked and remembered those conversations, I realized that our differing perspectives on waiting for the bus versus moving ahead toward the destination may have an impact on why we are no longer married. There's nothing wrong with patiently waiting for something expected, whether a bus or a desired goal. However, if you can work toward the destination while waiting, isn't that a better option? Today, as I kept walking, I was able to decompress from my workday, mentally change gears from work to school and get in 20 minutes of brisk walking. Along the way, I passed several cars stuck in heavy traffic that would have further delayed the bus had it ever arrived. So, I don't regret not waiting for the bus today, nor do I regret not waiting to work toward other destinations in life. We do have to be patient, but we can be walking toward our goals while waiting.

My Bike Guy

I took my bike to East Side Cycles for a tune up and the young man who helped me has also chosen to be 'car-less' in Nashville. When I asked him to share his story, he explained his choice stemmed from LA traffic over 8 years ago. While sitting in traffic trying to make the less than 10 mile commute to work that routinely took him over 30 minutes, he saw a bicycle wiz by him. Right then, he made up his mind that cycling to work would take less time and had to be less stressful. Needless to say, he was correct.

Then, he took his trusty bike to be repaired, and decided he could keep the bike repaired himself and save even more time and money. He not only taught himself to be a bike mechanic, but he started working for a bike repair shop, gave up his car and has since moved to Nashville. He commutes all around Nashville using his bike, and now he's my go to guy to keep my bike in good repair. He's also helping me as I shop for a new bike to kick my bike commuting into high gear. Nice to know there are many others who have found alternative ways of getting around Nashville. More to come...

Motherly Advice

A little over six months ago, I noticed a woman on the bus who reminded me very much of my dear mother who I lost 3 years ago. Her beautiful smooth skin, bright eyes and cheery smile were strikingly similar. And this woman even had the same hairstyle as my mother and her style of dress also reminded me of her. I must have stared at her for at least 10 minutes, reminiscing on how beautiful my mother was and how much I miss her. Well this woman noticed that I was staring at her and struck up a conversation. I told her how much she reminded me of my mother, which started a discussion about family, raising children and memories of loved ones.

I saw her again on the bus today, and she looked radiant and positive, as always. She asked me about my son and then, seemingly out of the blue, she gave me some motherly advice that I wanted to share. She has raised her grandson, now 28 years old, as if he where her own. She told me that she tells him daily to 'never leave home angry, because you never know if you'll return.' We were talking about how transient life can be, and she spoke from experience when she said that it 'just isn't worth it to be negative or angry at others.' Life's too short. She also stated that at this point in her life, she doesn't entertain people who don't appreciate the value of life, who aren't grateful or who complain. Again, life has more to offer.

So Ms. Maria (pronounced Myra) not only reminded me of my mother's outward beauty, but the loving advice she gave me that guides me to this day. I'm grateful to have run into her on the bus today; I was clearly where I needed to be to receive some needed motherly advice.

Once again, it has been awhile since my last post. Two reasons for my delay: life has gotten in the way, many life changes and events to adjust to, and I've been searching for a direction to take this blog. The latter reason I will elaborate on.

I started this blog to share with those not familiar with public transportation in Nashville more information, how simple it is to be car-less in a car-centered city. Then, somehow I became concerned with being a good spokesperson for MTA, feeling an obligation to present public transit in Nashville in only the most favorable light. I also felt like I needed to highlight any new or pertinent information about what's going on with public transit in Nashville. Needless to say, I've gotten a bit bored with that content, and there are other great sources for up to the minute information about what's happening in Nashville's transit world. My friends at Transit Now Nashville (TNN) do a great job at that, as does MTA via their own media outlets.

So recently I had the chance to refocus on why I started this blog in the first place. My epiphany came when talking to a MTA driver this past week. I was asking her why more people don't take advantage of riding the bus, especially on the particular route she had, there were no passengers on her bus at the time. She has been driving for MTA for quite awhile and remarked that she noticed that people in Nashville have a perception about the kind of people that ride the bus. She stated a fact that I've seen and heard several times myself: Most people in Nashville feel that only poor people or those 'down on their luck' take public transportation. I couldn't agree with her more! I've posted in the past how friends of mine are almost indignant at the fact that I would take the bus, as if somehow I am not in the category of those who would take public transportation. It was at that moment, talking to that driver that I realized the direction of this blog and what my message needs to be.

Hello Nashville: Professional, intelligent, productive citizens of our fair city chose to take public transportation and ride along with those who may have few other choices and we actually find riding the bus efficient, economical and enriching. I have numerous stories and experiences to share that will prove the previous statement to be true. Thanks for being patient while I remembered this blog's purpose. Please check back within this week to find out what folks on the bus are doing and talking about. You might be surprised who is riding the bus in Nashville.

That's Love

Last night was the first Frist Friday celebration. It was so much fun and enjoyable to run into friends enjoying the warm weather and good music. Of course, I took the bus there and left in time to catch the Hillsboro bus headed home.

As soon as I sat down on the bus to change from my 'party shoes' to my 'walking home' shoes, an older gentleman sitting close by chose to tell me his love story. He started out saying that he had been married to the love of his life for 50 years until her recent death. He also made it a point to let me know that neither of them had been unfaithful the entire time they were together. When he asked the preacher to marry them those many years ago, he asked the preacher to pronounce them not only husband and wife, but also best friends. He said they exchanged more than wedding rings that day, they exchanged best friend rings. Who knew they had BFF rings back in the day?

Awhile after their marriage, he was drafted to serve in the Vietnam war. When he returned home to her, he brought a couple of white flags used to symbolize surrender. Upon walking in the door, he knelt down, kissed her ankles and presented these white flags to her. When she asked for an explanation, he told her the meaning of the white flags and told her instead of surrendering to the enemy, he was surrendering to her, to be faithful and care for her always.

They worked hard together to purchase one home and then a second, renting out the first and saving their hard earned money along the way. After awhile, she suffered a stroke and needed outside care and attention. Being a hard worker and devoted husband, he sold their first home to be able to pay for her to have someone come in their home and care for her during the day while he was at work. He has worked for Vanderbilt for close to 40 years, and he made it a point to tell me he has only missed 15 days during that entire time, even during his wife's illness.

Eventually, he needed to also sell the second home they were living in to continue to pay for his wife's care. He said they gladly moved into an apartment so she could want for nothing while he worked during the day. Friends asked why he would give up property to pay for such care, and he replied then as he did to me yesterday: he made a promise that she would want for nothing as long as he was able to work and provide. She has since passed away, but I could still see the intense satisfaction in his face from fulfilling that promise to his wife and best friend.

He shared this entire story with me over a ten minute ride from Broadway to the MCC bus depot. But his story of true love and sacrifice will stay with me for a long time. Love like that is worth waiting and working for. Beautiful, right?

Nashville Bikes to Work - Friday May 18

It was very exciting to meet a group of other East Nashville and Inglewood residents at Five Points prepared to ride to work together. We headed out as two groups down Woodland to the Public Square where others from all over the city were gathering. The organization Walk/Bike Nashville organized the event in honor of the National Bike to Work Day. Mayor Dean rode his bike to the Square as well, and we were all glad to be a part of an event that was being repeated throughout the country.

I had planned to ride my bike to the Square and then put my bike on a bike rack on the front of the bus and ride the bus the rest of the way to work. But my friend Alycia who also works in the same area convinced me that we could make the ride together. And we did! We took a route that led us through downtown, through the Gulch to Music Row and right down Edgehill to USN and Vanderbilt. We were shouting in triumph at our accomplishment!

I decided to leave my bike there after work and return this morning to make the return trip home my morning workout. I rode the bus there and biked back to East Nashville, all within an hour in the cool morning air. What a great feeling of accomplishment yesterday and this morning.

Shared Blessings

This morning as I walked briskly (okay, I was running) to the bus, I decided I was long overdue for a new pair of good walk/work shoes. The trick is to find something functional and fashionable at the same time, not as simple of a task as it sounds. During the winter I wear Dansko clogs and make them as fashionable as possible. And last summer I found Dansko sandals that were cute and comfortable. But since last summer, these sandals have seen many miles of walking, and the wear and tear is starting to show.

I must admit, when I go to The Walking Company in Green Hills Mall for my quarterly purchase, it's not an inexpensive trip. But I reason (or rationalize) that the money I save being car-less substantiates investing in quality shoes. Instead of a good set of tires, I buy the shoes that support my feet and posture as I walk the miles I would otherwise drive. This rationale works for me, okay?

So, this evening Michael at The Walking Company took great care of me as I tried on and purchased the latest pair of Dansko sandals that I've been eyeing for a couple of months. Of course, they fit like a glove and looked great. And I think Michael now has a little better appreciation of how important it is for a shoe to be comfortable but cute, at least that's what he told me as I handed him my debit card!

We rode the bus to the depot to catch our bus home when an older gentleman approached me. I admit, I thought to myself (while wearing my new expensive shoes), 'What does he want?' He explained that he had been cleaning offices all day and had a bus pass to get him home for the evening, but not enough to get a bus pass to go back to work tomorrow so would I please give him the money to buy a bus pass. Again, I admit I thought, 'Do I just have 'sucker' written all over my forehead?' But then compassion kicked in and I wondered what would be the harm in buying him a bus pass for the next day? If he wasn't honest, at least he could get to where he needed to be. And who am I with my new shoes on to question his story? I've been blessed to be able to 'invest' in shoes, why shouldn't I share the blessing and help him out? I couldn't resist.

Well he just happened to be catching the same bus home as we were, so I bought him a pass to use tomorrow, he was grateful and I walked home from the bus stop guilt free. Did I buy the bus pass to help this guy out or to justify spending so much money on a pair of shoes? Either way, no harm done, right? Lesson learned: Be blessed and share your blessings.

Precious Moments

Rough weekend personally, ladies and gentlemen, that's all I can say. Monday was actually a relief and the day ended with an opportunity to share all I am grateful for. I was still in a funk from the weekend's happenings, but was reminded of how wonderful and blessed life can be by two co-workers recounting near death experiences. One was a woman who came home just in time to find her husband in desperate need of medical attention, and the other happened to have a heart attack at the right time and right place. He recounted to us this morning how the woman he now calls his guardian angel was on her way to a sales call to sell cardiac medication when she noticed him going down. Had he been anywhere else, or if she were not as acutely aware, he may not have been there today to remind us of how blessed we all are despite the challenges.

Speaking of being where we are supposed to be at the proper time, this evening we were on our way home from the grocery store. As I sat at the MTA bus depot, I thought to myself what a waste of time this was to wait 15 to 20 minutes for the next bus. As I sat there, a young man with a beautiful baby came to me and asked for a dollar or two to get dinner for the baby. He also mentioned they were homeless. It's not up to me to judge whether this adorable baby was part of his con game. I had just been to the grocery store, so I asked if the baby could eat yogurt and I gave him some of what I had just purchased. And since I carry enough to almost be called an official 'bag lady', of course, I had a spoon in my lunch bag. The yogurt and a couple of apples later, all I could do is sit back on the seat, wait for that bus and realize why I needed to be right there at that moment. We are all where we need to be when we need to be. The trick is to be aware of the reasons why and being willing to act on such knowledge. Powerful, isn't it?

Again, the public transit training class was a huge success and the first of many efforts to reach out to people wanting to learn more about public transit. Here is a link to the video put together by my friend Jim Manning showing the highlights of the day. Enjoy.

Public Transit 101

Today was the first of many more 'Transit Training' classes to come. Thanks to University School of Nashville (USN) and the parent association's Evening Class program, we partnered with the Mayor's office, MTA and Transit Now Nashville to create a learning experience for about 15 Nashville residents. The class participants ranged from age 6 to 60 and were interested in learning more about transit options in Nashville. We had a blast!

After meeting at USN, Mayor Dean gave us an overview of the history, progress and future plans for public transit. He also spoke about this blog (nice) and the USN teacher whose poem was featured on the bus as part of the 'Poetry in Motion' April campaign. Freya Sachs actually read the group her featured poem and we all boarded the bus for our venture to the bus depot. There we were greeted by Judy Shelton, an MTA Travel Trainer who toured us around the Music City Central facility, answered our questions and gave us several printed materials to assist us in our travels.

From there, we took the bus to Farmer's Market where we had a marvelous lunch provided at a great discount by am@fm. We then boarded the local Blue Circuit bus to get back to the depot to catch the bus back to USN. The weather could not have been better, the class was informative and enjoyable, and the participants and sponsors were gracious and grateful. What a wonderful opportunity to learn and experience public transit in a group setting that is fun and less intimidating. Please keep an eye out for future posts announcing future Travel Training Camps. Happy Travels!

Right Time, Right Place

I truly believe we are where we are when we need to be there, in most, if not all, situations in life. Today was a bitter sweet day for me in many ways, so I debated whether to stay in or go out and enjoy this beautiful weather. I decided to venture out to Belmont to do some homework, but the bus schedule and time that I would be traveling meant that I would have to wait at the depot for about 20 minutes.

Since I'm trying hard to live in the moment, and not worry about lost time (sometimes referred to as wasted?) or lost opportunities, I decided to sit and enjoy a book I'd been reading. While waiting, I met one of the drivers who used to drive the bus on my home route; today he was starting a new route that just happened to be the one I was taking. He admitted he was a little nervous about the new route and had taken the time to do his 'homework' by studying the streets, turns and times on the route to be sure. Just about that time, another driver came up who used to drive this same route, and assured the new driver that he would be just fine, and that regular riders like myself would help him along the way.

As we got going, I also re-assured my driver friend that he would do well on this new route, and enjoy the regular passengers, too. I told him that I would stay near the front of the bus, but not say anything unless he was going the wrong way. I had even decided that if he wanted me to, I would ride the majority of the route with him so he would feel reassured.

Well, of course, he did a great job, and was so grateful for the confirmation from a regular rider. But for me, it was more than helping out a driver. I reminded him of the one time in my more than 2 years of riding the bus when I was genuinely frightened, and he helped me.

It was late one evening after my classes at Belmont, and there was a man on the bus that was acting strangely. I didn't think much of it, but when I got to my stop, he jumped off right behind me and looked at me in a menacing way. Immediately, I jumped back on the bus and told this same driver I didn't feel comfortable. He told me that he recognized the man and had put him off before. As we rode the rest of that route, he gave me tips on how to protect myself (he was a former cop) and what to look out for. When we arrived at my stop again, he helped me look around to make sure the coast was clear and also alerted the authorities to be in the area. I was reassured beyond measure, and ever grateful. I made it home safely and felt that he had been my angel that night.

So, to take the time today to in a small way return the favor of reassurance was a pleasure. Again, I think I was there for his first run on a new route the same way he was the driver (and an ex-cop) the night I felt unsafe. Confirmation for me that we are where we need to be when we need to be there. Comforting, isn't it?

Exciting Times

It has been such a long time since I've posted, I feel like I need to re-introduce myself. Not really so long, but it seems like forever. As I mentioned in my previous post, my personal life has changed dramatically, but being car-less and carefree has kept me grounded in more ways than one. In fact, as certain aspects of my life have decreased, my commitment and involvement in the public transit movement in Nashville has expanded.

As a result, there are so many exciting things happening related to public transit in Nashville. First of all, I will have the privilege of teaching a bus training class as part of University School of Nashville's Evening Class fundraising program. The class will be held on April 7th, and will kick off with a visit from our very own Mayor Dean riding with our group from 21st Avenue to the Music City Center. When we arrive at MCC, we will be greeted and taught by a Travel Trainer the basics of riding public transit, and have the opportunity to see the depot and learn our way around. From there, we will travel to Farmers' Market, have lunch and a question and answer session about our travels before heading back to USN. Hopefully, this class will be the first of many opportunities for those interested to learn more about public transportation before riding for the first time. It sounds simple, but the first time (or first couple of times) on the bus can be daunting and may prevent many from riding.

I'm also very excited to finally have accepted the invitation of Transit Now Nashville to be on their Board and more actively involved. Their mission of educating people about the benefits of public transit and collaborating with other organizations with similar goals aligns with my objectives. I'm excited to combine my love of education, public transit, sustainability and healthy living with an organization that has similar priorities. A mutually beneficial alliance has been formed. Look for future posts about the activities Transit Now has planned for Transit Week April 16-22 as well as future projects planned targeting students attending local universities. Exciting stuff, exciting times.

So, as I sign off, I commit to making a better effort to post more regularly so as many as are interested can be aware of the growth of public transit in Nashville. No better time to be car-less (or use your car less) and most of all carefree. Safe travels.

Constants

It is interesting how some things in life change, and some things stay the same. Thankfully, I can usually rely on the bus to be a constant in my life. While relationships and situations can vary, being car-free is consistent, at least you know what to expect. In my last post, I talked about my move and new location being so convenient to more bus lines. There is another perk: where I catch my morning bus there are covered bus stops to prevent getting wet on rainy days and trash cans! Seems like a little thing, but being dry on a wet day goes a long way. And I have always thought if there were more trash bins at bus stops and around town, possibly there would be less litter; just a thought. And on days when I miss my usual bus (which seems to be more often lately) then I have a few more options for later buses than I had before. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not; when I had only one option, I tried harder to make that option work and I arrived to work earlier. Now that I have other choices, could that be the reason I'm not the first one in the office these days?

Those of you that have followed my blog for awhile have probably noticed I've gone from blogging about riding the bus as a family, to riding with my son to now riding and walking more solo. As the novelty of being car-less wore off for my family, it seemed to become even more intriguing for me. Whether to school, work, worship or shopping, walking, biking and riding the bus have been a constant for me. Being car-less makes sense for me financially, and also gives me a sense of freedom and independence. As I've stated often in this blog, it may seem just the opposite, being dependent on the bus lines or vulnerable to weather conditions may appear limiting. But I view being car-less as just the opposite; I'm challenged to find other ways to spend my income, choosing to invest in my son's and my education. I like to view it as a game to dress warm enough to be comfortable, but not too warm that I arrive at my destination too warm from walking. Or to time my departure and arrival so that I'm early instead of running behind or being worried about traffic making me late. And I've often talked about the benefits of not having to pay a car note, or for gasoline, car insurance and repairs. It all adds up as a savings.

So, as life changes and we realize that we don't know what tomorrow brings, we can relish in the thought that whatever it is that gets us through today will hopefully bring us to tomorrow. And however we make that journey, it is all so worthwhile. Happy travels.

Car-less Move

Can you move locations without owning a car? You can if you have great friends and an excellent moving company on your side. I recently had to make a move, and wondered how things would work out without a car. First of all, while I was packing I had to figure out how to get the needed boxes from the offices and stores to my home. The first set of boxes I obtained from my office, which seemed easier in theory than reality. The day I went to pick them up it was raining all day. I took my 'granny cart' that I use for groceries to work, loaded up the boxes and then wrapped them in a garbage bag to keep them dry. Quite a site walking to the bus stop, but the boxes arrived at my house dry and ready for packing.

The next couple of trips to get boxes were to a store a couple of blocks from home. I didn't take my cart, but asked a kind store manager to kindly give me a large garbage bag along with the boxes I was taking. Thankfully he did, not once but twice, but I had to laugh to myself at what a sight I must have been carrying that bag of boxes down the street. I resembled a not so jolly (and not as hefty) Santa throwing that bag over my shoulder and heading down a busy street. I received a couple of strange looks, but the boxes were my prize, so I didn't care. I was able to pack my things and get them ready for the movers.

The day of the move the movers arrived right on time and loaded my things with care. I've used Two Men and a Truck for previous moves and have never been disappointed. The two young men along with some great friends from work and school came at the right times to get everything loaded and unloaded in a timely manner. Because the movers had their truck and my friends had vehicles, I could move car-free.

And of course, my new location was chosen because of the close proximity to the bus lines. I actually have more and closer bus options than I did at my previous location. When searching for places to live, shop or visit, I always look up the address using Google search and then click on directions using the public transportation option instead of by car. The search returns the closest bus routes and travel times. I use that feature often when planning to travel to places I've not been before on the bus. And it really came in handy when deciding where to live; my new location had to be safe, affordable and on the bus line. Mission accomplished.