Observations

I always wondered how Europeans did symbols like £ and € without much trouble... its because their keyboards have those keys on them. Novel.

Wisdom on waiting for and riding the bus... This is the kind of stuff that most big city people probably know, but new to me. In fact, the largest city I've ever lived in until now was Auburn, AL (about 45k or so now, but smaller when I moved there in 1992).

• An empty bus stop is not a blessing... You might want the quiet time, but what you don't want is to have to wait because you obviously just missed the bus by a minute or so.
• The temptation for me to begin walking ahead to the next bus stop (usually 1/4 mile or so) because I am tired of waiting is strong and absurd. After all, I will only (a) miss the bus while I am in transit, or (b) catch the bus and arrive at the exact same time I would've had I waited.
• People will always choose an empty seat rather than sit by a stranger.
• You see all kinds of people on buses.
• 95% of people don't want to talk... they just want to sit and ride.
• Most bus drivers wouldn't care if you flashed a playing card at them... they'll let you on. Most regular riders buy bus passes and show them, but I have a feeling that many of them are fibbing.
• Bus drivers come in all races, religions, ages, and sizes but not genders. I've yet to see a female one here.
• When I read on the bus, I get nauseated.
• Its cool to sit on the top deck. I relate this to the cool side of Sonic because most of the teens go straight up.
• In the UK, instead of school buses, the kids use public buses. This means that, in the morning, its like I'm in 7th grade all over again and can't wait until I am old enough to drive.

That's enough for now. When we move to Murfreesboro, it will be the biggest American city we've lived in, but nothing compared to the over 1 million here in Birmingham, England.

In other news, a kind brother at church has offered to GIVE me his mountain bike!!! He's bringing it today or tomorrow. So I might be riding the bus much less now.