Unmapped in a digital world

Posted 25 Feb 2010

Commuting, Daily Life, Places | 5 Comments 

This past week a good friend was unexpectedly without smart phone or GPS (or sat-nav) and trying to find his way across a new city by car. The amber warning light advising of an almost empty tank had reared its ugly head. Worried about finding his way home – and the nearest gas station – my friend stopped in a corner shop he passed to buy a map of the local area. The guy behind the counter at the shop was laughing at someone buy a hard-copy map.

That little story got me to thinking about how reliant we are (in the West anyway) on our electronic devices.  I rarely review my intended journeys before jumping in the car. Heck, I have an iPhone … there is little else I need, even if I am planning on climbing Mt. Everest!

Yet, as I reflected on my friend’s predicament, I realize how foolish and complacent I’ve become in the wake of modern technology. Surely, my phone or GPS device might break, get stolen or lost or a million other possibilities. By having no back-up plan, I am surely inviting problems, aren’t I?

Step on a crack

Posted 22 Feb 2010

Clothing, Commuting, Daily Life, Places | 5 Comments 

There I was, walking along the sidewalk of Mumbai, India.  Heads up! What’s that? It seems to be a pretty major hole in the middle of the sidewalk!

It IS a big hole in the sidewalk. Imagine that. Luckily I saw it before any accident befell me.

It turns out that not all the passers-by were quite as lucky.  One poor pedestrian approached the hole with one more shoe than they walked away with.

If you were walking and one of your shoes dropped into a hole in the sidewalk, would you abandon the shoe or try to retrieve it?

Wish me luck. Wish you luck.

Posted 18 Feb 2010

Commuting, Daily Life, Signs | 7 Comments 

The Good Luck driving school in Mumbai.

A Good Luck driving school student-driver on the roads of Mumbai.

Who do you think the “good luck” is meant for?

When I saw the sign on the school itself, I assumed that the good luck was directed at the person receiving the lessons. However, upon seeing the car on the road, my first thought was that the good luck was directed at all the OTHER drivers on the road at the time.  What about you?

Calming, connecting chaos

Posted 10 Feb 2010

Commuting, Daily Life | 5 Comments 

When the roads get snowy this time of year, our coveted markers disappear under the fluffy stuff and lane demarcation gets thrown out.  The best tactic to estimate the lanes is then to look for tire tracks ahead of you and to stay a good distance from the person passing you (in Michigan, on both the left AND the right).  In short, it is nothing less than highway chaos.

And yet, I find it refreshingly calm.

There is just something about the communal decrease from 70mph to 30mph, increased awareness of managing a large, dangerous mass of steel, and slip-sliding that reminds me that we’re all in this man vs. nature fight together.

Plus, the road looks pretty.

Escalator Risk Assessment

Posted 2 Feb 2010

Commuting, Daily Life | 5 Comments 

I haven’t held on to an escalator handrail in … probably years.  It seems dangerous to hold on to something that is moving independently from the the other moving thing you are touching.  More dangerous than not holding on anyways.  And if I’m walking on the escalator instead of just standing, then 3 different things are moving. There’s just too much opportunity for error.

Also, germs.

Do we have any dedicated escalator handrail holders out there?  Or dedicated handrail avoiders like me?