0 THE BRILLIANCE OF TORONTO TRANSIT COMISSION TOKEN SYSTEM

I call it the endless loop of brilliance.

Toronto Transit Commisson (TTC) Tokens 

It's sold a billion times over & will till infinity and back.

It's continuously resold

You pay to borrow it.

You give it back through usage then you have to buy it again! Fricking genius!

Did you follow that? No? Then allow me to break it down.

You purchase tokens to ride the TTC system i.e bus, train, streetcar. Five tokens will cost you $15 that is basically two days travel back and forth and one day one way travel. Twenty days is approximately 40 tokens = $120.00. Fifty tokens = 1 month will cost you $150.00. Those tokens you've purchased you give back to the TTC system each time you pay your fare using said tokens then those same tokens are resold again and again as the are return via usage. Essentially a billion plus gain on a one time cost to create. Bloody marvelous I tell yah, just fricking brilliant.

The cost of creating those tokens has paid for themselves a trillion times over. It's endeavor to keep making copious amounts of money for an eternity unless the phase them out completely.

2 SCARLET SIGHT OF WOMANHOOD

I make it a habit to always check the seat on public transit before I sit. While I may not be able to know who sit where and when I can certainly see if a seat is dirty. 

This morning I boarded the bus from the subway station. It was not so crowded as a bus had just left the platform. As nagivated my way in the bus I quickly scanned the seat for debries, wet spots, stains and soils that may possibly transfer unto my clothing and skin. I turned to my left with the intent to sit when my inner voice prompted me, 'check the seat before you sit down.' I checked and sure enough there was a rust red stain. It did not look hygienic, in fact it looked like menstration blood. The shaped was elongated and the stain was center mass. I grimaced and quickly chose a seat on the opposite side that appeared clean.

As I looked on I noticed a woman going toward the seat. She sat down without checking the seat.

4 HE HELPED ME ON

I deliberately and with purpose view life as "glass half full". Lord knows there is enough of the dark and dreary in the world to make a soul downright wary. Is it a challenge at times? Absolutely, some days it takes a lot of prayers and faith to not feel ladened and jaded. I have found that it's the little things that helps to restore your reserves and rejuvenate your spirit. This day is such a day.

I left in what I believed to be enough time to catch my bus to begin my commute to work. It was cold, overcast, icy and foggy. As I made my way slowly to the bus stop I looked up and there was my bus. I could not run. There was no way I would take the chance. It was to icy and slippery. I was not going to make it. I resigned myself to waiting for the next bus. However, ever the optomist I raised my hand to get the driver's attention as he drove toward me. I know he does not have to stop. I was hopeful. As he neared he stopped for me. The side walks were piled high with now frozen snow. I couldn't think of how to climb up to get on. I felt overwhelmed. The driver saw my dilemma. He got out of his seat, came half out of the bus and helped me on the bus. I was so grateful and so touched by his generosity of heart and act of kindness. I thanked him profusely.

It was so cold that day, minus 20 with a wind chill of minus 32. I thanked him again. He said in his Caribbean sing song accent, "no problem man, is too cold to leave anyone outside in this weather." I smiled to myself. My heart so full, he fill up my reserve. I thanked the Loed thinking, zits the little things.'

10 ON MY KNEES - RESCUED BY KINDNESS

Minus 33°C, to say it was cold would be an understatement. Snow was plied high on the sidewalks and navigating through was a beast! The trip to work was tedious and required mammoth patience. I was exhausted by the time I reached into work. The commute was comprised of delays after delays including a subway shutdown. I caught the bus at 8am. I reached to work at 10:30 am. My start time is 10 am, all my efforts to arrive on time by leaving home extra early was a complete and utter failure. Going home felt like it would be be easier. As the second part of the journey was fairly smooth. I was wrong. It was a nightmare.

I left the office at 5:30 pm and caught the first bus to the subway station. The 8 minute ride took 35 minutes. The train ride was pretty uneventful and I thought 'yes! its smooth sailing from here.' I pulled out my phone and pulled up my book "The plant Paradox" by Steven R. Gundry and continued reading. There were a few minor delays due to train traffic in the tunnels no biggie. It was in the short block walk to my house that spelt disaster.

I exited the bus on my final ride to my home. I crossed the street and to my dismay there was even more snow plied high on the sidewalk. I checked the street to see if I could take a chance and walk there but unfortunately cars were speeding by at break neck speed. I took a deep breath and forged on stepping in others foot prints until I ran out of prints. I step forward and fell to my knees the snow was so high. Each time I attempted to get up I fell back down because the snow was so high I had nothing to anchor me to push myself up. I was getting frustrated. I could not give up because lying in the snow was not an option. Like a toddler with ass in the air I attempted to rise up with the inevitable result. I thought what I must look like to passerbys. Finally a good Samaritan took pity on me. She stopped in her SUV and shouted out the window, "are you okay!"

On the sidewalk feeling like ten kinds of fool I shouted back, "I don't think so, I can't seem to get up!". I started laughing just then because I remembered all those bad jokes about falling down and not being able to get up. My rescuer shouted, "hold on am coming.!" She relieved me of my bag so I could better assist myself after a few more attempts I finally managed with as little grace as possible to heave myself out of the snow. I was cover in the stuff and laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. I looked at the rest of the sidewalk full with snow apprehensively. My rescuer asked, how far are you going?" I looked at her as I answered, "right there but I don't think I will chance going through that mess again." I looked to the streets clear of snow but my rescuer said, "get in I'll take you over. Grateful I got in with many thank you on my lips while shaking my head and laughing at myself. Then I looked at my rescuer and said, "this gives new meaning to I've fallen and I can't get up." We laughed. She said smiling, "at least you can laugh at the situation." I looked at her a big smile on my face and said, "what else is there to do? Then I asked her her name (Rachel) and introduced myself and thanked her again for the assist.

I stood in front my home and knocked. My daughter opened the door took one look at me coverd from head to toe in snow and exclaimed, "what happened to you?" I explained and we laughed then she told me that earlier she had to help 3 elderly people who had fallen navigating that that same snow plied sidewalk.

*Sigh, I wish the city would consider pedestrians when clearing snow from the streets and not pour it all unto the sidewalk.

Thanks Rachel!

6 COLD SUNSET -13°C WITH -21° WIND CHILL

I braved the cold for an opportunity to enjoy the sunset. Woo mercy the wind had bite! Enjoy.