Monday, July 31, 2006

Some late night thoughts

Before I turn in, I had some random thoughts that I thought I'd get off my chest.

You ever wonder why life can be so hard sometimes? It gets you thinking about whether you're the one making it harder. I think I'm guilty of that sometimes. However there are days, weeks and sometimes months when it seems like the breaks aren't coming your way. Life is awesome and funny and wonderful, full of good drinks and laughter and friends. Life can also be scary and incredibly lonely and full of risks and doubt. I find it occasionally incongruous that it can be both, sometimes in the same day.

Saw my roommates' band, Uncle Shaker, play. They are really good. I highly recommend you download their music from Itunes. Americana/alt-country. Good stuff, and really nice guys. Always happy to go out and support the boys.

Happy 1st day of August. Where the hell has the summer gone?

I dunno about this...

So I'm going to run a 5K in October in honor of Steve Lawlor. Steve was the head of Special Operations for Boston EMS and an incredibly nice guy who died of cancer last year at 50. There's a City Run, which is going to benefit his charity and I decided that was as good a cause as any. So I am running this with my friend Chuck, who appeared as equally out of shape as me. However, it seems that he's hardcore training and I am getting worried.

So I went for a run today. I have no idea how far it was, as the ambulance took me most of the way. Just kidding. I ran/walked for 35 minutes and I realized something. What the hell am I thinking? 5K seems so small....around 3 miles. It seems easy on the eliptical, but no so much on the actual street. I'm so screwed....but I'm going to do it. This might be as close to a marathon as I get.

Great music this weekend


So on Saturday night, I attended the Dixie Chicks concert with Mikie. I asked her if she wanted to fly out for this, mostly because I realized that she would appreciate this ticket more than anyone else I knew. So we had a good time and saw an awesome concert.

Say what you want about these ladies, but they really put themselves in the music. When they performed "Not ready to make nice" which talks about the whole controversy about their Bush remarks, the place went nuts. It was nice to be able to support them, and I love the fact that they came back with a bang and not a whimper. They aren't asking for forgiveness. They're taking it, and changing their fan base to be sure.

If you don't have the album, "Taking the Long Way," buy it and have a good listen. No matter what your politics, it's a great listen.

Friday, July 28, 2006

As promised

So I want for my walk and it was fucking hot. I apologize for the vulgarity, but there's no better way to put it.

Really hot
Super hot
Quite warm

Nope. It was fucking hot. I walked up to here.
This is the Somerville Public Library. I held the door open for that lady in the background. I think she was flirting with me. And you know, if it wasn't that hot, I would have....oh God. The heat has cooked my brain. I was going to take more photos, but I walked down the wrong street and didn't see the castle. I'll take photos of that one day soon.

Hope everyone is having a good Friday.

Happy Friday

Back from Martha's Vineyard. I was there with a guy from the National Weather Service giving a talk on hurricane preparedness. Not a big turnout, but good representation from all the towns.
Some interesting folks down there.....real interesting.

Had a great slice of Sicilian pizza today at Pinocchio's in Harvard Square. Found that place through Chowhound as well. Thank god for that site. It was a good slice of sicilian. Not too doughy with a great crust and the right amount of cheese.

I'm off for a walk, and I think I'll take my camera. I also have to return the Stephen King book, "The Cell" that I finished. Not a bad read, and quick too.

Hope you're all staying cool.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

My apologies


I realized that when I posted thanks to the people for coming to my little slice of internet heaven, that I would forget people. So Tory and Nicole, I apologize for the oversight. It was not intentional I swear.

I spent the balance of today at Logan Airport's Fire/Rescue Headquarters. Man, that place is my ultimate fantasy. It combines firefighting and airplanes. Quite cool. Bob Donahue is the chief over there, and he is a terrific guy. He was just recognized in a magazine I'm sure you're all familiar with, Airport Business. If you want to read the glowing article on Chief Donahue and his gang, check it out here.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Air Conditioning + Darkness = Sleepy Time

So I'm home, and I'm about to turn in. As a final footnote to the evening, I asked the other guy to wake me at 7. He had been sleeping for a little over 4 hours. I just wanted to hours to be okay for the drive home.

So I wake up to a clatter in the bunkroom, and I look at my watch. It's 9:10AM. It's no big deal, as I didn't have anywhere to go except for here. But I had these horrible visions of people being led into the bunkroom on a tour, to find me. Drooling on a pillow, scratching myself and farting.

Thank God we avoided that sticky wicket.

I'm off to dream about Heidi Klum.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Beryl screwed me...


So, Tropical Storm Beryl has screwed me. Like some girls, she came on strong. Strong enough that my agency thought there was interest...so we made a play and stationed people here tonight, me being one of them. Then she cooled off and pretended like there was nothing there, and I'm left pulling my pud.

Sigh. Funny how similarities crop up in every day life.

So yes, I'm underground at the Massachusetts Emergency Operations Center again....I wrote a post about this in June I think when I slept here last. I'm here with Peter again, and this other guy. This is a guy who wore slacks, a button down and white tennis shoes to work today. He also has a car with a vanity plate of his last name. Are you getting a mental picture here....and he's younger than me. So I'm here with Toolio and this could be a long night.

So as you read this and look at your comfy bed, think of me sleeping under a photo of JFK with a grey wool blanket stamped "Massachusetts Civil Defense" on it. You really can't make this stuff up.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

I am scared of Beryl




So Tropical Storm Beryl is threatening the east coast, and there remains the possibility that I have to spend the night underground tomorrow night because of it. I really hope this chick doesn't come around. I'm not a woman hater, but I'd rather not spend the night sleeping in a bunker again.

In other news I saw Capote and thought it was okay. I thought Hoffman did a fine job with Capote, but it was more mimicry than acting. I thought the kid who played the prisoner was excellent though.

Oh, and I found out that Larry Hagman went to my high school. How pimp is that?

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

A couple of things

First, I'd like to point out that I have about 200 hits so far this month, which is the total for all of June. So thanks for swinging by. I'm not sure why you do, but it's kind of cool. Really I'm thanking Tom, Mikie, Chuck and Sara, and Sam and Lizzie. You all probably account for most of my hits anyway. Somebody from the Arkansas Transportation Department did look at this today. Nice to see that government workers everywhere are wasting time.

Second, I finally found good falafels near my house. With the help of Chowhound, I found this place called Cafe Barada on Mass Ave in Cambridge. It's actually pretty close to me and it was really good, or ril good as some people I know say. So if you live up here, give it a shot. It's no Mamoun's, but it's the best I can do.

Finally, it's really hot. Or as they say up here, Supah hot. My room is currently my hideout, as it's the only room with A/C, except for Jeff's room. So drink lots of fluids and don't exercise. I've been sweating so much recently. Aww yeah ladies.....who's hot?

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Aaarggh..

So today, my good friend Chuck and I went to see "Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest." There were a bunch of little kids there, which I'm not sure was appropriate considering the content of the film. And yup, Keira Knightly was smoking. But I was going to post a review and then I realized that my good friend, the Ninja had done a perfect one already.

Anyone else see it? Like it, hate it?

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Dinner and more

So tonight I had dinner with these two delightful couples. Sam and Lizzie and Chuck and Sara. Both married, and good friends. We ate at a place called Vinny's at Night, which literally is Vinny's Deli at night. There is a small room in the back and they have some awesome italian food. So thanks for Sam and Lizzie for the find.

I was thinking about my friends up in Boston and how many of them are couples. And since I got here, a bunch of people have moved or are thinking about moving. This is quite the issue for me, as I am very close to my friends. However, I need to remember that a married couple has two people to make decisions, and not three. So we'll see how everything all shakes out. It's getting harder to replenish the friends though. My brother is a good start, when he's willing to get his lazy ass on the T.


Enough serious talk....check out one of my favorite Senate nutjobs Ted Stevens being impaled on last night's Daily Show.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

This is really good.

So, I was perusing my good friend Ben Smith's NYC political blog tonight and I came across a gem.

There are lots of blogs out there. And a bunch of them are pro-life. And a bunch of those blogs will take exception to newspaper columns. But only one asshat in the bunch apparently has taken issue with a newspaper called The Onion. Yes...this is real.

Please read the comments. They are priceless.

Update: Apparently the comments have been removed. The fool who wrote the blog piece I guess is a sensitive soul. But do click on the sitemeter at the bottom to see the kind of traffic this retard is getting.

And now the news

So I know that many of you have had break-ups. Some of them good and some of them not so good. But did you ever think of hiring someone to kidnap you and the ex and then be "forced" to have sex together, while the guy you hired takes photos that you later keep? Just a hint....there is no right answer except NO.

And if you want to know where I found this gem, look no further than fark.com. If you don't know it, get with the program and prepare to laugh your ass off.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Nightmare on Elm St.

So my roommate came into my room about 30 minutes ago to tell me that the Somerville PD was at our door about a burglary. It seems that my upstairs neighbor had her place broken into. It was a forced break, which means they used a tool that left marks in the door. But the other two apartments were unscathed by these hooligans. Jeff and I started joking about it the second after it happened, which is the way that many of us deal with stuff like this.

She lives alone, so I told her she could always knock on our door. Not that we're a lot of good. But we're here. Or at least I am. Jeff has a lovely lady he spends lots of time with. I got to talk shop to the detective. I'm pretty confident this case will never get solved.

Oh, and I have yet to use the above title. So it's not really hackneyed yet.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Chlorine and Michelob Light

So on Saturday I went down to Poughkeepsie, NY. Home of my alma mater and some friends of mine who I fought fires with.....okay drank with. My friend Brian, just ended things with his fiancee. My other friend, Vinnie, just had his ex-girlfriend ask to meet him in a diner. So he went, just so she could tell him she's moving to Jersey....with another guy.

So needless to say, it was the woman hater's club. But really, three pale, chubby guys drinking beer and sitting in a hot tub isn't much magic for the ladies anyhow. I had a great time. Drunken food shopping, and swimming in a pool that was 72 degrees. I passed on Dave Matthews tickets at Fenway for those clowns. And it was well worth it.

It was a good weekend. And tomorrow....back to the grind. Acting manager, while the boss is away. Ugh...

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Happy 4th...


Happy Independence Day everyone! I spent the day with my brother Ross at my friends Chuck and Sara's house in Bedford. This is Chuck and his crazy neighbor. The guy on the bike apparently thinks that the CIA was behind the Oklahoma City bombing. Suffice to say, he's a special person.

Ross and I had a great time. It's really great that I have met Chuck and Sara. They are awesome and very laid back. It was a very nice way to spend a day. Eating and drinking. I'm sure our forefathers would be proud.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Sunday, July 02, 2006

A Few things

  1. Big shout out to Willis Carrier, the inventor of air conditioning. I was outside at a concert and as I walked home I was secure in the knowledge that my room was currently at 65 degrees. God bless that man. Las Vegas owes his family more than it could ever pay.
  2. God Bless Bonnie Raitt. I saw her and Keb Mo. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure which one I was more excited about. If you don't know Keb, please go to ITunes or your current music store and buy his latest album. It was a great night, full of great blues and good beer. And thanks Chuck for being part of our gay little duo. There weren't a lot of male straight duos under 30 there. Good man for coming with.
  3. I found out today that I got into grad school. It's not a huge deal. I didn't really tell anyone, because I applied late and that's sort of how I roll anyway. But I'm going part-time to Suffolk University in the fall for my Masters in Public Administration. Kind of cool, and kind of frightening.
  4. Oh, and see History of Violence. Good violence. Better sex scenes.