Then I Remembered

There was an unusually large number of Transit Security officers at Capitol Hill Station this morning.

I saw five officers in bright green jackets at the north entrance. I saw four officers in dark green jackets on the platform.

It was like I was in Bellevue.

Then I remembered the multiple Transit Alerts we received last Saturday, saying that Capitol Hill Station had been closed due to “police activity.”

Transit Alerts about police activity can mean just about anything. The last time a station was closed due to police activity, it turned out to be a political protest outside of U District Station.

I looked at the SDOT traffic camera at Broadway and John. It was facing south. I didn’t see anything unusual, except for a police car parked in the turn lane with its lights flashing.

Then we saw the news: There had been a fatal stabbing.

That explained the heightened security presence this morning. I’m guessing it was a publicity gesture more than anything else.

As I waited for my train, I heard a new announcement: “1 Line to SeaTac slash Airport at southbound platform in two minutes.” (It usually announces “to Angle Lake.”)

I misheard it, and thought it had said “SeaTac Airport slash Angle Lake” and that Sound Transit was making it clearer for tourists.

The announcement said that the train was arriving, and it definitely said “SeaTac slash Airport.”

The destination sign on the train said Airport.

Then I remembered that Sound Transit is working on the rails between SeaTac and Angle Lake, so Angle Lake Station is closed. (I’ve read that they’re building a temporary storage area for trains to make do until the 1 Line connects to the 2 Line.)

I hadn’t thought about what an interesting name SeaTac/Airport Station is, until I heard that automated voice pronounce it.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (a.k.a. SeaTac Airport) was built in an unincorporated area of King County that later became the city of SeaTac (named after the airport). The light rail station doesn’t stop in the airport, but rather near it, but it does stop in the city of SeaTac, so the name SeaTac/Airport Station makes sense. It does sound funny when a robo-voice pronounces it, though.

It didn’t see any heightened security at Westlake, University Street, or Pioneer Square. So maybe it was just a matter of image.

I stopped into the Monorail Espresso in Columbia Tower, where I’m a semi-regular. The barista asked me how my weekend was. I said that I didn’t do anything, adding that I’d taken Friday off. The barista knew what I was referring to, and told me that they were dead all day and ended up closing early. (So I wasn’t the only office worker who stayed home.)

Brian sent me a video on Instagram this morning, but I didn’t see it until I got to work. It required sound to fully appreciate it. So I’d have to watch it when I got home. I keep my phone on silent when I’m in the office.

Actually, I keep my phone on silent most of the time. I look at almost all Instagram posts with the sound off (on my phone, anyway).

(I turn the sound on when I’m walking with my phone in my pocket, so I’ll possibly hear notifications.)

I wanted to hear the video that Brian sent me.

I have earbuds in my bag (I think). But where do I plug them in? I looked all around my phone, but couldn’t remember where the headphone jack is. (Wait… have I ever used earbuds with this phone?) (Does my phone even have a headphone jack?)

I looked online for my phone’s specifications. And I confirmed that my phone does not have a headphone jack.

I think wireless earbuds are a scam. They’re built to be obsolete. Either you lose one, or the battery loses its ability to charge over time. So you have to keep buying more.

Wired headphones, on the other hand, are harder to lose and last forever. They’re built to last.

Bluetooth connections are getting easier, but plugging in earbuds are still easier.

But the future is here. Wired earbuds are being made obsolete.

Smartphones suck.