So I'm just about outta here. One more night in Boston, then
one night in NYC, then onward, twirling, twirling toward Freedom! Er, Philly.
Boston has been great and good fun. I finally feel like I know how to get around this goddamn city, and I know some great bars and people to hang out with up here. Maine was spectacular as always - it IS the way life should be, after all. And I was happy to drive through that magical land of tax-free wine and spirits that requires no man or woman to be encumbered by seat belts or motorcycle helmets, New Hampshire.
I don't have any time now...THERE'S NO TIME....but I'll have more upon my return to Freedomville.
I don't know what I was thinking. It didn't even taste good at the time AND I'm getting punished for it now. Yech.
So I was holed up in the Radisson Hotel is historic downtown Boston for the past week or so. I've finally made my way back to the land of the living, out of the confines of the meat locker that is the conference space in that hotel.
Me, when I was packing a week ago: "Dude, it's like 95 out all the time, why would I need to bring pants or any long-sleeved shirts at all?"
Me, yesterday, in a room that was 65 at warmest and a city that is getting highs in the low 70s and lows in the 50s: "I'm an asscopter. Where's the nearest Goodwill?"
So that's been fun.
Scene from this year's PIRG movement-wide training. (author second from right)I work for one more day and then head up to Maine for the weekend - Papoose Pond, near North Waterford in southern Maine. I am going to <3 it a lot.
Vacation next week is probably going to be one of the best things of my entire life.
When I graduated from college, my sister gave me a small book called "The Underachiever's Manifesto." (Of course it's a small book.) This book hits really close to home for me personally. It's like Ray Bennett, M.D. was living inside my head and writing down all my asinine excuses for being lazy since I was 7 years old.
I've been meaning to share some nuggets of wisdom from it for a while, and I recently re-read it (took me an excruciating 23 minutes of paying attention to the.same.thing ugh) to excavate said nuggets. And true to form, two and a half weeks later, here we are.
"Let us all join hands and do less together. Then maybe let's all take a nap."
"If something is worth doing at all, sometimes it's worth doing half-assed."
"Being alive at all is by far your greatest achievement."
"The underachiever recognizes the folly in [the search for a perfect mate]. First of all, they know that ugly people have good sex, too."
Heading up to Boston on Wednesday for training/working/vacationing. Promises to be a fruitful trip. Haven't been there for any substantial amount of time in quite a while.
That quote is really what sums up this whole blog, I think. So super
nerd bonus points if you can name the author and book.
So a little while ago I passed 10,000 hits on this here blog since I installed the counter in December. Which seems like way too many. But that's what the thing says. So thanks to everyone who comes here to click through to other, better blogs.
I find it slightly ironic that I passed 10,000 shortly after the Phitin' Phils lost their 10,000th game, to become the losingest franchise in sports history. On the night they lost number 10,000, a fan in the stands held up a sign with a quote that was attributed to Thomas Edison. The quote was, "I've never failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that didn't work." I have a picture of that sign next to my desk at work. I don't know why it strikes me as so funny.
TR brought me a bunch of new music last night. So far, I've really enjoyed the Pelican record "The Fire In Our Throats Wil Beckon The Thaw" and the Isis record "Oceania." More two-word reviews forthcoming.
