The Journal

Club Midd

2006-02-09T06:20:47Z

So I arrived at around noon; I'm finally here! Update with the details of orientation later.

Say Uncle

2006-02-05T23:50:54Z

So hey ya, I'm an uncle now...Uncle Mike, and my nephew Jack.

micharian @ 2006-02-03T16:33:00

2006-02-03T21:34:03Z

I have promised myself over the years that I was going to sit down and write this "thing" that I have been mulling over in my head for a few years...really. And as with every epic, they need a good invocation of the Muse to get the story rolling...so I thought up something like this for a beginning.

Alight on and light in me you nine holy tongues of flame, and fill me with passions that burn and blaze as wildfires which lick the dried out grasses of a field once lush with verdant greens. For such a painful passion drove a selection of weary souls to pursue such ends, and oh!, what glorious and what such nobles ends they were! How a man, tainted or blessed with a fey nature, brooding and well loved, did overcome all that opposed him. How he was so celebrated in life, ethereal in nature, yet, bound by fate to the earth as he was. How his own blood betrayed him! And how an unearthy love might have saved him. Muses, daughters of fatherly and all knowing Jove, relate to me now, and fill this humble singer with the spirit of the bard to tell tales of a legend long forgotten, in a time never well known past its own.

Yeh? Meh? Neh?

Whad'ya think?

micharian @ 2006-02-01T21:21:00

2006-02-02T02:22:05Z

So the pool table will cost 300. That's fine I guess. What a day...blarg.

One week and counting.

T-minus 3 - 2 - nope - 10 - 9...

2006-01-27T05:06:14Z

So I thought I had one weekend left; I have two. Yep, it's like when the clock is running with less than ten seconds remaining and the other team gets it reset back to one minute. Such a short time, but can make the biggest difference in the world.

Treaty of Thisgailles (read it out loud)

2006-01-27T04:23:34Z

As Dido and Aeneas, but in the place of reckless abandonment, and a wayward soul tossed high, cruelly upon the funeral pyre, ties are rebound, and the embers of a bright flame are rekindled. But just as Aeolus with his shifty winds, I these flames, "molletque animos et temperat iras".

Reborn

2006-01-26T05:07:42Z

New format. Not that anyone comments.

Reflect

2006-01-25T03:43:47Z

I really don't know what it is, but I'm stuck. And there is no force that can yet pry me loose.

Sound the Charge

2006-01-22T21:30:20Z

How hard I have fallen. For once a battle has ended, the ringing of broze has subsided, wounded cries have at last died away, and I have stumbled among the broken bodies of my comrades, no matter what blows have been inflicted on me, or that I myself have dealt, there is no embittered hate for the opposing foe. But a need for peace that no amount of pitiful skirmishes or grand battlelines arrayed for combat will ever possibly yield. For I was hurt in a different way, more deeply than any sword could cut, or ax may maim.

Catullus

2006-01-22T06:42:18Z

Learn, why don't you learn.

dicit: sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,
in uento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.

Headway

2006-01-18T20:44:35Z

Yay, I got my first teacher and class today. "Poets, Poems, and Poetry". Finally, some headway. Still waiting on the roommate though.

Northbound

2006-01-16T05:55:44Z

How quickly Time marches ceaselessly on. And how ever more rapidly the Suns set in a burning Western sky, knocking off the days one by one until my long expected departure from these realms. I'm bringing my Grandfather's Greek and Latin dictionaries with me, hoping that they will perhaps inspire some studious efforts on my part. Of course, the Catullus poems will accompany me as well, as will my 250 year old copy of the Iliad. As Calvin says, "There is never enough time to do all the nothing you want". And how difficult it is to 1) come up with something fun to do, and 2) fit it in nowadays...

Moving

2006-01-12T23:39:51Z

Well it's been a while since I've updated this mangy thing. For the past month, my life has been one bore after another, going through the same routine of getting up, tramping around the house for an hour or two, finally breaking free of the house, roaming the eastern fringes of Boston, to arrive back home. I've made it 8 of the 9.5 months. And I can say with all honesty, that those 8 were spectacular. But the home stretch has been "taxing" at best. So I guess I can only hold out until then.

Today, I picked up some more crap for my dorm, including a collection of Catullus's poems, which made my day. I've been looking everywhere for one, never to be found. It seems not everyone has an abiding interest in Roman poets from 60 BC; thus, would make the demand for my coveted little book scarce.

And I've begun writing again. Well, the gears are in motion. I'm ready to trek north, with snowshoes strapped to my feet. But that doesn't mean I want to leave everything behind. If you're up to it, give me a call. We'll celebrate right.

Major Tom to Ground Control

2006-01-07T23:04:17Z

Well, I've got exactly a month and 1 day before I strap on my snowshoes and start hiking up North. I can't even describe how amazing this..."whatever it is" has been, so I won't. Maybe I'll attempt to recap it in some long-winded poem, or try to write about it in a story. Some people have traveled to Europe and taken Italian, some have gone and done some massive service project, but I simply have met some of the most wonderful people on the face of the Earth, and I didn't have fly some thousands of miles to learn what no amount of time in college could teach me.

It Begins...

2006-01-04T22:31:31Z

Well, I regestered for classes today. Had to choose a Freshman Seminar and 3 courses. So I've got "American Short Story." Then, "Introduction to Archaeology", "Acting III: Monologue and Scenes", and "Advanced Fiction Workshop". It just finally feels good to be making some more progress in my college stuff.

My mom also gave me a collection of World War II letters put together by one of my Grandfather's friends. They're pretty amazing.

First Night - A Written Account

2006-01-01T17:41:47Z

So First Night...ya, how about that. Pictures are below. So I picked Rob up at St. Seb's and we headed into Boston via Huntington Ave, of course I started off going the wrong way, and ended up in Brookline, then upon realizing my error, swerved a U-Turn, pissed a bunch of people off, and floored it back to the city. Off to a great start; seemed to be the theme for the rest of the night - mindless, completely eratic, joy seeking behavior. We met up with Mike in front of the Library, and started from there, grabbed a couple of pictures in front of the "30 Years Thingy" and started wandering the streets. Fireworks were going off in the Common, and we tried to catch them, but only saw the finale.

So it was snowing, and looked all nice and stuff, but the hunger started to set in, and it was getting cold. We headed over to Newbury Street and tried to get a table at Joe's American Bar and Grill. Turned out to be a 45 minute wait, which turned into 2 hours, but the three of us were hitting up the bar scene. I was chatting with the host there, who if he put on another hundred pounds could have been a legit godfather, I mean, he had the right accent and everything. Then Mike and I were looking at this old lady who obviously came in after ditching her husband to get good and hammered this merry New Year's Eve. I mean, every stereotypical person was at the bar. There was the lusty bar fly, who comes in regularly to pick up desperate, single college virgins, there were prep school kids, the couple celebrating their first New Year's, and the list goes on. And I go over, bedecked in my fedora and scarf and start shooting the shit with *all* of them. Just like, "Hey!, how'ya doin?", "Ya!, Happy New Year to you too, you gonna drink that all in one sitting?", "Why thank you, yes, the hat is spectacular, and yes I am single" (Ya, I said that, and the stunning blonde just giggled.), "No, I'm just here having a good time". Then the godfather comes and gives us a table, after 1) Mike goes up and says, "Excuse me, guy, we've been here for 2 hours, is there at least one table we could squeeze into? 2) "What about that one over there that's being clear off, we'll take that one, ya that one's good." 3)Godfather's just like "Oh, sure, sir, follow me, I didn't see that one." 4) Mike, "And bring us a lot of bread, we're stavin". So ya, we were getting edgy. And Mike then tried to order a non-alcoholic beer, and went something like "Ya, so does the O'Douls taste like regular beer? Cause I like regular beer." And of course he can't get it cause he's 20, but apparantly "non-alcoholic" beer, has 1% booze in it, so he couldn't have his 4 dollar draft. Rob meanwhile was looking over the wine list, trying to select a nice Merlot or something, and I'm just like "Rob, what the hell are you doing?" And he was just so totally lost for five minutes...like he half thought he could order it, and not...I don't even know. Food came, bill was paid, back on the prowl.

We tried to hit up the Library to see these four tenors who apparantly don't really sing but pretend too, but it was sold out. So we ended up talking to this guy in the Airforce Para-Rescue Trooper Division and his wife, who went to BC. So of course Mike was thrilled with that. Ya, he said he was the third guy on the Beach when the US invaded Haiti. With no luck at the library, we headed for the Common and saw the ice sculptures. Rob managed to get lost, and we had to call over to get him. There was this World Peace station where you could write a wish down on a prayer card and hang it up, so the three of us tried that out to see if you know, we'd find a million dollars the next morning. (Nope, I'm still broke.) There was some rock concert going on, and we tried that. Then Mike wanted his picture taken in front of the State House. Okay, here's where the now infamous bum story begins.

So I'm there holding my camera, getting all lined up for a what I was sure would be a Pulitzer Prize worthy photograph of the esteemed Michael F. Buckley, when this guy comes over and asks me if I can let him borrow a cigarette. I'm like "Sorry, sir, I don't smoke." So then he says, "Don't you realize I'm homeless?" Me, "No, I didn't." I mean, he was well dressed, he by no means had rags on. Him, "The homeless walk among you whether you like it or not." Me, "Sir, I realize this, and I try to help out as best I can, honestly. If you'd like some money, I can give you some, but I'm sorry, I don't smoke." Him, "Hey, fella, where the hell you from anyway? Cause you're sure not from *my* town." Me, "No, I was born in Boston." Him, "Well, you musta moved to Ohio, cause you don't have the accent. Why don't you just leave here and go back to where you came from. People from Boston don't like you." So I said, "Sir, I...I mean." Then Mike comes over and says, "Excuse me, you're in the way of our picture here." And the guys just like "Oh, you from Boston!? This kids from Ohio, I just wanted a smoke an' he won't give me one" So he buggers off, and I just yell over to Mike in my best Southie accent, "Hey, like Mike, move ova a bit and get back in the fuckin' pic-cha, cause like, I don't got all day."

Wrapping up, we walked through Quincy Market after taking the Orange Line to State Street, which since I'm from Ohio, I apparently didn't know that you can get on at Back Bay and have two stops until State, by which the quickest way to get to Longwharf is thought Fanuil Hall. Anyway, we were in the front row for the fireworks down by the Waterfront. I got them on film. Now we've got a tradition. What an amazing night.

First Night - A History in Pictures

2006-01-01T08:26:02Z

Pics from First Night; I'll update with a written account later.

Stuff

2005-12-31T20:10:00Z

Huzzah! I got like the best camera in the history of all of the camera's I've ever owned, and that's been 2. So big accomplishment...

That and I found a fedora that works...

Blarg

2005-12-30T07:09:55Z

It's nearly 2AM. I've been playing "Shadow of the Colossus" for near 3 hours, which is an amazing game. Picking Adler up at State Street today, then off to the basketball tournament to catch the last game. Will hilarity ensue? With Adler, every moment is a party. "Got Jokes?" Sabrina, I've got to give you props for showing me that store today; those posters are awesome. Haha, Coke..."Yes!". Why the hell did we go to the library? We so should've started waltzing in that room. Funny that we actually found an adventure for the day, nonetheless. Anyway, I've gotta hit the hay.

Merry Everyone

2005-12-25T06:20:57Z

Merry Christmas everyone...It's 1:20, Christmas Morning. Happy Birthday Joe.

Time for a political rant...

2005-12-19T20:10:25Z

To anyone that has ever called a Democrat a "flip-flopper" and had no idea what is at stake, to any ignorant, sycophantic, know-it-all conservative, who hides behind the Republican Party as a means to sound new and fresh, but has no idea what the hell he/she is talking about, to anyone who emptily champions the removal of any controversial, but successful man, from the face of the Earth for a lack of moral fiber and cast their stones despite their own sins, and turn aside the unbelivable goods that has made the last son of a Cape Cod dynasty the greatest senator since Daniel Webster, or to anyone that even mentions the ideas of "Chappaquiddick" and takes no glance at their upper echelon tax cuts, to anyone that would dare to be prolife, and yet remain for capitol punishment, or who would pretend to understand every aspect of a world shaded in grays, look now to your high crested "War President" and see that he's spying on us...So kids, the next time you make that phone call to Grandma to wish her a "Merry Christmas", beware the auspices of Homeland Security are well aware that you just might be the next threat to spreading freedom though force of arms.

The Wang Center for the Performing Arts...

2005-12-08T15:37:34Z

So I'm not working at the Wang today, but I thought I'd reminisce on some of the times had there; my mind is still haunted by some images that I'm sure will never completely leave me *shiver*. Nonetheless, there are good times and times that I'm sure I'll be laughing about for years to come, like...

Chad, I'll never understand him, like when he would complain about cooking shows or "Lost's" crazy plot, but I'll always remember the "good times". I hope that one day he will decide whether he likes Dunkin' Donuts Coffee or Starbucks...

The women I worked with, Dianne, Megan, Tracey, and Catherine, and the one time when they were all running over to my desk, screaming and shouting, pushing and hurdling each other to get to the exposed bag of Hersey's Kisses that I had just broken out, just as one of their noses had picked up the scent of chocolate.

Chad telling me I need to give him advance warning when I'm going to be sick.

Chad telling me I need to give him advance warning when someone dies and I need to go to a wake.

Chad telling me I need to give him advance warning when I'm going to take a five minute break.

Chad telling me I need to give him advance warning when I'm...well you get the idea.

The many conversations about life and relationships, their meaning, annoyances, and wonder with the venerable Phil Procter, Theatre Manager, and the free tickets he slipped me when no one was looking...

The abbreviations that always took me a few seconds to get what my esteemed collegues were referring too like "ABP" for "Au Bon Pain" and "CPK" for "California Pizza Kitchen" and "BIFAS" for "Boston International Fine Arts Show"...as if actually saying the entire word is that much of a waste of time..."OIC TTYL LMAO"!
Listening to the mindless gab of four girls, whose constant complaining and celebration about their love lives and pet peeves, gave me some understanding of women...a very small amount...but some nonetheless...

Joking about the crazy people that call the Wang looking for free tickets and other bizarre requests with Mitzi the receptionist, that and stealing her candy.

Covering phones! My God, if I have to tell people that "White Christmas" runs for "2 hours and 15 minutes" one more time...

Chad telling me I need to give him advance warning when I'm going for lunch.

The huge stack of filing I finally finished in my last week.

Mailings...SO MANY MAILINGS...and to the people we sent them too, I hope you realize the sheer amount of effort it takes, not to mention the resolve, to let you know that "Barbie in Fairytopia" is coming in April...and that I had to put up with Chad and John jumping for joy that yes, "Barbie" was coming to town...and then another 45 minutes of Barbie related conversation.

When I reached the 10,000 mark (seriously) in stuffing envelopes.

Chad telling me that I need to give him advance warning when I'm about to finish for the day.

And there are more, but I'm headed out to do some Christmas shopping. But boy, that was a good time indeed, I enjoyed it immensely. Two more days!

I'm going to write all of this in a book someday, maybe my memoirs, yes, "Memoirs of a Redhead".

Wang Stuff

2005-12-06T15:27:00Z

While I have worked here, I have watched the pile of membership letters on my desk grow from a mere 3 inches of paper to what now stands at over one and a half feet; that's about 5,000 pieces of paper. Now I have been ignoring the pile, hoping I would never have to do what I always dreaded. But just five minutes ago, the words came straight at me, and, sadly, I have been given the task of filing ALL of them. So that's what I'll be doing my remaining 3 days at the Wang Center for the Performing Arts.

- Later in the Day -

So the Church where my concert was this Saturday burned down. Ya...just found that out. And when I took a breather from my filing to go and chat with the Wang Theatre Manager (I'm quite popular with my boss's bosses, really, I mean we talk about everything, from pet peeves to the meaning of life), my cell phone rings, where my boss was calling me, telling me I was late for something. So I run down to Development and he tells me I'm was supposed to cover for the receptionist, who's at lunch. I simply told him, no one told me, which they didn't. So I get chewed out, then run upstairs to the front desk, where I'm then told by my other boss that I cover phones every Tuesday. Um, what? I'm sorry, no I don't, unless she's re-writing my life story. And now, having been chewed out a second time, here I sit, hated and bored. 3 more days...just 3 more days.

This is spectacular. I just got a call from a guy from Sweden who wants to produce "White Christmas". I should've been like "Oh, urkay Lars, I'lla putcha throo to the right peurson hur, okee-dokee now". Though aparantly, this guy is legit...

Navy/Army

2005-12-04T23:24:59Z

Quick Summary before Dinner:

Back from Philly and the game. Navy won, which is awesome. They kicked so much ass. My buddy at West Point was pretty bummed. Afterwards we went out to eat. But we hung around the city afterwards. As 12:00 rolled around, Richard and Chris had to leave for Villanova, and Ken and I were left to our own devices. So we ended up trying to crash a fancy party, but the women were 40, so we just walked around, I shook some hands, and split. Then we had to go over to the Ritz around 1, so we wandered the city some more, and found our way over there. There was a wedding going on, I winked at the Bride who laughed pretty hard, in a good way, and I was going to go over and say "Hi", but the Groom was there. So we went up to our room, and found out that Bon Jovi (yes) was staying in the floor above us. We were gonna crash that party (he was at the game so I don't think he would've minded seeing as Ken was bedecked in his finery), but exhaustion set in, and we ended up watching "Waterboy" at around 2:30.

We got up at 4:30 and dressed quickly, ran to the elevator (Ken had to be back in Maryland by 8:30 for Mass), and went up to Bon Jovi's floor, two women got in, and apparantly the party was still going, but they giggled when they saw us. I just looked at one and said "Long Night?", and she was just like "Yeah, wow, you could say that". So we went down, and scrambled into the car. I'll give the full version later.

Oh, and we also got to meet some of Jon's teamsters, who were pretty funny...

Good Times

micharian @ 2005-12-02T12:04:00

2005-12-02T17:13:20Z

Ah yes, it's Friday, flying out tonight at 8 to Philly to see the game. I hope I actually get to see Rich and Ken, my buddies that go to West Point and Navy. Ken told me that each school tries to out do eachother in terms of entertainment as well. Last year, so I'm told, Navy did a fly over and had some SEALs parachute down onto the 50 yard line. That's your tax dollars at work, kids! So it should make for a very fun night, you know, besides the football.

And last night I went to the concert at the NEC, which was amazing, to put it simply. I did get a chance to talk to the "moaning" pianist. Yeah, and I definately agree with you on that one, doll. Oh man...Well if that's bad, you have no idea what the conversation between the two "gentlemen" at work today was about. "Ars gratia artis".

I get back on Sunday.