Librarian on the Run

Knocker Support

2011-09-29T09:43:00.001-04:00

So I've volunteered to be a doorknocker for Suzanne Lee's campaign. Last night I made Nick play the role of homeowner, while I practiced my spiel.

me: (knocking on door frame)

Nick: Yes?

me: Hello, as you may know Suzanne Lee-

Nick: Get out of heah!

me: Yes, I will, but perhaps you might just review this pamphlet-

Nick: I don't want your pamphlet!

me: Well, perhaps you might accept this pamphlet... along with these freshly baked cookies!

Nick: (pretends to take imaginary cookies and slams imaginary door.)

me: Thank you for your vote!

This might be more difficult than I imagined. Perhaps I'll start off with, "I am not trying to recruit you to some bizarre religion, nor am I asking you to buy stale chocolate to support youth football."

Southie Street Festival Moment

2011-09-17T16:52:00.000-04:00

Little girls Irish Step Dancing to Dropkick Murphys cover- doesn't get any sweeter than that.
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This photo had me scratching my head for days... and then I realized...

2011-08-31T13:55:00.002-04:00

Jo Calderone is really

Lady Gaga paying tribute to Joyce Heyser's

Terry Griffith's male alter-ego

Terry Griffith from the beloved 80's movie, Just One of the Guys.

I feel so much better now.

The Difference Between a Stunod & an A$$hole

2011-08-18T08:37:00.000-04:00

I've been commuting to Framingham for my new job for about three weeks now, and I realized there are three kinds of commuters:

1. Those with Fast Lane transponders
2. Stunods. (Those who commute everyday, yet for some reason, do not have a Fast Lane transponder.)
3. A$$holes. (Those who commute everyday, don't have Fast Lane, yet drive in the Fast Lane line until the very last second and then try and cut in the front of the Tickets Only line.)

This morning I was driving behind what I would now classify as a #3, if I had to guess what this lady chooses to do. The rusty mint green Toyota was going about 50 mph and I was about to signal into the left lane to pass her, when I noticed her flick a lit butt out the window and speed up a bit. Then after about 30 seconds, her car began to swerve as I noticed both of her hands were off the wheel and up around her head. This stopped after a minute, but then they were right back up in her hair again and she was swerving.

At this point I decided I needed to get out from behind this crazy person, and got in the left lane. As I passed her on the left, I took a quick glance and realized that her hands were off the wheel and she was swerving because she was rolling her hair in giant curlers! As Mr. Bean demonstrated in the episode where he tries to save time by getting dressed and brushing his teeth in the car on the way to the dentist, multi-tasking while driving is pretty dumb and selfish.

You're BUSted

2011-06-30T18:51:00.001-04:00

There's unwritten bus stop etiquette that the first person to arrive gets to stand pretty much in front of where the bus' front door will open. People who arrive after this should line up or at least huddle slightly behind this person. 95% of bus passengers follow this rule. 3% of those who chose to ignore this are either those whom most people would give a sit up for anyway (and therefore deserve to board first) or those who claim to have seen Elvis hanging with Tupac last week (and therefore no one will argue with anyway.) The remaining 2% are those who plant themselves in front of those who have been waiting for the bus the longest. These also tend to be the same people who for some inexplicable reason refuse to climb the two stairs leading to the back of the bus to make room for others who are boarding. If there was a bus patrol (think hallway monitors for the bus) I'd gladly volunteer to write these DBs up.
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Some People Shouldn't be Allowed to Own Pets

2011-06-16T17:25:00.000-04:00

It's close to 90 degrees out and this ass has his/her dog baking in the heat with the windows roled up. Lexi and I circled the block and the car and the dog were still there. This poor dog's owner should have to sit in a sweltering car wearing a fur coat... Jerk.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the Main Event! Are you ready to Arrrrchiiiiiive?

2011-06-03T09:50:00.001-04:00

My 8 year old self who was a dedicated G.L.O.W. and WWF fan would have loved this job. The WWE (f/k/a WWF) is currently seeking an Archivist. The first qualification for this job is an "extensive past and present knowledge of WWE and related entities." This seemingly large pool of qualified candidates is most likely greatly reduced by the second qualification: "thorough knowledge of records management and archival management principles and methodologies."

So they're looking for someone who remembers the Bushwackers (who licked my brother's shaved head at a WWF event at the Hartford Civic Center!), mourned Macho Man Randy Savage's recent death with one last, "Ohhhhhh yeahhhhh" but also someone who is a trained archivist.

I hope they find the little girl or boy (now grown) who carefully photographed and catalogued their wrestling action figures and signed event programs!

My favorite: George the Animal Steele & his green tongue!

Thank you to our bus driver!

2011-05-27T11:14:00.000-04:00

Today I was the annoying bus passenger with a stroller (car seat attached to it- making it bulkier). The type of rider the MBTA considered banning. I had to bring Lexi to daycare on the bus, in her stroller and car seat since we will be taking an Amtrak train later this afternoon to Rhode Island and my mom (who doesn't own a car seat) is picking us up at the station.

Despite the fact that we took up a lot of space, the driver was exceptionally courteous. He even got out of his seat to help us on and off and didn't start the bus until he was sure the stroller was secure. I wish I had thought to see which operator number he was, but since I didn't, a big thank-you to the gentleman driving the Route 7 bus that picked us up at the corner of L and Broadway this morning around 7:35ish!

Once at South Station, we were able to enjoy the stroll to daycare!

Enjoying the Chinatown Park portion of the Rose Kennedy Greenway

You Such a Dirty Bad Girl... Beep Beep! uh, uh!

2011-05-20T12:45:00.000-04:00

There's an ad on Craigslist announcing Bunim-Murray Productions, creators of MTV’s The Real World is casting for the reality show that "brings seven self-proclaimed 'bad girls' together in a beautiful mansion."

Fame and fortune, here I come! Please accept my submission for the Bad Girls Club below:

A brief BIO telling us what makes you a “Bad Girl”

Oh man, where do I start? Well, for starters, I can par-tay. Nick and I were at a wedding this past weekend, and I burned up the dance floor to "the Twist" "Let's Twist Again" and "I Saw Her Standing There." And despite the fact that my dogs were barking, I even tried to learn the Dougie (in heels!)

Currently I am wearing black socks, even though my pants are navy blue. I've also been known to wear white after Labor Day. (Shut up, right?!)

I'm a librarian, but my bookshelf is arranged by binding color.

If I fart in a public place, I look around as if searching for someone else to blame.

Despite the fact that it's indisputably the most important meal of the day, occasionally I'll skip breakfast.

Attach several photos

My humor isn't for the weak at heart

I am clearly wearing Bling

Not afraid to ruin an otherwise great photo

Former saxophone player. The flute was just too "safe" for me.

Bad-ass ride.

In sum, I think I would make an excellent addition to The Bad Girls Club. MTV HMU! (That's Hit Me Up for those of you not up on your street slang.)

Yeah Baby, yeah!

2011-04-30T16:18:00.000-04:00

These fliers are all over Southie these days. Taped on the same poles that advertise the M.O.M. Stroller Workouts. Who knew Southie was such a swingin' place?
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Dumb and Dumber

2011-04-28T09:29:00.000-04:00

This morning after grabbing my Dunkin' Iced Coffee, I waved to our building security woman and walked up to the elevator keypad.
For some reason the button wouldn't light up to signal the elevator was coming down to the lobby. Only after about a minute of frustration did I realize I was trying to call the elevator by holding my building security pass in front of the button and waiting for it to light... Amazingly, my frustration ended when I took the more conventional route of pushing it.

This is quite possibly even worse than the time my husband and I went to Lucca in the Back Bay right before Lexi was born. After perusing the menu, I looked at Nick and said, "Well, I think I'm going to have the 10 and 22." Confused, he asked what the hell I was talking about.
"Isn't your menu numbered?" I asked as I pointed to the salad and pasta dishes I wanted to order. Nick looked at me, and realizing his wife's I.Q. had dropped numerous points over the previous nine months, sadly told me, "Those are the prices!"

:Hey Limoliner, I want my money back

2011-03-18T15:39:00.000-04:00

"Please stay seated. If someone hits us, we're going to go flying." -our LimoLiner stewardess

We are stuck in middle of 91 in front of Exit 7 sign as our driver's side luggage hatch flew open. Um, this isn't why I paid $80 for a bus ticket...
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Dear Southie Residents & Visitors,

2011-03-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's my first one! I am not in a place to judge, because I tend to wolf down my bottles and spit up all over myself, but please try and keep all public vomiting to a minimum today.

I'd Really Be Worried If I Had Found Discarded Black Knee Socks...

2011-02-18T14:31:00.000-05:00

These items were strewn across our neighbor's doormat at 7:00 AM this morning...

Dollar bill, Blackberry, Parliaments... oh my!

One flight down, I catch these bad boys in the stairwell

Looks like her Grandfather had a wild night!

Things I Hope I Raise My Daughter to Know Better Than To Do...

2011-02-16T09:42:00.000-05:00

Today's blog was inspired by the young woman at my bus stop who is wearing flip flops in the middle of February. I noticed this yesterday and thought there must have been some terrible shoe incident that forced her to wear flip flops in freezing weather. I imagined her getting to work (and after warming her feet) telling her co-workers, "You'll never believe what happened to my shoes today!" Now I know she did this on purpose and am left wondering where her common sense is.
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Microsoft's Red Pen Ran Out of Ink

2011-01-28T09:42:00.002-05:00

This is a new one!

Still Better than Snow

2011-01-24T09:02:00.002-05:00

Boston.com

Fist Pump!

2010-12-20T21:34:00.000-05:00

I am 2 months old today!
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This is just wrong

2010-11-19T16:04:00.001-05:00

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Hopefully it Doesn't Get Any Colder

2010-10-13T12:59:00.000-04:00

I'm down to one usable button
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Have a Cigar

2010-09-09T08:49:00.004-04:00

I've probably ridden the MBTA daily since 1997. Since then I have seen my fair share of noteworthy people and incidents; including, but not limited to:

a shooting (at Fields Corner over some gold jewelry)
toe nail clipping
teeth flossing
head-butting
crazy ranting and raving
self-pleasuring
exposing oneself
vomiting

Today though, I saw someone openly smoking a cigar on the Red Line. This guy was different than the kids I've seen sneaking cigarettes on the platform, as they always look like they'll pee their pants if they get caught. This guy was actually enjoying a lit cigar on his morning commute and looked so comfortable and sane, that I think he'd have been apologetic if someone pointed out to him that it was prohibited to smoke on the T.

Sh*t Happens in Southie

2010-08-24T08:11:00.000-04:00

This morning, walking out my building's front door, I just missed stepping into a huge pile of freshly dropped dog poop. Not 15 feet later, I can hear the ghosts of uttered obscenities past, as there's another fresh pile that's been decorated with someone's footprint. Between G St and L St on East Broadway, I counted 5(!) piles of sidewalk turds in various states of decay. I've lived here for almost 10 years now, and for all the Southie Pride talk people love to spout off, I continue to see examples that it's mostly a bunch of dog sh*t.
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Free Stuff

2010-07-27T10:49:00.000-04:00

In an effort to create more space in our 2nd bedroom/office/nursery, I posted 2 items on Craigslist.com under the "Free Stuff" heading. This was Sunday night, and I received well over 100 emails regarding the dresser and bookshelf's availability. Last night, a nice man drove up from the South Shore and took our furniture to his daughter's post-collegiate apartment in Savin Hill (because why the hell does a 22 year-old need new furniture?! Try telling that to my wife!)

Rather than replying individually to all the other emails that inquired about the furniture, I decided to update the posting to indicate that the items were gone and tacked "SOLD!!" in front of the heading. (Yes, I know the items were free, but SOLD!! seemed like an unambiguous way of indicating the items were no longer available.) Since then I have received at least 15 new inquiries responding to the updated headline:

No, no they're not.

In this woman's case, a Smart car would suffice as there's nothing to carry. What part of SOLD!! don't people understand? In the end, I just deleted the post altogether so I wouldn't be tempted to respond to these nimrods.

Itsy Bitsy Lunch Guest

2010-06-28T15:33:00.006-04:00

One way to tell that no one had time to take a leisurely lunch today...

Is that this little guy was able to get himself a nice intricate web going at the kitchen table.

Uncle Hugs

2010-06-21T09:24:00.000-04:00

I have been to a handful of baby showers over the years, but had the pleasure of attending my first sprinkle on Saturday morning. A sprinkle is given to celebrate a mother-to-be who has already given birth to her first child. In this case, it was for my friend's 2nd child and we met at the Buttery for brunch on Saturday morning. There's a room downstairs that was perfect for our larger party, and the staff was super friendly. I'm not a huge brunch person, but the food was fantastic, the prices were definitely reasonable and I'm still dreaming of my cinnamon scone. Like the Terminator, I'll be baahk.

Saturday afternoon, Nick and I drove down to Rhode Island to see my dad for Father's Day. This happened to be my dad's 30th Father's Day!

Dad, before kids lookin' sharp!

Dad, after kids... You'll notice the toll we took on his hair color, but otherwise still looking sharp!

This Father's Day was also Nick's first Father's to Be Day. My parents gave him a cute book called Daddy Hugs. My brother mentioned that he'd like a similar book, but somehow, "Uncle Hugs" sounds like it would end with a police investigation and not a sleeping baby.

A Guide to Day Care Centers Around the Boston Area

2010-06-09T11:22:00.001-04:00

Pretty much the day after I found out I was pregnant, I started researching day care facilities near us. I had heard horror stories about waiting lists, sky-high tuition, etc. Since I will be returning to work full-time after my maternity leave is up, we needed to find full-time care. I liked the idea of the little one being out of the house during the day, hanging with little buddies and learning to get used to being around noise and groups of people, so we decided to actively explore day cares instead of nannies or nanny-shares.

Below is a list of centers we looked at- click on the links for location, contact info and hours of operations. I tried to include some info that's not necessarily listed on their websites, like fees and if there's a waiting list. Please note that this info may have changed since I first received it. I hope this brief guide can be helpful to others!

Labouré Child Care Center
I've lived in Southie for almost 9 years now, and walk by the Labouré Center on West Broadway several times a week; however, the tour we took in April was the first time I had been inside the building. The facility is very clean and safe, with 3 different rooms dedicated to infants and toddlers. The preschoolers are in a separate area; I was particularly impressed with preschool classrooms, as they were very bright and cheerful. The infant and toddler rooms seemed a little less inviting, but maybe that had something to do with the lighting. We met some infant teachers who were extremely friendly and took the time to answer our questions and tell us about a typical day. The Center staggers drop-off times, so when you're offered a spot, you're also told when you can drop off, which could potentially be inconvenient depending on when you have to be to work.
Fees for Infant/Toddler: $300 per week/$60 per day/$65 part time
Fees for Preschool: $215 per week/$43 per day
Waiting List: Daunting. We were told to call back after our baby is born to reiterate our interest and be added to the official waiting list.

The 2nd center we toured was...

KinderCare Learning Center on Atlantic Ave
This day care is not nearly as convenient to us as the Labouré Center would be, but there are enough bus and T options to make it work if you needed it to. This tour, unlike the first, took all of 15 minutes. Partly because the facility is a lot smaller and partly because the staff was busy juggling all the little ones being dropped off for the day. Overall, the center is very clean, bright and welcoming- just quite small. We also suffered a bit of sticker shock over the price, which they warned us goes up each September.
Fees for Infants (4 or 5 days): $493/week
Fees for Toddlers & Pre-School (4 or 5 days): $442/week
Fees for Pre-K (4 or 5 days): $347/week
Waiting List: None. They had spots available for late January/early February 2011.

2 other facilities we learned about, but haven't toured...
Bright Horizons at Harborview
Fees for Infants (5 days): $1875/month
Fees for Toddlers (5 days): $1550/month
Fees for Preschool (5 days): $1305/month
Waiting List: Unsure.

Columbia Point Infant and Toddler Day Care Program
Fees for Infants: $55/day
Waiting List: Unsure

Next we visited
Sunshine Child-Care
As soon as I walked into Sunshine Child-Care, I was impressed. After walking past the check-in/reception area, I was greeted by a small group of pre-schoolers sitting at a round table: "Good morning, Miss!" This tour, like the KinderCare tour, lasted maybe 15 minutes, because the infants, toddlers, and preschools are in the same big room, although the areas are sectioned off. The staff were actively engaged with the children, the facility is clean and bright with a real classroom feel to it. As I was leaving, it was so cute to see a group of children sitting in a circle being read to; most of them eagerly had their hands up waiting to be chosen to answer a question about the story. You could tell that both kids and adults were having a good time. It should also be noted that Sunshine Child-Care is a multi-lingual facility, from their website: "All programs are staffed with bi-lingual teachers speaking English, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese, or both.)"
Fees for Infants (5 days): $275/week
Fees for Toddlers (5 days): $250/week
Fees for Preschool (5 days): $185/week
Waiting List: Depends on when you are hoping to enroll

And finally, we visited:
Ellis Memorial & Eldridge House's Infant/Toddler Program
We learned about Ellis Memorial from friends of ours who go there. The tour probably lasted about 45 minutes, as the facility is housed in the first floor of a larger building. The infants are on one side of the hall, and the toddlers are on the other. I can't remember how many infant rooms there are, but each one was clean and welcoming and the staff was very friendly. I met my friends' baby, who was happily bouncing on a teacher's knee when we walked in. They have evening programs that involve the parents and families, a lending library and an area to leave your stroller for the day since many parents use public transportation to drop off/pick up.
Fees for Infants: $325/week
Fees for Toddlers: $325/week
Fees for Preschool : $195/week
Waiting List: Yes, but can get on the list as soon as you fill out an application, versus having to wait until the baby is born.

Got all that? Phew! We've been busy, but thankfully have chosen one of these facilities and have firm childcare plans in place.

Run to Remember 2010

2010-06-07T10:05:00.001-04:00

Sunday, May 30th marked the first road race of 2010 for Nick and I! Since 2005, we have run Boston's Run to Remember each year. We normally both run the half marathon; however, this year I ran the 5 miler and let Nick do the heavy lifting in the half.

Around mile 10- running back over the Salt & Pepper Shaker bridge. I like how you can see the Citgo sign in the background.

Crossing the finish line after 13 miles in the hot sun

Baby Priselac completes her first 5 mile race feeling good!

The only downside to this year's race, (probably due to the hot weather) was that I had the pleasure of seeing 2 people puke along the course. One girl was right before the finish line- hopefully that wasn't captured by Brightroom.com (who took the photos.)

If you're thinking about running this race next year- I highly recommend signing up. Both courses are pretty flat, there are a good amount of water & Gatorade stops (as well as a GU station too), and the post race amenities are fantastic. This year in addition to bagels, bananas, oranges, water, etc.- there was a Ben & Jerry's truck giving out free ice cream. Looking forward to next year's race already!

P.S. I hope everyone who was lucky enough to get a bib for the Harpoon 5-miler this weekend had a great race!

Librarian on the Run- Now With a Bun

2010-06-03T09:47:00.005-04:00

in the oven!

Nick and I are due October 21 with our first- a baby girl!

We are slowly learning how freakin' expensive daycare is and new and exciting word combinations like "sleep sacks" "breast pump"and "stroller systems." These words on their own are harmless, but put together are scary and complex. So far, the only item I've purchased has been this:

The dreaded pink hat

All babies look like little boys unless you throw them in something pink or a dress. For the first year or so, a pink hat will have to do. I better not not hear any complaints- capice?!

What A Deal!

2010-04-01T18:07:00.000-04:00

"Hey, if you purchase the left one we'll throw the right one in free of charge!"
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Southie: Oscar the Grouch's Paradise

2010-02-22T08:16:00.003-05:00

Over the past couple of weeks, I've noticed that Broadway is covered in trash. The sidewalks are disgusting; they're strewn with litter that floated out from cans on garbage day, but also with debris that residents have no problem tossing on the ground instead of in a bin. I can't tell you how many times I've seen actual grown adults walk out of the Hub or Tedeschi's and toss their snack food wrappers or lotto tickets on the ground without any shame. It's disgusting and disrespectful, and anyone over the age of 12 shouldn't have to be reminded not to litter.

East Broadway this morning on my way to the bus stop.

What's "the Situation"

2010-02-03T14:13:00.003-05:00

THIS better not ever happen. Although there are about 100 tanning salons on Broadway, so I guess these people would be able to maintain their orange skin.

MTV- Keep the Jersey Shore cast out of South Boston!

Robots Have Feelings Too

2010-01-20T08:10:00.003-05:00

For the past couple of weeks, I've had daily calls from either Brown or Coakley's campaign hassling me to vote for their candidate. These calls have gotten to be pretty annoying and even though I wouldn't pick up the phone when an unidentified number appeared on caller ID, I'd still have to listen to them as they left voice mails.

Yesterday, as I walked in the early morning down Broadway to Dorchester Street on my way to vote, even the candidate I was voting for had ticked me off in the end because I was so sick of the calls, the radio ads, the TV commercials, etc. Casting my vote, signified an end to being hassled by pleading recorded voices.

Last night, around 6:45 or so, the phone rang and I picked up without bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hello?" It was another recorded message! I heard the following being rattled off quickly by some robotic voice:

I am just calling to remind you that today is Election Day and the polls are open until 8 PM.

"F*ck off!" I yelled into the phone and was about to hang up when I heard the recorded voice stop and say, "uh, excuse me?"

Whoops.

Deep Discount in the Bakery Aisle

2010-01-11T18:45:00.000-05:00

My guess is that these taste rather bitter today.
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Everyone Deserves a Voice!

2009-12-22T15:52:00.003-05:00

Dr. Deschler operated on my husband and is an excellent doctor and a wonderful person. Please click on the link below and contribute to the Deschler Fund at Mass. Eye and Ear! Thanks!

From Mass Eye and Ear:
Everyone deserves a voice. Check out this video today (www.toth.com/merrychristmas) and you’ll be donating to the work Mass. Eye and Ear’s own head and neck surgeon Dr. Daniel Deschler. Each time the video is viewed through New Year’s Day, Toth Brand Imaging will donate $1 (up to maximum of $10,000) to the Deschler Fund at Mass. Eye and Ear for Laryngeal Cancer. Michael Toth, president of Toth Brand Imaging, is Dr. Deschler’s patient. He had laryngeal cancer. He credits Dr. Deschler with saving his life. Michael created this holiday greeting to help give everyone a voice because he no longer has one. He and his employees think everyone deserves a voice so they are raising money for Dr. Deschler’s fund. Support our mission! Send along to family and friends and spread the cheer!

The 12 Days of MBTA

2009-12-21T10:57:00.001-05:00

On the 1st day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 1 grimey pole!
On the 2nd day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 2 frost bitten toes!
On the 3rd day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 3 busses too full to stop!
On the 4th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 4 medical testing ads!
On the 5th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 5 blasting iPods!
On the 6th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 6 red lights!
On the 7th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 7 seats occupied by shopping bags!
On the 8th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 8 seconds to read my monthly pass!
On the 9th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 9 bottles rolling around the floor!
On the 10th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 10 discarded Metros!
On the 11th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 11 coughing passengers!
On the 12th day of Christmas the MBTA gave to me, 12 minute stall between South Station & Downtown Crossing!

Getting Satisfaction from what Tiger Does... Just Another Day at the Office

2009-12-08T15:19:00.004-05:00

This ad is currently running on DiversityInc's site.

This is just as good as the Taylor Hicks mishap.

Nothing is going to keep people away from today's sales at Macy's

2009-12-03T12:55:00.001-05:00

Well, I hope no one's waiting around for this bone marrow...

(Updated to add that the sign says, "Human Bone Marrow. Do not XRay.")
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I'd like to interrupt my blogging break...

2009-12-02T13:29:00.001-05:00

to state that Tiger Woods is a stupid son of a bitch.

High Five, Seltzer Boy!

2009-11-08T17:27:00.000-05:00

8 oz cans of Polar Seltzer are now available!
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Moving Day

2009-10-26T08:16:00.000-04:00

Jim and Nancy are getting used to their new home.
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Costume Advice: How to Dress Like a Librarian

2009-10-09T09:02:00.000-04:00

(This was originally posted last October; however, I'm starting to get a lot of hits for librarian costumes, and thought I'd post this entry again.)

I've been getting a lot of hits recently by people searching for "how to dress like a librarian." Will there be a lot of librarians trick-or-treating this year? My guess is that most people dressing as librarians will go for the "hot librarian" vs. "dowdy librarian" look. It's been my experience, that real-life librarians fall somewhere in the middle of these 2 stereotypes. That is, we don't look like we'll give you a spanking you'll enjoy and we also don't look like a character from the Revenge of the Nerds movies. As a librarian, I'm not going to offer any thoughts on how to dress like the "your book is overdue and I'm going to have to take you behind the stacks and make a man out of you" librarian. No one needs help on how to dress like a ho. I do, however, have some advice for those of you who plan to dress like your mother's librarian, since there are a handful of those keeping the stereotype alive and well.

Wear a lanyard, and attach as much crap to it as possible: t pass, work badge, several keys...

Don't wear glasses that you think are cute or vintage. Wear glasses similar to those that Angela used to rock on "Who's the Boss?"

Wear book-themed jewelry

And finally, wear sensible shoes.

You Know You're in Southie...

2009-10-06T15:33:00.000-04:00

When you see this sign in a storefront. How cute!
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Oatmeal

2009-10-06T09:47:00.000-04:00

You know you're getting older when you eat oatmeal for breakfast because it's a "smart choice" rather than because you enjoy it. One more thing about oatmeal: if you cover up the Quaker Oat man's white bushy hair, you can see actually what my grandpa looked like!
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Hands off my pot!

2009-09-25T08:34:00.000-04:00

Last night around 2:30, there was a terrible smash outside our window. By the time we located our glasses the stunods who caused the the noise had fled, but we were able to make out that one of the building's ceramic flower pots had been smashed to bits and the flowers and dirt were strewn all over the sidewalk. Those flowers are carefully maintained by two women in our building, who enthusiastically tend to our little garden area on the weekends. Just now as I was leaving the house, I noticed that several other people's pots had been smashed too (like the example in the photo.). Smashing a mailbox or a window is terrible, of course, but to take the time to deliberately destroy nature is pretty low. People can be real jerks sometimes.
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Otto Titsling, Inventor and Kraut

2009-09-16T08:26:00.003-04:00

When I first came to live in Boston, it was to attend BC in 1997. Almost immediately, I was struck by how many redheads there were. Honestly, now it sounds ridiculous, but I could only think of maybe 1 or 2 people from my high school that had naturally red hair. I had also never met people my age who went to church without being dragged along by their parents, and was surprised how many students attended the special Sunday night freshman campus mass. Eventually the newness of being surrounded by church-going redheads wore off, and I found something else to admire from afar: the Boston accent.

My history TA freshman year had an Irish surname, a thick head of red hair and an even thicker accent. I forget the context in which he said it, but on the first day of class he mentioned something about Karl Marx and it was music to my ears. "I am in Boston, and I love it," I remember thinking.

Five years later, I started working the 10-6 shift at a company in Norwood. There was a friendly German security guard who introduced himself as Ott. "Have a nice night, Ott," I'd say when I left for the evening. I'm not sure how long I had been there, before someone pointed out to me that Ott was neither short for Otto nor of German heritage. Art was short for Arthur, a retired Boston policeman and thankfully, very good-natured about the misunderstanding.

Now, after living and working in Boston since originally coming here for college, I like to think that the novelty of hearing the accent has worn off. For the most part it has; however, sometimes I hear someone (like I did this morning) that takes me back to freshmen history class and Kahl Mahx.

Tums, Fig Newtons, & Altoids, oh my!

2009-09-15T14:55:00.000-04:00

Time for my three o'clock snack... Gonna have to go with the Fig Newtons. This has got to be the world's most depressing snack drawer.
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Today's Lunch

2009-09-08T11:58:00.000-04:00

If I don't pack Nick's lunch for him, one of the 1st things I ask him is, What did you have for lunch today? It's a simple question, but I find it interesting. Maybe because lunch is usually my favorite meal, since sandwiches are frequently involved. Here's today's lunch: turkey & cheese on a potato roll and an Orange Creme yogurt. (I also had some Fig Newtons, but ate them before I thought to take a photo.) I hope everyone has a great lunch! What did you have?
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Today's New Thing

2009-09-02T08:58:00.000-04:00

I walked to work this morning! It took me 39 minutes door to office chair (including a stop at DD for my coffee.) It was a great way to start the day! I definitely didn't miss waiting at the bus stop and watching 3 packed buses fly by... Plus, walking down Summer St, through Fort Point and over the bridge towards South Station always reminds me how much I love Boston.
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Oink Oink, We'll Be Pigs!

2009-08-19T15:00:00.009-04:00

On Saturday evening, Nick, Joe (his dad) and I returned from a wonderful 10-day trip to Europe. The main purpose of the trip was to visit Joe's paternal & maternal relatives in Croatia; however, we tried to see and do as much as 10 days would allow. We had such a fantastic trip, and I especially want to thank my svekar (father-in-law) for acting as our fearless vodič (guide)and translator!

Wednesday, August 5th

Waiting to board our Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt in Logan

Thursday, August 6th

Exhausted after flying all night here Nick is filling up somewhere in Germany. Following this, we ate our 1st authentic German meal at Burger King.

Friday, August 7th

Salzburg

Saturday, August 8th

Dinner with Joe's cousin Nada. Nada was so much fun and became our travel companion for the next several days.

Sunday, August 9th

Zagreb

Monday, August 10th

Dubrovnik

Tueday, August 11th

Plitvička Jezera

Plitvička Jezera

Wednesday, August 12th

Pašman

Zadar

Thursday, August 13th

Three generations of Priselacs! Visiting with Joe's uncle Yanko near Zagreb- I can see the resemblance!

Friday, August 14th

Driving to Munich

To visit Annette & Christian, who prepared us an authentic German feast!

Jacob & Martha helped :)

Joe & Nick loved this car in our hotel's parking garage in Munich

Saturday, August 15

I think even Nick is sad to drop of our Citroen Picasso at the Frankfurt Airport

What a great trip! Now, back to reality...

Victoria's Soxret

2009-08-18T13:01:00.005-04:00

I haven't had to pay for underwear in a long time. So, after receiving not 1, but 2 free panty coupons in the mail while we were away, I popped into Victoria's Secret during lunch to redeem my complimentary undies. As soon as I walked into the store, I saw the following display:

Pink Hat haters Beware

Now women can pick up some Sox gear, while bra shopping. My guess is that all those "real fans" who freak out when they see a pink baseball cap, probably won't be too thrilled about the Victoria's Secret branded Red Sox shirts with glitter and hearts. I didn't buy a shirt, but think they're kind of cute. As a woman, it's nice to have the option of buying a t-shirt that was designed with your figure in mind.

When You Hear the Word 'Heiny'

2009-08-17T15:56:00.002-04:00

Do you think of the color green, or a rear end?

I have to go with the latter; however, the folks at JanSport disagree.

My company is putting together back-to-school supplies for The Home for Little Wanderers, and associates can help by purchasing specific items requested by The Home. My request slip asks that I purchase a green JanSport backpack. I figured a green backpack would be simple enough, but this request is proving more difficult than I thought.

I expected JanSport to offer packs in the ROYGBIV variety, with a couple of "rose" and "turquoise" colors thrown in for good measure. I didn't expect a list that included Blue Paisley Skull and Fiji Orange, but not green. There's not even a hunter green or an emerald. The closest I can find is something called heiny.

heh... heh... you said, Heiny...

Not to make a stink, but isn't heiny a polite word for butt? And if heiny were a color, I'd at least expect it to resemble something that could be a skin tone that wasn't found on Mars.

Should I buy this pack? I think it might be too green, but I'm having trouble locating a more subtle shade of the JanSport variety.

This is one tough case to crack.

Trying Not to Judge a Country by its Bathroom

2009-08-14T11:10:00.000-04:00

One thing that has impressed me about Croatia is that no matter if you're at a fancy restaurant, a gas station off the expressway or in a small cafe in a village the rest rooms are immaculate. We've spent a ton of time in our mighty Citroen, and have had a lot of WC breaks; all of the facilities have been "dobro." (That's good to you and me.)
Meanwhile, we just stopped in Slovenia. The area had a cute little cart that sold baked goods and little bottles of Cockta. (Cockta is a Slovenian soft drink that tastes like Red Bull.) The WCs were in a little building off the side of the main area and a rusty door opened to a hole in the floor. I don't mind squatting over a hole; however, the area surrounding the hole was half an inch thick in caked dirt, urine and other unsavory substances. As I squatted over the hole, I thought that if my shoes slipped and I fell down into the sludge in some cruel twist of fate that no amount of soap would be able to cleanse my skin.
Thankfully, I made it out without incident and wondered if the men's room was as gross as the women's. I didn't even get a chance to ask, because while walking back to the car I heard my father-in-law tell Nick, "I found myself trying to piss faster just so I could get the hell out of there quicker. Holy sh*t."
Unlike Germany, Austria and Croatia, I can't say I enjoyed my "visit" in Slovenia.
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Fahrvergnugen

2009-08-06T12:42:00.000-04:00

Well, we landed in Frankfurt safe and sound and we're currently en route to Salzburg. My father-in-law had arranged to rent a high-end BMW for our trip since we're going to be spending so much time in the car. We'll be driving from Frankfurt to Salzburg through Slovenia and then all around Croatia to Munich and finally back to Frankfurt on the 15th. All Nick could talk about was the opportunity to drive on the Autobahn in the BMW. Fast forward to present time where we're now stalled in traffic in a French minivan, because Sixt Rental Cars told us that luxury rental vehicles are not allowed to cross into Slovenia due to high rates of theft. Nick is the only one who drives standard (we're stalled again and getting flipped off outside the airport parking lot) and he hasn't driven a standard car since 2002. Wish us luck!!
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2 Down, 7 to Go

2009-07-27T08:56:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago, I was down with my family in Rhode Island and we were all sitting in the family room after dinner. All of a sudden, we heard a terrible screech, a hiss and then silence. We all rushed to the back porch to find some feathers and fur. Our cat, Carmen, was nowhere to be seen. The next day; however, she came home looking no worse for the wear.
On Thursday, poor Carmen was the victim of a hit and run. My parents brought her to the vet, who was fortunately able to save most of her. Her tail is now a memory. Carmen is a survivor though, and my mom said she's eating heartily and isn't letting a small detail like a missing tail slow her down.
As my parents were rushing to the vet on Thursday, my dad called to let them know they were on their way. After calling the main number, there was a prompt that said Press 1 if this is an emergency, if not please stay on the line. My dad punched 1 and explained to the receptionist that his cat had been hit by a car and he and my mom were rushing her in to see the vet. The receptionist told him that his reason for calling wasn't considered an emergency and that they need to keep the line open for real emergencies... If a cat getting hit by a car doesn't qualify as an emergency, I'd hate to see the poor animals that do have qualifying emergency injuries.
I wish Carmen a restful and speedy recovery!
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Lulu, little Lulu, With Freckles on Her Chin

2009-07-24T10:35:00.001-04:00

When it comes to workout gear, I tend to look at the Macy's sales rack, Target, and Sierra Trading Post's Bargain Barn. I hate paying full price for workout clothing, except for footwear. Never skimp on running shoes or hiking boots; there, you've been warned. The problem is that I love to shop for workout clothing, and now that I've been attending yoga classes 3-4 times a week I have been exposed to a new wonderful world of colorful and comfortable athletic attire.

I had been admiring a certain high-end yoga inspired clothing line for awhile; however, I couldn't justify paying $90 for a pair of black stretchy pants. Then, a few weeks ago, I noticed that they were looking for part-time work, so I decided to apply. I figured between the store discount and other job perks (free classes) that it would be pretty great, as far as 2nd jobs go. I have worked at Dunkin Donuts, a bagel store, the HoneyBaked Ham Company store (for 1 day... that's another blog post), and about 20 English language schools, but never in retail, so I was mildly surprised when I received an email asking if I could come in for a group interview.

I had been wondering how many people would be in the interview, but there was just one other applicant; a woman in flowing scarves, beaded earrings & a canvas tote. At this point, having come dressed from my day job in a pencil skirt and blouse, I knew I was in trouble.

The store manager took us to a quiet part of the mall and explained that she had a list of questions she wanted to ask and that she hoped we would feel like we were simply getting to know each other. In the end, the more I got to know the other applicant, the more I wanted to strangle her with her thrifted scarf. The conversation went pretty much like this...

Manager (turning to me): So, how do you like to stay healthy?
Me: Well, try to walk as much as possible and not eat too much junk. Also, I exercise on a regular basis. Running, yoga, golf... that sort of thing.
2nd Applicant: Oh, well, my family owns an organic farm north of Boston and I spent a lot of time working on the land. It's a lot of sweat and hard work, but I love it! The farm, by the way, is also a CSA, which is just an incredible way to bring people together!

Manager (again, to me. Somehow, I went first every single time): We encourage our employees to set goals for themselves. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Me: Hmm, well, hopefully my family is healthy and happy. Possibly my husband and I will have a child or 2...
2nd Applicant: OK, so I am applying for a Fulbright and hope to eventually open a cultural center for disadvantaged Boston youth.
Me: Oh... a Fulbright! That's impressive!
2nd Applicant: How old are you?!
Me: Um, I'll be 30 in July.
2nd Applicant: Well, you're too old to apply for one... but it is an excellent opportunity to do some good in the world.

Manager: What was the last book you read?
Me: The 2nd Harry Potter book... I'm re-reading the series.
2nd Applicant: I just finished reading a book written by one of the first female Buddhist monks. It's incredibly fascinating.

Manager: We hope all of our employees are open to giving and receiving feedback. What was the last feedback you received?
At this point, I decided to go for broke.
Me: During yoga class today, while I was in Cobra, my teacher told me to relax my buttocks.
(beat)
2nd Applicant: Hmmm, well last night my boyfriend and I were talking... We try and have at least one meaningful conversation a night... And, anyway, he told me that he's noticed that most of my friendships are based on me reaching out to others in need and that he thinks I should have relationships where there's more equal give and take.

Mercifully, the "conversation" ended soon after that and I went home to re-examine my lifestyle, while applicant number 2 probably went to volunteer at a soup kitchen and then poop a bouquet of roses. Needless to say, I received an email the next day thanking me for my time, but that I wasn't quite the right fit for the job.

15 Books that Will Always Stick with this Librarian

2009-07-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

Sometime last week, I read Rhea's post called, 15 Books that Will Always Stick with Me and decided that I wanted to give the exercise a whirl. It wasn't hard to think of 15 books that will stick with me; however, it was harder than I thought to add some explanation as to why they would. Sometimes, I have a specific memory associated with a book, and sometimes a book will just stick with me because it's just so good. I tried to elaborate where possible, but in some instances I have no other recommendations than to read the book. Below is the post's explanation that was posted on Rhea's original entry:

A friend gave me an assignment: List fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. Write down the first 15 you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. So that’s what I did. If you care to join in, please feel free to link to this post and write about YOUR 15 books!

Interpreter of Maladies: Well-written short stories that draw you in completely. I think I read this in one sitting.

Les Miserables: In 9th grade, we read this abridged version and I've since re-read it several times. I'd like to say that I've graduated to the unabridged version; however, Hugo tends to take 15 pages to describe a doorknob... I cried when Jean Valjean died.

Love in the Time of Cholera: As a Spanish language and literature major, this was one of my favorites. Florentino Ariza is a true romantic that needs some heavy therapy.

100 Years of Solitude: This book is worth it for the last sentence alone. Also, I cried the entire last chapter.

The Shining: I read this book one summer while I was away at tennis camp. In retrospect, it's not a good idea for a 13 year old to read this book while alone in a poorly lit dorm room. I scared myself senseless.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Best HP book, in my opinion. JK Rowling is a fantastic story-teller. I'm re-reading the series for the third time now.

Caddie Woodlawn: My dad used to read this book to me at night, maybe a chapter at a time. The story is fun, and my dad is a gifted narrator. This book brings back nice memories.

Ox Cart Man: I used to love poring over the illustrations in this book. It actually won the Caldecott Medal.

The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs: The 1st chapter in this book is one of the funniest I have ever read. The protagonist, Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, is also one of my favorite literary characters.

Naked: I wish I could write like David Sedaris; however, my family would probably disown me if I tried.

The Lovely Bones: I actually did not like this book, but it will always stick with me because I had to stop reading it halfway through because I was sobbing so hard I became nervous.

The Purple Pussycat: My mom taught me to read using this book. I vividly remember sitting with her on our old green flowered coach and sounding out each word. I also remember that the word "something" used to trip me up each time. Like Caddie Woodlawn, this book also bring back good memories.

Summer of my German Soldier: One of my faves as a teen. I always looked for the sequel, but could never seem to find it in bookstores or the library. I'm still tempted to order a copy online.

1000 Splendid Suns: A great story, that was probably predictable to everyone but me. I loved the ending (and cried like a baby.)

The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV: There's one line in this book that goes something like, "The Bear family used to have lively conversations at the dinner table, but not lately. Lately, they just sat around and chewed." To this day, we'll still say that line if there's a lull in the dinner conversation and it always gets a laugh.

Sweet Pickles series: My mom ordered me the Sweet Pickles series, and sometimes I'd peek out our front window in hopes of spotting the Sweet Pickles van dropping off the books. (Just like in the old commercial.)

Long Weekend Wrap Up

2009-07-06T10:37:00.001-04:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Nick and I headed down to Rhode Island Thursday evening and met up with my family and our friends at Pizza Place in Westerly. The pizza here is fantastic, but I think the best menu item is the Gorgonzola salad. On Friday morning, my mom, Carolyn, and I headed off to Heart of Avondale for an early morning yoga class, because we're on top of it like that. Then, after a quick lunch, we played 9 holes at a par 3 course. The winner of that outing was definitely Carolyn who played the "oh, I don't really play golf" card and then proceeded to kick our butts. :)

Saturday morning, Nick and I got up at 6:45 in order to make an 8:30 tee time at Beaver River in Richmond, RI. This course is well-maintained, economical & wins for cutest logo ever. July 4th is not only Independence Day, but also my dad's birthday! Nick, David & I got him a pair of shooting glasses from Cabela's.

Dad doing his best Bono impression

Here are some other scenes from the 4th

The Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill

I enjoy reading, Boston sports & long walks here

Nick & I checked out the local real estate- a little small for our taste

This cake was delicious & patriotic

While driving home from dinner Saturday night, we pulled over on the side of the road to watch the amazing fireworks display put on by the (use your fancy voice) Misquamicut Club. Despite the fact that we weren't inside the grounds hobnobbing with Muffy & Bunny, I doubt their view of the display was any better.

We reluctantly packed our bags and headed home around 9 last night. What a wonderful weekend!

Life's Simple Pleasures

2009-06-29T20:29:00.000-04:00

Sitting down to a homemade dinner, a cold Corona and the Sox. Ahhhhh.
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Memphis is the team Thabeet

2009-06-26T09:54:00.007-04:00

Well, not really because they're terrible, but congrats are in order for the #2 NBA Draft Pick, Hasheem Thabeet!

Thabeet's not that tall- he's just in 24" heels...

Hasheem Thabeet joins former UConn player Rudy Gay in Memphis.

There's a great photo gallery posted on Courant.com that showcases former UConn draft picks. I was happy to a rare photo of my all-time favorite player, Doron Sheffer.

I even named my first car Doron, and I drove it into the ground. Nick finally convinced me to get a new car while we were dating, and in retrospect it was the smart thing to do. Doron was dented & scratched, had 1 hubcap, the side paneling was missing from 1 side, a spring had burst through the driver's seat and poked me in the rear end while I drove (I defended that by saying it kept me alert), and the A/C couldn't be used if there was a passenger in the front seat because it leaked all over the floor... Oh, somehow the dashboard lighting died and rather than pay $300 for the fix, I drove around guesstimating my nighttime speed for 3 years...

Nick told me that in auditor-speak Doron was a material weakness; however, I loved that car and still miss it.

Doron on the day I left him in the Ford lot...

I ended up leasing a Ford Focus for 2 years after this, and Ford paid a whooping $300 for the trade-in.

Lunchtime Impulse Buy

2009-06-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

Hey, gold is a smart investment these days
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Humidity: Nature's Hair Mousse

2009-06-23T09:48:00.001-04:00

Like the Grinch's heart, my hair grew 3 sizes today!

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful; this is my hair when I wake up in the morning."

Like this look? Recreate it for cheap in 2 easy steps:

1. Style hair as normal, and walk 7 or so city blocks in the damp warm weather.

2. Sit for 10 minutes on a hot crowded bus.

This Wine & I Will Get Along, or, A Re-cap of Tuesday in the Tasting Room at Ivy

2009-06-22T14:15:00.000-04:00

Last Tuesday, Nick, Jenny, Brad & I headed to Ivy in Downtown Crossing for "Tuesday in the Tasting Room." The event featured 4 Rosé wines that were each paired with hors d'oevres. Ivy did a great job putting this together; you had to sign up in advance, and the number of attendees was limited so we had room to move around and not feel cramped. All in all this was a great deal for $20/person, especially since they were very generous with refills and food.

After checking-in, we each received a card that listed a brief description of each wine and a few lines to jot down some tasting notes. I can't say that our reviews are on par with something one might read in, "Wine Aficionado;" however, I never said we were sophisticated.

The 1st tasting was Mulderbosch Rosé from South Africa, and is described as "layers of strawberry, cherry, roses & fresh peaches on the nose." (I'm not sure if "on the nose" is a phrase commonly associated with describing wine, or if it's a fancy way of wording that this Rosé smells like fruit...) Anyway, my distinguished panel of friends threw out "refreshing!" and "summery!" after tasting this one. The food pairing with this wine was a tasty roasted eggplant/veggie medley over crostini.

The 2nd tasting was las Rocas Rosado from Spain, which is "made from 100% Garnacha & offers up a fragrant nose of kirsch & strawberry." Or, as my group stated more succinctly, "not a huge fan." I believe the food pairing with this was a cheese croqueta; however, I'm not entirely sure. At this point in the evening, I began to suffer the same consequences that happen when I drink red wine (namely severe heartburn) and I more or less stuck to tasting Ivy's water at this point. (Inferior grade, yet potable.)

Moving on, the 3rd wine was Chateau Ste. Michelle "Nellie's Garden" Rosé from Washington State. According to the card, this Rosé "shows beautiful fruit aromas & flavors of strawberry, raspberry & subtle spice notes." Or as Nick said, "Good. I like this." Perhaps feeling poetic after several glasses of wine, Brad declared it to be "enduring." Nellie's Garden was served with a stuffed cherry pepper.

The 4th and final tasting was Jaboulet "Paralelle 45" Rosé from France. This wine was everyone's favorite and is professionally described as having "floral & crushed red cherry aromas, with full-bodied, ripe, mineral-driven fruit on the palate." Nick took one sip and exclaimed, "This wine and I will get along!" The hors d'oevres were to die for; deep-fried dates stuffed with risotto.

At the event, Ivy's staff was really friendly and the woman representing the wine distributor was more than willing to answer our questions. We've already signed up for the next tasting on July 14th, which is "Sparkling Wines from Around the World!" (The exclamation point is Ivy's, although I am rather excited about that tasting myself!) You can email events@ivyrestaurantgroup.com to sign up.

Big-ass Fool in the Rain

2009-06-19T14:36:00.000-04:00

This lady's umbrella reminded me of the giant skirt in the nutcracker that all the ballerinas fit under. She could host a party under this thing! Save it for the outdoor patio table, not the city sidewalk, please!
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Disco Stu Likes the Party Trolley

2009-06-17T09:47:00.003-04:00

While travelling around the city, I usually try to walk wherever I'm going. If that's not possible or convenient, I'll take a bus or the T. In some instances, I'll cab it or even drive myself. On Saturday night, I realized the best way to get around is the Party Trolley. You can't dispute the epicness of any mode of transportation that has its own disco ball.

Shake, shake, shake... shake, shake, shake... Shake your booty

In the almost 12 years I've lived in Boston, I've seen the party trolley about 100 times. It looks like the trolleys that give the daytime tours, but there's a disco ball and colorful flashing lights. Admittedly, every time I would see a group of people cruising around in one I'd think that it was either high school kids on their way to a prom, or a group of adults on an awkward corporate function.

We arrived at my friend's apartment in SoWa Saturday night for his 30th birthday party. John's wife had kept the outing a secret from everyone in order to ensure that he'd be completely surprised. About an hour into the party, Leigh blew a whistle and instructed a couple of guys to carry some coolers downstairs and for the rest of the party to follow them outside. We walked to the front of the building, and there it was waiting for us.

All aboard the drunk bus

Leigh plugged in an iPod, the lights started flashing, and we were on our way. At first, everyone sat and enjoyed the ride.

Much better than the T

However, it didn't take long for celebratory beers and shots to kick in, and seats were abandoned. We became that group of people that dangles beers out the window, while yelling, "Wooooooooo!" at anyone who would listen. Many asked to join our tour, several tried to force themselves on, and one man even tried offered us his ice cream cone from J.P. Licks in exchange for a lift.

Birthday boy & friends on the trolley

At one of our stops, Game On, doing my best to ruin a photo

All in all, a great (and safe) way to move a large group of people around Boston. The only downside to the freedom offered by the Party Trolley, is that its final destination is Hangover Station.

You Can Chew It

2009-06-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

So you know those Snickers ads that are all over the city's billboards, buses, etc? Apparently there's a site where you can make translate your name to, "Snacklish."

Alicia in Snacklish sounds slighlty gross...

Nick didn't do too much better.

Dwayne's is the catchiest, I think...

And there you have it! Another time waster.

Here's a Red Bush I Can Get Onboard With

2009-06-12T16:11:00.004-04:00

It's no secret that I love the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. Tea plays a very important role in the books, and 2 of the main characters, Mma Ramotswe and her assistant, Mma Makutsi take many tea breaks during the course of the day. I had never heard of bush tea before, but it is Mma Ramotswe's tea of choice and its positive effects are mentioned quite frequently in the books. The tea is characterized for having a fairly distinct taste, that people either love or hate. I've been so curious to try this tea and was surprised that Tazo sells African Red Bush tea, which is available at Starbucks.

This afternoon I tried my first cup and enjoyed it! It in no way reminded me of rats, which Mma Makutsi I believe once compared the smell to...

Mma Ramotswe was right, as usual.

45 Province Not Adverstising its Greatest Asset

2009-06-12T08:44:00.004-04:00

Last May, I wrote about the 45 Province building that was quickly being built. Well, yesterday while on my way to Chacarero, I noticed that there was a vehicle from the mayor's office and someone wielding a giant pair of scissors. I'm guessing there was some sort of grand opening official ribbon-cutting ceremony, or a Hagrid-type was getting a haircut.

The people with the giant shears are next to the car in the lower left-hand corner

Aside from the spa, library, catered kitchen, etc. I still think the greatest luxury would be living across from Chacarero. How is it not listed as a dining option under neighborhood highlights? Actually, where is Sam LaGrassa's too? This list needs a revision!

Blinged Out in WNY

2009-06-08T07:32:00.007-04:00

This past weekend, Nick and I left Boston around 5 Friday morning and shuffled off to Buffalo. Thanks to the combined early starting time & Sudafed I popped prior to leaving the house, I slept soundly for the first 3.5 hours of the trip. I never take over the counter medicine, and I think it made me a bit dopier than usual. A dream I had right before I woke up suddenly involved Nick and I traveling to Buffalo, but we were attached to the back of our car on water skis and skiing down a highway covered in thick mud. Anywhoo...

As soon as we arrived, we drove downtown to his dad's office so we could go to lunch and then head out for a sail around Lake Erie.

Captain Joe

1st Mate, Nick

Later that evening we headed out to Jim's Steakout, so Nick could get one of his beloved Chicken Finger Subs. (That's Buffalo chicken sub, to you and me; however, "Buffalo chicken" is apparently redundant in Buffalo as it's assumed that's how most chicken will arrive.) It's a good thing that there are no Jim's locations in the Boston area, because most of its menu items significantly (and tastily) contribute to heart disease.

On Saturday, Nick & I joined his mom for a round of golf at her club, Springville C.C. My mother-in-law is the best golfer I have ever played with. I'm not sucking up; it's simply the truth. She's been the club champion for about a bazillion years and was even invited to try out for the Senior LGPA. It's fun to play with her, because it's simply fun to watch her play. Amazing.

After golf, we headed over to East Aurora, NY to BBQ with Nick's sister, her husband, our 2 newphews and also her in-laws that happened to be visiting from CA.

My dad saw this photo & said it's proof we are still in a recession :-)

Jackson is a very neat corn on the cob eater!

Here's Nick fooling around with our 2 cute nephews! They love their Uncle!

After a late breakfast/early lunch on Sunday we hit the road once again. Below is a photo of the best rest stop vending machine I have ever seen. Behold, the Bling King!

I got a sweet $ sign chain, because I am so money

All in all, a great weekend!

The Family that Runs Together, Stays Together

2009-06-02T09:13:00.005-04:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, Nick, Brad and I ran Boston's Run to Remember. When we woke up Sunday morning around 6, the sky was dark and stormy. Exactly one hour later while we were leaving the house, the sun came out and we were treated to a beautiful sunny day! I'm proud to report that all 3 of us improved from last year!

(All photos below are from Brightroom.com. Click here to search for your own race photos.)

Despite having spent the past 3 days partying in Vegas, Nick finished in an impressive 2:08:11. (Last year he ran in 2:16:32.)

Spent the race thinking of ways to spend the couple hundred he won in Vegas

Brad consistently kicks our butts and finished in 1:55:55, which was almost a 5 minute improvement from last year's 2:00:40 time.

I can only speculate what caught his interest in this photo- let's just say it was the finish line

My goal was to run the race under 2 hours, and I was (barely!) able to do just that. I finished in 1:59:22, which was an improvement from last year's 2:07:56 finish.

Mugging for the camera on the bridge during mile 10 or so

I would especially like to congratulate my sister-in-law, Jodi, who just started running on a whim this past January. She ran the Buffalo Half Marathon this same day and kicked butt by finishing in 1:59:30 and 59/199 for her age group!

Eyes on the prize!

Congratulations everyone on a great race!

Running Makes Me Feel Old

2009-05-27T15:23:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite road races is the Jim Kane Sugar Bowl 5 Miler. First of all, it's right in Southie, although it technically starts/ends in Dorchester at the Bayside Expo Center. Secondly, there's an awesome raffle. Each runner's bib number is automatically entered; one year, my friend won a free pair of sneakers. The best thing about this race though, is the race t-shirt. Over the years, I've donated quite a few race tees to the Goodwill, but I always keep the ones from this race because they're tank tops. Tank tops with the arm holes that go halfway down your ribcage. These shirts are awesome for hot summer runs.

Last week we received two applications in the mail and as I was just filling them out I realized that I would no longer be able to check off the 25-29 Division box! This year the race is being held on July 16th, which also happens to be my 30th birthday. I'm not sad about turning the big 3-0; however, it was definitely a little strange checking the 30-34 box. It made me feel old. Now I'll have to start acting my age bracket.

Farewell, sweet youth!

Boston's Run to Remember

2009-05-23T14:08:00.000-04:00

What a gorgeous day! I just walked over to the Seaport Hotel area to pick up our bibs for the half marathon tomorrow. We've run this race every year since it's been around- 2005. The first year Nick and I had only been dating about a month, and I ran the half marathon having never run more than 7 miles at once before. I wanted to keep up with him (and I finished) but felt like crapola afterwards. That race made me realize that I hadn't been pushing myself enough though. I love running this race every year with Nick; it's our little tradition.
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Falsely Accused

2009-05-21T08:40:00.005-04:00

When I was in 6th grade, my parents confronted me about my "addiction." They thought I was sniffing White Out. My friends and I would decorate our 3 ring binders with crumbly white designs shaped like flowers or phrases like "What's [arrow pointed up]?" In 6th grade, I also started wearing contacts instead of the glasses I had had to wear since I was about 3. Due to my astigmatism, I cannot wear soft lenses and the gas perms I have instead tend to leave my eyes red. My parents saw their 12 year girl with red eyes all giddy about correction fluid and came to the conclusion that I was sniffing White Out, and my container was confiscated.

To be honest with you, I'm not even sure I knew at that point that sniffing the stuff to get a high was even an option. My parents, to this day, still think I was doing it. There's only so many times I can deny it; however, I stopped trying to convince them years ago. After all, it gives me a small badass edge to my otherwise honor-roll-making-detention-free school years.

Since then, the accusations have gone from ingesting illegal substances to petty theft.

A few years ago, I was home in Connecticut for the weekend and my mom calls me on Monday saying she couldn't find her hairbrush and suggested that I took it with me back to Boston. I didn't have the brush, but for weeks afterwards the missing brush would pop back up into conversation.

This past weekend, Nick and I were back so I could attend a wedding shower and we could both help my brother celebrate his birthday. Well, yesterday my mom asks me if I took her razor out of her shower. I told her that I had my own razor and not hers, but she would respond with statements to indicate that she was already convinced that I was wickedly shaving my legs with her powder blue Venus Breeze in Boston. "Well, I would like to know where it went!"

My guess is that the White Out, brush & razor are all hanging out together somewhere.

P.S. I would like to add that it's a damn shame Adam Lambert didn't win last night! Mark my words, Kris Allen will be a flash in the pan.

New Blog Feature: Advice from Home with Michele

2009-05-13T09:18:00.007-04:00

From time to time, my mom sends me an email with bits of motherly advice. In the spirit of sharing this information, I've decided to start a new blog feature: Advice from Home with Michele

Here is today's entry:

I bought this thing called the Furminator yesterday. You would not believe all the fur it gets off the animals and helps prevent shedding. It is addictive. I think I overdid Carmen a bit. You should get it for Dwayne; it is expensive but worth it.

I would buy this based on the name alone. Click here to watch a video of the FURminator in action. It reminds me of the Flowbee.

What is this woman thinking right now?

Click here to order your own FURminator starting at just $16.79 from Amazon.com. My mom wages a constant war on pet hair (with 2 dogs and a cat at home), so if she's happy with the FURminator then most people probably will be too.

That's it for today's Advice from Home with Michele. Thanks, Mom!

Wanna Get Away?

2009-05-10T14:35:00.000-04:00

We are stuck behind this traffic disaster on the corner of Otis and Summer Sts in Downtown Crossing. All traffic is blocked, and frankly, I think the driver is screwed. Hopefully this clears up soon...
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An Ode to my Favorite Fruit

2009-05-06T12:05:00.004-04:00

Sweeter than a strawberry

More fun than a plum

Apples blush in your presence

Without you, I'd be glum

Easier to slice than a pineapple

Honey dew isn't as compellin'

Classier than a cantaloupe

Give it up for watermelon!

Orlando Magic

2009-05-05T06:43:00.005-04:00

My mom and I took a trip down to Orlando last Wednesday to play some golf and visit Disney World. The two of us visited about 10 years ago, so it was great to make a return trip with my mom! We managed to plan our flights from Boston and Hartford, so we'd arrive early Wednesday morning. On Wednesday afternoon, we sat by the pool for a bit and took some bikes around some trails that ran throughout our hotel's property and that evening we headed off to the Magic Kingdom.

We were the only 2 people over 4 ft waiting to have our photo taken with Goofy

Thursday morning we woke up bright and early to play some golf, and later in the afternoon we headed over to EPCOT. EPCOT is my favorite Disney theme park, and we ended up spending about 8 hours exploring Future World and World Showcase. There was no line for Spaceship Earth (really no lines in any of the parks), so we hopped on that ride first.

There have been a lot of changes to this ride since I was last on it; most notably, Walter Cronkite has been replaced by Dame Judi Dench as the narrator. I missed Walter Cronkite, but otherwise the ride was great. They take your picture at the beginning of the ride, only to insert your photos in a short cartoon that's played on the screen in your cart at the end of the ride.

The future looks like a scene from the Jetson's

Friday morning we headed over to Animal Kingdom. I had never been there before, and really enjoyed all the attractions. Aside from Expedition Everest, my favorite activity was the Kilimanjaro Safari tour.

We saw baby elephants

I thought this rhino was going to hop in the car with us...

That evening we went to dinner in Downtown Disney and browsed in the shops afterwards. LEGO's were my favorite toy growing up and there's a store dedicated to all things LEGO there.

A history of LEGO people since the beginning. This was really awesome & I wanted to play with all of them.

Over the next 2 days, we played golf a couple more times and made a return visit to EPCOT. On our final golf outing on Sunday, we learned that Tiger Woods shoots some commercials for Nike on a short par 3 that features an island green.

Hopefully Tiger didn't lose as many balls here as we did...

We had a great trip, and it was so much fun to spend time with my mom and get out of the city for a few days!

First Prize

2009-04-28T18:16:00.000-04:00

Saw this guy on Dartmouth Street this afternoon. His outfit brought me back to 5th grade when we had a week of themed outfits. He would have won 1st prize on Clash Day, although I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have found the prize as exciting as we did then ($5 gift certificate at the school store!)
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Let's See What's Behind Door No. 1

2009-04-28T09:54:00.004-04:00

Despite the fact that it's supposed to in the low 90's today, I wanted a light jacket to bring into the office in case the AC was cranked up to arctic levels. So, I walk over to the hall closet...

Open the door...

and...

ARGH! Closet fail.

Once I dropped an entire bottle of olive oil on the floor. The immediate realization that it was going to be a major pain in the rear end to clean up was so depressing that I left the mess as it was for about an hour, just to regain my composure (although secretly hoping it would somehow take care of itself.) In this case, I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Florida with my mom and I'm hoping that the coats, fleeces & parkas will have resumed their normal hanging positions by the time I have returned on Sunday.

Seen in Kenmore Sq

2009-04-25T12:54:00.000-04:00

This is awesome.
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Boston Marathon Photos: Athletes' Village

2009-04-24T14:29:00.007-04:00

A little over a year ago, I posted how many runners had to hop off the Boston Marathon buses to pee on the side of the highway. During this year's marathon, I finally got around to using all of the film on the disposable camera I had with me last year. As promised, here's a photo of the scene:

Not sure if this photo was worth the wait...

Here are some other photos of the pre and post marathon scenes, or lines, rather. Most of the day is spent thinking about getting to and from various lines.

Here I am in line for one of the many school buses that will take us to Hopkinton.

The buses drop everyone off at the Atheletes' Village

Runners hanging out before the race (2008)

I took this shot while waiting in line to use a porta potty. It was a LONG wait.

Post race, waiting for my mom to meet Nick & I at Family Meeting Area "P". I was happy to lean on the hydrant for support!

Posing for the disposable camera's last picture: My new friend, the fire hydrant, me, and Nick

I Think Goldenstache is More Fun

2009-04-24T14:07:00.000-04:00

I have seen 3 or 4 of these taped up around PO Square the past couple of days- this one is taped to a building across the street from the IKON building on Milk St. They're all written on mailing labels. I visited the site and it's, Operation Clambake: undressing the Church of Scientology since 1996. Has anyone else seen these around the city?
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Another Glamor Shot to Add to My Portfolio

2009-04-22T15:44:00.005-04:00

MarathonFoto takes your picture about 100 times before, during and after the Boston Marathon. Photos are posted to MarathonFoto's site & runners have the option of ordering prints and plaques commemorating their accomplishments. This is a good idea in theory, and they do a great job of capturing your race throughout the course; however, most of the shots serve as a reminder that it's hard to run 26.2 miles and look good at the same time. Sadly, the one below was taken before the start on the race. I think I'll use this for our holiday card this year... Gah!

(photo from MarathonFoto.com)

They really only get worse from there... I think I'll pass on the $124.95 Collector Edition Plaque.

26.2 Miles Later...

2009-04-21T12:48:00.007-04:00

After months of training, yesterday was finally race day! I woke up at 5:45 and made my way to Park Street Station where the BAA arranges for the school buses to bring us to the Runner's Village in Hopkinton. Once again, I was blown away by the BAA's organization and efficiency. By the time my bus arrived in Hopkinton and I spent close to 20 minutes in line for the porta potty, it was already time to check my bag and move to the starting line. Like cattle, runners are corralled by number and shuffled forward in an orderly manner until we cross the starting line.

My former company staffs volunteers at mile 5's water station, so I was greeted by several familiar face and friends. Two friends from my old department told me that there had a been a sign, but there was a small issue with it. I kind of forgot about that until this morning when they emailed me a photo of the sign and explanation as to what exactly went wrong.

It's a little known fact that my dad's side is from Western Africa

My favorite part of the course is mile 13 at Wellsley College, where hundreds of girls are screaming like crazy for everyone to give them a kiss. I saw signs that said, Kiss me, I'm Latina, and Kiss me, I'm Asian, as well as, Kiss me, I'm from Ohio. A guy looking to be in his 40's or so running directly in front of me took advantage of about 8 girls offering everything from a peck on the cheek to a wet one directly on the lips. He turned to his running buddy afterwards and said, "Now that was awesome!"

I was cruising along until mile 16 or so, until my legs started to feel like lead; however, I kept plugging along and crossed the finish line in 4:14:43. I felt so happy to finish; however, it was quite painful trying to remove my chip from my shoelaces. After two unsuccessful attempts to squat down and reach my sneaker, a helpful volunteer was able to assist me and give me my medal in exchange for the chip.

When we got back to my apartment, I saw Nick had a decorated the apartment with lots of signs congratulating me on my finish!

This was taped opposite a mirror on our wall

Taped to the coffee table

Recently, I have spent a lot of time soaking my feet in the tub, so this was taped to the shower curtain

Taped to wall over our pillows.

And taped to the toilet seat...

Thanks, Nick! And thank you to my parents for coming up, cheering me on, and then taking us out to dinner last night! Also, a huge thank you to everyone who donated to Team Eye and Ear! Now, I'm going to relax for a while..!

Let Me See that (mara)Thong-tha-thong-thong-thong

2009-04-17T18:29:00.000-04:00

The Boston Marathon Running Expo (I think) is the world's largest. There's so much to look at, that I get overwhelmed and don't spend too much time exploring the vendors. It's the same feeling I get in IKEA. Also, much like IKEA, it took me a little while to find the exit. Here are some photos I took; you can find everything here... Even a "marathong."
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Will Work for Fish

2009-04-17T12:17:00.000-04:00

I'm at Park St waiting to meet up with some BU students that I'm assisting with a project, and I see a polar bear before I see them. He's walking with a woman holding a sign that says, Will Work for Fish. There're definitely no shortage of characters on the Common. I also see a lot of tall, lean people with Boston tour books and/or running gear. I bet the out-of-towners didn't expect to see bears in Boston.
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Bib Number Update- Corrected From Last Post

2009-04-17T10:01:00.004-04:00

Whoops! So, my correct bib number is 25654 (not 25645) Thank you to Bill (my esteemed teammate) for pointing that out!

Click here to set up the AT&T Athlete Alert on your phone! If you're looking for a particular person, you can search the registered athlete database. I searched 06033 and see there are 9 others from my hometown that are also registered! Go Glastonbury, CT!

Bend Me, Shape Me, Anyway You Want Me

2009-04-16T09:12:00.005-04:00

Marathon Monday weather watch continues.

Raindrops are back in the picture...

Also, if you're going to be keeping an eye out for a particular athlete, you can sign up to receive text or email updates via the AT&T Athlete Alert. If you want to follow me, please do! I'm bib 25654. (My bib number helps put into perspective just how many entrants there are, not even including the bandits.) Wow!

This post's title is a line from the American Breed's 1968 song, "Bend Me, Shape Me." I started singing "Track me, follow me, anyway you want to" after reading about the different ways you can track runners via the AT&T Alert...

Weather & Karaoke

2009-04-15T13:46:00.008-04:00

Well, things are looking a bit improved from yesterday's forecast for Marathon Monday!

At least the raindrops have been edited out of the clouds.

Also, unrelated to Monday's weather forecast, I was thinking the other day that my next 3 karaoke song selections will be:

*Under My Thumb

*Squeezebox

*Big Man on Mulberry Street (I've tried singing this one before, but it's never in the song selection books...)

I love to sing karaoke, we even went for my bachelorette party.

Once in a while, I like to relive my crazy days as a single lady & wear my hottie whistle & sash around town

Despite the fact that I love to sing karaoke, I am a TERRIBLE singer. I've been practicing each of the above-mentioned songs on Dwayne though, but my singing is so poor that even he goes running for the hills.

Seeking refuge in the Lazy Susan

A Plea to Mother Nature!

2009-04-14T11:21:00.004-04:00

Please don't rain on Marathon Monday! I'll take 30 degree weather over wet sneakers, socks, and stomping through puddles. Also, I am extremely clumsy and there's a 95% chance I'll slip and break an ankle if the ground is slick. If it does rain, keep an eye out for entrant 25654 sprawled across the pavement and someone shouting, "Alicia's down!"

Deal or No Deal?!

2009-04-13T14:25:00.004-04:00

I just received an email from Ivy Restaurant announcing a Pre-Marathon Carbo Load special.

On Sunday, April 19, Executive Chef Mark Cina is serving up bottomless bowls of spaghetti and meatballs for just $16.
Throw in a bottle of wine from our flat-priced $26 wine list and you've got yourself a complete meal for less than the cost of new running shoes.

Normally, I don't pay much attention to these offers, but I don't really see what the "deal" is. $16 is a lot of money for spaghetti and meatballs, even if you eat 2 bowls. Ivy's food is very good, but for bottomless pasta specials try "Pasta Mondays" at Cafe Porto Bello in Southie. For $9.95, you get soup, salad & bottomless pasta. Their food is excellent and the wine by the glass is usually filled to the brim. Mangia!

My Television Debut! (Not Counting the Time I was on the Jumbotron at Conte Forum)

2009-04-13T09:23:00.008-04:00

Last Wednesday, fellow Team Eye & Ear member Dr. Dean Cestari (check out his inspirational fundraising page for HONORS here) and I met with WBZ-TV's reporter, Peg Rusconi to discuss running and caffeine. Peg and her cameraman were very nice and asked us a bunch of questions related to whether or not we drink coffee (or other caffeinated beverages) while training. I had never been interviewed for television before, and was definitely not used to being filmed.

Peg & I smiling despite the fact that it was about 30 degrees outside!

Peg wanted to get some shots of us drinking coffee, and it was hard for me to keep a straight face while sipping from the cup and sort of staring into the distance while the cameraman was about 1 foot to my left. He had to gently remind me a couple of times to "just look straight ahead" because I kept glancing at him out of the corner of my eye while drinking...

You can view the video here: http://wbztv.com/video/?id=75212@wbz.dayport.com

Go Team Eye & Ear!

"Or else Pizza is gonna send out for you!"

2009-04-10T13:17:00.000-04:00

I was walking down East Broadway on my way to the T and thinking about how sunny days like today remind me how much I enjoy living in the city. Birds were chirping, moms were pushing their babies in strollers and toilets were on display. In a cruel twist of fate, these people had been dumped on by a toliet.
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Opening Day in Photos

2009-04-08T15:43:00.003-04:00

Yawkey Way pregame crowd

Welcome to Opening Day!

Relaxing before the game started & it was still sort of a pleasant temperature

As we got closer to 4:05, the winds picked up and we added more layers...

Layers + beer = warming strategy

The guy next to us started doing jumping jacks... then he asked us for our leftover pizza

A friend of ours couldn't make the game, so we were the lucky ticket recipients! These seats on the Bud Deck were awesome; you get a $50 food credit with them, so we splurged on an entire pizza. When the pizza arrived, Nick used the heat emanating from the hot pie to warm his hands for a bit before chowing down. The fact that the Sox won, we got to see Beckett pitch, Pedroia and Tek hit homeruns and Papelbon save combined with being at Fenway on Opening Day was very cool. The only downside was the weather, which was also very cool; however, that's a small price to pay for such an awesome experience. Go Sox!

An Impulse Buy that I Actually Use

2009-04-06T18:22:00.000-04:00

The "Onion Saver" was an impulse buy at the Stop & Shop in South Bay, and I'm glad I didn't talk myself out of it in the produce aisle. This thing does actually keep odors contained and the onion fresh. Plus, it's kind of a fun addition to our crisper.
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A Fundraising Success!

2009-04-06T11:42:00.004-04:00

This post is a little late; however, I wanted to have the final tally to report before posting on the April Fool's fundraiser. Thanks to everyone's donations, $429.54 will be donated to Mass Eye and Ear! That's fantastic, and I'm so thankful for everyone who came out to support MEEI and Team Eye and Ear!

I also wanted to thank Laura at Mantra for helping to organize the event. She and the Mantra staff really went out of their way to make sure the evening was a success, and I'll definitely recommend them in the future. I'd also like to thank Kathleen at Downtown Crossing Partnership for putting me in touch with Laura.

Oh, and congratulations to Penny for winning the Dustin Pedroia photo! Penny and my mom came up from Connecticut for the event and even worked at the check-in table. I'm glad that she was able to take the photo home with her!

Mormons Not Buying Tickets for the Soul Patrol

2009-03-31T14:58:00.009-04:00

While perusing Boston.com's slide show on "Life After Idol" I couldn't help but notice the ad that appeared next to Taylor Hicks' slide.

Looks like the Mormons & Simon Cowell are in agreement on this one

**Updated to add, the text in the box says: "why does God allow these tragedies to happen?"**

Since the photo in the ad seems to be missing, I can only assume that the Mormon's are referring to Taylor Hicks' vocal talents. Which, if you've heard him sing, can only be described as "tragic."

Reminder- Fundraiser on April 1st! Win an autographed Pedroia photo!

2009-03-26T15:42:00.004-04:00

Just a friendly reminder that my Boston Marathon charity fundraiser for Mass Eye & Ear is next Wednesday, April 1st at Mantra. Please visit: http://www.got2fundraise.blogspot.com/ for details, or click on the link to the right. Tickets are $25, include food & 1 drink and can be purchased at the door, or via Paypal.

Also, I will be raffling off a signed & framed 16x20 Dustin Pedroia photo taken during Game 1 of the 2007 World Series! It's a great shot of him hitting a homerun! Raffle tickets are $10 each or 3 for $20. Hope to see you there!

This would look great in your family room or office!

The Case of the Missing Stapler

2009-03-26T08:58:00.003-04:00

I sit across from a group copier/scanner/printer combo, FAX machine & high capacity stapler area. These machines are often on the fritz and due to my proximity to these clunkers, I'd say 70% of my work day conversations are related to them. Most of the time, people just want me to acknowledge their frustration. Someone will walk up to the printer, realize their documents weren't printed, and sigh loudly enough for me to look up from my computer. We'll make eye contact and I'll shrug my shoulders and smile, but quickly turn back to my screen lest the person ask for help.

Truth be told, I don't mind helping people out, but I can't troubleshoot the printer. I worked at BC's library in college and could never even remember how to replace the ink cartridge, much less assist someone today with why their documents aren't being stapled.

The only piece of equipment I fear more than the printer is the microfilm machine.

I hate you.

The first question I asked the Senior Reference Desk supervisor at Simmons when I worked there was, "Do we get a lot of microfilm questions, because I can't for the life of me load the film correctly. " He assured me we didn't, but I would get a question at least once a week and was thus motivated to become a corporate librarian where microfilm machines are not usually present.

Yesterday, I got asked about the stapler. Having no aversion to trouble-shooting the stapler, I listened as this person told me that it's been empty for quite some time now, but we lacked the correct staples to load back into the stapler. This morning, he came by to tell me that he'd received notification that the staples had arrived, but now the stapler was missing. He walked away in frustration, and a few minutes later I saw someone stop by the work area long enough to drop off the missing stapler. A few more minutes go by and a third person comes by and takes the stapler again; however, in between the stapler being replaced and taken again I notified the guy who sits next to the original requester to let him know that stapler was back.

Why is the stapler constantly being removed? Is someone purposely trying to frustrate this one guy? Will he resort to using a large binder clip? Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion!

Brown Bag Economics

2009-03-25T12:25:00.004-04:00

Back in December, I wrote about how my New Year's Resolution was to bring my lunch at least 3 days a week. I'm happy to report that I've successfully kept that resolution since then. Usually I make our lunches at night while I'm making dinner and waiting for other things to cook; otherwise, I'm less inclined to put something together in the morning before I leave for work. Also, the lunches are nothing to write home about; usually, I have PB&J or leftovers, like today.

Leftover linguine

Hopefully I'll stay diligent through the summer months... I think I get lazier when I'm not training for the marathon.

Job Perks

2009-03-24T11:45:00.004-04:00

Opening the library's mail, although not a job for the weak at heart (paper cuts are a constant hazard), is not without its perks. For example, I am first in line to receive any promotional freebies our vendors deem fit to send us. The top of my filing cabinet proudly displays a deck of cards, a paper football set with goalpost & and one of those test-your-IQ triangles with the pegs. Today's freebie was from Money magazine.

Behold!

This is the gift that keeps on giving...

Boom!