Dear Emerson Undergrads

My list of grievances against you is long, but today I will focus on your grossest and most common offense: smoking. Listen kids, this old lady has some news for you: smoking is disgusting. You block my path into buildings with your smoke clusters, and guess what? You don't look cool. You look like a failed imitation of coolness, which is just embarrassing. Plus, you're not going to look young forever, and when you're futilely rubbing night cream into your prematurely aged skin you'll be sorry. So take it from someone who knows, and go spend your money on something better. Even if that is just another pair of American Apparel black leggings.

PS I know what you're thinking, and your right. I am a hypocrite. But I think occasionally having a drag from a cigarette when I'm drunk isn't the same.

H to the Izzle

I'm on the Grammar Girl daily email list, which is usually a snooze fest, and she finally emailed me about something I care about:

The Oxford English Dictionary doesn't commit to "hurray" being the origin of "yay" but does mention it as one possibility. I traced the dates of words that could be origins of "yay" and thought the results were interesting.

1450 Hissa
1682 Huzza
1716 Whurra
1773 Hurrea
1855 Hurray
1865 Hooroar
1888 Hooray
1963 Yay


Huzza is still circulating, but I want to make a plug for bringing back Whurra and Hooroar. They sound scary. I am going to shout them the next time I am drunk in a crowded public area. Just one step at a time.

Grad School,

Were you always this hard? Because I hate you. I mean I really hate you to the point that I want to drop out and lay on my mom's couch just to recover from the thought of how much homework I have due. I'm not sure this is all it was cracked up to be. I'm not sure I want to stick around for another year and a half. You are seriously no fun this semester. It's been less than a month, but already I need a vacation.

dear acorns

you are adorable and cute, two of my friends have your picture tattooed on their arms, and you herald the arrival of the fall, my favorite season. many cultures have linked you with fertility and life, but this year i am scared of you. as i bike down the vfw parkway i feel like you may be conspiring to end my life. there are so many of you covering the ground i try to bike upon. i think you would have sent me tumbling into on coming traffic if it weren't for my fancy hybrid bike's thick tires.

i know this is a problem for the city of boston. they should have more bike lanes and better road maintenance, but i've got to work with what we've got and right now that's a lot of you little guys. lets just try to stay out of each others way, and i hope that everything will be alright. i am planning on whimping out about biking just as soon as it gets real cold anyway.

warning people: this is a real problem in boston right now. and if you don't believe me...

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/26/acorn_crop_explosion_has_people_running_for_cover/?page=1

Rambling Man

This is me and my cousin Elaine enjoying some quality time in the car.

Scralifornia

My visit to the Bay Area was almost two weeks long, but it flew like nothing. The fact that I go crazy after being in NYC for over four days and can chill in SF with no end in sight means a lot. Mostly that I freaking love it there. Here are the highlights:

1. Lying in the Dolores Park: It's still a clusterfuck of trustfund layabouts, but I don't let their vintage sweaters or 40s get me down any more. That's right. After a year in Boston I no longer discriminate against hipsters in my people watching. I was simply delighted to see sexy people in cute clothes (and no khakis) I just sat back and enjoyed the view.
2. Food, food, glorious food: So many tacos. I tried to eat at least one a day. In the end I feel off, but I did my best. The restaurants of the Mission are better than my momma's kitchen (by a lot). Soyrizo I miss you already.
   
3. Walking: Right now I live on a tree lined street, and can walk my dog for hours without stepping over turds, used condoms or syringes. This is lovely, but nothing beats a nice walk through the city. So many sights and sounds; coffee shops to stop in and little stores to browse. Sigh.
4. Friends: Ok, these folks clearly come first before tacos and people watching, but it seems annoying to start my list out that way. All I will say is that once upon a time I had friends, and I had enough friends to feel apart of a community. I had enough acquaintances to feel like I was a part of a scene, but that was much less important. There are so many people I love in the Bay Area, I don't know how I ever left. I also don't know when I'm coming back.
5. Redwoods: You are so giant and magestic how can you be real? I went camping in Guerneville and Pescadero and the trees made me feel like I was living in a hobbit land.
   

SHORTY!!!`

Shorty's got class--oh behave!