Forgot to endorse someone in one race:
U.S. HOUSE - Stephen Lynch is the incumbent in my district (Massachusetts 9th), having won a special election last year to fill the seat of Joe Moakley, who passed away while in office. He is also running unopposed. I have no problem with Lynch per se, but would like to take this opportunity to invoke what's I'm calling the Silvio Conte Rule.
Conte represented the 1st district, based out in the western part of the state, from 1959 to 1991. He was, quite often, the only Republican in the Massachusetts delegation to the US House. From that, I've developed the rule in his honor, that a state with a delegation the size of Massachusetts' should always have at least one person from both parties. Even if there's only one of ten, it's nice to not have total domination by one side.
The reason I choose to invoke the rule here is that (a) it's my district, and thus of direct interest, and (b) there is actually a Republican I can endorse who lives in Southie like Lynch, so they don't lose the pride of having the Congressman come from the neighborhood. I just hope they don't mind that he's an Anglophile.
Blogalicious endorses: W. Scott Monty of South Boston (write-in)
30 October 2002
28 October 2002
It's getting to election time, and just like all the print publications, it's time to put out endorsements. Herewith are mine for a variety of Massachusetts races.
GOVERNOR and LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR - There are five choices here, and none of them are particularly overwhelming.
The one that you non-Mass folks have probably heard of is Republican Mitt Romney, who took over the Salt Lake Olympics when it was such a fiasco. Folks here like the job he did and drafted him into the Republican primary, forcing incumbent acting governor Jane Swift out without a second thought.
Romney's been pretty aggressive in the campaign, running on a reformist, "clean up the mess" line. Not that he's given many specifics as to where the cleaning will start. He's focused more on the short-comings of his main opponent, Democrat Shannon O'Brien.
And that's helped Romney, as it's drawn attention away from his lack of ideas and past as a corporate blood-sucker. His level of conservatism is also hard to pin down, as his stances on some of the litmus-test social issues, like abortion and gun control, have a murky quality to them.
Romney's running mate is Kerry Murphy Healey. She's window dressing (so to speak), an attempt to soften Romney and attract women. That she's likely more conservative than her possible boss (at least based on the one ad of her's I've seen) isn't well-known, as she's apparently not allowed to speak when campaining with him (which is the only time you see her).
The other main candidate is Democrat Shannon O'Brien, the state treasurer. I have deep distrust for that office, as in my lifetime (and probably before) it's been corrupt on the level of pro boxing. O'Brien's taken hits on her management of the state pension fund, and her "watchdog" role that may be closer to Romney's portrayal as a basset hound than she'd like. There's also the influence her lobbyist-husband may have had on her job performance. She can be aggressive, too, but has toned down a bit of late, trying perhaps to latch on to some undecided voters who are sick of the rhetoric.
Her running mate is Chris Gabrieli, an entrepraneur who spent a ton of money to defeat two opponents who had little money and no visibility during the primary. That he did this to gain the nod for a largely ceremonial post, and seemingly emptied his coffers enough to not put on the wall-to-wall media blitz in the general election, too, seems kind of stupid.
These two are running neck and neck. One kind of hopes they'll both strangle themselves on the finish line.
The three minor candidates aren't that fun. The Green Party put forth Jill Stein, a folk singer turned doctor who is clearly too understanding and prepared to hold high office. She offered statistics and analysis during the first debate with all five candidates- what was she thinking? Seriously, though, she's probably the most rational of the five candidates, which only further suggests she won't win.
Carla Howell represents the Libertarians, a party she joined after having trouble navigating the health care system and discovering that party's plan to overhaul things (which apparently involve putting the infirm on ice floes). Howell is always on message, never straying too far from her mantra of "small government is beautiful," not even to crack a smile, shake a hand, or otherwise appear human. Seriously, it's like Harry Browne put her together in a lab.
Finally, there's Barbara Johnson, the independent. A lawyer and activist in the fathers' rights movement, she's the loose cannon in the crowd. Her performance in the all-in debates was rambling and always over time. She suggested Howell get 30 days of psychiatric observation during the first debate (unkind, but perhaps not a bad idea). Her voice, raspy from years of chain smoking, reminds me of a shiksa Doris Grau.
Johnson has some ideas on issues that no one else is talking about. Unfortunately, most of them came out in the space of 30 seconds during the last debate. They included "aquaculture" and "fish farming," which makes me wonder how much money the Soylent Corporation has kicked into her campaign.
She's also bought ad time on the Internet. You may have seen her ads when you logged out of Yahoo! Mail. She's also the only one of the three minor candidates whose lieutenant governor I know anything about. He's a carpenter from Agawam. I only know that because I saw five seconds of the lieutenant governor candidate debate on Saturday (hey, ND-FSU was on).
So, who to pick? When Sarah and I had friends over on Saturday, we lamented the candidates at large and thought there should be a balanced ticket, one with a conservative governor to show a steady hand and a liberal lieutenant governor for balance. To that end:
Blogalicious endorses: Shawn DeVeau of Beverly and Matthew Harper-Nixon of Needham (write-in)
Other races and ballot questions:
TREASURER: There's a Democrat, a Republican, and a Green. Using the time honored selection method of "one potato, two potato":
Blogalicious endorses: James O'Keefe, Green Party
SECRETARY OF STATE: Bill Galvin, long time office-holder and Democratic hack, squares off against Jack E. Robinson of the GOP. You may remember Robinson from his hilarious (unintentional) Senate race against Teddy Kennedy. I'm less worried about Robinson holding this office than I am that Galvin will run for something important if he loses his sinecure. So:
Blogalicious endorses: William Galvin, Democrat
AUDITOR: Joe DiNucci is the only state auditor I remember. Not that the average person would remember the list of people who held the post, but DiNucci has a stranglehold on the office. There's a Libertarian and an independent in the crowd, but you can't argue against someone who is buried like a tick in the hide of state government. Not to mention I think DiNucci would have to go on unemployment if he lost; he may not know anything else but state auditing.
Blogalicious endorses: Joe DiNucci, Democrat
ATTORNEY GENERAL: Tom Reilly is the only guy running. Blogalicious endorses Reilly, for no good reason.
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: I have no idea what district I'm in. I don't even know what this body does. OK, according to the state web site, the Council acts on things like payments from the state treasury, gubenatorial appointments, and commutations and pardons.
These all seem like things an already existing body could do. I hope these folks don't pull in a full salary.
Blogalicious endorses: Write yourself in
US SENATE: John Kerry is running against Libertarian Michael Cloud. Kerry is probably going to run for President in 2004. I don't like the idea of him bailing to run for President, or neglecting his office to seek a higher one. But I don't like the idea of voting for this Cloud guy, either. Heck, I could use a promotion.
Blogalicious endorses: Mark Coen of Wellesley (write-in)
QUESTION 1: This question would abolish the state income tax. This is Carla Howell's brain-child, if you couldn't figure that out. As much as I don't like paying taxes, I also don't want to make us Baja New Hampshire.
Blogalicious endorses: a NO vote on Question 1
QUESTION 2: This question would eliminate bilingual education and replace it with English immersion. I don't know what I dislike more about this question: the racist and nativist overtones, or the likely underclass of people who will skip school because they don't know what anyone's saying and thus be undereducated, underemployed, and a bigger drain on the state (and if both this one and Question 1 passes, look out).
Blogalicious endorses: a NO vote on Question 2
QUESTION 3: This question seeks to repeal the Clean Election law that was enacted by ballot initiative. It's written asking if people support using taxpayer money to fund elections. It was put on the ballot by people who want the question to fail, giving the legislature (which has never liked the law) ammunition to overturn it. Warren Tolman may be the biggest thing the folks who wrote this question have going for them, as his negative ads using public money pissed people off. Still, I prefer this to the current system, where the money comes from God-knows where.
Blogalicious endorses: a YES vote on Question 3
QUESTION 4: This is Wellesley only. It's about establishing a fund that would go towards obtaining and preserving open space, historical resources, recreational land, and community housing. Creating a fund makes the town eligible for matching state funds. It'd come from a hike in property taxes. Considering I like open spaces, etc., and don't pay property tax (and work for an entity that doesn't, either):
Blogalicious endorses: a YES vote on Question 4
And while I don't get to vote on it, if you live in a district that has the question asking if you want to instruct your state rep to not vote for Tom Finneran for Speaker, Blogalicious endorses a YES vote.
Finally, there's a measure on the ballot in Holyoke asking if the town wants to legalize casino gambling. I'm not going to take a stand either way, but if it does pass, Governor DeVeau will probably move the state capital there.
GOVERNOR and LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR - There are five choices here, and none of them are particularly overwhelming.
The one that you non-Mass folks have probably heard of is Republican Mitt Romney, who took over the Salt Lake Olympics when it was such a fiasco. Folks here like the job he did and drafted him into the Republican primary, forcing incumbent acting governor Jane Swift out without a second thought.
Romney's been pretty aggressive in the campaign, running on a reformist, "clean up the mess" line. Not that he's given many specifics as to where the cleaning will start. He's focused more on the short-comings of his main opponent, Democrat Shannon O'Brien.
And that's helped Romney, as it's drawn attention away from his lack of ideas and past as a corporate blood-sucker. His level of conservatism is also hard to pin down, as his stances on some of the litmus-test social issues, like abortion and gun control, have a murky quality to them.
Romney's running mate is Kerry Murphy Healey. She's window dressing (so to speak), an attempt to soften Romney and attract women. That she's likely more conservative than her possible boss (at least based on the one ad of her's I've seen) isn't well-known, as she's apparently not allowed to speak when campaining with him (which is the only time you see her).
The other main candidate is Democrat Shannon O'Brien, the state treasurer. I have deep distrust for that office, as in my lifetime (and probably before) it's been corrupt on the level of pro boxing. O'Brien's taken hits on her management of the state pension fund, and her "watchdog" role that may be closer to Romney's portrayal as a basset hound than she'd like. There's also the influence her lobbyist-husband may have had on her job performance. She can be aggressive, too, but has toned down a bit of late, trying perhaps to latch on to some undecided voters who are sick of the rhetoric.
Her running mate is Chris Gabrieli, an entrepraneur who spent a ton of money to defeat two opponents who had little money and no visibility during the primary. That he did this to gain the nod for a largely ceremonial post, and seemingly emptied his coffers enough to not put on the wall-to-wall media blitz in the general election, too, seems kind of stupid.
These two are running neck and neck. One kind of hopes they'll both strangle themselves on the finish line.
The three minor candidates aren't that fun. The Green Party put forth Jill Stein, a folk singer turned doctor who is clearly too understanding and prepared to hold high office. She offered statistics and analysis during the first debate with all five candidates- what was she thinking? Seriously, though, she's probably the most rational of the five candidates, which only further suggests she won't win.
Carla Howell represents the Libertarians, a party she joined after having trouble navigating the health care system and discovering that party's plan to overhaul things (which apparently involve putting the infirm on ice floes). Howell is always on message, never straying too far from her mantra of "small government is beautiful," not even to crack a smile, shake a hand, or otherwise appear human. Seriously, it's like Harry Browne put her together in a lab.
Finally, there's Barbara Johnson, the independent. A lawyer and activist in the fathers' rights movement, she's the loose cannon in the crowd. Her performance in the all-in debates was rambling and always over time. She suggested Howell get 30 days of psychiatric observation during the first debate (unkind, but perhaps not a bad idea). Her voice, raspy from years of chain smoking, reminds me of a shiksa Doris Grau.
Johnson has some ideas on issues that no one else is talking about. Unfortunately, most of them came out in the space of 30 seconds during the last debate. They included "aquaculture" and "fish farming," which makes me wonder how much money the Soylent Corporation has kicked into her campaign.
She's also bought ad time on the Internet. You may have seen her ads when you logged out of Yahoo! Mail. She's also the only one of the three minor candidates whose lieutenant governor I know anything about. He's a carpenter from Agawam. I only know that because I saw five seconds of the lieutenant governor candidate debate on Saturday (hey, ND-FSU was on).
So, who to pick? When Sarah and I had friends over on Saturday, we lamented the candidates at large and thought there should be a balanced ticket, one with a conservative governor to show a steady hand and a liberal lieutenant governor for balance. To that end:
Blogalicious endorses: Shawn DeVeau of Beverly and Matthew Harper-Nixon of Needham (write-in)
Other races and ballot questions:
TREASURER: There's a Democrat, a Republican, and a Green. Using the time honored selection method of "one potato, two potato":
Blogalicious endorses: James O'Keefe, Green Party
SECRETARY OF STATE: Bill Galvin, long time office-holder and Democratic hack, squares off against Jack E. Robinson of the GOP. You may remember Robinson from his hilarious (unintentional) Senate race against Teddy Kennedy. I'm less worried about Robinson holding this office than I am that Galvin will run for something important if he loses his sinecure. So:
Blogalicious endorses: William Galvin, Democrat
AUDITOR: Joe DiNucci is the only state auditor I remember. Not that the average person would remember the list of people who held the post, but DiNucci has a stranglehold on the office. There's a Libertarian and an independent in the crowd, but you can't argue against someone who is buried like a tick in the hide of state government. Not to mention I think DiNucci would have to go on unemployment if he lost; he may not know anything else but state auditing.
Blogalicious endorses: Joe DiNucci, Democrat
ATTORNEY GENERAL: Tom Reilly is the only guy running. Blogalicious endorses Reilly, for no good reason.
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: I have no idea what district I'm in. I don't even know what this body does. OK, according to the state web site, the Council acts on things like payments from the state treasury, gubenatorial appointments, and commutations and pardons.
These all seem like things an already existing body could do. I hope these folks don't pull in a full salary.
Blogalicious endorses: Write yourself in
US SENATE: John Kerry is running against Libertarian Michael Cloud. Kerry is probably going to run for President in 2004. I don't like the idea of him bailing to run for President, or neglecting his office to seek a higher one. But I don't like the idea of voting for this Cloud guy, either. Heck, I could use a promotion.
Blogalicious endorses: Mark Coen of Wellesley (write-in)
QUESTION 1: This question would abolish the state income tax. This is Carla Howell's brain-child, if you couldn't figure that out. As much as I don't like paying taxes, I also don't want to make us Baja New Hampshire.
Blogalicious endorses: a NO vote on Question 1
QUESTION 2: This question would eliminate bilingual education and replace it with English immersion. I don't know what I dislike more about this question: the racist and nativist overtones, or the likely underclass of people who will skip school because they don't know what anyone's saying and thus be undereducated, underemployed, and a bigger drain on the state (and if both this one and Question 1 passes, look out).
Blogalicious endorses: a NO vote on Question 2
QUESTION 3: This question seeks to repeal the Clean Election law that was enacted by ballot initiative. It's written asking if people support using taxpayer money to fund elections. It was put on the ballot by people who want the question to fail, giving the legislature (which has never liked the law) ammunition to overturn it. Warren Tolman may be the biggest thing the folks who wrote this question have going for them, as his negative ads using public money pissed people off. Still, I prefer this to the current system, where the money comes from God-knows where.
Blogalicious endorses: a YES vote on Question 3
QUESTION 4: This is Wellesley only. It's about establishing a fund that would go towards obtaining and preserving open space, historical resources, recreational land, and community housing. Creating a fund makes the town eligible for matching state funds. It'd come from a hike in property taxes. Considering I like open spaces, etc., and don't pay property tax (and work for an entity that doesn't, either):
Blogalicious endorses: a YES vote on Question 4
And while I don't get to vote on it, if you live in a district that has the question asking if you want to instruct your state rep to not vote for Tom Finneran for Speaker, Blogalicious endorses a YES vote.
Finally, there's a measure on the ballot in Holyoke asking if the town wants to legalize casino gambling. I'm not going to take a stand either way, but if it does pass, Governor DeVeau will probably move the state capital there.
27 October 2002
Anaheim Angels win World Series. Almost as odd sounding as New England Patriots win Super Bowl.
I wasn't really rooting for either team in this year's affair, but did lean towards the Giants. Not so much for Bonds, but for the other old-timers on the team- Santiago, Lofton, Dunston, and throw in Snow- who may not get another shot. Bonds will at least have his MVPs, home run chase, and sure Hall of Fame induction. He'll lament not having a ring if he never does get one, of course, but there's plenty of other stuff he can look to with pride about his career.
Speaking of which, I am a little piqued that Bonds didn't win Series MVP. I know, his team didn't win, but consider the numbers he put up over the Series, and the way the Angels avoided dealing with him at all costs. He did look a little lost in left field the last couple of games, but nothing egregious. Not that I'm pissed about it, but I think there's a case to be made.
I suppose the one way this win ticks me off is from the media angle. Pre-game coverage by Fox seemed decidedly pro-Anaheim (perhaps not surprising given their LA headquarters), and there was that shot of John Travolta hugging Michael Eisner at the end of the game. Ack.
I wasn't really rooting for either team in this year's affair, but did lean towards the Giants. Not so much for Bonds, but for the other old-timers on the team- Santiago, Lofton, Dunston, and throw in Snow- who may not get another shot. Bonds will at least have his MVPs, home run chase, and sure Hall of Fame induction. He'll lament not having a ring if he never does get one, of course, but there's plenty of other stuff he can look to with pride about his career.
Speaking of which, I am a little piqued that Bonds didn't win Series MVP. I know, his team didn't win, but consider the numbers he put up over the Series, and the way the Angels avoided dealing with him at all costs. He did look a little lost in left field the last couple of games, but nothing egregious. Not that I'm pissed about it, but I think there's a case to be made.
I suppose the one way this win ticks me off is from the media angle. Pre-game coverage by Fox seemed decidedly pro-Anaheim (perhaps not surprising given their LA headquarters), and there was that shot of John Travolta hugging Michael Eisner at the end of the game. Ack.
26 October 2002
I had some completely random thoughts while attending tonight's BU/Nebraska-Omaha tilt (Terriers win 6-4, but tried their hardest not to; they blew a 4-1 lead to make it a 4-4 game early in the third).
First, if you eat yellow and blue M&Ms together, do they give the same benefit as eating green M&Ms?
And second, whatever happened to the concession stand pretzel with all the salt on it? They've been conspicuously absent from Walter Brown Arena for a while. For the last 2-3 years the regular pretzels were kind of damp and had a suggestion of salt (wonder if the steamer used salted water). This year the pretzels are in a case with heat lamps, no salt at all. Instead, there's plain and two filled varieties- apple cinnamon and jalapeno cheddar.
I place the blame for this at Pizza Hut's feet. They started it all with the wretched stuffed crust pizza.
Somewhere, there's a cranky email waiting to be written on the topic of concession pretzels. Except that I think I know who would get it at BU, and that person is kind of a jerk. He'd probably drop the regular ones and only offer filled varieties. Ack.
Anyway, back to the game for a sec, I think I saw something for the first time ever (for me, at least): the shorthanded penalty shot goal. One of the UNO guys threw his stick on a breakaway, which to me seems like as stupid a penalty as, say, a defensive lineman kneeing the QB in the groin to disrupt a pass.
It was odd enough that we were on a breakaway, not so much because we were shorthanded, but because we couldn't do anything with the puck during uneven situations. Other than let UNO score; at least 3 of their 4 goals were on the power play.
I don't know the last time I saw a penalty shot in Walter Brown, but I'm thinking it was during my undergrad days. Back when the puck was made of vulcanized chicle and the goalies didn't wear masks, much less helmets.
If I were a prospective Democratic US Senate candidate in 2004, I'd take the bus. First Mel Carnahan, now Paul Wellstone. It's a little creepy, really.
Also on the death front, Richard Harris passed away yesterday. It says something about him that his death made people remember him from so many different things. One woman on the oldies station requested "Macarthur Park" in his memory. Young'uns will remember him for playing Professor Dumbledore. Others still for Camelot.
I'll remember him for his great appearances on David Letterman. Great stories about drinking with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole and the British theater days. He once appeared on the show wearing a coat he said he'd made out of bedsheets from a particularly desired romantic coupling. You knew you were in for some quality entertainment when Richard Harris was on the guest list.
I forgot to tune in to Letterman to see what they said, but I think they still tape two shows on Thursday, so I can tune in Monday to catch it.
First, if you eat yellow and blue M&Ms together, do they give the same benefit as eating green M&Ms?
And second, whatever happened to the concession stand pretzel with all the salt on it? They've been conspicuously absent from Walter Brown Arena for a while. For the last 2-3 years the regular pretzels were kind of damp and had a suggestion of salt (wonder if the steamer used salted water). This year the pretzels are in a case with heat lamps, no salt at all. Instead, there's plain and two filled varieties- apple cinnamon and jalapeno cheddar.
I place the blame for this at Pizza Hut's feet. They started it all with the wretched stuffed crust pizza.
Somewhere, there's a cranky email waiting to be written on the topic of concession pretzels. Except that I think I know who would get it at BU, and that person is kind of a jerk. He'd probably drop the regular ones and only offer filled varieties. Ack.
Anyway, back to the game for a sec, I think I saw something for the first time ever (for me, at least): the shorthanded penalty shot goal. One of the UNO guys threw his stick on a breakaway, which to me seems like as stupid a penalty as, say, a defensive lineman kneeing the QB in the groin to disrupt a pass.
It was odd enough that we were on a breakaway, not so much because we were shorthanded, but because we couldn't do anything with the puck during uneven situations. Other than let UNO score; at least 3 of their 4 goals were on the power play.
I don't know the last time I saw a penalty shot in Walter Brown, but I'm thinking it was during my undergrad days. Back when the puck was made of vulcanized chicle and the goalies didn't wear masks, much less helmets.
If I were a prospective Democratic US Senate candidate in 2004, I'd take the bus. First Mel Carnahan, now Paul Wellstone. It's a little creepy, really.
Also on the death front, Richard Harris passed away yesterday. It says something about him that his death made people remember him from so many different things. One woman on the oldies station requested "Macarthur Park" in his memory. Young'uns will remember him for playing Professor Dumbledore. Others still for Camelot.
I'll remember him for his great appearances on David Letterman. Great stories about drinking with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole and the British theater days. He once appeared on the show wearing a coat he said he'd made out of bedsheets from a particularly desired romantic coupling. You knew you were in for some quality entertainment when Richard Harris was on the guest list.
I forgot to tune in to Letterman to see what they said, but I think they still tape two shows on Thursday, so I can tune in Monday to catch it.
24 October 2002
So it looks like we have a honeymoon destination for next year. Now we just have to pay for flights, a car, and whatnot (the lodging is free, bonus weeks from timeshare company). Of course, there are ways to defray those costs, too.
Speaking of which, we need to register for regular gifts, too. Suggestions from the married folks out there are welcome.
Speaking of which, we need to register for regular gifts, too. Suggestions from the married folks out there are welcome.
23 October 2002
I'm kind of like Jesus, but not in a sacreligious way..."
From today's Daily Free Press, BU's student daily:
Bread and wine turned into doughnuts and beer last night and youthful pop culture met age old scripture as Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, a Boston University group sponsored by the Assemblies of God, held its second lecture to discuss how Jesus Christ was similar to Homer Simpson.
The larger group split up into four smaller groups to discuss questions the group posed about the episode it had just watched. This session's episode was "Homer's Odyssey," in which Homer attempts to make all of Springfield safe by putting signs up throughout town.
David Hill, a School of Management senior, said Homer Simpson is a character most people can relate to.
"We kind of like the way he lives, he has a simple life," he said during the discussion. "Homer strikes me as a purposeless person. He wants to provide for his family, drink beer and have a good time."
The discussion looked into the character of Homer Simpson in regards to "finding a purpose," as well as comparing the ways both Jesus and Homer would react to a situation.
"I think that they are pretty much polar opposites," Hill said. He said, however, that Simpson was like Jesus because, "he was always overcoming obstacles."
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship sponsored this event as a way to mix popular culture with Biblical studies, basing its discussions off the book, "The Gospel According to the Simpsons," by Mark Pinsky.
"The book opened the door for us," said Scott Miller, the director of Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship and a university chaplain. "The concept is working."
The last meeting had a "full house," according to Miller, and this meeting saw a large turnout as well. "The Simpsons" allowed for a more youthful audience, which is less religious at times, to take a look at the Bible.
"I think there are some people who are apathetic, but I think some people are looking for something that is real," Miller said. "They aren't finding it [elsewhere]."
Miller also said it was interesting to see how many men came out to the last meeting, and while women do show up to the meetings, the majority of the group was primarily men. This time, however, there was almost an equivalent number of men to women.
Previous discussions had examined how Lisa Simpson cared for others, and whether or not she spoke for Jesus. The discussion is based on one episode of the show, which the group watches in its entirety before making comparisons to the Bible.
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship is an SAO group that tries to "represent Christ on our campus through our lives, activities and relationships," according to the group's website. The group is interdenominational and open to everyone.
Chi Alpha plans on holding more events in the future including a discussion session this Friday, and more "Simpsons" discussions, which have yet to be scheduled, according to Miller.
From today's Daily Free Press, BU's student daily:
Bread and wine turned into doughnuts and beer last night and youthful pop culture met age old scripture as Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, a Boston University group sponsored by the Assemblies of God, held its second lecture to discuss how Jesus Christ was similar to Homer Simpson.
The larger group split up into four smaller groups to discuss questions the group posed about the episode it had just watched. This session's episode was "Homer's Odyssey," in which Homer attempts to make all of Springfield safe by putting signs up throughout town.
David Hill, a School of Management senior, said Homer Simpson is a character most people can relate to.
"We kind of like the way he lives, he has a simple life," he said during the discussion. "Homer strikes me as a purposeless person. He wants to provide for his family, drink beer and have a good time."
The discussion looked into the character of Homer Simpson in regards to "finding a purpose," as well as comparing the ways both Jesus and Homer would react to a situation.
"I think that they are pretty much polar opposites," Hill said. He said, however, that Simpson was like Jesus because, "he was always overcoming obstacles."
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship sponsored this event as a way to mix popular culture with Biblical studies, basing its discussions off the book, "The Gospel According to the Simpsons," by Mark Pinsky.
"The book opened the door for us," said Scott Miller, the director of Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship and a university chaplain. "The concept is working."
The last meeting had a "full house," according to Miller, and this meeting saw a large turnout as well. "The Simpsons" allowed for a more youthful audience, which is less religious at times, to take a look at the Bible.
"I think there are some people who are apathetic, but I think some people are looking for something that is real," Miller said. "They aren't finding it [elsewhere]."
Miller also said it was interesting to see how many men came out to the last meeting, and while women do show up to the meetings, the majority of the group was primarily men. This time, however, there was almost an equivalent number of men to women.
Previous discussions had examined how Lisa Simpson cared for others, and whether or not she spoke for Jesus. The discussion is based on one episode of the show, which the group watches in its entirety before making comparisons to the Bible.
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship is an SAO group that tries to "represent Christ on our campus through our lives, activities and relationships," according to the group's website. The group is interdenominational and open to everyone.
Chi Alpha plans on holding more events in the future including a discussion session this Friday, and more "Simpsons" discussions, which have yet to be scheduled, according to Miller.
Wow, that actually worked.
Apparently, there's a configuration problem on the Blogger side of things that'll clear itself out if you switch to no archives, publish something, and then switch back. So now all the historical goodness of this little page is available for your perusal.
But I have to fix the link from the archives back to the front page. Still set for BlogSpot.
Apparently, there's a configuration problem on the Blogger side of things that'll clear itself out if you switch to no archives, publish something, and then switch back. So now all the historical goodness of this little page is available for your perusal.
But I have to fix the link from the archives back to the front page. Still set for BlogSpot.
So the move seems to be complete, with one exception. I can't get the archives to work. At this point, the archives only point to the first and last month of the blog's run. That year in-between is missing. It still shows up at the old BlogSpot archive page, though. Very strange.
Busy weekend past, as it was Family Weekend at Babson. I got to "run" registration, which I put in quotes because my co-worker who was in charge of the weekend did most of the work for me. She said I didn't seem that confident about my role, and to be honest I wasn't. On the other hand, though, registration isn't the most complex process in the world, and had she worked with me to go over details it would have been fine. But I think she was worried I wouldn't meet her standard for the event, which is probably a valid concern.
This was one of the tasks I was "nominated" for by my former boss before she left. Thanks!
Part of Family Weekend is a casino night, which this year had a Maverick theme. So I got to work the money wheel for a couple of hours wearing a sheriff's badge and a large foam cowboy hat. The hats made a re-appearance the next day at the Brandeis TRASH junior bird, as one of the players (also an RA) collected hats for the entire team. That it was open house weekend at Brandeis only made that better.
As you've probably seen elsewhere, I am back on Babson College Radio with a show called "Pardon the Blatant Ripoff." We don't quite live up to the Pardon the Interruption format (we don't keep to time that strictly, or have bells and buzzers to get us to move on, or have a Stat Boy), but it's not bad for free radio. Listen live from 7 to 8:30 am (Eastern time) on Tuesdays, or whenever via the BCR archive, whenever those get fixed.
I was subjected to the first episode of girls club on Monday, and it was everything I expected. It was kind of like a show written by first year law students- plenty of jargon to make it sound all legal, but with the least plausible courtroom dialogue in the history of fictional jurisprudence (including the line from Gretchen Mol about "I hope you don't think I'm the kind of lawyer who represents guilty people").
How did the show go? The blond one (played by Mol, don't know the character name) defended a guy on a capital case by herself, without seeming to have the experience that would lend itself to proper defending. The readhead got a settlement on a case where a doctor fainted during a gyno exam (as seen in ads), but the guy she's working with is sexually harrassing her (because every workplace has a guy who is so totally inappropriate that his misdeeds are never suspected by anyone), and the brunette called another female lawyer a "dyke." That, I think, was the "coarse language" we were warned about during the show.
I really think David E. Kelley has had a stroke and not told anyone. Or he's had his brain transmogrified. Or he was able to hide his hackish tendencies with his earlier work.
That's really the only new TV I've watched so far. The Fox Friday night combo of Firefly and John Doe looked mildly interesting, but I've not been around on Fridays to watch or even tape. Heck, I've got 3 hours of The West Wing still to watch, not to mention the last two hours of 24 which we have to get through before the new season starts. I kind of know what happens, but would like to see it unfold.
I've been mildly impressed with the Bruins, but would be moreso if their road trip had wins over Detroit and San Jose rather than Calgary and Edmonton. Still, they were looking like they'd be a horror show, and their opening loss to the Wild pointed to that being the case. But perhaps they'll keep it going, even without John Graheme.
Then there's the pre-season suckitude that's been Vin Baker. Let's not even consider that.
I'm on call again this week. I really am sick of being on-call so much, especially as my level of on-call does practically nothing. We'd tried to make some changes last year to improve this, but they've not really taken hold. I miss the days when I was part of a ten person on-call rotation and only had three weekends all year.
Speaking of work, I should go do some. More later.
Busy weekend past, as it was Family Weekend at Babson. I got to "run" registration, which I put in quotes because my co-worker who was in charge of the weekend did most of the work for me. She said I didn't seem that confident about my role, and to be honest I wasn't. On the other hand, though, registration isn't the most complex process in the world, and had she worked with me to go over details it would have been fine. But I think she was worried I wouldn't meet her standard for the event, which is probably a valid concern.
This was one of the tasks I was "nominated" for by my former boss before she left. Thanks!
Part of Family Weekend is a casino night, which this year had a Maverick theme. So I got to work the money wheel for a couple of hours wearing a sheriff's badge and a large foam cowboy hat. The hats made a re-appearance the next day at the Brandeis TRASH junior bird, as one of the players (also an RA) collected hats for the entire team. That it was open house weekend at Brandeis only made that better.
As you've probably seen elsewhere, I am back on Babson College Radio with a show called "Pardon the Blatant Ripoff." We don't quite live up to the Pardon the Interruption format (we don't keep to time that strictly, or have bells and buzzers to get us to move on, or have a Stat Boy), but it's not bad for free radio. Listen live from 7 to 8:30 am (Eastern time) on Tuesdays, or whenever via the BCR archive, whenever those get fixed.
I was subjected to the first episode of girls club on Monday, and it was everything I expected. It was kind of like a show written by first year law students- plenty of jargon to make it sound all legal, but with the least plausible courtroom dialogue in the history of fictional jurisprudence (including the line from Gretchen Mol about "I hope you don't think I'm the kind of lawyer who represents guilty people").
How did the show go? The blond one (played by Mol, don't know the character name) defended a guy on a capital case by herself, without seeming to have the experience that would lend itself to proper defending. The readhead got a settlement on a case where a doctor fainted during a gyno exam (as seen in ads), but the guy she's working with is sexually harrassing her (because every workplace has a guy who is so totally inappropriate that his misdeeds are never suspected by anyone), and the brunette called another female lawyer a "dyke." That, I think, was the "coarse language" we were warned about during the show.
I really think David E. Kelley has had a stroke and not told anyone. Or he's had his brain transmogrified. Or he was able to hide his hackish tendencies with his earlier work.
That's really the only new TV I've watched so far. The Fox Friday night combo of Firefly and John Doe looked mildly interesting, but I've not been around on Fridays to watch or even tape. Heck, I've got 3 hours of The West Wing still to watch, not to mention the last two hours of 24 which we have to get through before the new season starts. I kind of know what happens, but would like to see it unfold.
I've been mildly impressed with the Bruins, but would be moreso if their road trip had wins over Detroit and San Jose rather than Calgary and Edmonton. Still, they were looking like they'd be a horror show, and their opening loss to the Wild pointed to that being the case. But perhaps they'll keep it going, even without John Graheme.
Then there's the pre-season suckitude that's been Vin Baker. Let's not even consider that.
I'm on call again this week. I really am sick of being on-call so much, especially as my level of on-call does practically nothing. We'd tried to make some changes last year to improve this, but they've not really taken hold. I miss the days when I was part of a ten person on-call rotation and only had three weekends all year.
Speaking of work, I should go do some. More later.
19 October 2002
18 October 2002
Sarah, as she was leaving work yesterday, overheard two BU students talking about the new arena that's being built. They were wondering why it was being named for Harry Agganis when he already had a street named for him. "I wonder how much money he donated?" was the ultimate question posed by these ill-informed co-eds.
I should be angered, but I can see where the run of the mill, non-athletically minded BU student may not know much about Agganis. For those of you not familiar with the greatest Terrier athlete of them all, you are hereby required to read this bio from the Agganis Foundation.
I should be angered, but I can see where the run of the mill, non-athletically minded BU student may not know much about Agganis. For those of you not familiar with the greatest Terrier athlete of them all, you are hereby required to read this bio from the Agganis Foundation.
17 October 2002
We're moving.
Not me and Sarah; we're still enjoying the rent-free digs at Babson. But us here in Blogalicious land, we're pulling up stakes and heading to a new home.
Nothing against BlogSpot, one of the better freebies on the Web these days. But we do have a lot of server space over at the Gerbil, so like Matt Boggie I'll be running things out of there. Not sure if I'll make many other changes, though the addition of the ubiquitous comment widget can't be far behind.
For those of you with links, I will be moving to http://www.greenfieldgerbil.com/~coen starting, oh, Friday. Give folks a little time to get that squared away.
Just realized that Friday is tomorrow. Meant to give another day, but then we get into the weekend, and who among us will bother with any of this then?
This whole week's been off for me, date and day wise. Columbus Day is the easy to point at culprit, but then how do you explain me thinking it was late September the other day when Sarah was reading expiration dates off of yogurt? I was really befuddled why she'd think October 13 was a problem, but when she then added the 7th I realized the error.
And, thankfully, I didn't inadvertently poison her.
Not me and Sarah; we're still enjoying the rent-free digs at Babson. But us here in Blogalicious land, we're pulling up stakes and heading to a new home.
Nothing against BlogSpot, one of the better freebies on the Web these days. But we do have a lot of server space over at the Gerbil, so like Matt Boggie I'll be running things out of there. Not sure if I'll make many other changes, though the addition of the ubiquitous comment widget can't be far behind.
For those of you with links, I will be moving to http://www.greenfieldgerbil.com/~coen starting, oh, Friday. Give folks a little time to get that squared away.
Just realized that Friday is tomorrow. Meant to give another day, but then we get into the weekend, and who among us will bother with any of this then?
This whole week's been off for me, date and day wise. Columbus Day is the easy to point at culprit, but then how do you explain me thinking it was late September the other day when Sarah was reading expiration dates off of yogurt? I was really befuddled why she'd think October 13 was a problem, but when she then added the 7th I realized the error.
And, thankfully, I didn't inadvertently poison her.
16 October 2002
15 October 2002
Quick hits.
When is a hockey tournament not a hockey tournament? When it's hosted by Maine and has a field of the host, Quinnipiac, Lake Superior, and New Brunswick. That's right, the mighty Varsity Reds of the University of New Brunswick. Look, I know a lot of schools have exhibition games against Canadian universities, but in a tournament? Come on!
And it's not like Quinnipiac or Lake State are blowing anyone away. Quinippiac may be the cream of the MAAC, but that still puts them at roughly the same level as UMass. Maybe Providence. And Lake State's only felt the sweet caress of a winning record twice since Jeff Jackson left the school after the 95-96 season.
Let's just say that the Black Bear Classic was no Lefty McFadden Invitational.
Pats Suck! Now this was the team we were all expecting last year. Just with a shorter QB.
I only hope that they spend the week off watching the Denver-Miami game film in preparation to face the Broncos. The Fins won the game by (a) running the ball- something the Pats have decided to give up on, and (b) showing some guts. Jay Fiedler finished the game with a broken thumb, for cryin' out loud! No one in Foxboro is allowed to complain until they finish a game playing with a fractured digit.
How much does it suck to be a New York sports fan? Yanks out of the playoffs, Giants lose to the Falcons, Jets lose to, well, anyone, and the Knicks may just give the 9-72 Sixers a run for their money. Rangers and Islanders are sitting on the bottom of their conference in the NHL.
You can almost hear people asking how long it is until spring training.
IRS to use debt collectors to get back taxes I know this is only going to add to the people who trumpet the IRS as the ultimate big government bully. In most cases, I'd agree with that sentiment. But there are $200 billion in uncollected taxes out there, and as someone who files regularly and pays when required, I'd like to see that money come into the coffers. We can work on all the other problems with the IRS after they get their money.
Worst Slogan Ever Sadaam Hussein is running unopposed in a presidential referendum. His campaign slogan? "Yes, yes, yes, Sadaam." Didn't Gary Bauer use that?
The Baath party is hoping to improve upon the 99.96 percent of the vote won in the last election in 1995. Perhaps they should study the Illinois returns from the 1960 presidential election.
Snoop Dog off the wacky tabacky In an interview with Access Hollywood, Snoop Dog says he's no longer smoking weed or drinking gin, but is getting high on life instead. Good for him. But will he have to give back his Stoner of the Year award?
When is a hockey tournament not a hockey tournament? When it's hosted by Maine and has a field of the host, Quinnipiac, Lake Superior, and New Brunswick. That's right, the mighty Varsity Reds of the University of New Brunswick. Look, I know a lot of schools have exhibition games against Canadian universities, but in a tournament? Come on!
And it's not like Quinnipiac or Lake State are blowing anyone away. Quinippiac may be the cream of the MAAC, but that still puts them at roughly the same level as UMass. Maybe Providence. And Lake State's only felt the sweet caress of a winning record twice since Jeff Jackson left the school after the 95-96 season.
Let's just say that the Black Bear Classic was no Lefty McFadden Invitational.
Pats Suck! Now this was the team we were all expecting last year. Just with a shorter QB.
I only hope that they spend the week off watching the Denver-Miami game film in preparation to face the Broncos. The Fins won the game by (a) running the ball- something the Pats have decided to give up on, and (b) showing some guts. Jay Fiedler finished the game with a broken thumb, for cryin' out loud! No one in Foxboro is allowed to complain until they finish a game playing with a fractured digit.
How much does it suck to be a New York sports fan? Yanks out of the playoffs, Giants lose to the Falcons, Jets lose to, well, anyone, and the Knicks may just give the 9-72 Sixers a run for their money. Rangers and Islanders are sitting on the bottom of their conference in the NHL.
You can almost hear people asking how long it is until spring training.
IRS to use debt collectors to get back taxes I know this is only going to add to the people who trumpet the IRS as the ultimate big government bully. In most cases, I'd agree with that sentiment. But there are $200 billion in uncollected taxes out there, and as someone who files regularly and pays when required, I'd like to see that money come into the coffers. We can work on all the other problems with the IRS after they get their money.
Worst Slogan Ever Sadaam Hussein is running unopposed in a presidential referendum. His campaign slogan? "Yes, yes, yes, Sadaam." Didn't Gary Bauer use that?
The Baath party is hoping to improve upon the 99.96 percent of the vote won in the last election in 1995. Perhaps they should study the Illinois returns from the 1960 presidential election.
Snoop Dog off the wacky tabacky In an interview with Access Hollywood, Snoop Dog says he's no longer smoking weed or drinking gin, but is getting high on life instead. Good for him. But will he have to give back his Stoner of the Year award?
12 October 2002
Sarah and I went up to Manchester yesterday to see the priest at my home church to start the process of getting married in the Catholic church. Process may be too strong a word, but it is more than just showing up. We both had to go in individually with Father Harrington and affirm that we were entering the marriage freely, etc. It was not, as we'd both sort of feared, a latter-day outpost of the Inquisition.
I'd not seen Father Harrington since my dad's funeral, and I'd forgotten how much I liked him. For all the grief the Catholic church has taken over the last year or so (from major media, the general public, and even crappy weblogs like this), it's clergymen like him that remind me why I still have, at some level, an interest in the faith at all. It didn't hurt that he has a very nice dog.
We also were talking and it turns out that at one time he was headmaster at a school and had (now) former BC head coach Steve Cedarchuk as his head hockey coach. Apparently, he did the same thing at this school that he did at BC- promise scholarships and spots on the team that he didn't have.
In any event, perhaps more notable than this step along the path to matrimony was our drive up to Manchester. We left the BU campus at, let's say 4:15. We got to the Route 1 North on-ramp at 5. It took us 45 minutes to travel about 3 miles.
Our appointment was at 6. At 5:45 we were still in Revere (just getting into Saugus). That's about 8 to 10 miles. Maybe. Traffic didn't really break until we got to the 128 North exit, and even then didn't really thin out until we got into Danvers.
All told, it took us 2 and a quarter hours to cover what is, normally, a leisurly 40 minute drive. And the Big Dig will do almost nothing to correct the traffic situation after the Tobin Bridge (and blessed little on Storrow Drive, though you can argue secondary effects by supposed smoother traffic on 93).
I can't see how people drive this every day. I'm convinced there is some level of insanity that descends upon people when it comes to cars. I know that not everyone lives or works in close proximity to a commuter rail or T stop. But I'd be hard-pressed, after months (or years) of commutes like yesterday, to see how driving was any better than making the effort to use public transportation. There's a huge garage in Lynn next to their commuter rail stop that's heavily underutilized, for example (then again, it is in Lynn).
The state could also help the situation by expanding the T and commuter rail networks. But why do that when you can spend $15 billion on a roadway system that's over-budget, behind schedule, and probably won't do a damn thing to improve congestion?
I'd not seen Father Harrington since my dad's funeral, and I'd forgotten how much I liked him. For all the grief the Catholic church has taken over the last year or so (from major media, the general public, and even crappy weblogs like this), it's clergymen like him that remind me why I still have, at some level, an interest in the faith at all. It didn't hurt that he has a very nice dog.
We also were talking and it turns out that at one time he was headmaster at a school and had (now) former BC head coach Steve Cedarchuk as his head hockey coach. Apparently, he did the same thing at this school that he did at BC- promise scholarships and spots on the team that he didn't have.
In any event, perhaps more notable than this step along the path to matrimony was our drive up to Manchester. We left the BU campus at, let's say 4:15. We got to the Route 1 North on-ramp at 5. It took us 45 minutes to travel about 3 miles.
Our appointment was at 6. At 5:45 we were still in Revere (just getting into Saugus). That's about 8 to 10 miles. Maybe. Traffic didn't really break until we got to the 128 North exit, and even then didn't really thin out until we got into Danvers.
All told, it took us 2 and a quarter hours to cover what is, normally, a leisurly 40 minute drive. And the Big Dig will do almost nothing to correct the traffic situation after the Tobin Bridge (and blessed little on Storrow Drive, though you can argue secondary effects by supposed smoother traffic on 93).
I can't see how people drive this every day. I'm convinced there is some level of insanity that descends upon people when it comes to cars. I know that not everyone lives or works in close proximity to a commuter rail or T stop. But I'd be hard-pressed, after months (or years) of commutes like yesterday, to see how driving was any better than making the effort to use public transportation. There's a huge garage in Lynn next to their commuter rail stop that's heavily underutilized, for example (then again, it is in Lynn).
The state could also help the situation by expanding the T and commuter rail networks. But why do that when you can spend $15 billion on a roadway system that's over-budget, behind schedule, and probably won't do a damn thing to improve congestion?
11 October 2002
Do you remember when, in the comic strip Bloom County, the Meadow Party had its 1988 convention broadcast by MTV but had the audio replaced with Judas Priest songs? Our local cable folks are providing something very similar.
For the past week, for whatever reason, C-SPAN 2 has had, as its audio, Jam'n 94.5, the home for Boston's blazin' hip hop. There's nothing like watching Craig Thomas (R-WY) debate the Iraq resolution to the strains of "Move Bitch."
For the past week, for whatever reason, C-SPAN 2 has had, as its audio, Jam'n 94.5, the home for Boston's blazin' hip hop. There's nothing like watching Craig Thomas (R-WY) debate the Iraq resolution to the strains of "Move Bitch."
09 October 2002
A couple of items from yesterday.
1. I was incredibly pissed off when I saw Bud Selig and Carl Polhad at the Metrodome last night taking in game 1 of the ACLS. It doesn't seem fair that a commissioner who wanted to OK the team's dissolution and the man who most stood to profit from it should get to enjoy the team's success. At the same time, though, I did feel like my anger was a little misplaced. I mean, of course, the commish and the home team's owner would be at the game. Where else would they be?
Selig is taking great pains to note that the idea of contracting the Twins was a decision made by all owners, which he had to spearhead as commissioner. I don't know if that makes things any better. For me, it underscores the reason why the commissioner needs to be independent of ownership and players. Why should I believe that Bud would do anything but support any move agreed to by his peer group? An independent commish may have to do the same thing, but that person would at least have the independent status to (a) act as devil's advocate to argue against contraction with the owners, and (b) have more public credibility to work out generally agreeable solutions.
As for Polhad, he really does remind me of a much older Rachel Phelps from Major League. I just hope there isn't a naked life-size cutout of him in the locker room. Has anyone started the rumor that Polhad was the model for Monty Burns?
Anyway, I was irritated, perhaps rightfully so, perhaps not.
2. Krispy Kreme has finally opened its first New England location. It's on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington, Connectict. Future stores are supposed to open elsewhere in the Nutmeg State, Rhode Island, and Medford, MA.
I have to admit, I really don't understand the hype. The doughnuts are OK. Fun to watch them go through the production line, but that's about it. I don't have that transcendent experience with the hot glazed ones that everyone else seems to have.
Then again, I'm not a fan of gushy, sticky, drippy foods. I don't really care for jelly, lemon, or boston creme doughnuts. The apple ones are OK, but the filling there is much thicker.
The one exception to this is a Greek dessert whose name escapes me, which is basically balls of fried dough soaked in honey. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I suppose I'm a Dunkin Donuts partisan, even though I don't drink coffee. I'm not claiming their doughnuts are perfection or anything, just that they tend to suit my tastes. Though they don't have a really good sugar doughnut, like the ones independent bakeries make. I used to work with a woman who, on her way to the office from Revere, would stop at a place and pick some up. I say again, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
1. I was incredibly pissed off when I saw Bud Selig and Carl Polhad at the Metrodome last night taking in game 1 of the ACLS. It doesn't seem fair that a commissioner who wanted to OK the team's dissolution and the man who most stood to profit from it should get to enjoy the team's success. At the same time, though, I did feel like my anger was a little misplaced. I mean, of course, the commish and the home team's owner would be at the game. Where else would they be?
Selig is taking great pains to note that the idea of contracting the Twins was a decision made by all owners, which he had to spearhead as commissioner. I don't know if that makes things any better. For me, it underscores the reason why the commissioner needs to be independent of ownership and players. Why should I believe that Bud would do anything but support any move agreed to by his peer group? An independent commish may have to do the same thing, but that person would at least have the independent status to (a) act as devil's advocate to argue against contraction with the owners, and (b) have more public credibility to work out generally agreeable solutions.
As for Polhad, he really does remind me of a much older Rachel Phelps from Major League. I just hope there isn't a naked life-size cutout of him in the locker room. Has anyone started the rumor that Polhad was the model for Monty Burns?
Anyway, I was irritated, perhaps rightfully so, perhaps not.
2. Krispy Kreme has finally opened its first New England location. It's on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington, Connectict. Future stores are supposed to open elsewhere in the Nutmeg State, Rhode Island, and Medford, MA.
I have to admit, I really don't understand the hype. The doughnuts are OK. Fun to watch them go through the production line, but that's about it. I don't have that transcendent experience with the hot glazed ones that everyone else seems to have.
Then again, I'm not a fan of gushy, sticky, drippy foods. I don't really care for jelly, lemon, or boston creme doughnuts. The apple ones are OK, but the filling there is much thicker.
The one exception to this is a Greek dessert whose name escapes me, which is basically balls of fried dough soaked in honey. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I suppose I'm a Dunkin Donuts partisan, even though I don't drink coffee. I'm not claiming their doughnuts are perfection or anything, just that they tend to suit my tastes. Though they don't have a really good sugar doughnut, like the ones independent bakeries make. I used to work with a woman who, on her way to the office from Revere, would stop at a place and pick some up. I say again, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
07 October 2002
I've not said anything about the Angels beating the Yankees, but this pretty much trumps anything I could say.
06 October 2002
As some of you may know, Julia Roberts was in town this week filming part of her upcoming movie Mona Lisa Smiles at Wellesley College. And, imagine my surprise at being involved in a brush with greatness this very same week.
Just not with her. Or Kristen Dunst. Or anyone else involved with the movie.
This morning, while waiting to be seated at Vidalia's Truck Stop, a little diner-themed place in Wellesley center, I noticed a man standing in half-profile not more than 3 feet away. I thought to myself, "hey, that guy kind of looks like Peter Gammons."
Then the guy started to talk to one of the kids working behind the counter. It was, indeed, Peter Gammons.
I didn't say anything to him, as he was talking to people and I didn't want to interrupt. Plus, what would I have said? "Hi, Mr. Gammons. Like your work."? That's not much of a compliment, and I'm not a big enough fan to gush.
I know some of you out there would have been better equipped to handle the situation, so apologies for not being able to pinch hit for you.
Just not with her. Or Kristen Dunst. Or anyone else involved with the movie.
This morning, while waiting to be seated at Vidalia's Truck Stop, a little diner-themed place in Wellesley center, I noticed a man standing in half-profile not more than 3 feet away. I thought to myself, "hey, that guy kind of looks like Peter Gammons."
Then the guy started to talk to one of the kids working behind the counter. It was, indeed, Peter Gammons.
I didn't say anything to him, as he was talking to people and I didn't want to interrupt. Plus, what would I have said? "Hi, Mr. Gammons. Like your work."? That's not much of a compliment, and I'm not a big enough fan to gush.
I know some of you out there would have been better equipped to handle the situation, so apologies for not being able to pinch hit for you.
04 October 2002
Kudos to the Bruce for calling out Brian "Sports Guy" Simmons on his latest piece of misogynistic claptrap. It managed to be both irritating and banal, which is a mix you don't often get.
Speaking of the irritating and banal, does anyone pay attention to Jerry Falwell anymore other than journalists waiting to hear his latest bigotry? I know, there are. Sadly. I suppose it wouldn't be worth the effort to point out to Falwell the irony of calling Muhammed a terrorist while representing a religion that's done its share of violence.
Speaking of the irritating and banal, does anyone pay attention to Jerry Falwell anymore other than journalists waiting to hear his latest bigotry? I know, there are. Sadly. I suppose it wouldn't be worth the effort to point out to Falwell the irony of calling Muhammed a terrorist while representing a religion that's done its share of violence.
03 October 2002
Fellow Terriers, rejoice! Sports Illustrated ranked BU the 76th best sports school in the country. Hockey, hoops, and women's cross-country were highlighted, and there was no mention of our late, lamented football team. We ranked ahead of "major" sports schools like Virginia Tech, Georgetown, Louisville, Rutgers, West Virginia, and Temple. For locals, we ranked ahead of UNH, Brown, Yale, Dartmouth, UMass, Providence, Vermont, CCSU, and Holy Cross. Sadly, we were beaten out by BC (54th) and Maine (70).
For likely readers from other schools:
Michigan (10)
Northwestern (89)
George Washington (185)
Harvard (41, which is also the number of varsity sports the Crimson offer)
Cornell (74)
It's only division 1, so sorry to my readership base at South Dakota State. William College, though, was given kudos for being the best division 3 sports school.
All this just whets my appetite for BU hockey, as did the arrival of my season tickets this week. The strips honor Jack Parker's 30 years as coach, with each strip showing a picture of him at a different stage in his career. You can actually follow his hair as it goes gray and falls out. There's also the matter of his evolving wardrobe, which in the early years the less said the better.
All kidding aside, I'm happy we have 30 years of him to celebrate. I'd hate to think of him toiling in despair with the Bruins and their penny-pinching management.
For likely readers from other schools:
Michigan (10)
Northwestern (89)
George Washington (185)
Harvard (41, which is also the number of varsity sports the Crimson offer)
Cornell (74)
It's only division 1, so sorry to my readership base at South Dakota State. William College, though, was given kudos for being the best division 3 sports school.
All this just whets my appetite for BU hockey, as did the arrival of my season tickets this week. The strips honor Jack Parker's 30 years as coach, with each strip showing a picture of him at a different stage in his career. You can actually follow his hair as it goes gray and falls out. There's also the matter of his evolving wardrobe, which in the early years the less said the better.
All kidding aside, I'm happy we have 30 years of him to celebrate. I'd hate to think of him toiling in despair with the Bruins and their penny-pinching management.
02 October 2002
And now, the conclusion to my vacation.
Wednesday September 25 We'd planned an early start to get the most of our day in Charleston, but got off later than planned due to renewed conflict over people not wanting to go. We were further delayed by the various points on US 17 that slow down to 45 mph, mostly through the first half of the drive. This put us in Charleston around noon.
We opted for a minibus tour of the city, given that we (a) didn't have much of a plan by way of knowing ahead of time what we wanted to see, and (b) the growing specter of rain. This proved to be a decent selection, as about halfway through the tour, as we were down by The Battery, it started to pour. Rain continued, heavy at times, for the rest of the day.
The driving tour, while keeping us dry, didn't exactly keep us on schedule, as the minibus stalled a number of times. We then had a 15 minute wait at one of the historic homes to swap buses with one that didn't stall (and had better AC).
As for the tour, we mostly drove through the historic district and saw the many, many nice old houses. We also saw some that were in less pristine condition, thanks to a civic interest in preservation that doesn't allow for the destruction of any building over 75 years of age. They can be left to the caprice of nature and the immutable law of gravity, but don't think for a second you can bring in the wrecking ball. In any case, it did add to a sort of shabby gentility, which is one of those phrases that seems to describe any number of southern locations (at least to us up here).
Given the weather and scope of the tour we did not see as much of the city as I would have liked. I would suggest running through John Heaton's Carolina Breakdown for a better description of the city's charms.
We did decide, after the tour, to head up to the open markets on, surprisingly enough, Market Street. It's kind of a combined tourist trap, flea market, and craft fair. Seagrass baskets are the local handicraft item of interest, and they are very nice. Just very expensive. At this point we started to run into our late afternoon theme- every time we were out from under cover, it rained. Or, rather, deluged. Dumped as we were going from the visitor center to the market. Poured as we tried to get back to the car after dinner. We were soaked, even with the hastily-bought umbrellas.
The drive home was marked only by the possibility of running out of gas in the Francis Marion State Forest, but found some ramshackle general store with two pumps to get us through.
The night was devoted to drying off and preparing for the next day's excursions: shopping for the women, golf for the men.
Thursday September 26 The XY contingent set off under overcast skies to chase little white balls around River Oaks Golf Plantation, located just across the highway from the timeshare. It was pissing rain as we got to the club stand and made the decision to press on. Sarah's dad and uncle used their free rounds, and my round got discounted (thanks in part to club rentals and ball and tee purchases, I'd have to think).
We got in the carts and started to drive over to the Bear course (the facility is made up of three nine hole courses, so you play two of the three in a full round). About halfway there, it begins to pour. Biblically. Take the loved ones to higher ground pour. We hunkered down in the carts for a minute or two, but with no end in sight headed back to the clubhouse.
We waited there about five minutes, and the monsoon devolved into spitting rain. Having already shelled out to play, we figured to give it another go.
The sun was out and the temperature climbing by the time we reached the third hole.
Like much of the newer development in the area, the course was built on what was, to the best that I could tell, former marsh/swamp/forest land. The water tables are high, making drainage- especially after heavy rains- difficult. This set a tone for the day, as the rains turned some sand traps into impromptu water hazards and made the fairways play more like rough. In fact, it was almost better to be in the first cut of rough, as it was usually less waterlogged than the fairway.
The most interesting part of the day- outside of my demonstration of links ineptitude- was watching Sarah's uncle, who is I guess legally blind, play. For someone who has to feel the ball and club head before driving, and have someone help him line up his shots, he plays very well. He beat me, though that may not be the best measure of success given how rarely I've played.
I did make some memorable shots. Such as on the fifth hole, when my drive made a loud thwacking sound off of one of the condos that encroach upon the course. Or on a later hole, when I put a shot into some murky water. Some searching not only located my ball, but about a dozen others. Occasionally I did put together some honest to God golf shots, such as my drive on the fifth hole of the Fox course, which made me realize why people play this game.
Then there were the multitude of shots where the ball's travel could be measured in inches. Those made me realize why this game drives people crazy.
So what did I shoot? Let's just say that my score was lower than the number of points Georgia Tech put on Cumberland College in 1916, but higher than the number of homers hit by the Detroit Tigers this season.
The rest of the day was kind of a wash. Watched the Red Sox play a lackluster game against the White Sox, more time at the pool, and general relaxation.
Friday September 27 By virtue of a late flight we actually had most of the day to do stuff. Which explains why we spent most of the day by the pool. Seriously, it's like a sickness or something.
Had dinner at a little place the women found while shopping. It's a good case of not letting appearances fool you. Located in a shopping center, it looks like the sort of place you'd go to when the Old Country Buffet is closed for renovations. And as short as it was on amenities, the food was very good. I took the all you could eat fish as a dare and managed four helpings of flounder down the chute. I actually had quite a bit of fish on the trip; had some catfish when we were out on Monday night, and tilapia at a place in Charleston on Wednesday.
While on the subject of food, I would be a very happy person if hush puppies and sweet tea were available at every meal here as they are in the south. I would weigh 700 pounds and have no teeth, but would be happy.
Got to the airport to find out from the Delta folks that Atlanta is all screwed up, so in order to actually make sure we got home they rebooked us onto a US Air flight that would go from Myrtle Beach to Charlotte to Boston. We went to the gate waiting for our regional jet or puddle jumper. We got a 737. Apparenly, they needed the plane back in Charlotte. So, 30 of us trooped aboard for our 27 minute flight. That was very strange.
Charlotte has a very nice airport. Better than Atlanta, I'd have to say. Newer, and the commercial aspects are less in your face.
Flight home was on an Airbus 319, which has the oddity of only being able to raise the middle armrests halfway. I thus spent the trip with the thing in my lap, as it was discomforting in either the full down or up positions. The armrest on the aisle, however, was fully retractable. I'd have moved except that every time I sit on the aisle I get whacked with the drink cart. Honestly. Every time.
Boston was pretty well socked in, to the point that I didn't see land until we were over the airport. We waited some ungodly amount of time for the shuttle bus to "economy" parking. I use quotes because they price "economy" parking very strangely, assessing charges for hours and parts of hours up to four hours, and then charging one price from four to 24 hours. This allows them to ream you on partial day charges. Thank God Massport isn't some hack-infested bureaucracy that was recently run by a publicist who had no transportation experience.
Oh. Never mind.
Anyway, got home about the time we'd have been touching down if we'd had our original flight, so no complaints there.
Saturday and Sunday September 28-29 Went down to Connecticut for my brother's wedding reception. This was the piece for people who didn't go to the wedding and were invited to the full-blown nuptuals originally planned for this weekend.
The reception was in a pavilion along Southport Beach, and was very nice. There was a clambake theme, which tied into the nautical theme of the wedding itself (lots of lobster iconography). Good view out to Long Island Sound, very close to the water. I managed to not have to give my blessing again (it being a dinner blessing and not requested until after everyone ate), danced poorly, and had quite a number of seabreezes (the beer being crap).
Stayed at the Westport Inn, which didn't make much of an impression on me, honestly. I wonder if it's one of those places whose reputation precedes it enough that it can coast in some ways. The AC was underpowered and the bathroom could have benefitted from a newer shower and some form of ventilation.
Anyway, a fun capper to a full week and a half away from home.
Wednesday September 25 We'd planned an early start to get the most of our day in Charleston, but got off later than planned due to renewed conflict over people not wanting to go. We were further delayed by the various points on US 17 that slow down to 45 mph, mostly through the first half of the drive. This put us in Charleston around noon.
We opted for a minibus tour of the city, given that we (a) didn't have much of a plan by way of knowing ahead of time what we wanted to see, and (b) the growing specter of rain. This proved to be a decent selection, as about halfway through the tour, as we were down by The Battery, it started to pour. Rain continued, heavy at times, for the rest of the day.
The driving tour, while keeping us dry, didn't exactly keep us on schedule, as the minibus stalled a number of times. We then had a 15 minute wait at one of the historic homes to swap buses with one that didn't stall (and had better AC).
As for the tour, we mostly drove through the historic district and saw the many, many nice old houses. We also saw some that were in less pristine condition, thanks to a civic interest in preservation that doesn't allow for the destruction of any building over 75 years of age. They can be left to the caprice of nature and the immutable law of gravity, but don't think for a second you can bring in the wrecking ball. In any case, it did add to a sort of shabby gentility, which is one of those phrases that seems to describe any number of southern locations (at least to us up here).
Given the weather and scope of the tour we did not see as much of the city as I would have liked. I would suggest running through John Heaton's Carolina Breakdown for a better description of the city's charms.
We did decide, after the tour, to head up to the open markets on, surprisingly enough, Market Street. It's kind of a combined tourist trap, flea market, and craft fair. Seagrass baskets are the local handicraft item of interest, and they are very nice. Just very expensive. At this point we started to run into our late afternoon theme- every time we were out from under cover, it rained. Or, rather, deluged. Dumped as we were going from the visitor center to the market. Poured as we tried to get back to the car after dinner. We were soaked, even with the hastily-bought umbrellas.
The drive home was marked only by the possibility of running out of gas in the Francis Marion State Forest, but found some ramshackle general store with two pumps to get us through.
The night was devoted to drying off and preparing for the next day's excursions: shopping for the women, golf for the men.
Thursday September 26 The XY contingent set off under overcast skies to chase little white balls around River Oaks Golf Plantation, located just across the highway from the timeshare. It was pissing rain as we got to the club stand and made the decision to press on. Sarah's dad and uncle used their free rounds, and my round got discounted (thanks in part to club rentals and ball and tee purchases, I'd have to think).
We got in the carts and started to drive over to the Bear course (the facility is made up of three nine hole courses, so you play two of the three in a full round). About halfway there, it begins to pour. Biblically. Take the loved ones to higher ground pour. We hunkered down in the carts for a minute or two, but with no end in sight headed back to the clubhouse.
We waited there about five minutes, and the monsoon devolved into spitting rain. Having already shelled out to play, we figured to give it another go.
The sun was out and the temperature climbing by the time we reached the third hole.
Like much of the newer development in the area, the course was built on what was, to the best that I could tell, former marsh/swamp/forest land. The water tables are high, making drainage- especially after heavy rains- difficult. This set a tone for the day, as the rains turned some sand traps into impromptu water hazards and made the fairways play more like rough. In fact, it was almost better to be in the first cut of rough, as it was usually less waterlogged than the fairway.
The most interesting part of the day- outside of my demonstration of links ineptitude- was watching Sarah's uncle, who is I guess legally blind, play. For someone who has to feel the ball and club head before driving, and have someone help him line up his shots, he plays very well. He beat me, though that may not be the best measure of success given how rarely I've played.
I did make some memorable shots. Such as on the fifth hole, when my drive made a loud thwacking sound off of one of the condos that encroach upon the course. Or on a later hole, when I put a shot into some murky water. Some searching not only located my ball, but about a dozen others. Occasionally I did put together some honest to God golf shots, such as my drive on the fifth hole of the Fox course, which made me realize why people play this game.
Then there were the multitude of shots where the ball's travel could be measured in inches. Those made me realize why this game drives people crazy.
So what did I shoot? Let's just say that my score was lower than the number of points Georgia Tech put on Cumberland College in 1916, but higher than the number of homers hit by the Detroit Tigers this season.
The rest of the day was kind of a wash. Watched the Red Sox play a lackluster game against the White Sox, more time at the pool, and general relaxation.
Friday September 27 By virtue of a late flight we actually had most of the day to do stuff. Which explains why we spent most of the day by the pool. Seriously, it's like a sickness or something.
Had dinner at a little place the women found while shopping. It's a good case of not letting appearances fool you. Located in a shopping center, it looks like the sort of place you'd go to when the Old Country Buffet is closed for renovations. And as short as it was on amenities, the food was very good. I took the all you could eat fish as a dare and managed four helpings of flounder down the chute. I actually had quite a bit of fish on the trip; had some catfish when we were out on Monday night, and tilapia at a place in Charleston on Wednesday.
While on the subject of food, I would be a very happy person if hush puppies and sweet tea were available at every meal here as they are in the south. I would weigh 700 pounds and have no teeth, but would be happy.
Got to the airport to find out from the Delta folks that Atlanta is all screwed up, so in order to actually make sure we got home they rebooked us onto a US Air flight that would go from Myrtle Beach to Charlotte to Boston. We went to the gate waiting for our regional jet or puddle jumper. We got a 737. Apparenly, they needed the plane back in Charlotte. So, 30 of us trooped aboard for our 27 minute flight. That was very strange.
Charlotte has a very nice airport. Better than Atlanta, I'd have to say. Newer, and the commercial aspects are less in your face.
Flight home was on an Airbus 319, which has the oddity of only being able to raise the middle armrests halfway. I thus spent the trip with the thing in my lap, as it was discomforting in either the full down or up positions. The armrest on the aisle, however, was fully retractable. I'd have moved except that every time I sit on the aisle I get whacked with the drink cart. Honestly. Every time.
Boston was pretty well socked in, to the point that I didn't see land until we were over the airport. We waited some ungodly amount of time for the shuttle bus to "economy" parking. I use quotes because they price "economy" parking very strangely, assessing charges for hours and parts of hours up to four hours, and then charging one price from four to 24 hours. This allows them to ream you on partial day charges. Thank God Massport isn't some hack-infested bureaucracy that was recently run by a publicist who had no transportation experience.
Oh. Never mind.
Anyway, got home about the time we'd have been touching down if we'd had our original flight, so no complaints there.
Saturday and Sunday September 28-29 Went down to Connecticut for my brother's wedding reception. This was the piece for people who didn't go to the wedding and were invited to the full-blown nuptuals originally planned for this weekend.
The reception was in a pavilion along Southport Beach, and was very nice. There was a clambake theme, which tied into the nautical theme of the wedding itself (lots of lobster iconography). Good view out to Long Island Sound, very close to the water. I managed to not have to give my blessing again (it being a dinner blessing and not requested until after everyone ate), danced poorly, and had quite a number of seabreezes (the beer being crap).
Stayed at the Westport Inn, which didn't make much of an impression on me, honestly. I wonder if it's one of those places whose reputation precedes it enough that it can coast in some ways. The AC was underpowered and the bathroom could have benefitted from a newer shower and some form of ventilation.
Anyway, a fun capper to a full week and a half away from home.
01 October 2002
More from National Lampoon's Carolina Vacation:
Monday September 23 Spent the morning by the pool. We spent more time by the pool than the beach, odd enough for vacationers to Myrtle Beach. We were regaled by what would be the constant repetition of a collection of Beach Boys hits. Honestly, we heard the same set of songs every time we went to the pool until, say, Thursday.
In the afternoon we took a drive up to North Myrtle Beach to check email and for me to rectify failing to update free agents for the fantasy football league I run (sorry about that). During this drive I had another comparison to make: Myrtle Beach is a lot like Branson. Or at least what I think Branson is like. There are many, many, theaters in the Myrtle Beach area. Country supergroup Alabama has one. Crook and Chase, hosts of a TNN talk show when TNN was still hick, have one (which was about 200 yards from our timeshare). There's one for Spirit of the Dance, the non-royal version of Lord of the Dance. There's also the Legends theater, showcasing the best in look-alike musical talent the area had to offer.
Apparently, the theaters and shows are a knowing attempt at family-friendliness, though I can't see how taking a family of four to see an ersatz Marilyn Monroe purr "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" would be preferable to lower cost admission to a water park (or the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a Braves affiliate).
Found a computer for use, but not until learning the library in Myrtle Beach (not listed on the maps that did list the North Myrtle library) offered access without need of a library card. At least we got to see some of the area, and enjoyed the use of North Myrtle's super-clean post office. Honestly, it's like they just took it out of the box.
Having blown the afternoon, Sarah was particularly interested in doing something that night. So we hopped in the car and drove over to Broadway at the Beach, a large entertainment and shopping venue. We took the opportunity to play some mini golf- there are almost as many mini golf courses in Myrtle Beach as real ones- and for the first time in my life I shot par. Woo!
After a quick dinner we ambled over to the Imax theater to see the movie on the International Space Station. Pretty good, though the new Imax at Jordan's Furniture in Natick is showing it in 3-D. That would be cool.
Ended the evening doing some window shopping (and actual shopping for postcards) and got some ice cream. It's actually a nice night out if you don't get sucked in to doing any real shopping.
Tuesday September 24 You know how, when you're on a trip with a group of people, you get to that day where folks get on each other's nerves? This was that day for us.
Morning was fine, more pool sitting. Sarah wanted to tour Atalaya, the ruins of a mansion at Huntington Beach State Park. We'd been there with Kay the timeshare lady, who managed to comingle the story of the Huntingtons, artist-recluse types, with the legend of the Grey Man. The park also boasts an incredible beach which, at both times we were there, was lightly populated.
Sarah was in her "let's go!" mode, which contrasted with her dad's "I don't want to go" mode. Much carping later we were off. We also had to stop at the post office again, as I had one too many cards as I did stamps. Sarah and I managed to get on each other's nerves about the location of the post office. She kept asking its location, while I kept intoning that I knew where it was, and that our high-quality tourist board maps weren't exactly to scale. It was a lovely drive.
Got to the post office, and discovered that their main machine only sold books, not single stamps. I also learned that once you put money into that machine, you can only get money back as change after a purchase. Having wasted one quarter there, I finally located the single stamp machine- which only sold 37 cent and 3 cent stamps. Thus, my aunt got a postcard franked with eight 3 cent stamps (given how I had to cram the stamps on, she may not have gotten it).
We get to the park right around 2 (when the tour for Atalaya was starting), and discover that the entry isn't $4 per car but $4 each. We try to explain our mishap to the guy at the gate, who seems befuddled to think that we've only got $4. His dogged pursuit of the extra $4 suggests that he was the offspring of Forrest Gump and one of the hard-core usher grandmothers from Wrigley Field. We finally convinced him that we were meeting a car of people who'd just entered and would return with $4 before leaving.
Only problem was that that car wasn't at the park. We dithered about what to do, and eventually went to the visitor's center for the tour. They told us it was starting from the house. More dithering about waiting for the other car, and eventually we went to find the tour. We followed voices, only to come across guys setting up for a wedding.
We then went back to our car, and a couple minutes later the other car came in. They had their own squabble as to where exactly we were going, so both rides over were fun.
We all then went back to the house and looked around, and in the process actually caught up with the tour. The house, if you've not perused the park's website, it a Spanish/Moorish design that Archer Huntington created from memory. It kind of shows, as the house looks more like an asylum than a mansion. There are no pictures of the interior from its heyday (the Huntingtons being, as I mentioned, reclusive), so it was hard to imagine how the place would have looked inhabited.
After the tour we walked the beach, then took a marsh walk on a wooden path built over the marsh. Watched some people net fish, which was kind of cool. We even saw a gator on the way in, just poking its head over the water line.
I would highly recommend a day at the park if you're ever in the neighborhood.
We were heading for Charleston the next day, so we didn't do anything that night. Not that I remember, at any rate.
Monday September 23 Spent the morning by the pool. We spent more time by the pool than the beach, odd enough for vacationers to Myrtle Beach. We were regaled by what would be the constant repetition of a collection of Beach Boys hits. Honestly, we heard the same set of songs every time we went to the pool until, say, Thursday.
In the afternoon we took a drive up to North Myrtle Beach to check email and for me to rectify failing to update free agents for the fantasy football league I run (sorry about that). During this drive I had another comparison to make: Myrtle Beach is a lot like Branson. Or at least what I think Branson is like. There are many, many, theaters in the Myrtle Beach area. Country supergroup Alabama has one. Crook and Chase, hosts of a TNN talk show when TNN was still hick, have one (which was about 200 yards from our timeshare). There's one for Spirit of the Dance, the non-royal version of Lord of the Dance. There's also the Legends theater, showcasing the best in look-alike musical talent the area had to offer.
Apparently, the theaters and shows are a knowing attempt at family-friendliness, though I can't see how taking a family of four to see an ersatz Marilyn Monroe purr "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" would be preferable to lower cost admission to a water park (or the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a Braves affiliate).
Found a computer for use, but not until learning the library in Myrtle Beach (not listed on the maps that did list the North Myrtle library) offered access without need of a library card. At least we got to see some of the area, and enjoyed the use of North Myrtle's super-clean post office. Honestly, it's like they just took it out of the box.
Having blown the afternoon, Sarah was particularly interested in doing something that night. So we hopped in the car and drove over to Broadway at the Beach, a large entertainment and shopping venue. We took the opportunity to play some mini golf- there are almost as many mini golf courses in Myrtle Beach as real ones- and for the first time in my life I shot par. Woo!
After a quick dinner we ambled over to the Imax theater to see the movie on the International Space Station. Pretty good, though the new Imax at Jordan's Furniture in Natick is showing it in 3-D. That would be cool.
Ended the evening doing some window shopping (and actual shopping for postcards) and got some ice cream. It's actually a nice night out if you don't get sucked in to doing any real shopping.
Tuesday September 24 You know how, when you're on a trip with a group of people, you get to that day where folks get on each other's nerves? This was that day for us.
Morning was fine, more pool sitting. Sarah wanted to tour Atalaya, the ruins of a mansion at Huntington Beach State Park. We'd been there with Kay the timeshare lady, who managed to comingle the story of the Huntingtons, artist-recluse types, with the legend of the Grey Man. The park also boasts an incredible beach which, at both times we were there, was lightly populated.
Sarah was in her "let's go!" mode, which contrasted with her dad's "I don't want to go" mode. Much carping later we were off. We also had to stop at the post office again, as I had one too many cards as I did stamps. Sarah and I managed to get on each other's nerves about the location of the post office. She kept asking its location, while I kept intoning that I knew where it was, and that our high-quality tourist board maps weren't exactly to scale. It was a lovely drive.
Got to the post office, and discovered that their main machine only sold books, not single stamps. I also learned that once you put money into that machine, you can only get money back as change after a purchase. Having wasted one quarter there, I finally located the single stamp machine- which only sold 37 cent and 3 cent stamps. Thus, my aunt got a postcard franked with eight 3 cent stamps (given how I had to cram the stamps on, she may not have gotten it).
We get to the park right around 2 (when the tour for Atalaya was starting), and discover that the entry isn't $4 per car but $4 each. We try to explain our mishap to the guy at the gate, who seems befuddled to think that we've only got $4. His dogged pursuit of the extra $4 suggests that he was the offspring of Forrest Gump and one of the hard-core usher grandmothers from Wrigley Field. We finally convinced him that we were meeting a car of people who'd just entered and would return with $4 before leaving.
Only problem was that that car wasn't at the park. We dithered about what to do, and eventually went to the visitor's center for the tour. They told us it was starting from the house. More dithering about waiting for the other car, and eventually we went to find the tour. We followed voices, only to come across guys setting up for a wedding.
We then went back to our car, and a couple minutes later the other car came in. They had their own squabble as to where exactly we were going, so both rides over were fun.
We all then went back to the house and looked around, and in the process actually caught up with the tour. The house, if you've not perused the park's website, it a Spanish/Moorish design that Archer Huntington created from memory. It kind of shows, as the house looks more like an asylum than a mansion. There are no pictures of the interior from its heyday (the Huntingtons being, as I mentioned, reclusive), so it was hard to imagine how the place would have looked inhabited.
After the tour we walked the beach, then took a marsh walk on a wooden path built over the marsh. Watched some people net fish, which was kind of cool. We even saw a gator on the way in, just poking its head over the water line.
I would highly recommend a day at the park if you're ever in the neighborhood.
We were heading for Charleston the next day, so we didn't do anything that night. Not that I remember, at any rate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Lentorama 2024: Clerical Crime Solvers Day 40: Cadfael Born in Wales, Cadfael left home to become as servant to a wool merchant in the Engli...
-
As you may have heard, there's a new question facing all of us in Red Sox Nation. Now what? It's a valid question. Citizensh...
-
And finally, U!P!N! THE NEW UPN created a new Thursday night of comedies, and seems very proud of being the only network with a full two hou...
-
A couple of months ago I went on new insurance. For the first time ever, I was asked to get prior authorization from a doctor to get a presc...