9.18.2006
a setting sun.
ok, so i lied about the photos. and the stories. well, maybe i'll post about the stories still. and i guess the photos could accompany them... whatever. we'll see. if you're good.
for now, you'll have to settle for my new blog:
setting in the (mid)west
and no, it's not my old livejournal, but the theme is similar to this one, as is the style. it's meant to chronicle my last semester at school. maybe this one will be revived after graduation and relocation (back to boston, with hope!), but no promises.
alright, see you at the other site.
for now, you'll have to settle for my new blog:
setting in the (mid)west
and no, it's not my old livejournal, but the theme is similar to this one, as is the style. it's meant to chronicle my last semester at school. maybe this one will be revived after graduation and relocation (back to boston, with hope!), but no promises.
alright, see you at the other site.
8.20.2006
still to come: closure.
i'm back in lincoln. i've been at the daily nebraskan office every day that i've been here (which is true, since even though my mind thinks i arrived on monday night, it was really 2am tuesday, and later on that day i was in the office). the trip back was... well, it's a story to tell. or a few. or a million.
so much happened between friday and monday, so much that was unexpected, so much that was dreaded, so much that was appreciated... well, some stories to come. and pictures. we gots pictures, yo.
so look for a giant farewell post. a farewell to boston, a farewell to summer, and a farewell to this blog. it will remain here for posterity, but there is only one post left to make. i'd better make this one good, huh?
so much happened between friday and monday, so much that was unexpected, so much that was dreaded, so much that was appreciated... well, some stories to come. and pictures. we gots pictures, yo.
so look for a giant farewell post. a farewell to boston, a farewell to summer, and a farewell to this blog. it will remain here for posterity, but there is only one post left to make. i'd better make this one good, huh?
8.06.2006
on endings and pending endings.
the program's over, and i'm back home missing my friends. that sounds sad and almost pathetic - rest assured, that's not all i'm doing. i'm not one to sulk, and i've been really busy this past week. trips back to beantown (three of them already!), one to newport, good times with old friends, a baseball game (holy shit my sister sang "god bless america" at the pawsox game!), a party.... really, it's been a great week.
but i'm thinking about brandon and his signature phrases, emily and her adorability, caitlin and her uncanny ability to get my humor, and everyone else for everything else they gave me over these last two months. the thirty-or-so of us will never, ever be in the same place at the same time again, and as sad as that is, i'm sitting at my computer chair appreciating it all.
you know what my favorite parts may have been? sitting in my room, some smooth music on, and no fewer than seven others sitting on my bed, brandon's bed, on the floor, leaning against the wall, laughing. we went to a sox game, we took group walks to the public garden at 3am, we went on a whale watch (oh, wait....), saw the boston pops, saw blue man group, had maybe the greatest fireworks experience any of us will ever have, and what will i take from all this? late nights with soft lighting, music and company. nothing will ever beat those nights.
and as much as i owe to them for making these last 8 weeks as great as they have been, i owe these last two weeks to someone else. i've found myself in some of the most uncomfortable and awkward situations recently, leading to some of the most difficult decisions i've ever had to make, but with the bad comes the good, and the good has been great. i've been going through some tough times, as has she, and it's amazing that we found each other when we did. we know where this is going, and it's hard to watch the clock tick down to the end of this experience. but we're both level-headed, reasonable people, and we both see this for what it is.
hopefully we'll look back on this with a smile to appreciate it for what it is, too. i think we will. so, thanks.
but i'm thinking about brandon and his signature phrases, emily and her adorability, caitlin and her uncanny ability to get my humor, and everyone else for everything else they gave me over these last two months. the thirty-or-so of us will never, ever be in the same place at the same time again, and as sad as that is, i'm sitting at my computer chair appreciating it all.
you know what my favorite parts may have been? sitting in my room, some smooth music on, and no fewer than seven others sitting on my bed, brandon's bed, on the floor, leaning against the wall, laughing. we went to a sox game, we took group walks to the public garden at 3am, we went on a whale watch (oh, wait....), saw the boston pops, saw blue man group, had maybe the greatest fireworks experience any of us will ever have, and what will i take from all this? late nights with soft lighting, music and company. nothing will ever beat those nights.
and as much as i owe to them for making these last 8 weeks as great as they have been, i owe these last two weeks to someone else. i've found myself in some of the most uncomfortable and awkward situations recently, leading to some of the most difficult decisions i've ever had to make, but with the bad comes the good, and the good has been great. i've been going through some tough times, as has she, and it's amazing that we found each other when we did. we know where this is going, and it's hard to watch the clock tick down to the end of this experience. but we're both level-headed, reasonable people, and we both see this for what it is.
hopefully we'll look back on this with a smile to appreciate it for what it is, too. i think we will. so, thanks.
7.21.2006
what a city.
my promises of updating more frequently are empty. i like updating this, but i've been busy doing stuff, such as: a sox game at fenway (for FREE... that story's on its way), late night excursions through town, and sunrises. photos soon.
also, i don't think i've felt quite this way since i was fourteen.
also, i don't think i've felt quite this way since i was fourteen.
Sounds like your having a blast. I hope you haven't had too much rain from the tropical storm going through there. I haven't updated my journal lately either...I've been too busy as well....enjoy the rest of your summer!
7.13.2006
(on and) off the list.
sometimes you do things that you've been waiting to do for a long, long time. see the statue of liberty, for example. or run a marathon. maybe you eat six hot dogs and get your picture up on the wall at spike's, or you backpack through a foreign land. whatever it is, you find a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in completing this long-awaited task.
other times, though, you do things that you wouldn't have thought you needed to do, or really, really wanted to do, but when you do them, you think to yourself, "man... had i thought of it earlier, i'd be checking this off the list."
last night was one of those things.
i'd never been in a sailboat before, at least not that i can recall. my dad has an 18-footer (i think), but it's a powerboat, and as fun as it is, we don't take it out as often as we'd like. he works all the time and maintaining a boat is much more demanding than maintaining, say, a car. nonetheless, last night i had the opportunity to head out on the charles river for some moonlight sailing, a program put on by mit.
two girls that i work with (who are not in the internship placement program that brought me here) live in a fraternity house they're renting with others for the summer. it's an mit fraternity, and a couple of their housemates are students at the school. as students, they have access to this sailing opportunity about once a month - right around the full moon, mit allows students with sailing cards (those who have passed a class or an examination or something) to take rhodes 19's out of the boathouse and sail them along the charles. dusk to midnight, you have an hour or so to chill on boston's famous river.
and chill we did. my roommate and a friend of mine both work for the big dig, and amidst the terrible news that came out yesterday, ashley and i (who work together, and who were invited to the sailing excursion with promises of inviting others) decided brandon and emily could use a night on the water. we invited them and, after thinking momentarily that they wouldn't be able to attend because of limited space, finally confirmed their invitation and booked it to the river.
it was amazing. five of us and an experienced mit sailor (named retro, no less) chilled in a rhodes for an hour. i spent a lot of time on the bow, letting my bare feet tickle the charles from toes to ankles. and while i was with some amazing people, while i couldn't ask for a better experience out there, i couldn't help but feel like something was missing. or, better - someone.
what a romantic ride. we won't find a clearer night or a brighter moon this summer. and as i sat next to a great girl, as i joked with my excellent roommate, as i shared stories with my good friends, not one thought of regret crossed my mind.
it wasn't until i returned home and the solitude of my bedsheets that i began to think about what a boat ride like that would have been, say, last summer. or even 3 months ago. i wouldn't have been on there without her. what i wouldn't give to kiss her on the bow of that boat, much like we have a thousand times before, but this one the sweetest yet.
and so a million questions rush between my ears. uncertainties abound. i'll see her this weekend; i'm bringing a bunch of people from my program down to rhode island for the beach, a cookout at al's and waterfire. i'm so excited but so uncertain all at the same time.
and so now i sit with a hypothetical life list in front of me, and i can both add and cross off "sail the river charles" (i can also cross off "climb a tree in cambridge after midnight, without shoes" incidentally). it's a nice sign that the future's not so bleak.
still, there are things on that list that await astrikethrough. others are slowly fading, their future unknown. maybe, like a somewhat impromptu sailing trip on a river, they'll reappear with a refreshing sea breeze - one going my way.
other times, though, you do things that you wouldn't have thought you needed to do, or really, really wanted to do, but when you do them, you think to yourself, "man... had i thought of it earlier, i'd be checking this off the list."
last night was one of those things.
i'd never been in a sailboat before, at least not that i can recall. my dad has an 18-footer (i think), but it's a powerboat, and as fun as it is, we don't take it out as often as we'd like. he works all the time and maintaining a boat is much more demanding than maintaining, say, a car. nonetheless, last night i had the opportunity to head out on the charles river for some moonlight sailing, a program put on by mit.
two girls that i work with (who are not in the internship placement program that brought me here) live in a fraternity house they're renting with others for the summer. it's an mit fraternity, and a couple of their housemates are students at the school. as students, they have access to this sailing opportunity about once a month - right around the full moon, mit allows students with sailing cards (those who have passed a class or an examination or something) to take rhodes 19's out of the boathouse and sail them along the charles. dusk to midnight, you have an hour or so to chill on boston's famous river.
and chill we did. my roommate and a friend of mine both work for the big dig, and amidst the terrible news that came out yesterday, ashley and i (who work together, and who were invited to the sailing excursion with promises of inviting others) decided brandon and emily could use a night on the water. we invited them and, after thinking momentarily that they wouldn't be able to attend because of limited space, finally confirmed their invitation and booked it to the river.
it was amazing. five of us and an experienced mit sailor (named retro, no less) chilled in a rhodes for an hour. i spent a lot of time on the bow, letting my bare feet tickle the charles from toes to ankles. and while i was with some amazing people, while i couldn't ask for a better experience out there, i couldn't help but feel like something was missing. or, better - someone.
what a romantic ride. we won't find a clearer night or a brighter moon this summer. and as i sat next to a great girl, as i joked with my excellent roommate, as i shared stories with my good friends, not one thought of regret crossed my mind.
it wasn't until i returned home and the solitude of my bedsheets that i began to think about what a boat ride like that would have been, say, last summer. or even 3 months ago. i wouldn't have been on there without her. what i wouldn't give to kiss her on the bow of that boat, much like we have a thousand times before, but this one the sweetest yet.
and so a million questions rush between my ears. uncertainties abound. i'll see her this weekend; i'm bringing a bunch of people from my program down to rhode island for the beach, a cookout at al's and waterfire. i'm so excited but so uncertain all at the same time.
and so now i sit with a hypothetical life list in front of me, and i can both add and cross off "sail the river charles" (i can also cross off "climb a tree in cambridge after midnight, without shoes" incidentally). it's a nice sign that the future's not so bleak.
still, there are things on that list that await a
7.10.2006
another photo post: the independence day parade.
tuesday morning, well, it didn't suck. waking up early was a bit tough, but it was worth it. celebrating the country's birth in one of the cities in which it was born is an experience. i'll tell you what, boston knows how to throw a party.
this is just from my morning.
we began at city hall plaza. check these stylish patriots.
entirely authentic, right down to the ray bans. (i tease... i really enjoyed this.)
this group fired at will, it seemed. every now and then we'd be talking and BOOM and we'd jump, and i'd laugh, and we'd be lulled into a sense of complacency and BOOM. it was awesome.
the last batch to be photographed by me at city hall plaza. see how they march.
these strapping lads represented their country well during our stopover at granary burial grounds. wreaths were laid at the graves of the patriots: john hancock, samuel adams, peter faneuil, and robert treat paine. guns were fired.
standing at attention outside the gates.
they carried the flags. they stood in front of the musketeers (is that what they're called? the dudes with the muskets?)
the march down bromfield street, between tremont and washington. sometimes i take this street to get to work in the mornings. now it's in a parade.
the corner of state and congress streets, just before exchange place. this is across the street from the old state house, and just a block or so away from the site of the boston massacre.
this is just before the reading of the declaration of independence from the west balcony of the old state house, just as was done only weeks after the declaration was adopted and signed in 1776 (i think it was closer to july 13, but we'll celebrate early).
fireworks photos forthcoming.
this is just from my morning.
we began at city hall plaza. check these stylish patriots.
entirely authentic, right down to the ray bans. (i tease... i really enjoyed this.)
this group fired at will, it seemed. every now and then we'd be talking and BOOM and we'd jump, and i'd laugh, and we'd be lulled into a sense of complacency and BOOM. it was awesome.
the last batch to be photographed by me at city hall plaza. see how they march.
these strapping lads represented their country well during our stopover at granary burial grounds. wreaths were laid at the graves of the patriots: john hancock, samuel adams, peter faneuil, and robert treat paine. guns were fired.
standing at attention outside the gates.
they carried the flags. they stood in front of the musketeers (is that what they're called? the dudes with the muskets?)
the march down bromfield street, between tremont and washington. sometimes i take this street to get to work in the mornings. now it's in a parade.
the corner of state and congress streets, just before exchange place. this is across the street from the old state house, and just a block or so away from the site of the boston massacre.
this is just before the reading of the declaration of independence from the west balcony of the old state house, just as was done only weeks after the declaration was adopted and signed in 1776 (i think it was closer to july 13, but we'll celebrate early).
fireworks photos forthcoming.
tales of two footballs. and two movies.
another good day, a solid way to end this week's streak of awesomeness (not a technical term). i slept in while a group of my friends attended service at old north church - famous for shining the two lanterns that sent paul revere on his ride ("one if by land..." etc.). i figured i could have either slept in my bed or slept in a pew. i'll take the egg crates.
after church - and after i awoke - we were planning on meeting up in the ethnically italian north end to watch the world cup finals in a bar or restaurant or something. we figured that'd be the best place, right? eh... not really. i called my friends around 1:30 or so and they were already leaving that place. swamped. hanover street was completely closed and it was a total mob scene. fortunately, the city of boston had set up a gigantic screen at scollay square (government center stop on the green and blue lines) just outside city hall. i met up with them and grabbed d&d just in time to catch france's penalty kick goal, which was sweet, but to miss italy's retaliatory goal about 12 minutes later, since i was still in line waiting for my bagel and iced cawfee.
needless to say, the experience was sweet. we were surrounded by thousands of italian americans chanting "italia! italia!" and who went absolutely batshit during the final shootout. add to that the fact that our party was shown on international television no fewer than 3 times, possibly more, and you can imagine how glad we are that we attended. i'm setting the over-under for overturned cars in the north end at 3, and for structure fires we'll say 2. takers?
what's even better about all this is that i don't even like soccer.
we engaged in a bit of touch football - real, american football, that is - by the charles river for about an hour after we returned, with minimal injuries. 4 guys and 3 girls with a steady quarterback (yours truly). the team with 2 girls and a guy beat the other with 2 guys and a girl, and i have to say, the girls really impressed me. i mean, so did the guys, but one played through a jammed finger, and all scored touchdowns. wednesday we plan to play wiffleball.
after taking our aggression out on each other in 2-hand-touch form, we showered off (er.. separately) for a movie night, something that seems to be turning into a weekly event. tonight's choices: closer and good will hunting (filmed in boston and cambridge, you know). tomorrow night is pi (thanks, q). next week we will find boondock saints. some video store in this city has to have it. i refuse to believe that it's simply not for rent here, despite the fact that the blockbuster branch and the hollywood video branch that we went to simply did not have it. anywhere.
of course, blockbuster was selling it. special edition. $21.99.
er.. no.
and now it's 1:30 and i'm going to sleep. lots of work to do tomorrow. and it's all supposed to start at 9am. we'll see if that happens. a friend/coworker is bent on getting me out of here by 8:30a, but that hasn't happened since the first week (i'm consistently 20 minutes late to work, mainly because nobody has ever said a word to me about it, other than my intern friends).
and i'm still reading 1984.
after church - and after i awoke - we were planning on meeting up in the ethnically italian north end to watch the world cup finals in a bar or restaurant or something. we figured that'd be the best place, right? eh... not really. i called my friends around 1:30 or so and they were already leaving that place. swamped. hanover street was completely closed and it was a total mob scene. fortunately, the city of boston had set up a gigantic screen at scollay square (government center stop on the green and blue lines) just outside city hall. i met up with them and grabbed d&d just in time to catch france's penalty kick goal, which was sweet, but to miss italy's retaliatory goal about 12 minutes later, since i was still in line waiting for my bagel and iced cawfee.
needless to say, the experience was sweet. we were surrounded by thousands of italian americans chanting "italia! italia!" and who went absolutely batshit during the final shootout. add to that the fact that our party was shown on international television no fewer than 3 times, possibly more, and you can imagine how glad we are that we attended. i'm setting the over-under for overturned cars in the north end at 3, and for structure fires we'll say 2. takers?
what's even better about all this is that i don't even like soccer.
we engaged in a bit of touch football - real, american football, that is - by the charles river for about an hour after we returned, with minimal injuries. 4 guys and 3 girls with a steady quarterback (yours truly). the team with 2 girls and a guy beat the other with 2 guys and a girl, and i have to say, the girls really impressed me. i mean, so did the guys, but one played through a jammed finger, and all scored touchdowns. wednesday we plan to play wiffleball.
after taking our aggression out on each other in 2-hand-touch form, we showered off (er.. separately) for a movie night, something that seems to be turning into a weekly event. tonight's choices: closer and good will hunting (filmed in boston and cambridge, you know). tomorrow night is pi (thanks, q). next week we will find boondock saints. some video store in this city has to have it. i refuse to believe that it's simply not for rent here, despite the fact that the blockbuster branch and the hollywood video branch that we went to simply did not have it. anywhere.
of course, blockbuster was selling it. special edition. $21.99.
er.. no.
and now it's 1:30 and i'm going to sleep. lots of work to do tomorrow. and it's all supposed to start at 9am. we'll see if that happens. a friend/coworker is bent on getting me out of here by 8:30a, but that hasn't happened since the first week (i'm consistently 20 minutes late to work, mainly because nobody has ever said a word to me about it, other than my intern friends).
and i'm still reading 1984.
wow. one of the next movies netflix is set to send me is 'pi.'
7.08.2006
chowdafest!
boston's annual chowderfest happened last sunday, as a part of the city's harborfest celebration. twelve area restaurants participated by offering cupfulls of their own versions of the signature regional cuisine. we arrived a little late, but with plenty of time to sufficiently assess each and every sample.
after trying each and every one (averaging about 3 bites per), we all decided that captain parker's pub and restaurant, operating out of west yarmouth (on cape cod) and ned devine's irish pub, homegrown in boston, were the two favorites. we each took one more sample of both ned's and captain parker's and compared, bite by bite, side by side. some of us chose captain parker's, others chose ned devine's (that was my pick). either way, both were delicious. i need to find where in boston ned devine's is and go there. now.
the winners were recently announced: captain parker's took first, the grille at hobbs brooke at the double tree guest suites took second (zuh!?), and ned devine's, heartbreakingly, came in a modest third. they've won the last 2 years! they deserved the trifecta.
some visual supplements:
this is how big most of the samples were. most of them were delicious. some of them were not. this one, if i remember correctly, was, indeed, delicious.
maybe the most typical bostonian i've seen yet. i love this kid. i've never met him. but i did take a picture of him.
these guys were really entertaining, but only for a few minutes. they didn't stay long. there was also some live music, mostly played by old men with trumpets, french horns, etc. lots of fun.
i'm happy. i love my spoon. and there are bubbles happening. awesome.
the (not-quite) golden ticket
there is also a photo of me standing with "the skipper," but it's on a friend's camera/computer and i need to get it from her. it will surface soon.
photos of the parade and ensuing fireworks to come.
after trying each and every one (averaging about 3 bites per), we all decided that captain parker's pub and restaurant, operating out of west yarmouth (on cape cod) and ned devine's irish pub, homegrown in boston, were the two favorites. we each took one more sample of both ned's and captain parker's and compared, bite by bite, side by side. some of us chose captain parker's, others chose ned devine's (that was my pick). either way, both were delicious. i need to find where in boston ned devine's is and go there. now.
the winners were recently announced: captain parker's took first, the grille at hobbs brooke at the double tree guest suites took second (zuh!?), and ned devine's, heartbreakingly, came in a modest third. they've won the last 2 years! they deserved the trifecta.
some visual supplements:
this is how big most of the samples were. most of them were delicious. some of them were not. this one, if i remember correctly, was, indeed, delicious.
maybe the most typical bostonian i've seen yet. i love this kid. i've never met him. but i did take a picture of him.
these guys were really entertaining, but only for a few minutes. they didn't stay long. there was also some live music, mostly played by old men with trumpets, french horns, etc. lots of fun.
i'm happy. i love my spoon. and there are bubbles happening. awesome.
the (not-quite) golden ticket
there is also a photo of me standing with "the skipper," but it's on a friend's camera/computer and i need to get it from her. it will surface soon.
photos of the parade and ensuing fireworks to come.
a bit of catch-up.
my posting is lacking. i apologize. i'll fix that this week, i promise. here's a laundry list of what i've done since chillin' on the constitution and the tall ship (a photo update will happen today, after the WATERMELON FESTIVAL):
- a friend/coworker of mine and i kicked off boston's harborfest by visiting the faneuil hall and quincy market area for awesome lunches, which included a giant free cake on one day and one of the most impressive street performers i've ever seen.
- on sunday, july 2, we visited chowderfest. $10, all you can eat new england clam chowder samples from 12 participating area restaurants. we had 14 samples, but none of us voted.
- that evening we began what's developing into a weekly tradition of movie marathons, supplemented by my trip home on saturday to visit family, watch dad shoot off fireworks, and do laundry. i returned with a dvd player. this week's theme was horror: the hills have eyes and friday the 13th were sunday's choices, monday was saw 2. all were entertaining (friday the 13th was a bit of a let-down for me.)
- the next day (07/03) we took the T up to revere beach for a few hours and enjoyed the water. we buried my roommate and sculpted the sand in such a way that he appeared to be a mermaid. that evening we went over to the hatch shell on the esplanade, home to the boston pops, for the 4th of july rehearsal. they played great patriotic songs (and some of my least-favorite ones), and were later joined by steven tyler and joe perry of aerosmith. they played "i don't want to miss a thing," "dream on," and the ridiculously amazing "walk this way" (which immediately made me think of the simpsons and cypress hill - "yeah, uh, we think we may have ordered a symphony. can you play 'insane in the brain?'")
- the next day was the country's birthday. we saw the parade in the morning, whch we followed from city hall to the graveyard where they laid wreaths at the graves of samuel adams, john hancock, peter faneuil and robert treat paine. after we followed it to the old state house where the declaration of independence was read from the east balcony, the same place it was read about a week after its adoption in 1776. after that we staked out all day on a dock on the charles river (the "public dinghy dock," it's called). we were there, on an doff, for 10 hours, and had completely unobstructed view of the fireworks from the barge on the river. they were loud as hell, but beyond impressive. it was my 4th time in boston for the fireworks, and by far the best experience yet. glenn and krys joined the distinguished scholars on the dock, and all had a night to remember. (wait until you see these pictures.)
- thursday night, because a couple of interns here work for a giant film promotion company, we all got free passes to the midnight premier of "pirates of the carribean: dead man's chest." we returned and got to bed at 3:30a to wake for friday's 9-5er. suffice it to say, the movie didn't suck. waking up did.
- today my roommate and i woke up about 10 minutes after we were to leave for the group whale watch (which was already paid for by the program). we got to the dock to see the ship pulling away and our friends waving to us. ouch. we saw some street performers over at faneuil hall, though, and got some souveniers and dunkin' donuts. now we're off to the watermelon festival!