And there's beer in the Fridge

Sigh. You'd think I'd have come up with something hilarious or pithy to say; some salient observation of the human condition as illuminated by an anecdote from my day. You'd think I'd choke today's entry full of glorious, full-color art, pictures, anything with visual flair to save the eyes from wearing on all these tiny, tiny words.

Sadly, no. Today's the day that The Subway Rambler goes live, and all I really have to offer is more of the same, really: a few meandering paragraphs to get my writing engine primed, perhaps I'll be able to work up to a point, perhaps not. It's a given that the thing will go out unedited, and I am aware that the syntax, grammar, word usage and punctuation are a hopeless jumble. At least you can all rest assured that the spelling is spot on - that the computer can check for me.

Anyway, I welcome you to the new, daily Subway Rambler. As noted in the 'About This Blog' box, the blog's title doesn't mean that you're going to get some sort of jolly running travelogue of the MTA by the American equivalent of a Trainspotter. Rather, it's a shortened version of my original blog's subtitle, to wit: "That Rambling Guy on the Subway, Online." Maybe even that's not enough of an explanation, but I'd hope* that all of you reading have at one time or another been approached by a street crazy wanting to fill you in on their theories regarding John Foster Dulles vis-a-vis the development of the kosher Oreo.

*I know that's a strange thing for me to wish on someone, but it spares me, you, and everyone else paragraphs of tedious set-up if I can just assume that you've had that experience. Even if you haven't, please just nod politely and spare us all the excess verbiage.

There's always a mixture of sensation when the street crazy close encounter happens:

1) consulting of your fight or flight reflex - check for nearest available weapons/exits, depending on your predisposition,
2) a genuine leap of empathy across the gulf of souls to see another human being reduced to such circumstances, there but for the grace of God go you,
3) a deeply burning desire for a recliner chair and a bowl of snacks so that you can sit comfortably and really enjoy the free maniac in style.

The entire existence of this blog is predicated on my belief that, the resulting guilt from points one and two having been satisfied with a tithe to your local religious organization or sanitarium, deep down, number three is what makes the event truly rewarding.

Anyhow, that I titled this "The Subway Rambler" should leave no doubt as to how I feel about this particular exercise - clearly, anything that I write about on any subject is going to be at best, long winded and hollow, and at worst, bizarre and kind of stupid. Ah! But what I really hold on for are those days that I accidentally come up with a few hundred words of genuine solid entertainment, those nights when I set my brain on autopilot and what comes out not only edges up to Slightly Off but leaps over that hazy borderline into Just Plain Crazy.

So: Welcome! Take a look around. You'll find two solid weeks of entries parked in the archives, and a shiny new pile will be served up warm every day. I invite you to subscribe, I invite you to post your comments - because, after all, what's better than listening to a crazy person ramble than being able to mock and pester them? - and mostly, I invite you to enjoy yourself here with me every day as I word-by-painstaking-word lay the groundwork for my eventual insanity defense.

Pull up a La-Z-Boy and break out the Chex Mix. And I'll see you tomorrow.

D.