day 1: shopping
day 2: shopping
I am also working on my tan.
It is going very slowly.
My vacation so far
The battery in my laptop is about to die, so I'll just give you the highlights:
day 1: shopping
day 2: shopping
I am also working on my tan.
It is going very slowly.
day 1: shopping
day 2: shopping
I am also working on my tan.
It is going very slowly.
Blaming the accident victim
A pedestrian was hit by a car crossing Humphrey Street in Swampscott yesterday--Labor Day. I was out for a walk down by the beach with KK and M--we didn't see it happen, but came along after the police and the ambulance had arrived and a small crowd had gathered.
The general consensus of the crowd: "Oh, that poor driver!"
The sun was probably in his eyes! It's so hard to drive on Humphrey Street, what with all the people walking around! The nerve of those pedestrians!
"They just walk right out into the crosswalk," one woman squawked.
"Well, you are supposed to stop when people are trying to cross in the crosswalk," the guy next to her said, though he didn't sound like he was really 100% behind that concept.
The woman waved her hand dismissively. "Pedestrians can say they have the right of way all the way to the hospital."
We crossed the street--carefully. As we crossed I heard a police officer and an older man talking.
"You know, this time of day the sun is really strong. It was probably shining right in his eyes. Anyway, it's hard to see people in the crosswalks down here. And they just don't watch where they're going when they cross the street."
That was the POLICE OFFICER talking.
I couldn't stand it any more--I HAD to say something.
"You know, the sun might have been in his eyes, but it doesn't mean he doesn't have to be careful," I said. "I walk down here all the time and you can take a step into. the. crosswalk. And they still don't stop. They just stare right at you as they drive by."
And you know what the cop says to me?
"Well, it's not just a problem here, you know."
Oh, well, then I guess it really wasn't the driver's fault!* The sun was in his eyes, he couldn't be bothered to put on a pair of sunglasses, flip down his visor, and slow the hell down! The pedestrian had the balls to actually cross in the crosswalk and assume that he would not be run over! And, hell, accidents like that happen everywhere! We can't be expected to do anything about them here!
According to the police log, the man was transported by ambulance to the hospital with a leg injury. As far as I could tell from the brief item in the log, there were no arrests made--no tickets issued.
But don't worry, I'm sure they'll catch up with and punish that rotten pedestrian as soon as he's out of the hospital.
The general consensus of the crowd: "Oh, that poor driver!"
The sun was probably in his eyes! It's so hard to drive on Humphrey Street, what with all the people walking around! The nerve of those pedestrians!
"They just walk right out into the crosswalk," one woman squawked.
"Well, you are supposed to stop when people are trying to cross in the crosswalk," the guy next to her said, though he didn't sound like he was really 100% behind that concept.
The woman waved her hand dismissively. "Pedestrians can say they have the right of way all the way to the hospital."
We crossed the street--carefully. As we crossed I heard a police officer and an older man talking.
"You know, this time of day the sun is really strong. It was probably shining right in his eyes. Anyway, it's hard to see people in the crosswalks down here. And they just don't watch where they're going when they cross the street."
That was the POLICE OFFICER talking.
I couldn't stand it any more--I HAD to say something.
"You know, the sun might have been in his eyes, but it doesn't mean he doesn't have to be careful," I said. "I walk down here all the time and you can take a step into. the. crosswalk. And they still don't stop. They just stare right at you as they drive by."
And you know what the cop says to me?
"Well, it's not just a problem here, you know."
Oh, well, then I guess it really wasn't the driver's fault!* The sun was in his eyes, he couldn't be bothered to put on a pair of sunglasses, flip down his visor, and slow the hell down! The pedestrian had the balls to actually cross in the crosswalk and assume that he would not be run over! And, hell, accidents like that happen everywhere! We can't be expected to do anything about them here!
According to the police log, the man was transported by ambulance to the hospital with a leg injury. As far as I could tell from the brief item in the log, there were no arrests made--no tickets issued.
But don't worry, I'm sure they'll catch up with and punish that rotten pedestrian as soon as he's out of the hospital.
Dogs, camera-phones, and minor celebrities
The dog looks less than impressed, but I got a big kick out of meeting Kim Carrigan from Fox25 morning news at a live broadcast in Lynn this morning. (It was their last "zip trip" of the summer). She's prettier than me, and her hair is neater (my hair is hardly ever neat) but I'm taller than her. And I am armed with a cute dog.
Fun fact: The Google phrase that brings the most visitors to my blog is "Kim Carrigan's legs." And before you jump to the conclusion that I am a perv in addition to being a nerd, I don't believe I have ever written about Kim Carrigan's legs.
A few more for your viewing pleasure:
Gene Lavanche and VB--I disagree with almost every single word that comes out of VBs mouth, but he still cracks me up.
I don't really understand the people who stand behind newspeople when they are broadcasting live.
You get the feeling they've done this one before? You can't tell from watching the zip trips on TV, but during breaks they spend a lot of time chatting with people, posing for pictures, and signing autographs.
I wish I had more time--as it was I was almost late for work this morning. I actually had a lot of nerdy fun taking pictures ... and I think if I had hung around for a little longer I would have been braver and taken more crowd and people shots like this one and the next. They're not technically perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but But I still like 'em.
Dog, camera-phone, and minor celebrity (in that order).
Does McCain really think we're that stupid?
I KNEW John McCain was going to pick a woman for his running mate--it's just so obvious that he trying to lure over women who are disappointed that Hillary Clinton didn't get the Democatic nomination.
Does he really think we are that easily fooled? That easily manipulated? It's almost as partronizing as that ad he ran congratulating Barack Obama for his "historic" nomination.
Oh, shut up, you jerk.
I actually wish he would have picked Mitt Romney as his VP candidate. It would have made it easier for me to resist voting for him. Because, the truth is, it kind pisses me off that running for office is still easier for men than women, regardless of skin color.
Does he really think we are that easily fooled? That easily manipulated? It's almost as partronizing as that ad he ran congratulating Barack Obama for his "historic" nomination.
Oh, shut up, you jerk.
I actually wish he would have picked Mitt Romney as his VP candidate. It would have made it easier for me to resist voting for him. Because, the truth is, it kind pisses me off that running for office is still easier for men than women, regardless of skin color.
Hello, my name is Gienna, and I'm addicted to really expensive coffee
(Hello, Gienna!)
I used to stop by Starbucks once a week or so for a latte or a cappuccino. It was a little treat, an occasional distraction on a slow day, or pick-me-up on a busy one. I don't remember when I started going more frequently than that, nor do I remember when I made the leap to daily Starbucks consumption. It just kind of snuck up on me, as addictions do.
The math is horrifying: $4 a day, $20 a (work) week, $1,040 a year. And that doesn't even include the occasional low-fat cinnamon coffee cake or cookie.
Holy coffee grounds, Batman.
Meanwhile, because I am totally addicted not only to the caffeine, but also to the ritual of these daily trips, I decided I would take the first step on the path to recovery by cutting back to one plain coffee each day. That cuts the cost roughly in half. And no more low-fat coffee cake, which we all know full well is not that low-fat.
So yesterday I walk into the local Starbucks, full of resolve. And as I walk up the counter two baristas say to me, in unison, "Venti non-fat cappuccino extra foam?"
That's, right. IN UNISON. You know you've been spending too much money at Starbucks when the employees know your usual drink order by heart.
It was the first time this had happened to me, and I was so thrown off that I told them that I was ordering a regular coffee because I am going broke buying cappuccinos every day. They thought that was hilarious.
Anyway, part of the reason I'm trying to cut down on expenses is that I'm going to San Francisco for a little vacation soon and I would like not to have to sleep at the local YMCA. I'm really excited about the trip, especially since I don't have to worry about there being a Starbucks on every corner there.
(Photo by Thomas Hawk. Click on the photo to find out what's going on in this funny picture.)
What I've been pondering today
You know that age-old question, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?"
Well, I have a new one for you: "How many wedgies does it take before you throw out the offending undergarments?"
Well, I have a new one for you: "How many wedgies does it take before you throw out the offending undergarments?"
