Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! A photo of my co-worker Ken’s house. October 31st is his favorite holiday and every year his display gets bigger and better. Fog walls, cages, video ghosts in the windows… he’s got it. He’s a true Halloween Engineer. Fortunately my other friends, Jon And Charlotte, and Kristy and Gabe, each live less than 10 minutes from Ken, so I got to drop in for trick or treats with them, too. 

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The Butterfly Place

A few months ago I purchased a Groupon to The Butterfly Place in Westford. My friend and fellow AmeriCorps alum Kristin and he son Jamie lived nearby so we went this afternoon. It’s fun to see things like this through the eyes of a 17-month-old. We saw zebra striped butterflies and owl butterflies and a bunch of other species (no glass butterflies that have transparent wings – I was looking for those). We also learned that the butterflies live only two weeks before they die. After this, I continued driving up to Maine to watch Game Six of the World Series with my friend Jared and his family. 

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The Spirit of ’07.

OK, there’s a lot to explain in this photo. I’m dressed as RoboCop because Donna and I had just finished the Superhero 5K in Cambridge. Afterwards we went out to lunch at the Asgard, one of my regular (and closest) bars when I used to live in Central Square, 2005-2008. My then-roommate Pete and I were in the Asgard six years ago, on October 28, 2007, to watch Game Four of the Red Sox – Rockies World Series. The chair I’m pointing to is the spot I was sitting when Papelbon struck out Seth Smith in the 9th to win the game and win the series. 

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The Superhero 5K

Donna and me, at the starting line of the Superhero 5K through Central Square, Cambridge. I’ve been wanting to run this race since I first heard about it in 2011. There were heroes ranging from Batman to the Despicable Me Minions to Mario to Poison Ivy to Sailor Moon to Black Widow to the Scooby Doo gang to Chewbecca, Yoda, C3PO, Princess Leia, Boba Fett, R2D2 and even a Sand Person (all running as a team). It was fun – I’m very glad I could do it this year. Thanks to Donna for running with me, and to Jen, Jena, and Kelley for wardrobe advice (it looks tough, but this RoboCop costume tears remarkably easily!)

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Mid State Trail Day 4c

Paul B, Jena and Paul C walking through Rutland. Little known fact: the town of Rutland is the exact geographic center of Massachusetts. 

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Mid State Trail Day 4b

Another photo from Day 4 on the Mid State Trail. Paul B and Jena hiking through Rutland. 

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Mid State Trail Day 4a

Mid State Trail, Day 4: 14 miles from Rutland to Princeton. Paul C, Jena, me, Paul B. It was perfect hiking weather, nice and cool, and we didn’t lose the trail once. This was taken at Barre Falls Dam. We’re wearing orange because it’s hunting season (and once in a while, we did hear some guns in the distance). Our next leg will bring us up and over Wachusett Mountain. 

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The Perfect Game

It’s a Clarkie World Series… watching the Red Sox with Jen, Mike, Matty, Rick and Scott at The Perfect Game in Worcester.

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Genie

Genie, one of the dogs I walk at the Worcester Animal Rescue League. She’s deaf and the staff has been teaching her commands by using hand signs. (We also have a blind dog, but I have not yet walked her).

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Budget Cuts

Today I was working at one of the Head Start schools in Worcester. Like most schools, there’s not a lot of money to go around and the Head Start budget is stretched thin. So thin, the men’s faculty bathroom is down to two out of six functioning toilets. (It was like this when we visited here last year, too). 

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