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I'll be back tomorrow. I promise. I hope you're well.

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A Blog To Live By

Once upon a time there was a blog called http://barrettall.blogspot.com, and a TV show called Sex And The City. After reading and watching the combination of the 2 creative mediums, I was inspired to start this blog. Now since then, this very blog which you are reading, has inspired numerous OTHER blogs!

Today I walked into work, and my boss Penny stopped me and told me that she began a blog! I have a link to it if you're interested, and you should be, she's a ray of lemon drops, it's the Penny + Penny blog. She told me that I inspired her to start blogging. Now I don't want this to sound pretentious or arrogant, because I'm not like, hell yeah, I'm an inspiration to do things. Her words just really made me proud, because now I feel like I've helped to spark more creativity and writing and thinking!

This chain blog reaction began with Stefanie, you remember Stefanie right? She's my 23 year old co-worker that I made cry because she's getting braces and I'm a dink? Remember? SHE started blogging about her adventures with getting braces as a grown up. Even though that blog came out of tears which I inflicted, it nonetheless was formed, and is now helping others in a similar metallic situation.
http://bracingmyself.tumblr.com

Next came Derrick. Derrick is also one of my bosses. You remember Derrick, right? He's the one with a ferret and we walked to my place drunk, through the Gardens, and he crashed on my tiny couch? Remember him? Well he started TWO blogs! Count em! TWO! We were talking about blogs, and my blog, and he said he had ideas for blogs, and I said, BLOG, so he did! Even though that blog was started from my command, it nonetheless was formed, and he now, voluntarily, creates new posts. I particularly enjoy the randomness of Derrick's first blog. It's not so much about him and his life. The other blog is equally clever. He reviews things, but only gives positive feedback, even if he dislikes something. He finds at least ONE thing positive, and blogs it.
http://derrickandyou.blogspot.com
http://glasshalffullreviews.blogspot.com

THEN came Derrick's friend Josh. Josh ALSO began 2 blogs after Derrick started his blogs! SO, ipso facto(?)... these blogs would NEVER have been created had I not made Derrick begin his blogs.
http://bowlofgranola.blogspot.com
http://thingsiinvented.blogspot.com

And finally there's Penny's brandy new blog. I have no idea how it's going to go. Seems like she's going to do a lot of venting through her writing in an attempt to cleanse her soul? So how nice is that?!
http://www.pennypluspenny.blogspot.com

Look at all of the writing that I helped to inspire! 6 blogs!

(... and of course indirectly this all spawned from Patty and Sex And The City...)

But YAY me!

Whiskey Talk, With Nick Wilson

21 BUT HE STILL LOVES GOODY'S !

Nick W: Do you swallow?
Me: Depends on the guy.
Nick W: Yeah me too

Nick W: I'll pay you $150 to grow a beard.

Nick W: Kiss me, those Mexicans think we're gay.

Nick W: (squishing his fat around his belly-button) You like my bagel?

Me No Feel Smart?

Do you ever feel like everyone around you knows SO much more than you do? Lately I've encountered that bit of paranoia. It isn't that I don't feel intelligent, but I think I have just come to this realization of things that I know nothing about, particularly when it comes to history. I really know nothing about the Roman Empire, World War I, and honestly, I don't know a great deal about American History. History is just one part of it too, I wish I knew some general knowledge about... EVERYTHING. Little facts about science, and the way things work, engineering, art history, architecture, and I guess even math. Maybe I should try reading?

I think that a big flaw with higher education is, once you move beyond the few core requirements of math and science and history, you focus on your major. If you're a journalism/production major, then learning more about all of those other things falls on your shoulders!... my shoulders!

Luckily I own this book:
If anyone owns this and has read it, let me know if it's just a novelty, or if it is actually worth glancing at.

I own a bunch of history books though, and I want to read them, but anytime I look at them with the intent to read and inwardly digest their knowledge I go, "hmm... reminds me of a text book...school...yuck!" SCHOOL IS LEARNING! I need to embrace the concept of being self-taught, and well-read! It's not like I don't have the time, I mean... a journalism major?... come on. I have time. So, I shall read these non-fiction thingy things, and hopefully soon, I can say things like, "oh well The Republic became enormously rich on the spoils of empire..."


Me fail English? That's unpossible!

Entering: Davis Square

The apartment saga/crisis is OVER! Last weekend, my dear friend and co-worker, Rewan, offered me a room in her 4 bed room apartment in the lovely, Davis Square. When she asked me, I literally squealed with excitement, and for those of you that know me, I RARELY squeal... Anyway, I was shocked, so couldn't give her a final yes until I talked to my financial advisors... parents. The rents said go for it, so I did! I'm so glad that I get to live on a subway line... well not literally, but you know what I mean. I'll be close to almost all of my friends in Central Square, and Rewan is really great! This is Rewan in my current kitchen eating food I cooked!
Rewan and I now work together at a store in the North End, so I will still have reason to return to my all time favorite neighborhood. It's a very girly store, but pays very well, so mock me all you want, but Ima be rollin' in bills y'all!...ehem, excuse me.

The one catch is, I might not get to see the apartment before I move in. There's a chance I can see it tomorrow, but who knows??? Apparently, "it's very cute," according to Rewan, however, I have learned through apartment hunting experience, that 'cute' usually means tiny. Like me... I'm cute and tiny.......

She actually described a very large apartment: 2 floors, moderately large bed rooms, dining room, living room, large kitchen... you know, an apartment. I think I'm most excited for having stairs in my apartment. We're going to turn the dining room into a multi-purpose room/office/photo studio! Oh youth and their art.

I have no idea what Magpie is other than an adorable word, so I just chose the first map with Davis.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Nick Wilson

This is Nick. Nick was my very first friend here, and we met during auditions for Seriously Bent our Freshmen year. For some reason, out of everyone from the audition, he singled me out, and we became very fast friends. I of course thought he was gay, as most do, but he had a girlfriend, and was just looking for a friend in the big city. Nick and I spent a lot of time together our freshmen year... like... A LOT of time. He could often be found sleeping on the couch of my Chester Street apartment after a night of drinking vodka and spooning. I'm sure my roommate was confused, but he was literally my only and best friend, as I was a commuter, didn't have Seriously Bent yet, and didn't spend a lot of time on the Suffolk campus. On Halloween we tried to go to a cigar bar in the North End, but you had to be 21, because they require that you order a drink. So it was a big show, Nick didn't have ANY I.D. so we took a cab back to the dorms, where he got his underage ID, only to then be asked to leave. To this day, I don't understand why that waitress didn't initially deny us when I showed her my ID. Anyway, we bought a couple cigars, and smoked them on Hanover and thought we were on top of the world.

For the last 2 years Nick and I have "shared" an apartment together. I put the quotes on shared because really he lives with his lover, and I have had our apartment to myself until recently. The 2 of us of grown immensely... well maybe more me than him... and not in a physical way. I'm not making sense....um we've matured. Moving on, I'm now on Seriously Bent with him, and actually have more than 1 friend, which is great, because him and I sort of drifted apart. However, there will always be a bond between the two of us that's different from any of my other friends here.

For example, he was the first person that I told I was gay. I had only know him a few months, and I have friends that I've known, basically my entire life, and I shared with him this major detail of my life, that really no one knew. He was the first friend I have ever had that I felt I could confide in, and be completely honest with, without fear of judgment. Of course, over the years he's become more of a d-bag, but...we had one good year!

This is Nick molesting his own girlfriend:

I also love him for his grandparents. Their names are Ed and Jean. They are SPECTACULAR. I have never met such warm, inviting, caring, loving, and funny people. They make me feel as if I'm family, and I actually do think of them as family. We went to dinner at Bricco one night, and it was very expensive, but none of us liked the food. Anyway, while looking at the menu I noticed some steak dish that was $85, so I said, $85? Does a hooker come with that? Ed laughed SO hard, I mean he has an enormous laugh to begin with, but he cracked up, and when Gramma Jean returned to the table she said she could hear him all the way in the back of the restaurant. Ugh, I adore them.

Why am I talking so much about Nick? Well, he turned 21 the other day, FINALLY, and the occasion brought back all the memories that I have with him. Going to the Cape in the winter and trying to smoke cigars on the beach after seeing the Nutcracker with his grandparents... SO GAY. Going to my first show at Improv Asylum. Having Christina brought into my life. Going to my first college party at Julia's and then leaving because a bloody fight broke out, but it was fine, because we had Dan as a body guard. Smoking for the first time!

So many firsts with Nick. He's also the best kiss I've ever had... what? I'm just saying. After the year that I have had with losing a dear friend from home, I have learned to cherish the friends I am closest with, so through all the pompasity that is Nick Wilson, he is, and will always remain, one of my closest friends.

Happy birthday Nick.

Arrivederci North End

I've lived in the North End for 2 years, and in 2 weeks, I will move. This saddens me more than you know, because for the first time, I became really connected with my neighborhood. Freshmen year I lived in Allston, and there's nothing to connect with there except homeless ninjas with no teeth who communicate by grunting. Not my crowd. The North End is just so wonderful, it will always be my favorite neighborhood in the city. Beacon Hill is quaint, but can be a bit pretentious, South End is well manicured and rather gay, but again, a little snobby, the North End just has SO much, and remains comfortable and welcoming. I think I'm also rather partial to the Italian way of life, or at least the American version of the Italian way of life. Although the neighborhood is now mostly Suffolk students and young professionals, you can still hear the natives speaking Italian and enjoying an espresso on the street in their lawn chairs. It's also still a real community of people that know each other. I know Bobby, the owner of Polcari's, we greet each other on a first name basis, and it's wonderful. I buy my coffee and my herbs from him when I make sauce, and yesterday, when I told him I was moving, he was genuinely a bit sad to hear that. He knows that I'm not just another student invading the neighborhood creating tom foolery. I appreciate the neighborhood and its rich history and culture. In fact, I did a documentary on the businesses on Salem street, one of which was Polcari's, and Bobby was SO happy to be a part of it. He started working at that store when he was a kid, and Mr. Polcari told him if he stuck with him, one day the store would be his, and that came true just a month before I shot the documentary. As I paid for my tin of tea, bulbs of garlic, and small bags of dried herbs (which always look like weed) he shook my hand and wished me all the best in my future. I will miss that, and the food, and the festivals, and Modern Pastry, and running around the waterfront, and the narrow one way streets, and the candlelight dinners from my red kitchen.

Thanks North End for a great 2 years, and don't you worry, I will be back!