Comments on: unromanticized

By: Brock

Brock — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 23:18:49 +0000

Yeah, the Bose thingies rock for sound quality, and, unfortunately, the ability to empty your wallet.

Although I always think that people who wear full headphones in public look a bit of a tool. I’ve never been trying to listen to my stereo (old Skool, me) in a place that it has been hard enough that a tweak of volume isn’t enough, though. I always like to listen to what is around me a little bit – comes from paranoia and too many times being nearly knocked off my bike in the mornings with my Sony walkman* (remember them?) on and not hearing cars behind me on the way to school…

(mine was actually an Aiwa, cos i wasn’t cool. My BMX was shit, too. It was a ‘Viceroy’. It sucked the chud monkey. :( )

By: roe

roe — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 15:28:48 +0000

Heh. Rob and I took Amtrak from NYC to Boston — we splurged on the Acela, since we were getting in incredibly late to start with, and Rob’s family had to pick us up. Well…turns out that while the train car was lovely, we didn’t go all that fast, *and* we actually had the train stop at one point because, in the words of the conductor, “We’ve had some of the local talent throw a major appliance on the tracks.” The conductors had to leave the train to move it — we’re guessing it was a washing machine or dryer or something. Overall, not sure it was worth the extra cash, since we didn’t save that much time. Oh, and I bought a ham sandwich on board…which would have made a useful bouncing ball, were it round. Eurgh.

I second the Sony earbuds for comfort — they won’t do a ton for the background noise, though. Rob has Bose noise-cancelling headphones (bought when he was travelling one week out of every month last year) — he swears by them.

By: Brock

Brock — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 22:12:59 +0000

Ref. trains:

Um. Why do you think there are so many cars and domestic flights? Cos trains suck donkey cock.

Also ref iPod ear hurting nastiness:

Buy these tomorrow. Seriously. I lasted one flight with my original iPod ones and got these the next day. They are so confortable, I can even fall asleep with them in. My head would have split in half if I had tried that with the ipod ones…

By: matt

matt — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 13:39:14 +0000

when i was a Young Man, i took the train from chicago to seattle and back again.

i did a series of “Train Companion Comix” because the people we met were so delightful and random and strange.

i gotta find those.

By: geeklibrarian

geeklibrarian — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 13:00:57 +0000

I think too, it depends on how much time you’re going to spend on the train. The trip between Seattle and Portland is lovely — I also recommend getting the business class seats — roomier and possible less obnoxious children on the loose. Oh, and in biz class there’s electrical outlets :-)

But those delays? They definitely suck :(

By: sue

sue — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 10:03:26 +0000

after reading this I am currently feeling happy abut flying from seattle to San Diego instead of the train. course i had planned and booked my own little cabin, which i think makes a big difference, but still :/

have fun at work tomorrow

and see you in 2 & 1/2 weeks

By: wirehead

wirehead — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 05:50:10 +0000

It depends on the line, I think.

The train to Sac is fine.

Basicly, since Amtrak can’t actually cut unprofitable lines, they just give them the cheapest and cruddiest possible service.

But, the dining cars have always been a plesant experience for me, mostly because of meeting totally random people.