Disturbing Trains, With a Dash of Paprika

Let there be… disturbing art! I’ve finally managed to work my artist’s wonderful rendition of Rabbit Rue’s true horror into the site design. It’s a work in progress, but it still looks better than without, in my opinion. Hopefully I can tweak the design a little and leave it alone for a while.

I’m moving to Evanston. I’m pretty sure of this. Nothing against Chicago, but threatening to shut down the Purple Line express, which ferries my worthless carcass to and from work, and/or raise the rates from $1.75 to $3.25 per ride causes me to question the future of our antiquated heap of rattling, anachronistic chicanery technology. Just once, I want to meet someone who has ridden a functional and efficient mass-transit system, and gauge their impression of what Chicago has to offer.

After they’re done laughing, I’ll insist that I am, in fact, serious. What would someone from France—with the fastest train in the world—rudely bellow? Or how would someone accustomed to Japan’s Shinkansen, a line so punctual the average delay is 12 seconds—impressive for a system that’s been in operation since 1964, back when they only traveled at 120 miles per hour—react when informed we hardly ever break 60mph/100kph?

“Is this really a train!?” they’d ask, incredulous.

“It’s so quaint,” another might giggle.

So, I figure I’ll just trust my own legs, and walk a few blocks to work until this either blows over, or I become rich and famous and can quit my job entirely, so I can go home, throw on an old-man robe, and smoke a corn-cob pipe for absolutely no reason. Yeah, that’s the ticket!

I also saw Paprika, which has a soundtrack about as good as Ghost in the Shell, and nice trippy visuals to compliment everything. I highly suggest seeing this film drunk. I haven’t performed this mighty feat myself—likely few would survive—but after the convulsions cease, at least you’ll wake up in the hospital satisfied.

Until Tomorrow