FYI: There is an unspoken public transportation etiquette that should be in constant practice.  Granted, some people that live here do not abide by said unspoken etiquette–and all of us that DO follow it want to punch their faces.  These simple tasks seem like common sense when you bullet point it, which is why when they are NOT followed–all of us that DO follow them want to punch faces.

• Let people OFF the train/bus, before you try to get ON.
• Once you step on, keep moving into the train/bus because THERE ARE OTHERS BEHIND YOU.
• The seats are not to be used for your bags.  Hold your crap on your lap, or put it on the floor. Yes, really.
• If you don’t hold on to something you are likely to fall when the train/bus starts to move.  I don’t care how long you’ve lived here and dealt with the stop and go, your stumbling will equal running into people or over them.  And its bothersome.  Hold. on. to something.
• Headsets, earbuds, headphones and any other version of listening devices used to bring the noise to your personal space are designed so the rest of us don’t have to hear what you are listening to.  Turn. That. Shit. Down.  AND singing along with your music is annoying. Rent a car if you need to do that.  Respect the public shared space.
• Don’t marinate yourself in perfume or cologne, but keep hygiene in mind.  Please and thank you (again, sounds like common sense but oddly enough…)
• Don’t sit next to someone if you don’t have to.  And if space opens up, move.  It’s too awkward  sitting next to a stranger when there is room to have space.
• Mind the food you eat, not all of us want to smell what you think is yummy.
• Shut your kid up (the ones that are potty trained and speak words).  Pay attention to them so they will stop yelling and fighting.  Turning up your listening device to ignore them is rude and I will call child protective services on your ass.
• Shut up yourself.  We don’t need to hear your stories, don’t ask us for money (it’s actually illegal anyway) or food.  [Note: I have participated in the giving of money and food, but be mindful and careful] And don’t yell.  To anyone, or the windows–its annoying.

Rule:  Your shoes DO matter.  So it’s important that you don’t care what others think.  hahahahhahah

Rule:  Black women wear fake eyelashes.  It’s not just for a show, it’s all the time.  It’s part of their look.  Just go with it, but careful not to stare.  Although it was foreign to me at first, it’s just as important as their nails and their hair.  We all have our things that we need to feel that we can function.  heh.

FYI:  You will see some people walking around, or riding bikes–wearing a mask.  Like…a doctors mask.  I’m unsure what this is for.  The only time I’d ever seen it was during the big fires a few years ago in la la land and the ash was ridiculous.  Whatever their reason, it’s not offensive, but it is odd that they are all asian.  That I’ve seen…

Rule:  Just eat the food from the Halal stands.  Call it street meat, call it kosher, call it whatever you want.  It’s pretty yummy and pretty cheap.  It’s the vegetables you want to be careful of.  They’re not inedible, but some can be suspect.  Again, just be mindful.

Rule: If you live on only coffee and alcohol it will age you. I’m sure this is the case in most places–but there’s something about New York that makes it worse.  Perhaps it’s the walking everywhere, and the weather, and public transportation thing.  We don’t really smile too much here, in New York.  Seems like we don’t smile, eat vegetables, or exercise unless we are check-marking the “$50,000-$75,000” box. heh.

Yah, so–drink some water, and smile while you’re walking to the train.  And once there get out of the way, don’t stare, hang on to something, and keep your music loud enough so only you can hear it.  And when you reach your destination, make sure people let you off the train before they get on the train

Then for lunch, get some street meat.  heh.