Part II of my Denton transportation saga

**This is a continuation of my last post, so if you didn't read it, you might scroll down and get caught up. But I don't know why you didn't read it before. You had, like, plenty of time. Just kidding. Please don't leave. But really, the last post will catch you up. And thanks to everyone for the comments about the last post through Blogger, Facebook, Twitter and texting or just telling me in person. You guys make it even more fun to write this random story.**

Well, last you read, I left you with a cliffhanger, sort of like Season 4 of Dexter left me last weekend. Season 5 comes on in 2weeks. I'm so stoked. Best show on TV for sure.

Love you, Dex.

ANYway...

The bus' beady little red taillight eyes disappeared, signaling the (traitor) bus driver's foot coming off the brake and therefore departing from the sidewalk. Meanwhile, I continued clicking down the sidewalk, still at a breakneck pace, but certainly not running. As much of a character flaw as it may be, I would definitely NOT run for the bus with all those cars lined up along the sidewalk. Strangers or not, those people do not need to see me lacking self-control and the ability to properly schedule my transportation. For all they know, I am just a super-fast walker. I could probably speedwalk in the Olympics (isn't that a sport now?).

Look at them go! This could be me.

So I continued on down the sidewalk, watching forlornly as the bus got further and further down Bell Avenue. When I reached the center of campus, I turned right and headed back across to the staff parking lot, where my faithful car awaited, not knowing that I had looked into temporarily abandoning it for a greasier, wider piece of vehicular machinery. Despite the wind and the clouds, it was still warm outside, so I blasted the A/C as I rushed to UNT. My almost-heatstroke may have also been accredited to the emotional roller coaster I'd been on because of my new best friend, the Commuter Express, now my ex best friend.

Oooone is the loneliest number...

I'd left 10 minutes later than usual thanks to the bus debacle, so I threw caution to the wind in parking at UNT, and as I crossed the street, I saw my Route 8 bus slithering to a stop at the corner. Hmph. So it appeared that I COULD be on time if I rode the bus, and it did drop off in the spot that I had marked on my map. All that planning would have paid off! Nonetheless, I continued my gold-medal-worthy speed walk all the way to the third floor of my building. I slid into my seat at a cool 2:58 with a whopping two minutes to spare even AFTER I got a drink from the water fountain (and mind you, I did NOT choose to drink the filtered water that UNT offers).

I am SUCH a rebel.

In class, we had to introduce ourselves, which I always love, because... well, why would I write this blog if I didn't like to talk about myself? After I finished my name and background as requested, my professor asked me how the bus worked out, since if you recall, I'd called her to let her know I might be late. I told her, and the class, that I had missed the bus. I also took the opportunity to toss in the fact that, you know, I might try the bus again sometime, so if I was ever late, that was probably the reason why. Way to build in lateness-insulation, right?

As I mentioned in the last post, the storm clouds were really rolling in when I left TWU. Throughout class, we could hear the rumblings of thunder, and finally, the rain began to pour. It's never good when you can tell in a room with no windows how hard it is raining. Upon leaving the building, I have to walk about two or three blocks back to the lot where I park. Since I'm apparently not a responsible person, and am in fact the kind of person who misses her first bus, I was not prepared for the thunderstorm. I had no umbrella, and I had no raincoat... none of those trendy little printed rubber boots either. However, being out in the rain doesn't bother me; in fact, I rather like it, as it is sort of refreshing (as long as you don't think about how dirty rainwater is, but even when I do, I still kind of like it).

So many choices, and yet I have none.

When it came time to leave class, I marched downstairs, made sure I had my keys out and that my bags were zipped tight, grabbed a UNT paper as a makeshift head covering, and ventured out into the rain. The amount of precipitation was deceptively light at the time I went outside, so I figured I'd make it to the car a little damp but with no problem.

Apparently, however, I really needed refreshment.

The heavens completely opened up, and unlike Noah, I had no ark to save me. A sweet girl let me stand under her umbrella as we shivered at the crosswalk, torrents of rain slamming down and cars kicking up puddles as they passed through the intersection. Eventually, I had to abandon Umbrella Girl so I could take off my heels and wade through the shin-deep current. It was then I realized that my day had come full circle. I was left once again with the choice to continue walking and keep my cool, or... to run.

I don't know why. Maybe it was a sense of self preservation, like I wouldn't be as wet. Or perhaps it was that freeing feeling of being soaked by rain. Perhaps it was just because it was pretty dark, and I don't feel like as many people might know me on the streets of UNT as at TWU (which is ridiculous, because who knows me anyway?). Whatever it was, the mood was right... and I ran.

This is what I felt like!

I'm talking, I sprinted. I hauled it down Welch, past frat houses and oncoming cars and smart people with umbrellas AND rainboots. My bare feet kicked up water with every step (which was gross, because in some spots, the groundwater was so warm... ew), and most of it splashed onto me, but I didn't care. I committed to the run. I even kept my head up and angled toward the street, as if challenging the drivers to judge me. And, I made it to the car, soaked to the bone, but I still felt pretty awesome. Sometimes you just have to laugh at the turn of events your day takes.

Apparently it's hard to get across Denton.

For those of you who don't know, there are two primary things I do in Denton, TX. I don't live here, and I don't hang out here, but the majority of my time is definitely spent here. The first thing is that I work full-time at TWU in Lifelong Learning. I create, plan, and manage non-credit programs with a great group of colleagues.

Old Main at TWU (I work in a taller building that isn't as old)

The second is that I'm a graduate student at UNT. I am in the first semester of the MPA program (Masters of Public Administration). After all my waffling and uncertainty about my path after undergrad, I think I landed in the perfect place and program for me.

Idk what this picture is of at UNT, but oooh, a fountain!

I'm taking nine hours this semester, and yesterday, I had my first session of my third class. It is my only class that isn't at night. Because of the parking at UNT at 3:00 in the afternoon, and because I come from TWU to get there, I decided that I would explore taking the Commuter Express bus that picks up here and drops off there. I learned, after poring over DCTA maps and questioning a TWU Commuter Services student assistant's ear off, that my route would look like this:

2:38- Catch the Route 4 bus at TWU
2:48- Arrive at DCTA Central
2:52- Switch to the Route 8 bus
2:58- Get dropped off at UNT (right on the corner of my building's lot!)

Sure, this schedule would only leave me a measly two minutes to actually get into my building and up to my third floor classroom. And maybe I'd have to dodge cars and pedestrians and lost freshmen Frogger-style.

Look out, froggie. I rock at this game.

BUT I wanted to see if it was manageable, so I called my teacher and let her know that if I was a few minutes late, that would be why, and she understood, having had issues with parking her own car at 3:00 (even though it seems when I'm looking for a spot that every lot is faculty/staff- something that would help me at TWU but not so much at UNT).

At 2:30, I excitedly folded up my route map, grabbed my school stuff and my staff ID so I could ride for free, and headed toward the bus stop (about a 3 minute walk from my office). It was windy and much cooler than normal, and the clouds had rolled in, ominously but beautifully dark blue, ready to burst with rain. No umbrella, no matter- I was too ready for my first leap into the world of public transit. How clever am I to take the BUS to class!

Hello, new best friend.

I rounded the corner, 5 minutes early, prepared to wait under the bridge for the bus, only to learn that 1) the bus stop is actually about 30 yards further down the street than I thought. AND, 2) shockingly, the big green bus was already there! A line of impatient cars sat, nowhere to go, blocked like the clogged arteries I will have if I eat that Denny's grilled cheese that has fried cheesesticks in the middle (if you haven't seen that heavenly looking mess, google it). The door to the bus was already open, but no one was in the vicinity. No one but ME. I picked up my pace, clicking away down the sidewalk in my Liz Claiborne Flex heels (so sue me that I wasn't wearing my Madden's).

I don't wear these to work, because I don't work for Kelly Cutrone.

Here is a sample of my thoughts, "I think I can... I can make it... oh for SURE... it's gonna keep sitting there... isn't it?...be cool because all these cars are looking at you... isn't there like a rule against the bus being early?...nope, the door is shutting, and I'm not close enough..."

So I had a choice... do I abandon my fear of looking uncontrolled and uncool and run for it? Waving my arms, dragging my oversized school bag, hair flying in my self-created wind? Or do I just keep clacking down the sidewalk and turn back across campus to the parking lot? In which case, my mindframe becomes, "A bus? I never saw a bus. I don't ride the bus. Why would I notice? I drive my car to school. Why else would I have a car if not to drive it to the places I go? You so CRAZY, fool."

What do YOU think I did? To be continued...