PATH Fire Delays Amtrak

Update: Turns out this weblog entry is on the first page of search results for “PATH fire,” so it often gets visits when PATH fires happen. Check Google News, people.

Not a fun wait for the Amtrak train out of NJ tonight. Train status checks said “12 minutes late,” but at ETA, a sleeper train came to rest on the opposite side of the tracks, and the PA system announced cryptically that Northeast Corridor operations would experience further 15-20 minute delays “due to police activity.” At that moment, several police cars passed by, and I theorized that someone had been hit. Two waiting passengers mentioned hearing of a fire on the tracks, and a call to Amtrak (bypassing Julie) confirmed that the delays were due to a PATH train fire in the Newark rail yard tying up other train traffic at the station.

Fortunately it turned out our train had left Newark before the fire had started, and managed to skip the worst of the delays, finally arriving an hour late, and making up about thirty minutes of the delay en route. Travel bullet dodged.

I don’t know if one will be able to say the same for PATH tomorrow, though. PATH out of Newark might be troublesome.

Bridal Shower

Amy’s bridal shower was yesterday, a cozy lunch in the church fellowship hall with friends and family at a table adorned with wheatgrass and daisies. Below you can see a cake made of towels and a straw with a little umbrella. Many household gifts were received, and I met Joe’s mom, who was happy to hear I use Firebug extensively. Small world. More photos here.

(Note: Yeah, I was there. It was an unconventional shower.)

Towel Cake Towel Cake (closeup)

IMG_1105.JPG

Dogwood Flowers

Dogwood Tree Flowers

Dogwood tree in suburban New Jersey blooms with bright pink flowers. Pretty.

Door.jpg

Door.jpg

On the train to New Jersey, sitting at the back of the quiet car, listening to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on audiobook.

(Door.jpg uploaded by brownpau.)

Office.jpg

Office.jpg

Here’s what my office looks like. No windows other than the one by the door into the hallway, but there’s always my cam, and if I lean way over I can see a sliver of brick wall through the window of the office across the hall. The Japanese exhibit poster is the previous inhabitant’s.

(Office.jpg uploaded by brownpau.)

LOSTwatr.jpg

LOSTwatr.jpg

I put a ‘Dharma Initiative Natural Island Spring Water’ label on my water bottle, but no one here gets it. Disclaimer: Do not drink if pregnant.

(LOSTwatr.jpg uploaded by brownpau.)

Mobile Photo Catchup

Partly owing to my absence from the internet, partly because I’m too lazy to deal with the whole lack of a cat_id problem, I’ve been remiss in posting mobile photos to HNBP, letting them accumulate in my photostream instead. So to make up for it, here is the full backlog of cameraphone shots I have failed to post through the last few weeks: a water main break, a Secret Service officer locked out of his own police car, a subtly funny Metro elevator sign, an Assistants’ Day balloon, two shots from the DC Art Fair, a nonworking Amtrak Police video cart, and our new kitchen. Click the photos to see them larger on Flickr.

Dig.jpg SecServ.jpg Need.jpg Assist.jpg Beatles.jpg Tate.jpg NoSignal.jpg Kitchen.jpg

Earthlink

As you may have surmised from my increased posting volume, I have internet access at home once again. Earthlink took about a week and a half to activate my naked DSL line and deliver the hardware.

About midway through that waiting period, I noticed that my old Westell DSL modem was picking up a data connection through the phone line, but failed to authorize the user account with my given Earthlink login info. Hence it came as no surprise when the Earthlink equipment arrived — a branded Zyxel P660R DSL modem with only one CAT-5 port — and, on connection, also failed to authenticate my user info.

It took a quick call to Earthlink Tech Support (a very helpful offshore Indian rep who called himself “Robin”) to get my account working. I have a feeling that Earthlink keeps accounts deactivated to discourage users from connecting their own hardware before the crippled co-branded Earthlink modem arrives. Part of their offering involves paying an extra monthly fee to get a router to allow more than one computer to connect — although once the ISP actually allows you to log in, there really is nothing to stop you using a Westell 327W which may already have been lying around.

IP Chicken has confirmed that Earthlink DSL in my area is indeed provided by Verizon. Given my moving experience with them, I’m wondering if I should stay with this. It helps that Earthlink billing and support are tons more helpful and scrupulous than Verizon ever was to me, even with that sleazy “pay extra for more LAN ports” promo.

New[er] Job – Update

My new workplace has an employee weblog policy which, in addition to the usual disclaimers about conflicts of interest, opinions expressed not necessarily representing those of my employers, and not posting during work hours, also states that I should not mention here on my weblog the name of the news magazine I am working for. The policy is understandable, and since I make it a point not to post about work (and generally not to post from work), I should have no trouble with it. I’ve edited out all such references in my previous post on the new job.

I’ll say this one thing, though: it’s pretty cool having my own office. Woo.