I've enjoyed working my way through the Jill Carroll story on the Christian Science Monitor website (she's the journalist who was kidnapped in Iraq and released 82 days later- the first one). http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/carroll/index.html
I've also enjoyed working my way through several websites to learn more about Christian Science, which, if I could channel Linda Richmond ala Mike Myers, "is neither Christian nor a Science. Discuss." This was initiated by Anna's and my visit to the children's program at the Christian Science Center here in Boston. It wasn't a religious program (so they told us), but whoa, was it a kind of freaky - but incredibly beautiful - place. Anyway, the Mother Ship (I mean, Church) is here in Boston, so there are a lot of adherents around. So sad.
Favorite Boston Memories
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Thursday, August 31, 2006
Driving in Boston
...and I thought Dallas drivers were bad?!?!? The drivers here take road rage to a whole new level. Here are the rules of driving, as I have experienced them thus far:
1. Honk if there is the slightest chance (a) the person in front of you doesn't move fast enough; (b) the bicycle or pedestrian near you is in your way; (c) you think the person in front of you might not see the green light when it turns green (I have actually seen a taxi do this kind of "preemptive honking"); (d) the traffic in general isn't moving fast enough for your pleasure. If the situation doesn't change, just keep your hand on the horn. That'll fix it. Alternate method: you may roll down your window and yell at someone instead of honking. This is especially effective when the other driver has his or her window rolled up and is oblivious to you.
2. If you aren't sure whether you can turn left into a busy street because of oncoming traffic, just ease slowly into the street. Traffic will stop.
3. Always take into account the other driver's braking ability. This is especially effective when you pull out in front of them.
4. Don't worry about speed limits - the minimums, I mean. It's perfectly acceptable to do 20 on a road that could easily be traveled at 35. Especially when you have just pulled out in front of someone.
5. If you are the first car waiting to turn left at a red light, you should just turn left immediately when the light turns green; the oncoming traffic will yield to you.
6. Don't pay attention to rights-of-way. Cars will yield to whoever got there first.
I really thought the honking was excessive when we first got here; now I realize you MUST use your horn because otherwise people will just crash into you. Anna and I have had many near-death experiences because of the crazy drivers here.
1. Honk if there is the slightest chance (a) the person in front of you doesn't move fast enough; (b) the bicycle or pedestrian near you is in your way; (c) you think the person in front of you might not see the green light when it turns green (I have actually seen a taxi do this kind of "preemptive honking"); (d) the traffic in general isn't moving fast enough for your pleasure. If the situation doesn't change, just keep your hand on the horn. That'll fix it. Alternate method: you may roll down your window and yell at someone instead of honking. This is especially effective when the other driver has his or her window rolled up and is oblivious to you.
2. If you aren't sure whether you can turn left into a busy street because of oncoming traffic, just ease slowly into the street. Traffic will stop.
3. Always take into account the other driver's braking ability. This is especially effective when you pull out in front of them.
4. Don't worry about speed limits - the minimums, I mean. It's perfectly acceptable to do 20 on a road that could easily be traveled at 35. Especially when you have just pulled out in front of someone.
5. If you are the first car waiting to turn left at a red light, you should just turn left immediately when the light turns green; the oncoming traffic will yield to you.
6. Don't pay attention to rights-of-way. Cars will yield to whoever got there first.
I really thought the honking was excessive when we first got here; now I realize you MUST use your horn because otherwise people will just crash into you. Anna and I have had many near-death experiences because of the crazy drivers here.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Can it really be August 16?
My, my. Oh, the intentions. Probably you won't read this for at least 2 weeks since you've gotten tired of checking the blog, only to find no new entries out there. Sorry about that. Somehow life has taken off without me, as usual.
So, here's an update from the last couple of weeks:
Michael - Michael's nearing the end of Week 4 out of 5. He had midterms last week for Quant and Econ & got 98 on both his tests!! (Note to my parents: don't ask what the 2 points were taken off for, like you used to when I was in school!! lol) He's thoroughly enjoyed his classes, although the homework load will be nice to have a break from.
Amy - Amy & Anna have continued to take trips with the family program and meet more spouses and kids. We have met moms & kids from Minnesota, Tennessee, London, Mexico, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, and Taiwan...and we have met 2 dads and kids from Berkeley, CA and Israel. Sometimes there's a language barrier, but usually everyone just speaks pretty plainly, and repeats a lot (sometimes I have to do that with native Bostonians anyway, so it's no different...). It's amazing how many of the families can all speak English as a second language. We have recently visited the Swan Boats in Boston Public Garden, the Boston Museum of Science, a children's program at the Mary Baker Eddy Library (founder of Christian Science), and tomorrow we will visit the Boston Children's Museum.
Anna's getting excited about her birthday coming up on Sunday. Whenever I ask her how old she is going to be, she says "7". We'll keep trying. One of her latest accomplishments is getting her thumb to stay up on its own and saying "Gig 'em, Aggies"!! whoop!
Last week she got impetigo on her chin, so each day I was applying Polysporin several times a day, which apparently was slightly unpleasant for Anna. She would always say "No posporin" when I would get out the tube. One night I was telling Michael, who was going to brush her teeth, to remember the "P-O-L-Y-S-P-O-R-I-N". She said, "No ABCDEFG!" which made us howl with laughter, and I spelled it again, and she said "No PRS!"
Other things she's doing a lot these days are singing the ABC song, counting everything in sight (Tarrin, she's assigning one number to each object!), and saying "I want [item]" The other morning she was saying over and over again, "I want zucchini bread" so I got her on video. The first time she wouldn't say it, but finally the second time she showed off. (The scratches on her nose in the videos are from a nasty spill she took when she tripped on the sidewalk outside and face planted.)
We have visits planned from Amy's cousin Eric along with his wife Tracie, and their 1-yr old daughter Evie at the end of September. Amy's mom is visiting the 2nd week of October. Also Dangiegail Millner will be stopping by on Sunday - we'll go see them at the airport on their layover on their way back from Ireland. Yippee! A taste of home - we can't wait.
Speaking of a taste of home, there are 2 items that are NOT sold in grocery stores here - are we in a foreign country??!? Rotel tomatoes (i know!!!) and Ranch Style Beans, both of which are used to make my Aunt Melanie's Mexican Dish (or Kylie's Mexican dish to the Clonts's!). Anyway, a sweet girl that I've met, a military wife, found them at the AF Commissary nearby and bought me several cans. Seems that's how I'll be getting my 'Texan' canned goods...in the "international" section of the commissary!! Who knew?
The last thing I'll include is that I (Amy) am organizing a babysitting coop with 4 other moms I've met around here. We are doing it with tickets so we're not locked into a schedule. I'm excited to see how it's going to work - and to get some free time! The great thing about it is everyone is pumped to join because everyone's on a tight budget. Gotta love the free stuff.
So, here's an update from the last couple of weeks:
Michael - Michael's nearing the end of Week 4 out of 5. He had midterms last week for Quant and Econ & got 98 on both his tests!! (Note to my parents: don't ask what the 2 points were taken off for, like you used to when I was in school!! lol) He's thoroughly enjoyed his classes, although the homework load will be nice to have a break from.
Amy - Amy & Anna have continued to take trips with the family program and meet more spouses and kids. We have met moms & kids from Minnesota, Tennessee, London, Mexico, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, and Taiwan...and we have met 2 dads and kids from Berkeley, CA and Israel. Sometimes there's a language barrier, but usually everyone just speaks pretty plainly, and repeats a lot (sometimes I have to do that with native Bostonians anyway, so it's no different...). It's amazing how many of the families can all speak English as a second language. We have recently visited the Swan Boats in Boston Public Garden, the Boston Museum of Science, a children's program at the Mary Baker Eddy Library (founder of Christian Science), and tomorrow we will visit the Boston Children's Museum.
Anna's getting excited about her birthday coming up on Sunday. Whenever I ask her how old she is going to be, she says "7". We'll keep trying. One of her latest accomplishments is getting her thumb to stay up on its own and saying "Gig 'em, Aggies"!! whoop!
Last week she got impetigo on her chin, so each day I was applying Polysporin several times a day, which apparently was slightly unpleasant for Anna. She would always say "No posporin" when I would get out the tube. One night I was telling Michael, who was going to brush her teeth, to remember the "P-O-L-Y-S-P-O-R-I-N". She said, "No ABCDEFG!" which made us howl with laughter, and I spelled it again, and she said "No PRS!"
Other things she's doing a lot these days are singing the ABC song, counting everything in sight (Tarrin, she's assigning one number to each object!), and saying "I want [item]" The other morning she was saying over and over again, "I want zucchini bread" so I got her on video. The first time she wouldn't say it, but finally the second time she showed off. (The scratches on her nose in the videos are from a nasty spill she took when she tripped on the sidewalk outside and face planted.)
We have visits planned from Amy's cousin Eric along with his wife Tracie, and their 1-yr old daughter Evie at the end of September. Amy's mom is visiting the 2nd week of October. Also Dangiegail Millner will be stopping by on Sunday - we'll go see them at the airport on their layover on their way back from Ireland. Yippee! A taste of home - we can't wait.
Speaking of a taste of home, there are 2 items that are NOT sold in grocery stores here - are we in a foreign country??!? Rotel tomatoes (i know!!!) and Ranch Style Beans, both of which are used to make my Aunt Melanie's Mexican Dish (or Kylie's Mexican dish to the Clonts's!). Anyway, a sweet girl that I've met, a military wife, found them at the AF Commissary nearby and bought me several cans. Seems that's how I'll be getting my 'Texan' canned goods...in the "international" section of the commissary!! Who knew?
The last thing I'll include is that I (Amy) am organizing a babysitting coop with 4 other moms I've met around here. We are doing it with tickets so we're not locked into a schedule. I'm excited to see how it's going to work - and to get some free time! The great thing about it is everyone is pumped to join because everyone's on a tight budget. Gotta love the free stuff.
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