Saturday, October 25, 2008

Euclid Corridor - Healthline

Started my new rotation in the newborn nursery since a week ago. It has never been more rewarding than taking care of normal, healthy newborn babies and sharing the happiness and excitements of first time parenting. Not that I know much about being a parent and taking care of newborns myself, but due to my work requirement, I am going through a crash course of how to take care of newborn babies and being a responsible parent without having a baby of my own.

My work is mainly carried out in Hillcrest Hospital, which is pretty far from our main campus. Without a car, I am basically taking a horrible 1.5hrs ride to work everyday, except when Ian, my senior, is around and able to drive me there. Though work doesn't start until 7-8 ish, I need to wake up at 5am to catch my bus to work. It is a pain in the ass when I can actually sleep more during this lovely rotation, if only I have a car.

Though there is a bus that goes straight from my apartment to Hillcrest Hospital, the bus only runs full course during certain time of the day. Early in the morning, they only start somewhere near University Circle. I was to take another bus from my apartment and transit at University Circle. For this reason, I was able to use the Euclid Corridor or Healthline buses early in the Morning.

The Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA)'s HealthLine, commonly known as the Euclid Corridor, begins service from Public Square to the Stokes/Windermere station in East Cleveland, down a tree-lined boulevard dotted with sleek stations and public art. It connects Tower City (2 blocks from where I live) to University Circle -- two of the region's largest employment centers in 20 minutes. This line is supposed to connect Cleveland's cultural, educational, medical and business centers.

This project promotes environmental "Green"-ness, from the 1,500 trees planted on Euclid Avenue to the bike lanes and the hybrid-electric vehicles powered by clean diesel engines and electric transmissions. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority renamed the Euclid Corridor the HealthLine after the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals agreed to pay $6.25 million over 25 years for naming rights. That led RTA to claim the line would "pump new life" into Cleveland's economy and be the "rebirth of Euclid Avenue."

Below are some photos on the health-line:-



Friday, October 24, 2008

Back to life, back to reality

光阴似箭,转眼间又是过了好几个月。
记得才几个月前,我结束了日本近十年的生活,在大马呆了一个月半,独自跑到这人地生疏的Cleveland来“打工”。刚来的前几个月,还真的吃了不少的苦头。总算本人“命大”--挨过了一时期的“无家可归”的日子。此时此日,我可以说是终于安定了下来。
上个月,应了老友的结婚大日子之邀,特地借此机会回老家走一趟。当然这不菲的旅费还是得自掏腰包的。哀哉!飞回家一趟的旅费可是几乎我一个月的薪水。付了钱还得挨超过30多个小时的旅程(单程),这可真的是叫花钱自虐!还好坐的还是Business Class,要不然还有的受呢!


待续。。。

后记:老友阿鲁鲁的结婚仪式办的很成功。我为这新婚夫妇感到高兴。阿鲁鲁结婚晚宴Slide Show播放的歌,竟然是我最喜爱的I'm yours。真是太好了!