Well, fiddle-dee-dee, Miss Scarlett. This leopard can at least kinda sorta change her spots, er, mind . . .
So recently, I found myself temporarily without my vehicle and while I live in walking distance to most of the things I want or need to do for fun and such, when I started working at the Library in Brookhaven a couple weeks ago, well, it just wasn't close to feasible to walk to work from the apartment on Pharr Road unless I wanted to leave about two hours before work . . . or, really, three or more, and go to my parents' house first since they live across the street from my new employer and I could take a shower and get properly cleaned up and attired to be fit for public consumption and serving food and drink to any of y'all who might patronize our cute little place!!
So, while I was sans automobile, how was I going to get to work?? Well, after 34 years of Atlanta-living and - I admit, Marta snobbery - it was time for this chickadee to figure out the following simple equation, at the price of $2/ride:
Check online for the schedule matching most closely to the time I needed to be at work and backtrack from there. Pack work shoes in my bag and wear flip-flops (no, I'm not ever going to be Melanie Griffith a la "Working Girl" and YES, I often did just say "screw that" and wear my sassy heels anyway since it's bad enough to have to wear flats, no matter how cute they are, for work anyway, but I digress. . .). Walk downstairs via the Grandview exit of the complex. Hit Peachtree, pick up a ride at any of my choice of, say, four stops the 110 Peach makes within about two blocks of home, ride a few minutes north to the Lenox train station, hop on the line headed north to Doraville and get off at the Brookhaven station. Swipe my little Breeze card (note: get one, it's way better and easier than paying every time you ride! Just don't lose it!) to exit the station and walk a couple blocks to the cute little strip that houses Library, Yoforia, Verde, etc. Even better? http://www.itsmarta.com helps you plan your travel route by time, number of stops, all kinds of variables, so whatever your main priorities are in traveling, you've got a handy tool. Pretty easy and not scary at all. Who knew?! Not me, till just recently. I even found out the bus drivers are pretty darn nice. Very cool.
Do I love public transportation and feel like forsaking the autonomy of my au-to-mo-bile (imagine my Long Duck Dong voice in your head, here)?? Hell, no. But, when needed, Marta may not be totally smarta, but it ain't the worst thing ever and in fact is pretty handy. It's gotten me where I need to go recently, in a quite timely fashion, and it's been clean and comfortable and the newer buses are totally AC'ed and pleasant. A-OK, indeedy. read more