Muni and the literature it spawns

Commute, N Judah
Photo by Heather Champ

100 Muni StoriesThe layers of life on and around Muni can be a damn good petri dish of creativity. As such, many of us turn on the creative juices and pay homage to our favorite transit agency with the written word. San Francisco’s a literary town, after all, isn’t it? The ever-prolific @cripsahoy posted a series of Muni limericks she’s written about our beloved transit system the other day, as one example. My fave:

Riding the Geary express
A lady cried out in distress
“A man in this seat
Was stroking his meat!
T’was impressive, but I digress”

And who can forget the lovable Muni Haiku Project?

Ahead of yesterday’s SFMTA board meeting that, among other things, concerned itself with outgoing chief Nat Ford’s severance package, former Rescue Muni member Herbert J. Weiner sent us this tome:

Nat Ford
Your Run is Over

Success and Failure
Failure:
You have left
MTA worse than

you found it Transit
First: Riders motorists
bus and taxi drivers
frail and elderly last

Success: You threw so
many under the wheels
Perhaps the most
skillful driver you

weaved in and out of
critics City Hall and
improvements that
could have been made

bringing quiet peaceful
streets to an end
cutting and eliminating
runs so crucial to

the frail and sick
So many thrown under
the wheels Now the
wheels welcome you

but not the victims
Your bus has finally
crashed Your run is
over You must leave

by the rear doors
With luck they won’t
slam on you

There’s even a site dedicated to what people are reading while riding Muni. Check out Between the Lines. And earlier this month, we told you about Raymond, the Muni poet laureate.

Are you aware of other intersections of Muni and literature? Let us know!

Write a job description for the next Nat Ford

SFMTA Chief Nat Ford
Photo by Bryan

Now that Muni’s No. 2 in charge has resigned, who do you think should replace the top two positions at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency? Carter Rohan, the deputy executive director, will leave near the end of July and is reportedly walking away with no severance package. Nat Ford, whose departure was announced last week, may be leaving with some sweet walking-away money.

So, if you had to write a job description for the next No.1 and No.2 at SFMTA, what would it be?

Commenter Susan had some ideas:

Criteria:

1- has to ride muni (and pay the $2 fee to get their fastpass loaded on clipper)

2 – has to buy a $100/year parking permit, and pay all their parking tickets

3 – has to take taxis (if they aren’t on strike) 1 time a week – probably when Muni fails – to realize how difficult it is to get a taxi.

“You too shall feel our pain,” right?

What do you think? Write us your job description for the next Nat Ford!

Muni News: Cameras on Muni, More Nat Ford, NX-Judah Express Bus

  • Can Muni Drivers Make You Stow Your Camera Phone? (SF Appeal, hint: NO)
  • Nathaniel Ford’s severance likely to be approved today (SF Examiner)
  • Pay Nat Ford His Money and Get Him Out of Here (SF Weekly)
  • BART plan to run wee-hour Saturday trains in doubt (SFGate)
  • Despite Growing Unrest, Nat Ford’s Golden Parachute Is All But Assured (SF Appeal)
  • First week of N-Judah Express bus called a success by Muni officials (SF Examiner)
  • Muni’s No. 2 in charge resigns (City Insider)

Getting hitched? Let Muni be your limo


Photo by Stacy Horner

Gretchen sent in a sweet email about her friends Robbie and Kristin, both scientists at UCSF, who got married two weeks ago and took Muni to their wedding at City Hall. Gretchen told us that these two even took Muni to their engagement dinner…at Gary Danko, no less. Classy!


Photo by Stacy Horne

We’ve seen our share of sweet wedding moments on Muni. Did you meet a special someone on the bus? Let us know.

Get Yourself to “Art Is Getting (T)Here”

Over the weekend we were lucky to find ourselves at a small gem of an art space in the Inner Sunset at the Art I.S. Getting (t)here opening party. Curated by Tanya Marie Vlach and Faern, the show features local artists whose work involves themes of transportation and journey.

In the curator’s own words, the show focuses on “themes of transportation, journey, process, destination, road less traveled; whatever transporting means to you.”

At the show you can find great photography, mixed media work, installation art, and just generally really well-curated art by local artists. And we’ve set up a small Muni Diaries station for you to share your own tales of transportation!

A little sneak peek for you:

by Faern

You Are My Everything
by David Fullarton

by Gianluca Franzese

Art I.S. getting (t)here will be taking over the gallery space at Everybody Bikes from June 18 to August 13. Follow the show on Twitter @artinnersunset.

Details:

Art I.S. getting (t)here
1288 15th Ave (and Irving)
The gallery is open every weekend. If you want to see the show during the week, contact Tanya or Faern on the Art I.S. getting (t)here website.

Featuring artists:
Kris Engel
Faern
David Fullarton
Gianluca Franzese
Devin Keller
Victoria Kartashova
Lauren Crabbe
Christopher Macolino
Anna Marie Panlilio
Cristina Isabel Rivera
Frank Rodriguez
Adam Smith
Tanya Marie Vlach

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