Good Morning

This photo was taken off the coast of Capetown, South Africa. It was truly a breathtaking sight. If I could transport back to a time in my life, this would be it. Having not seen land for 9 days in the middle of the endless blue ocean is a somewhat humbling feeling. It is powerful....

My thoughts are quickly jolted with a splash of polluted water to the front of me. I couldn't do anything but laugh and think "Only in New York." I felt the burn of tourists eyes as they whispered in their native tongues.

It is 8am and I just got off of work. There's a heavy feeling in the air. The buildings fade into the cloudy mist lying just above making their name "sky scraper" quite literal. I fight against the heavy flow of tourists and excited natives. We are all slaves to time!

It makes me stop and think sometimes, why all the rushing? What are we running toward? A deadline, finals, sunset...we all seem so lost in the rush of the social contruct of time. We fashion our lives around it. I think that is why I chose this picture. It is truly timeless...

The mountain stands silhoutted, a shadow puppet of the rising sun just behind it. It was this very moment in my life when I felt so small, so insignificant. All around me were mesmorized college students. I wondered what it was they were so mesmorized about. Was it that they too felt as if nothing else existed in the world but that mountain. That feeling welling inside of structure, of a surface to rest our feet upon. 9 days of traveling by ship...9 days of timeless sailing into the deep blue, hoping to see a sign of life, and seeing nothing but more water. This photo is devoid of that idea of time. In the four walls of this photo, time stood still and I was the onlooker!

pet peeve sundays: What's Next?

pet peeve sundays: What's Next?

PANIC...and Flurries!

As you read this post, you are likely dog earing a page, looking something up in the dictionary or putting a highlighter behind your ear. You might be squandering in the night or it might be 4 am and you are the only one up in NYC, reading this post. Writing a bibliography? Make is easy

Was I right? Thought so. This time of year we like to think of as being happy and serene. A month of bliss and digression from daunting activity. We create, reflect, and even watch out for one and other...It's the one time of year when we take a look at the fact that we're all human beings...go figure! but probably not for you, if you are anything like me.

I'm studying...I have knots in my back the size of pluto, when it was a planet...my life is dissolving, I'm calling out of work and staying up late, and this will probably follow with a cold because the less rest we give ourselves, the more prone we are to contract something ugly. You might even be thinking about graduating...?

suddenly the sky gets dark...your mind races. You think, what am I gonna do? How am I gonna live? Where am I gonna live? How will I pay those fucking bills? But hey, chillax!

The chances are likely that you're a good person (most of you.) You've worked hard and you should continue to work hard...although you may feel doomed (and you probably are) maybe you aren't. I dont think you are, and I'm nobody right? that counts for something

Why the six train ruins everyone's lives

I got to get this off my chest because it has been driving me insane.

I got jammed in the six train today and you know what? I'd have rather killed myself. Suicide is not funny, but neither is the six train at 7am. I have never seen so many people cram their ass insuch a small space and why? WHY? Why is it that the six always seems to be more crowded than most other trains...or the people seem less forgiving?

Anyhow, I tried doing a rough count and between where I was standing near the door all the way to the middle there were approximately 50 people standing...ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I have never felt more violated by the public in my life and i couldn't help but laugh at how rediculous we all must have looked and how awkward we all quietly and secretly felt. Anyhow...Taxes, raising fares and more have been the topic of many news reports lately and i have to say. We need more frequent six trains or another line that parrallels it.

-The Traffic Dodger

Give me a break

This is annoyed, a what, annoyed, a what annoyed....OH, ANNOYED!

This is an intergection, off beat from the work I usually write about various modes of transportation but dammit, I think its an important one. I just want to comment recently on the people I've been witnessing and how they are so damn selfish and self centered. Maybe this has to do with the fact that I consider myself a pretty level headed, well rounded person de-void of overt materialism, but NYC has maybe some of the worst people and maybe even our school does ad here's an example that really ticked me off...

Java City is a place many people see on a daily basis, perhaps before a three hour class even. I was standing patiently in line and the kid in front of me wanted some non-fat something or other, blah, blah, blah...with skim milk. Granted from what I could tell, the kid was the furthest thing from fat. Anyhow...he got a polite response that they were all out of skim milk. This kid, whose name I will not mention proceeded to go over to the coffee bar and look in the skim milk creamer krafts. He brings it over and says "There's skim milk in here, make it from this."

May seem like a funny thing to be angry over but that kid just stole skim milk from paying customers who maybe wanted to use it IN their coffee....not AS their coffee. I found it particularly irritating to see this sort of action. What a selfish thing to do.

It isn't only that though. I constantly witness people be disrespectful toward sales associates in various stores or food establishments I've been in. Just because a person is working in retail or food doesn't make you any better than they are. When did we get this notion of "I'm above that," or "I'm too good for that?" There's quite frankly no reason to think that a person is any less smart than you are...or less worthy or entitled for that matter. We live in an increasingly globalized world where we deal with people from everywhere, any perception or situation we can think of so it would do well for all of us to start accepting that.

Last night I was in a McDonalds at 2 in the morning...I was hungry and pajama clad and I decided that fries would be the perfect remedy to a bad day. So I went to the nearest McD's and I was again waiting in line. This drunk guy was in front of me and he was ordering...he ordered a large fry and it came to $2.19. The sign said $1.69. He said, the sign's wrong then...and the cashier responded "yeah the corporate hasn't updated it." He responded "Do you speak English, I said the sign is wrong...its the wrong price and that makes it wrong." The cashier got irrationally upset and was about to throw a punch at the drunk guy in front of me

My point is simple...we all need to calm down for a minute and realize we are all human and we are all essentially the same. We all work on the same kinds of things despite our language, origin, eye color etc...Just figured I'd share what has been really getting to me lately

Straphangers on a plane...a DELAYED plane

No matter how you look at it, flying SUX! 

No questions asked. Flying sucks for a number of reasons but let me tell you my tale before you go off criticizing me for being a miserable bastard. 

It was a typical morning in a hypertensive airport, Philadelphia Airport to be exact. As I stood waiting in an looooooooooooooooooooooooooooonggggg line, I gladly handed over my ID and boarding pass to an attractive 30 something flight security guard. I smiled cheesily and said Good Afternoon. In my head I was scathing and thinking "What's so good about it!" It was then that something hit me over the head like a ton of bricks. Over the airport loudspeaker came a generic, processed voice of a woman 

"This is Southwest flight 1260, we're still waiting on passengers, Kyle, Jenna and Scott to board. Kyle, Jenna, and Scott, please report to the gate 8 immediately." 

My heart sank...I looked around thinking if this flight leaves without me, how am I getting to Pittsburgh. I looked around like a puppy with his tail between his legs. I quickly glanced at my watch. Adrenaline was rushing through my body. I paused...

"It's only 3:17," I reassured myself. "My flight doesn't leave until 4:25, how can this be?" 

I quickly caught the attention of a portly blond woman. Her cool blue eyes gave me comfort and I cried out in desperation. "They just called my name, I don't know what to do." I glanced down the endless security check line. She shot a warm smile. "Just go to the front of the line."

I raced through the terminal dodging everyone in front of me. I finally reached gate 8 and with a red faced pant I muttered the words...."Is this the flight to Pittsburgh?" The woman looked at me puzzled...."This flight is going to Phoenix, Arizona. My heart sank for real this time 

"OH MY GOSH, I MISSED MY FLIGHT!" What am I going to do?" I panicked internally. "I'm going to Pittsburgh," said a young voice. "The flight doesn't leave until 4:25 though." I felt a sigh of relief splash over me. I had been traveling for three hours just to get to the airport, changing trains, waiting on platforms, I was just ready to get in the air. But why would that not be as easy as I had thought?" 

"We here at Southwest, value your patronage and we would like to let you know that your flight is two hours behind schedule because of air traffic controls," an affirming voice sang. 

....of course.... I thought to myself. Why would this be easy? 

"We do have open seating here at Southwest so you are welcome to take any seat as you enter the plane," said the voice from no where. But that wasn't easy either, especially when you're boarding group C! My eyes fell on a perfect window seat so I greedily grabbed it, stuffing my carry on bag in the overhead compartment. It was then that my comfort was disrupted by an overwhelming shadow. The largest man on the flight was also looking for an open seat....and guess where the seat was? 

you guessed it. Like a predator in search of his prey, the larger than life, suspendered man plopped down in the seat next to me, squishing his larger than life body and his wide ass right next to a once content me. Now jammed into the window and desperately squirming to make my own room, the flight finally lifted off the ground. I thought "Boy what a day." 

I fell asleep to numb the pain I was in from being an amateur contortionist as I desperately claimed my 49.00 seat. 

For this and other reasons, it's never easy or fun to travel by air. Granted it's economical, smart, a time saver really....unless your delayed forever and stuck between a fat man and a window

Through tears

I wonder what she's really like. I mean I pass her everyday and everyday it's something different. she paces back and forth in her black, down coat, wth the 80's pattern. Sometimes she just sits there staring and I wonder what she thinks about as she see's people pass by. Maybe she's wondering why she's alive, or why the girl who just passed her looked shamefully toward her and quickly turned her head, lowering her chanel glasses. The change comes when the sun goes down

I walk past her at night and she sings a spanish melody. I can't understand it, but she sings it through a a river of tears that stream from her inset eyes. She gives a concert to nobody but everybody can listen for no charge and I always wonder what pain is inside of her that makes her sing this sad song. I wonder if she lost someone, or she's tired f the same old life on the same old bench.

What makes her different from me?
I wonder if she went to college?
What does she sing about?
Why is she crying?

Perfect Strangers...on a train, a post by Alfred Hitchcock

and that's just me trying to get you to read my new blog post...i mean let's be honest, who would turn down the opportunity to read a post by Alfred Hitchcock?...yep...that's what I thought.

(Disclaimer: Kyle may write a lot about trains, but he does use other modes of transportation.)

Okay so my latest adventure just so happens to take place on yet another Jersey Transit train and thanks to me, they still have business because for 25.00 round trip from Philly, they better be. This story is much different from my others though, and you'll see why.

It was an early Monday morning, and when I say early, we're talking 7am...my least favorite time of day. I hate the morning time, you know...when the sun sears it's way over the horizon and hits you right in the face and you want to shoot someone...but alas, I digress, I fumbled for my glasses in a fatal attempt to see, because God blessed me with bad eye site. I threw on some clothes, hopped in the car and it was off to NYC...again...a process I was all too familiar with. As I rushed to get my train ticket, accidentally knocking down an old lady, but graciously helping her up, I finally fell into the nice uncomfortable, maroon seat on my way to the city.

I must pause here to tell you a bad habit I have. I like sitting alone...that's right...two seats all to my greedy, American self. But the train always gets packed and I get mad. I use a variety of tactics to avoid people. I 1. put a coat on the seat next to me as if to non verbally imply "Someone is already here, they're just peeing all over themselves in the rocky bathroom" (see post 2) 2. I avoid friendly eye contact as much as possible. 3. I pretend like I'm sleeping from stop to stop so that when a new wave of people get on, they think "oh, he's sleeping...I wouldn't wanna wake him just to sit in an uncomfortable maroon seat on my way to NYC." But on this particular occasion options 1,2, and three were not available. (Note: I even wore my Phillies hat in an attempt to repel any Mets fans)

so I began to read a book called "Changing Perspectives: The Semester at Sea Experience." I was paging through happily smiling until some attractive 30 something says in a gruff morning voice, "Excuse me." I glared up and my smile faded...I began to move my stuff from the seat next to me, to the racks above...angrily grunting under my breath. so she sits down next to me and I continue to read my attractive coffee table book, and I thought it would be nice to look out the window to my left. Just as I did that, the light of heaven had shone through the window.

She was like an angel, and my eyes caught hers. There was this moment between us, and she smiled at me.
"Wait, did you do Semester at Sea," she sang.
"Yes," I smiled bashfully..."did you?"
"Spring 04 and I miss it everyday," she responded as her jet black hair bounced slightly in her face.
"Yeah, spring 07 and I'm still depressed." We both laughed a little.

This conversation carried on for about an hour. We talked about how she was from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and how she stumbled upon the program and it, like my voyage, changed her life. We talked about world policy, the UN National convention being in town, and on and on. We got to know each other so well in that hour and a half, and just like the way she appeared, she was soon swept up in the crowd of people heading for the nearest stairwell. We exchanged phone numbers and that was it...in a puff of angelic smoke, she was engulfed by the people around her, "I'll see you around," she shouted through the crowd.

The moral of this story is that through one tiny interaction on an otherwise routine part of my daily life, I met someone else with an interesting story. Always be aware of that...wherever you are, the people around you are probably really interesting, fun....or crazy....or homeless. Regardless, They may have some cool stories to share with you... so Be on the look out and reach out and touch someone....but not literally, because that would be assault and you all are too young for a federal offense. In the mean time, traveling on a train can be a lot more fun than you think...

The Traffic Dodger

Circumnavigating the globe

Hey Guys,
I wanted to start by thanking all of you about the well received share. I hope this short post gives you a bit of an idea of just exactly what Semester at Sea is all about. 26,900 miles around the globe, I can confidently say I'm changed by what I've seen in the world and am a firm believer that the true quest for knowledge manifests itself when a person sees, then learns. It isn't in a book though, it's a deeper feeling that can only be sought out by being a traveler, rather than a tourist. Y'all know what I'm talking about.

Left: El Yunque Rain forest-the only US rain forest, protected under national rain forest act.














To the right is Bahia...A state of Brazil, specifically in the city of Salvador. You're viewing the upper city or the pelourino district. Salvador is separated into two parts, the upper and lower cities. Salvador is also where Capoeira originated. It was our second port on the voyage and took 9 days to sail to.































This lion is from South Africa. Specifically the Kariega Game Reserve. What a beauty huh? He's gigantic and even more so in color and up close. Safari was one of the many things I was fortunate enough to do in South Africa. I was also able to hike Table Mountain, travel to Seal Island, which some of you may have seen in the "Planet Earth" series and I was even able to go on a wine tasting tour.


What was even better was being in South Africa with The Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He was actually on our voyage the whole 100 days and was of particular help in South Africa, being that his presence was monumental in ending apartheid. But I learned valuable lessons in Capetown beyond wine tasting. I was able to meet with a Rastafarian community and help them brainstorm ideas for bringing in revenue. It was astounding to see their living conditions but enlightening to see a group of people free from worldly possessions and very willing to smile. They taught me something deeper about my own life. When you see children dance, it brings a smile to your face. It's indescribable.





11 days, 3,375 miles later, we found ourselves in Capetown, South Africa...I'll definitely find my way back before I die...but alas, its off to Mauritius!




Oh Mauritius...its a paradise for sure albeit a not so educational one. More of a fuel stop for the glorious MV Explorer between South Africa and India. We spent 3 days here and it was absolutely beautiful. Great Weather, awesome reefs, nice...palm trees? It was great though...


















Off to India!






Of Course I'd pull the generic picture of the Taj Mahal to brag about how amazing India is, but the Taj isn't the only thing !ncredible about !ndia. There is a lot to learn from such a bold country with such an intriguing history. It is in short, a place that is bound to make you very uncomfortable, and that's where the learning really begins to happen. I can't explain it. In fact, if I were....I'd be here all night. But know that for sure, if you haven't been to !ndia, go before you die. you'll learn a great deal from her.

okay so I could keep uploading pictures, but that would take too long and I'm experiencing some formatting issues. Let me know if y'all want me to post more about Semester at Sea or my voyage and I might think about it....but for now...you've made it half way around the world.

For the amazing slide show go to http://www.jameslissy.com/

Peace...World Peace,
Traffic Dodger

On peeing...on a train!

Quite frankly, peeing on a train may be the hardest thing I've had to do in a while. I guess I should begin my story by letting you know that I was commuting on Jersey Transit this morning when it theurge suddenly struck me to urinate. I ignored said, urge and continued to read the terribly boring book entitled Marie Anoinette. After all, If I were to get up in the middle of that book, I might miss something terribly epic, like Marie Antoinette being frivelous yet again with her money...or her secret supposed lesbian life, and for the romantic age, that's pretty fucking hot...

I thought to myself...boy I could really pee right now!

But Marie Antoinette? It's so engaging...I guess I should pause here...

Some of you may be wondering why the fuck I'm reading Marie Antoinette on the train, or perhaps you may be wondering why I'm even reading it and my guess is as good as yours. Apparently it's for this stupid class I'm taking that I need for graduation...or something. Oh Higher Education, you're so unnecessary at times...so anyhow

The urge was becoming as epic as the thick book wedged between my fingertips. So I decided to venture to the train bathroom. As I walked through the train cars, I felt like a tight rope walker barely able to keep his balance and as I passed people, all they could do was look so uninterested. They were probably thinking things like

Am I in New York yet?

I finally happened upon the trains bathroom. I swung the door open and was bombarded with the smell of day old piss. The bathroom was dimly lit but ce la vie? I unzipped and began doing the intuitive thing all men do. I aimed and began the gentle flow until the train jerked forward and I landed just inches away from being bathed in my own piss. The train conductor must have had a field day with me because he didn't stop at just one jerk.

HE HIT EVERY BUMP HE COULD...I'd punch him in his fucking face If I saw him on the street. All I had to do was pee and he decided to go off the damn track while I was performing my duty.

My conclusion to all you men out there is to wait until the next stop to relieve yourself and do it quickly. The conductor is bound to know when you enter that bathroom and he'll make your casual experience a living nightmare.

Hello World...

...and welcome to the interior of my blog. I'm glad you've wandered to my page and look forward to hearing your comments about my blog. I'm as obliged and excited to write as you are to read...so have a blast and laugh a lot, because if we take life to seriously, we'll become sad....and who wants to be fucking sad all the time? Not me, and probably not you either so turn that frown :( upside down :)!

peace out,
Traffic Dodger