Kinda mad at my sister for staying out all night last night with some dude but I can’t control what she does. I find it pretty irresponsible, especially since she does have underlying conditions that would negatively impact her in a huge way should things not go well, as well as possibly making it worse for others. Some people just don’t seem understand it all yet. And I get it, because I was one of those earlier but my views have been changing a bit over the last few days. Be safe everyone.
Kids are out of school now. So now a thing is that some of them might have trouble getting food and meals that they rely on. I grew up on Welfare since my mom was a single mom so I can kind of relate, although we always had food in house, no doubt thanks to my grandparents. I remember actually going down and waiting with my mom while she got the block of cheese (the government cheese! yes, that really was a thing, don’t believe they do that anymore – they give you money to buy your own now). We were never destitute thank God, but hearing the latest stories did make me remember those long ago times. We might not have had much, but it was enough, and appreciative of what we had and have.
Crazy times we are currently living in these days, with the virus and all. Social distancing is the term of the day. Sporting events are all being either put off or cancelled all together. College kids are out of their dorms and can’t come back (mostly). Just taking it day by day and seeing what develops and go from there.
I did have a good performance review though so there’s that.
Creek Square got its name from Mill Creek, which was dug between the Town Cove and the Mill Pond, beginning in 1643. As you face east, the creek would have been in front of you, running along where Blackstone Street is now located. The land directly in front of you (Creek Square) would have been marsh land.
That began to change in 1652, when Joshua Scottow bought this land from William Franklin. By 1654, Scottow had excavated the marsh land to create Scottow’s Dock. “Dock” here is used in the 17th-century sense, meaning a navigable harbor. The dock connected to Mill Creek and from there to the Town Cove. This dock became an important area for maritime commerce, with wharves and warehouses built along it in the late century. By the early 18th century, however, it had been filled in, as the city’s shoreline steadily migrated east.
Here more than anywhere else in Boston, you can peer north up the narrow cobblestone streets and imagine what the original colonial city, with its narrow alley and winding, irregular street patterns looked and felt like.
Source: atlasobscura
I’m really liking the tunes on Ice-T’s band Body Count’s new album. Good stuff. Check it out on YouTube – album is called Carnivore. Rap and Metal. Fits my mood these days it seems. I really like the remake of Colors.
Woke up early, went to the Depot for some leaf bags and we ended up bagging 7 bags of leaves from around the patio and the back yard garden areas – I want to get ready for planting soon. There was even some green popping up through the dead leaves already – it’s awesome. The ivy over in the back has really taken well, I’m hoping this summer it will spread throughout the whole area for coverage. Spent the afternoon sitting outside in the sun enjoying the rays and tranquility. Then we cooked in preparation for the week ahead while watching the classic movie Office Space.
Possibly more updates later today…
Took an afternoon trip to Hull, to be by the water, get out of the house, and find some peace by bonding with nature. The sea was pretty choppy due to the storm offshore, making some rather impressive big waves. I got to say I actually enjoyed getting out there for a bit, been a while since I had done something like that. Think I got some cool shots that I’ll try to share over time.
Ended up not going out to dinner tonight after all, decided to eat in and “play it safe.” Besides we had a Hello Fresh meal to create and finish. I’m not really worried about the virus as of yet, but it doesn’t help that 11 town officials (now 30 folks total) in town might have been exposed and have placed themselves in self-quarantine.
Been feeling a bit bummed out lately – actually, it’s been going on for a while. Good days, bad days – just trying my best to get through. Tired of being anxious all the time, trapped in a world of my own making.
I did take LD out to Sky Bar last night for her birthday so that was good, and we’re going to some place called Abby Park tomorrow as part of restaurant week. I went to Target today to get some supplies she wanted in all the hoopla about the COVID-19 baloney, but they didn’t have everything on my list so I got what I could. Today I just feel like laying low, making dinner, watching television, and awaiting the fates that the future may hold.
Wish I could see what the view is like from inside that house!
Spent part of the weekend on the coast of Plum Island up in Newburyport. A quaint little coastal New England town. While there we visited some sights, including a Richdale’s which literally sells 25 cent hot dogs, which we did not partake in because it sounds gross. I’m not sure how they can even do that and make a profit. Also grabbed some hot chocolates at a place inside The Tannery where their main thing is making Whoopie Pies.
The best part was the evening where after dinner (at a place called Seaglass over in Salisbury – the next town over and where I had this amazing dish of Lobster Scampi) where we just chilled and had the fireplace going. Although after a while it got too hot and we had to open the door to the beach to cool off the room. Felt good to just decompress from everything while listening to the waves of the ocean crash against the shore throughout the night.
Today we took of bunch of shots around as well as in Gloucester on the way back (stopped there for lunch, and yes I did lobster again this time with a lobster BLT). I’ll probably post some other shots from the trip as the week goes on.
Currently Reading: Your Song Changed My Life and Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World (both little library picks we found while exploring Newburyport!)
Here’s a shot of a courtyard which serves as a part of Trinity Church in Boston that I shot last month or so. I was trying for different angles.
Here’s an update on some television shows I’ve been watching lately:
Also on YouTube – Lost Weekend, a documentary from filmmakers Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb: In 1984, two friends from small-town Pennsylvania won an MTV contest and the chance to party with Van Halen for 48 hours. See what happened!
I acquired some theater tickets to see the live show Mr. Joy playing in town in a couple weeks with LD. The show is hitting a bunch of neighborhoods in the coming weeks and since it was free, I’ve decided to go check it out and see what the buzz is. Actually, she’s the one who told me about it. I’ll share my thoughts after I’ve seen this one-person play.
Scituate Light is in the center background of this shot. I was experimenting a little bit with this. Not totally happy with how it came out but I guess it’s not too shabby. Anyway, the location is called Museum Beach, it’s not all that large and right off the main road with no parking but it does provide a nice look at the lighthouse and residential properties across the bay. You can read how the place got it’s name here if interested. (I always like to find out why things are named the way they are or how certain things came to be known).
It was nice to look outside and see that some green leaves are starting to come up through the ground of last year’s dead detritus. Things like daffodils and crocus leaves are starting their climb – a harbinger of the thoughts of spring to come not too far away now. Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to stay hopeful but it’s tough. Yep, still bumming out a bit and that’s why I’ve been radio silent lately – just didn’t have the interest to update anything about my mopey self. Well, it is what is and what will be, will be. I’ve never really been in the position that I’m in these days – I’m just not all that happy these days at work, but feel trapped and have to try to remain in it for the good of it all. I wish I could just be happy and worry free again. I know the good Lord will see me through someway, but I hate feeling the way I do and having to try to do the things I have to. Not good for my mental health for sure.
Going to see a friend’s child perform at a sporting event later this afternoon – should be fun. Honestly, I’ve never been to any kids sporting event viewings before – never had the need or interest. Something different anyway. I’ll update later on what it was all about.
Spent some of the afternoon down in Scituate today, had to get out of the house for a little bit. Also checked out how the gym out friends are starting out is coming along. It’s going to be pretty spacious!
Maybe it’s not a good sign for the start of the week when you fall down the stairs and clog up the toilet. That’s how my Monday started this morning between the hours of 6 and 7 am. Luckily the fall wasn’t anything major (I was trying to avoid the cat at the base of the staircase) and the toilet wasn’t anything major apparently, so that’s good.
Did so much cooking last night while watching the Oscars and I also took to watching some program on John Gotti Jr. which I thought was pretty good. Did you know with the exception of some tiny parts of Thelma & Louise I have never watched a movie that had Brad Pitt in it. I actually can’t stand the guy. That’s not why I never watched any of them – it just happened to work out that way, but now I have to keep the streak alive. Never saw Fight Club? Nope. Seven? Nope. Oceans Eleven? Nope. Nada. None. I don’t think he’s that great to begin with – can’t act for beans in my opinion.
Well, my chicken last night was a real hit! Yes, it was another Hello Fresh tryout but I found it pretty good. I also learned that a really good salad dressing is just lemon juice freshly squeezed from a lemon along with olive oil and that’s it. Tasted real good!
Today’s been kind of a boring day, instead of working on things I should be working on, I’m busy watching television such as the Lost Unabomber Tapes and catching up on A Million Little Things. As well as going to the local Wegman’s to get some stuff too so that took up some time as well. More later…
This morning started out with a visit to the dentist to get going on some procedures I need to get done and completed with a full set of new x-rays of my mouth. After that I prepared getting ready for what I’m making for dinner tonight – a little dish called Balsamic Fig Chicken with potatoes and mixed greens. Looks like a pretty simple recipe actually but that’s for later tonight….
Next, I’m working on some plans to do an overnight sometime up on Plum Island. Did it a couple years ago and it’s time to do it again – enjoyed ourselves there pretty much so it might be great to revisit. Maybe also check out the Pink ‘Spite’ House again. Speaking of that, I did pass by one in the North End of Boston last week,locally known also as the Skinny House. A spite house is a building constructed or substantially modified to irritate neighbors or any party with land stakes. Spite houses may create obstructions, such as blocking out light or blocking access to neighboring buildings, or can be flagrant symbols of defiance.
I then spent part of the afternoon going through and filing my taxes for last year. I decided to get through it all a bit early this year – now that’s that out of the way I can focus on other things.
Random thoughts: My amaryllis is down to it’s final bloom. I was pretty pleased overall with the way the plant did – to think I picked it up at a local supermarket. I’ve been reading some online articles about it and may attempt to get it to re-bloom next season, assuming I can keep the plant alive that long. We’ll see.
Also I need to be able to catch some breaks lately – plugging away but starting to get a little overwhelmed. It’s like two steps forward and one step back. However, I know I tend to jump to conclusions in my mind (maximizing worst case scenarios) that sometimes end up being way out of proportion, but after I sit with it for a while – I realize that that way of thinking was foolish and not helpful. Brains are weird. Hope that’s the case starting next week and that I’m freaking/bumming out for nothing. Until the next occasion which lately seems to happening all too frequently and all too quickly for my tastes and I do it all over again.
This is shaping up to be the year of live music shows for me. On tap for us so far are the following:
The following shows I’ve entered contests to win tickets:
and maybe some more to come! Seems like a lot of acts are coming out of the woodwork this year.
Finally heard back from that other group. I need to set up a meeting sometime next week to see if I’d be a good fit and if so formally apply for the position (which is weird because I’ve been here so long already and that kind of work for over 10 years now), so not to jinx myself but hopefully things’ll turn out right in the end. I think I’ll need to format my resume though – I haven’t done that in so long!
Another street shot…let me tell you, it may look scenic, but walking on it is not fun.
I kinda like how this photo came out…
I was playing around with some of my older photos last night – maybe I’ll put one or two of them up. I also want to get going on filing my taxes soon.
Gametime: Bottom Feeder. I’m finding this game pretty challenging – but maybe it’s just me and my brain is has been turning to mush lately.
Well this day has started out great so far – my external monitor at work just crapped the bed – luckily after about a half hour the IT dept was able to get me another one so that’s back in business. Just a hassle, you know?
Damn, that Irishman was one long ass movie. Not sure why it was up for so many awards – it was OK but I didn’t see anything particularly Oscar worthy about it. Spending the rest of the evening watching the Puppy Bowl, could care less about the real big game.