September 11, 2003

This morning as I gave breakfast to my kids, I couldn't help thinking about the parents lost in the World Trade Center on September11th. My own daughter celebrated her first birthday two days before the tragedy. My son just turned one a few days ago. Had events taken a different turn, I reflect that I might not have been around these past two years to be a father to my daughter, a husband to my wife, and my son would never have been born. We may be incapable of fully understanding the losses borne by thousands of survivors and their families in one horrific morning. My thoughts today are with the young parents in the the World Trade Center that day, some whose children would be born in the weeks to come.

From my family to all those affected by the September 11th tragedies, we send our prayers and condolences.

Was up late last night hacking away on the WML generator. Not done yet, but progress. Go ahead and try it, at www.transitcat.com and it'll send you to the WML content from your WAP (mobile phone) browser. Still on XSL 1998-WD. It won't really work until it's converted to XSLT 1999. Shooting for the end of 2003 to finish that. :)

Hooked up a crude tool for entering a new line - the HBLR. It didn't take. Was able to update the PATH. Will try again tonight. I put the TrainSched work on hold for now-- makes more sense after XSLT is running.

Left early Friday for my son's 1st birthday. Great weather, less than stellar commute. Got pinned in the door trying to exit the 1 Train, then saw a 30-year-old and a 70-year-old almost come to blows over crowding around the doors at 96th st. The weekend can only get better than this! Plan to skip PATH and take the Ferry home.
The ferry ride was great. My only complaint was not being able to ride the top deck-- that boat didn't have it accessible. I mean, if you're going out on the water on a clear day, you might as well be out in the wind and the spray. First ferry ride in a long time, maybe the second time since September11th.

Took the PATH home from ExchangePlace for the first time that reopened. Maybe this whole diversion was to get ready for the second anniversary of September11th. Planning to ride to the new WTC PATH station as soon as it reopens in a few months.

Hauling chickens on the PATH today. Really. Having an office pot luck luncheon, and I'm bringing two roast chickens. Now I wish I drove in. Was up too late last night trying to make my first TrainSched -format bus schedule for the NJT #126 bus (PABT - Hoboken - Hamilton Park JC) that I boarded last week at PABT without checking the schedule. Let's just say I had an unexpected opportunity to ride the HBLR and leave it at that.

The TrainSched data format is a bit harder to get right than I had thought. Then again I was editing the source data file by hand until 2:30 this morning -- probably the biggest mistake. I have an XML doc format and a stylesheet to do the same, but I always prefer to jump in with Notepad first. Almost my stop, and it looks like the chickens survived the trip, despite a close call with a pair of steel-toe work boots.