After our first hiking trip on Saturday we had just gotten in the car and started to drive away when Roger spotted a young kid, about 20 or so, standing on a rock wall  about 2 feet up along the parking lot looking out at the scenery.  He pulled the car over and rolled down the window and shouted, "Don't jump, it's not worth it",  The kid just laughed and then Roger added, "but if you do decide to, give me your wallet and car keys."   And then we drove away. 

I'm a little worried about tonight. The Celtics are on the verge of becoming the first Boston sports team in decades to win a Championship at home.

Consider what happened in 2004 when the Red Sox and Patriots won. And neither of those championships were won in Boston!

Eastern Bank recently unleashed their new ad campaign by Conover Tuttle Pace. The new slogan: True Blue.

Below is a loose transcript of one of their radio spots.

It's the color of a cobblestone street in Newburyport.
It's the color of the golden dunes of the cape.
It's the color of cranberry bogs in Middleboro...
and bluberry pancakes in Jamaica Plain.
It's the color of a Brockton boxer.
It's the color of fireworks in July...

I think we have a metal bird that did migrate for the winter. Last fall, our metal bird was gently moving in the wind while being tethered to the tree off our deck. Suddenly, it disappeared. I frantically searched the hillside and even in the rasberry bushes. Using the blower to remove leaves from the area was no help.

Last week I was walking along the hill and there, right below the tree, in the rasberry bushes was a wing stiking up. Yes, this little bird took a winter migration break. Maybe it knew we were in for our worst winter in decades.

(Hopefully) By May 5th, the following image will depict the buildings I have lived in over the last two years. I guess I like this block.

My latest place became unavailable when my current landlord put the apartment up for sale. The new buyer initially indicated that he wanted to rent it to me at the same price, but then reneged on that.

Yes, it is a little strange to hear Illinois and earthquake used together. It is even stranger to see all the press time this got in the Rockford media being that we are located 300 miles north of the epicenter of West Salem. The TV stations immediately took the roads to interview Rockfordians about their earthquake experience. Most people were in bed and didn't notice. Others had elaborate stories of their pets sensing it and warning them before the big tremor.

This is new to me:

Bleg
A blog entry consisting of a request to the readers, such as for information or contributions. A portmanteau of "blog" and "beg". Also called "Lazyweb."

It is also a verb, as evidenced by this Freakonomics posting:

Everyone writes about Internet abuse. I have been wondering why nothing ever gets done about it. We all know about the constitutional right to pen (not literally anymore) anything we want to say. However, in out litigious society, how do people get away with slandering people (especially politicians) on the Internet?

Overheard 1

Male student sitting on bench, yelling to female student walking across the square: "Did you find a dress yet?"

Female student, yelling in response: "No, I decided to wear an ice skating costume instead!"

Overheard 2

Girl: "Did I tell you? That I'm totally, like, obsessed with France?"

Her friend, whom she is walking with: "HA HA HA HA HA!!!!"

Overheard 3

Woman leaning out of her car at the Taco Bell drive-through this morning at 10am, angrily directed at the speaker in the drive-through menu: "HELLO??"