July 6, 2000
Got to go to CRI the second morning in a row for an erg test. We did three
1000 meter pieces, and then got to do bench pulls for 2 minutes... I improved
from last time. Had McDonald's at Central Square. Did my laundry.
Beautiful day outside. It feels like fall. Or spring... Or summer in Chicago or Germany. Not much over 70. Sunny. Why am I inside? Absolutely gorgeous sunrise this morning.
July 5, 2000
Rowed in a straight four this morning, that is, a four without cox. Very
interesting. I'm quite glad I was in the middle and didn't have to bother
steering or making calls. It was quite warm--already 70 by 5:30.
After getting back from my UROP, I went over to the tetazoo cluster at senior house and ordered out Indian and watched TV a bit. From the window, I could see into Chuck Vest's back yard. He had someone over, and they were playing with a dog. Very pretty garden.
July 4, 2000
Slept in till 10 this morning. Found that Au Bon Pain was open, so got some
breakfast. There were already people camped on the median of Mem Dr when I
got up. Sat on my balcony and read Sense and Sensibility. More people
started showing up. An ice cream truck pulled up. Took a shower and changed
into my Hawaiian print dress. Went over to the median and got some ice cream.
They were testing the speakers with a repetitive tapping sound that at first
I thought was someone bouncing a basketball... then they started the music.
The speakers were right outside the courtyard.
Matt decided to leave work early. Talked to my mom on the phone for a bit. Matt finally showed up. Took him over to the median, got fried dough. Sat out people watching for a while. Geoff stopped by to enjoy the view for a bit, then left to meet some people on the esplanade. Matt and I went over to get some dinners at LaVerde's. Could hear the Pops coming from the speakers by my apartment all the way over at LaVerde's. Fireworks started during the 1812. There were trees in the way from my balcony. The gate to the courtyard was open so I went down there, and Matt said he'd follow in a bit. I made it down before the regular fireworks show started. When Matt got down, they'd closed the gate. He watched from a good spot next to the building on the sidewalk. Afterwords, I realized that the gate being locked also meant that I couldn't get out, so someone let me out through their ground floor apartment. Matt bought me a glow necklace from someone on the street. I was quite happy.
June 26, 2000
Didn't bother opening my blinds before leaving this morning. Found out I'm
going to be racing both days in Philadelphia this coming weekend. We did
20 stroke pieces this morning, almost all the way to BU and back. Had a big
chunk of skin hanging off my ring finger on my left hand at the end of
practice. I rowed port again.
On my way back, I decided not to stop at McDonalds this morning, partly because we had to weigh in again this morning... So, got to Central a bit earlier than usual, and felt hungry, and thought maybe I might got to the McDonald's there. Just a block away, I got stopped by a cop and cited for riding in the sidewalk. He just gave me a warning, so I didn't have to pay the $20 fine, but still, I was pretty annoyed. Plus, he told me that I'm supposed to have a Mass drivers liscence now, even though I have no intention of driving in this state. After that ordeal, I finally made it back to my apartment and ate for the first time today... Did my laundry. Studied a bit of Polish. Couldn't find my blank notecards. My mom's away at crew camp, so I can't call her to ask. Made my own cards out of printer paper.
June 25, 2000
Slept in quite a bit this morning. Deliberately didn't set my alarm
last night. Woke up once around 6:30, then half slept till 10:30 or so.
I think I finally got up around 11. Then, I ate some breakfast out on
my balcony, and read and otherwise puttered around for a bit. Then,
I went to the student center and logged in for several hours. After
logging out, I got back, noticed the Globe and Herald in the lobby of
my building, and read the sunday comics. Matt had called while I was gone.
So, Matt called again, and it turned out he was on his way back from bld 66, so I told him to come over, and he'd show me his new apartment. We took the T up to Porter, and then walked several blocks. His apartment is in a blue house, on the second floor. The house actually has non-trivial yard space, and a well-tended garden with lots of poppies, among other things. We then decided to find our way to Harvard Square. On the way there, we passed by a house with a historic plaque on it. It turned out the house was e.e.cummings' birthplace. Matt was very pleased.
After going a little farther, we came to Ringe & Latin high school, which is just a few blocks from Harvard Square. Matt was also very pleased about this. We stopped in the Harvard Coop for a bit, where I found a Teach Yourself Polish book (I'm going to Poland in August). Matt then took me for dinner at Border Cafe, a good Mexican place. Then, Matt wanted to get the third book in the Ender's Game series, and then I went home and went to bed.
June 24, 2000
The traffic at 5am on Saturday morning is even less than the traffic
at that time on a weekday. After arriving at the CRI boathouse, it
occured to me that we were about to row to the basin for the race, and
the starting line is only a few hundred feet from my appartment. I
ended up rowing starbord, even though Friday I had rowed port, though
the beginning of the week I was rowing starboard... Confusing...
It took us an hour to get down to the starting line, during which time we lost our skag, which helps to stabalize the boat. We still had the rudder, so we could steer, but it wasn't as easy going. It was a beautiful morning, and of course I had plenty of time to enjoy it. All the boats raced together, six across. The boat I was in was last, but of course we were also broken. I got very wet during the race from the backsplash of one of the people in front of me. I had gotten very hot, though, so I was more than happy to put on my soaked t-shirt after the race. We did drills most of the way back. The coach switched places with one of the rowers for fun, and she got to drive the launch. Two of the coxswains also switched places with rowers, including Julie.
After we got back and the coach talked to us, I ended up going with a bunch of people for breakfast at a little diner in Watertown. It was a lot of fun and the food was quite good. After that, I biked back home, talked to Matt a bit--found out he got aproved for his new apartment, and then I set about mailing my mom her shoes and prepairing for my little dinner party tonight.
The Kendall post office is closed on Saturdays, so I biked over to Cambridge street. They don't have bike racks, so a lady watched my bike while I mailed my packages. I then road to the nearby Dunkin Donuts, where I had quite the hassle just to get two donuts and a small coolata--supposed to be $3, but they gave me two mediums at first and charged me $7, and then $5, and finally got the order right.
Then, Matt went out and got me some outdoor chairs for my balcony. I was quite happy with them, and they stack up nicely. Sort of a beige color. Arranged them nicely around my balcony. He also set up my microwave, and with that and my apartment finally shaping up with my cleaning this afternoon, the place was actually looking nice.
While Matt was out getting the chairs, I went next door to a tetazoo barbeque in the senior house courtyard. I saw a lot of people. It was fun. Finally remembered to check my email at a quickstation there. After getting back and Matt arriving with the chairs, I realized it was almost 6pm, and I'd told people to come at 7, so I went to Star on my bike and got the food I needed. Didn't have space for booze, even though I had the time--finished getting groceries by 6:30.
When I got back from shopping, I started cooking. Forgot how to cook chicken. I knew my mom had already left for camp. So I called my grandmother. She reminded me I could look it up in a cookbook. The cookbook didn't really have the information I needed, but I guessed. The chicken turned out fine. The garlic made up for the dryness my grandmother worried about. Surprisingly, Noelle and Jesse were the first ones there. Noelle had had an MTG meeting, and was expecting to be late. Darlene arrived next, and finally Geoff arrived.
Darlene took over my cooking, and I took my bike back up to Central and found 12-packs of Sam Adams on sale for $12. So I loaded that into my backpack and returned. The food was ready just a little after I got back. The whole thing turned out rather nicely--Geoff's vegan, and Noelle doesn't like vegetables, so I kept the chicken and vegetables separate from the pilaf. Everyone was rather happy.
Noelle had brought a cake for her half birthday, as well as blackberries for Geoff, since the cake was chocolate. Then, I showed people the laundry room on the 11th floor which has a view of Boston. All in all, I think it was a success. Noelle and Jesse left first, and then I finally wound up kicking out Darlene and Geoff around midnight after I'd started falling asleep.
June 23, 2000
Once again, got up at 4:30am and was biking through Central Square by
5am. Rowed. Race tomorrow. In the ugliest boat I've ever seen, but
no matter. It was pretty out. I woke up with the bugbite I noticed
yesterday now all red and swollen. I might want to do something about
that. It's much warmer than the rest of my leg. Having a cereal bar
before rowing makes a big difference. I decided I really like
Brighton or Allston or wherever it is I bike through, and not just
because of the McDonald's. It's so very comfortable and there are
actually strip malls with paring lots. Along the river, before I
turned onto Western Ave through Allston/Brighton, I heard a big crunch
out in the road, and then noticed some unidentifiable roadkill. It
was very disturbing. I hope it wasn't the turtle I saw the other day...
June 22, 2000
Got back into reading Ender's Game this morning. Lost track of time and
didn't even eat breakfast till 2pm... Then hung out on the student center
steps with Noelle eating chips and salsa. Did UROP a bit, then went home
and finished Ender's Game before going to bed.
June 21, 2000
After crew this morning, I actually got into my UROP before 11. Then worked
on my resume quite a bit. Spent a lot of time in the 56 cluster. Made myself
dinner, then watched Austin Powers, The Spy Who Shagged Me with Matt at his place.
June 20, 2000
Went to the MIT boathouse this morning. Saw Darlene on the way there.
Saw Julie Z, who I'd seen out on the river yesterday morning when I got there.
She was heading out. I lifted some weights and erged for a few minutes. Saw
Noelle on my way back. Went to my UROP, went home, made myself dinner, slept.
June 19, 2000
Stayed up to watch X-Files last night at Matt's, so by the time I got back to
my apartment and got to bed, it was pretty late... Felt it this morning.
Found out my ergs Saturday weren't so bad afterall. Stopped at McDonald's
again on my way home. Then, decided to take care of my passport. Took the T
to Haymarket, and then walked to Northstation and found the federal building
where the passport place is. Then found out that I can't go there unless I'm
traveling within 14 days. So I got on the T, took it to Lechmere, and then got
on a bus for Harvard up Cambridge Street. A few blocks from Harvard, some
crazy or drunk guy gets on, and then I got off with a lot of other people at
the next stop. I walked back down to Central Square, and went to the post
office, and after a bit of a convoluted process, finally got in my passport
renewal, so I can leave the country! (I hope...) Then I got to my UROP.
After making myself dinner, Matt called, and we ended up meeting at Kendall Cinema and watched a British movie about a guy from Pakistan living in Britain in 1970 who's married to an Englishwoman and has 7 kids. Quite funny.
June 18, 2000
In New Hamshire this morning, Matt took me shopping for appliances. Got a
vacuum and a fan and a microwave, and also a TV card for my computer and a
microphone for it, too. I was quite excited. In the afternoon, saw Matt's
mother's choir's concert. After getting back and getting my stuff in my
apartment, we went to Matt's and watched Simpsons.
June 17, 2000
This morning, went to CRI and had an erg test. First a 2k, then a 1k on
sliders, and then 2 minute bench pull. It was hot and humid and my times
stunk more than I did... Well, only 20 seconds slower than February...
Did my laundry. Not too crowded. Went to the Galleria with Matt. Then
drove up to Portsmouth right as it started to rain. It was his grandmother's
birthday and we all went out to a fish place out on the water. Afterwards,
Matt and I went on a walk through the neighborhood. It was a very nice
evening, and the rain cooled things off incredibly well.
June 16, 2000
Got to row with the masters this morning. Also got to do a 350m piece as the
first installment of the 2k test tomorrow... Got into my UROP for the first
time in a week.
June 15, 2000
Woke this morning thinking I should still be in Disney. I realized fairly
quickly that I was at Kevin's, though. I got fresh waffles for breakfast
and got to watch Theresa play SimSafari. Then, got dressed, and packed,
and Kevin and Theresa took me to the train station. The train was late,
so they only stayed till their parking meter ran out. I told Theresa all
about the stuff I did at Disneyworld. She decided that she'd wait till she's
much older to try a lot of the roller coasters. A little while after they
left the station, the train to Boston finally arrived. I pretty much dozed
the whole way back. After getting back, I basically just checked my email
all afternoon and tried to clean up stuff a bit around my apartment. Yawn.
June 14, 2000
Sumita found out this morning that she got the extra day at Old Key
West, so she went out first thing to see Animal Kingdom. Natalie and
I slept in a while longer, since our park passes were used up and we
were leaving in a few hours, anyway.
Sumita hadn't returned by 11, so Natalie and I took our bags and rode in the golf cart back to the hospitality house, checked out, and waited for the bus. When we got to the airport, I found out that my flight was canceled, but not to worry, there was another in just an hour and a half. Natalie's flight was in just an hour, so we went and had some food, and then waited for her flight.
I went and got a magazine to read, and called my mom to let her know I was on a later flight. When it was almost time for the flight, they anounced that it had been delayed and they'd let us know what was up at 4. At 4, they said we had to wait till 5. Then till 6:30. While waiting for the 6:30 announcement, I had managed to get a food voucher, since my first delay was not due to weather but to mechanical problems. I got a cinabun.
Then, at 6:30, there was further delay till 7. There was a Providence flight at 8. All flights to the northeast had been delayed due to a storm around Washington, DC. That meant that traffic into Logan would be severely backed up. Providence, however, would have only minor back up. So, I changed my flight to Providence, and called uncle Kevin. I got Theresa's baby sitter. Then talked to Theresa. Left a message that Kevin should call my mom when he got back. After talking to my mom before my flight left, I decided it would be good to just plan on getting a cab when my flight came in, just in case.
In my boredom, I took a lot of pictures of the sunset from the gate area. The flight finally started boarding, not too long after 8. Shortly after take-off, I realized we were flying over Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island, where I rowed with MIT crew every January for 4 years. It was night, but still very recognizable. There were dozens of boats a few miles off shore. I'm not sure why. Cruises? International waters?
After some sleeping the plane finally started decending into Providence. It was a little after 11pm. When I got off, I saw uncle Kevin right outside the gate. We went to the baggage claim because I had checked my duffle bag. Then drove back to his place. I had a reheated leftover bean burrito. Then went to bed a little after midnight.
May 26, 2000, evening
After sitting around without much to do at my UROP this afternoon, I
decided to leave and take a walk around 6. I walked all the way down
Vassar St. to the BU bridge, crossed it, and then walked down Comm
Ave. I snuck into a BU building and found a bathroom, and after that
I walked past another building that had a really pretty tree with very
pretty clumps of small white flowers that looked almost like tiny
orchids or snap dragons. They smelled very nice. I continued along
Comm Ave till it turns. I walked around Allston a little where the
old T tracks end, and then got on the B line and took it all the way
to Boston College. From there, I continued on Comm Ave into Newton.
Newton is very pretty and reminds me of home. I walked till the end
of the sidewalk on my side of the street, and then, instead of turning
back to get on the T and go home, I turned and headed in the general
direction of the Charles. I walked a while, and after having been
walking for over a half hour and seeing no stores whatsoever, I asked
a guy pulling up into his driving if he knew where the nearest bus
stop was. He had a vague I idea that there was a bus on the street at
the bottom of the hill. So I walked on and eventually reached the
street at the bottom of the hill, which the sign indicated now placed
me in Newton Corner. A bus passed by, but didn't stop for me. By
this point, the gatorade that I had drunk around BU was kicking in, so
I managed to convince a convenience store guy to let me use the
employees bathroom. There really wasn't anything else in the area.
At this point, I tried calling Matt from a payphone. However, I
discovered that his number was no longer working. So, I continued on.
I was now on Tremont St. I still wasn't quite sure where I was, but I
figured I was going in about the right direction from the increase in
population density and number of stores. I passed a place called Oak
Square, and now all the trash cans indicated I was in Brighton. I
stopped to grab something more to eat at a pizza place. Eventually I
got somewhere that looked like I was almost at the Green line (which,
in retrospect, I was) so I turned down a street in a direction I knew
to be the river. I finally saw a familiar landmark. It was the UPN
TV station, which we often rowed past in crew, but because of this, I
knew it was a good 3 or more miles away from where I wanted to go. At
this point, I saw a Dunkin Donuts that had a really old looking neon
sign. I was really hungry by this point (it was 9 and I'd started out
at 6) so I stopped in and got some food. I saw a bus go by (in the
opposite direction) that said Harvard Square, so I waited at the next
bus stop for a while. I was across the street from a steak restaurant
that I see from I-90 when we go to Worcester. It was a rather
isolated area. Finally, I started walking and walked across the
freeway, finally seeing the Prudential building, and also the
Doubletree, and realized I wasn't quite as far as I'd thought, but I
was still pretty far, and luckily, at this point, the bus came by. I
got on, and I was glad I did, because at this point, it was completely
dark, and I didn't realize that Harvard was really just to my right.
I had had enough adventure for one night.
May 26, 2000
I decided to start updating on my life. I'm graduating. All my
requirements are done. Commencement is in one week. I'm going to be
moving into my own appartment. I'm starting slowly to pack up boxes.
It's been very cold the past couple of weeks. Yesterday it felt so warm when it got up to 70, but it's late may. It was 90 for a couple days near the beginning of the month, but since then it's just been cold.
Been listening to Hair a lot lately. My new computer hasn't been working quite right for a couple weeks now. It's quite usable, but I have to telnet in to check my email. I've started learning Perl.
I thought up a new haiku this morning:
Outside, in the trees
I hear wind blowing through leaves
Such a happy sound