Monday, September 29

Moment of Nostalgia

Or more like two and a half hours of it. I went to see the New Kids on the Block last night at the Garden in Boston and I no longer care what anyone has to say about seeing them in concert. New Kids was my first concert EVER at the tender age of 12 and let me tell you that seeing them last night brought me right back to that first concert. These guys are good at what they do and I acknowledge that the place was filled with women. To the point where they put up signs over the men’s room says Women’s room for bathrooms since they knew that there was going to be too many women there not to do that.

They opened with one of their new songs Single which was good but they did a lot of the classics like My Favorite Girl, Please Don’t Go Girl, Tonight, The Right Stuff. It was awesome and if you liked New Kids when you were younger and they are coming to your area then you HAVE to go. I will admit that when I got there and was waiting for them to come on there was a part of me that was like "was this a good idea?" I mean I LOVED them when I was in middle school but that was a long time ago. Then the screen flashed a message and they were starting the introduction and I was seriously sitting in my seat baited breathe. I can't describe it any other way. I was giddy with excitement and as I sit here and write this I am still giddy with excitement.

They sang, they danced, they played up the Boston boys angle and we all had a BLAST! Once they came out I never sat down. I screamed, I sang along and danced my butt off. It was a GREAT night and I don't care who knows that I went. That concert is absolutely up there in my top 5 and I have seen a lot of concerts and different performers but these guys still have that IT factor. They connect with the audience and they make you feel appreciated. They didn't care that more then half the songs that they sang on Sunday came out over 15 years ago. They know that those are the songs that we came to hear. I enjoyed the new stuff and I have the songs on my Ipod now and have a blast listening to them but I went to the concert for a night of nostalgia and I got a lot more then that. I got to see a band that I loved back then become a band that I still love now. So go ahead make your comments and your jokes I can handle it. I would still see them again in a heart beat if I could.

Thursday, September 25

Perfect Wednesday

I don't think that last night could have been any better. I had two tickets to the Red Sox and its the last week of the season and I have not had a lot of quality time with Beel lately so I found it only fitting to call him and invite him to the game. Which of course he was very excited about going. So I talked to him on Tuesday night and I told him to text me when he was at Park St so that I could meet him at An Tua Nua and I would know about when he was going to get there. Well I am at my condo and my parents call and I talk to them for a bit and then I get off and it's almost 7 and I haven't heard from Beel. I of course realize that he probably forgot his phone at the office or home this morning and didn't think to E-mail me and let me know so I decide to head to Tua's to meet up with him and it's now already 7 so I am going to be late to the game. I of course try to call him as I am walking to the bar since I really want to know where he is this is just weird. I get to An Tua Nua at 7:15 and I look in the window and there is Beel VERY excited to see me. His phone broke this afternoon. He couldn't call me and he can't make any calls out so he was worried that when I didn't hear from him that I just went to the game without him.


Now I love my boys and we all know this but I wouldn't have just gone into the game and not given him a reasonable amount of time to get there. He was so worried and then was on such a high when he saw me that it made for a really good ball game. Our seats were one behind the other and in Granstand 24 SO GOOD! We just had the best time and see them come back and win that game 5-4 AMAZING!! I know that it is my last game of the season and I am glad that I was able to go with Beel. The past couple of years while he was finishing law school and had a GF it was hard for us to spend time together and last night hanging out at Fenway was just the best. I really needed it for so many reasons and I don't think it would have been the perfect Wednesday if I brought someone else. He just has a way of making me smile and laugh for no reason which was FANTASTIC.

Let's not forget that when the game was over it was Wednesday and it was time to go to karaoke and see everyone else. Beel popped in long enough to let the crowds from Fenway dissipate so he could get back to Somerville since he is now working. When I got home that night and was getting ready for bed I was on a natural high and just so content I love that feeling. I wish it happened more often.

Tuesday, September 23

Just the Right Amount of Busy

Typically my weekends are jam packed and I am running around with my head cut off but still enjoying everything I am doing I just wish we had 3 day weekends so I could relax more. However, I realize that I would just pack more in and it would be a vicious cycle. I can't help it I am a social person at my core and I like to be out and about and enjoying peoples company. That being said this past weekend was not too overly booked for me and I had the right amount of down time and social time which was a nice change of pace. I had to work on Friday night and I didn't get home until 11:00 so I decided to just stay in and watch some of the TV I DVRed for the week.

Saturday I got up and relaxed for a bit watching some more of my shows and then started cleaning my condo and getting things ready since it was Erin's Bachlorette that night and we were starting at my place around 6:00. This turned out perfectly because the one person who missed my house was at the restaurant waiting for us when we had our 7:00 reservation for dinner right down the street. We somehow convinced a minivan cab to take all 8 of us to the North End and we went to the Improv Asylum for a comedy show. It was exactly the type of night out that Erin wanted and I am glad that she had a good time. Once the show was over and everyone was heading home I texted Danielle to find out where they were since Steve was in from LA and Jamie was in from NYC. I went to the Bleacher Bar to meet up with them for a couple of hours and had a drink and relaxed with some friends that I just don't seem to see anymore. Nichole and I split a cab home and I was home a little after 1 AM and went to bed.

Sunday my alarm went off and I decided I can do my laundry later and I have no motivation to get up so I stayed in bed and relaxed and didn't get out of bed until Noon. You read that right I was in bed until noon. I didn't sleep until then I was more just relaxing and lying there but still it was nice to be able to stay in bed until then. I got up had some lunch/breakfast and then had to get ready for my kickball game. I walked over to the field and my friend Danielle had forgot again about the game so she wasn't able to make it but I decided I can make friends I am a big girl I will go anyways. We got killed but I had a lot of fun playing kickball and meeting new people. After the game we headed over to An Tua Nua for some drinks. I just had one and then I had to go meet up with Becky on her Pub Crawl that she organized for her Mom since it was her first time to Boston. I went and met up with them at Kinsale and then we went to Bell in Hand and we had a really good time hanging out and catching up. On the way home Geri and I walked back to Anna's so I could pick up the jewelry I got from her party and the dress I let her borrow. I was home by around 8:00 and I actually fell asleep for a few minutes on my couch and went in to bed a little after 10:00. I was exhausted even though I didn't get out of bed on Sunday until noon. It was the right amount of social and relaxing. I wish I could schedule my life like that more often. That is all I have for you for now. Last night I was boring and went home and relaxed some more.

Friday, September 19

Winds of Change

Well this week has been a bit of an adjustment for me. I know that I talked to some of you about thinking about getting a second job and most of you know about my search for a new job. Well I started looking for a waitressing job which can be tough because they aren't usually the most flexible about your schedule and they usually require you to work weekends and I really do like having my weekends. So I answered and add on Craigslist for a function waitress at this members club where they do a lot of functions. Of course when they met me they decided to hire me but you want to know the best part no functions on weekends. This is strictly a Monday thru Friday gig and if they need me to work a weekend they will ask me well in advance. I am like WOW! This is perfect. It is walking distance from work, it's right by the T so it's easy to get home and I still get to have my weekends.

I had training on Monday night and I was on the schedule for Tuesday, Wednesday, and tonight. The only night I didn't have to work was last night. It is definitely an adjustment going from one job to the other and when I get home I am exhausted and just want to crash. I think that this is going to be good for me in a lot of ways. It will keep me busy and I won't be spending as much $$. I have been sleeping better because after being on my feet all night and running around it's hard not to crash when I get home and it's giving me a chance to make some extra $$ because you just never know what is going to happen. I wanted to let you know since it is probably not going to be easy to get in touch with me I am going to be running between two jobs and still trying to have a little bit of a social life. We will see how that works out for me. ;-)

On top of everything else I found out this week that Andrew accepted a promotion and is going to be moving to NJ the end of the year. I am very happy for him because it sounds like this is a great opportunity for him and definitely something that he needed to do. Of course selfishly I never like it when someone close to me decides they are going to move away on me but this doesn't mean that he is going to get rid of me that easily. Since most of you know I set up this blog so that my friends that are all over this country can peak in when they have some time and find out what has been going on with me moving to NJ please not going to make a difference. I have been doing a lot of thinking over the past few months and I really don't know what to say. I love that I have been blessed with such good friends along the way but it's funny how the circle of those I spend the most time with always seems to be changing. Over the past year Andrew has been a big part of my life and knowing that he is moving and that is going to change is sad for me for a lot of reasons but what are you going to do life always seems to take twists and turns. I just need to roll with it and see where it leads me. That is all I have for you for now.

Tuesday, September 16

The State of our Politics

I just got this from a co-worker as an E-mail and I will admit it is biased toward the Democrats but it does show the holes in the snipits that we are supposed to take as news reports now. I guess stepping on my soap box for a moment:

Now, let me see if I have this straight...If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic, different.'

Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, it's a quintessential American story.

If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.

If you're husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA , your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now?!

Thursday, September 11

Never Forget...

It's hard to believe that 7 years have gone by since September 11th. It seems that with each passing year fewer people seem to outwardly acknowledge this day. Today I have felt very torn emotionally. I am still on a bit of a high from having such a great time on Monday with my girls. However, when I think about what today is and what happened seven years ago it still breaks my heart and makes me eternally grateful for everyone close to me that made it through that horrible day. I am going to keep this uncharacteristically short and just say I hope everyone takes a few moments to reflect on today and what happened. We all need to pause for a bit and remember because for me at least it was the day the world changed.

Archive of News from that day.

Tuesday, September 9

Shhh... I was "sick" yesterday...cough cough

OK so as most of you know Syl comes out here a few times a year to visit her BFs family which means we also get to see her. Well once Urs moved to Albany it has been very hard for the those two to see each other and they haven't in about four years. Now I love seeing Syl and Urs but two of us together just isn't the same as when we all get together and we always feel like something is missing. So Syl knew she was going to be out here this past weekend and we started early asking Urs to make the trip out to Boston that it has been far too long since we have all seen each other and Syl hasn't met Logan yet! I know can you believe it? He is the most precious little boy and so well behaved. Well if you tried to E-mail me or call me at work yesterday it was futile and I probably shouldn't put this out on the web but I played hookie to spend time with two of my closest friends. I can't tell you how much I needed just that. Syl got there first and Urs, Dan and Logan were a couple minutes behind. I was busy cooking breakfast for everyone so that when they got there we would be able to eat. Since Urs has the gluten allergy it's just easier to cook things at home then to wonder if there is something in there that she shouldn't have. Plus Urs and Dan haven't seen my place yet and I wanted to show off my condo and let them see that they have a place right in the city to crash if they need it.

After we had breakfast and decide to motivate we got on the T to head into the city and bring Logan to the Children's Museum. We also hit up Fanueil Hall and the new Kennedy park where the Central Artery used to be to show them the nicer parts of the city. Here is the kicker. When we got to the Children's Museum it was closed for the day. Only that day. I was very irritated but all we really cared about was that we were together and able to catch up and have a good time. So we went to walk to the Boston Gardens since Urs wanted to show Logan the ducks since she reads Make Way for Ducklings to him. Of course once Logan was in the stroller he ended up falling asleep for about an hour nap so we found a park bench in the Common and sat down and continued to catch up and talk. Then we headed back to my place fed the parking meter got some food at Trader Joes and went back to my place to eat lunch. By this time it's almost 3:00 and Urs, Dan, and Logan have to leave soon to beat the traffic and get back at a reasonable time back to Albany. We all give hugs and let me tell you Logan gives a really good hug!! Then the three of them are on their way back to Albany. I am so glad that we got to do that thought.

Syl had made plans to go to Cambridge and meet up with her BF and his niece and nephew and play with them for a little while and she asked me to come and I want to spend time with her and it's good to spend time with her BF since they live so far away I feel like I know way too much about him with not nearly enough face time. So we hung out with his niece and nephew and we went to the park right around the corner. His niece has the most beautiful big blue eyes that you can't help but smile when you see her. I was holding her a lot since I love babies and I could get her to laugh and smile. Syl told me that was the most she has ever seen her smile. We headed back to the house and the BF's sister was home and we all went upstairs for a little while. Now I feel a little awkward but I get over it of course.

Then Syl and I have to leave for dinner since we are meeting Sandy, Schraut and Dom at the Rattlesnake. We head over there and there are plenty of tables and it was the right atmosphere since when we all get together we get VERY LOUD and ok I will admit it OBNOXIOUS. So we all start catching up on what is going with each other and had a great time at dinner. We decided that the four of us need to go out and visit Syl and that for MLK weekend next year we are going out to LA. I also mentioned to Dom since she came on the last ski trip that I am planning another one for the first weekend in February. Dom says she definitely wants to come and Sandy and Jenn are both like "me too I want to come too". At one point the waitress comes over and you can tell she has no words. She saw five well dressed women in their late 20's possibly early 30's come into the bar and was not expecting what she got of the stories and the laughter and the shrills as we are all pointing out each others flaws. It made me realize how much I miss these girls and it's just not the same with any friends I have made post college. It can't be you just don't get to know them in the same way.

We decide that the night is still young and Finale is right around the corner and who doesn't have room for dessert? Syl asks how close since I have made her walk around A LOT yesterday since I like to walk the city and she is "totally LA" now and will drive two blocks to go somewhere. Sandy has to bow out since she has a lot going on at work and she needs to be productive. :-( Understandable but still sad since we were all having such a good time. Dom, Jenn, Syl, and I continued our night and we tried to at least keep up appearances in Finale that we were respectable but since the waitress came over with our drinks when Syl was in the middle of a story that some might think of as not appropriate and we all were at a lose for words. Then Syl and Jenn both go to the bathroom and Syl scares the crap out of Jenn and all the waitstaff saw this. We are thinking there is the possibility we might not be welcome at that location anymore. Good thing we didn't go to the one by my place.

I have to say that this morning when I got up. I haven't felt this content in a long time. I know there are still some things I need to tackle like finding an attorney position but overall I am happy with my life right now. I know that a big part of that was my day yesterday with Urs and Syl and having that connection with the 3 of us together. Last night having dinner with Jenn, Sandy, Dom and Syl and just being able to be myself and talk about whatever I want and not have to worry about if I should filter. There is no filter with us girls and that is something I cherish since it is something I am so not good at. To my girls I just want to say THANK YOU! I don't know what I would do without and I am so glad that I will never have to find out.

Thursday, September 4

White Water Rafting

Well I don't know how many of you remember the story of me trying to go White Water Rafting last year out in Western Mass. Now don't get me wrong we all had a GREAT time on that trip. However, I don't really remember seeing any actual rapids and my boat had the bitter racist guide which is just so wrong for that line of work. Then we had the propane grill incident where Andrew bought a hibachi and bought the propane and it wouldn't stay lit so then we were using one that was attached to a tent cabin that Lynlee had rented which never got hot and we tried to cook those burgers for like 2 hours which is why we nicknamed the trip "Propanepolusa" and if you say "it's almost time for cheese" to anyone that was there we will start laughing just a little too hard and sorry you had to be there I can't explain that one well but trust me I think it's HYSTERICAL.

So of course we say we are going to do this again next year and this time there will be rapids. So with that in mind in the Spring Andrew and I get together and start planning for the trip this year and we decide that we are going to go to Maine. Why not? Let's do this right? At first we are thinking that we are going to do the Kennebec and it's supposed to be a good river to get your feet wet. I call to talk to one of the people at the company and they tell me that the part at the beginning is the worst and that if you make it through that it's no big deal. Well wait a minute. I want to have a solid rafting experience. I want to be able to come home and say yeah I did that. I mean I might have a broken bone and definitely going to have bruises but TOTALLY going to be worth it. So I talk to Andrew and we decide we are going to do the Penobscot River in Millinocket Maine. WAY UP THERE for those not familiar it's Exit 244 off of Route 95. Yeah that was a bit of a drive. Anyway, we end up with 9 people going which is a good number and we weren't sure how the boat was going to work out and if they would have us in one or two boats.

Andrew, my cousin and I decide to head up early on Friday. Andrew and I take half days from work and Deb was still on summer vacation so we got up to the campsite around 6:30 and had a great time on the drive up and just hanging out and getting all set up and settled in for the next couple nights. The other two cars got there around 10:30 and then they got all settled not long after the rest of them got there we all started feeling like it would be a good idea to try and go to bed.

OK so I know you really just want to hear about the rafting. Yes the Penobscot has class 4 and a class 5 rapid. I have had a lot of people talking about how all the rain fall means that there is more water in the rivers and that the rapids are going to be even more crazy then they would be normally. I push this out of my head as much as possible since I really don't want to think about it or freak myself out. We get there and they have us sign the waiver that says they are not responsible for anything that happens to us when we are on the river we are the insane ones deciding to do this. I get my life jacket fitted, put on my white short bus helmet, and grab a paddle. So I didn't tell you who went Andrew and I, Deb Regan, Debbie Corliss, Andrew Scholte, Andrew Sutherland, Leah, Katie, and David. Yes 3 Andrew's and 2 Debbie's. Very FUN! David unfortunately threw out his back earlier in the week so he came up for the camping but wasn't able to go on the river for the rapids. So all of us except David head over to our bus and find out we need to meet J.B. when we get there. So we all get there and find out that we are going to be the first boat and that all 9 of us would have been in the same boat and one of us would have been sitting in the back with J.B. not doing anything but holding on and watching. I think that would have been the scariest thing. When you are paddling at least you feel like you have some control but to put total trust in EVERYONE else in the boat. AHHH. Yeah I am not good at putting that much trust in people.

So the first thing that we do when we get in the water is we go down a waterfall and somehow we all stay in the boat. J.B. asks us if we want to go Surfing. Andrew's face lights up so I am thinking this has to be a good thing since he has actually done this before. So we go into this part of the waterfall where it's pretty intense and we get into this point where we are just sitting there coasting it was awesome. Then he has us take the boat back up the waterfall and we go down for a second time this time sideways and that was scary as FUCK. Oh my God! We all got thrown around but wait for it. We are all still in the BOAT! YES GO US! We did some more surfing and the second time when we came out of it Andrew pulls up his paddle and it's bent. He is SO PROUD of his bent paddle it was really funny. Now we pull the boat up and are going down the waterfall for the third time and I am realizing we went forwards, sideways, Oh the bastard is going to put us down backwards to see how well we do. So I look at him when we get back in and I tell him in no uncertain terms don't even think of having us go down this backwards and he laughs. Everyone agrees with me. So we go down forwards and all stayed in. I know that the guides where trying to figure out everyone's ability and to see what they can do. I have to say I am very proud of my group we made it through the WHOLE day and NO ONE fell out of the boat. After lunch when we went to the new point where we went in up by the dam and we turn the corner and you see the gorge and the Class 5 I thought for sure I am DONE. This is seriously the craziest thing I have ever seen and I have a million thoughts rushing through my head and I hold on to that rope with all my might and stayed in somehow. I have to give J.B. a lot of credit he was great and I know that he had a lot to do with us making it through all of that successfully.

At one point when we were drifting down the river waiting for the next section of rapids we saw a moose on the edge of the water. It was such a huge and beautiful creature. We were all so excited it was a little ridiculous but what are you going to do. I tried to take a couple pictures with my waterproof disposable but it just didn't really come out shocking I know. There was also a point where there was swimming rapids and I decided to get in the water and see what it felt like. I was one of the first to decide to go in and they tell you to keep your feet up and if you go under try not to freak out that you will pop out. J. B. also told us to stay close to the boat so I am trying to do everything I am supposed to and water just rushes over me and I have no idea what end is up so I just keep telling myself to keep my feet up and don't worry. Feet up and don't worry you'll pop out. So I pop out and my chill guide is at the edge of the boat practically in my face and saying "Jackie are you OK? You were under the boat!" Now the look on my face I am sure said it all. I told him "I was until you told me that!" Of course I was fine and everything worked out and I am glad that I had no idea I was under the boat when I was under the water. I am so glad that I did it and I can't wait for next year to do it all over again.

That night at the campsite we didn't have any issues with the charcoal grill that Andrew brought it was fantastic. We all hung out and reminisced about the day. Andrew pulled out his guitar and we sat around the campfire listening to him play. It was such a great weekend. I wish I didn't have to wait until next year to do it all over again. Oh well.