Open mouth, insert foot

So I met this older man on the Red Line one evening. He was handsome and we shared one of those common public transportation moments at the expense of the very inebriated girl berating her poor boyfriend. We both got off at the same stop and started chatting as the train stopped. We exchanged numbers outside and spoke the next day. Turns out he's divorced (seems like not by his choice) and has 4 kids. So this puts him out of my dating range. But he's really interesting (pilot, artist, chef, designer) and I wouldn't mind grabbing a drink with him and being friends.

Anyway, so we spoke after my recent trip and he made the comment about my work ethic "you are just like my ex-wife". Uh, ok. Awkward. I surmised that he meant it in a positive way so I let that slide as a slip of the tongue. The next comment he made threw me for a bigger loop.

We talked for a few more seconds and he said "Who knows, you could be my future ex-wife". Oh boy. Lucky me.

Away

Well I was lucky to be able to head out on a much needed but very impromptu vacation. I desperately needed a change of scenery after the hell that work has been for the last few months. A week recharging in San Diego was too good to pass up, especially with the person I was invited by. I got the invitation on a Monday and had my ticket by Tuesday at lunchtime to leave on Saturday. I think some of my friends and family were a bit shocked especially since my travel partner is a new entrant into my life.

So with a little bit of nerves and maps in hand, I headed out. I received quite a nice welcome upon my arrival. In spite of still being on East Coast time we stayed up far too late catching up with each other on many levels.

San Diego was a blast. Since my friend was attending a conference, I had the days free to roam. I had a great time at the beach just people watching (hot surfer guys and alarmingly tan women) and body surfing in the ocean. The zoo was so much fun. I saw a lot of interesting animals and for some reason, all the big cats were on. The gorillas were zonked out in the heat pressed up against the glass. I always feel like I am in a Far Side cartoon when seeing gorillas like the display is reversed and we are actually the exhibit! Balboa Park was amazing and I stumbled into a great rose garden in full bloom. The bees were drunk on the fragrance, as was I. The Desert Garden was beautiful but the people using it as a jogging path were far braver souls that I.

I spent one evening in La Jolla. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It is home to Children's Beach that has been taken over by Harbor Seals who have no inclination to give the beach back. They were fun to watch zoom out of the water like bullets and become less sleek once terrestrial.

The food was great and I ate very well. I wandered into one cute trattoria an evening I was solo for a quick bite and had so much fun. The bartender has a sister up here and the man next to me was a New Yorker. We chatted about everything under the sun and the food was fabulous. I had a great arugula salad and gnocchi that were everything gnocchi should be but often aren't. It was such a great meal that we went there again right before I had to catch the red eye. The other meal that stands out was just amazing food and a great view of the water and the little military planes engaging in a faux dogfight.

All in all, a great trip to explore a new city and to learn much more about a new friend.

Social Butterfly

This has been such a busy month I have been a bit remiss in my blogging.
So here is my attempt to catch up a bit.

If you enjoy fiction, run don't walk to get Water for Elephants. It's a gripping novel that had me sitting in my car after I got on the train so I could read the last 20 pages before I got home.

On the movie front, I've seen a great French film at the MFA French Film Festival, Family Hero. It was a fun, complex film that showed a whole new side of Catherine Deneuve to me.

The next great movie I saw was Ratatouille. What a great movie! I had seen the movie trailer for this ages ago and have been waiting and waiting until it finally came out. I can't say enough about it. The animation was so amazing that at times you forgot that you were watching a movie about a rat. Plus it was a fun contrast seeing a French film and then one by Disney!

Add to that a Caribbean themed party (ok, so the espresso mini cupcakes I brought weren't technically on theme - they still went over well) and it's been quite a full week.

Kiehl's

I have loved Kiehl's since I first wandered into their store on Third Avenue. The simple black and white packaging and their great products have kept me a customer since then. Conveniently there is a Kiehl's right next to the hair salon I go to. I went in last week after my hair appointment to get some more Coriander shower gel (normally I would question trying to smell like an herb but in this case it works). The great part about Kiehl's, other than the products, are the samples you get at checkout. I had a cute Kiehl's boy helping me out and he very emphatically told me he was putting samples of his absolute favorite product into my bag. He put in a few others as well.

When I got home I unloaded my Kiehl's booty. I got some moisturizer, some great hair product and not one, not two but seven packets of Massage Cream! I was not quite sure what to make of this. Apparently the Kiehl's boy thinks I lead a more exciting life that I do. Or his life is quite fun!

Summertime

This time since my birthday has been very interesting to say the least. It's one of those periods of time where you meet someone and a week later you can't imagine not knowing them. I've clicked with people in a whole new way - both old and new friends. It's been fun and only slightly dampened by a nasty summer cold. Now that I am finally feeling better, I can reflect with a clearer head on the events.

Sitting with a friend overlooking the Boston skyline after one odd evening last week helped to put some further perspective on things. That evening was a meal with a new friend we had met at a birthday party. It was an evening that really required other people since the dynamic made it seem like we were all on a date! Add to it one surprisingly loud restaurant that did not help things and well, you have a pretty different evening.

I feel like this birthday has given me clarity that I've been working without for the last few months with all the nasty drama at work. For the last few days I have been accomplishing things that eluded me for many weeks. It feels good and I'm back to feeling like I am on the cusp of new things and positive changes finally.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well yes, it is my birthday. I am not one of those bashful birthday girls. I will tell anyone! It's hard having a birthday right around the 4th of July since most people travel. So sometimes it seems like I am celebrating my birthday for two weeks. That's fine with me!

I went out the night before my birthday for dinner and drinks with my best friend. We had a great time, as we always do. We went to our usual bar and met an very nice Southern gentleman in town for a conference. My friend met him first but he and I quickly hit it off. She is such a good friend that she headed to the ladies room so often that I was beginning to wonder if she had a UTI! She thankfully does not but the sparks he and I had were clear to her before they were to me. Once he found out it was my actual birthday the next day, he insisted I had to let him buy me lunch. Not one to turn up a meal or good company, I readily agreed.

After coming home far, far later than I had intended (I did not really mind seeing the sun rise on the morning of my birthday) I caught a little sleep, did some errands, gave the pets some attention and headed back to the city for my lunch. He even got me a card! It was very sweet. We sat outside on Newbury Street and just watched the crowd strolling by. He is just such a great conversationalist and a lot of fun. We found plenty to occupy our time and even went for ice cream. I can honestly say I had the best birthday ever :-)

Fourth of July

I happen to love this particular holiday. Though it was unseasonable chilly for this one, it's usually a day of BBQ, fireworks and swimming. A friend of mine from London recently asked me if the 4th of July is a big deal here or not. I had to answer that it was. It's not all about the food and fireworks (which, granted, are a part of my holiday celebration). I told him it was about more than that. For me, it meant a reminder that I am actually proud to be an American. Mind you the current administration does not make this easy. But I am not going to focus on the mind-numbing badness of the current political quagmire for this holiday.

My best memories of the 4th of July are getting up early and heading to get a good seat for the parade with my grandfather and grandmother. It seemed like hours of waiting before the parade would start. But then, there it was. This started my lifelong appreciation of parades. You can imagine my delight when I moved to New York and realized that it's a very pro parade city!

Fireworks are also a big part of my 4th celebration. There is something awe inspiring of seeing them burst against the dark sky. As kids, we were given Sparklers of our own to run around the yard with. I guess that wouldn't happen now since Sparklers can burn at 1800 degrees F. Guess they are not so child friendly. Once again this proves my point that any of us who grew up during the 70's are lucky to be in one piece!

A Matter of Faith

I grew up as a Catholic. Irish Catholic to be exact. I am not a part of the church anymore for a variety of reasons ranging from the sex abuse scandal to the exclusionary aspects of the religion. I'm pretty sure I lost my faith somewhere along the way. My only recent visits to church have been either weddings or for funerals. While I don't consider myself Catholic it's amazing how the rituals and routines of the service have wormed their way into my memory (sit, stand, kneel, pray, shake hands, sit, stand).

This weekend I was able to attend a Hindu temple with my friend. It was amazing. The first thing I noticed, after I took my shoes off, was the incense. It was so fragrant. The incense in the Catholic church reminds me of death and seems to smell like dust, dirt and old men which is actually the way I think of the church.

The colors were eye popping. The women in their saris, the glittering deities, and the priest in his saffron colored robes. My friend was a fabulous guide and explained everything to me. I felt that I needed to pray while my friend prayed. Granted my prayers were more along the lines of "you have a lovely temple" or "thanks for having me". When my friend finished his prayers we sat for a bit on the cool marble floor. I wasn't sure exactly how to sit or if there was a certain way so I just sat cross legged. Our conversation was surprisingly about pedicures. (Or not surprisingly since we were barefoot). At one point the priest came over to my friend to tell him he couldn't sit the way he was sitting. Turns out he had the soles of his feet facing the deity. That's a big no-no. My friend left to run to the men's room and I just sat alone. It was so serene and spiritual. It was oddly quiet and loud at the same time. I felt really peaceful there.

Shiny Men and Plastic Women

Last night was the birthday celebration for my dear friend. It was a fun night but we were out in an area of Boston I normally don't hang out in. The rule of the night seemed to be that the bar patrons believed in the theory of more is better. More hair gel. More sunless tanner. More makeup. It must have taken some of the ladies hours to shellac themselves and flat iron their hair. The men were equally coiffed and plastic. It did provide for great people watching.

The downside of going on on a Thursday night is that it feels so like Friday as you tip back your third ruby colored drink with the controversial star fruit garnish. The evening started right after work and seemed to go on forever. It did turn out to be late as we tried to nudge the rather tipsy birthday girl into a cab. It took some persuading but finally, with fare clasped in her hand, she was off. When I finally got through the door I realized that spinach and artichoke dip does not make a meal. I was dealing with the fight of two very strong urges - sleep or hunger. Hunger won out.

Father's Day

It was a beautiful day out today to visit with my family. My Stepdad was out fishing so I didn't get to see him today. My Dad and Stepmom were home so that's where the dog and I spent most of the afternoon. My Dad opened the pool today. He didn't put the chlorine in because he wanted to let the dog swim. It's a riot to watch him since he looks like a polar bear in the water! It's such good exercise for his old joints and it keeps him cool. He was good about staying away from the liner on the sides of the pool. My step-mom absolutely adores him and she actually made him an ice cream cone to enjoy by the pool. Yep, he's spoiled rotten but he is such a good boy he deserves it!

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my grandfather's death so it was a bit of a subdued family visit. It does not seem like it's possible that it's already been a year but yet it some way it seems like the Friday I watched my grandfather die was a lifetime ago.

Friday Night on the Town

Well this last week was a tough one. So it was very nice that old friends and new could head out for some drinks and laughs. It was fun and in spite of promises that none of us was staying out too late due to Saturday morning commitments, we closed the bar down!

After hailing some cabs, one friend and I decided to walk across the Mass Ave bridge to where my car was parked. It was such a nice night out and walking across the bridge did remind me how pretty Boston can be at night. Our topic of discussion was the immense pride and awe at living in the only state in the Union that allows for gay marriage. I was thrilled and happy that all of my friends have the right to marriage regardless of their orientation. That is the way it way it should be and I'm glad I'm living here at this time.

Man's Best Friend (Woman's too!)

So as a dog owner and science geek, it's been very interesting to read about the recent progress of the Dog Genome Project. A lot of the research that is going on with dogs could very well have applications in human genetic research. If you own a purebred, AKC registered dog you can help. They NIH is looking for owners to submit either blood samples or cheek swabs for selected breeds. You can learn more about it here.

Laugh so hard it hurts

Well it was another fabulous Friday night out with my friends. After being laid out with my cold last week, it was so nice to be out and about. As one friend said, I was on fire that night! We started the evening at a cultural/singles event that provided way too much fodder for snarky comments. We may all be going straight to hell for some of them but at least we'll be together! After that, it was back to our usual Friday night spot for some more fun. There was indeed a moment that I was laughing so hard that I was afraid beer would come out my nose. Thankfully it didn't because really no one likes that. A surprise gift of a strand of pearls from my friend brought me to tears. The gesture was so sweet and unexpected it took me by surprise.

I can't even begin to relay some of the comments of the evening here because I don't know where to begin. I have been breaking into a Cheshire Cat grin as I play back the events of the evening. One friend headed out a bit early since she had to be somewhere at the crack of dawn on Saturday. We stayed a little later and then headed out to grab a cab. I do admire my friend's continued belief that he can hail a cab faster than I can. He is such a gentleman when we are out and it's always a sweet gesture. He's cute and all but what cabbie isn't going to stop for a girl in a short black skirt and tank top! I did finally make it back to my car and got home to three very sleepy pets.

Blue Moon

As I was out with the dog on skunk watch, I realized there is a big, full moon tonight. Given that it's our second one in a month, it's Blue Moon. Of course, it would be better if it was actually blue!

Last Week and Memorial Day

This was a great weekend. It was so nice to have time off and to be outside.
The downside was the nasty cold I managed to pick up. Given the stress of the last few weeks, I suppose it was inevitable. It's been a miserable one and my head still feels like it's going to explode. In spite of this, I did manage to have some fun.

I was quite busy last week and out almost every night (which is probably why I got the cold I have!). The Web Innovator's Conference was a lot of fun and I met some new people afterwards. It was very busy Tuesday night!

What happens when you a bring a box of Cheez-its to a bar? That was what my friend and I found out when we grabbed dinner later in the week. We went to a place she is a regular and there was some back story about the Cheez-its. Surprisingly they were a good bar nibble and created no end of controversy for the Cheez-it-less people in the restaurant.

Though I was feeling a bit stuffed up, I headed into the city on Friday night to meet another friend for drinks by the water. It was such a gorgeous night out we had our drinks and dinner outside. We tried to solve the mysteries of dating in Boston but she and I didn't come to any solid conclusions. We walked back to the T via the Harbor Walk.

Even though we thought my Pomegranate Martinis were providing good anti-oxidants, apparently I needed many more because I woke up Saturday with my cold in full bloom. I had no energy and had to cancel the plans I had because I couldn't leave the couch. It was a bummer but it was better I not spread my germs.

Sunday was BBQ time. It's really not Memorial Day weekend if I don't have some form of meat on a grill. I wasn't feeling great with the cold so it was only a short visit with the family. The food looked great but with my nose so stuffed up I couldn't taste much of it.

Today was a relaxed day outside with the pets and reading a book. All in all a good weekend!

First Summer Day

It was a gorgeous day Friday and the weather was perfect. The dog enjoyed some time in the pool to cool off!

Light up my life

Everyone knows how handy a flashlight is. Imagine that you have no electricity at all. No light to read, do your homework, keep you safe or seek medical attention. Imagine you live in a refugee camp. What's the one thing that you do have? Sun. So how about a solar flashlight? Brilliant idea. The creator of this light has a deal for you. It's the ultimate buy one, get one free. You purchase one flashlight for $25 (plus shipping) the free one gets shipped to Africa and an additional $1 gets donated to an aid group. It's a great idea and I encourage everyone to get one. You can learn more about this program here.

Friday Night Fun

After a rather long week, it was good to have a night out with my friend. The downside was the fact that it was cold, rainy and raw. With umbrellas in hand, she and I still had a good time. We had fun at our usual Irish pub where we managed to pick up a bachelor party. We chatted with the two Jim's from Philly. It was amusing and I'm sure the boys had quite the evening! There was one quirk however. Due to construction, we had to get to the ladies room by leaving the bar, going around the corner and coming back inside. It really made you evaluate whether you wanted to go or not.

We then headed to my friend's usual spot over by Faneuil Hall. When we got out of the cab, I managed to make a friend from Calgary thus continuing my streak of International men. The bar was a cute neighborhood place and fun. I met a handsome Spanish man who was very disappointed he could not persuade me to have another drink but we were off to the cigar bar. I have smoked a few in my day and just love the smell of cigar smoke. To me there is something so masculine about it. It's hard to explain. All in all, a great evening!

Goodbye Gilmores

I generally do not watch a ton of television. No Survivor, American Idol, or Lost for me. I have the attention span of a fruit fly when a new show comes on. I watch the first one and then forget all about it. Besides The Simpsons, the only show I have watched religiously has been Gilmore Girls. I loved the show the first time I saw it in 2000. The fast talking mother and daughter as best friends was enormously appealing. As someone who has a very similar relationship with my rather young mother, I was instantly hooked. The musical and pop culture references were astounding.

Tonight was the series finale. It came as a surprise to me and I was saddened to have to see it go. So with thunderstorms rolling through, I watched and cried.

Goodbye Gilmores, thanks for being my steady date on Tuesday nights.

Dating Post-mortem

A few thoughts after recent events.

"Act your age" - I've dated someone 50 who thought he was 20. If you are 40 please do not act as though you are ready to head to Boca to play shuffleboard and eat dinner at before it's dark outside.

"I want kids. Maybe. Sort of" - This is a yes or no question. Mind you, I wasn't sure if I wanted to mingle my genetic material with yours but at least know where you stand. Given that in this day and age all I need is a credit card, Internet connection and a turkey baster to have a kid, I know where I stand.

"I called ahead to the restaurant to see if jeans were ok" - That clears things up. I had assumed when you opened the door that I was early and you hadn't changed yet. While it may be fine to wear jeans to the restaurant, we were also going to the theater. I took time to dress up since it was a date and all. Nice to see you put in such effort.


"You should tell her you hope she gets cancer" - To my boss? Are you serious? How is this appropriate adult behavior? The fact that I had a family member who was diagnosed with cancer a mere three weeks before you uttered this statement shows a remarkable level of insensitivity.


"You're a good kisser" - Yes I am. Thanks for mentioning it. While we're at it, could we clear up that kissing is all about lips. It is not about you sticking your tongue down my throat for ten minutes. This isn't fun for anyone and if I wanted that I'd be dating a Labrador retriever.

"I don't go to concerts unless I have great seats" - Well aren't we picky. For me it's an evening out and a chance to hear some good music. I can hear just as well from row 27 as I can from row 2. Thankfully the concert I was kind enough to invite you to was open seating.


"I like the outdoors" - Great! Me too. Do you ski? Snowboard? Kayak? Mountain Bike? Hike? Oh you walk. Well that's like hiking except for the trees, dirt and bugs. Going to a Starbucks is not considered an outdoor activity.


"I don't want to get in the way of your school" - Thanks for that. Given that I have worked my butt off for the last three years and this was my last semester I appreciate the understanding. Why then during finals, did you have attitude with me when I couldn't spend time with you? I've been in school for 3 years. I've known you for 2 months. Which did you think was my priority?

"I really like my life nice and quiet" - That's great that your life is so quiet. I assume my life will be quiet too. When I'm 90. Right now, I'm a bit too busy enjoying the noise.

All About My Mother (and Stepmother)

Of course, unless you are living under a rock, today was Mother's Day. It was one of those days where the sky is perfectly blue and the new leaves are still lime green. My mother being the excellent cook that she is, opted to roast a chicken instead of my brother and I taking her out. The dog and I had a very nice time. We both got a doggie bag of leftovers to take home. My stepmom and Dad had other plans so I just dropped off her card and gift.

It was a day with a bit of a cloud over it however. I had a puzzling conversation with CBM last evening that really irked me. I am a ridiculously direct person and I expect the same thing from people. When I don't get it that really annoys me. I can't change the fact that I have pets and he can't change his allergy to two of them. It's not just my felines, there were other, larger issues as well but it is what it is.

Stressful day, warm night

I was just outside with the dog in my bare feet on skunk watch. It's one of those nice May nights where you can still feel the heat of the day emanating from the pavement. While he sniffed around I had the chance to stare up at the stars which are out in full force on this clear night. I always seek out the Big Dipper first since that's the very first constellation my Grandfather ever taught me. It's so peaceful and quiet that it helped to blur the stress of the day.

Work has not been a wonderful place for me of late. I have a boss from hell who finally decided after 3 years to give me a review. To call it a review is an understatement. It is a 16 page, single spaced massacre. I'm pretty sure it blames me for every ill of our department and possibly blames me for global warming.

I believe this line sums things up. My boss said "although we discussed some issues that need to be addressed, please accept our appreciation for the part of your efforts in which our expectations have been met." Ouch. In non middle management speak I think she's trying to say thanks for nothing,

Today I had to work on my rebuttal. Thoughts of taking a black Sharpie marker and writing "COMPLETE LIES. I DISAGREE." on every page did cross my mind.

Since I've finally finished finals, all signs point to finding a new job. Until then, I have to suck it up and trudge in. Thankfully this week is almost over.

Food glorious food!

Mangoes from India are finally being allowed into the US! Oh the wonders or irradiaton and bilateral trade.

Mangoes are one of my favorite foods. That blend of gingery and almost piney flesh and the juice are incredible. The best mango I have ever had was once in Grenada when our tour guide, Clint, pulled over at some woman's house and asked her if he could have a ripe mango from a tall tree in her yard. It was warm from the sun, like a cherry tomato from the vine in the summer. The juice that came from this fruit was amazing. The taste was incredible and I have yet to replicate it here. Hopefully once the Indian mangoes hit the market, I will be able to indulge.

The other food news is a bit puzzling. Yes, it's the Kool-Aid Dill pickle. It's as puzzling as it sounds and gives a normal pickle an otherworldly red hue. Apparently it's from the South and combines sour and sweet in a new way. As much of a fan of sweet and sour as I am, it looks a bit off putting.

You Are What You Eat. Sort of.

Interesting stuff about obesity in the New York Times today. It would seem that if you are overweight and you lose weight, then you should be able to keep the weight off. Not exactly.

It seems that "each person has a comfortable weight range to which the body gravitates. The range might span 10 or 20 pounds: someone might be able to weigh 120 to 140 pounds without too much effort. Going much above or much below the natural weight range is difficult, however; the body resists by increasing or decreasing the appetite and changing the metabolism to push the weight back to the range it seeks.".

Huh. Who knew? It makes all those people who insist that when you hit "25, 30, 35, 40, 45 you will see" look a bit silly. I have a hard time believing that once you turn a certain age you will suddenly just wake up with 20 extra pounds. I do realize that metabolism does slow as you age but these people seem to forget that every one's metabolism is different. Some of us are luckier than others in that regard, but as long as you keep active your weight should be pretty stable.

Chicks!

So today the dog an I took a little trip to visit my family. We headed out to my Dad's house to see his latest arrivals. The new chicks were here! My Dad started raising chickens a few years back. I grew up with all kinds of animals both as pets and non-pets but this has been an interesting experience. I can't tell you the last time I had to buy eggs in the grocery store. There is something so very cute about a fluffy little chick. As the designated chicken-sitter when he and my step-mom go on vacation I have a significant number of charges this year!

Disco Ball With Legs

One this very busy weekend of finals, I did what anyone preparing for exams would do. I went out of course!

Last night was a fun night with my usual Friday night nacho eating friends. We laughed and had a great time but I stayed out far later than I had planned. We were all amused by the women wearing the odd silver sequined dress. We were in an Irish Pub so she was definitely overdressed. Black leggings did not add to the outfit at all. When my friend said that this woman looked like a disco ball we all realized we are going straight to hell for being so catty. At least we'll be in good company! When I came back from the ladies room I have no idea what happened in my absence but the lady who looked like she had escaped from Princess Bride kept glaring over at us for the rest of the evening. By far the best comment of the night, "Nice shirt. Did you buy it or was it a gag gift?"

This evening was the Brandi Carlile concert in town with CBM. What an amazing show! There is something so sexy about a woman who can play the hell out of a guitar and she certainly can. The show started with a Dylan cover, had a great version of Creep by Radiohead and a rollicking Johnny Cash tune. It was a blast and it was one of those shows where clearly all the planets have aligned because the music and performance were so incredible.

My New Sister

Well I do have a new "sister" but it's not in a traditional sense. I just got a package from Women for Women International containing the information about the latest sister I am sponsoring. She is living in the Sudan.

Here are a few facts -

-She shares a home (hut actually) with 24 including her 5 boys. She had 6 children but one died. There is no running water or electricity and the main source of lighting is kerosene.

-She cannot read her name or write and has never been to school.

-Medical attention is too expensive, too far and has a shortage of medicines.

-In the Sudan, a woman is more likely to die in childbirth than to graduate from primary school.

-Almost 90% of women in Sudan have experienced FGM (female genital mutilation). Women who do not under go FGM risk being shunned or sanctioned.

-Rape has been used extensively as a tool of war during the conflict in Darfur to terrorize the population.

It's a big reality check as I wrote my letter to her in my home with heat, hot water, ample food, computer, tv, cell phone and pets that are probably better fed than some of the residents of Sudan.

Science Friday

Today I was lucky enough to sit in on the live broadcast of NPR's Science Friday. It was two shows (two hours each). The first hour was devoted to Cambridge Science Week and had panelists discussing recycling and green efforts in the city of Cambridge.

The second hour was completely fascinating. It was all about stem cell research. I have read a lot about this subject but it was great to hear even further explanation about how it's done and what the potential could be with further research.

I know that stem cell research is one of those hot button issues like abortion that just gets people all wound up. I have a very scientific mind and am a firm supporter of this research. I do understand the "life begins at conception" people and why they would have this belief. One gentleman who called in was completely in this camp. When one of the panelists was playing devil's advocate and asking this man if there was a fertility clinic on fire and there was a six year old girl or a tray with twenty frozen embryos and he could only save one, which would he save? This man hemmed and hawed and finally said that if he was a firefighter he would save whoever was closest to the door! I asked my dad, a retired firefighter of twenty five years, which he would do and the answer was clearly the little girl.

I respect the caller's right to his own opinion but it annoys me to no end when people bullishly insist on their belief as being the correct one but can't back it up. Stem cell research is very subjective. It's easy to say it is wrong until it is your child with diabetes. Or mother with Parkinson's. Or husband with Alzheimer's.

Tension in Virginville

So I received word from R. today that's he's a bit peeved at me for blogging about his virgin situation. He thought I should not have told anyone. As I pointed out to him, I told him I was going to post on that topic. Additionally, if this had happened to me (not that I would ever in a million years date a 27 year old virgin, mind you) I would be writing about it as well. He was so upset that I was really quite taken aback.

Then it occurred to me, the downside to dating a virgin is that you are not getting any. I think that R. is feeling a bit pent up and looking for an outlet. Instead of sex, it was being mad at me. This is not my problem.

He said I had no integrity and was poking fun at him about this situation. It's a funny story and I would be remiss in my duties as someone with a great sense of humor not to share! The gall of someone who considers himself the "Designated Deflowerer" questioning my integrity is really priceless.

Call me Boo

So my baby brother, the one who coined the Boo of the title, has had this nickname for me since he could talk. My real name was too tough for him to say so thus I am Boo.
I think it's great that he still calls me this and it comes in handy for purposes of this blog.

My brother does not have a computer so he calls me for all his Internet needs. Is so and so dead or alive? What do you feed a Venus fly trap if you don't have flies? Where did the guitarist from Alice in Chains go?

Usually they provide a distraction so I don't mind. My brother figures that since I am getting my hard earned IT degree shortly, it's really just me using my education.

This evening while talking to him, he asked me to find out something else for him. I laughed and said I was his Google. He one upped me and said that no, I was actually his "Boo-gle". That just cracked me up to no end!

Like a Virgin

So today I heard from my friend, let's call him R. He's in his upper 30's. Apparently he's been seeing a girl, we'll call her Mary. She's in her upper 20's and very religious. They've been out as a part of a group and hadn't even held hands. Granted there is a very large height difference that may also preclude hand holding!

Apparently they spent all weekend together. Cut to the evening and he's going to sleep over. Of course, he's assuming that what happens when you have a date and sleep over will happen. So they are in bed and that's when she tells him that she's a virgin. The timing could have been a bit better!

By the time you are post college, you pretty much assume that once you're in bed with someone they have done this before. And there is a huge difference between being a teenage virgin and an almost 30 year old virgin.

I think that with someone who's religious and held out this long there can only be one reason. Saving yourself for marriage. This is not a fun situation. If she does decide he's the "one" what's his obligation? Are you pledging something about the relationship that's just started? What if she has religious remorse about the whole thing? Is her family going to show up to beat the crap out of you? The one positive I pointed out to him is that if he's terrible, she won't know!

R thinks he should do research. I don't think there is a "Deflowering a Virgin for Dummies" book. He also seems to be viewing this as the Fates trying to tell him something about his life, particularly after a really bad relationship. I guess the Fates are telling him not to have sex. Hmm, fate does work in a mysterious way!

The Young and the Clueless

After an atrocious Friday the 13th it was a relief to see my good friend for an evening out after work. She and I had a lot to catch up on and decided to walk through the Common and chat. We weren't quite sure where we were going but the walk was enjoyable. We were both engrossed in our conversation when we finally looked around. Our actually conversation went as follows.

Me, looking at the barricades and Adidas trailer: "Did we miss something? Looks like some sort of sporting event went on earlier."
Her, looking around too, "Yeah it does."
Both of us, "Duh. They're setting up for the marathon!"

In our defense, we had both had really tough weeks and were a bit distracted. I am confident we would have figured it out once we walked over the finish line!

We finally made out way to a bar we had been to before. Another friend joined us and we were having fun, until the bar took our bar stools away. Apparently they have problems with their patrons "stumbling over the bar stools" and "fighting with the bar stools" so they take them all away. It would seem to me if you have people tripping over a bar stool or jousting with them, maybe you shouldn't serve them so much alcohol.

Finding ourselves vertical, we took being seatless as our cue and walked up the street to a different bar with seats where we finished our evening.

Failure is not an option

"It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success". Havelock Ellis

Actually it is an option and it seems to be happening quite a bit lately. For me it's on the heels of a great personal success so it's kind of dampening my spirits despite my best efforts. There are a few others in the same boat as I am.

While failure can be in the eye of the beholder, it doesn't help when it's you who are the one it applies to. I certainly understand the whole "when one door closes another opens" thing but for once can't both be doors stay open?

As for the author of the quote above, if anyone knows about overcoming obstacles it would be him.

Hit me

It is know amongst my friends that I will, in a social situation, attract the oldest man in the room. I'm not sure why but I've changed my perfume, just in case.
A recent new trend has caused me some alarm. It seems that I am attracting 20 year old boys with depth perception problems. More precisely my car is attracting them. In the last 4 months I have been rear-ended in traffic twice. The most recent occurred this evening on the way home.

When you have one main road in and out of town you sit in rush hour traffic. I was in this traffic, not moving quickly and lost in a reverie when I realized my car was being pushed forward and had stalled. Given that I was in gear and still had my foot on the clutch I was a bit puzzled until I saw the young man in the Jeep behind me getting out of his car. I got out of my car and told him to back up so I could assess the damage. This is when he informed me that his car does not go in reverse. Reverse is broken. What? How is this possible? I must have shot him a look because he took a step back from me. Fortunately it was low enough speed that there was no damage to my car. But still, no reverse??

Back in Time

Blogger Kathy Sierra of the Creating Compassionate Users blog received disturbing and graphic death threats. The prevailing assumption is that they are due to her gender, not so much about what she says or lectures on. Pure misogyny it seems.

As a female who has worked in the high tech field, I can attest that it was a "boy's club" at times. I have a very thick skin. I grew up a tomboy and can hold my own. But really, should I have to? I know that this is not a perfect world but shouldn't I be judged on my abilities and not if I'm wearing a skirt? No one should ever be touched at work but I've been grabbed, pinched, leered at, and propositioned by coworkers. One even put his hand on my knee and called me "sweetie" in a training I was leading. My grandmother is the only one who ever got to call me sweetie.

Moving to the quiet world of biotech has been a relief and I haven't been touched once. But if I go out and flirt at a bar, I'm a slut. If I assert myself or rebuff unwanted attention, I'm a bitch.

It's 2007 and it saddens me that we are still having these incidents and conversations. With all hell breaking loose in the rest of the world, could we stop viewing women who are working in "non-traditional" industries as a threat?

Full Disclosure

I find myself in the lucky position of having new people in my life that, for the near future anyway, have become part of my life. This brings me to wonder just when it is that you should fess up your past. I'm not talking about the little stuff here. While everyone has their issues and baggage, at what point do you roll out whatever your issue is? I try to go by the "when the time is right" method but in my current case, I'm not sure that's the best. Granted, it depends what your particular skeleton is but for me it's something that helps to explain why I am the person I am today. It's not pleasant or easy but it's a discussion I usually have to have.

I find that this time I am feeling a bit like a petulant child having to do this. It's the feeling of "how dare this interfere with my life" which is silly since it is my life. I think it's just the mood I am in.

Weekend Fun

This was quite the weekend for me. Even though I am crushed with homework, I was a social butterfly. Friday night was out with a friend to celebrate his birthday. The evening did not turn out as I had planned but was quite a bit of fun. I wasn't anticipating staying up until all hours of the night but when you are in an Irish pub talking to Irish people, the beer and conversation flow quite easily! There were two older couples who just a blast, even if they kept insisting my friend was my husband :-) I'm not quite sure the number of beers I had but I will admit to being a smidge tipsy. Little flashes of forgotten moments keep coming back to me. Like all of us being on our hands and knees looking for a dropped ring.

Saturday brought a wonderfully overdue 90 minute massage. I was jello when I finally oozed my well lubricated self off the massage table. Then it was home for a much needed nap.

The evening brought dinner at one of my favorite Greek places (mmm feta) and a movie. I saw The Namesake. The book was wonderful and so was the movie. I greatly appreciated that my new friend, CBM, did not tease me for crying.

Today was breakfast. I love breakfast out especially at a little diner. Any day that starts with bacon is alright in my book. The rest of today was homework and writing my research paper.

All in all a very interesting, varied and good weekend!

So Mad I Could Spit

About three weeks ago all heck broke loose for me at work. While I finally got recognition that I have been working two jobs, I was told that I "don't fit with the group" and that "my skills would be better suited doing something else" and my boss offered her "full support to help me find somewhere else within the company so I can succeed". Whole lotta lies right there. After meeting with HR and finally getting the scoop, I learned my boss has been lying to my face. What she has been telling me is not what she reported to HR. By being sneaky and underhanded, she has also sabotaged my chances of transferring within the company. I am absolutely livid.

So I must be getting laid off or fired, right? Nope. Instead I am in limbo. I am being asked to still do both jobs but with no recognition or promotion, the motivation is not really there quite frankly. My HR person even agreed that the group is not treating me fairly. Great, thanks for the validation.

While I did plan to get a new job when I get my long-awaited degree in a few short weeks, I do not appreciate the needless stress that my boss is putting through.

Spring Break and Wearing of the Green

Well this week was Spring Break. I am officially at the halfway point of my last semester! It also brought a 70 degree day and ended with a foot of snow. Gotta love the New England weather. I took a day off from work Friday to get caught up on stuff. I had two very nice dinners with my new friend as well. For purposes of these pages and my Mom, he will be referred to as CBM. He's very good company and I am always grateful when someone makes me dinner!

In addition to clearing cars and shoveling today it's a holiday. Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's a holiday in my family so I am getting ready to head out to eat my fill of corned beef. I do enjoy that.

Dinner and a Show

Add another perfect date to my list. Saturday brought dinner and a show and perfect company. The meal at The Ivy was amazing. It was Italian tapas that started with a really good salad. The show was hysterical. The rest of the date was just perfect :-)

Coldest Date Night Ever

So after my lengthy Starbucks date and a very long phone conversation after class on Monday, he asked if I wanted to meet him in Harvard Square after work on Thursday.
I was happy to be seeing him again before our date on Saturday. The only problem, the bitter, bitter cold! It was so cold out Thursday night I think it was the coldest night of the year.

We met at a coffee place and had cocoa and chatted. He then asked me if I wanted to go to dinner and we went to a place that was a favorite of his. Oh my god. We walked in from the wind to this cute place with a huge, roaring fire. It was rather romantic. The food was wonderful. I am a happy girl if I can have good duck and it was good!

We had the best time! We talked, ate, and had some wine. He showed me some more of his work (he is so talented). He offered to drive me back to my car at work (saving me from the cold and the joys of the Red Line). I was getting ready to get out of the car and then it happened. A very, very nice goodnight kiss :-) And he smelled so good too.

It was the perfect date. I drove home with a huge smile on my face. I can't wait until Saturday!

Third time's a charm!

Well so far I'm a few weeks into the online dating and it's been ok.
I get a wink for a cute guy nearby so I winked back. He sent back a great email. It was long, detailed and in complete sentences! We decide to meet for a coffee. I talked to him on the phone and oh boy, what a great voice he has :-)

We meet at Starbucks and I figure it will be a nice way to spend an hour. I walk in and he surprised me because he was right at the door. He was working on something and it's amazing how artistic and creative he is. Long story short, after 4 1/2 hours I had to go to another event. The time just flew by. He's funny, smart, literate, handsome, easy to talk to and such a nice guy. He gave me a nice hug when he walked me to my car as we watched the lunar eclipse.

We have plans for the theater next week and I am looking forward to it!

Hooray for Bollywood

So my limited exposure to Bollywood prior to Friday has solely been spoofs of the genre on the Simpsons. I was more than curious to see what Bollywood Girls Night would hold.
My friend made such an amazing dinner I still can't even believe it. I will have dreams about the okra and potato dish she made. And the lentils? Don't even get me started. They were beyond amazing.

The movie we saw was "Kal Ho Na Ho" (which translates to "Tomorrow May Or May Not Be").
I enjoyed it because it was so different from anything I have seen. The singing, the dancing, the colors. It was like walking into Times Square for the very first time. I didn't know where to look first.

My friend is a huge movie buff and sent me home with a movie that is more of an art film that a big Bollywood production. I am looking forward to watching it.

Passionate Kisses and Delicate Ears

So it's been a busy week. I have been a very popular girl in the dating world.
Over a 2 day period I had 2 dates. Date number one was responsible for the comment from the title about my ears. It's not a body part I generally get compliments on but hey. You when someone gives you a compliment about something and you immediately become self conscious about it? That's what happened. I suddenly could not stop thinking about my ears. As far as the kissing of the title, that was not to be found on either of these dates!

Both dates were fun but a study in contrasts. Date number one in Cambridge. Hanging out drinking good wine and imported beer eating mussels and frites. Date number two was a townie bar (thank god I wore jeans and not work clothes!) drinking beer eating dirt cheap, but good pulled pork and brisket.

Both men were gentlemen, funny, decent conversationalists and very happy to be in my company. Date one was extremely bitter about his ex and had a not so kind nickname for her. Date two has food issues. No fancy food, no orange food and an odd love of chain restaurants. So those two are a wash, but I knew that when I first saw them. No chemistry. No spark. Nothing.

So while these two didn't go well, I am not quite writing off online dating just yet.

Layers

I do like winter. I am thrilled that it finally feels that the season has come. I went snowboarding today in the snow and it was great. The problem with winter comes when you try to date or go out. It's a tough season to try to look your hottest. Static from hats, hat head, chapped lips, layers and layers of clothing and boots and mittens and scarf and coat. The city has been so icy lately it is impossible to wear heels, my preferred footwear. LL Bean is generally not the first name that comes to mind when I am getting dressed for an evening out. But I'd rather not twist an ankle or slip like so many people have.

So blue

Work has sucked. School is getting really, really busy. Date with man with no-name was meh. I drove into to work today and almost got hit by every crazy driver on the Pike and in the Stop and Shop parking lot. I have not been in the best of moods.

So I walked into my door tonight and sat down in front of the computer. A few clicks later I had reupped my sponsorship for a new sister through Women for Women. I asked for my sponsorship dollars to go either to Sudan, Afghanistan or Rwanda. In about 12 weeks I will get my sponsorship packet and be off and running. I would sponsor more women if I could but I am only one person and can only do this.

I got tired of feeling sorry for myself. So I am turning my blues into action and helping someone who really has something to feel bad about.

What's in a name?

So I met a guy on my crazy Friday out a few weeks back. He seemed nice enough so we've been in touch. We have plans to go out this weekend. The problem? I have no idea what his name is. He introduced himself to me (and my 3 friends) at the bar. None of us know what it is which is sad since clearly none of us were paying attention. . We are also not sure of his nationality. His accent was German. Or Russian. Or Spanish. When he calls me he doesn't say his name. I was hoping to get his voicemail but no such luck. I'm not sure of the etiquette, but I think we are past the point where I can just ask him point blank. So I am left to hope that he pays by credit card so I can sneak a peek at his name. Or I can ask him for his email address.

So essentially I am going out with indeterminate accent no-name guy. It should be interesting :-)

Snow and Valentines

Well as far as Valentine's Days go, this one was good because our first major snowstorm hit today. And let me tell you, it's about time I got a snow day! Happy Valentine's Day!

Goodbye Gotham

I had a quick trip to NYC to visit the girls. I decided to stay over as a bit of a break. I can do homework in an airport or hotel as well as I can at home.

We were celebrating new house, new job, new teeth, new engagement and the fun of being together again. It a blast and we usually laugh so hard that it qualifies as an ab workout.

My day started and ended with a case of mistaken identity. In the security line at Logan, the family in front of me had four kids. One of the little boys wasn't really paying attention, nor was I, and next thing I know he's got his arms wrapped around my legs hugging me! I don't know who was more shocked! The look on his face when he realized I wasn't his Mom was too funny. I mean we all must look the same when you're 3 feet tall. Apparently he is a painfully shy child as well. I'm sure he recovered by the time they got to Florida.

At dinner that evening, I was sitting alone in the middle of a row of tables. I was having a great time and had just finished my goat cheese and beet salad. All of a sudden this man I had seen at the bar earlier was across from me trying to hand me his coat to put on the bench next to me. I had no idea who he was but he was certainly insistent. Then he sat down at my table. The waiter looked at me. I looked at him. The people around me looked. The man then asked the waiter for a glass of wine. All of a sudden this man realized I was not his date. She was sitting four tables away looking really peeved. It was hysterical and I'm guessing the date didn't go well after that.

Because I Say So

So it appears that after 3 weeks of intensive counseling former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, Rev. Ted Haggard, is now 'Completely Heterosexual'. This is in spite of that pesky incident with the call boy which caused him to have to step down.

Well thank goodness. I guess if you say something to yourself enough times it will be true. Oh, that's right. It's only true if you have 21 days of intensive "counseling" with four ministers. They can declare you completely heterosexual - as long as you leave town and enter the secular workforce. Sounds to me like they really, really believe he's straight.

Fishnets and raindrops

It was a very interesting Friday evening. It was a long night out that really seems to have been broken into three distinct acts. I got an extra act that the rest of my friends did not, but it certainly wasn't what any of them thought.

Act I - An outing with a friend prior to meeting up with other friends. Had great conversation, wine and tapas and a few laughs at the scenery.

Act II - We all finally met up and headed out. We had no idea it was raining so a quick sprint to the T and trying to find a bar based on proximity rather than preference. We settled in, had some snacks and drinks and had a rather entertaining evening with quite the revolving cast of characters.

Act III - I headed off to see another friend for something I was not expecting. He had mentioned great life changes so I was anticipating great things. The discussion that followed was a complete shock. I am still reeling with the information I have been given because I had no idea he was in such pain. Why is it that conversations like this happen at the wee hours of the morning?

Postmortem was lunch with the girls to deconstruct the evening.

Overall it was a great evening. It's going to take me a few more days to make sense of some of it but I will rest assured that I have a great smile.

And the fishnets of the title were a big hit!

Can we please stop talking about this?

Ok I give up. I cannot bear another day talking about the Mooninites and the Turner Broadcasting guerilla marketing campaign. Should you have been blissfully spared of this news, see the story here.

Fine, maybe in this touchy time we live in putting Lite Brights on a bridge overpass was not the brightest idea. But what gets me more than anything else is that it took almost 2 hours for the media and mayor to say that this was a publicity stunt. Two hours. So instead of letting all of us know that there was nothing to worry about, the massive police presence continued. At 6pm when I went to take my train home I could barely get through the throng of Transit Police clogging the platform.

I am all for safety and security and will admit to a bit of travelling on faith every morning that each of the hundreds of other commuters I encounter mean me no harm.

Debacles like this one make me feel embarrassed and nervous that if something really did happen (god forbid) this city is still not prepared for it.

Read to yourself

Actually today was about reading out loud. I love Dr. Seuss and it's really a blast to read out loud. The words swirl and twist and spin and circle back on themselves. But two Seuss books in a row left me feeling like my tongue was too big for my mouth! For the remainder of the day it was very hard not to write my emails in rhyme. The first prose I tried to read after the Seuss books I tried to get that rhyming cadence. It didn't work so well.

In spite of the tongue callastenics it's a great way to spend a lunch hour!

Past? Future? Present?

I found a very interesting article in the NY Times today Amnesiacs May Be Cut Off From Past and Future Alike. It seems that a new study has found that people with amnesia are very much stuck in the present. So while their past may be a mystery to them, their future memories are also affected. As the Times puts it “To the brain, it seems, remembered experience and imagined experience are reflections from the same mirror. When one is gone, so is the other.” The hippocampus seems to be a more of a major player in memory formation than was previously thought.

Being stuck is never good. I have loved ones in my life who are very much stuck in the past. In that way, they cannot move into the present or dream of the future. It’s very sad. Maybe they need amnesia.

A Sick Cat is Not a Happy Cat

In fact neither my cat or I are happy at the present moment. My poor ginger guy has got a urinary tract infection. I noticed it this morning and he's gotten worse since. I was able to get my vet on her pager and get a prescription called into CVS before they closed. It was fun when they had to put him into the computer so he is now registered with CVS for all his prescription needs! I got the first dose into him (and on me and the floor!) and am just waiting to see if he feels a bit better. He ate dinner but that was it. He finds comfort on the couch and my bed but his dripping is making for a mess. I had to line them with trash bags and then cover them with other blankets. My other bedding is in the wash now. I finally got him to take a bit of yogurt smoothie but I am worried about him being dehydrated.

Since he is a boy kitty, the fear of course is if he has crystals or a blockage. I pray it's just a simple UTI. He is heading to the vet, I'm just not sure if it will be later tonight or if he can hold off until 7am tomorrow. It's going to be a very long night.

Stupid, stupid man

I am still stunned about the statements that Bill O'Reilly made on his show O'Reilly Factor while discussing Shawn Hornbeck on January 15. O'Reilly stated, "I think when it all comes down, what's going to happen is, there was an element here that this kid liked about this circumstances," adding: "The situation here for this kid looks to me to be a lot more fun than what he had under his old parents. He didn't have to go to school. He could run around and do whatever he wanted." O'Reilly also asserted that "I don't believe this kid" enjoyed attending school. On January 16, O'Reilly further declared on The O'Reilly Factor, "I hope he did not make a conscious decision to accept his captivity because" his kidnapper "made things easy for him. No school, play all day long." (See article here Media Matters O'Reilly Factor Article)

How someone could make such stupid statements about a kidnapping is beyond my wildest comprehension. For Mr. O'Reilly to state that it is much better to be kidnapped and held by a pedophile than remain with your own family has me so angry I could just spit. This poor kid didn't go to Disney Land, he was taken from his family and held against his will. Who is this man? Why is he still on the air spouting his vile, ignorant opinions?

Not Everyone Lives Happily Ever After

I have seen the most amazing movie this weekend. It was torture waiting for it to open in wider release and finally it did. Pan's Labyrinth is most often described as an "adult fairy tale". I didn't think this would be an apt description. I was wrong. It's as apt a rendering of the horror of the Spanish Civil Was as Guernica is.

If you recall the fairy tales of our youth, there is always an undercurrent of violence. Poison apples, wicked stepmothers, a wolf that eats Grandma, houses of gingerbread to fatten lost children and so on. The difference with this movie is that the violence causes you to shrink back into you seat in the theater and watch through your fingers. The fantasy portion is breathtaking and so is the violence. This is truly a very grown up fairy tale. You would be doing yourself a favor by seeing this movie. If it's not playing near you, get in the car.

Snow of a different sort

I apparently was a bit overzealous in my wish for snow. I got snow, but only on my television not in my yard. I guess I should have been more specific! After being on the phone with the cable company and letting them do their thing, I now have no TV at all. I should have been happy with the snow.

So with no TV and school not starting for another week, I've had time to reflect on a few things that have been rattling around in my head this week.

The first would be the death of Lily Munster. I was saddened to see that Yvonne De Carlo had died. I know she had done other work, but to me she will always be Lily. I loved the Munsters when I was kid. I thought Lily was just the coolest. I secretly wanted to be her. I think it might have been the cool dress with the bat wings. I wanted to live in a house with secret passages. And the staircase that opened up for Spot. Just brilliant!

Other things on my mind are the two books I got from the library this week. Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran Xue and The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien. The first is an epic story of a Chinese woman who went to Tibet to find her husband. It was a beautiful story of endurance. The second book was also a story of endurance in a way. It is one child's recollection of growing up in South Africa under apartheid. It was a moving, funny, touching, heartbreaking story. I finished it on the train and it brought tears to my eyes. They are both books that will stay with me for awhile.

Disconcerting weather

I just got home from dinner and realized I had left two windows open. It's January in New England, the heat is off and I have windows open at night. I also just killed a mosquito in my house. I am dying to go snowboarding. Instead, I went mountain biking. Where is winter?

iPoddity

I have a 16 month old 20G Photo iPod. I've loved it since I first pulled it out of it's package. I have taken very good care of my iPod. It's been covered and protected since day 1. I have never dropped it or done anything jarring to it. The first sign of a problem was one day on the train home. It froze up on me. I got home, went to the iPod support page and was able to reset it. The next time it froze up on me on the plane to New York at the holidays. I could not reset it and it stayed on until the battery wore out. Once again, it seemed fine when I got home.

I did not use my iPod at all between Christmas and New Year. One New Year's Day, I charged her up. I realized that the little charging icon wasn't showing up. All of a sudden, my iPod was making a frownie face at me http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61771. It dawned on me that it was probably not a good sign. I followed the IPod support instructions but to no avail. I could not get my iPod to respond. So off to the Apple Store I went at lunch time today.

She wouldn't respond for them either. It was when the Genius behind the counter asked me if I had the Apple Protection Plan that I knew it was not good news. So with no protection, I could not get a replacement iPod. It was interesting to note that the protection plan only covers you for 2 years and they recommended I get a Nano insted since it has no hard drive.

I dejectedly walked back to work mourning the loss of my iPod. When I Googled to see if anyone had any suggestions other than just getting a new iPod, I was pleasantly surprised by the Whack-A-Mole theory of iPod repair found here. http://supamb.com/supafine/2006/02/16/resurrecting-your-dead-ipod-whack-a-mole-theory/

Apparently, whacking your iPod against a hard surface a couple of times might be enough to get it up and running again. I figured I had nothing to lose so I got home from work and plugged my iPod into my computer. I then took it in my hand and whacked it hard on the floor 5 times. At first nothing. But then, it was a miracle! It came back to life with the "Do Not Disconnect" screen and ITunes was able to pick it up again.

It is now charging away and in seemingly fine working order. Who would have thought that a whack would do it! I'll take it on the train tomorrow and see how it works.

Hole in My Broken Heart

2006 was not a good year. I wanted to do a wrap up of it here, but it was while looking back that I realized how painful it was. The crystallizing moment was the death of my Grandfather. When he took ill and was rushed to the hospital in March I figured that was it. He hung on until June. I did not plan to watch him die. Rushing from work to get to his bedside 15 minutes before he took his last breath was both something I was glad I was there for and something I really wanted to miss. His absence has created a hole in my heart that time has not healed yet.

So I was more than happy that 2007 dawned. A new year! A fresh start! No more tears or hurt from people who I love and have bared my soul to.

It was nice while it lasted. Twenty-two hours into the New Year I found myself with a broken heart. This one from a person who led me to believe he wanted what I wanted. "I love you, but.." has to be the cruelest phrase in the English language. Thanks for finally letting me know.

I sincerely hope you find what you’re looking for.

Christmas Wrapping

To all the people who decorate the exterior of their homes, thank you. The more lights the better as far as I am concerned. And extra credit to people who use colored lights. I think this takes a lot of courage since I remember the big, colored light bulbs that decorated my childhood tree. They used to get so hot you wondered how they didn’t ignite the tree. While white lights can be elegant and lovely, I will always have a special place in my heart for multi-colored Christmas lights. To my neighbors who have the one lone strand of white lights strewn on their bushes, close but no cigar. It looks like someone tripped while hanging lights and that’s where they stayed. Try harder next year. To my other neighbor who decorated their porch, it looks great. But do you think that decorating the railings was such a good idea?

Now I can enjoy a break from work and from school and chip away at my Netflix queue and visit the library.

Happy Holidays!

Welcome to Whoville

Well it's official. Christmas is imminent. I saw It's a Wonderful Life on Saturday night.
What a great movie. It makes me cry my eyes out every time. It's not Christmas without it. I also saw the Grinch. 30 minutes, narrated by Boris Karloff. There is no other.
And to wrap it all up, Charlie Brown's Christmas. It's really a trifecta of holiday-ness.

In spite of all the tv cues, I just do not feel Christmassy. Maybe the stress of finals and the fact that it's freakishly warm outside are not helping. I don't require a white Christmas but winter would be nice.

Maybe I should finally mail (ok, start writing) my Christmas cards.

Final frenzy

Well I am getting down to the wire. I have my last final due in a week. It's such a tough class that it is going to take me every moment to finish it. Then I will get a glorious month off! I can't wait. It's tough balancing work and school but then add into it the Christmas mix and December becomes just insane. I haven't bought a single present or mailed a single card as of this moment. While I did put a wreath on my door, that's as far as I have gotten. At this point, I just want to put my books and notes away and clean my house! Forget decorating, I'd just like to wash my kitchen floor.

Snow Envy

After two oddly unseasonable days I will admit that I have snow envy. I know that the storms in the Midwest were not fun but I am really ready for a foot of snow. It's been too long since our last one. I miss that stillness that blankets everything with a thick, white layer of fluffy snow. I want to clomp around in it, shovel it, wear my boots and brush my car off. I want to snowshoe, snowboard, cross country ski and make snowballs. I want to walk out the door in the morning and see my breath.

We may get some snow on Monday and I am crossing every finger I have! Though I finally got a wreath for my door, it has not felt like Christmas to me. I know that staring down finals has distracted my, but I was missing the spirit. So today, I stopped at my local Christmas tree farm and bought a balsam wreath. Just walking amongst all those trees it smelled like Christmas.

Someday I will have my own Christmas tree.

Thanksgiving

We all have that one dish that makes an appearance each Thanksgiving that no one knows where it came from or who started it. But there it is. Cranberry Relish with walnuts. Ambrosia. Jell-O molds. For my family it is Green Bean Casserole.

I don't even know what's really in it other than the beans and the crispy fried onions for the topping. My mother loves the stuff. She also has a love of stuffing that I can't quite understand either, but that's another story. She makes it in spite of the rest of us mocking her. She asks us to try it. Once, many moons ago, I did. It did not impress me.

We did not have Green Bean Casserole this year. Thanksgiving was good, but seemed a bit more subdued. I think the loss of my grandfather this summer has got everyone shaken up. It seems as if the whole family is unsure of their footing now.

Let's talk turkey

This fall while riding my bike I noticed that my neighbors had gotten some rather unattractive lawn ornaments. Upon closer observation I realized they were in fact four turkeys. Up close they weren't so bad. Apparently I am not the only New Englander with turkeys in the back yard. On NPR today there was a tale of turkeys from a town outside of Boston. Apparently they had a flock of turkeys with a very aggressive tom or two. The most aggressive Tom met his end on the very crowded Route 9 but not before terrorizing and attacking the residents.

So this Thanksgiving, should you find yourself face to face with an aggressive turkey (and not the kind in the plastic with Butterball stamped on it) be strong and use a broom to thwack it away! This was advice they offered. It cracked me up. Who has a broom that handily within reach? I'd be rushed by turkeys before I could get my broom. And yes, I know that it could be a 20 or 30 pound bird and they do have a talon but still, it's a bird!

Forgive me not

"Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast." - Marlene Dietrich

"One forgives to the degree that one loves." - Francois de La Rochefoucauld

If you say that you forgive someone for a past wrong, does that automatically require the forgiven to do penance and re-hash the event? Can you get forgiveness without having to pay a penance? If you are the forgiver are you then entitled to unlimited rehashing of the event in order to completely grant forgiveness? If this is a requirement then is it truly forgiveness? Does this requirement for going over and over the events of the past mean that you are truly not forgiven? Does it indicate that you have not truly come to terms with the past?

It's quite a conundrum. It feels to me like telling someone you are sorry when you don't really mean it. If you say "I have forgiven you" but then make me explain again and again what happened have you truly forgiven me?

How are you helpful?

I have had a pretty rough few weeks. Nothing major but it was disruptive, aggravating, disappointing, stressful, and thoroughly not fun. I am very in touch with my sense of empathy, as anyone who spends five minutes with me can attest. So while my friends and loved ones listened to me vent and offered their sympathy, I did keep in mind that there are others out there who have things a lot worse than me.

Why is it then, that when told of my saga one such acquaintance decided to basically tell me that it could have been worse? I mean my house didn't burn down with my dog in it like a friend of his. All I wanted was a bit of acknowledgement that my week was tough instead I got a diatribe on how much worse it could have been. Gee, thanks. I feel so much better already.

Election Ennui

Normally I love to vote but I am so glad that Tuesday is Election Day. I am so sick and tired of all the stupid, negative ads that have been playing incessantly on tv. It's aggravating. If I hear one more commercial about how all hell will break loose if the grocery stores gain the right to sell wine I think I will scream.

Since I am not a target group for politicians (single, no children yet, renter) you would think that I would not be as politically involved as I am. What spurs me on is that I truly hold strong to the belief that my predecessors fought hard for me to be able to go and vote on Election Day. The fact that women were only granted the right to vote only with the passage of the 19th amendment of the Constitution in 1920 makes me obligated to cast my ballot and I do so proudly.

I have also decided this election season that any candidate who had supporters who left their campaign fliers under my car windshield at the train station automatically does not get my vote. There is nothing worse than getting off the train in the dark, getting in your car and realizing that there is a stupid flyer under your windshield wiper. It is beyond aggravating.

Election Day also makes me think of when I was a child how my grandmother used to work the polls. I would go with my parents and see my gram chatting with all her girlfriends and giving people their ballots. I couldn’t wait to be grown up enough to vote. So this Tuesday when I wield my Sharpie marker I will remember her and proudly do my civic duty.

Liar liar pants on fire

I am on day 12 of no internet access thanks to Earthlink's continued inability/desire to fix the problem that is causing the outage. I have spent hours on the phone with them. Each time I am told that a senior level engineer will be calling me back. It hasn't happened yet.

Yesterday, I got this email from Earthlink which made me so mad I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Not once has Earthlink tried to contact me. They have my home number, cell number, address and email address. I've gotten nothing at all. So the fact that this is clearly a lie made me outraged. Not only are they not helping me in any way, fixing the problem or being customer service focused now they are just flat out lying. Why on earth would I continue with this company? That's exactly what the Verizon rep I spoke with today wanted to know.

You contacted us recently concerning your EarthLink High Speed Internet access.
We have been unable to reach you. If you are still experiencing issues with your
service please contact us toll-free at 1-866-XXX-XXXX and reference Trouble
Ticket # XXXXXX

Sincerely,

Ticketing Response Operations Network
Earthlink, Inc

Earthlink Sucks

I have been a customer of Earthlink for seven years. Up until recently I have had no problems with them. I've recommended them to everyone under the sun. I will not be doing that anymore.

I am on day 8 without my DSL connection. It mysteriously went down last week and hasn't been back. During that time, I've spent many an hour making friends in India on the tech support line. They've told me some doozies that I've compiled. I will share my favorites with you here.

"I have upgraded your case to priority. Our engineers will work on this. You will receive a call tomorrow. This will be resolved within 24 hours." This was last Thursday. Obviously none of this happened.

"Give me a minute to read through the case notes." This man apparently suffered some sort of horrible cubicle accident since he left me on hold for over an hour, and then disconnected me. I have visions of a staple gone awry or a life threatening papercut.

"You have my personal guarantee that this will be resolved in 6-12 hours. Our line technicians will contact you." I tried hard to believe this one since he seemed so earnest, but just couldn't. As it turns none of this happened either.

"Your modem appears to be broken so I am recommending you order another one. It will $49." This was all a big lie. My modem was not broken so there was no need for me to order another one. As my friend pointed out, they just wanted to shut me up and buy themselves some time. So they came up with telling me my modem was broken. I refused to pay the $49.

"I will transfer you to a supervisor. You will receive a call in 15 minutes just checking to see that the call was successfully transferred." I think we can all see where this was going. I got disconnected and it's been four days and no one has called to check.

"The problem is with the brand of modem. You should go buy your own and then call us and tell us if it works." I did not realize I had been added to the Earthlink payroll to troubleshoot modem issues. Even better, they're willing to ship me a different brand of modem, but it won't get here until next week, which will be two weeks without my DSL.

"Technicians are working on this problem." Apparently they aren't because it's been over a week and nothing has been fixed.

"If we had more customers who had this problem we would not have sent you that modem." Well that's a relief. Unfortunately for me, I am one of the handful who does have this problem. So they sent me a modem that had know issues with Verizon. Thanks so much.

"We appreciate your patience." Oh that's funny but I have no patience. I lost it last week while I was waiting by my phone for someone to call me.

As of this moment, I am done with Earthlink. I will be switching carriers on Monday.

Whalom Park – For a Whale of a Time!

This slogan has been embedded into my head since childhood. I remember nothing else about the commercials, just the slogan. Whalom Park was a great part of my childhood. We used to go every year right before school started. August would roll around and the excitement would start to build until, at last, it was time to go! You would enter the park and that mixture of grease and popcorn would hit your nose and you knew you were there. The wooden rollercoaster was my first rollercoaster. I will never forget the tchunk, tchunk, of the chain catching the cars and starting the slow climb up that first great hill. The Scrambler, The Whip, the Ferris wheel were all must rides as well.

I like to think that my love of roller coasters started there, though I suspect I am genetically predisposed. My grandfather worked on the rollercoaster back when he was a young man. He would tell me tales of walking the tracks to check the coaster, the people who would ride it and how many times in a row he had ridden it. There was nothing better that than fear/excitement/anticipation of cresting that first hill and whoosh down you would go. At the end, the last dip would take you down back to the ground and you could look over and see the lake. Then you got in line to do it all over again. Safety? Of course. There was a bar that was approximately above your lap and it was covered with foam rubber and duct tape. None of us ever fell out! It makes the constraints on Six Flag coasters look like overkill.

The picture in the paper this week of a backhoe tearing down the old wooden coaster brought me to tears. I do not post it here because, even writing this now, it brings me to tears. I think this is compounded by the fact that I lost my grandfather earlier this summer. I know that nothing ever stays the same, but still tearing the park down to make way for condos seems particularly tragic.

Everyone to the left

Being a southpaw, I often wonder why it's so hard to find left handed items. My friends will not let me massacre another bottle of wine with my difficulties trying to get the cork out! It was only recently that I got a left handed serrated knife. Let me tell you, I have never before been able to cut a slice of bread so straight until now. The left handed soup ladle has saved me from making such a complete mess of my self, the floor and the stove when dealing with soup. It's always a surprise to me that such simple items bring such joy!

The puzzle I have is why there is not more places that cater to us leftys (where's a Leftorium when you need one?). I've had great luck with a store in London, http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/acatalog/. In fact, if you search for left handed items, the stores that come up all seem to be in Europe. I wonder why this is.

Painting is silent poetry

I am truly luck to be surrounded by art. Working in a city, you tend to be exposed to all sorts. I am acquainted with a truly amazing artist who came into work today to give many of use a gift. She had made paintings for all of us. My coworker who is a bright, sunny, beautiful person got a cheery painting of a country lane in spring time. I got a gorgeous coastal scene in the fading light. The greens, browns, blues, grays and purples are just stunning and very much me. All day long I stared at the painting propped on my shelf. While it brightens my cube I think I would rather have it at home.

It was the best present I've gotten in awhile.

To see more of her amazing work here's her website.
http://www.tatianafinearts.com/

The Heartbreak of the T

I've been involved in a bad relationship for about three years now. I've been treated bad and disrespected. Left out in the cold. And yet, still I show up every morning and every night. I even pay for this treatment. A bad boyfriend? Nope, the MBTA.

I try to be a good citizen. I'm not sitting alone in my car clogging up the highway. I've taken the commuter rail and subway in other cities. Three years ago I thought how bad could the MBTA be?

I've alternately sweltered and been frozen. I've been squished like a sardine on a sadly regular basis. I've been late. Five minutes, twenty minutes, twice even three hours due to engine problems so we had to be pushed into the city. If the commuter rail isn't late, then the subway is. Communication is sketchy. I've been late due to mechanical problems, signal problems, excessive cold, excessive heat, traffic (It's a train track. There's a schedule. How can there be traffic?), lack of an available platform, medical emergencies (those I have no problem with), and for all the other times just because.

So the talk of rate hikes really puzzles me. I don't mind paying but for goodness sake could you get me to work and home on time?

Seasonally Challenged

I know that when one thinks of fashion Milan, Paris, New York are cities that come to mind. Boston isn't quite on that list. After observing people in the city today I think I can understand why.

It's flip flops. They are still everywhere. While I can understand wearing them when it's really hot out, I don't get the whole bare leg and flip flop look now. If you're wearing a jacket that's zipped up why are you still wearing flip flops? I know the quirks of New England weather might add to the confusion - 80 degrees yesterday, 60 today. But it's October. Fall. Time for boots and tights. Wool. Scarves. Not flip flops. Let it go people. Put them away until next year. Summer is over.

Women for Women

I have had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the amazing Women for Women International organization www.womenforwomen.org . They had a great gift of being the recipient of the 2006 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the world’s largest humanitarian prize of $1.5 million. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation presents the annual award to an organization that “significantly alleviates human suffering.” “Women and children bear the major burdens of the unprecedented number of wars and civil conflicts raging worldwide and are often left to rebuild their lives without the basic necessities for survival or a viable means to earn a living and take care of their families,” said Steven M. Hilton, chairman and CEO of the Hilton Foundation. “Women for Women International has demonstrated that it can create change and stability within a society by providing women survivors with the tools and resources to rebuild their lives. The organization also gives women the training and confidence to engage in their communities’, and ultimately their nation’s economic, political and social structures,” he added.

I am so happy that this amazing organization was recognized for its work. If you can, donate or sign up to be a sponsor. It costs so little but means so much. I sponsored a woman in Rwanda. It really puts your life into perspective when you are writing about your life to someone who survived the Rwanda genocide. It makes everything else seem really insignificant.