Train life: Chapter 6

Monday means a new week of commuting. It might be a new week, but not surprisingly there are a lot of the same old crew around.

Brolly barger

You've seen these people. The minute even a drop of rain falls from the skies, and they've whipped out a golf umbrella big enough to shelter Kim Kardashian West's entire entourage. 

They then enter the train and shake out the umbrella, in the same style as a wet dog shakes itself, soaking everyone in the vicinity. That's not the worst of it, though. The worst is when they get off the train and they then hold the umbrella not vertically down towards the ground, but horizontally -sticking a good foot both in front and behind them. Even when they're turning corners or going up steps! You have to give them a good 20 paces to ensure your morning commute isn't topped off by an accidental stabbing. Not that that would be the worst thing to happen on Scotrail on a Monday morning.

Considerate commuters

Ah, you were wondering when I'd get to someone like this, weren't you? The sweet commuters. I normally encounter this species on the homeward journey. When seats are like a winning lottery ticket, and you're standing with your face pushed into someone's armpit, while trying to balance your rucksack and attempting to not faint, you'll see the Considerate Commuter give up their seat for a pregnant woman, or an elderly man, or someone with small kids. They'll also be the type to offer you some water if you get a coughing fit, or throw you an empathetic glance if someone's bag hits you.

Unusually for me, there is nothing I hate about the Considerate Commuters - they're a breath of fresh air in the stuffy train that is commuting. I admire their ability to retain their niceness in such a horrid environment. 

Maybe one day, I'll grow up and be just like them!

You know, maybe.

It all starts here

It all starts here - the week, that is. I have to admit, I did always used to wonder why some diaries started their week on a Sunday. To me, that was always the bookend of the week, the rest and relaxation after the stresses and strains of the working week and the catch up housework and errands of a Saturday.

However, as I've gotten older, while Sundays still do involve a lot of comfy lounging and binge watching of box sets, now I appreciate the opportunities Sundays bring for getting a head start on the week ahead. Sometimes that's in the form of an afternoon batch cooking (my veggie chilli is the stuff of dreams), but one of my most favourite preparations is Sunday planning.

I have several planners, so today I concentrated on decorating a couple of them for the next few weeks, ready to put all my plans into them.

My work planner
First up, the planner I use at work:

This is a planner I picked up from TK Maxx, and it's one I get each year, because the layout is perfect for a week at work - room to write in daily appointments, key focus areas for the week ahead, doodling room, and a place to celebrate the little victories.

My wellness planner

This one was a Christmas gift from my bestie, and came from the Zoella Lifestyle Christmas gifting range. It's perfect for noting down what I eat each day, or - if I'm very organised -meal planning for the week ahead. I can also use this to track my mood. There is also a weight and measurement tracker at the front of the planner - it didn't come with this (though it did come with lots of cute gold stickers) but I created one, printed it out onto self adhesive paper and stuck into the front cover,

Decorating
As you can see, I don't go too over the top with my decorating. I like to leave plenty of room to write in my planners! I usually opt for a few different washi tapes, a couple of stickers, and an inspirational quote or two. More often than not, I colour co-ordinate, but if it's a special event or season, I'll theme it to match that.

My favourite stickers are the MAMBI Happy Planner stickers - perfectly sized for my Classic Happy Planner (which you'll see in future blogs), but they also work beautifully in other planners. And I of course, have a decent collection of washi tape - some of which is  shown below.

That's my Sunday planning for this week, and not only was it fun, but I do feel more prepared for Monday.

I hope you all have a great week ahead too!

Train Life: Chapter 5

Good morning. Welcome back to that Train Life.

Today, I've begun my observations early. Even before you get on the train, there are definite characters that emerge at the shelter. Some classic types that I have observed in my two decades of commuting are:

• The Doorway Hoggers - obviously experts at the Hokey, Cokey; they won't actually come into the  the shelter itself, but they don't want to stand outside either. So they hover in the doorway, making it impossible for anyone to get in without dancing around them. They're determined to be first on the train, so when the train comes, you won't get past them until they're good and ready to move.
• The Drama Students - ok, so they may not actually be studying drama, but they sure know how to project their voices. 'Private conversation' is a concept unfamiliar to them. Brian Blessed would envy their ability to ensure that everyone in the shelter (and within a two mile radius) can hear every syllable of their conversations.
• The Non-Commuter - they don't normally travel at this time of day. They're taken aback by the number of people waiting for the train. They're carrying at least three highly impractical luggage items. Every two minutes they exclaim how busy it is, and ask if there's something big happening today, not quite able to believe this is normal. This constant refrain is only interrupted by them asking over and over if they're at the right platform and asking person after person if this train stops at their desired station. You want to help them, and they're sweet; but sweet very quickly turns to sickly. So, you can only take these in small measures.
• The So What Smokers - Unlike the Sensible Smokers, who finish and dispose of their cigarette at the bin just outside the station entrance, this lot apparently can't read. Despite the signs stating it is an offence to smoke on any part of the station, they freely light up either while standing in the shelter doorway, with their cigarette- holding hand out of the shelter, or while waiting on the platform. Even if you ask them not to smoke, they look at you in seeming incomprehension. It would appear that not only can't they read, but they don't understand the spoken word either. Maybe there's a niche opportunity to offer literacy classes to this group!

Train Life: Chapter 4

Yesterday morning was a surprisingly quiet commute into work. None of the usual characters to be seen, just lots of people behaving normally, reading or quietly chatting. I can't remember the last time that happened!

But for all you who love to read about the Train People, do not fear, I instead can bring you tales of one of their close cousins, the Station Folk.

One of the most annoying of this species are the poor souls who cannot use an escalator, despite travelling every day. I call them the Eh?scalators. They approach the escalator with extreme caution, eyeing it as if it were an undercover assassin with the sole mission of exterminating them. They stand warily at the bottom of the escalator, their foot hovering over the rolling steps, as they wait for a less suspicious step. They're oblivious to the queue of people bunched up behind them. Eventually, they spot a step that seems safe, and they move on to the escalator. All is well, isn't it? No, it's not. They realise it's still not safe, so they move one foot back so they can balance over two steps. This usually means their bag hits you in the face, as again they're oblivious to anyone behind them. Now all is well, isn't it? No, because now they have to get off again...

Introducing Train Life

Ok, so here's something you should know. I like to vent.

Every day I commute to and from Glasgow, and lately I've been sharing some of my observations from the trains to my personal Facebook. For some reason, people seem to enjoy reading them and suggest I start blogging them, so I'll add them to this little blog of mine. I'll tag them Train life, so you can filter for them if you like. I'll post when I see something I just have to share. In the meantime, here are the updates from the Facebook posts I made so far....

Train life: Chapter 1
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Trains really reveal people's true characters. (I'm the Observer and Tutter-in-Chief, in case you're wondering.)

Today, we have a few Searchers - the people who get on the train at one end and then go through every single carriage looking for the mysterious perfect seat. Of course, they don't shut the doors between the carriages after them. People sitting there don't matter. The cold draft doesn't matter. Nothing matters but the Search!

There is also a Cool Kid (don't let the name fool you, they're often decades older than youth). They display their cool credentials by not sitting in a seat like an actual human being. Not for them the bottom on seat, back against seat back. No, they'll precariously perch themselves on the seat at an angle that prevents anyone easily getting to the 5 seats round them. Not that you'd want to, because Cool Kid generally has the loudest earphones known to man, and a complete inability to turn the music down to a volume below deafening. Not to mention a trend towards music with no actual discernible words. Or melody. Or anything remotely resembling music.

That's today's introductions. Come back soon to meet the rest of the cast!


Train life: Chapter 2
The train cast of characters continues...

And in today's lineup we have the Princess (also available in the male variety of Prince) whose behaviour would indicate this is the first time she is out of the Palace unaccompanied. She opens the carriage door to get on the train, but doesn't close it. She then sits down, and exclaims how cold it is but doesn't seem to make the connection to the open door. She puts her many bags on one seat while sitting on another and stretching her legs out into yet another seat's space, seemingly unaware that it isn't a private carriage. The ticket inspector arrives. She doesn't have a ticket. She isn't sure how to use her card, and it fails several times. She doesn't carry cash. She is helpless, it's not her fault, someone should have sorted this for her.

We also have the Spaceman. He doesn't like being confined to a seat so he'll prop himself up against the doorway, or any spare wall out of the way. He's a quiet sort, and won't cause any trouble, he just likes the space, man.


Train life: Chapter 3
Welcome back to Train Life, and today brings two new characters.

First up, it's Window Warrior. They generally want the window whichever way everyone else doesn't. Today's Window Warrior ran into the train carriage where everyone was sitting wrapped up in scarves and hats and immediately opened two windows. Didn't even sit down first. Didn't wait to see what temperature was when they weren't hot from running. Didn't ask if anyone minded. The Window Warrior seems to exist in a different climate entirely. When their fellow commuters are bundled up in winter clothing and shivering, the WW is peeling off layers and opening every window in the whole carriage. Meanwhile when other train people are fanning themselves with papers in the summer heat, WW is pulling on an unseasonal scarf, and banging shut any window that brings an ounce of air to stuffy carriages. I suspect Window Warrior is descended from alien invaders, with their innately different body temperature. But that's a different story.

Next up, meet the Kardashian Wannabe. For them, the train is just a mobile version of their dressing table. They get on the train, rummage noisily in their bags and produce at least two make up bags, and a hand mirror. Often people will touch up their lipstick or put on some hand cream. The KW however will lay out an array of cosmetics that Sephora would envy before proceeding to apply their carefully cultivated 19 step contouring and highlighting routine, with at least four different concealers. All the while hitting their neighbor with their elbow, or adorning fellow commuters with the highlighter powder that gets everywhere. Some more advanced KWs will also bring mobile straighteners or curlers to perfect the look, but that's not for beginners.

The last step is flourishing a bottle of nail polish, with the most toxic scent ever, causing anyone with asthma in the carriage to immediately struggle to breathe and go red faced with coughing. But the KW will simply look pityingly at them, probably thinking how much better they'd look with some colour corrector to get rid of that redness!

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So that's you up to date - watch out for the next installment!

The girl with the books

Ever since I was old enough to write a Christmas list, I've loved books- both reading and writing them. So it was no surprise to me to rediscover this photo of my first ever flat as a twenty something back in the 90s, with one whole side of the lounge dedicated to my love of words!

Some things really do change. These days I'm firmly a fan of neutrals in a monotone palette; white, grey and black dominate my decorating style, with the odd pop of colour. So the magnolia walls, garish patterns, awful lights, and brown fabric sofa here leave a lot to be desired. It was a rented flat - but I don't recall thinking it too horrific at the time! Unlike now, when I enjoy some interior design, this photo shows a real lack of any thoughts of decor. Although the cardboard box filled with - what else but more books? - and covered in rugs does make a damn fine side table! And look at the size of that computer monitor!! Between that, the keyboard and the printer, I'm surprised I had room to write anything. And those are an actual camera and film case on the desk. Not a phone! 

Some things however, never change. There are piles of books everywhere. Just like now. Any books, because I'll read pretty much anything. By the time I was 9, I'd finished every single book in the considerably sizeable children's section of our local library and my dad had to fight to get me lending cards for the main library! I was always the girl with the books- at home, on the bus, in school And that continues today. One day I'll be reading the latest contemporary fiction, next day a brilliantly twisted crime or thriller, then I'll re-read some Austen, then a Christmas themed book, then a biography, then a poetry anthology, then a business book...you get the idea.

I often think I really should buy Kindle books, and not have all these physical books around. But there is something so delightfully indulgent and irreplaceable about an actual tangible book. The feel of the cover, the weight of it in your hand, the comfort it brings. So while these days, I aspire to more minimal decor, I know I'll always be the girl with the books.

Picking up my pen again

There are many things I love (more of that later) but my earliest love was writing.

Other girls had crushes on Morten Harket (lead singer of Aha, yes he of the impossible chiselled cheekbones) but I dreamed of Shakespeare, Hardy, and the Brontes. Not in a romantic way, you understand, but a book by any of them could make my little teenage heart beat almost as fast as if I'd tried to run for a bus.

Ever since I can remember, I've had at least three notebooks on the go, with scribbled phrases and trapped half-ideas. And, as I grew up (ok - grew older - I don't think I've quite reached grown up status yet) and pcs and latops and tablets replaced paper for most people, I've still held on to my notebook obsession. I've even made my living with words, as my job is to provide content and copy for corporate clients.

But with one thing and another, I'd stopped writing so much for my own pleasure. So this is what this blog is. A reason for me to write. I don't have a jetset lifestyle, so I'll write about all the things that matter to me:

• all the moments of daily life, including fun times with my family and friends (if they're happy to be in the blog, of course)
• planning - I'm as addicted to planners and stickers and trying to organise my life as much as I am to notebooks
• travel - the older I get, the more I appreciate how much of the world there is to see, and I want to travel more. My favourite destination is NYC because that feels like home every time I am there, but I love other places too
• memorykeeping - for a few years, I was a dedicated scrapbooker, and loved Project Life. I haven't done that for a while either, and I miss it, so later this year, I hope to get back in to that habit
• DIYs and home decor - I do love a good DIY. Even before the advent of Pinterest and Youtube, I've always made new things out of old things. One of my fondest memories is the four poster bed that I created for my Sindy doll out of an empty cereal box and kitchen roll tubes. It may not sound like much, but oh my goodness, it was fabulous!

So, if that sounds like your sort of thing, grab a cup of hot chocolate/glass of wine/Moscow Mule and join me...