Another glorious day in the hood! Today is not only clear and sunny, but it is warm enough that I am commuting with only a hoodie! I was brave and left my winter coat at home. I may regret it on the ride back home, but I am willing to take that risk!
Speaking of hoodies, I had another bus experience I'd like to share. It was downtown Vancouver. I had just come from Starbucks, matcha green tea, soy latte in hand. I had about a 5 minute wait for the 105 I-5 Express bus from Vancouver to Portland.
I love the Express bus. Almost as much as I love the "Vine", which goes up and down 4th Plain in Vancouver, at least every 15 minutes, from 5:30 a.m. until after midnight.
The Express bus goes from downtown Vancouver to downtown Portland every weekday until 7:20. I am always happy to catch this bus. It's 15 minutes from downtown Couv to downtown P-Town, on a good day. No more than 30 minutes in heavy traffic.
The only catch is it's quite a bit more expensive. A day pass for Tri-Met is $5.00, which is accepted on C-Tran. But the Express is $1.80 more each way.
Well worth it for me to shave time off of my commute!
Anyway, there I was, enjoying the warm sun, breathing deeply (I'm practicing Qi Gong breathing, which I'll talk about later) and sipping my latte. I noticed a young man also waiting at the bus stop. He was engaged in an intense conversation on his cell phone. I glanced at him, he turned away. I noticed his attire: Hoodie, back-pack, expensive looking Nikes.
He was wearing sweatpants. I noticed they were not quite pulled up to his waist.
"At least he's not sagging much", I thought to myself before I could correct my judgmental thoughts.
The bus pulled up just then. I boarded first. The young, hooded man boarded after me. I heard the "thunk" as his HOP card was pressed against the scanner. He was still on his phone. He moved towards a seat. But the driver stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Your card was refused", said the driver.
The young man looked confused. Finally he hung up his cell phone.
"I have a pass", he said.
"This is an express bus", sighed the driver.
"I came over on this bus, said the young man.
The driver shrugged and sat there waiting.
The young man said he was from Ohio. He didn't understand the bus system.
No one else on the bus said a word. I wondered why the driver was not more helpful. I asked the young man if he had a HOP card app.
"You can reload directly from the app", I said helpfully.
The young man sat down and got out his phone. He fiddled around with it. The driver didn't move.
Suddenly a man from the back of the bus said, "Get off the bus! Figure your sh*t out and take another bus. You're going to make me late for work!"
Suddenly there was a lot of hostility in the air. Everyone on the bus was white. Except the young man, who was black.
The young man bristled. He said he was not getting off the bus, and blame the bus driver, not him. He had a pass!
People in the back murmured.
The young man was late teens, early 20's. My heart went out to him. He is someone's son. He must feel like he's in a foreign country. I pulled up my app. I showed him the fares. I said the Express bus was more expensive because it went directly from downtown Vancouver to downtown Portland.
"How much more do I need?" he asked.
"I think $1.80", I said, mentally calculating if I had enough in my purse to cover his fare.
The driver nodded impatiently.
"Well I have money!" said the young man. He went up to put $2.00 in the fare box. But the machine wasn't taking his money.
The driver was glaring at him.
"What?!" said the young man, about to lose his cool. "You wanted more money. I"m trying to put it in. It isn't taking it!"
Finally the fare box ate his bills. The young man sat down again. He told me he had an honored citizen's pass and didn't understand why he got over to Vancouver earlier with no problem.
My guess was the driver was kinder and just let it go. But it would have been kinder to explain the system to him. I showed him the app. I told him on the Express bus, there was no discount for Honored Citizens.
The young man nodded, finally understanding and thanked me. I told him to have a nice day.
No one else on the bus said a word. Not even the driver.
And that, my friends is the difference between a suburb like Vancouver, and a little-big city like Portland. I have a strong feeling if someone on a Portland bus needed help, there would be numerous kind strangers coming to their assistance. In fact, I see it every day. Someone is short of fare, and another person pays. No judgment. Homeless people ride the bus with people in business suits.
It's not perfect. And it's not always perfectly peaceful. But the diversity in Portland does seem to bring out a kinder, more helpful personality.
I'm glad I helped the young man. And I hope he does have a nice day.
I am breathing better. Not just from helping a stranger, but because I hoave mved from Tai Chi to Qi Gong. I checked a book and DVD from the Fort Vancouver Library yesterday during my marathon library session.
Here are some things I have learned so far:
I just need more peace and breath in my life. Hopefully I am on the right track.
Oh, side note: I had breakfast with my mom this morning. We meet weekly for breakfast and conversation. Lately we've both said we are weary of bacon, eggs and potatoes. We asked our server if we could have hamburgers. She said we could order whatever we like!
But the hamburger buns weighed heavy on my digestive tract. I'm still working on getting rid of gluten, which I seems to be sensitive to. So this morning, I brought my own homemade corn tortillas with me to breakfast. And had a lovely mushroom/swiss/hamburger tortilla!
I don't feel the heaviness and depression I often feel after a gluten filled meal.
I love progress. I may get this thing called life together yet! (I'll be quite a healthy looking corpse by the time I pass! Sorry. That was morbid. But it tickles my funny bone. Lately I am starting to enjoy life so much, that I really do not fear death. If I live well, I shall pass well!)
On that note, I need to pass on out of this here library to teach piano. I wish you a glorious Monday!
Talk to you tomorrow.
Love,
Zita
And here is today's hooping video! Day 17:
Speaking of hoodies, I had another bus experience I'd like to share. It was downtown Vancouver. I had just come from Starbucks, matcha green tea, soy latte in hand. I had about a 5 minute wait for the 105 I-5 Express bus from Vancouver to Portland.
I love the Express bus. Almost as much as I love the "Vine", which goes up and down 4th Plain in Vancouver, at least every 15 minutes, from 5:30 a.m. until after midnight.
The Express bus goes from downtown Vancouver to downtown Portland every weekday until 7:20. I am always happy to catch this bus. It's 15 minutes from downtown Couv to downtown P-Town, on a good day. No more than 30 minutes in heavy traffic.
The only catch is it's quite a bit more expensive. A day pass for Tri-Met is $5.00, which is accepted on C-Tran. But the Express is $1.80 more each way.
Well worth it for me to shave time off of my commute!
Anyway, there I was, enjoying the warm sun, breathing deeply (I'm practicing Qi Gong breathing, which I'll talk about later) and sipping my latte. I noticed a young man also waiting at the bus stop. He was engaged in an intense conversation on his cell phone. I glanced at him, he turned away. I noticed his attire: Hoodie, back-pack, expensive looking Nikes.
He was wearing sweatpants. I noticed they were not quite pulled up to his waist.
"At least he's not sagging much", I thought to myself before I could correct my judgmental thoughts.
The bus pulled up just then. I boarded first. The young, hooded man boarded after me. I heard the "thunk" as his HOP card was pressed against the scanner. He was still on his phone. He moved towards a seat. But the driver stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Your card was refused", said the driver.
The young man looked confused. Finally he hung up his cell phone.
"I have a pass", he said.
"This is an express bus", sighed the driver.
"I came over on this bus, said the young man.
The driver shrugged and sat there waiting.
The young man said he was from Ohio. He didn't understand the bus system.
No one else on the bus said a word. I wondered why the driver was not more helpful. I asked the young man if he had a HOP card app.
"You can reload directly from the app", I said helpfully.
The young man sat down and got out his phone. He fiddled around with it. The driver didn't move.
Suddenly a man from the back of the bus said, "Get off the bus! Figure your sh*t out and take another bus. You're going to make me late for work!"
Suddenly there was a lot of hostility in the air. Everyone on the bus was white. Except the young man, who was black.
The young man bristled. He said he was not getting off the bus, and blame the bus driver, not him. He had a pass!
People in the back murmured.
The young man was late teens, early 20's. My heart went out to him. He is someone's son. He must feel like he's in a foreign country. I pulled up my app. I showed him the fares. I said the Express bus was more expensive because it went directly from downtown Vancouver to downtown Portland.
"How much more do I need?" he asked.
"I think $1.80", I said, mentally calculating if I had enough in my purse to cover his fare.
The driver nodded impatiently.
"Well I have money!" said the young man. He went up to put $2.00 in the fare box. But the machine wasn't taking his money.
The driver was glaring at him.
"What?!" said the young man, about to lose his cool. "You wanted more money. I"m trying to put it in. It isn't taking it!"
Finally the fare box ate his bills. The young man sat down again. He told me he had an honored citizen's pass and didn't understand why he got over to Vancouver earlier with no problem.
My guess was the driver was kinder and just let it go. But it would have been kinder to explain the system to him. I showed him the app. I told him on the Express bus, there was no discount for Honored Citizens.
The young man nodded, finally understanding and thanked me. I told him to have a nice day.
No one else on the bus said a word. Not even the driver.
And that, my friends is the difference between a suburb like Vancouver, and a little-big city like Portland. I have a strong feeling if someone on a Portland bus needed help, there would be numerous kind strangers coming to their assistance. In fact, I see it every day. Someone is short of fare, and another person pays. No judgment. Homeless people ride the bus with people in business suits.
It's not perfect. And it's not always perfectly peaceful. But the diversity in Portland does seem to bring out a kinder, more helpful personality.
I'm glad I helped the young man. And I hope he does have a nice day.
I am breathing better. Not just from helping a stranger, but because I hoave mved from Tai Chi to Qi Gong. I checked a book and DVD from the Fort Vancouver Library yesterday during my marathon library session.
Here are some things I have learned so far:
- " In a recent study, conducted by the National Institute of Health, Qigong lung meridian exercises have been found to be helpful in preventative health maintenance programs and to reduce a person’s stress levels." http://portlandtaichiacademy.com/qigong-for-lungs-to-improve-your-ability-to-breathe/
- "Energy, or Qi, is the focus of both Tai Chi and Qi Gong. In both styles, the practitioner uses visualization, breathing and body movement to guide the circulation of Qi as it moves through and around the body. However, Tai Chi has a more overt emphasis on the martial aspects of the training." https://www.livestrong.com/article/359382-qi-gong-vs-tai-chi/
- "Since Qi Gong does often awaken self-realization and help people to become aware of their truest intentions, many people do integrate Qi Gong into their spiritual or religion practice. In fact, many people of all religions find that Qi Gong is an excellent compliment to their relationship with the divine. It’s very normal for the practice to enhance one’s connection to a belief or religion that is already established. For others, they may decide that Qi Gong is simply a useful tool to let go of stress and get some exercise, and that is completely okay also."
- https://www.holdenqigong.com/is-qi-gong-a-religion/
- It is relaxing! And so far, not difficult. I am taking it slowly. But my energy has increased after only two sessions. My sinuses are still giving me grief, and I have a little left over cough from my last attack, but overall feeling much better!
I just need more peace and breath in my life. Hopefully I am on the right track.
Oh, side note: I had breakfast with my mom this morning. We meet weekly for breakfast and conversation. Lately we've both said we are weary of bacon, eggs and potatoes. We asked our server if we could have hamburgers. She said we could order whatever we like!
But the hamburger buns weighed heavy on my digestive tract. I'm still working on getting rid of gluten, which I seems to be sensitive to. So this morning, I brought my own homemade corn tortillas with me to breakfast. And had a lovely mushroom/swiss/hamburger tortilla!
I don't feel the heaviness and depression I often feel after a gluten filled meal.
I love progress. I may get this thing called life together yet! (I'll be quite a healthy looking corpse by the time I pass! Sorry. That was morbid. But it tickles my funny bone. Lately I am starting to enjoy life so much, that I really do not fear death. If I live well, I shall pass well!)
On that note, I need to pass on out of this here library to teach piano. I wish you a glorious Monday!
Talk to you tomorrow.
Love,
Zita
And here is today's hooping video! Day 17:
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