I signed for my house a year ago today.
One down, 29 more to go.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Birdie, we hardly knew ye.
Disclaimer: The following story is gross. I would even go so far as to say that this is, to date, the grossest thing I've posted on this blog. Trust me when I say it's gross. I should know... I was there.
Yesterday when I got into my car to drive to work, I noticed a wet leaf on the windshield of my car. So naturally, I turned my car's wipers on for few seconds to fling the leaf off. I didn't work and instead the leaf got tangled in my windshield wipers. A wierd smear was forming on my windshield that marked the path that the leaf was taking as it whipped back and forth across my window. "Weird," I thought, as I turned the wipers off and took a more investigative look at the offending leaf.
Horror crept over me like an ocean wave as the leaf's true identity came into focus. It was not a leaf.
It was a dead baby bird. A DEAD BABY BIRD.
A dead, featherless, baby bird was mangled and stuck in my windshield wiper on the passenger side. That smear across my window was dead bird guts. Anyone who knows me knows I have a childlike, irrational fear of dead animals. There was no way I could get the bird out of its tanglement on my own without throwing up and possibly passing out. So I drove to work with the poor little guy still stuck in the wiper and a big smear of him across the window. I drove while sitting as far away from the passenger side as I could humanly manage, even though the thick glass of my windshield separated me from the corpse. Irrational, yes.
Luckily, a guy I work with isn't afraid of small dead things and pryed the little bugger out of there for me.
Yesterday when I got into my car to drive to work, I noticed a wet leaf on the windshield of my car. So naturally, I turned my car's wipers on for few seconds to fling the leaf off. I didn't work and instead the leaf got tangled in my windshield wipers. A wierd smear was forming on my windshield that marked the path that the leaf was taking as it whipped back and forth across my window. "Weird," I thought, as I turned the wipers off and took a more investigative look at the offending leaf.
Horror crept over me like an ocean wave as the leaf's true identity came into focus. It was not a leaf.
It was a dead baby bird. A DEAD BABY BIRD.
A dead, featherless, baby bird was mangled and stuck in my windshield wiper on the passenger side. That smear across my window was dead bird guts. Anyone who knows me knows I have a childlike, irrational fear of dead animals. There was no way I could get the bird out of its tanglement on my own without throwing up and possibly passing out. So I drove to work with the poor little guy still stuck in the wiper and a big smear of him across the window. I drove while sitting as far away from the passenger side as I could humanly manage, even though the thick glass of my windshield separated me from the corpse. Irrational, yes.
Luckily, a guy I work with isn't afraid of small dead things and pryed the little bugger out of there for me.
South End Open Market...Opening Weekend
canceled Saturday • open Sunday • Rain • "So is this lipbalm?" Yes. "Do you put this on your lips?" Yes. • It smells like "good." • Oh, I hate coffee • five dollar hot dog • rain • So many flavors! • anchor the tent • hot chocolate from a friend • tent not waterproof, only water resistant • t-shirts to the right of me, scarfs and shrugs to the left • furniture across the way • found a blue heaven ash tray, which I'll use as a candy dish • "do you make these?" • "Is there SPF in there?" No. "Oh, ew, I need SPF." • everything is damp • wobbly tables • rain • "There's a blue one, there's a pink one, there's a yellow one, there's a green one." • met Becky Oh! • surely it can't rain next time
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The Hunter.
I started collecting this vintage dish set earlier this year, when my friend Myk gave me a service for 20 (!!!) that he found in his Grandmother's basement, still new in boxes.
She was a packrat, and he kept a service for 20 for himself. So in actuality, this woman had a brand new service for FORTY sitting in her basement, brand new and still in the original boxes.
The pattern was very common in the 1950s, so finding replacement plates and bowls isn't that difficult, although the companion pieces such as the mixing bowls and casserole dishes are a bit more elusive.
So when I went to the Brimfield Flea Market this weekend, I was on a mission. I was on the hunt for Blue Heaven Companion pieces. I found this.....
A Blue Heaven milkglass loaf pan. Whhhoooo! Think of all the tiny lasagnas I can make in these pans.
Flea Market scouring is modern day hunting, as far as I'm concerned. Me, standing in a farm field amid booths overflowing with old things for sale, holding this milkglass pan in my little hands is the same as some guy standing in a field amid trees with his boot on the head of some big game animal, freshly shot. Both of us looked for hours for the things we hunted, and both of us nearly peed with excitement when the "thing" was spotted.
Anyway....
I bought two of them for under 20 dollars. The guy said he gave me a deal because I looked so excited. Heehee. He also said that the Blue Heaven pattern was very common in New England, and there's a lot of it still hanging around here, but as you move away from the New England states, it becomes increasingly more difficult to find. He thinks it was only regionally distributed. He also said that they made a small run of Blue Heaven placemats, but that they are very difficult to obtain.
My neighbor remembers these dishes for sale at pharmacies and food markets, and she remembers a lot of people having it in their homes, as it was inexpensive as well.
Also at the flea market I found some uncut pharmacy advertisement lithos, from a guy who I visit everytime I go to Brimfield.
He buys out old warehouses of deadstock fruitcrate, and food labels and all sorts of unused ad posters. He has the most extensive uncut litho selection I've ever seen. And all of his stuff is in perfect condition. I have a bunch of stuff from him already hanging in my house, and I love visiting him to see what new printed treasures he has.
Another guy was selling old pin-up prints, so I picked up a nice Elvgren print too.
I'm so glad I have a whole house now that I can fill with my "Hunting Tropies."
She was a packrat, and he kept a service for 20 for himself. So in actuality, this woman had a brand new service for FORTY sitting in her basement, brand new and still in the original boxes.
The pattern was very common in the 1950s, so finding replacement plates and bowls isn't that difficult, although the companion pieces such as the mixing bowls and casserole dishes are a bit more elusive.
So when I went to the Brimfield Flea Market this weekend, I was on a mission. I was on the hunt for Blue Heaven Companion pieces. I found this.....
A Blue Heaven milkglass loaf pan. Whhhoooo! Think of all the tiny lasagnas I can make in these pans.
Flea Market scouring is modern day hunting, as far as I'm concerned. Me, standing in a farm field amid booths overflowing with old things for sale, holding this milkglass pan in my little hands is the same as some guy standing in a field amid trees with his boot on the head of some big game animal, freshly shot. Both of us looked for hours for the things we hunted, and both of us nearly peed with excitement when the "thing" was spotted.
Anyway....
I bought two of them for under 20 dollars. The guy said he gave me a deal because I looked so excited. Heehee. He also said that the Blue Heaven pattern was very common in New England, and there's a lot of it still hanging around here, but as you move away from the New England states, it becomes increasingly more difficult to find. He thinks it was only regionally distributed. He also said that they made a small run of Blue Heaven placemats, but that they are very difficult to obtain.
My neighbor remembers these dishes for sale at pharmacies and food markets, and she remembers a lot of people having it in their homes, as it was inexpensive as well.
Also at the flea market I found some uncut pharmacy advertisement lithos, from a guy who I visit everytime I go to Brimfield.
He buys out old warehouses of deadstock fruitcrate, and food labels and all sorts of unused ad posters. He has the most extensive uncut litho selection I've ever seen. And all of his stuff is in perfect condition. I have a bunch of stuff from him already hanging in my house, and I love visiting him to see what new printed treasures he has.
Another guy was selling old pin-up prints, so I picked up a nice Elvgren print too.
I'm so glad I have a whole house now that I can fill with my "Hunting Tropies."
Friday, May 11, 2007
Mini Burgers and Motorcycles
I have an insane amount of things to do between now and the 19th, which is Opening Weekend of the Market where I'll be peddling lip balm. Everynight for the past 3 weeks, I've had the same routine.... home from day job, shower... then get to work.
Soooo......Last night when I got home from work, I hopped right in the shower and as soon as I got out, I was going to start my evening of labeling lip balm tubes. I'm in the shower and I hear the doorbell ring. I figure it's just another window salesman and ignore it. Thirty seconds later the doorbell rings again, this time its with the measured pauses and repetition of someone trying to "doorbell" a song. I hop out, hastily toss a towel on and see who it could possibly be... I'm in the suburbs now, so people rarely just drop by without calling first.
I open the door to my porch and see my mother peeking through the mail slot. She came by to take my out for my birthday.*
How nice! We went to Lucky's, which is my favorite bar in the city. Mini Burgers!
As we were leaving, a riding club showed up and lined the street with their bikes (a proper tattooed, leathery, hell-raising motorcycle club, not one of those sissy bicycle clubs)... Hot damn! What a nice birthday!
* This is especially nice, as my mother lives an hour and a half away, and she's a teacher, so it was a "school night" for her.
Soooo......Last night when I got home from work, I hopped right in the shower and as soon as I got out, I was going to start my evening of labeling lip balm tubes. I'm in the shower and I hear the doorbell ring. I figure it's just another window salesman and ignore it. Thirty seconds later the doorbell rings again, this time its with the measured pauses and repetition of someone trying to "doorbell" a song. I hop out, hastily toss a towel on and see who it could possibly be... I'm in the suburbs now, so people rarely just drop by without calling first.
I open the door to my porch and see my mother peeking through the mail slot. She came by to take my out for my birthday.*
How nice! We went to Lucky's, which is my favorite bar in the city. Mini Burgers!
As we were leaving, a riding club showed up and lined the street with their bikes (a proper tattooed, leathery, hell-raising motorcycle club, not one of those sissy bicycle clubs)... Hot damn! What a nice birthday!
* This is especially nice, as my mother lives an hour and a half away, and she's a teacher, so it was a "school night" for her.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
26 Years ago today, I arrived.
Today is my birthday. I'm now officially closer to 30 than 20.
Also I don't even understand why I should be celebrating. I didn't do anything on the day I was born. My mother did all the work. If anything, SHE'S the one who should get a cake.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Another dumb thing I had to have....
There are two sorts of flea markets: ones with antiques and nostalgic curiosities from times past, and ones that have card tables full of things that "fell off a truck."
I enjoy both sorts of flea markets for entirely different reasons. I love hunting down mid-century knick-knacks and furniture, and I also love cheap plastic crap and bins overflowing with "almost perfect" tennis shoes.
The flea market five minutes from my house that runs every weekend from now until November falls into the latter category, and it is there that I found this...
The above thing is a cheeseburger-shaped lighter. Yes.
I obviously had to have this thing. It had to be mine. This silly thing isn't ceramic, but it'll still fit in nicely with the other burgers in my collection.
I enjoy both sorts of flea markets for entirely different reasons. I love hunting down mid-century knick-knacks and furniture, and I also love cheap plastic crap and bins overflowing with "almost perfect" tennis shoes.
The flea market five minutes from my house that runs every weekend from now until November falls into the latter category, and it is there that I found this...
The above thing is a cheeseburger-shaped lighter. Yes.
I obviously had to have this thing. It had to be mine. This silly thing isn't ceramic, but it'll still fit in nicely with the other burgers in my collection.
Suburban Wonderland: Now with added OCD!
See that over there on the left, under the archive? Now, all my posts are categorized according to subject. For example; if you want to read all about my asshole cat, just click the link that says "Dolemite the Cat," and all my feline-related ramblings will come up for you.
It's all very exciting. Yes. Yes it is.
It's all very exciting. Yes. Yes it is.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Painless Paulie
Went to visit an old friend this weekend....
...not surprisingly, I left with some art!
...not surprisingly, I left with some art!
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Pool by pool, they form a river to his house
This is one of my favorite movies. It's based on a John Cheever story and it's pretty true to the original. I saw the movie for the first time several years ago on a crappy VHS copy and have been looking for it on DVD off and on ever since. It was released on DVD in 2003, and it seems they made about 20 copies before going back out of print.
It's really difficult to find and the copies I do find for sale have always been really expensive. Last week I found a copy that I could actually afford. Very exciting. I watched it this afternoon with some friends and really, it's as good as I remember.
Also, "The Swimmer" contains what I consider to be the best toast ever... "Here's to sugar on the strawberries."
clink clink.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Snack Bars and Fireflies
It's now May, which means it's Drive-In time!
The following is a list of the still operational Drive-Ins nearish to Boston Massachusetts. The mile estimates I've included are estimated based on the starting point being The Prudential Center, as it's a landmark that everyone in Boston knows, and also because you can easily subtract or add miles to the estimates by how far you live from the Pru. Whatever. Or freaking Mapquest all this by yourself. geez!
Leicester Drive-In Theater
1675 Main Street
Leicester MA 01524
telephone: 508 892 4400
About 53 miles from The Pru
The Mendon Twin Drive-In
45 Milford Street (Route 16)
Mendon MA
telephone: 508 473 4958
www.mendondrivein.com
About 40 miles from The Pru
Tri-Town Drive In Theater
3 Youngs Road (off West Main Street)
Lunenburg MA 01462
telephone: 978 345 5062
www.tritowndrivein.com
About 49 miles from The Pru
Northfield Drive-In Theater
Route 63 North on the MA/NH border
telephone: 603 352 5250
www.northfielddrivein.com
About 96 miles from the Pru
Wellfleet Drive-In Theaer
51 Route 6
Wellfleet MA 02663
telephone: 508 349 7176
www.wellfleetdrivein.com
About 96 miles from the Pru
Milford Drive-In Theater
Route 101A West (Elm Street)
Milford NH 03055
telephone: 603 673 4090
www.milforddrivein.com
About 63 miles from The Pru
It should be noted that a lot of these Drive-Ins host flea markets during the day, so it's worth it on a "suburbia day trip" level. Plus, an hour or two isn't all that long of a drive, considering that it take about two hours just to get across the city on game days. Basically, quit whining about the 60 miles and go see a movie under the stars before another one of these Drive-Ins closes and gets turned into a Walmart!
The following is a list of the still operational Drive-Ins nearish to Boston Massachusetts. The mile estimates I've included are estimated based on the starting point being The Prudential Center, as it's a landmark that everyone in Boston knows, and also because you can easily subtract or add miles to the estimates by how far you live from the Pru. Whatever. Or freaking Mapquest all this by yourself. geez!
Leicester Drive-In Theater
1675 Main Street
Leicester MA 01524
telephone: 508 892 4400
About 53 miles from The Pru
The Mendon Twin Drive-In
45 Milford Street (Route 16)
Mendon MA
telephone: 508 473 4958
www.mendondrivein.com
About 40 miles from The Pru
Tri-Town Drive In Theater
3 Youngs Road (off West Main Street)
Lunenburg MA 01462
telephone: 978 345 5062
www.tritowndrivein.com
About 49 miles from The Pru
Northfield Drive-In Theater
Route 63 North on the MA/NH border
telephone: 603 352 5250
www.northfielddrivein.com
About 96 miles from the Pru
Wellfleet Drive-In Theaer
51 Route 6
Wellfleet MA 02663
telephone: 508 349 7176
www.wellfleetdrivein.com
About 96 miles from the Pru
Milford Drive-In Theater
Route 101A West (Elm Street)
Milford NH 03055
telephone: 603 673 4090
www.milforddrivein.com
About 63 miles from The Pru
It should be noted that a lot of these Drive-Ins host flea markets during the day, so it's worth it on a "suburbia day trip" level. Plus, an hour or two isn't all that long of a drive, considering that it take about two hours just to get across the city on game days. Basically, quit whining about the 60 miles and go see a movie under the stars before another one of these Drive-Ins closes and gets turned into a Walmart!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Overheard at a party in suburbia...
• That's not the Running Man. That's the Roger Rabbit. • It looks not so good, but tastes ok. • I need a connector for this glow bracelet. • I got stopped at customs, trying to bring empty bottles through. • Sorry I'm late... here's the ice. • Is this that noodle stuff you made for New Year's? • That's Dean Martin? • So, do you think it's possible to get a door in there? • Who wants a Tropical Chris? • Your cat is cute, but he seems like an asshole. • Ooooohhhh, strawberry shortcake! • Hey, I'M a Hawaiian Chris! • I've taught drug dealers and hoodlums, but nothing is more difficult than teaching rich suburban kids. • I've finally conquered this gelatin mold.. my life is now complete. • Your flamingos need to eat more shrimp. • I ate the pancakes, and it was worth it. • The way to tell if a dip is good is to stick a carrot in it and if it remains standing up, you're good to go. • I'm not taking pictures, I'm RECORDING you on video. • That's what you get for working a job like that. • We got lost. • I need to borrow your dryer, my jacket is damp. • You're making bagel pizzas? Is that a surprise? • The frog's healed, wanna see? • I need to go, I have to work in the morning. I'm an adult now. •
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