So long…

Its been so long since I’ve been here, but I definitely need a place to write and not have people from certain quarters catching on. Its great to be super connected, but I think that there is a tipping point where it becomes more dangerous/worrisome than not.

One problem with my job is that while there are thousands of people who work in my “company” seasonally, the people who are permanent are few and far between and we know each almost every one else if only on the periphery. I can easily play 6 degrees of x with anyone and make the connection in probably 3 jumps.

Makes it hard to have a bad day.

The other problem is that if you HAVE a bad day or are a bit cynical, you are definitely looked down upon. They want chipper people, even if that means that they aren’t the smartest or best qualified for their positions. And I am definitely not that anymore.

Either way, I’ll be back. It is good to have a place to my own. Even if no one else is really listening…

New goals…

I’ve been feeling in a rut lately, and it has everything to do with the fact that I have a lot of time on my hands and waste it watching TV. And not even good TV…reruns from a decade ago. I caught myself watching America’s Next Top Model Season 10! Not good…

There are a ton of things I could be doing that I’m not. So, I want to change that.

One of the things I really want to do, however, is a bit trickier since I only have access to a car one day a week and I usually don’t do it alone…hiking.

I would love to go up to New Hampshire and get above tree line. It is one of my favorite places to be. However, I can’t get there by bus 😦

Since my new work year starts on October 1st, I figure that I will also start my new year that day. Time for some changes.

 

The Price of Freedom

Lowell National Historical Park

Yet another field trip to another National Park, this time Lowell. Not a lot of people would think that Lowell would have a National Park, but it is a great example of what happened all around the country during the Industrial Revolution.  Not only are a lot of the buildings still there, many of them have been revitalized into new spaces.

Excavated by two of my professors (One from UMass Boston and another from Boston University) the Boott Cotton Mills Museum presents the history of the Industrial Revolution in a way everyone can understand. By using the oral histories left behind by former workers and actual artifacts from that time period, you can really get the feel of what it might have felt like.  Inside the Boott is a room with a number of machines that are needed in the process of the creation of fabric.  Here is a video that has only a few of the machines running:

Lowell is also known for having one of the best education centers in the National Park Service and they provide a huge variety of programs for children to attend and learn math, history, language arts, and science during.  One of the programs has children weaving on a loom:

They are also in possession of Jack Kerouac’s backpack from when he went off on his tour of America. Not only was Kerouac an important poet and writer, he was also a native son. At one event, they gave away bobbleheads of him 🙂

There is also a lot of artwork in the surrounding area and a stage for performances during the summer.

All in all, Lowell is an awesome National Park and quite worthy of a visit. Go in the spring when you can ride the canal!

What you stole

Sometime yesterday afternoon, you and at least one other friend broke into my house and stole my stuff. You pawed through my clothing, you smoked in my house. You violated my security and you left your tire iron on my bed.

You stole my pearl earrings and necklace that my grandparents had given me. But you cannot steal the memories of being at Epcot Center with them and the joy of watching the guy open up the oyster I had picked and finding not one, but two pearls in it.  Even my grandfather was overjoyed with my luck that day and we had them made into earrings with gold backings.  I wore them and the necklace they gave me at my graduations, at weddings, and at my grandfather’s funeral as a tribute to him.

You stole the necklace my father brought back from Saudi Arabia.  But you cannot steal the feelings of happiness when he would finally come back from setting up the computer system for his client or the anger and annoyance that went with it.  Not entirely happy memories, but they made us a stronger family.

You stole my celtic knot…perhaps my most favorite necklace. It isn’t worth anything on the street, especially in a neighborhood with no Irish. However, you cannot steal the fun that I had out at Hammond Castle, Connecticut, Carver, or Salem dressed up as a “Renaissance” woman being teased by actors and men who believe in chivalry or the memories of delivering cookies or taking pictures from the front lines.

You took my baby locket, my confirmation cross, my grandmother’s jewelry.

You took my feeling of security in my own home.

You ruined my door and the wall I had just painted.

You took my stash of Canadian money.

You, however, did not hurt anyone who lives in the house.

You did not burn down my house with your disgusting cigarette left burning in the rug.

You did not take my great grandmother’s charm bracelet, the only thing I have of hers.

You did not take one of my best gifts ever…the one that my niece picked out for me on her own, and with her own money. The one that I will be wearing this Christmas as it is the about the only jewelry that I have left.
I doubt you are long for this life…but I hope before you die, we get to have some news that you have been arrested or are already in prison and off the streets. I can honestly say that you are one of the few people that I hate.

10 years

Seems like 10 years shouldn’t fly by the way this last decade has, but if you blinked you probably missed a lot.

10 years ago I was in college getting ready to go to my winter formal. My parents had come down to help with my hair and take pictures and sent me and my boyfriend on our merry way. The dance was awesome, I was involved with Campus Activities and had a lot of friends at the dance with me.

The only annoying part of the dance was the ride home…it took us almost an hour to drive what should have been a 20 minute ride. By the time we woke up the next day, we learned about the tragedy that started on December 3rd of 1999 at 6:13 PM. We all agreed it was stupid to keep sending in teams to find the previous two that had dissapeared, but what else where they supposed to do? Those were their buddies in there and they wanted them out. By the time the fire was out, 6 men had vanished into the warehouse and it would take days to find them all.

Our city was shut down for the funeral…it was spooky to see 290 with no cars on it whatsoever. Reporters quickly learned how to pronounce Worcester and firemen from all over the world came to pay their respects.  The flag on our campus was at half staff 2 weeks for each man. 12 weeks is too long a time to have the flags at mourning level.

Good things came out of the fire, however. A sense of community and support for the firefighters; a call for greater attention paid to homeless people in the winter; and a new firehouse on the site of the tragedy.

Thanks…

Miss you, Grandpa.

Happy 40th Anniversary!

To Sesame Street!!

One of my all time favorite shows, even today as a 30 year old, I learned so much from SS. I learned how to use music as a way to remember things, how to speak with my hands through sign language, how to be silly, and to always question things.

One of my favorite songs from the show is when Lefty the Letter Salesman tries to get Ernie to buy an O…I have a soft spot in my heart for Bert and Ernie. They remind me of my sisters a lot, especially the fish clip.

I got to meet a Muppeter a few years ago when Carroll Spinney was going around promoting his new book. Because we got there so early (I was wicked excited) I was first in line to get my book signed. It was awesome…while he didn’t bring Big Bird, Oscar was there in a duffel bag and quite angry about it.

I regret not being able to ever meet Jim Henson, but like a lot of people my age, I kinda feel like I did. You could see his character through the Muppets he controlled and all different types of his personality, especially when he was paired with Frank Oz. A great show and a wonderful thing for kids to continue to be able to watch. Who can get through the clip of Big Bird learning the Mr. Hooper died without getting teary eyed?

Halloween

We had our Halloween party last night since the bar we go to has their party on the Friday before the holiday. There were a lot of interesting costumes, but we were able to take 2nd and 3rd place in the costume contest with these:

Michael was some local, but American Gothic took second place (50 bucks!) and Macho Man Randy Savage took third (20 bucks). Overall a good night.

We also had other people hopping into the picture frame through the night:

While I did not place, I liked my costume a lot. I was Amelia Earhart and my boyfriend was Ernest Hemingway:

I could totally see Amelia wearing striped socks.

Tonight, we have already bottled beer and I am going to go have dinner soon. After that, pumpkin carving!! I love Halloween

Running

And not in the good way. I have been flat out running for the last few weeks. Not only did we have a housewarming party, we participated in a snow covered charity walk that didn’t go as well as we wanted it to. Because of the weather, half the members of our team were not able to walk…which really annoyed my Dad as it was in his honor that we were walking. However, if he had gotten sicker at the event, I would never forgive myself.

I have also had a presentation, 8 page paper (which turned out to be 7), 3-5 page paper (which is at 4 right now), 1 page response paper, lit review, children’s program, registering for my last semester of school and a few other things hanging over my head. People at work have been getting hurt (falling off of a stage, fake appendicitis, staph infection) and others have had family members die.

And I haven’t been able to spend any time on my costume 😦 I ran into Salvation Army today to pick up a “bomber jacket”, really just a red faux-leather jacket (for 6.99) and a Halloween store for a pilots hat and goggles and gun. I have my brown shoes, zip pants, and I might try to make a scarf out of an old t-shirt tomorrow quickly…not sure. I’m slightly annoyed that I’ve tossed out certain things and can’t find other things but whatever.

Paper is done, computer will be plugged in for school tomorrow, costume is mostly together. I didn’t get to make my Guinness cupcakes, but that is fine. I’ll make them on Saturday to eat with our pot roast.