Contending with the ‘hard R’ of racism on BART

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We’ve known for 11 years (more if you count our pre-Muni Diaries days) that damn near anything can happen on public transit. Today’s story, told by Sureni Weerasekera, contrasts the magic of good juju on BART with a distinctly Bay Area brand of racism and othering.

Sureni was born in Sri Lanka, raised in San Diego, and is currently based in SF doing stand-up comedy, writing, and acting. She’s a contributing writer and actor for “Life of Trying” and runs two of Berkeley’s top comedy shows, “Pizza Party” and “Subhumans.” Follow her on Instagram @sureni, and check out her upcoming shows at: https://surenicomedy.com/.

Listen here:

Sureni told this story to our live audience at Muni Diaries Live on April 6—our first in our new home, Rickshaw Stop. Stay tuned for news about our next show in November!

Pic by Right Angle Images
Category: Funny: Muni LOLs, Muni Diaries Live

Girls to the front: A women-only train experience

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Living in the city in which “Muni humper” incidents polluted our transit experiences not once (the first we were tipped off was in 2009), not twice (2017), but three times (2017 the sequel), I’m more than a little wary of crotch-to-shoulder distance. I’m also more than a little wary, full stop.

Japan, Mexico, and Brazil, among other nations, recognized this pervasive (and disgusting) problem and did something about it with women-only trains. In Osaka recently with girlfriends, I finally got to experience one of these myself—and it’s as good as I thought it would be.

In addition to beholding the wonder of trains running like clockwork, amid a culture that demonstrated an amazing level of public politeness and modesty, I appreciate the acknowledgement that the female experience on public transit —or at work, or in our home lives, or, or, or…—can be different in a bad way. Also them seats were heated and Hello Kitty is on the train car wrapper.

San Francisco ladies have a lot to be proud of in spite of the occasional frotteurism that can taint (as it were) our journeys. One Muni hero looked an attacker right in the eyes in defense of a fellow passenger and an entire set of women formed a literal line of defense between another Muni passenger and her assailant.

Not everyone knows (or believes) it, but Muni Diaries is a lady-driven venture. Join us this Saturday at Muni Diaries Live for IRL stories and merriment. Tickets and details in the link.

Pics by roopisonfire and travel buddy Ericka.

Category: Featured, Photos

How to hold an impromptu Bible study on Muni

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One Muni rider was recently privy to a scene that was nothing like the Sunday school you remember:

This guy on the 38R has a blunt in his ear, is taking pulls from a bottle of Patron, and is reading the New Testament aloud to his trans woman friend. They’re legit having bible study. This is wild. Even for 11 pm in The Fillmore.

He just got to the part where Judas hanged himself. “That’s crazy, huh.” The woman is falling asleep. Just when you think you’ve seen everything…

Now they’re at the part where Peter denied Jesus three times. He’s surprisingly empathetic. “I mean, I get it. If hella people would have been mad at me for being his friend, I wouldn’t have said anything either.”

They got off on Masonic. I have so many questions. I feel like Ed Norton when he met Tyler Durden in Fight Club. They were the most interesting single-serving friends I’ve ever met.

From Muni rider @MexicanMarauder

I never thought I’d say this, but I kind of want this guy to tell me his version of the rest of the Bible. For now, I’ll have to tide over things with this Simpsons Bible Stories episode, I guess.

Want more Muni hilarity? Muni Diaries Live returns this Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Rickshaw Stop! Tickets are over here this way.

Photo by @dbo.g
Category: Funny: Muni LOLs

Muni Diaries Live: We do it for the surprise tears

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Our pre-show rehearsal is a necessary part of the live storytelling game—but it’s also a nice reminder of why we’re still collecting your stories about San Francisco commute life and, since 2017, of life all over this city we call home. We call the phenomenon surprise tears, where something universally true or poignant hits us all and then the eyes get stingy and we’re rooting around in our purse for tissue.

You’re in for a treat come Saturday. Get tickets today:

Muni Diaries Live (<- tix on Eventbrite)
Sat., April 6
Doors: 5:30 pm
Show: 6:30-8:30 pm

The Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell St (between Van Ness and Franklin)

Also! Today, April 3, is our 11th birthday: Thanks for coming along on the ride, however unpredictable and kooky it may have been, for all these years. We’d love to celebrate with you in our new home.

Pic by Right Angle Images

Category: Muni Diaries Live, Muni Diaries Live Shows, San Francisco Diaries Tags:

A surprising reunion at the Castro Safeway

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Growing up nerdy is not easy anywhere, especially in Birmingham, Alabama. Storyteller Dhaya Lakshminarayanan thought she’d left those teenage memories behind when she moved to San Francisco. But one day, she unexpectedly reunites with one of her long lost friends who shares those high school memories.

Upon finding each other at the Castro Safeway, Dhaya and her friends embark on a new friendship that involves an urban rodeo and other very San Francisco experiences.

Listen to her story:

This story was recorded at the Betabrand Store on Valencia Street in San Francisco, as the inaugural Betabrand Podcast Theater. She’ll be there this Thursday, April 4, with Muni Diaries Live alum Kristee Ono for “Get Present Immediately: two meditating comedians.”

Want more live storytelling on and off the bus? Muni Diaries Live is back this Saturday, April 6! Come on down to Rickshaw Stop to commiserate and celebrate with your fellow riders. Tickets are on sale now.

Category: Funny: Muni LOLs Tags: ,

Commute flair: We need these Muni enamel pins

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I love an enamel pin and flair-ing up my denim jackets with reckless abandon. Which is why these enamel pins from Chris Arvin’s online store has me all kinds of transit twitterpated. He’s got cute stickers in the shop, too.

Please hold, I’m just getting my wallet out to buy everything.

As it turns out, Chris is also the creator of these interactive street car maps. I think he deserves an award for being the transit fan of the month?

What are some of your favorite transit gear? Here are some of our past favs.

Hey, we have a live show coming up next Saturday, April 6! Maybe you’ll come and sport these fancy new pins? Muni Diaries Live is back at our new home, Rickshaw Stop in Hayes Valley. Get your tickets today!

Got important news for your fellow riders? Tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with your dispatches. Our email inbox, muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com, is always open, too.

Category: Funny: Muni LOLs
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