#15 Boston All About My Head - September 17, 2004
Well, people - it's all about my head. One week it's the expensive hair cut, the next week I am getting dinged by a baseball. Thank you so much for all your concern about my mental stability and well-being - even though those of you who know me well have brought up this issue before and figured there is not much that can and should be done about it. As to the haircut, for my next adventure, I have decided to take this out of the city of Boston, and made an appointment in Germany in early October. I know this sounds drastic, but I need a financial breather from the last expensive endeavor in this regard, and a 30 Euro haircut sounds just fine to me. Aside from some remaining vertigo, my head seems to have recuperated fine - yesterday's five-hour ordeal in MGH's emergency room where they did a CAT scan showed that I was doing ok. On the plus side, I saw the season premiere of "Oprah" and formed some lasting friendships with about 100 people waiting beside me. Still, this was not fun in my book.
So - what happened? Once I got over my jet lag, I switched into high gear again - starting on Friday with a trip to the cinema to see "The Bourne Supremacy". Liked the movie, but then again I would watch Matt Damon read the phone book.
Saturday morning I volunteered with Boston Cares, this time at the St. Mary's Women and Infant Center in Dorchester. Their Bridge Home provides a temporary facility for children that were removed from abusive and violent homes. We did arts and crafts with the kids (those of you who know my craft skills should be scared...) - making totem poles out of poster tubes, and we actually got quite some interesting and slightly disturbing variations on the theme. The kids were great - some of them quite lively, but a good time was had by all.
In the afternoon I headed toward Cambridge where I attended the Cambridgeport Artists Open Studios (CAOS) in the area around Central Square. It was really nice to walk around Cambridge to different artist studios and see some interesting art, meet the artists in person, and at the same token discover Cambridge a little more (in particular get some ice cream at Toscanini's -ohmygod! Their burnt caramel ice cream is to die for! I was particularly intrigued by Amy Senner, who does Polaroid transfers and produces some amazing photos of Boston, in particular of Beacon Hill.
Sunday my running buddy Elaine and I participated in our first ever race, a 5 K run, to benefit the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. This was so cool! I was so excited to run with so many people (the course led all around the U Mass Boston Campus) and I did fairly well. My time was 32 Minutes, and there is nothing like seeing the goal line that makes you speed up for the last quarter of a mile. I was passing people left and right with a huge smile on my face! The cool thing is you get these chips to tie on your shoelaces and they will mail your exact race time to you.
The rest of the weekend was taken up by activities relating to the Beacon Hill Civic Association's Neighborhood Block Party that kicked off with a dog show at the Boston Common, a bit informal, but done with lots of love (this is a volunteer organization). The dogs arrived en masse and in style, featuring accessories like boots and beaded collars, firemen's outfits and most of them were accompanied by an entourage of sorts. The neighborhood block party featured lots of family activities, and in the evening some tunes right in front of the Hill House. In the evening I watched a Robert Altman movie "The Company", which describes the life behind the scenes of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Very nice - and definitely very Altman.
This week is proving equally busy, with our Tuesday night book club meeting at "Fajitas and Ritas" for lively discussion and good Mexican food. Tonight I am meeting up with my Bay Area-residing, Boston-native friend Deborah Carvalho, and Thursday night is the "Blues Run" a 4.2 mile race, followed by the Big Pig BBQ with a concert by the Cat Sass Blues Band.
The signs of fall are appearing here in Boston, the air is a little crisper every day, and I am looking forward to experiencing New England in its colorful autumn splendor (right before the big freeze...).
Speaking of other things appearing, according to my house and pet sitters Steph and Dan, I have cable TV, which I did not ask for but which apparently is working. As I have sworn off the tube except for movies, I will not (I swear publicly!) give in to temptation. I have signed on to a class at Harvard Extension on the biology of cancer, and I have no time for such nonsense!
The Improper Bostonian (a free monthly news magazine that tells you what is happening in Boston) had an interesting article on eight simple steps to become a Bostonian - here are a few excerpts:
1. "Drive like no one is watching: You need to drive like Superman - able to go from zero to 60 in a 25 mph zone, with the power to leap small imported hatchbacks in a single bound. For Boston drivers, there is no passing lane, just the driving lane."
2. "Become accustomed to despair - Bostonians know pain like no other. Every spring, hope surges to life again, and in the heart of every real Bostonian there is the undeniable knowledge that this will be The Year. The pain that Bostonians know only too well, though, is caused by an equally powerful certainty, that in fact, this will not be The Year."
3. "Learn the Lingo - There is no R in the Boston Alphabet. Ha, ha very funny. But to become a Bostonian, you have to develop that sophisticated "eah" for that elusive R. "
4. "Develop Selective Amnesia - To become Bostonian, you have be able to complain convincingly and know whom to complain to. For example, when the thermometer drops to 59.9 in mid-September you want to start griping about "this frickin' freezing weather". But only to neighbors and co-workers. To out-of-towners, you'll just chortle gleefully about "owwah chilly New England weather."
As you can see folks, I am enjoying myself. Work is going well also - I am still amazed at the MGH community, its people and opportunities involved. Living next to the hospital makes it seem as if as if MGH is its own city right in the heart of Boston. My work itself is pretty varied, full of learning opportunities, some challenges, but extremely interesting. I will be heading to Geneva, Switzerland on the 26th of September for a conference on molecular targets and cancer therapeutics, add on a couple of days to visit family and friends, and join my brother for his birthday celebration. Return into Boston is October 4th.
Until next week, be kind to each other, watch for out for stray baseballs and keep writing - I am enjoying all your updates and I am happy to hear that you appreciate my musings!
LOL,
Petra
So - what happened? Once I got over my jet lag, I switched into high gear again - starting on Friday with a trip to the cinema to see "The Bourne Supremacy". Liked the movie, but then again I would watch Matt Damon read the phone book.
Saturday morning I volunteered with Boston Cares, this time at the St. Mary's Women and Infant Center in Dorchester. Their Bridge Home provides a temporary facility for children that were removed from abusive and violent homes. We did arts and crafts with the kids (those of you who know my craft skills should be scared...) - making totem poles out of poster tubes, and we actually got quite some interesting and slightly disturbing variations on the theme. The kids were great - some of them quite lively, but a good time was had by all.
In the afternoon I headed toward Cambridge where I attended the Cambridgeport Artists Open Studios (CAOS) in the area around Central Square. It was really nice to walk around Cambridge to different artist studios and see some interesting art, meet the artists in person, and at the same token discover Cambridge a little more (in particular get some ice cream at Toscanini's -ohmygod! Their burnt caramel ice cream is to die for! I was particularly intrigued by Amy Senner, who does Polaroid transfers and produces some amazing photos of Boston, in particular of Beacon Hill.
Sunday my running buddy Elaine and I participated in our first ever race, a 5 K run, to benefit the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. This was so cool! I was so excited to run with so many people (the course led all around the U Mass Boston Campus) and I did fairly well. My time was 32 Minutes, and there is nothing like seeing the goal line that makes you speed up for the last quarter of a mile. I was passing people left and right with a huge smile on my face! The cool thing is you get these chips to tie on your shoelaces and they will mail your exact race time to you.
The rest of the weekend was taken up by activities relating to the Beacon Hill Civic Association's Neighborhood Block Party that kicked off with a dog show at the Boston Common, a bit informal, but done with lots of love (this is a volunteer organization). The dogs arrived en masse and in style, featuring accessories like boots and beaded collars, firemen's outfits and most of them were accompanied by an entourage of sorts. The neighborhood block party featured lots of family activities, and in the evening some tunes right in front of the Hill House. In the evening I watched a Robert Altman movie "The Company", which describes the life behind the scenes of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Very nice - and definitely very Altman.
This week is proving equally busy, with our Tuesday night book club meeting at "Fajitas and Ritas" for lively discussion and good Mexican food. Tonight I am meeting up with my Bay Area-residing, Boston-native friend Deborah Carvalho, and Thursday night is the "Blues Run" a 4.2 mile race, followed by the Big Pig BBQ with a concert by the Cat Sass Blues Band.
The signs of fall are appearing here in Boston, the air is a little crisper every day, and I am looking forward to experiencing New England in its colorful autumn splendor (right before the big freeze...).
Speaking of other things appearing, according to my house and pet sitters Steph and Dan, I have cable TV, which I did not ask for but which apparently is working. As I have sworn off the tube except for movies, I will not (I swear publicly!) give in to temptation. I have signed on to a class at Harvard Extension on the biology of cancer, and I have no time for such nonsense!
The Improper Bostonian (a free monthly news magazine that tells you what is happening in Boston) had an interesting article on eight simple steps to become a Bostonian - here are a few excerpts:
1. "Drive like no one is watching: You need to drive like Superman - able to go from zero to 60 in a 25 mph zone, with the power to leap small imported hatchbacks in a single bound. For Boston drivers, there is no passing lane, just the driving lane."
2. "Become accustomed to despair - Bostonians know pain like no other. Every spring, hope surges to life again, and in the heart of every real Bostonian there is the undeniable knowledge that this will be The Year. The pain that Bostonians know only too well, though, is caused by an equally powerful certainty, that in fact, this will not be The Year."
3. "Learn the Lingo - There is no R in the Boston Alphabet. Ha, ha very funny. But to become a Bostonian, you have to develop that sophisticated "eah" for that elusive R. "
4. "Develop Selective Amnesia - To become Bostonian, you have be able to complain convincingly and know whom to complain to. For example, when the thermometer drops to 59.9 in mid-September you want to start griping about "this frickin' freezing weather". But only to neighbors and co-workers. To out-of-towners, you'll just chortle gleefully about "owwah chilly New England weather."
As you can see folks, I am enjoying myself. Work is going well also - I am still amazed at the MGH community, its people and opportunities involved. Living next to the hospital makes it seem as if as if MGH is its own city right in the heart of Boston. My work itself is pretty varied, full of learning opportunities, some challenges, but extremely interesting. I will be heading to Geneva, Switzerland on the 26th of September for a conference on molecular targets and cancer therapeutics, add on a couple of days to visit family and friends, and join my brother for his birthday celebration. Return into Boston is October 4th.
Until next week, be kind to each other, watch for out for stray baseballs and keep writing - I am enjoying all your updates and I am happy to hear that you appreciate my musings!
LOL,
Petra
posted by My Boston at
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