I severely dislike the TTC (Toronto’s public transit). Years of mismanagement both of labor, costs, and construction have left us a system that is rather unpleasant to use at too high a cost.  That said, there are benefits to riding the TTC.  I have recently begun using my all-too-frequent subway trips as an opportunity to read and write. Today’s trip featured the reading of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship and prompted this post.

After I recently discovered that I was reading far less than I would like I decided to look for opportunities to read that I was overlooking. Instead of just putting my headphones in and zoning, as I’ve been prone to do, I began to pack my bag with a book, my moleskine, some stickynotes, and my trusty iPhone. Armed with this kit I read and take notes while riding the subway.  I then write drafts of posts which I save to the phone, then the drafts folder on wordpress, before posting them here.

I heard that part of the reason that N.T. Wright is able to write as much as he does is because he has a car and driver in his role as bishop of Durham. I have a subway and engineer, and plan to take full advantage of this. Although I’m sure the smell in Wright’s car is more pleasant.