northern nevada

(northern nevada from the amtrak train)

i've been trying to write something here for quite some time.. but every time i sit down to do so, i lose the motivation or the wherewithal.. i have a lot on my mind, a lot to talk about, a lot to put out there, but i just can't seem to do it.. easily distracted, i guess. or maybe it's a matter of finding a starting point..

so far this year i've had two incidents involving my li'l red ford focus. actually, those two events happened within weeks of each other. the most recent being severe enough to require driving it to The Muc to get it fixed. severe enough to have to depend on the kindness and generosity of Big Brother, who is lending me his pickup truck so i can continue to do my courier job. severe enough to cause some anxiety for me and my pops.

but. about the photo. it was taken on my train ride back to the biggest little city on a sunday afternoon. the ticket is a mere $29. i'm not sure how this photo turned out so well, it was shot through the grimy lounge car window whilst moving at a considerable speed. just lucky, i guess.

i've always enjoyed the amtrak train rides. you can never depend on them as far as time goes but the ambience makes up for the tardiness in my book.. people are a lot more social while taking this form of transportation, sitting in the sightseeing/lounge cars allows for eavesdropping on all sorts of conversations.. this past trip i was sitting alongside a handful of teamsters/railroad workers and their conversations about the unions, the transportation industry, different trucks/routes/companies kept me engrossed in what they were saying rather than the book i had brought along with me.. they spoke candidly about their jobs and how, for most of them, they were falling on difficult times.. at one point i learned about the lights and signals the trains use and why they slow down/speed up/wait when they do..

it was like seeing a slice of america up close and personal.. along with the transportation workers, there were Mennonites (maybe? there's usually a family or two of these folks travelling on the train with me whenever i go anywhere.. i'm assuming they're Mennonites or some variation thereof by their clothing and the way they handle themselves. i could be totally wrong, but hey. at least i'm admitting it?), German tourist couples, young families with small children, old folks and other single people like me.. all people trying to get from one place to another..

anyway. that's where you'll find me now. well. not exactly. but you get the idea.