• Boston.

    So we went to New England. Like any other trip, or any other snippet of life, there was good and there was bad. On our first full day Cheryl, Beth and I went into Boston to see some sights. As is our custom, we took the commuter train into town from Lowell and bought a day pass for the subway in town. We got off the train around 11 a.m. and immediately decided that we were all hungry. We stopped at a restaurant across the street from the Fleet Center/North Station called The Fours. I have no idea what the name means, but they serve good food and even better service. From there we hopped on the T and went to Charleston (across the river from Boston) to see the Bunker Hill monument and the USS Constitution. I consider myself to have an above average appreciation for history, and standing on Breeds Hill gave me goose bumps (Note: the battle of Bunker Hill took place on Breeds Hill – don’t ask.) From there we walked back down the hill and checked out Old Ironsides. For the first time I took the tour of the ship and was once again awed by this close encounter with history. There I was, standing on the deck of a war ship built at the direction of our countries’ first president, about two hundred years ago – simply amazing. From there we walked the public gardens and the Common, ate dinner at Haymarket Square, and let Beth play to her heart’s content at the Children’s Museum. By the time we were ready to get on the T for the last time it was dark. I was prepared to feel more than a little wary walking through town at night. Strangely, I felt at home. Instead of feeling foreboding, the city felt welcoming, almost embracing. We had a spring in our step as we walked to the station, recalling the day that had just past. Considering that we had been on our feet all day, having spring in our step at 8:30 p.m. was some feat, and a testament to the enthusiasm with which we recounted our wonderful day. Alas, even enthusiasm can take you so far as we collapsed on the commuter train ride back to Lowell.

  • Howdy stranger.

    In a quintessential me moment, I approached the father of the groom at my cousin-in-law Kristen’s wedding and said, “congratulations, I’m married to a cousin of the bride so I’m virtually no relation whatsoever, but I wanted to wish you congratulations anyway.” You ever notice that when uncool people try to be cool they come across as an ass instead?

  • Waiting.

    Wednesday was my last day at work before leaving for vacation. Wednesday was also my birthday. I was supposed to work a regular full day at the office, and I had every intention of doing so. I got there in the morning and started plugging away, getting a phenomenal amount of work done. I was a working fool. Then I started to tire. Things started slowing down and I was more easily distracted. It was getting harder and harder to focus. I looked at my watch. It was 1:30 p.m. I struggled on. The agony of trudging on accumulated like water in a rain gauge. I looked at my watch again. It was 2:30 p.m. Despite the accumulated agony, I resolved to work out my time. I had not asked for the time off ahead of time and I figured it was the right thing to do to work through the pain, to take one for the team. Then Cheryl called. To be more specific, she called from home. You see, she had decided to leave work early because she was having a hard time working out the afternoon. My resolve disappeared like a box of Jello Pudding pops in my mother’s refrigerator. After hanging up with my wife I walked into my boss’ office and sat myself down without a word. He asked me if there is anything in particular that I want and I replied that I was suffering. He asked why and I told him that I was having trouble working out the afternoon, it being the day before I left on vacation and the afternoon before my birthday party. This is where a little bit of guilt goes a long way. You see he had forgotten to wish me a happy birthday. Five minutes later I was walking out the door, on my way to my car and a weeks worth of occupational freedom.