field report

and we're back.

2009-07-27T14:00:00.001-04:00

I'm back!

You can find me here:
www.thishappenedhere.blogspot.com

I'm moving. Please come with me!

2008-12-29T14:18:00.004-05:00

Hello all you readers out there in TV land!

I, Citizen Smith, and my blog Field Report are moving to a new cyber location and I'd like you all to join me at my new home. It was a fun year of blogging in 08 and I've learned a lot about how this thing works. I hope 09 will have even better posts, and maybe less gaps when I get too busy.

So, where will I be? Field Report 09! www.fieldreport09.blogspot.com

I'm thinking of trying out some new features, including the new category: somewhat interesting thing from the cambridge chronicle, and I might try having some guest field reporters from time to time. If you saw something crazy on your walk to work, (I think its okay to open this up to "commute" to work), and you want to report on it, send me an email at:

citizensmith.fieldreport@gmail.com

The only rules are that you must take a picture, and you must fill out all the categories, so keep that in mind.

happy new year!

what's the 4011?

2008-12-29T14:03:00.003-05:00

The peel has begun the natural process of decomposing, but the sticker lives on. Probably forever. I know its a banana though because if you have worked at a grocery store, even only for a summer, you will never ever forget the PLU for bananas. 4011.

climate: overcast, mid 40's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: not today
somewhat interesting thing from the Cambridge Chronicle: city council in 60 seconds. your tax dollars at work.

the day after

2008-11-05T10:44:00.002-05:00

This is a HUGE DEAL. Here's an excerpt from Obama's victory speech last night.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.
It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.
This is your victory.

It is our victory. I could see it on every single face I passed on Mass Ave this morning.

climate: sunny, low 60's
shoes: snake skin flats
ipod: none.
now what: Exactly. I need a new category! Any thoughts?

fruit roll up

2008-11-04T14:25:00.004-05:00

The mailboxes on this house have tiny pineapples on them. Who was making mailboxes and thought "Hmmm, now what should I embellish these with? Mini ferns? No... tiny apples? No, but I like the fruit idea... I know! Pineapples!!"
Whoever it was: good thinking. Way better than ferns.

climate: sunny, mid 60's
shoes: work boots
ipod: bah. at least my mail order hardware came today.
vote Obama and not the GOP because: just go back and re-read all my posts. I think if you read them one after the other they'll have a much more powerful effect. Maybe they'll even make you cry!

obama08: 3 2 1 ...

2008-11-03T09:31:00.004-05:00

A sign on the HUCTW office. (Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers).

climate: overcast, high 30's
shoes: silver flats
ipod: a long story involving mail ordering new hardware and 70's music
vote Obama and not the GOP because: Well, the elections are tomorrow, so you probably should have your mind made up by now about which way you're going to go. If you're still not sure, then think about this. McCain's joke on Saturday Night Live about only being able to afford time on QVC was funny because it was true. He's not getting the donations because he doesn't have the support. In that sense, the US has already voted. Obama has a bajillion dollars of campaign funding- enough to buy all those spots on major networks for his Obama Infomercial. That money did not come from his back pocket. That money came in twenty-five dollars at a time, from people that want a change in policy and agenda in the White House.
It is time to make that change. It is time to be that change.

cluck cluck cluck. 4 more days!

2008-10-31T12:26:00.004-04:00

Yes, that is a chicken. Or a hen. I'm not sure which. Either way, we were both late for work today.

climate: sunny, high 40's
shoes: snakeskin print flats
ipod: elton john
vote Obama and not the GOP because: small businesses. I work at a small business. I support my local small businesses. Maybe someday I'll own a small business. Shop at the Gap? A small business built that store. Drop some bills in the mail? A small business keeps the post office clean, and the mailboxes painted blue. It takes small businesses to make big businesses. We all interact with small businesses everyday, even if we don't realize it- and that's what keeps our economy going! But small businesses are really suffering in this economy. Rotating credit and loans are hard to get. Health care costs are rising for the employers that want to do the right thing and provide it. Construction has alway been an indicator of the economic and business health, and I can tell you that right now, construction has come to a screeching halt. Obama proposes to provide small businesses with tax breaks and access to low or no interest loans. This will help keep businesses in business until all the King's horses and all the King's men can figure out how to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Oh, McCain has a plan, too. I read it, and its only seems to apply to big corporations. Maybe McCain's definition of "small business" is like his definition of middle class; anyone that makes less than $5 mil.

the countdown: 5

2008-10-30T10:34:00.003-04:00

I love love love this print by Shepard Fairey. And guess what?! He was in town this week! So if you're bumming around town this weekend, keep your eye out for his work.

climate: sunny, low 40's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: I just remembered to plug it in before I left this morning.
vote Obama and not the GOP because: its time to move on. You might think that I hate McCain, but I actually don't. His tax policy is not going to help the few of us out there that make less than $500,000, and his health care plan is going to make prescriptions cost even more, and health care hard to get for anyone that has something worse than the sniffles, but I don't hate the guy. Its hard not to feel a tug at the heartstrings when he talks about being a POW. He's the underdog, and he really is trying hard to separate himself from the current disastrous republican regime. After losing to Bush for the nomination in the last elections he even came this close to switching parties! But its time to move on. Its time to put the Vietnam War behind us. Important things happened in our country then, I know. Civil rights happened. Legendary protests happened. Hippies happened! But that was my parent's fight, not my fight. And while I have respect for that fight, its time for our country to look to the future, not dwell in the past. John McCain has experience, and I'm not denying that. I mean, how can he not, he's old! But Obama has more relevant experience. Obama has experience with inner city Chicago, Iraq, Wall Street, our mortgage crisis, lack of health care, lack of jobs, rising energy costs, our failing environment, our failing economy. He understands the problems our country is facing right now. And not because he's seen them before, or because he's watching them happen. Its because he's young. He's going through them with us. He's experiencing them right now, too. And I just don't think John McCain is. McCain is not trying to raise a family in this mess. McCain is not concerned about his retirement, he's already retired! And McCain is not worried about how his investments will do in 20 years. Because in 20 years McCain will be 91. But Obama will only be 66. So vote for Obama because he is not just fighting for my 25-55 check box, he's also fighting for himself- and I think that will make him fight harder.

dunce!

2008-10-29T14:03:00.005-04:00

A car wearing a dunce cap. Perhaps its being punished for not being fuel efficient? Or perhaps just a friendly Halloween prank. I guess not everything has to be analyzed into a social issue.

climate: sunny, mid 40's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: forgot to charge that battery again
vote Obama and not the GOP because: socialism. Lets just get a few things straight. First, click here for the definition of socialism. Second, click here for a more in depth explanation of the same concept. Okay, did you read any of those? Yeah, me neither. But I know what socialism is, basically. And so does Obama. So when Obama made a comment about "spreading the wealth around", that was just an aside about his tax plan, and why he feels its better to give people with smaller incomes larger tax cuts. That's all it was- just that one comment! Never has he claimed to be, or want to become, a socialist. If that was the case, I think he would run on the socialist ticket like Gloria La Riva is doing, but he's not- he's on the democratic ticket. So now that that's cleared up, lets look at who does have a little socialist experience. Hmm, lets see here, how about...oh, WOW!! Its Sarah Palin!! And there's a fantastic article in the New Yorker about it. Here's a recap, because I know clicking all these links is a pain: Alaska doesn't have income tax or sales tax. They pay for their government services by charging oil companies, using the money they need, and giving the rest to the residents of Alaska.

A few weeks before she was nominated for Vice-President, she told a visiting journalist—Philip Gourevitch, of this magazine—that “we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.”

Okay, so am I saying this is a bad thing? No, I don't think its a bad thing. Its obviously working out well for the Alaskans! The problem is that SP is getting on her soap box and crooning to the media about how Obama-is-a-socialist-and-its-horrible-and-we're-all-going-to-suffer-now. But really, she's the one with an active socialist type policy. If she really thought it was so evil, she wouldn't be doing it, right? So which is it, SP? Is socialism bad or good? I'm just throwing this out there, but I'm thinking that she doesn't really know. And someone that doesn't know about their own method of creating wealth- is that someone we want in the white house? No. No, its not.
P.S. Hi Norm and Liz!!

just a little off

2008-10-27T11:15:00.004-04:00

If I'm interpreting this correctly, and I think I am, someone put the telephone pole in the wrong spot. No problem, except this is in front of a new house, and now its in the middle of the new driveway. Oops.

climate: sunny, high 50's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: dead battery
vote Obama and not the GOP because: Colin Powell. Even the republicans are doing it! Former Secretary of State, and a republican, Colin Powell has decided to endorse Obama becuase he feels that the republican party is running a negative campaign and it has slid too much to the right. So even though I'll admit that my last post was a little rant-y, Colin and I are on the same page about this negative campaigning crap. And he's way more famous than me, so if you don't want to hear it from me, listen to ole' CP.

tubby

2008-10-24T09:31:00.006-04:00

There's two things we can learn from this sign:
1. Don't cheat the system. The system being that you should either donate your clothes to a charity, or hold a yard sale- even if you are giving the items away for free. But if you leave them in 'tubs' on the sidewalk you should clearly not be surprised if the tubs disappear, even if you did leave a sign. I mean, c'mon. Really? What did you think was going to happen? Someone who wanted free clothing was going to walk around with their own tub, looking for random vats of clothing on the sidewalk? Did you think about how they would get their new goods home? No. You didn't. You were so obsessed with how great you are for putting free clothes out and not having to schlep to the Salvation Army, that you really didn't think about the receiver of the clothes at all, even though you're trying to pretend like you did. But lets just be honest. You were being selfish. You wanted that crap out of your basement, and you didn't want to take the trouble to drive to donate them. So they took your tubs? Serves you right.
Oh, and the other thing we can learn from this sign? It really is worth the time to pencil that text out to ensure the spacing looks good. If you had done that, you wouldn't have those little mini words on angles, and you wouldn't have the crappy lowercase afterthought in the lower right corner. I didn't take your tubs, but if I did, that sign certainly wouldn't convince me to return them. I'd just leave them on the street with a sign for free tubs.

climate: sunny, low 40's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: elton john
vote obama and not the gop because: fear.* Look, I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know, but Obama is not a terrorist. But for some reason the republican party has members that don't believe that. So Sarah Pukin' Palin is running around in circles yelling at the top of her lungs "who IS Barak Obama?? WHO IS HE?? We've only had the past 21+ months to get to know him! We should know who he associates with!" Well, let me help you out here, SP. But, let me start by asking: Who the fuck are YOU? No one had ever even heard of you until McCain plucked you out of the snow as a mercy measure to beg for women's votes. (And by the way, it didn't work because anyone that would vote for her just because she's a woman, would not have voted for Obama anyway. And anyone that would vote for her because of her experience and background, well, how about you just sit on the couch that Tuesday? We'll all be better off if you do.) But lets get back to the issue. So Obama sat a school board with a guy that has a shady background. Let me say that again. Obama sat on a school board with a guy who has a shady background. Did you get that? No, not the shady background part. The school board part! Obama was on a school board! Hey SP, have you ever been on a school board? No? What? There's only one school where you come from, and they don't have a board? Oh. I'm going to break this down for ya, SP. You see, Obama has done stuff. And when you do stuff, you meet people. All kinds of people, and that's a good thing. Once I took a tour of the Harvard Medical Research Labs and I met Dr. Hubel, a nobel prize winner. Really nice guy, but the point is that you don't know anyone with shady backgrounds (except your own family) because YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING! But now that you're running for VP, you've met a lot of people, and I'm willing to bet that a lot of them have super shady backgrounds. I can tell because they go on national television and accuse an honest citizen of these Unites States, who also happens to be running for president, of being a terrorist! And that is just ridiculous. These are the people you represent? These are your supporters? Well, well, well. Now who has the shady associations?
*I got the idea for this blog from my friend's friend's blog, so I should give her the credit.

presidente!

2008-10-16T10:02:00.002-04:00

I liked this sign I saw in a window this morning. Something about that extra "e" just makes it sound so much more exuberant. Presidente!

climate: overcast, high 50's
shoes: silver flats
ipod: Beatles
vote Obama and not the GOP because: words. McCain has something against the use of words, which makes me think he should maybe just learn sign language. There's actually an excellent New Yorker article about this. He's said it before, and he said it again last night:

"Well, you know, I admire so much Sen. Obama's eloquence. And you really have to pay attention to words."

And because my sarcasm detector started beeping frantically, I was aware that McCain was actually making fun of Obama's eloquence. Now this is something that came up in all the Bush elections. Bush was advertising himself as a 'regular guy' just like me. And Palin has tried to convince us that she's a 'regular mom', also just like me. (I'm not a guy or a mom, (or a white trash mom) but anyway...) The point is that for some reason this is appealing and reassuring to the everyday people, but it shouldn't be! Our president needs to be someone above ordinary. Our president needs to be a strong thinker, a strong speaker, and someone that won't embarrass our country when meeting with other leaders. Our president needs to be intelligent and eloquent. McCain making fun of Obama's vocabulary, eloquence, or education is like a kid on a playground making fun of another kid- its a defense mechanism help him feel better about his lack of these qualities. And being defensive about a lack of self confidence is definitely not a presidential quality. I mean, what's he going to do at a dinner with members of the United Nations? Make fun of their accents and clothing? Yes, that will get our country well endeared to do business with foreign countries. Actually, no, no it won't. So unless you're cool with the president sitting at the kids table throwing bread instead of assisting in decisions that affect our global welfare, don't vote for the insecure kid. Don't vote for the everyday guy that you can relate to. Vote for the person that has the intellect to do the job.

being mindful

2008-10-10T13:23:00.007-04:00

I thought this was witty.

climate: sunny, low 60's
shoes: blue and grey flips
ipod: rolling stones
vote obama and not the GOP because: energy safety. Lets talk about nuclear (pronounced new-clee-her). During that last debate McCrafty said:

Now, how -- what's -- what's the best way of fixing it? Nuclear power. Sen. Obama says that it has to be safe or disposable or something like that. Look, I -- I was on Navy ships that had nuclear power plants. Nuclear power is safe, and it's clean, and it creates hundreds of thousands of jobs. And -- and I know that we can reprocess the spent nuclear fuel. The Japanese, the British, the French do it. And we can do it, too. Sen. Obama has opposed that.

I would like you to focus your attention on the italicized sentence, "safe or disposable, or something like that." What? Wait- is he making light of Obama's desire to ensure that nuclear power should be safe? I think he is! I sense sarcasm! You know, that's nothing to poo-poo about. He's old enough to remember Three Mile Island, where a nuclear reactor melted and released enough radon into the environment that the soil still to this day has excessively high amounts of radon and is considered a brown-field site by the EPA. And I should hope he can also recall a little thing the Soviet Union went through called Chernobyl, where an entire city had to be evacuated due to the nuclear fallout. And I KNOW Palin knows where that is because she's so close to Russia!
Is nuclear power a bad thing? No! It could actually be a good thing, and both candidates recognize that. But McCain's clear distaste for government regulations could lead to lax safety precautions and next thing you know, we all have cancer. And if you follow this blog, you'll recall that with McCain's health care reform proposal, we can't afford cancer. And a nuclear blow out would surely melt our popsicles.
Oh, and one last thing about nuclear power. Its big. Really really big. A nuclear power plant would need a lot of space to house all the cooling ponds and crap. And you know where they have space? (Cue soundtrack to Oklahoma). The midwest. So to all you republicans out there in the red midwest states, think about it because voting for McCancer could be voting for an unsafe nuclear power plant in your backyard.

pennies on the dollar

2008-10-07T12:32:00.008-04:00

Look at these artfully arranged pennies on a window sill on Mass Ave. Coincidentally this is also the current value of my 401k! (Get it? COIN-cidentally!? HA!!) Alright, alright. Lets get down to business.

climate: sunny, low 50's
shoes: gray and blue sneaks
ipod: none, my cabbie kept yapping in a different language on a cell phone.

vote obama and not the GOP because: health care. Right now insurance policy costs are market driven, which might seem like a good thing, but what I'm paying for at this competitive price is a basic health coverage plan. But when I get cancer, all of the sudden my costs will skyrocket because my basic plan doesn't cover all the additional cancer crap I have to deal with. So just shop around for a plan with better coverage, right? Wrong! No new plan will accept me because we all know I have cancer. I'm screwed! Obama's plan will force insurance companies to accept me regardless of my pre-existing conditions, so when I find out a different provider has a cheaper plan, my insurance provider will actually care that they're about to lose me as a customer. McCain's plan doesn't really talk about this issue. I read it. All it says is that he'll "Work With Governors To Find The Solutions Necessary To Ensure Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Are Able To Easily Access Care." (Did that really need caps on each word, JM? No. No, it didn't.) So anyway, he doesn't say what kind of care, he doesn't say I get to chose my care, he doesn't say much of anything. And when I have cancer, and my plan has a co-pay of $75 per chemo shot, but a different plan offers $25 for the same delicious chemo cocktail, will I be able to switch? Well, I don't know! It doesn't say! And really, is that the time to find out about this crap? When I've got an IV in my arm and all my friends are trying to make me eat popsicles? No. This is the time to enjoy my friends and my popsicles, not think about my co-pay.
McMaverick does say that he'll give me $2500 in tax credits to pick a provider different than what my boss offers. Great! Except when I quit my last job, COBRA was $300/ mo, and that's the cheapo plan. So if the cheapo plan is $3600 a year, $2500 isn't going to get me much. Maybe it will buy me a wig and some popsicles. But I don't even need a wig, because I can't afford that chemo anyway! I will be left with expensive cancer and $2500 worth of popsicles.

indecision

2008-10-06T11:10:00.006-04:00

Looks like someone must have changed their minds. But that's okay because it at least means they're thinking about this election.
I've never 'themed' this blog, but I think October will be Obama month. I will be on the look out for Obama everywhere. I will be all Obama, all the time. I will give you a good reason to vote for Obama and a good reason to NOT vote for McCain with every post. Enjoy!

climate: overcast, high 50's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: lauryn hill
vote for Obama and not the GOP because: taxes. Obama is proposing tax cuts that will give you a 2.4% decrease if you make $50k. The other white meat is offering a decrease as well, of 0.7%. Also, if you're freakin' loaded and make a lovely 2.7 mil, Obama is going to charge ya an additional 11.4%. No biggie, its only about $300k. Pocket change! BUT if you make the big bucks, you're going to make even more off The Pork. 4.4% more. lucky you. Can I have some? I can barely afford my generic toothpaste as it is now.

danger!

2008-10-03T09:32:00.002-04:00

There's a lot to watch out for now that Harvard Square is continuously under construction. There's the complex traffic patterns that most drivers don't adhere to anyway. There's the bikers that know what they're doing and are not afraid to run you over. There's the myriad of tourists wondering how to get to "Harvard". There's the students that don't realize that Harvard Square is not an exclusive extension of their dorm rooms. And now I have to watch out for hippie crossings? Per order of Capt. Commando? This is just too much!

climate: sunny, low 50's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: The Band

bee girl

2008-10-01T10:41:00.002-04:00

Cut through Central Square this morning, and the Metro lady was dressed like a bee. There you have it.

climate: overcast, mid 60's
shoes: black kitten heels
ipod: Blind Melon (get it? ha!!)

I rule!

2008-09-29T10:27:00.003-04:00

Returned a Netflix movie today to the blue USPS box on the corner. This sticker was stuck on the inside of the handle panel (not sure what else to call that part that you pull open to drop your mail in.) There is was, where there's usually information about pick up times, or how many ounces you can mail without having your love letter examined by the USPS-po-po. But here's the thing; someone took the time to make this sticker that is a bizarre historical reminder, and thought "where should I put this lovely sticker I just made? I know! Inside a mailbox! That'll show 'em. That'll be a fantastic act of vandalism and guerrilla culture jamming! I rule!"
But really? Inside a mailbox? Lame. Try again guerrilla dude.

climate: overcast, low 60's
shoes: brown flips. should have gone with the rainboots, though.
ipod: T. Rex

historical

2008-09-25T10:08:00.004-04:00

Around here you can't throw a cigarette butt without hitting some historical thing or another. Perfect example, while waiting for a cab at the Holiday Inn in Somerville* I saw this tucked in their lovely gravel-and-bushes landscaping.
"Paul Revere on his famous ride, April 18, 1775, was intercepted near here by British officers and escaped."
Near here?? NEAR here? If its just near here, what's with the monument? How far is "near"? A mile radius? Two miles? Where exactly did this happen? Do we not know? Shouldn't the monument be right where it happened? And if we don't know where that is, do we really need the monument? Is this some kind of stunt for the hotel? Do they call this the "historical Holiday Inn?" Shouldn't there be some kind of oversight committee to monitor these things? People!! I need ANSWERS!!

*Don't ask why I was at the Somerville Holiday Inn this morning. Its not nearly as exciting of an explanation as I'm sure you're thinking, so its probably better if you just go on thinking whatever it is you're thinking.

climate: sunny, low 60's
shoes: black flips
ipod: black eyed peas

amazing

2008-09-24T10:42:00.003-04:00

This thing was out for the trash. It looks like a shipping carton for I have no idea what. A maze to train mice? Or possibly its a mold for a make-it-yourself mini labyrinth?

climate: sunny, low 60's
shoes: brown flips
ipod: shuffle including 'Nsync and Tom Petty

No bubblegum, no bus stops, no babysitting. Spikes okay.

2008-09-22T09:17:00.002-04:00

Glad to see the classic Four Square game is still in play- although this court could use some reconditioning- I've seen better playgrounds in 3rd world countries. Who's got the red rubber ball?

climate: overcast, low 60's
shoes: gray flips. first day of fall be damned
ipod: highrise

free crap

2008-09-19T09:55:00.003-04:00

Oh yes! Crappy cardboard boxes left out in the rain! For FREE!! I can't believe my luck because I was just thinking... I wish I had a crappy damp cardboard bo.... no, wait, I wasn't thinking that at all.
What is wrong with these people??

climate: sunny, mid 60's
shoes: snake skin flats (bet you didn't see that one coming!)
ipod: supertramp

true love

2008-09-18T10:04:00.003-04:00

Someone heart's DD so much they had to write it on a traffic barrel. And around here, there's only one thing DD can mean...

climate: sunny, low 70's
shoes: gray flips
ipod: grateful dead

I voted

2008-09-16T13:49:00.003-04:00

I voted on my walk to work today. I asked the poll workers how the turn out was (this was around 10 am) they had only had about 10 people come in. 10 people! 10 people!?!?
People.
Its not too late.
Go. Vote! NOW!!

climate: overcast, high 60's
shoes: gray flips
ipod: shuffle

vote tomorrow

2008-09-15T13:24:00.004-04:00

State primaries are tomorrow. Don't forget to vote. You can find some general information here:
Who's running for what?

And information about a write in campaign to oust a scandalous rep here:
Cambridge Chronicle politics blog

climate: sunny, mid 80's
shoes: black flips
ipod: none- lots of flying and too much headphone action over the weekend

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks...

2008-09-11T09:23:00.002-04:00

Today's walk to work was uneventful, but yesterday's was more exciting. I had a tour of Fenway Park. Here's a picture from the comfortable seats of the green monster.

climate: sunny, high 60's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: none, but we did hear the saxophone player recording the national anthem for yesterday evening's game.

what a croc

2008-09-08T09:02:00.003-04:00

One lone pink Croc, sitting on a brick pier. Very museum-esque, but be careful... I've heard these innocent looking plastic shoe abominations can actually kill. Then again, what can't these days?

climate: sunny, mid 70's
shoes: black flips
ipod: Outkast

sweet!

2008-09-05T09:33:00.004-04:00

Now here's a sure way to get mobbed by children- just park this thing outside an elementary school and prepare to get trampled (by sneakers that light up and have hidden wheels).

climate: sunny, mid 80's
shoes: no lights or hidden wheels
ipod: more wilco, I'm on a bender

leave the tree alone

2008-09-04T09:02:00.004-04:00

Well I didn't know that dogs or trash could hurt a young tree. I can think of lots of things that would hurt a young tree; kids climbing on it, gypsy moths, deer, getting hit by a car, getting slimed a la You Can't Do That On Television. All these things could be potentially damaging to the influential health, safety, welfare, and developing sense of ethics of a young tree. But playing with a puppy, getting peed on, or hanging out with the wrong crowd of litterbugs? Not so bad, they'll grow out of it. Certainly not worth the sign. At least they said "please".

climate: sunny, high 70's
shoes: gray flips
ipod: wilco

...and we're back

2008-09-03T09:43:00.005-04:00

Or rather, they're back. The students. I love to hate the students. They're always driving the wrong way on the one ways around here, and they're just... amusing. Case in point: True story of two entirely different student conversations I overheard on Mass Ave at lunch yesterday:
1.) "...so German beer does have alcohol in it, right?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that it does."
2.) "...so if you have a tracheotomy, can you drink through that hole?"
"Yes! You could drink 2 beers at once!"
The only redeeming part about this time of year is that inevitably, one of them gets stuck under a bridge in their huge U Haul because, for whatever reason, they think that huge NO TRUCKS sign on Storrow or Memorial must not apply to them. After that, I'm counting the days until they vacate the premises again.

climate: sunny, low 70's
shoes: gray flips
ipod: Arrested Development

smokin'

2008-08-29T09:57:00.003-04:00

I saw a dude (that's right. a dude.) locking this up and I waited until the coast was clear before I snapped the picture. I think the skull's eyes blink in the dark. All I can say is; dude needs to brush that skulls teeth! And skull needs to quit smoking because who wants a skull with smokers teeth?

climate: low 70's
shoes: black flips
ipod: led zeppelin

hipsters suck

2008-08-28T14:06:00.003-04:00

I have to think the only person hip enough to perform the work above would be a hipster. Think about it. This person would have to a) know the areas of town that hipsters populate, b) be able to locate them on a T map, c) be in Harvard Square waiting for the #1 , and finally d) carry a fatty permanent marker. Who carries these markers? Hipsters, of course. Everyone else carries ballpoint pens. Or perhaps a Pilot Razer Point, which is my preference. But a fatty Sharpie?
Obviously a hipster.
Nice try hipsters, but I'm on to you.

climate: sunny, mid 70's
shoes: blue flips
ipod: shuffle including Macy Gray

black and blue

2008-08-27T10:02:00.003-04:00

I always like a good show of graffiti. Here's one on a Mass Ave side street. Its got the makings of a good piece of art- a mean message in a lovely blue script. It could be some sort of warning to "Bigsum The Doom Bringer"!

climate: sunny, mid 70's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: car radio- NPR

martha? is that you?

2008-08-25T10:31:00.006-04:00

Something about this lady totally reminds me of Martha Stewart. And its not the fact that she's at a sewing machine. Its something about the expression on her face. That and the trusty button down shirt that Martha is always rocking.

climate: sunny, high 70's
shoes: blue and black flips
ipod: none, left it at home

all gone to pot

2008-08-21T10:06:00.006-04:00

Sometimes you just don't need a whole pot for your flowers. Thank goodness for those occasions, there is this product available: the half pot. If you really want to blow people's minds, you should get two half pots and put one on either side of the fence so it looks like the fence runs through the pot! That would be insane!!

climate: sunny, mid 70's
shoes: orange flips
ipod: George Michael

eat me

2008-08-20T09:54:00.004-04:00

Where was I when I photographed these crazy fungi growths at a tree trunk? I must have been meandering through a forest, in search of rabbits and little cakes that have instructions on them, right? Wrong! I was on Putnam! These poisonous looking mushrooms were right in the heart of the city! Near a school! And you know what that means? That means that these mushrooms were violating the drug-free school zone laws. You are looking at CRIMINAL mushrooms! (Not to be confused with Cremini mushrooms. HA!)

climate: low 70's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: dr. dre

limited time offer

2008-08-18T09:24:00.003-04:00

Now this looks like a good deal if I've ever seen one. Unlimited tanning sessions for only $99 should help crisp up your translucent white Cambridge complexion. How long is this good for? What's that? 2005?? Shocking that this store is on its way out of business. They're obviously a company that keeps up with the current trends in tanning.

climate: sunny, mid 80's
shoes: orange flips
ipod: REM

cap: 1, bottle: 0

2008-08-15T09:54:00.002-04:00

The free form composition of this milk cap-fence-grass arrangement caught my eye and I was compelled to take a picture. I've been trying to come up with something witty to remark about it, but after 10 minutes, I still got nothing. So here ya go. I call it Still Life with Cap.

climate: overcast, high 70's
shoes: blue and gray flips
ipod: pavement

No means no.

2008-08-14T10:52:00.002-04:00

Seriously. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. DO NOT park your freakin' furniture here! I am SO tired of walking by and seeing all your couches and chairs in this parking spot. If you must park your dining room table, do it in the garage across the street. Do it on Mass Ave in the metered spots. I don't even care where, just not here!

climate: sunny, high 70's
shoes: blue and gray flips
ipod: gorillaz

what is that thing?

2008-08-12T09:55:00.004-04:00

Quality reading for someone's walk to work, just left out in the rain to dissolve! First of all, is that really the author's name? It has to be just a bad, bad pen name. It has to be, right? Second of all, that is some scary cover art. What is that thing? It looks like an alien chick with alopecia. I suppose its not the artist's fault because there are enough bad sci-fi artists running around Cambridge in capes, playing magical land games with pewter wizards and hanging out at that store near the 7-11 on Mass Ave. But the person that approved that as the cover art? What's their excuse? Its probably their significant other. That's the only reasonable explanation. They probably get a framed color pencil drawing of wizards and glass bubbles every year for their birthday.

climate: raining and inappropriately cold
shoes: brown flats
ipod: beatles

she sells seashells

2008-08-10T12:54:00.004-04:00

Last week's walk to work was very difficult. As you can see, I had to navigate treacherous terrain and was constantly on the defense against the vicious wildlife. Thank goodness I'm back in the city now, where's its safe.

climate: sunny, mid 80's
shoes: none
ipod: dusty springfield

for reals

2008-07-31T09:11:00.002-04:00

For reals, people. For reals. I mean, if its on a homemade bumper sticker slapped on a lamp post, it must be true.

climate: sunny, mid 80's
shoes: brown flips
ipod: destiny's child

oh happy day!

2008-07-30T09:04:00.002-04:00

Its a miracle! Little Jimmy can walk! He doesn't need the ol' crutches anymore! Now if we could just teach him to pick up after himself and stop leaving his things laying around on the curb, we'd be all set.

climate: sunny, high 70's
shoes: blue and gray flips
ipod: gym class heroes

hot or not?

2008-07-28T09:34:00.004-04:00

I think this is some kind of failed experiment; this morning it was clearly not hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Maybe they're hoping it will be ready by the time they get home from work?

climate: sunny, low 80's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: S aturday Morning Cartoons album

grilled peace

2008-07-24T09:11:00.004-04:00

I had to practically jump a fence to get a good picture of this, but here's a peace sign sticker on a charcoal grill. What happened here? Dude has a bunch of peace sign stickers laying around and he pops one on the BBQ? Maybe everything in his house has peace sign stickers on it! Maybe its all Haight-Ashbury meets Bobby Flay up in there.

climate: sunny, raining (yes, at the same time!) mid 80's
shoes: blue and gray argyle flips
ipod: jim james and calexico

!!!

2008-07-23T11:37:00.003-04:00

On the sidewalk in front of a house that's being painted. The likeness to an exclamation mark is remarkable, yet clearly unintentional. Somebody sign these guys, I think we have another Pollock on our hands.

climate: overcast, low 80's
shoes: brown flips. yes, again.
ipod: paul simon

yeah!

2008-07-22T12:42:00.002-04:00

Oh, man. I can't believe this kind of language is posted on a school bus! Further yet, I can't believe this is what a school bus looks like these days! What happened to the golden yellow embarrassment with the sticky green vinyl seats all torn up with springs sticking out? Kids get to ride in a van these days? A van with swear words on it?? Damn. Kids these days have it so good. When I was their age...

climate: overcast, low 80's
shoes: brown flips
ipod: can't get that stupid mamma mia song out of my head.

zen-ish

2008-07-21T09:02:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was some crazy biblical weather around here. There wasn't any hail, but enough rain to drown a turkey. I think the idea behind this meandering stone path is that it elegantly diverts rain water run-off to the street- and I would have liked to see it in action yesterday because I'm sure it was one of the first residential white water rapids around.

climate: sticky.
shoes: brown flops
ipod: beatles

shoe tree

2008-07-18T09:06:00.002-04:00

Sometimes your green space just needs a little something extra. Like size 9 sling backs in medium brown with a embossed burl texture.

climate: sunny, high 80's
shoes: see above. no, really, brown flips
ipod: abba

good porch/ bad porch

2008-07-17T10:00:00.002-04:00

Here's the bad neighbor situation every good neighbor dreads- if you live in a duplex, that is. The picture doesn't do this justice, but the house on the left is well groomed and the house on the right looks like it got dressed in the dark. (Goofus and Gallant, anyone?) So Gallant wants to upgrade the porch but can't do so without undermining Goofus's structural system. I'm guessing Goofus wanted to spend money on popcorn and movies, not schoolbooks and new steps. The solution? Shore that sucker up with a 2x4 and a cinder block and build a fence for spite. Helloooooo Neighbor!

climate: sunny, high 80's
shoes: brown flips
ipod: bah.

best unintentional garden ever

2008-07-16T10:00:00.002-04:00

I noticed this lovely fenced in yard today. Its displaying quite a bit of green for something paved entirely in asphalt.

climate: overcast, high 80's
shoes: black and blue argyle flips
ipod: whatever

the can IS the trash

2008-07-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

Its the age old question, how do you throw out a trash can? The note didn't work because the garbage truck drove right on by. And they were so gender PC, too! I wonder what their next tactic will be?

climate: sunny
shoes: brown flips
ipod: found it! but didn't remember to bring it.

ain't that the truth

2008-07-14T09:29:00.003-04:00

I don't want to get into where I've been for the last month. Lets just say I've spent a lot of time at Cantab Lounge on Mass Ave, hanging with Mr. Cook and throwing back cans of lukewarm LaBatts. Which reminds me- remember the Cambridgeport Saloon? Anyway, the Cantab is not where I've been. But like I said, lets just say it was, okay?

climate: overcast, high 80's
shoes: brown flips
ipod: I currently cannot locate my ipod, but I think it might be in my green bag under the bed.

moving on up

2008-06-16T09:56:00.003-04:00

I'm catching up on some photos I've taken but haven't posted about. Here's one from last week as the last of the Harvard kids followed the piper out of town. I believe the technique being implemented here was the mattress being used as a buffer so as not to scratch the roof of the minivan with the bike. I can't read the plates exactly, but they're not MA.
Good luck kids. See you on the news when you crash under the low bridge on Storrow!

climate: overcast, high 50's
shoes: grey keds
ipod: David Bowie

can't touch this

2008-06-12T09:28:00.002-04:00

Here's two stools out for the trash this morning. Nothing special here, move along folks. But wait... those stools still have the plastic on them! The people that live here must be one of those families that have the "nice" living room, that's covered in plastic for safe keeping. What a rare species, I thought that plasticing technique had gone out the window with cadillacs and sugar cubes! (For real, who uses sugar cubes anymore? I think I might start, its actually an ingenious idea)

climate: not so hot, 88 and sunny
shoes: flipper floppers
ipod: no ipod, I was on my bike

bottled up

2008-06-12T09:10:00.004-04:00

First off, this post is for yesterday.
Okay, this summer will officially be known as "The Summer of Meetings". I have never met with so many people in my life. I swear, I am not that important. There is no need to meet with me. I will only yell at you. That's what I do in all these meetings. Yell at people- and yet they keep coming back for more.
Here's a picture from the Cambridge exit of the Mass Pike at the stop light. The light is long and gives one ample time to untie ones shoes and switch from work boots to flip flops, as I did, or rid your car of all those empty juice bottles, water bottles, coffee cups, and granola bar wrappers, as I think every person at the light before me did.
(ps. this post counts as me going to work, because I took the photo on my way to the office coming back from a meeting)

climate: freakin' hot. like 97 and sunny
shoes: leather doc martin work boots, and then flip flops
ipod: Bonnie Tyler on the car radio

meetings. meetings, meetings.

2008-06-06T09:29:00.007-04:00

I have been to more 4-6 hour completely non-productive meetings in the past week than I care to think about. Seriously, why do we have to meet so much? I think all my colleagues are just lonely. Get a dog!

Here's some pictures to make up for my absence of posts:

Rocks on a stump. Either this person has a child who has a rock collection or, more likely, this is decoration. Jury's out on this as decoration. If the rocks were painted with scenes of sunny days and pilgrims picnicking, maybe. Maybe.

Still life with shopping cart. Nothing like kicking back in your favorite chair, under your favorite lamp, next to your favorite shopping cart!

And finally, last but not least. Happy Birthday Tom!!

climate: overcast, low 60's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: The Beatles

hubba hubba

2008-06-03T14:35:00.002-04:00

Four hubcaps leaning against a telephone pole. What is this, some kind of reverse car parts theft? They took the car and left the caps, rather than the other way around!

climate: sunny, high 60's
shoes: blue sneaks
ipod: not today, thank you.

The Road

2008-06-02T10:36:00.004-04:00

This "mural" was out for trash pick up along with some other weird paintings, and not in a good artsy weird way. Not sure what to say here except that I stood here looking at this thing for about 5 minutes, and I still have no idea what this is about. Is it an art project? Is it for a kid to use with matchbox cars? What are those bloody things in the road? Did that guy explode?

climate: sunny, low 60's
shoes: brown flips
ipod: shuffle including Groove Armada

71 hours and 59 minutes, 71 hours and 58 minutes, 71 hours and....

2008-05-29T09:30:00.008-04:00

...and we're back! It was a long weekend involving mini golf, my birthday, and worms, followed by a long start to a short week, involving meetings, car rental, and not walking to work.
Bike season has officially begun, and this morning I saw this bike ticket. So the 72 hour countdown has also begun. If you know how to pick a U-lock, head on over and hook yourself up with a sweet ride! (Now before you get a bee in your bonnet- I'm no bike theft proponent, but I also don't think the PRC should get such a nice colorful set of wheels for free)

climate: sunny, high 60's
shoes: fantastic new argyle patterned flip flops
ipod: none. no battery, yo

one way

2008-05-23T10:39:00.004-04:00

The effectiveness of this sign at directing traffic is doubtful, but it seems to function very well as a vine support. Also, for reasons unbeknownst to me, it reminds me of Sam the Bald Eagle from the Muppet Show.
I don't know why I think of these things, I can't help it, I just do.

climate: sunny, mid 50's
shoes: brown flip flops
ipod: George Michael (yes, I saw the American Idol finale, and I've been listen to GM ever since)

love it

2008-05-21T09:30:00.003-04:00

I see this heart all over the greater Central Square area. The artist must have some meaningful explanation, but I like to think the intention is to spread the love, renegade style. Its like a real life emoticon in international tagger slang!

climate: sunny, high 50's
shoes: gray keds
ipod: The Beatles

move it ladies!

2008-05-20T09:44:00.005-04:00

Looks like some ladies were let loose on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. Ashley, Tia, Angela, and one other name I couldn't read, to be exact. They have used the popular sidewalk chalk medium to announce to the world that they are The MCG's, and that they have the moves. (My pink arrow points out their claim "We Got The Moves".)
And I'm sure they do.

climate: sunny, mid 50's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: random shuffle

TV time

2008-05-19T09:53:00.004-04:00

This has the makings of a bad joke:
...so three TV's and a microwave are hanging outside a parking lot. One TV turns to the microwave and says....

climate: sunny, high 50's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: The Beatles

what is this?

2008-05-16T10:15:00.003-04:00

These were on the same street! The same philosophical, ponderous street. Less than 20 feet from each other.
And what is anything, really? What is this street? What is field report? And you may ask yourself- how did I get here? And you may tell yourself.... oh, never mind.

climate: overcast, high 50's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: The Beatles

booty call

2008-05-15T09:35:00.004-04:00

Ah, the boot. Apparently you get them for unpaid parking tickets, but my conspiracy theory/ Law & Order loving suspicions make me think that its really a trick, and a way to catch criminals of far more heinous crimes. You know how it goes- the perp calls the po-po, "what's up with this boot, I don't have no unpaid tix!" The men in blue respond, "must be a mistake, stay right there, we'll come take it off..." then BAM, you're under arrest for (insert your own heinous crime here- possibly even one I've depicted in this blog.) The police didn't even have to look for you, you called them! Well, it could happen...
Anyway, bad news police- I think this guy is on to you because the car has been here for a week now. So could you please remove the boot and tow the boat? This thing takes up two parking spaces!

climate: overcast, mid 50's
shoes: black kitten heels
ipod: none. I'm sick and my ears are so plugged up I wouldn't be able to hear it anyway.

free to be you and me

2008-05-14T09:51:00.006-04:00

There is a certain amount of homogeneity in dwelling, I guess. We all have windows, siding, garden hoses, and trash cans. Some of these common elements of home have more variety than others- front doors, for example, have more options then really necessary (and therefore many people seem to make poor front door purchasing decisions. Do you need a window in your door that is shaped like a pelican? No, you do not, you're being ridiculous. Put that thing back on the shelf and walk away.)
This trash can owner obviously felt the urge of individualism and expressed it D.I.Y. style with little wood cutouts of cute flower pots with snails and flowers on them. It seems they ran into some trouble getting them to stick to the plastic lids, so in the case of the heart, they resorted to red duct tape. (I would have recommended avoiding adhesives altogether and use a small carriage bolt system. Be sure the bolt and nut are galvanized or stainless steel, otherwise they'll rust.)
Good show, can owner! Way to be free to be you and me!

climate: sunny, high 50's
shoes: gray keds
ipod: random shuffle including Toto.

no parking baby (on the dance floor)

2008-05-13T09:36:00.003-04:00

Sometimes the good ol' PRC's best efforts just aren't enough. Its those times that private citizens have to take things into their own hands- like this guy did with a home made "no parking" sign and some yellow paint. The amazing thing is that this is so obviously not a real sign, but people still adhere to it- the guy never has anyone parking within 4 feet of his driveway. Good work, no parking guy!

climate: sunny, windy, low 50's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: the strokes

signs, signs, everywhere the signs

2008-05-12T10:08:00.008-04:00

This sign was posted on a Harvard owned building near a bike rack. In case you can't read it, the sign says: Temporary Bike Rack 2 Hour Limit.
Now here's what I want to know, Harvard:
1. Is there some sort of crazy bike parking going on where bikes are just piling up all over the place and people are leaving them there for days, weeks, months? If this is the case, which I don't think it is, because I've been walking by this for 4 years, and I assure you I would have noticed this rampant abuse of bike parking, but if it is the case, have you considered adding to the 2 small bike lock up bars that are there? Because there's plenty of room here. You could get two more racks in, easy. And-
2. Do you enforce this? Is someone out there with a timer, cutting locks and impounding bikes in violation? Do you leave tickets on the bikes in hopes that some sucker will believe that you know who they are, so they pay the fine? Is there a bike pound somewhere on campus that houses hundreds of them?
The answer is no. Your sign is ridiculous. There's no way to enforce it, and by posting it at all you make a mockery of yourself. Harvard should encourage bike riding, and therefore bike parking, not limit it. Power to the (bike riding) people!

climate: overcast, mid 40's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: random shuffle in the jazz genre

lost in space

2008-05-09T12:34:00.003-04:00

This morning on my way to my coffee shop pit stop before going into the office (If I'm already late, what's another hour for coffee and a bagel, right?) I had an alarming interruption. The guy in the photo stopped me and asked if I knew where Magazine Street was. I answered, because I'm polite like that, but as he walked away I had to take this picture. From where we were standing there are not one, not even two, but three, ladies and gentlemen, THREE signs pointing to Magazine Street. (Circled here in hot pink for your viewing ease). I can't help but notice in the photo; he still looks like he's heading the wrong way.

climate: overcast, low 50's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: shuffle including Neil Young and Weekend Players

thanksgiving in may

2008-05-08T10:09:00.004-04:00

Its raining and I got a ride to work, so I don't have any exciting pictures to share. Instead I will show you a picture I took of a turkey that landed on the low roof adjacent to my office. The picture is crappy becuase its through my window screen. But you can still tell that its a turkey!

climate: raining, low 60's
shoes: gray keds
ipod: car radio: led zeppelin

trashy!

2008-05-07T09:48:00.003-04:00

Here's some peeps that took their spring cleaning very seriously this year. There was so much crap piled high on the sidewalk that it would have taken me hours to catalog it all for your reading enjoyment. I'll tell you the highlights though: a bronze (looking) unicorn statuette, that pink tub of various tupperware things, some vintage-ish soda bottles, and several packed suitcases (what was in them? more suitcases? more trash?)

climate: sunny, low 60's
shoes: gray keds
ipod: funkstar deluxe bob marley remix

dancing machine

2008-05-06T13:38:00.004-04:00

Here in the People's Republic of Cambridge, we know how to celebrate arguably the best month of the year. That's right, its May, its our party, and we can dance if we want to.

climate: sunny, high 50's
shoes: black kitten heels
ipod: men without hats (of course)

fresh air party scent

2008-05-05T09:15:00.005-04:00

I see a lot of trash on the streets and sidewalks, but most of it is lottery tickets, cig butts, and food wrappers. And then there's the occasional item(s) of interest, that I have to wonder: How did that get there?
This is that. A double dose of car air freshers freshly mashed with a party noise maker. Genius!

climate: sunny, low 50's
shoes: gray keds
ipod: no ipod, but I had that stupid cake song stuck in my head-
I need you here with me
Not way over in a bucket seat...

harvard square blew up

2008-05-02T10:10:00.008-04:00

Originally I had a different post all ready to go up, and then I got to work and found out that Harvard Square may or may not be under attack by either "terrorists" or NStar, (which, according to some are the same thing). I walked down there to check out the scene- not much to see, I guess I missed all the action by hours. You may or may not remember the last time Harvard Square may or may not have been under attack by either "terrorists" or Comedy Central or hippies. (The first and last of which, according to me, are the same thing).

climate: overcast, low 50's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: corinne bailey rae

this blog is brought to you by the letter H

2008-05-01T11:02:00.005-04:00

Today I noticed that my neighborhood is a screen door alphabet soup. I only snapped pictures of two doors, but I also saw an "M" and a "B". I didn't realize that this was such a popular trend. Now I want one!

climate: sunny, high 40's
shoes: gray keds
ipod: lemonheads

sample in a jar

2008-04-30T09:50:00.002-04:00

This tag was laying randomly on the sidewalk, near absolutely nothing that looked like it might be a sample of anything at all. But if you think about it, isn't our whole world really just a sample? Hmmm.

climate: sunny, mid 50's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: the staple singers

you've got mail

2008-04-28T09:27:00.004-04:00

I'm willing to place money on which Sesame Street character lives here. But for real, as far as mailboxes go, there are a lot of options out there- I guess an Oreo box is as good as any. I would have gone with E.L.Fudge, myself. I hear they're making a comeback.

climate: overcast, low 50's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: david bowie

just add water

2008-04-25T10:16:00.003-04:00

Instructions for growing a plastic Jesus:
1. Plant plastic Jesus seed in a large pot.
2. Do NOT fertilize.
3. That's it! In 3 to 5 days you should have a 18" high plastic Jesus of your own! (Or you could take this one that someone apparently didn't want to have to care for anymore.) Ah, trash day in Riverside. Its like a walk through a museum of not fine art.

climate: sunny, low 60's
shoes: gray keds
ipod: the teenage prayers

'sup pup?

2008-04-24T09:27:00.003-04:00

Today my trusty immunity to cuteness died a little when I saw this ridiculously cute stone puppy surrounded by fallen apple blossom petals. (or maybe its magnolias?) If anyone knows where I can get my cute immunity booster shot, please let me know- if I have to walk by this thing every day, I'm going to need reinforcements.

climate: sunny, high 60's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: random shuffle including Prince and REO Speedwagon.
Oh yeah.

cowboy up

2008-04-23T11:15:00.005-04:00

Once again, I missed blogging due to travel. But I'm back and I have a souvenir! This is no ordinary cowboy hat, this is a durable, plastic, OSHA approved cowboy hat hard hat! That's right, this baby will protect your delicate dome from falling bricks and low hanging overhead pipes. You won't see many construction workers sporting these in Cambridge, but I assure you, they are all the rage with the Houston boys down south.

climate: sunny, low 70's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: no ipod. 10 hours on a plane in the past two days

shut up!

2008-04-18T11:03:00.003-04:00

Shutters on houses crack me up. I think my knowledge of building materials and construction gives me an uber elitist sense of humor about these things, and no one else really cares, which is probably the healthier attitude. Like that snobby artist guy who's friends with Maude in The Big Lebowski.
But for real, shutters are supposed to be closed to shed rain from windows. So to work properly, they should be half the size of the window (so they cover it when its closed) and the slats should be sloped away from the window when closed, and therefore towards the window when opened. The shutters in the photo are installed upside down! And I cut off the pic, but these shutters are about a quarter of the size of the window. Not that it matters, becuase they're not functional anyway. And what's with the horse and carriage accent??

climate: sunny, low 50's
shoes: silver flats
ipod: Rick Astley (in my head)

gardening gets the boot

2008-04-17T09:32:00.002-04:00

I went to Home Depot last night, in search of potting soil and planters for my Organic Container Garden Project. I was unimpressed with the expensive terracotta pots*, and I'm not interested in potentially leaching chemicals from the cheaper plastic pots into my vegetables. I would just plant in the ground, but as many Riversiders know, our soil has a high natural lead content. Plus container gardens offer more flexibility of location. The point is, I'm on the lookout for free or cheap non plastic planters. I saw these aluminum culvert planters today, and I like the ingenuity. Is aluminum any better than plastic, though? I have no idea. Terracotta, aluminum, plastic, old car tires, treated wood... they'll all probably end up killing you in the end.
* I did see an awesome fake boot planter, but I don't think its that great for a container garden. I did a search for it, and apparently other people were as stunned by its fantasticness as I was.

climate: sunny, high 40's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: david bowie

smallest park in the world

2008-04-16T09:34:00.005-04:00

This is Guffey Park, on the corner of Arrow Street and Mass Ave. I don't know what it takes to make a park, but apparently its not grass, because all this park has is three trees, some plantings, and six steps. There's not even a bench! I thought for sure every park should have at least a bench, but I guess not. So there you have it, the smallest park in the world.
(Actually, google tells me that the real smallest park in the world is Mill Ends Park in Portland Oregon)

climate: sunny, high 40's
shoes: new grey keds!
ipod: kris kristofferson. keds and kris k- I'm kicking it old school today.

its a bird, its a plane... no, it really is a bird

2008-04-15T12:09:00.005-04:00

This guy was flapping his wings excitedly at me this morning, and with the bright sunshine I felt slightly transported to a warmer, happier place. A place called "summer in Cambridge" where there's more parking, more barstools, and less noise because all the college kids have gone back to their origins for the summer and taken their BMW's with them. I can't wait! On a side note, what's with the bizarre things people are sticking in their gardens these days? The plants aren't enough? Who walked by a wing-flapping flamingo in a store and said "I need that!"?

climate: sunny, mid 40's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: no ipod. yesterday I was traveling, so I needed the earphone break again.

childhood lost

2008-04-11T09:37:00.007-04:00

For all my readers out there in TV land, don't worry, I did not abandon my blog. I had a two day conference this week, so there wasn't any walking to work. But here's two photos from this morning to make up for it. This time its not a glove or a hat, but a super hero that got hung up on a fence post. Of course now that I've posted about it, it will probably turn out to be a suspicious package, and the bomb squad will have to come out and detonate spidey. (He'll get away safely though. He always does.) The second photo is someone's awesome looking tricycle going out with the trash. I'm telling you now- that trike rider will have fond memories of riding up and down the block on that thing. Memories of playing cops 'n robbers, piloting a jet, and captaining a boat, always with her trusty trike. Then one day her parents just tossed it out with yesterday's paper and last nights leftover macaroni casserole (which wasn't very good). She will look back on those memories and resent her parents for ruining her childhood with hamburger helper and throwing out her best friend. Way to go 'rents.
Not that I'd know. Just a guess here...

climate: overcast, high 40's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: new radicals

more nightmare material

2008-04-08T09:18:00.002-04:00

Riverside is not usually a scary place, but its this kind of art that would have instilled a fear of fences and vines in me if I were of bike riding age again. (Well, I do ride my bike, but I mean this size bike.) This is even cooler looking in the spring because you can barely see the bike through the leaves on the vines.

climate: sunny, mid 40's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: more tom petty

hey toto, I don't think we're in cambridge anymore!

2008-04-07T10:46:00.004-04:00

I know I'm doing exactly what the ad company wants and thinking way more about this than I should but... this is such bad ad placement! They obviously don't know that here in the greater Boston area we're basking in the blue laws still, and we're actually not allowed to have a happy hour! That's right- no drink specials allowed in Cambridge. Why? Because that would encourage tyrannic acts that risk our high moral compass. Acts like having fun, enjoying a drink, and worst of all: saving a little money. We just can't have that kind of tomfoolery here, thank you very much.

climate: deceivingly sunny, mid 40's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: tom petty

rain rain, go away...

2008-04-04T10:39:00.002-04:00

No post yesterday becuase I didn't walk to work. Today its pouring so I stuck it out and waited for the bus. Here's a picture I took a few days ago of some interesting graffiti on a garage door. I see that jack-o-lantern all over, so I think its someone's trademark. I kind of like it.

climate: high 40's, raining
shoes: new rain boots
ipod: none

fencing

2008-04-02T10:05:00.004-04:00

This guy's fence is crazy! Its difficult to do it justice in the picture, but this fence has it all, including windows, planters, and an iron gate for security, to keep people like me out. I also happen to know that behind the fence is a crazy yard, but we'll have to wait until its in full bloom to get a good shot of that.

climate: sunny, high 30's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: supergrass

no joke, they'll tow

2008-04-01T09:48:00.005-04:00

Its April first, which means you should watch your back for some pranks, and you should move your car for street cleaning! Cambridge gets serious about towing, especially today, to make the point that they're serious about towing. Not a problem for us walkers, but for our car driving comrades, don't forget.

climate: overcast, high 50's
shoes: black low heals
ipod: rental car today, so the crappy car radio.

corbu lives in cambridge!

2008-03-31T10:03:00.005-04:00

This fence is in someone's backyard. It looks awesome, but due to that law against trespassing, I only braved as far as the end of the driveway to get the picture. It looks like Le Corbusier's modular man (red and blue on the left) meets someone else's man (green and black on right). Fight!

climate: overcast, high 30's
shoes: brown and pink sneaks
ipod: excessive use of headphones on planes over the weekend. no ipod today.

rain day

2008-03-28T09:12:00.006-04:00

Today it is raining so I hitched a ride to work. Its also my friend Lauren's birthday. Here's a shot of one of her best sides...
Happy Birthday Lauren!

climate: high 40's, raining
shoes: rain boots
ipod: car radio

its like the 10th or 11th wonder of the world

2008-03-27T09:18:00.002-04:00

Look! Our very own Stonehenge, right here in Riverside! So many unanswered questions- who built this? What kind of technology did they use? What does it all mean?

climate: sunny, low 40's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: shuffle

way to go johnson!

2008-03-26T10:09:00.003-04:00

In case you were wondering who Number 1 is these days, apparently its Johnson. Good show, Johnson! Well played!

climate: sunny, high 30's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: grateful dead

fake is the new real

2008-03-25T09:14:00.010-04:00

They seriously love their fake flowers in this neighborhood! Note that the planter on the left hosts fake daffodils and a fake rose, not to mention the decorative plastic angel and the wood picture of Mr. and Mrs. Baby Chick- just hatched, yet already married. And of course, no planter is complete without the random stick poking out.

climate: sunny, low 30's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: shuffleupagus

now nobody knows your name

2008-03-24T09:20:00.005-04:00

I always liked the idea of The Friendly Eating Place, even though I never actually ate there. It just sounds so welcoming! It had a fire awhile back and although I thought Mass Ave would be a good restaurant location, it didn't come back. I recently ran into Diz, my good friend and Vice-President of Two Hat Design Build coming out of the space. He gave me the lowdown that the owner contracted them to fix the space up, but there's no new tenant yet, which got me thinking: what do we need on Mass Ave? My call is a sushi place. Or a bakery. Any thoughts?

climate: sunny, mid 30's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: donna lewis. sad but true.

problems solved

2008-03-21T09:55:00.007-04:00

Saw this on someone's 2nd story porch- its a display basket for books that says: The Ortho Problem Solver, America's Definitive Reference Book.
What's funny about this is the Ortho Book the display is for is an outdoor gardening book. The location of this house is completely concrete for the entire block, there's no place for gardening anywhere around here. I know, maybe its for their summer home on the cape where they have a huge outdoor garden, and they have a lot of solved problems there. But probably not.

Its a nice juxtaposition, though. Like the book is the garden. Or something.

climate: sunny, mid 20's
shoes: burgundy sneaks
ipod: wilco

one glove

2008-03-20T09:14:00.002-04:00

Its like its waving as the world goes by. When you find a lone glove on the sidewalk its understood that the thing to do is to stick it on a nearby fence. That way the glove owner can back track and hopefully find it with ease. On my daily work walk, I see a lot of articles of clothing on the sidewalk; socks, underwear, t shirts. I think its because they fall out of laundry baskets on people's way to the laundromat. Funny how the only thing that ever gets put on the fence, however, are the gloves. Its like its universally accepted: socks stay on the sidewalk, gloves go on the fence.

climate: overcast, low 40's
shoes: new rain boots!
ipod: Madonna

have cart, will travel

2008-03-18T09:49:00.003-04:00

One of the local homeless people left this cart parked here while scouting around the 'hood for something. I just finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy- the story revolves around a father and son that have lost their home and are heading south with all their possessions in a shopping cart. It got me thinking what a useful thing shopping carts are.
On a different note, a pedestrian in Central Square was hit and killed by a tractor-trailer yesterday morning. Its a sobering story by any account and because I go through Central at least once a day, it really got to me. I don't know the details, who's at fault, how it happened, etc. But to all my fellow walkers, please, you're never too old to look both ways before you cross the street.

climate: sunny, low 30's
shoes: brown flats
ipod: random shuffle mix