Thankfully Thursday

I'm reaching for those blog titles... just a geyser of creativity, what can I freaking say! Sorry... excuse my language.

Today, today... what should I write about today? Well, it was a rather slow day of meetings at work. I gave the second half of a journal review presentation, then there was an additional meeting with several people from my group primarily to discuss me training other folks to use some instrumentation. Fun fun.

I had spaghetti and Meatballs for lunch courtesy of our cafeteria. (Meatballs is capitalized because that's the best part!) The pasta was a bit over cooked as cafeteria pasta tends to be. That aside it did come with a dinner roll! The cafeteria worker smashed the roll right in the middle of the plate covering it with sauce. In my mind I imagined myself launching the plate at the worker's face and saying "Thanks for nothing ASS!" Instead I removed the roll, poofed it back into shape (poofed is a technical term), and proceeded to check out. The roll was fine, I probably would have dipped it in the sauce anyway.

Anywho... after those work day thrills concluded I walked from Central Square to Porter Square and went to the gym officially endorsed by lovable franchise enthusiast "Old Speckled Chainer", you guessed it, "Bally's Total Fitness". While at Bally's I worked hard to get totally fit... results still pending.

I then boarded the noisy subway and took the journey to Melrose. (Fascinating Eh?) Upon arriving at my residence I enjoyed an apple, a drink of blueberry tea, and then I watched "I'm Reed Fish". Another real good film, and this one is perhaps more approachable than last night's Wilby Wonderful. The kid from Fox's short lived "Undeclared" sitcom, as well as the mentally challenged boy in "Million Dollar Baby" plays "Reed Fish" In real life he is called Jay Baruchel... he may for ever be the mentally challenged kid from Million Dollar Baby for me, only time will tell. His character is in the vein of a John Cusack role (Think- Say Anything, High Fidelity, etc, etc...). I suppose it is high time there is a replacement... after all Cusack has been playing these roles for what... twenty years? All kidding aside, Baruchel rises above his sophomoric teen persona and does well in Reed Fish.
Schuyler Fisk, Sissy Spacek's (Carrie, Badlands) daughter has begun to make a name for herself and this film serves as a nice addition. I've only seen Schuyler in Orange County, an enjoyable teen comedy that has some comic relief from Jack Black. Apparently Schuyler, (who is an attractive redhead) in addition to being an actress, is also a singer-songwriter.

Well gotta go... when you read this, your work week may or may not be more than 80% complete! Fiesta!

Welcome Wednesdays

Per usual, Wednesday night served as an ideal fulcrum to my week. Monday and Tuesday are the longest days, but then there is Wednesday sweet Wednesday... Half the week is over and when you awake Thursday morning it seems as though you are only a breath or a heartbeat away from freedom. Freedom of course is the weekend.

After work this evening I met Kate at her place in Brookline and then we headed out to Moogy's. Moogy's is a hip little eatery on Chestnut Hill Avenue which is a short walk from Cleveland Circle at the end of the Green C line. After several years of trying different restaurants Kate and I haven't even come close to exhausting our options in greater Boston. That is one of the perks to living in the city I suppose.

Moogy's has a hipster/bohemian atmosphere and was established by Philadelphia natives. They specialize of course in (drum roll) Philly cheese steak sandwiches. While the atmosphere was decidedly more laid back and crunchy than Jim's or Pat's, (of Philly) the sandwiches were about as close as I've had to the real deal.

After eating we walked back to Kate's apartment and I picked up my book bag which I dropped off earlier. Kate's roommate Diane was watching the Sox/A's game with her boyfriend and it was pleasing to see that we were up 10-5. Kate and I left and began walking into the city. When we arrived in the proximity of Fenway park the atmosphere was festive. The chowder heads were smiling and my face was a reflection of the mood. The Red Sox had won and the fans were flooding the streets heading to Mass transit, cars, bars and their homes. Kate and I stopped and watched a group of street dancers in Kenmore square in the midst of the madness. These guys were intense... performing feats of flexibility and strength that belong in a competitive arena. We watched for 5-10 minutes, I threw a dollar in the bucket, and then we moved on. The weather was absolutely balmy and we enjoyed every minute of it. We walked to the Copley plaza where Kate got on her Green line, and I headed towards the nearby Back Bay stop for the Orange Line.

When I got home I decided to watch a Netflix film, after searching around a bit I picked Wilby Wonderful. This was a "slice of life" indie film... as the critics say. It was phenomenal, sort of a Freaks & Geeks for Adults. If you liked "The Station Agent" then you'll probably enjoy this movie. Sandra Oh of Sideways and Grey's Anatomy fame played a large role in the film. I pulled this review off of Rotten Tomatoes which is largely positive but does say it can be simplistic. I'm not certain I'd agree with that last bit... I mean what were they expecting Memento? But alas... perhaps I'm just a simple sort of guy (If there is such a thing).

Anyway... now I'm going to go to bed and wake up knowing that 60% of my work for the week is behind me... By the time some of you read this you may already have reached the 75% percentile!

Fading September Warmth

Kate and I went apple picking at an orchard in Danvers, MA at Connor's Farm. It was a beautiful day and we filled up a small bag with 20 apples give or take a couple. (We may have eaten a couple too....shhhhh!) The initial plan was to head up to Salisbury beach and walk around a bit. En route to the beach up route 1 from Danvers we discovered a mini golf course and spontaneously decided to play. We were both pretty awful, Kate had some especially unique putting techniques. (Scotty & Mike...We'll have to fit in that Orange Dinosaur course in Saugus soon if we are going to do it!! I can't wait to try out "the best" soft serve) Anyway I documented one of Kate's performances on probably the 5th or 6rh hole. Notice the foot on ball technique.... that's professional right there!

Concentration....

Into the Rough...

Hmmmm.....

On the green... The moment of truth...

Yes!!! Not bad only a triple-bogey!

Priorities

Wyo. city considers rabbit ordinance

Public nuisance #1: Bunnies.

'God' responds to legislator's lawsuit
From article: State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha sued God last week, seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty for making terroristic threats, inspiring fear and causing "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

'Bridge to nowhere' abandoned
Public transit largely seen as a waste in the U.S., however a bridge to an island of 50 people (a $300 million bridge) was seriously considered and at one point had funding.

The Issues
Abortion Immigration Iraq Social Security Taxes Same-sex marriage
Fox news lists "Election issues" in this order. Abortion is apparently more important than Immigration, Iraq, Social Security, and taxes. (I'd say the list is arbitrary, however note it is mostly alphabetical... but then Taxes comes between Social Security and Same-sex marriage). I have no idea why same-sex marriage is on the list. Oh wait perhaps I do..... Interestingly government spending, Foreign Policy (outside of the quagmire), Crime, Energy Policies, and Transit Infrastructure were not on the list... apparently they aren't divisive enough. I'm surprised that Social Security and Taxes make it at all.... I'd half expect Prayer in School and Flag burning to be more important to Fox.

Jesse Jackson: Obama needs to bring more attention to Jena 6: Jackson, largely considered to be one of the U.S.'s most powerful voices for civil rights had this to say: The Rev. Jesse Jackson criticized Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday over his reaction to the arrest of six black juveniles in Jena, Louisiana, on murder charges, accusing the Illinois senator of "acting like he's white," according to a South Carolina newspaper.

Apparently one can be excused for being racist, if you are supporting a cause condemning racism.... Hey wait a minute?

Report: Doctor Claims Pope Was Euthanized
OK on this one, I have to say WHO CARES! Of course the point being that even though by discontinuing use of a feeding tube John Paul was spared additional suffering... that this is debatably considered either euthanasia or suicide according to Catholic doctrine. Again... WHO CARES!

The point of all of this is how screwed up the priorities of people can be. I mean rabbit ordinances?

• I'm sure the town council of Powell, WYO. could more effectively use their time perhaps improving Powell's school system (one council member claimed his daughter's rabbits made him sick and is leading the cause..... I wonder if he was educated in Powell per chance?).
• Then we have pork spending.
• Religious/Personal beliefs taking precedent over issues that effect many.
• A civil rights leader that expectorates racism.
• People causing controversy over moot issues involving a dead pope. Really... what do they expect to gain?

The point being: This is why the world is so messed up, This is why history repeats itself, This is why people fight over frivolous things. Priorities.

Hillarycare 2

Well first I want to start off with a link to this article because the irony is well Hillaryous!

Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Back Mitt Romney's Health Plan

To summarize: "In what could be a blow to Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney's presidential aspirations, two Democratic White House hopefuls have offered preliminary endorsements for his health care plan, which would force small businesses to offer health insurance to all uninsured employees.".

Wait... wait for it, wait for it, IT GETS BETTER!

Romney rips Hillary’s new health care proposals

"GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney panned Hillary Clinton’s health care plan sight unseen Saturday, eager to remind voters she failed at “socialized medicine” before."

Clinton unveils insurance plan: Claims it isn't government run

"In unveiling her plan, she called for a requirement for businesses to obtain insurance for employees and said the wealthy should pay higher taxes to help defray the cost for those less able to pay for it. She put the government's cost at $110 billion a year."

Now, Romney's plan is going to cost Massachusetts more money than it can afford. We even have a Democrat governor who is so desperate for revenue that he is trying to bring gambling into Massachusetts. Gambling is traditionally a GOP/ capitalist's cause and is prevalent in the "red states" of the Mountain West (Nevada). Left leaning states have shunned gambling until recently.

Massachusetts, which has a powerful economy for a little state is running with increasing deficits due in part to Romneycare. The plan is over budget and will continue to cost more than expected as more baby-boomer's age, and as more people grow to expect the government to care for them. (Personal Accountability? What's that?)

Massachusetts Health Insurance Plan Will Cost $151M More Than Expected

Hillary's new plan is modeled after the Romney plan albeit on a national scale. (The GOP's answer to John Kerry will deny it however).

To read more details on Romney's stench and make apparent his hypocrisy:
Beacon Hill lawmakers reach health care deal
From the article:

"However, individuals would be mandated to have health insurance unless they had a waiver from the state saying an affordable insurance plan was not available. People would have to report on their state income tax returns if they had health insurance. If they did not buy insurance, their personal tax exemption, about $150 per person, would be withheld."

Hillarycare would penalize people who chose to refuse health care in much the same way. It is essentially a fine for refusing health care. The irony: Lets say you are lower middle class and will really suffer having to pay the premiums. Additionally lets say you make just enough that you don't qualify for Massachusetts subsidized health care. Prior to the advent of Romneycare you could choose to take the risk. If you got sick you might have had some bills to pay. Under the new system if you are at that income bracket, and you choose not to have health insurance you'll have to pay your bills... plus extra taxes. Cruel world eh? Well that's what happens when the government attempts to get into the health care business.

More from the Romneycare article: "The plan would cost about $1.3 billion next fiscal year, with $125 million coming from the state, $786 million from the federal government, and $415 million from current assessments on hospitals and insurers and new assessments on businesses that do not provide insurance."
So Romney is criticizing Hillary Clinton for proposing Socialized Medicine. Hmmmm... Lets see, tax people who don't do what you want, collect $125 million in state revenue (taxes....which will be new taxes unless other programs are cut), and $786 million from the federal government (taxes again).

Socialism: Economic system which is based on cooperation rather than competition and which utilizes centralized planning and distribution.
(Seriously, that's a weak definition... it makes it sound like you'll get to live like a Smurf!)
or

Socialism: 1. Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
2. The stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which collective ownership of the economy under the dictatorship of the proletariat has not yet been successfully achieved.

According to the Marxist-Leninist theory Hillary and Mitt are simply bringing us one step closer to communism. I would tend to agree..... although by Marxist theory, the proletariat controls the economy. Technically all Communist Regimes have been dictatorships where the government, and not the proletariat controls just about everything.

Ultimately our species will move in this direction at the expense of individuality and personal freedom. We are moving in this direction. Leaders promise "good things" only to further degrade our ability to function independently. Just for giggles they usually don't deliver on the good things that they once promised. If you want to become a colony of ants, insects, marching in line at the service of your Queen... then embrace Utilitarianism, embrace the pipe dream of Marxism.

Both Hillarycare and Romneycare involve new bureaucracies which are created specifically for the channelling of funding and the regulation of how privately held organizations conduct their business. It is in a sense, a hostile take over of various institutions, Hospitals, insurers, and a ripple effect will be felt into the pharmaceutical industry as well.

Additionally too many intrusive regulations are not the answer. Holding hospitals to certain budgets to make Universal care a reality WILL decrease the quality. Hospitals will not all have their own CAT scans MRI's etc. These facilities will have to be consolidated to restrict the costs for insurers and the government. A privatized competitive industry with few restrictions has incentive to provide the best care available to bring in more customers. Remove this and you will have organizations doing the bare minimum of what is acceptable. We will feel the results. Long waits for appointments will get even longer. The Medical field will have an increased shortage of help (pay-cuts and over regulation will make medicine a really unattractive field to get involved in).

Patient Power: Solving America's Health Care Crisis. - book reviews

Patient Power sounds like it could be an educational read. There is such a wealth of information out there on health care and potential reforms, it is difficult to figure out where to begin. Several points in this review struck a cord with me.

A few of many myths that the book examines:
1. Countries with national health insurance have succeeded in controlling health costs.
2. National health insurance would lead to better health care.
3. A national health insurance plan would hold down costs by operating more efficient health care systems.
4. National health insurance would lead to equal access to health care.

An additional blurb from the review: The only effective way to control health costs while preserving the quality and availability that Americans expect is to get patients more involved in the economics of their own health care decisions. "More government and more bureaucracy won't work in health care any better than in any other field," Goodman and Musgrave write. "The only thing that works is people pursuing their own self-interest in competitive markets." In contrast to the current fads of managed care, managed competition and global budgets, Goodman and Musgrave argue that "the only way to control costs and maintain quality is to let patients control the money and restore the doctor-patient relationship."

Here is yet another opinion piece on Hillarycare:
Hillarycare II: New and Improved

I'm selecting a particular portion of this to discuss because people tend not to get what it means.

"Cost: $110 billion, but Clinton claims that this can be paid for by reining in unnecessary Medicare and Medicaid spending, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, removing barriers to the introduction of generic drugs, instituting electronic record keeping (wouldn't that raise costs, at least initially?), ending the Bush tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000, and ending the tax exclusion for employer-paid health insurance for households above $250,000. Is that really $110 billion? Beats me."

Hillary's plan would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices and remove barriers to introduce generics. Problem: Drugs cost millions upon millions of dollars to develop. Specialized equipment to test the safety and efficacy of drug candidates is extremely expensive. Drug companies tend to start out with NIH grants and private investment and tend to go years before turning a profit. The private investments come well... from investors that hope one day they'll see a return on their money. If you enforce price fixing upon (negotiations) the pharmaceutical industry profitability will be tough to come by. Additionally the barriers against the introduction of generics are patent laws that allow the company that risked millions of dollars to actually make money off of the life saving/improving product they created. If people are allowed to make generics immediately after release it will eliminate the practical incentive for companies to make gambles that could ultimately save lives. Profits from one drug that could fund new drug development will become slimmer or dry up entirely. Medical advances will slow due to a lack of funding. We will ship another profitable industry overseas at the expense of Americans. Not to mention... you would essentially be allowing others to steal a new invention.

And Hillary, I think everyone is on the same page with the electronic record keeping.. even W.

I will say her new plan is a major retreat from her original National Healthcare plan, but I believe that it is primarily a tool to make her original vision a reality in the long term.

Interesting tidbit:

The U.S. government spends more on health care funding per-capita than any other Nation.
Surprise, health care is already government subsidized... and since they are doing such a bang up job... why not give them more control and more money?

Re-interpreted Beatles, Steak & eggs, Sox

Mid September Entertainment

Well I had an eventful weekend, and hopefully all of you did as well. It began Friday night watching the Red Sox get pounded by the Yankees on TV. Jason and I ordered some Chinese take out food and had a couple of beers as we watched the game. Low and behold Dice-K actually pitched a decent game for a change. Of course this time the bull pen ended up blowing it.

Saturday was largely spent doing my errands and sleeping late. Eventually I met up with Kate at Wellington Station and we went to the Chipolte Grill. After consuming our "Peta" approved Chicken Burritos we went to the Loews Cinema on Boston Common to see "Across the Universe"<(official site). Across the Universe (Wikipedia) is a musical comprised entirely of Beatles tunes. Reviews of the film were mixed, noting the lack of a coherent plot or character development. They were legitimate critiques, however that being said, it was essentially an over 2 hour long music video. Often times it became quite psychedelic and incoherent separating from the story so significantly that it was irritating. Bono had a significant role in the film performing a couple of songs, and Joe Cocker had a cameo in which he also did some singing.

On Sunday Kate and I got up and headed to Soundbites in Ball Square. Soundbites has a lot of hype surrounding it. Nearly ever food critic in town declares that they either have "the best breakfast" or that one of their various breakfast items (pancakes, waffles, hash browns, etc.) are the best of their class in "the Hub". We had to wait in line 15-20 minutes to get in but this place did not disappoint. I had steak & eggs which came with Soundbite's signature grilled/fried mashed potatoes. I know the potatoes sound weird, but trust me... they are to die for! The steak was spiced and cooked PERFECTLY. Everything was delicious and affordable, and the atmosphere is fantastic, embodying an almost Latin flare.

Kate and I spent a lot of time walking around Cambridge and Boston after eating. The weather was gorgeous. Beautiful days should not be taken lightly as they will soon be fleeting.
I met up with Jason in Kenmore square later. Jason took me to the Yankees/Sox game for my birthday. I had a blast, and the game was riveting... even if it was anti-climatic when we eventually lost. We had some charismatic fans near us who routinely started wide spread chants. This always makes the game that much more fun. The past game I went to earlier this season, I was surrounded by rather comatose audience members who were more engrossed in themselves than they were the game.

Here's a picture of Jason and I at the game. We were seated in the grandstand behind first base. My one complaint is that I had trouble finding beer other than "Bud Light" at the game. I remember a time when there were many more choices.

Closer to the Hillary Years....

The news is unsettling, but I suppose it is always unsettling. But the news is perhaps more troubling than usual because of the potential effect on the future of our Nation.

Thompson catches Giuliani in GOP race

This headline marks the beginning of the end of any hope that there will be an electable alternative to Hillary Clinton. Truthfully, from what I know of Thompson, I'll have a real difficult time voting for either candidate.

From the Article:

"The poll also suggests Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton would beat Thompson in a general election by 13 percentage points, 55 percent to 42 percent.

When CNN and the Opinion Research Corp. asked the same question in June, the New York senator edged out Thompson by 4 percentage points, 50 percent to 46 percent.

When paired with Giuliani, Clinton comes out on top by four percentage points, 50 percent to 46 percent. Clinton was ahead by 1 percent in the same match up in June, 49 percent to 48 percent."

Thompson, by my perception is out of touch with the majority of the United States population. In a pre Iraq-war world he may have won the Electoral college with the southern vote and a handful of Midwest states.

Take note that his popularity against Clinton has gone down as the public slowly is finding out who he is (aside from fictional roles he's played on TV). At this early stage.... that is a pretty bad sign.

As things are, Thompson will not take any Midwest states unless he can showcase a charisma and leadership quality that I do not believe he has. The current administration is continuing with a war strategy that is basically too little to late. The modest gains in Anbar province are promising, however they are not what the administration sought out to do with the troop surge. Additionally the Iraqi government is still dysfunctional and uncooperative. This could continue for 20 years at this rate with little to no change other than perhaps a continued demolition of any infrastructure or signs of civilization.

Obviously it is a catch-22 because simply pulling out will likely cause an increasingly violent battle between the Saudi supported Sunni population, and the Shiite population sponsored by Iran.

One of the few plans, which purportedly echoes some of the Independent Baker panel (sanctioned but later ignored by Bush) is Joe Biden's 5 point plan. See a quick summary below or click on the link for the editorial containing this information. It was drawn up a year ago but still holds relative because of the ongoing quagmire.

First, the plan calls for maintaining a unified Iraq by decentralizing it and giving Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis their own regions. The central government would be left in charge of common interests, such as border security and the distribution of oil revenue.
Second, it would bind the Sunnis to the deal by guaranteeing them a proportionate share of oil revenue. Each group would have an incentive to maximize oil production, making oil the glue that binds the country together.
Third, the plan would create a massive jobs program while increasing reconstruction aid -- especially from the oil-rich Gulf states -- but tying it to the protection of minority rights.
Fourth, it would convene an international conference that would produce a regional nonaggression pact and create a Contact Group to enforce regional commitments.
Fifth, it would begin the phased redeployment of U.S. forces this year and withdraw most of them by the end of 2007, while maintaining a small follow-on force to keep the neighbors honest and to strike any concentration of terrorists.

If there is any good news, it appears that the Mitt Romney campaign is finally stumbling. The GOP's answer to John Kerry isn't going to be winning any elections. (I blame Romney for our current spending crazed governor Deval Patrick. Romney's dreams of power and grandeur were all he ever had in sight from day one. Governor of Massachusetts was always a mere stepping stone and nothing more. We would have been better off with Jane Swift.)

So Christian Right, with Thompson, in the short term it may seem like you get what you want. But mark my word, if you elect Thompson in the primaries all you are doing is electing Clinton/Obama for president with a Democrat controlled legislature....

National leaders should not enter office based on their religious ideals. (See how well that works in the Middle East, See how well that has worked over History) Elected officials should be leaders who have the interest of the masses at heart, not the exclusive interests of a few.

Hello late 1970s here we come. History repeats, except this time it could be uglier. The oil will be pricier (even after adjusting for inflation) the housing market will crash (it already is) and the inflation will sky rocket. Couple all that will the decreasing worth of the American dollar, an out of control National Debt, higher taxes (for the socialized medicine... which works soooo well every where else) and the increasing destabilization in the world... well you get the picture.

Now perhaps as with the first Clinton administration, the political process will be so ridiculous the first two years that the GOP will again sweep the legislature in the 2010 election.... however the stakes are too high this time and those are two years we can't afford as a Nation.

THIRTY

OOOHHH LA LA!Hide the women and children! It's the neighborhood creepy drunk! Bwwwwaaaaaaaahhhh!!! ((that last bit was my written Barney impression (The Simpsons))

Actually it's just one of my pasport shots. There are three different pictures that the local pharmacy took (CVS) but they pretty much all look like this. The Florescent lighting really brings out my pasty skin. And my fine hair is really looking quite fine too, pun intended. Just pushing it out of my face probably would have made a world of difference. Kate was busying herself elsewhere when the clerk shot the photo. She said she didn't want to make me self conscious, I kind of wish she had. Ehhh... it's pretty funny so I guess it is worth it.

I felt it was rather fitting that this glamour shot was snapped on my 30th birthday. Well... I think it I look at least as good as Britney Spears..... If only I had some cool hair extensions and a spray on tan......

My birthday was a good one, Kate & I went to Magarita's in Waltham, and used one of two $10 coupons they sent me. I ate too much Mexican food... but it was worth it. (John & Michelle, I ate an extra basket of chips... for you.....)

Kate got me a kick-ass griddle for my birthday. It's a beauty, a family sized (for my family sized appetite) Black and Decker... just think of the pancakes I'll make. And she got me a bottle of organic Canadian Maple Syrup as a bonus too!

I went to the gym today... I think the picture inspired it. I had trouble sleeping last night, lying awake realizing that my life was probably more than 1/3 over. So... I have to go to the gym, I have sleep better, yada yada yada.

Had a tooth re-filled today, also oddly coincidental and symbolic of my aging body. I almost overslept and missed the appointment (due to my insomnia the night before). I went in half awake. Getting the novocaine, which usually doesn't bother me, was absolutely miserable today. I didn't slur my speech afterward, however it appeared to affect my taste buds. I had a weird copper like taste under my tongue until mid afternoon. Additionally I had a phantom itch on a spot that didn't really exist. It was as though the part I desired to itch was deep inside the wall of my cheek, almost as if it were in another dimension.

Anyway..... that's about as much joy as I want to share today!

Kate I just had a piece of the ice cream cake! It was delicious, thanks again!

The Dawn of September 2007

Having been absent from the blogging scene over the past week, I thought I would take a moment to review and summarize these last several fleeting days of summer in New England.

Labor day weekend: Distanced from Jerry Lewis's ill-thought late night prose, I spent my weekend amongst friends and family in Vacationland (Maine for all of you who are not in the know). Friday into Saturday I caught up on errands and housework as I typically do. This even involved me getting up to bring the Focus in for it's annual emissions test. Returning home from the local auto garage I collapsed onto my unmade bed. I lost miserably at a struggle to stay awake and make productive use of my Saturday. Around 1:00 pm I finally pulled myself up, showered, and began completing my list of chores.

Eventually I made the 1 hour 30 minute trek to Portland, Maine where I met friends John & Michelle around 5:30 pm. First we went to Silly's, a little bohemian themed cafe on Portland's East Side. Silly's has a makeshift bar and tables in a quaint backyard setting. As the weather was absolutely gorgeous we took advantage of this feature. The food and atmosphere is always great at Silly's making it a favorite of my friends who reside near Portland. After supper we headed back to Michelle's apartment in the Bayside neighborhood and had a couple of beers. John and Michelle had suggested seeing a concert, local act "Phantom Buffalo" at a venue on Congress St. called "Space". We were nearly ready to head out when John received a text message about a potential no-hitter currently in progress by Red Sox Rookie Clay Buchholz. It was only Buchholz's second major league start. We were probably going to miss Phantom Buffalo since they were opening the concert, however after a brief (very brief) discussion, John and I headed to Rivalries Sports Bar to watch the final two innings of the game. We could not pass up the chance to see this historic Sox event. Our choices was rewarded with a stunning performance by Buchholz, and an ecstatic fervor in the bar. This was a pale extension of the deluge of excitement streaming out of Fenway that night. We lingered and participated in the collective joy of chowder-heads everywhere before finally heading over to Space. Space is a new concert hall to me although it is my understanding that it has been operating for several years. It has a very minimalist interior that does not distract by catering to conflicting interests as many small clubs do. Near the bar a projection of dancing points of light on a dark blue expanse illuminates a large empty white wall. The ceiling is open beamed, and furnishings are limited to some modern looking benches along the wall that slightly resemble church pews in design.

Michelle had gone straight to the concert and informed us that we had unfortunately missed all of Phantom Buffalo. There were two more acts however and we moved towards the stage in anticipation of the first band, "The Dodos". The Dodos consisted of a vocalist/guitarist and a drummer. While there were only two Dodos, they had no problems projecting a captivating sound with excellent depth and spirit. We were honestly not expecting much, and I was (and I believe I speak for John & Michelle as well) blown away. It was one of the sincere heart felt acts I've ever seen on a stage. The finger picking of Meric Long was mesmerizing, and the drummer Logan Kroeber was unconventional and fierce. Long's vocals are driven bursts of intensity that can give way to shimmering segments of introspection. Long would sing into two different microphones to better capture a dichotomy of sound that his ballads contained. John aptly described it as though Long had "two faces".

I looked up The Dodos tonight so I could purchase an album. They have no label and two albums out which I would guess you'll have trouble finding at any corner record shop. I got "Beware of The Maniacs" and I'll likely purchase their other effort "Dodo Bird" which is marketed as a solo album by Long. Anyway, enough raving about this act... following The Dodos was band Jennifer Gentle, which we collectively decided was anything but gentle. The music was like late 60s or early 70s psychedelic rock with a medieval-minstrel bent. It was laden with power chord rock interrupted by a periodic calms where the lead vocalist would warble in a cryptic falsetto. I was reminded slightly of Frank Zappa, however not being a Zappa aficionado myself, I may be speaking out of my ass. Anyway we left after two songs and headed back to Michelle and John's.

John & I stayed up late sipping at PBR and listening to music piped out of his Ipod-Bose sound system. The next day we had brunch at Marcy's Diner and then I headed North to Sabattus.

As I pulled off the Franklin Artery onto 295N I rolled all of the windows down and rolled back the moon roof completely. The sky was crystal blue with only a few wisps of white to be noticed. As the sun warmed my skin, and the wind tossed my hair I listened to Crowded House and Blind Melon occasionally finding myself joining in Neil Finn or Shannon Hoon on a chorus.

Arriving at my parents I saw that my Aunt Gigi was there. To my delight in the kitchen was waiting a pile of Lobsters. My parents hadn't bought any all summer. They decided to celebrate my birthday a week early with a Labor Day Feast. I managed to take some left over birthday cake, as well as a couple of extra Lobsters back to Massachusetts.

Wednesday Kate and I when out for our routine mid week meal. I had searched for a new dining experience online and dug up R.F. O'Sullivan's (also known as Sully's) which is a hidden gem in Somerville known for it's burgers. This place did not disappoint and it moves up past Bukowski's easily for appetizing Burgers and great atmosphere.

Today I had our company retreat at Kimball Farm which was a blast. I had a BBQ/ clam bake lunch that included Lobster and Steamers, an open bar, and ice cream. Additionally we had complete access to Kimball Farm's recreational facilities which include bumper boats, mini-golf, a driving range and a 9-hole golf course. I played two different 18 hole mini-golf courses with a couple of coworkers.

When I got home I of course passed out, tired... as usual.

Random items....

Very cool....

Mind-controlled prosthetic arm plays the piano

Feel good that you aren't this dumb....

For two Northeastern freshmen, school year begins and ends with arrest

Hillary Clinton on Ellen.... Note Ellen saying "Some people are gay and won't admit it...".