Stuff and things

First off, some cool news. I got an email the other day from an address I didn’t recognize. Turns out that the sender works for a website that makes very Web 2.0ish travel guides for all around the world. The news wasn’t as good as it could have been (i.e. they didn’t want to hire me as a writer) but it was a nice ego stroke. Turns out that when making their guide for Oxford, England, they did a little searching for photos with a Creative Commons license. In other words, they wanted to find photos they could use for free, as long as they attributed them to the original author(s). Apparently, my photo of Trinity College was their favorite for that particular site, and so they published it in their guide. Check it out. (Hold the mouse over the words Trinity College and my picture pops up in the upper right corner). Kind of nice to see, huh?

Since they showed me some love, I will pass it on and do you all a solid. Check out this rather hilarious video – the mock ESPN music is a brilliant touch. The video tails off a bit at the end, but still, a solid all-around performance:

Not much else to report, although it was a fine weekend. On Friday I went to a friend’s coworker’s place for a dinner party that was both classy and fun. After that, we all went to a yacht rock party in Boston. Yes, it was everything you could have imagined and then some. I saw some old friends and it was great to catch up and swap stories and flirt and have fun. After that we headed to a different bar where a friend works and closed it down with him before taking him and a lady friend home. I got in around 4 and then slept until it was time to wake up for the BC game. BC won big, which put everyone in a good mood, and my happiness was multiplied when I heard that both UMass and Cal won, as well. Good day for sports.

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled blog article for this random interesting article.

I took it easy last night, and then got up bright and early to watch the pre-game shows for opening weekend of the NFL. The Patriots has a tricky opponent today in the Jets, so I wanted to get the scoop. Midway through the morning, my boy Blood called and invited me over to watch the sporting event. As he had a big-screen HDTV and I do not, I accepted the offer. We did the couch thing and watched the Patriots roll over the Jets fairly convincingly. Now it’s Sunday night and I’m contemplating what to do for my last hours of freedom before work tomorrow morning. I’m sure you’ll hear all about whatever I decide on in my next post – until then, have a good night, kids.

—————-
The Killers – Smile Like You Mean It

cehennem bir daha

A partial list of the reasons why I suck:

1. I am unable to whistle

2. I have never read Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

3. I sometimes don’t follow through on my big ideas

4. I don’t know the definition of the word “macerate”

5. I haven’t blogged in forever…

For those of you keeping score at home, 2 of those are likely never to change, 2 of them changed tonight, and 1 might change in the long run – if I ever follow through on following through. For the record, “macerate” means to “soften and separate by soaking; grow or make lean.” Obviously, tonight I also rectified the lack of recent blog post situation, although this entry will be less than entirely pleasing to those who have been waiting – it’ll be a short one, although I’m not lacking material.

There are certainly all sorts of knowledge, pictures, anecdotes, and even videos to drop on you all, from my visits to Alcatraz and Mexico to my struggles to understand the nuances of the Turkish language. For now, I will leave you with one of the aformentioned videos – if you spend a summer in the Bay Area you gotta get down with hyphy.  Here’s one song that’s totally slumper:

You gotta admit – that sampling is pretty ridiculously awesome.  Hopefully the good tune will compensate you for my weak effort tonight, but no worries – there are many more stories and pictures to follow, and I imagine I will try to break the summer down into bite-size pieces for those of you who don’t enjoy blog posts that would make James Joyce jealous. For now, I’m off to watch the Red Sox (man, I’ve missed NESN) and to find a tall, cold beverage. Have a good night, kids – expect more soon.

Summer stories – Part I

Now let me welcome everybody to the wild, wild west
A state that’s untouchable like Elliot Ness

That’s right, I have just touched down in California, where I will be spending the bulk of my summer. California is a big state, and I’m sure you’re all craving the details, so I will be a little more precise: I am in the 94704. For those of you not in the know, that is Berkeley, CA.

I am out here for the summer working for the same company I worked with last year in London. Berkeley is no London, but is is quite charming thus far, with many enjoyable restaurants, book stores, pubs, and unique stores. It also quite nicely located, as it is only about a 15 minute drive from San Francisco, which is most famously memorialized by Dr. Stanley Goodspeed, who calls his fiancee and tells her:

“Hello, darling, it’s me. Listen, do not come, I repeat, do not come to San Francisco.”

If you don’t get the reference, head on over to IMDB and look it up, and then feel ashamed for missing an obviously awesome movie. Furthermore, disregard the advice of Dr. Goodspeed – come to San Francisco, frequently. It is a stunningly beautiful city, and reminds me a lot of Boston, but a wee bit colder on some days. It is a sure thing that I will be spending some of my time off in the big city.

With that being said, Berkeley is also full of attractions, and I am off to see a couple more of them – I will be back later in the week with plenty of good material. In the meantime, have a good week, kids…

A day for serious reflection

So, it didn’t seem to get much attention from the media, but today is a day that should not go unnoticed. It marks the 63rd anniversary of the events that changed the world. In fact, many believe June 6, 1944 may be the most significant day of the 2oth century. On that day, immortalized as “D-Day,” the course of World War II and subsequently, the world, changed. (I am completely aware that I link to a lot of things in this blog – actually reading that article is one link I promise is worth your time).

In the midst of the current war, a conflict that seemingly will never end and seemingly serves no purpose but to line the pockets of oil executives and defense contractors, it can be difficult to remember that there have been some worthwhile battles fought by the American military. World War II is strange to discuss because the U.S. did not become involved until American interests were explicitly threatened. Although the timing can be debated (America ideally should have been there as soon as the government learned about the concentration camps), two things that can not be debated are the need to stop the Nazi war machine and the importance of the American contribution to the Allied effort. That effort, and the spirit of the soldiers, sailors, and airmen, are encapsulated by the events of June 6, 1944.

I thought long and hard about what media could truly memorialize their efforts. Numerous documentaries exist, as do many historical fiction accounts of that day, such as Saving Private Ryan, and of course, there are thousands of memorable images. However, in the end, I chose something different:

It may seem trivial to remember actual events through a video game. However, I made the decision to use the introduction to Medal of Honor: Frontline, for several reasons.

1. Along with Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and William Jennings Bryan’s Cross of Gold Speech, the Order of the Day for June 6, 1944 by General Eisenhower (which is read in a condensed format in the video) remains in my mind as one of the greatest oratorical moments in history. You can find the transcript of the full speech here. (Wouldn’t it be nice if anybody in our current government could speak so eloquently, clearly, and truthfully today?)

2. The slide show provides a lasting image of how much preparation went into the assault, the overwhelming defenses they faced, and what that day was like for the Allied forces.

3. I still vividly remember seeing that video, the first time I played that video game, and that was several years ago. Such a memorable film seems an appropriate tribute to all those that were serving anywhere in the world during WWII.

Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to be able to fulfill a dream by making a trip to Normandy, the region of France where the D-Day landings took place. I attended Mass in the famous cathedral there, walked down many side streets that still flew American flags, and visited Omaha Beach, the American cemetery, and Pointe Du Hoc, where many of the German heavy guns were located.

 

 

Each place, in a different way, brought home with gravitas the seriousness of what went on there so many years ago. It was truly an awe-inspiring moment, the sort that makes one rejoice and despair about the positive and negative limits of humanity. The only parallel I can make to these moments is when a Catholic sees a place like the Sistine Chapel, when a Muslim stands before the Kaaba, or other such religious moments. If any of you have the means and opportunity to do so, I would strongly suggest you make a trip to the region and take it all in. Denis and Blood, I can only hope I’ll see you there in 37 years.

The ins and outs of a fun day…

Well, it was quite the interesting Sunday. It started out with a pilgrimage of sorts. Now, I know what you’re thinking: can the Pope of Quizno’s truly go on a pilgrimage to another restaurant? Well, yes, actually, he can, provided it is a restaurant he has heard much about, but has yet to ever visit. That restaurant, my friends, is:

For the record, from left to right, those are my colleagues in fine dining: Diane, Duncan, and Gray. We may have gotten lost a few times, but we ended up in the right place. My friends, get the Double Double with Fries – you will not regret anything about your decision – except possibly not getting two orders of fries. Ultimately, In-N-Out definitely lived up their advance billing. Ironically enough, I also learned yesterday that the restaurant is run by a group of devout Mormons – there are allusions to Biblical verses on the packaging. With that in mind, I will temporarily discontinue the running gag about my place in the church of Quiznos.

If In-N-Out were the only thing we did yesterday, it still would have been a good day. However, folks, it was only the opening act. Act Two took place at the McAfee Coliseum:

For the record, I took that photo, and yes, I am a budding Ansel Adams. We got there a bit late, but I am glad we got there; it turned out to be a doozy of a game. The Athletics, the home team, were losing the entire game. The 9th inning rolled around, and they were down 5-3. With two outs, and down to their last strike, the A’s started putting a rally together. They brought the tying run to the plate, and with two strikes, Mr. Board Games himself, Milton Bradley, hit a game-tying two-run homer. The place went bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. But the magic wasn’t done yet. The A’s strung together two more hits, and then the kid who just got called up from Triple-A, Jack Cust, strode to the plate. Well, you can probably guess what happened next. If you guessed “A walk-off three-run homer that barely cleared the center-field fence,” you’d be absolutely correct! Now try out for Who Want to be a Millionaire, you scholar! Needless to say, if the Coliseum had a roof, it would have been torn off the place. Everyone walked out happy, and it turned out to be a very pleasant evening, as well – full of boba delicacies and Thai food and the Warriors game. Anyhow, it was a fun day out west, and with tacos and Coronas on deck for this afternoon, it promises to be equally enjoyable to be me today. Hope the day is just as fun for everyone else out there…

West Coast-ing it

If you noticed I haven’t been blogging these last few days as much as I usually do, two things:

1. Get a life.

2. You are correct.

The reason why? Mostly, because I am not here:

or even here:

Instead, I am here…

And I am thoroughly enjoying myself. More to come soon kids, but for now, send me some good wishes my way so that the rest of this trip is as enjoyable as it has been thus far.

Leaving…on a jet plane…

So, this is a bit of a first for me – I am blogging from 40,000 feet. Obviously, this is not being published in real time, but it is being written as I jet from Detroit to San Francisco. Let’s hope this route goes a little smoother than the morning.

It all started out fine enough; woke up at 3:25, showered, and by the time I had packed my carry-on bag, Mallory was downstairs. She was kind enough to drive me to the airport, which took about 90 minutes round-trip. As you know, it is normally the policy of this blog not to name individuals, but in an extraordinary case like this one, it only makes sense to give some serious props to her as a friend and a person. Despite the early hour, I was pretty on point with getting checked in and all, and the flight took off on time. That’s where the good times came to a temporary conclusion.
When we got close to Detroit, we very obviously began circling the airport. After a noticeable delay, the pilot announced that low-hanging fog was rendering it impossible to land in Detroit. Since it was such a short hop, they hadn’t fully fueled the plane, so we could not afford to circle for long. Once it became obvious that we would not be able to wait out the fog, the move was made to call an audible and land the plan at Grand Rapids, Michigan, instead. We sat there for roughly half an hour while the plane was refueled, and then flew back to Detroit. We obviously got in too late for me to catch my connecting flight, and most of the other people on the plane were in the same situation. As that was the case, there was a bit of a dash to get to the reservation counter where they were rebooking people. While waiting, a bit of natural camaraderie developed around the fact that we all had our travel plans disrupted and/or postponed by a strange combination of NWA (no, not the N****s with Attitude – the other one) and Detroit weather.

A few of the more sociable among us got to chatting, and we decided to grab some lunch while we all waited. I found out that two of the guys were going to Jacksonville to golf, and then to see the pros golf at The Players Championship at Sawgrass over the weekend.  Although I have not been fortunate enough to play it in real life, Sawgrass has always been one of my favorite courses in the Tiger Woods video games. Here’s the main reason why:

 

Needless to say, I was very envious of those two. Another displaced traveler was intent on getting to Dallas for a concert he was playing in (I hope it wasn’t this afternoon), while the woman among our group was headed to Charlotte to see her boyfriend. What a strange world when one flies from Hartford to Detroit to get to Charlotte. I’m about half way to San Francisco now, and as much as I would like to keep a running blog of my flight, the battery is getting a wee bit low. So for now, I will leave you all in suspense, eagerly awaiting my next update. Try not to fall of the edge of your seats, kids…

Londonist

So, some of you may have noticed I havent posted in forever, There’s a good reason for that.

I am not here:

Nor am I here:

 

Instead, I happen to be here:

London has kept me quite busy, and as such, I havent really had time to post much thats going on. However, I feel like sometime soon, I will post and let you all know how thigns are going. And by you all, I mean the two people bored enough with life to read this drivel. But for now, rest assured that life is fairly good, and I am fairly happy, perhaps the happiest I have been in some time. Stay tuned for more updates…

Oxford and Europe on the Mind

So, any of you who know me know that I am obsessed with going back to Europe. Nothing else really matters between now and then, except for getting a job at IPO, graduating with high honors, and staying alive.

So then, it was a mixed blessing that I went to a reunion party this weekend for kids who had studied at Oxford University with me. It was excellent to see all the kids, particularly those I was really close with. For reasons beyond me, but mainly probably laziness, we havent much gotten back together since we came back.

However, it also got me going on Europe. I tend to be able to sublimate my desires for going back to the needs of everyday life, which is good. However, hearing so many war stories just made me ache to get back. I mean, cmon…how can you not want to be in Europe?

Like here:

Or here:

 

Or here:

 

Great mix of the old and new, great beer, great museums, great languages, great architecture, great people…its just a great place to be. To top it all off, I’ve got some unbelievable people to do it all with in a few months.

 

Here’s the rogue’s gallery of sketchballs I will be going with:

 

Chris Blood – Possibly a white supremacist

 

Lilly Dignan – The European Expert

 

Stef Trouville – She really does love cake that much.

 

Kim Porter – In Scotland, but we forgive her

All are experts in their own fields. Blood can make a blunt disappear in the blink of an eye. Lilly can steal your heart and your wallet. Stef…well Stef is good for locating a Prada bag in the clutch. Kim knows how to properly outfit a futon. When they get together, its kinda like:

“Earth!
Fire!
Wind!

Water!
Heart!
GO PLANET!
With your powers combined I am Captain Planet!

Although clearly, I have less green hair and bigger muscles than the Captain. But they are all wonderful people, obviously. And the places we go to will be incredibly enhanced by their presence. So if you see me, bug me about booking my flight and whatnot – I need to finish this preparation stage off and get this going. Alright, the week is coming up fast, so I’m out of here…Have a good night.

Reason Number 47

Its officially spring break. I have finished my editing and revising and have begun my slacking off for a week. Its delicious. I anticipate no brain bending except for trying to fly the cheapest flight to Europe so I can spend the summer traveling around the continent showing my friends which country is known for which beer. I now realize my last two entires make me sound like an alcoholic. This is not true. I drink less than ever now that I have become a full-fledged senior. I just drink less, but better, alcohol. And besides, Europeans just know how to make beer. Anyhow…

Reason Number 47- She turns down what one would think would be a perfectly amazing invitation because she is “tired.” Truly lame.

I head home tomrorow. I sincerely hope the Accord makes it. Maybe I should name it like Jessi so I can refer to it affectionately. Maybe then the radiator wouldnt get tempermental. Anyhow, time for a shower and bed. Catch you all later.