Do These Jeans Make Me Look Fat(wa)?…
Back in Boston now. Head still spinning from an eventful – and quite rewarding – reunion weekend in Virginia. Now I’d have a week to spend with my family and friends in Boston – it looked to be a hectic stretch of time.
My Dad and stepmother got ticket to the Red Sox game on Monday, which was Patriots Day. One of the very best days to be in Boston – besides the fact that there’s a Sox game that day every year at 11:05 a.m. (and not a minute earlier), the Boston Marathon is run that day…and this year the Celtics and Bruins were also playing that day. Boston sports junkyism at its zenith. My dad’s friend Dave Wolf got us the tickets, a couple years ago he did the same. Dave’s probably my father’s funniest friend. Of course, the only time I see him is when we’re sucking down beers at Fenway; still, I’ve gotta go with what I see.
After the game, which we won handily, we went over to Kenmore Square to watch the marathon. The front-runners had already finished, but it was still good to watch the pack coming through Kenmore, close to the finish line. I recalled the 3 marathons I’d run in Boston, how brutal they were, and wondered if I’d ever do another. My father is vowing to walk the course next year…one of these years when I can see that far ahead, I’ll train and run another. It is a signal accomplishment in life, methinks. The only real hitch, aside from the demands of training and actually running the race, is that old Japanese saying about climbing Mt. Fuji: climbing it once is glorious, climbing it twice is stupid. There’s something to that.
Two guys running the marathon were dressed as huge beer cups. My father laughed like crazy when he spotted them – I did the same. I don’t know how those two ran 26 miles to that point – I complained during one race that my sweat-soaked shirt was too heavy.
A fine day in Boston, one of the best in years. Boston is a pleasant place and while it’s not New York in all its mad glory, there are things going on from time to time.
When I’m home I have a lengthy set of things to take care of. On Tuesday I started tackling that list. First up: my annual physical exam, the last of which was, of course, two years ago. That went fine, no issues. My doctor was far more interested in hearing about my travels and (lack of) plans than in the usual battery of tests. And I was happy to chat if he was – I had pulled up to a metered parking space outside the office, and when I looked at the meter I found it still had two hours to go. Cool – I could preserve my precious quarters for later.
Read in Wired magazine that Dungeons & Dragons rule set 4.0 is about to come out. D&D was a teenage obsession of mine, until girls and beer took over. The article mentioned founder Gary Gygax, a name I hadn’t heard in many moons. I wonder how D&D is doing in our wired age…when I was in high school there was already a game, Wizardry, which attempted with some success to be a computerized D&D. These days there must be some incredible offerings – but I wonder if they’re as simple and playable as the games of yore. As I think I’ve written in earlier posts, I would love to get my hands on some old games like Castle Wolfenstein, Archon, Borg, and the Intellivision sports games. I heard about a store in NYC called Video Games New York on East 6th Street, and wanted to pop in there, but didn’t have time this trip. More on this a bit later in the post…
After watching the marathon, I felt inspired to go for a run myself – I’ve been a bit lax in the past month or two. Went for my usual run through Newton Center and back. Had my iPod Shuffle cranked as I plodded up the hills, looking every bit as spent as those I’d just seen in Boston, they of course having been through 20+ miles while I’d just put in a couple. A car pulled up on the other side of the road and a girl leaned out and shouted something; as I passed by I only caught a couple words, ‘where is X?’ I looked at her with supreme malice and contempt and, as she was in moving traffic, she had to drive on. I continued plodding along, shaking my head. Did this girl really want me to give her directions? A girl, in moving traffic, shouting to a visibly exhausted runner with headphones on. Perhaps I misinterpreted what was happening, but I doubt it. Americans must be getting more stupid – every time I’m home I gather more evidence.
Went over to my sister’s family’s house the next night, to spend a couple days/nights with them. My brother-in-law and nephew were home when I got there, and we spend an hour or so listening to the songs on his new iPod, while my nephew danced joyously around a table. I think I’ve called my brother-in-law, Dave, a human iPod in past entries, and it continues to be true – you never know what song he’ll be cueing up. He’s taught his son, my nephew, a bunch of songs and the little guy can actually sing along with some of them. It’s pretty cool to see him dancing around singing. As for me, well, I’m pretty much confined to karaoke parlors out East…
That night we watched the returns from the Pennsylvania state primary for the Democratic nomination for US President. Hillary Clinton won and lived to fight another day. Talk about a complex and shifting situation – even though the campaign is already 15 or so months along and occasionally in danger of getting annoying, it is fascinating to step back and see where we’ve been and consider what might happen next. I have absolutely no idea who will be our next President of the three candidates remaining. Regular readers know I’m a fan of Obama’s, but it’s by no means in the bag. A year ago I thought Hillary was a shoe-in and that didn’t happen. I wonder what the online market-prediction websites are saying these days?
While we were playing on the couch my nephew asked me ‘do you have a home?’ I thought that was pretty random/funny/fascinating…how perceptive of the little grommet. Once in a while I hear from my brother-in-law or sister that my nephew saw a TV program on, say, Australia, and he says ‘Uncle Mike!’ But I really had no idea he had any semblance of a narrative about me in his head. I didn’t bother to explain my various peregrinations to him, not yet – but at this rate he’ll be able to absorb my peculiar sort of story soon enough. Well done, little guy.
Wasn’t able to get online using my laptop and their Ethernet plug, but with Dave’s help I found that the Holliston Public Library had wireless. Drove over there – and it worked like a charm. This library’s network was one of the fastest I’ve come across – I ripped some CDs onto iTunes and also bought a few albums, and everything downloaded in a couple minutes or less.
Went with my sister to watch my nephew take a swimming lesson at the YMCA. He’s making solid progress – until recently he didn’t like getting his head wet, now he’s jumping off the diving board.
After that, went to the Hopkinton Library, close to my sister’s house, and they also had a good wireless setup. I silently thanked the public library system – before today, I hadn’t been in a (public) library in years, and would have told you that they were an anachronism. Now I feel differently – besides my emergency wireless gig, I saw folks in there reading magazines and the newspaper, kids borrowing books, and small-town life in general.
Had dinner that night with the boys – Dave, my nephew, and my father. Went to a family-style steak place, Bugaboo Creek, with the requisite massive portions that have contributed to our national obesity epidemic. That night I was famished and happy to partake in the gluttony. But a meal like that wipes me out – I almost never eat steak, and although I enjoy it I’m ready to lie down right afterward, hands clasped over my gut, sleeping like a mummy. Not the sort of mummy from The Book of Dave, mind you…
Got my teeth cleaned the next day – got a clean dental bill of health. Worked on getting an absentee ballot for this November’s presidential vote – managed to find an online form and sent that in. We’ll see whether the timing of my mail actually allows me to receive/send the ballot on time.
Had dinner with a former colleague. We’ve managed to meet each time I come to Boston; I enjoy catching up with him. We usually meet at pricey restaurants and drink our fair share of booze. We met at Sorrelina’s, where we met last time. This place is very chi-chi, has a beautiful bar (and bartenders), and my friend’s a regular so he knows everyone there. We devoured a great veal chop and drank Maker’s Mark (well, I did) and some nice wines. The restaurant section was pretty empty – one of the waiters who knew my friend told us the recession was hitting them hard. A couple female friends of his stopped in – they work in the restaurant biz and are oenophiles/cognoscenti – lots of fun to talk to. One asked me what I was reading – I told her I had become a huge Salman Rushdie fan since finding ‘Midnight’s Children’ in my cheapie hotel room in Hanoi. She mentioned the fatwa that Khomeini put on Rushdie way back when…we talked about that for a while. She asked us if her jeans made her look fatwa – hence the title of this slog entry. Promises are promises…
Next day, awoke with a significant hangover, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Had to go to a lab to get my blood and urine tested, a standard follow-up to the physical I’d had earlier. I wondered how the Maker’s Mark and red wine would affect my readings…but I didn’t really care. Another chore to tackle and it was soon done.
Also had to see my accountant again – this time, to complete my 2007 taxes and sign the forms. She told me she had some bad news – I owed a good chunk of change this year, due to some capital gains from Asia. Ugh. I guess it’s not truly bad news, I made a lot of dosh from those trades and paying 15% tax on them isn’t armaggedon. Still, last year she only asked me for US$20, so this was a rude surprise.
Went to the New Balance outlet in Brighton. Got a great pair of running shoes for $50 and was out of there in 10 minutes. Male shopping at its best.
Got home. The phone rang, my stepmother got it. The caller asked for me…my stepmother asked who it was. The caller was evasive, but it turned out she was from the Church of Scientology. Random. My father was in the room, and we all had a good laugh over that. Where the bejesus did the Scientologists get my name and telephone number? Tom Cruise and I haven’t hung out in years…
That night, met some college friends at Crossroads Pub in Boston. This place is an old standby and I’ve been going there for 20+ years. They refurbished the interior fairly recently, but unlike some other joints I’ve seen, they didn’t overdo it and it retains a pleasantly pedestrian feel. Low overhead, my man. Had a great night catching up with the boys – they don’t seem to get together that much when I’m not in town, so I feel like I’m performing a public service by forcing them all into the same room. Moved on to Match bar after that, a far different sort of place where people dress up and pay substantially more for the same drinks. Market segmentation, indeed.
I didn’t quite drink my fill, as I had to get up early to play golf with my dad. Got to sleep around 2:30 or so, got up at 7:30, and felt alright. As usual, I’d had 5-6 glasses of water before bed and that does it for me.
Had a good round of golf. My dad and I are about even, so the pace isn’t strained. As usual, I intersperse a few nice shots with a bunch of pathetic ones. But it’s nice to be outside, the weather was cool and clear, and it was good to spend time with my dad.
My uncle and aunt came to visit us that weekend. Hadn’t seen them in a few years – they look good. Went out that night with them, my sister’s family, and some of my stepmother’s relatives, to Legal Seafood, where I consumed a massive bowl of clam chowder and a plate of grilled mixed fish. Dad picked up the bill – that can’t have been fun. But the dinner was excellent and it’s (usually) nice to get the gang together in the same room.
My week at home was drawing to a close. Had to do a few final tasks, including backing up my computer and smartphone data. Turns out the external hard drive I leave in Newton only has 60 gig capacity, I had thought it was 80 gigs. So I moved some old crap onto CDs and that did the trick…the only issue is that moving the files took a couple hours and that screwed up my morning. Oh well. I had enough time to take care of everything. Made a mental note to buy a couple huge hard drives during my next trip home – now they’re so massive, and so inexpensive, that it makes sense to buy ‘em.
Dropped some stuff off in my storage room, then came back home. Dad and Ellen had a BBQ for us, my sister’s family, and my aunt (Dad’s sister) and uncle. Huge meal – lots of meat – very drinkable Aussie shiraz. I swear I’ve had more meat since I got home than I had in my entire 5 months in India. The volume has been a bit of a shock to the system, but I must admit my carnivorous (omnivorous, actually) nature and I’d have a tough time enjoying life as a vegetarian…
Dropped off my rental car in Boston that night. Owed nothing – my AMEX Membership Rewards coupons took care of the whole bill. I’m very glad to still have loads of these points remaining – they really soften the pain of large car rental and hotel bills.
Caught up with another former colleague and his wife, at Beantown Pub on Tremont Street. They’re from Manila and we had lots of RP stuff to talk about. I’m going back there shortly to see a young lady and do some diving – they’re staying in Boston another year. They originally came intending to stay for one year, but now it looks like three. Anyway, they’re enjoying it – Boston and Manila are pretty different places – and getting a lot out of it professionally. His wife is a doctor and is working on a clinical trial in Boston.
Took the train back to Newton that night. Saw a girl reading ‘Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ‘72’ by the dearly departed and greatly mourned Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Made a mental note to liberate my Thompson books from storage on my next visit home. I’m actually still working through a backlog of books accumulated during my years in Tokyo – this time I’m taking 7-8 back to Asia with me, and I think my next trip (assuming I don’t order more books) I can polish off the rest. Amazon.com, I both bless and curse ye…
On Monday morning dad drove me to South Station in Boston. Got on a train to Bridgeport, Connecticut to see my business school friend Jan. He collected me at the train station, showed me around his family factory/HQ, and then we drove to his new house to see his wife and baby daughter. Had a couple glasses of wine, shot the breeze with them, and then Jan drove me to the train station so I could continue on to New York, where I’d spend a night before flying to Hong Kong.
Dropped my stuff off at old friend Bryan’s pad in Tribeca. He’s in the process of moving to a much larger place, but for now he and his wife are crammed into a studio. They were gracious enough to let me crash on their (soft) couch. More than sufficient. I went out to Half King Bar on 23rd Street to see my cousins and a couple old friends I hadn’t seen in 10+ years. Large drinking ensued. I wound up at some bar in Tribeca at 2:30 a.m., having a good heart-to-heart with Bryan, who had his own tales to tell. I’m glad he and I have remained close over the years. To be accurate, though, we had a stretch where we weren’t very much in contact – perhaps it was because we were such good friends at college and got tired of each other, I don’t know. Anyway, a few years ago we both seemed to have realized that we enjoy each other’s company and have so many old war stories to share, and now we’re good friends again. Life is long.
Crashed on the couch – Bryan told me the next day that I fell asleep within seconds. I was flying to Hong Kong that afternoon, but in my usual fashion I’d crammed a morning meeting in. An old manager of mine wanted me to meet a consumer trends guru named Faith Popcorn, and I trust my old manager completely, so I had set up meetings with Faith and her director of consulting. Put on my white oxford and, after breakfast with Bryan (also not working – I think we help reinforce each other’s baser tendencies), I took a cab to the Faith Popcorn Brain Reserve offices in midtown. Had interesting meetings with Faith and her colleague – they are thinking about expanding into Asia and need someone to take that on for them. They understand my current situation, which precludes working more than 17 minutes per week, but we’ll stay in touch and perhaps create some sort of low-intensity model. It was interesting for me to reflect on my performance in these meetings – I don’t have many business meetings anymore and occasionally wonder if I’m losing my edge. I tend to doubt it – I still have lots of conversations, and some of them, in odd lands, require a decent degree of mental acuity. So the brain isn’t winding down, at least not yet.
Got on my Cathay Pacific flight to HKG. Not a full flight, so I got an entire row to myself. Cathay is a brilliant airlines, I wish the US airlines were so pleasant and efficient. Worked through my pile of New Yorker magazines, then tackled my Lonely Planet Mongolia guide. I’m planning (after a few weeks spread across HKG and the RP) to visit Mongolia with a former colleague who’s now based in Shanghai. Mongolia is truly out there, not an easy place to pop into and get a quick sense of things, so some research is required. But it should be quite an experience – I’ve always wondered what the hell Ulaan Bataar, the capital city, is like. Mongolia has 3 million people and is 2 or 3 times the size of France. I can’t wait.
A guy across the aisle turned out his laptop. He started playing a computer game that looked familiar – it was Lode Runner, a game I used to play on my old Apple II+ back in the late ’80s. My old roommate, codenamed Dr. Bol, used to play it on my computer for hours on end – he had lost his job and had nothing to do. I think he got through something like 65 levels of the game and was nearing the level of Lode Runner god before he moved to Washington and found work. They’ve evidently created a version that works on modern computers – and back to my earlier point, I’d love to find versions of other classic games. Next time I’m in NYC I plan to visit that games store – but if you have any idea where these games still exist, let me know. I do have a bit of time on my hands. Over and out.
Tags: Travel
mbsloney
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