Praying for Boston

As most of you know, I lived in Boston for almost four years, and Marathon Monday was one of my favorite days of the entire year while I was up there. It was a day when everyone in the city came together to celebrate the athletic achievements of those running the Marathon. From the elite, world-class runners to the people running for charity, it was always an inspiring sight to witness.

Today I was saddened to hear about the bombings that took place at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. It's hard to understand why anyone would want to harm this special event, and because of their senseless actions, it would be easy to view the Marathon and my memories of it as somehow "tainted" from now on.

But I choose not to.

Instead I choose to remember cheering on the athletics running past me at the eighth mile of the race in Natick, clapping until my hands went numb.

I choose to remember little girls holding out their hands to runners, hoping to give and receive high fives.

I choose to remember searching for the Texans in the crowd of runners so I could give them a personal cheer of encouragement.

I choose to remember being so inspired by the elite runners that I attempted a little run on the way back to my apartment in Natick.

I choose to remember a father who pushes his son in the race each year.

So I don't really care who they finally discover committed this atrocity. It could be a right-wing wacko, left-wing wacko, domestic terrorist, or international terrorist. You can't take the Marathon and my good memories of it away.

I'm praying for all the people of Boston tonight. The city and its people are strong, and I know they will recover from this — and come out on the other side even better. Godspeed, Massachusetts. Godspeed.

30 Things to Be Thankful For - Day 25

The last few mornings have felt so much cooler and crisper, reminding me how much I love fall. I feel so blessed to have spent four years in New England with its glorious fall foliage. Texas may not have the best falls, but I love these last few months in the year most of all.

Riding the Train

Back when I used to ride the train every day, there was a man who often rode on the same car as me. What was so remarkable about this man was that he was wearing shorts every time I saw him. It didn’t matter if it was 9 degrees or 90 degrees — he always wore shorts. I was pretty amazed by him the first few times I saw him. I thought he must be one of those strong New England types who never feels the cold and laughs at the sight of me, a Texas transplant, wearing Big Blue. Then I began to wonder where he worked — it must be a pretty informal workplace if he’s able to wear shorts everyday. Did everyone else there wear shorts too?

It’s funny how you spend so much time riding the train and creating stories about the people who ride along beside you. There was one older lady who always wore her hair up in a fancy, almost old-fashioned bun. She walked very slowly but with purpose. In the winter she carried a ski pole to help her navigate the ice. I always wondered if her grandchildren insisted she carry it, or if she was self-assured enough to carry it herself. Another woman had the craziest, multi-colored backpack. I was desolate the few weeks she went without it. Luckily she went back to it, and all order returned to the world.

Sometimes I wonder what people thought about me. Did they recognize me because of my coats? (I tend to wear brightly colored numbers — mostly to ensure I don’t get lost in the snow.) Or was it something else? My hair cut? My smile? My inability to really run for the train, but a willingness to try?

I miss riding the train sometimes. I got so much reading done and had two whole hours of ME time every day. But sometimes, what I miss the most are the people.

Wet & Wild Weekend

As another rainstorm moved into New England this morning, I realized that I hadn't posted anything about the weekend Paul came to visit me two weeks ago. As the title suggests, it was a weekend of rain, rain, and more rain. It literally poured nonstop from Saturday morning through Monday evening. Luckily, the sun did come out on Tuesday, Paul's last day here. Here are a few highlights from the weekend.

On Saturday, Paul and I drove down to New Haven, CT, to see the Yale campus and eat at Louis' Lunch, the first place to ever serve hamburgers. We couldn't see much of Yale through the rain, of course, but we did manage to look around the campus bookstore and take a few photos. Louis' Lunch was an interesting experience. The place is tiny, but people were packed inside, waiting for their broiled hamburgers. We had to wait almost an hour to receive our food, but we both thought it was worth it. I did wish that I had ordered cheese or mayonnaise with mine because it was a little dry. We ended our time in New Haven by looking around IKEA and then drove back home.

The next day Paul and I went to church in the morning and then drove to South Boston to visit the JFK Presidential Library & Museum. Mom, Dad and I had visited it this past summer, but it was great to see it again (especially because it was dry inside). We spent a couple of hours there and then drove out to Brown Sugar, my favorite restaurant in Boston. (When I lived on Park Drive in Boston, the restaurant was right across from my apartment. I probably ordered out from it every other week. That branch is now closed, but I love going to the one on Commonwealth Ave.) We were lucky to find a parking spot nearby, even though we still got soaked walking to and from the restaurant. At least the food — Thai Fried Rice — was worth it.

On Monday we had planned to go into Cambridge to visit some of the museums at Harvard. However, we both decided we were tired of getting out in the rain, so we played a game of Scrabble in the morning and then went to see Avatar in the afternoon. That night we had roast and mashed potatoes, prepared by Paul, who is a most excellent cook.

The sun finally came out on Tuesday, even though it was still a little cool. Since Paul's plane left around 1 in the afternoon, we took the commuter rail into Boston and looked around the Quincy Market/Aquarium area. We then walked over to the North End and ate an early lunch. Since we were over there, we stopped at Mike's Pastry to pick up cannoli — yum! Then we were off to the airport to say our goodbyes.

Even though it rained almost the entire time, we both had a good time. It was nice being together just the two of us (and Sammy, of course).

American Cup

Last Saturday I drove out to Worcester (Woo-stah or Wi-stah if you're local) to attend the American Cup, an international gymnastics competition held each year. I've watched the competition on TV for years, but this was my first time to go to it live. It was an easy drive out to Worcester and a beautiful day as temperatures climbed into the 50s. I didn't even have to wear a jacket. If only all spring days could be like this . . .

The competition included both the men's and women's all around. I realized a few days before that I knew very little about any of the competitors besides Rebecca Bross, Jonathan Horton, and Fabian Hambüchen of Germany. However, it was still exciting to see world-class gymnasts performing right in front of me. The men's events were especially impressive since I had never seen them before. I was in awe as they performed on the still rings and pommel horse. Those guys have to be the strongest athletes per ounce — I can't imagine a football player being able to do some of the things gymnasts can do. It was nice to see Rebecca Bross win with Alexandra Raisman of Needham, MA, finishing second. Maxim Devyatovsky of Russia (with his New Kids on the Block ponytail) won the men's title.

I had only one big issue with the event: lots of screaming little girls. Pardon me as I step up on my soap box. I appreciate that USA Gymnastics is trying to bring in young fans and get them excited about attending gymnastics events. I think they do a great job with that and believe that U.S. Figure Skating could learn a lot from what they are doing. However, these girls need to understand that it is not appropriate to scream for another person (JOHNNY!) while a gymnast is performing. (And the mothers need to stop egging them on and teaching them how to scream louder. You learn manners at home!) It's perfectly fine to scream during the short breaks between events or when the crowd is doing the wave (even if I still will exercise my right to cover my ears). Just please respect these athletes who are doing amazing things and could hurt themselves if they lose concentration. And please respect the other spectators who also paid to enjoy the event. Stepping off soap box now.

The competition ended around 3 p.m. so I drove over to the shopping center in Millbury. I ate a late lunch/early dinner at T.G.I. Friday's and then looked around a few of the stores. I headed home soon after that. I'm so excited for the warmer weather and longer days; hopefully I'll be able to get out on day trips a little more now.

I ♥ Big Blue!

It's the thick of winter up here in New England, which means that I am completely indebted to Big Blue, my huge puffy jacket. I've had Big Blue for three winters, and I think a huge part of my survival up here has been due to the warmth and comfort that the jacket provides.

What makes Big Blue so great . . .

• It's basically a sleeping bag with sleeves (the original Snuggie!). I don't feel too much of the cold once I have it on. I've joked that I could fall down and be covered with snow for two weeks but still survive because of the insulation.
• It's padded. I fell down the steps of my apartment last year, but because I was wearing Big Blue, I didn't feel too much.
• When I pull the hood up, my face is almost completely hidden. Great for when I don't want to be seen.
  
• It doesn't matter if it gets wet because it's waterproof.
  
• It's big and blue.
  

Today I decided to be brave and leave the house without Big Blue. Bad idea. It was so cold on the way to the train that I considered going back to my apartment to change jackets. Luckily, I made it through the day, but Big Blue will definitely be making a comeback tomorrow. It's too cold to go outside without it!

I ♥ Big Blue!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Winter is in full force here in New England. We had our real snow of the season two weekends ago, as well as a suburb snow last Wednesday (snow all around Boston but only rain and wind in Boston itself). Tonight the Museum held its staff holiday party, which made me realize that Christmas is only 11 days away. It's still hard to believe it's December, and then when I realize it's the middle of December, I just don't know what to think.


Two weekends ago (before the snow but in the midst of the rain and cold), I drove up to Salem for the Christmas in Salem house tour. The tour included 12 historic homes located around Salem Common. I've always loved going on house tours with my mom, and even though this one was different than those in the past, I really enjoyed seeing all the houses in their Christmas finest. Several of the houses were just so homey, and the fireplaces in each of them felt wonderful after walking around in the rain. Even though the tour was nice, I was glad to make it home that night, especially because it began to snow on the way back to Natick. I watched the Big 12 Championship that night and almost had a heart attack, but luckily Hunter Lawrence saved the day.

This past Saturday I had another dose of holiday spirit at a cookie exchange party held by a good friend. People not only made cookies for the party but savory food too, so I ate very well that night. It was nice to be around friendly people and share the fun of the holidays together. I also played Scattergories for the first time and enjoyed it quite a bit.

I have to admit I'm beginning a countdown for my time in Texas. I only have the rest of this week and two days next week, and then I'll fly home. It will be nice to spend time with my family again.

Joyeux Noel!

Fabulous Fall

A few days ago I took a break at work to get a hot chocolate and began thinking about all the good things about winter (cute clothes, hot chocolate, the first snow). I was getting pretty excited about the upcoming winter season but then realized that I haven't really celebrated fall yet this year. After almost no summer this year (I heard someone refer to it as "summerish"), the fall seems to be planning the same "blink and you'll miss it" act as well. So before fall ends, I thought I would record some of the things I love most about this season.

• Crisp air
• Leaf-peeping
• Apple cider and cider donuts
• The back-to-school section at Target
• My birthday
• Curling up under a blanket again
  
• Seeing the largest pumpkin at the Topsfield Fair
• Annual visit from my parents
• College football (especially UT)
  
• Beginning of the figure skating season
• Choosing pumpkins from a pumpkin patch
• The colors: red, gold, orange, brown, yellow

Hopefully there will be a few more weeks of fall to enjoy. Even though winter offers some wonderful moments, I'll be happy to wait to experience them until much later in the year.

Weekend on the Cape

Last weekend my parents flew up to Boston to spend my birthday with me and visit Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. I left work early on Friday so that we could drive down to Hyannis, our home base for the weekend. We spent a very rainy Saturday exploring the Cape and then took the ferry to Martha's Vineyard on Sunday. On Monday we did a few more things on the Cape and then headed back to the mainland for some birthday shopping and dinner (The Melting Pot . . . yum!). These are a few highlights from our weekend together:

Picking pumpkins at a pumpkin patch in front of a church.

I had never been to a pumpkin patch so this was very special. I chose one large pumpkin and a few smaller ones. When I pulled my large pumpkin from the pile, it caused an avalanche of pumpkins that landed on my feet. My mom had to come save me.

Looking at all the tiny gingerbread houses in Oak Bluff, Martha's Vineyard.

The houses were built on a church campground in the 19th century. The houses are so close together and painted in every color combination you can possibly imagine. I decided that my favorite combination was yellow and blue. (You can read more about them here.)

 

 Walking down this long pier to see the seashore.

The water was so clear that you could see minnows swimming around. It was a little windy at the end of the pier but oh so beautiful. Quintessential Cape Cod.

 

Riding the Flying Horses Carousel on Martha's Vineyard.

The carousel is the oldest one in the United States. As you ride around, you're supposed to try to catch the brass ring. If you catch it, you win a free ride. I got pretty good at catching the rings (pictured above), but I never caught the brass ring. Mom, however, caught it twice! The second time she caught it, she let me use her free ride.

Visiting Sandwich.

We almost didn't go to Sandwich, but Mom talked to the owner of our hotel and learned that Sandwich was a not-to-be-missed place. We were really glad we made it there. We toured Dexter's Grist Mill; visited Hoxie House, the oldest saltbox house on Cape Cod; and ate lunch at Dunbar Tea Room. It was a nice diversion during our last morning on the Cape.

Eating clam chowder.

We all enjoyed trying the chowder at different restaurants, including The Lobster Claw in Orleans.

It's hard to believe that a week ago we were just beginning our trip to Cape Cod. I'm so glad that I was able to visit the area for the first time and enjoy spending time with my parents on my birthday.

No Bull!

So the subhead for this blog is "Musings of a Texas Girl Living in Massachusetts," which makes it sound like I should be writing about the great cultural differences between Texas and Massachusetts (of which there are many). I feel like I haven't done that so far, but hopefully that will change . . . beginning now.

Today I drove out to the Burlington Mall because it has the closest Chick-fil-A to my home. I ate my lunch in the food court and then took the rest of my drink with me as I shopped. At the Hallmark store, I picked up a birthday card for a friend and walked up to the counter to pay for it. The woman at the register glanced at the Chick-fil-A cup in my hand and then saw my T-shirt (since it's game day, I was wearing my burnt-orange Longhorn shirt).

"They let you eat at Chick-fil-A with a bull shirt on?" she asked with a strange look on her face.

I panicked. Was she a Sooner? A closet Aggie fan?  A, gulp, Tech fan upset at the outcome of last week's game?

No, it turns out she really thought the Longhorn on my t-shirt was a bull. I didn't have time to explain anything and left the store slightly amused.

Thank goodness a man yelled out "Hook 'em, Horns" to me later this afternoon. At least some people up here understand the importance of Texas football.

Sonic and Salem

This past Sunday I drove up to Peabody to try out the first Sonic in Massachusetts. People up here are CRAZY for Sonic . . . I don't think anyone back home in Henderson would believe that people would wait in line for over an hour (yes, an hour!) for the chance to try Sonic food. It just goes to show you the power of good advertising. Of course, I was one of those people waiting in line; the pull of a real cherry Dr Pepper was just too much. Since I waited that long, I also bought popcorn chicken and fries. The food was okay, but the drink was great. Now if Chicken Express would only open a branch in MA, I would be willing to wait 2 hours . . .

After I left Sonic, I drove on to Salem. Visiting Salem has become something of a Labor Day tradition. I went there last year to visit the Peabody Essex Museum. This year I ventured out a little farther and walked along the waterfront. I even got to see the small lighthouse there (Derby Wharf Lighthouse). It was quite breezy along the water, and I ended up wishing that I had worn jeans and brought a light jacket. I also decided to tour The House of the Seven Gables again. My family and I had toured it nine years ago on our PEI trip. The house was as neat as I remembered it; I just love the secret passageway. It was also amusing to be on a tour with other people.

Here are a few more pictures of my trip.

Lunch with a Seagull

During the summer, I love to go outside and eat lunch near the Fort Point Channel or Boston Harbor. Sometimes it's the one thing that gets me through the day — I know that I'll have at least one hour of "me time" to eat my lunch and read my book.

Today I had even better entertainment than any book could ever provide. This one seagull was determined to get whatever food he could from the trash can along the boardwalk. He kept pulling out lunch bags from the trash and then shaking the bag to get the contents out. I just happened to have my camera with me so I took a video of some of his antics.

Postscript to the Last Entry

I thought of something else that I wanted to add to my entry about my Shakespeare adventure a few weekends ago.

After the play let out, I went to my car and grabbed my camera to take a few pictures around the theater. I was taking a picture of a flower when I heard three well-dressed people discussing the play. They didn't like the production and thought it took a lot of liberties with Shakespeare's work. It wasn't humor the way Shakespeare intended, the man said. One woman then asked if a certain line was from Shakespeare: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." No, the man said, that was definitely not Shakespeare. Since I had never read Twelfth Night, I figured the man was right.

Well, a few days ago, I decided to look up the quote and see who had originally written the line since it wasn't from Shakespeare. A quick Google search proved that Shakespeare did in fact write the line in Twelfth Night. After I realized that, it made me question the group's assertion that the play wasn't the way Shakespeare would have intended it. After all Shakespeare wrote more for the lower class than the rich and powerful, and his comedies usually were very bawdy. I guess it just goes to show you that you can't trust someone even if they say something with authority.

Shakespeare and Mexican Food

When I lived in Henderson, I loved going to the Texas Shakespeare Festival in Kilgore with my mom during the summer. The first play we saw was A Midsummer's Night Dream in 1995, and we attended at least one play almost every summer after that until I began graduate school in 2006. Since moving up to Massachusetts, we haven't been able to go to the plays together, and we've both really missed it.

A few weeks ago I read a review for Shakespeare & Company's production of Twelfth Night in the Globe. The reviewer just raved about the play, so I decided to purchase a ticket for the Saturday matinee performance last weekend. Shakespeare & Company is located in Lenox, which is right at the western edge of Massachusetts in the Berkshires. I left my apartment around 11 a.m. to make the play at 2 p.m. Unfortunately, traffic was backed up on the Pike for the longest time; I kept watching the arrival time on my GPS get later and later as I barely moved in the bumper-to-bumper traffic. By the time the traffic finally cleared out, I could tell that I was going to be several minutes late to the play. I did finally arrive at the theater around 15 minutes late and was able to get a seat near the back of the theater.

Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare's comedies, and this production was definitely very funny (and bawdy, according to some people I heard talking in the lobby). I was a little confused in the beginning since I had missed the first 15 minutes and hadn't read a synopsis of the play earlier. However, it was interesting just to experience the beauty of Shakespeare's language. All of the actors were just wonderful. I was especially impressed by the woman who played Viola (Cesario). She would throw herself (and have other actors throw her) across the stage, even climbing one of the poles around the stage at one point. Seeing the play made me want to attend more live theater.

After the play ended, I was starving. I had been planning to grab lunch along the way, but when I got stuck in traffic, I decided to just drive on. So I started the return trip on the lookout for something to eat. I took one of the Springfield exits to look for food and somehow ended up at On the Border, the place I had been thinking about eating at the whole day. I gathered up my courage and went in to ask for a table for one. Even though the enchiladas weren't as good as others I have had, they still tasted wonderful after the long day. I also really enjoyed the chips and hot sauce and the Dr. Pepper.

After leaving On the Border, I headed back home to Natick. Even though I was a little late to the play, the day definitely turned out to be a good adventure.

Shakespeare and Mexican food . . . what's better than that?

Broadway Babies & Stars on Ice

Two weekends ago I had an action-packed weekend. On Saturday, April 4 I went to New York with a group from Keefe Tech in Framingham. The continuing education department offers the trip twice a year to people who want to visit NYC for the day to see a Broadway play, shop, or sightsee. I decided to see Guys and Dolls, starring Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls. I thought the play was good, even if the seats were very tight (my knees touched the seat in front of me!) and I had trouble understanding some of the words (enunciation, people!). I was amazed to learn that Lauren Graham could sing that well.

Before and after the play, I had a chance to look around the area and shop. I made a special pilgrimage to the anthropologie at Rockefeller Center because it was so neat last Christmas, but I ended up not buying a thing. Luckily I found this huge Ann Taylor Loft near the theater later and was able to buy a couple of things there. I also went in the huge M&M store in Times Square, found a small item to buy, and quickly left. That store was way too crowded and a little too touristy for my tastes. I'm beginning to better understand the complaints about the "Disneyfication" of Times Square now. The bus home picked us up a little before 7, so we could make it home to Framingham by 11. It made for a slightly later night than usual, but at least the next day wasn't a work day.

On Sunday I went into Boston in the morning so that I could do some things around the city before Stars on Ice in the afternoon. I parked in the Common garage, so I went over to the Public Gardens to look around first. It was nice to see the first signs of spring, especially since it was such a beautiful spring day. The ducks were putting on quite a show that day. After looking around there and taking some pictures, I caught the Red Line for Harvard Square. I went to one of my favorite bookstores, Harvard Book Store, and ate at Qdoba. After that it was time to head to TD Banknorth Garden for Stars on Ice.

I love watching live skating! Seeing Stars on Ice reminds me of this every time I go. At this show, I especially enjoyed seeing Belbin & Agosto, Kimmie Meissner, and Evan Lysacek (coming off his recent win at the World Championships). Ilia Kulik is always amazing to watch, Yuka Sato is always so cute (in a "isn't she cute" way), and John Zimmerman is, well, just cute. It's interesting to see the cast interact with each other and with the audience. They are such amazing professionals.

My life hasn't been nearly as interesting the last two weeks, but it was nice to relive the weekend one more time to write this blog. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Massachusetts Citizen

As of 4:45 this afternoon, I became an official citizen of the state of Massachusetts. I now have a (temporary) driver's license and am registered to vote here. As someone who has been a proud Texas citizen for almost 27 years, this is kind of a sad day. Massachusetts does have some great qualities, of course, but no one ever wrote a song called "God Blessed Massachusetts." At least I'm still a proud Texas Longhorn.

Excuse me as I wallow.

Whoops!

So, I'm not so good at this whole blogging thing. It's been over a month since I last posted! Of course, a lot has happened during that time, which is probably why I haven't found time to blog. First of all, I got the job at the museum — yea! Then I went back to Texas for a week to pack up all of my things and enjoy being home for the last time in awhile. The last big news is that I got an apartment in Natick, MA, which is about 20 miles west of Boston. I'm excited about living in a smaller town and having my car again (but not about paying for gas!).

Well, that was a quick recap. I'll try to do better in the future. :)

Pop goes graduation!

Wow! The last week or so has been crazy! I feel like I've been doing so much and haven't been able to stop, take a deep breath, and relax. Now that I have a long weekend ahead of me, I've been able to think about all that has happened/is happening. These are the highlights of the last week and a half.

• My mom arrived in Boston on Wed., May 14. Since I had to work both Thursday and Friday, we did things during the evening. Of course, I was usually pretty tired by around 8 both nights since I had been up since 6. We were able to eat at Stephanie's on Newbury and look around the Public Gardens on Thursday and eat at Brown Sugar on Friday. On Saturday, we went to Brimfield to shop for little "treasures" (it's an antique show held three times a year) and then came back to the Natick mall to shop for clothes.
• My brother and Dad arrived Saturday afternoon, and we met up with them on Sunday. We decided to go to the top of the Prudential Building to see the city (Paul and I did a silly photo booth thing up there). After that we went to the North End to eat. We also stopped at Mike's Pastries (yum!).
• Monday was graduation (and the whole reason for the family visit). The ceremony wasn't until 3 p.m., and I had to be there at 1:30. We came up early to eat around the school and then I went to line up. It was so good to see everybody again and walk with people I knew during graduation (I didn't really know anyone well during undergraduate — that's what happens when you transfer). I'm now officially a Master!
• On Tuesday I returned to work, and that night we went to see the Pops and John Williams directing. It was definitely cool to be in the presence of a man who has written so much music everyone knows. My favorite part was the Harry Potter suite.

My family left the next day, and between work and other craziness, I haven't been able to think about all that we did. We really did a lot — no wonder my late morning felt so good today!

Beautiful Spring!

These are just a few pictures I took on my way to work on a beautiful spring day in Boston.

A beautiful tree with pink flowers

A close-up view of the tree

A little goose family

BTW, I had to take a wider path to avoid these geese (there were a lot more of them than in the picture). Some of the geese were a little upset and loud. At least they weren't as mean as the ducks at Lake Forest Park.

First Blog

Well, this technically isn't my first blog entry, but it is the first one on this blog. I decided to try out a new blog format since LiveJournal reminded me too much of writing a blog for class. Anyway, I'll see how this one goes. Hopefully more people will find this one and enjoy reading it.

So, what is new with me? I guess that taking my last final in graduate school counts for new and exciting (blushes). Yesterday was such a long day for me with work from 9-5 and then class from 6 until whenever. I really don't know how everyone in the program who worked full time kept up that schedule for two years. I was so relieved when I finished my final and left class for the last time. I actually finished my final before every person but one in the class (if you know me well, you know this is completely unlike me). I think I was just ready to be done.

Now I just have to concentrate on working at the museum. I've been working full time since last Thursday and will continue to work as the PR assistant until May 22nd. Things are getting busy at the museum now with the China exhibit opening next week. Luckily it has been beautiful outside the last two days so I've been able to eat lunch outside. I love the sun!

That's all for now.