And It Don’t Stop

24 May

Don’t get me wrong: I like my job. Really I do.

But sometimes it feels like I’m on an endless treadmill.

I come in for a couple hours on the weekend, or I stay late (i.e.: until 8:00 or 9:00), with the hope that doing so will make the next day that much easier.

But the opposite thing happens. I finish my part of the process, move the work to other people, go home, relax … and then the next day it all comes back to me to work on again and move along to the next people.

That’s what this week has been like for me.

Continue reading →

Love Them Summer Girls

24 May

Is it just me, or do people get better looking when the weather gets warmer? I’m serious (sort of). Walking around the city today, both on the way in to the office and just now at lunch, it felt like the number of attractive people had doubled. Where were these people during the winter? Were they hibernating? Or have we imported a truckload or two from down south? Maybe it’s all the young interns. Maybe it’s the lighter clothing. Maybe it’s none of these things, and if not, then is it just the weather — or spring fever — that is making it seem this way? And by extension, does this mean I am better looking in the summer? It’s an odd phenomenon. I love summer. And I love summer in Boston. And maybe this is why.

Jack Is Back

23 May

At the risk of getting too high-falutin’ for a summer popcorn flick, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End serves as a metaphor for itself.

To wit: when we last left Captain Jack Sparrow (and the Pirates franchise), he was dead, and had disappeared into an abyss. As part three opens, our team of heroes (now joined by the not-dead Captain Barbossa) have rallied together to bring him back.

And behold, when Jack returns to the land of the living, he’s full of life and spirit, the Jack we remembered from the first flick.

But there’s a bigger threat at hand: the East India Company (read: critics and unhappy moviegoers) want to do away with all pirates, and it takes a veritable pirate army to defeat their foes. Continue reading →

Is the Globe Desperate for Readers?

22 May

I don’t really need to make fun of BostonNOW since other folks are already doing so, but I thought I’d take a second to laugh at the situation outside the Washington Street exit of the T this morning at Downtown Crossing.

At the top of the stairs was that guy who is always there, hawking the BostonNOW in the same annoying way he always is: “BostonNOW. Free PAPER. Win a THOUSAND BUCKS. FREE paper.”

A few feet behind him, in front of Macy’s, was the guy hawking the Metro, only he was older, quiet, subtle, and knew he didn’t have to try hard to give away his papers.

But then, also right next to the T exit, was a slightly sad-looking woman in a wheelchair, speaking in a meek tone, asking if anyone wanted a free copy of The Globe 100. Continue reading →

And So, It’s Come to This

21 May

I’ve got two words to say about the American Idol finale this week: Who cares? Alright, fine, I’ve got more than two words, but I write them hesitantly. After all, I really could care less about the final matchup between Jordin and Blake. Really. I mean, I predicted all the way back on March 8 — that’s right, March 8!! — that Jordin was going to win the whole thing (it was pretty obvious even then), and since she’s up against Blake in the final, well, there’s no contest there. And can you believe she’s only 17? (Ha!) I’m so uninterested in the whole thing that I actually have plans on Wednesday night, so I won’t be home to watch. And when I get home, I’m turning on Lost. Now, before you jump to any conclusions, no, this is not about Haley. I mean, not entirely. I just think this has been the worst season yet for Idol, and as soon as it’s over, that means summer can begin. So I say to Jordin and Blake, sing out — and then shut up.

One YouTube Video to Rule Them All

21 May

Well this is fun. Someone has posted a video on YouTube that’s basically just a compilation of film clips that reference the numbers 1 to 100. It’s a countdown kind of in the spirit of Apple’s ad for the iPhone. Enjoy.

So Long, Farewell, Good Riddance

20 May

Welcome to one of my favorite weeks of the year, the one right after all the big graduations, when the seniors have their diplomas, all the students have moved out of their dorms and apartments, and things along the C and especially the B line are much quieter than they are the rest of the year. It’s the best time to do things like go to T. Anthony’s because you won’t have to deal with any of the B.U. kids causing long lines and tying up all the tables. Or go to Shaw’s because it’s less crowded. Or just, you know, ride the B line in peace without having to squeeze in. The drivers will even go express from Kenmore to Packard’s Corner, which is awesome. Or drive up Comm Ave and see if you can go the whole way without stopping at a light or because of traffic, like I did over Christmas week. Of course, it’s all short lived, because in just over a week, after Memorial Day, we’ll have to deal with all the out of towners here for internships and summer school, who don’t know the B line from the C or the D, who tie up the self-serve lines at Shaw’s because they don’t know what they’re doing, and who just generally get in the way. But for now, it’s a great time to live in the Brookline/Brighton/Allston area.

This Is Butter, Not Soap!

19 May

It’s hard to believe the TV season is already coming to a close. I feel like it was just beginning and now all the networks have already announced their new shows for fall. Actually, one of the best laughs I got this week came from CBS’ announcement of one of their new shows. It’s called Kid Nation and here’s the gist: 40 kids, ages 8–15, are left alone to live in an abandoned New Mexico town with no adult supervision for 40 days. It’s like Lord of the Flies crossed with The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The kids have to govern themselves, work, cook, clean … all by themselves. Sounds like a total mess, right? So check out the clip below (or watch it here) and try not to laugh too hard. At the nerdy white kid who quotes Martin Luther King, Jr., or the princess girl who says she doesn’t work, or how earnest some of the kids are, or how so many of the kids seem to cry at the drop of a hat. The best laugh of all is when one kid screams out, “This is butter, not soap!” Kid Nation airs this fall on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. You know I’ll be watching.

My Two Cents

14 May

It’s not that my mom isn’t worth it, but I just wanted to quickly thank the U.S. Postal Service for waiting until after Mother’s Day to put their new rates into effect.

It’s surprising, given how much mail was sent this past week, but it’s much appreciated.

Now it’s off to go buy some two-centers.

Movie as Mac-n-Cheese

13 May

Just like with pies, there are different kinds of movies. Some are huge but empty blockbusters. Others are small, personal statements. Still others try to push buttons. And then there are movies like Waitress that don’t appear to have any greater ambition than to be a glimpse at the life of someone different from us. They don’t blow you away, but they do go down easy. It’s like comfort food. Keri Russell (the fickle pickle herself) stars here as Jenna, a waitress in a southern pie shop diner, who learns she is pregnant with her louse of a husband’s baby, and finds herself falling for her obstetrician. One of Jenna’s few escapes is pie-making, and she spends much of her time creating different pie combinations that reflect her state of mind (for example, “Pregnant Miserable Self-Pitying Loser Pie” or “Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie.” Mmmmmm). Add in two fellow waitress friends (Cheryl Hines and writer/director Adrienne Shelly) and a quirky old guy (Andy Griffith), and you basically have the entire movie. As I said, Waitress is nothing earth shattering, but it is a good, enjoyable slice of life. Russell gives an endearing performance (totally different from how she was in Mission Impossible III) that makes you fall in love with her easily. This is a movie that makes you smile, even if it doesn’t make you think, and on a slightly chilly Sunday afternoon, you couldn’t ask for much more. I give Waitress a solid B.

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