Mundanities

Hi guys!

So, no pretty pictures or grand adventures here today.  I just thought it might be nice to unload the series of mundane this-and-thats that are the result of living all alone in a new city in a new house working a new job

Laundry!  I've already done a few loads which, apparently, is a few more than Tamas has done in this house :P (I called and asked him for directions.  His response was "dunno, never done it")
This is definitely going to have to be a weekend thing, though.  Washer takes more than an hour to cycle, and the dryer is longer than that.  Actually . . . we're not really sure how well the dryer works at all.  The first time I tried it simply kept going for literally all day . . . of which I was only tangentially aware, as I was hanging out upstairs the whole time.  However, Magdi, who lives right next door to the laundry room, had to hear it while she was trying to work . . . for like 5 hours.  Yeah I feel kinda bad about that.  Worst part, though?  Did not even get the clothes all the way dry.  That was just insulting

Anyways, after that I actually brought down my laptop and translated the labels from German, then changed the setting to "actually get things dry" and it seemed to work just fine.  So I think I have it covered.  Still, I generally just turn it on and then go run errands
Regardless, I'm definitely gonna try to make an effort to do it every weekend, so as to avoid letting enough pile up to necessitate two loads (which is what happened last time, a pretty big annoyance).  But hey, that just means I'll have a weekly scheduled laundry day!  Schedule is good for you, right?
I feel so domestic :P

Taking the bus to work is interesting, first time in my life I've done that.  I mean, I took the schoolbus for a few years, but that was different--there was only one bus, plus my mom would make me breakfast and drop me off at the stop.  Ahh I miss that
Having to figure out which bus I want to take and then schedule myself to get to the stop at the right time is a bit of a logistical problem.  It takes me a minimum of 15 minutes to get out the door, what with the whole suit and tie thing, and that doesn't include shaving and breakfasting (I can get away with shaving only every other day if I have to, and I like to grab breakfast at the office and eat while I'm checking my news sites)
Right now the last possible bus I can take is the 8:36, that gets me there at almost exactly 9am.  I've only had to catch that one once though, so far (that being said, the 9am time is flexible.  Really, my only goal is to be there at my desk working when my boss gets in, some time between 9 and 9:30.  But you know . . . the moment I let it slip once, it's a slippery slope til I'm showing up at 10am apologizing about missing my bus or something)
Usually, I try to shoot for catching the bus right before that, 24 past.  Gets me in at 8:45, which is comfortably before my boss--in fact, I'm usually the first of the interns as well.  That being said, more and more I find myself waking up early on my own.  Not gonna get back to sleep, so I might as well get into the office early--office manager gets in at 8am, so I can be there as early as then.  Plus, I assume that word gets around that I get in early . . . that can only be good for me :D

The subway is also very nice.  Not as nice and polished as, for instance the Japanese one, especially Kyoto (that is, however, an incredibly unfair standard)--but certainly better than the few East Coast ones I've taken, if memory serves.  Also comparing to the Japanese ones, the Budapest subways accelerate a lot faster than the Japanese ones.  Maybe it was just that I was out of practice, cuz now I'm fine, but I found myself almost falling over the first few times I rode it.  Whatever, it still gets me there!

Plus, it's very, very efficient.  During rush hours, which I usually catch in the morning (although not at night--usually don't leave the office til after 7) the train comes every like 2 minutes.  Pretty cool

So I have it down to a science now--I know exactly where to get on the train at each station so that I'll be right next to elevators at my destination.  Not a big deal most of the time, but if I'm in a hurry it's important--only the first few people to get to the elevators get to walk up, after that it's so crowded you just have to stand and wait [edit:  Escalators, not elevators.  Duh].  And the Budapest subways are deep so it's a pretty long escalator ride

But the coolest part?  Apparently there aren't vents in the tunnels themselves, cuz you know how to tell a train is coming?  Before you can see the lights around the bend, before you can hear the rumbling on the tracks . . . you can feel the wind blowing s the car approaches.  It's awesome :D

Anyways, just some random observations. That . . . actually turned out very long.  Wow.  Well if you got through it, thanks!  If you just skipped down to read the bottom here, that's ok too

Noah out