Starting the Papermill again ..

So it starts pretty much all over again , with Paperwork and Lawyer's help for Qing's Son ( Tianchi ) to come to America . Hopefully about this time of next year . As we were waiting to receive personal Information and Document's from Qing's Parent's and Ex - Husband of my LaoPo . Ones we had those in Hand , it was off to the Immigration Office ( same Lawyer's that took care of Qing's Visa Application Forms ) . The sad part is , it cost about the same Money-wise and Time - wise , which is about a Year . So this Morning , after asking my LaoPo .. if she wanted to take the Train .. she kindly said .. NO , we'll drive . She actually wanted to drive this time , which was a first with the SUV .. driving this far .. that included three Freeway's to get there . She does sooo great , the only thing she still has trouble with is the " Parking " part . Her choosing where to .. and then .. how will I get there ? I have always known , that part she will have most difficulty with after getting her License . Don't we all ? This finally starting the process , makes us both happy . Because , both of us know .. Qing's Parent's are not the youngest anymore and having to care for a nine year old is not easy by no means . Knowing too , this will be hard on us/him .. ones he gets here and has to adjust to the American way of School's - Life and the Language of course . He is still young and we all know , Kid's adjust quickly to most changes at their age .. with our utmost support in all area's . That of course will test " Us " on Patience/Understanding what he is having to deal with at age 9 . First Step is now taken care of , step two is in about six month's time . How we know this Game of Immigration , but are so helpless with each outcome .. as their are the ones making a Decision for you .

Breakfast at Tiffany's or was it Way Station ?

This Weekend , I had promised to take my LaoPo on " The Train " that I take to work and have Breakfast in the Santa Clarita Valley . That was suppose to be on Saturday , but being out celebrating our Neighbor's B-day .. it was not over with till after 2:00 am on Saturday Morning . There was just no way , we would get out of Bed at 07:00 am to get ready and have this Breakfast round-trip by Train . Plan was to do it now today ( Sun.) and we did . Train left at 09:23 am on time and we were going to have four stops including our destination Station . So it turns out , my LaoPo mentions two things right away . Why are the Trains build so high ? Second , is this all the Speed this Train is going to go ? First explanation .. they build them to high to go fast ! That's very true , I must agree . Also , our Trains do not go on a very straight Track for too long .. especially through Mountainous area's . As for Europe , a Mountain in the way .. it receives a Tunnel through it and not a Track around it . There goes your Speed . Then , came what I believed already .. that these ( Train System's ) are taking us back to the 60's . As Qing remembers when she was a Child , the Shanghai Rail was like this . Same goes for myself in Germany . Of course the US is now trying/thinking of catching up , but if you ask me .. it's too late . By the time fast Trains run here on new Tracks , that are NOT shared with Freight Trains or any other for that matter .. Japan-Europe and China will most likely only use Medlev's for distance Transportations .. Just think , the Japanese are way ahead in that game and China is being helped/supplied by Germany .. while the US is pretty much on their own in this regard . I'm not trying to put down the US , this is how I feel and what I see happening . Arriving 65 minutes ( 30 miles ) later , it was time to FILL our Tanks with some great Breakfast Food from my Favourite Coffee Shop ( Way Station ) in Newhall . On the way back , Qing actually felt sorry for me .. having to take the Train each Work-Day . I can live with it though , do I really have a choice .. with Gas Prices going ^^^ ?

One Week later .. I like it - I like it not .. ?

So the first Week of riding the Train is behind me and I want to comment on it .. how I feel about it so far . As I mentioned , the first couple of days were not the easiest to adjust to . But now , I think I have kind of fallen into a rhythm somewhat . Actually , it starting to be interesting .. encountering all the People ( not that I talk to all ) from all walks of Life . Hence , I can not really Sleep on Airplanes and why would it be different on Trains . I can close my Eyes and start listening what is going on around my seating area of the Train . I listened to People talking about the Gas Prices of course , other's .. the Housing problem they having or about to have , other's .. how far to have to travel to get to Work , yet other's .. with Kid's just using it for personal way of getting from point A to point B and not to Work . Sometimes , I hear other's talking and it's like I'm hearing my own thoughts being said by Stranger's .. where I am tempted very much to say something . I stay silent though , as I don't want to interrupt .. unless it would be a Person seating right next to me . I also see , what People do to pass the time during the Ride . Most sleep or are doing the same I am . Some play with their Computer's/I-Pad's , other's ride with Friends or meet them on next stops/station's , while other's even Play Card's . There are some crying Babies in the Car your seated in ( always have the option to move to another ) , but one thing I can not stand .. is what happened on one Trip home from work . As the Train is mostly very Crowded ( as it comes from Downtown ) going north-bound and there is standing -room only .. for the next couple of Stations .. where about half the Folks get off and I can finally sit down . Anyway , back to the one thing I hate so far .. is inconsiderate young Punks . Talking nothing but " Trash " .. ohh I had this Girl and this Girl and she's is the Trainer of most Home-Boy's . You should try her ! On and on it goes , with no respect of other Rider's nearby . At one Stop even , one shouted looking out the open Door ( not to get off ) .. seeing a Girl standing nearby .. oh I " F****d this one .. she's a W***e . Recommending his Friend to give her a try . It makes me Sick along with other's having to listen to this foul Mouth talking . I was ready to tell him , how would you like Me talking about your Daughter like that ( if he had one ) to all my Friends ? But , who is crazy enough nowadays to do that ? When these types can and sure are carrying Gun's and Knife's on themselves and not afraid to use them . Other than that , I am starting to like it though .. especially seeing the Price of Gasoline climbing up and up .. day by day . Sunday , I will ride this same train with Qing to Santa Clarita ( Newhall ) and have Breakfast there and then .. return .. so she can see first-hand for herself .. what it's like here riding the Metrolink .

How was it ... ?

So where do I start ? I guess at my Hometown Railroad Station , where I boarded a Metrolink train . Like I have said , my first ever Public Transportation on the Ground in America . Amazing , that I'm here 40+ years already .. to decide .. now I'll try it ! It's not really the $ 4 gas prices in a way , it's what been talked about and that is $ 5 prices . So this finally push me beyond no return and here it was .. first day going to Work .. not under my own Control . Just hope that the one driving the Train is NOT texting while moving . I don't want to be part in a repeat of the "Chatsworth Tragedy" . In a way , I was somewhat excited .. but that kind of fated into the morning Sunrise . Why ? Well , I found out .. how "Slow" this Thing is going . I did retain myself though , this is going to be good at some point .. I keep telling myself . One of the first things I did , was of course compare it ( where there is really NO comparison ) with China's and Germany's .. from what I remember . The other thing I have noticed , was it was pretty FULL by the time I got closer to place where I get off . This stayed true , on my return Trip . I could hardly find a Seat , as this Train started out at the Union Station in Los Angeles . Ones seated , I got my next fear proven to be true too . Most of the way Home , it is a "Single" Track and I kind of knew .. this meant .. two-way Traffic on one Track is not good . Especially with Freight Trains also sharing these Tracks with the Metrolink . After only ten minutes , our first Stop/Wait for the "Other" coming towards us .. waiting almost ten minutes for the Downtown heading Train to pass us . For that they have placed dual Tracks next to each other for just that reason in many place , in the 35 miles I need to go . Here I am , wondering .. is this Train going to really take only 75 minutes to get me back to where I have parked my Car ? Lucky me , well .. all the Passenger's .. I'm sure .. it was our only "Wait for Other's" . I did arrive at the time on the Schedule and I can ( have to ) live with this for now . Knowing me , I'll be back in my Car .. as soon the Gas prices drop again . haha One other thing , that kind surprised me after I got back into my Car ( no it was not broken into ) , but as soon the Metrolink left the Station .. about no more than five minutes later .. there comes a Freight Train where I just came from . I honestly can tell you , this Train was following us pretty close . The amazing thing is , this train was at least a good or close to 2 miles long it seemed . This had to be close to a hundred Cars or more . Three Engines in the front and one ( running ) in the back too .. pushing . So , I made it home about the same time I do driving myself .. which I like . Tomorrow .. Act two ! I do have all of April to weigh the Pro's and Con's of it all .

Another " First " for the Month of April .

This year seems also to be on the fast track , as it is April already . Now I know I have written about many of Qing's firsts , but this one is different . It belongs to myself this time . As you know , with the rising Gasoline Prices and all that is effected by it becomes more expensive . So to counter that , I had done something .. that is really a true "First " for me . The last couple of Month's , Qing and I have looked into .. me going to Work by Train . Ohhh .. even though this sounds not unusual , it is the first time I get on any Public transportation .. other then an Airplane . This only is true of course here in the States , as I have ridden Public Trans. many time back in the old Country . So here I convinced myself to try it , as the times .. leaving and going back home are pretty much the same .. as by Car . Am I excited ? Yes of course , I will get off only about two Blocks from my Work .. about a two minute walk from the Station . I have to change my Working hours a little on both ends , but overall .. I leave and arrive home about the same time as before . Now , does this really save me a Bunch of " Green " ? Not really , I have figured out it will do my little Truck more good then me . It will safe some 500 miles a Week , just going to work . I save between $ 60 - $ 70 a Month . Not much , but if you look at it on a yearly bases .. it pays for the Insurance on both Cars easily . It's something and my poor Car gets a rest and that in itself saves " Green " too . Tell you what though , the Train is sooo much more expensive here compared to China . Just last month , we checked the Prices for a Monthly Pass and it was $ 248 then .. now it was $ 275 already . I know , these Trains are not Electric and run on Diesel still and on can expect the Prices to go up as the Gasoline goes up . The difference though , is quite large comparing it with Shanghai .. where you can just about ride across the City for 4 yuan (rmb) . That is .. $ 0.65 , where you Pay $ 10.50 One-way from my Work to Palmdale alone , without a Monthly Pass . Here they are talking about a " Fast Train " from LA to Frisco .. ? I most likely will not see that day it is completed ( if ever ) and what are going to Charge for it One-way ? Looking at the Cost to build it , it should be in the neighborhood of about $ 150 - $ 200 each way .. at the Rate of other Train Ticket's . This is really convenient , as Flying is cheaper and faster . It does not make any sense to me , to even start this . This might work in China/Japan , but here in America .. No Way ! Besides , who is going to watch over all that Track and make sure it is 100% safe for the Rider's ( Passenger ) from those Idiot's ( Terrorist's ) that like America so much . Just the Talk of this , properly has got them interested already .. how to .. ? I feel , this is something they should have started about 30-40 years ago , not just now . All they do is follow other and they are way ahead of that Game . Anyhow , I will take the " Slow " Train ( 1hr. 15 min. for a 35 mile ride ) next Week and will see for myself .. how far we here are behind ? I really don't want to sound like I'm putting down my new Home-Country , but I don't think I'm too far off what I feel/said about the Railroad . Either way , I like to hear feedback on this Issue .. agree or disagree .