DOwnTOwn

Thats the Old State House and Fanieul Hall

"When you're alone and life is making you lonely you can always go.... DownTown"

Whenever I think about how I am missing Tedi because he is still on Cape Cod, or I am bummed because I don't have any money and I am still in training at work I know that I can go into the city in a jiffy on the T and walk around for free and enjoy myself.

I always discover something new like the beautiful old "kings chapel" on Tremont St. I was there the other day and you could almost smell the history in the air. Many of the revolutionaries and loyalists all went to this church regularly and there were interesting busts and a protruding old pulpit.

Last week when I was downtown I took some pics of Beantown herself, just above.

"OH I love that dirty water.....Boston ur my town"

Been living in Boston for almost a week. The thing I love about Boston is its community feeling. There is one baseball team, one basketball team, one hockey team ect. ect. Every sports fan supports each of those teams or one of those teams and can relate to anyone else from the city on that one sport. There are more commonalities here.
Everyone walks in the public gardens and goes to movies on Tremont St. at the huge cineplex. Just like every city there are class and neighborhood divisions, but the democratic party, fenway franks, and redsox caps are something pretty much everyone has in common. From the policeman on the corner, to the guy selling hotdogs from a cart, to the bank tellers. There is a sense of community and 'we are all bostonians'.
The other thing I have noticed about Boston is that people are really friendly. I mean they aren't going to walk up to you and randomly start talking, but whenever I pull out my map because I am lost someone comes over. Whether its the old irish woman, young handsome black man, or the classy looking business guy they all give me great directions without me having to ask.
Its just nice to know that even in a big city there can be a sense of community and belonging.

transpirings

when cousins come to visit its always interesting for me....and interesting can go good or bad.

I had two cousins visit recently...one female and then one male. Within days of each other.

Sometimes they overstay their welcome....sometimes you wish they wouldn't leave.

Some cousins add to the fun and bring a spice with their personality....some cousins are loose cannons and you can't predict what will happen next. I have a few that are a little bit of both.

Social interactions are really important however to teach us how we need to conduct ourselves in certain situations. When cousins come to visit I have found there is always a lesson to be learned.

All in all it seems you cannot choose your family....but you are all related and thus must have some commonalities...my advice is focus on those, take people for who they are, and try to be understanding.

Obama and Russia

Its good to see Obama reaching out to other nations and former enemies...hopefully this can be a good lesson to us all.

people are strange

At the restaurant I work at today some people told one of the bulgarians that I work with that they had "never met one of you before". How rude and strange is that to say to someone?

Sometime I wonder...do people know how weird that is when they say it or....are they really that lacking in common sense that they don't know they are being ridiculous?

travels

traveling around europe with the family....snapped some shots of the scenery.

still painful

I can't believe its been over a year since I got the phone call from my best friend's mother that she had died. She was studying adroad in India and we were told by the program and Indian officials it was suicide. But Katie never would have killed herself. Today the Daily Republican is running an article about Katie and the mystery of her death. I hope someday those of us who loved her get some closure.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/family_of_former_umass_coed_di.html?category=Deaths