18 December, 2000
So I'm now in Boston, living with three housemates. I got a job, joined a gym, and am exploring the city, little by little.
I love my house- my room, in particular, as it has clouds painted on the ceiling and glow-in-the-dark stars stuck everywhere.
I will have to continue this later on, as I have to go! bye
2 August, 2000
As some of you know, I've been trying to get things sorted, planning a move north.
Well, I'm halfway there.
I'm moving to Boston, to live in a different place, to know a different way of living,
to see what's out there. I know it's all there, but I can't just take someone else's
word for it, eh!
So I first had to find a place to live. Never mind that I haven't a job
set up yet... with time, that will happen too. As optimistic as that sounds,
it really is do-able, not some strange little pipe dream that will never happen.
I found my house and the housemates come with the whole deal. Very cool, as I
immediately felt comfortable talking to them.
The whole ordeal to get the room was my typical adventure:
I saw the ad and replied. simple as that. Then, as there were a zillion other
people who also saw same ad, the people who live there decided to have some of
us come and look at the place so we could meet, we could see the place, and all
that. So, I went to Boston and took the T. First off, the change machine wouldn't
take my bill to give me change for the trolley. I had a few T tokens in my pocket,
luckily, and the driver let me on. The guy behind me saw I'd struggled with the
fare, and asked me whether I was short on change. I wasn't sure what he was
talking about, and said I was all right. He didn't take me seriously, I guess,
and sort of reached over and said, "Hey- you want this?" and put some money into
my hand. Me. very confused. But I do appreciate the gesture, and won't
forget the really nice guy on the T.
The way the T system works in Boston is that these lines all connect at one hub
and there is no convenient way to get anywhere on another branch, without first
going to the hub. So I took the T inbound, and then had to go outbound on another branch.
At this point, I was late for my scheduled time of arrival at the house, to meet
the housemates. Not a good way to make an impression. Arriving at the closest T stop,
I began to run up the street I believed would take me to the house in the shortest
amount of time. All of the sudden, I had to stop short, as there was the Mass Pike
in front of me, and no more street. Seeing a fly-over nearby, I ran over, crossed the
Pike, and found my way down a less-than-straight street that led me to the house.
Matt answered the door, not at all bothered that I was panting, sweaty, and definitely late
for my appointment. He showed me the house and then we sat down to talk to Tom, the other
housemate, and another prospective housemate. Looong story short, I realised I was late
for a meeting with friends from college and had to run run run my way to Harvard Square.
My friends were very understanding, and I love them dearly for putting up with me.
The next day, I half enjoyed a day out with a friend from New Haven, as I was subconsciously
agonizing over whether I got a room or not. I didn't reach the place were I was staying
until 02.00. But there was a message on the machine, and good news! I got one of the rooms.
The message said to call asap, so I did. I wasn't taking any chances! Luckily, they'd just got in, themselves,
and were glad to hear the news. So I went over the next afternoon and gave them
my August rent, and there I had it... a house! and housemates!
21 June, 2000
Yesterday, I had quite a day. First, a bottle of kanmyacin broke on me. (actually, it hit my arm as it fell off the shelf and broke when it hit the floor) Wouldn't do to become resistant to that! Then, a bottle of Coomassie Brilliant Blue (for protein gel staining) broke. Things were all right when I was sweeping the powder up, but then the broom was slightly wet, and the floor began to take on a deep blue tinge. I'd stepped in a bit of the powder also, so I started to track blue footprints everywhere. I ended up putting plastic bags over my shoes, and after a little ethanol, a little soap, a little water, a little bleach, and a little S.O.S scrub pads, I got the floor looking better than its original state. I think I might have removed a little (or a lot) of the wax as well! It was finally time to go home. So I bid farewell to everyone, only to have to return for my helmet (i wasn't taking any chances, with my luck!). I got on my bike and... I had a flat tyre. So I had to call home for someone to pick me up, as I would have had to take a bus to the city centre, only to take another bus out to where i live. Welcome to my world.
17 June, 2000
Well, it's been ages, hasn't it?
I've been really busy, trying to get my life in order, figuring out what I
want to do in life... little things like that.
I recently cut about 14 inches of hair from my head. The good news is that I'm not bald.
The bad news is that I won't have long hair for a while. I did it myself, on Monday.
I walked in the door, announced I was cutting my hair, and scampered off
before anyone could stop me. An hour later, I emerged, freshly shorn. My mum
almost cried. My dad cracked up and lauged for a while. Now that my mum has got
over the initial shock, I think she likes it. I like it because it's different,
as I have not had my hair this short since I was 8. That was more than
xx years ago.
10 November, 1999
Interesting, how time passes so quickly. How does it do it?
So here's a story... I call it, "my day, yesterday"
I woke up, got ready to go to the gym, and drove off. About halfway down the block from my house, I hear a "thump-thump" and think nothing of it. I get to the gym, do my workout, and hit the showers. Unfortunately for me, I've forgotten my towel and only realise this after I've stood under the lukewarm stream for a few minutes. So I dry myself with my shirt (clean, I can assure you). After I've left the gym and got into my car, I reach over to where my water bottle is, as I'm very thirsty... only thing is, my water bottle is not there. Confused, I look around, still not finding it, and suddenly, "thump-thump" pops into my head. I'd put the bottle on the roof of my car when I was getting ready to leave the house. So I went back to where I'd heard the "thump-thump" and retreived my still-intact bottle (it's a good water bottle- couldn't let it go to waste if it was still usable). Went through the day without any more trouble until... (this is the part where I admit I go to the library) you guessed it: I went to the library.
I've been practising my forward-parking skills lately- going backward to parallel park is easy, but somehow, I just can't seem to nail the forward bit. I hit the curb at the perfect angle... to get a flat. Hmmm... not good. I called up my insurance carrier to find out whether I had Emergency Roadside Service...
me: Hi. I was wondering as to whether I have the Emergency Roadside Service thing?
very-nice-customer-services-person (vncsp): I'll be happy to check that for you. What's your plan number?
me: Uh... Blah-blah-blah, blah-blah, blah-blah. (after ten tries to rattle off the correct number printed on the card... dyslexia kicks in during the most inopportune moments)
vncsp: You have the Emergency Roadside Service.
me: Oh. Good. Can I use that right now? I have a flat tyre.
vncsp (trying to conceal her laughter): sure, I'll connect you over (laughing in background before hold-muzak comes on)
So that was my day yesterday. I told you my life is a cartoon.
I didn't really need to tell you that, eh?
8 October, 1999
I've taken the MCAT, don't ask how it was if you don't want to see a facial expression that may stick, permanantly, after I make it a few times.
Still rowing, but I've figure out ways to stay in bed until 05.00, instead of 04.30. woo hoo!!!
I'm racing this weekend, the head-racing season begins with the Head of the Housatonic, for me. Funny thing is, I'm actually going to row, so this may be the last rave update you read from me... if I don't survive! Hopefully, I will. It's just short of a 5k course on the Housatonic, going upstream. Doesn't sound too bad, eh?
(what- are you kidding me? it sounds horrible!! I'm also picturing the geese that sleep in sections of the river... I woke them up this morning, when I plowed through the fog. note to self: you shouldn't be out on the water, if you can't see a whole pack of geese, 10 metres ahead!)
The Head of the Charles is in two weeks- should be a fun time. Maybe I'll have enough motivation to take photos, and after they're developed, I'll have enough motivation to scan them and post them somewhere.
Can't think of anything else. Come back later, and maybe I'll have some other things to talk about, inspired by my comic-strip life!
August, 1999
Right now, there's not much going on with my life that is very interesting or exciting.
Great life, eh?! yah- I have no life.
To prove it, I have a self-imposed-out-of-necessity bedtime at 21.30, because I get up at 04.30 to row.
All right, so the highlight of my life is that I've joined a rowing club , and I get to wake up early and not have a normal social life. so what?
