The Why? Factor

I like to think of myself as an environmentally concious person. I turn off the tap when I'm brushing my teeth; I turn off lights when I leave a room, I used to recycle but Hammersmith Council still haven't sent me my recycling bags even though I've called them about a hundred times. I also take public transportation even though at the moment I have access to a company car. I like taking the train, I really do, all the stress associated with driving is gone and if I'm feeling particulary self-congratulatory I will think to myself 'well at least I'm helping with the environment.' I feel at ease when I walk into a train station, especially one that I use day in and day out.

Over the past two weeks however, my tube riding jolly adventures have been disrupted by an anamoly that has truly made my evening trips out a nightmare, The X-Factor Live Tour concerts were in town playing in London. Now I am used to concerts letting out of the Hammersmith Apollo, but its usually punky /rocky stoners and their big titted girlfriends that clutter up the station, but they're cool, and they are usually in small units of 3-4 people who are more or less self-contained. The demographic for the X-Factor tour is markedly different, as its all about family units that cause nothing but disruption to my journey within the station. They usually consist of a hard looking dad, lots of tattoos, shaved head (which, hello, is like hot so I usually wouldn't mind); a mom with big hair, big boobs, too much makeup, cigarette stained fingers (you know the type) and about three or four very bratty children who will more or less grew up to be like either dad or mum, sometimes a charming loud uncle will be thrown in the mix, all of them holding onto their X-Factor posters for dear life. They will be walking and then all of a sudden stop right in front of you, making me have to manouver around them and bump into a fellow disgruntled traveller. They will take forever discussing their ticket needs with each other while at the actual ticket counter. They will stand right in front of the turn-styles completely oblivious to the fact that people need to use them, all the while yabbering away at how 'Brenda was wicked, I loooooooved Journey South', SHUT UP! SHUT UP AND MOVE OUT OF MY WAY (and get some taste in music while you're at it).

Thankfully, last night was the last X-Factor concert, so the madness will end. On the upside, there have been large waits at the station McDonalds so I've avoided eating that junk, so you know, bright side and all.