Friday, January 26, 2007

Boston Cares Blog

Boston Cares, a great organization that connects volunteers with opportunities for service and civil engagment, has launched a blog: http://bostoncares.vox.com/.

It will be interesting to see how it develops. I submitted my blog about my time in Katrina to help them along.

McChronicles: QSCV WATCH

McChronicles: QSCV WATCH


The McChronicles gang blog about Quality, Service, Cleanliness, and Value (QSCV) and the quest for the Egg Nog milkshakes that McDonalds advertised during the holiday season and certain restaurants trying to explain why they don't have them even though their signs advertise this.

I encountered the latter for the longest time when Dunkin Donuts first advertised their Coffee Coolatta product. In most of the cases, it wasn't that it was not the time of year or that their store did not carry it. It was simply that the staff as a whole was not trained to make it. This makes sense a little bit when you consider that Dunkin Donuts stores are franchises and within certain limits can make up their minds about things like that. Consequently I went to Starbucks, (the original source of the product for me) which is a chain and for the most part requires every barista to know how to make every drink and anytime. Period. Though it was more expensive than Dunkin Donuts and slightly more expensive, I patronized them until Dunkin Donuts understood that a person will pay more for convenience if they can. They will pay more for the ability to get a frozen blended when they want even if the one that you sell is less expensive and has more product.

Regarding cleanliness, the only fast food restaurants I ever eat in are the Burger King located in Government Center in Boston and well it used to be the McDonalds located in Coolidge Corner i Brookline. I can say that the McDonalds located in Central Square in Cambridge and the one located near the Christian Science Monitor in Boston are kept clean. I do believe they are owned by the same franchisee. The aforementioned restaurants also adhere to the QSCV standard.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Happy Birthday to ME-again

Things that I am thankful for now that I have reached my birthday today...

I am thankful that I have my health for the most part.

I am thankful that I have gotten to meet such great people in the past year including Whitney, Carl, Julie, Adam, Ethan, Stephanie, Gwen, Cynthia, Paula, and Corey.

I am thankful to know some of the other people I have come across so far-even Colleen and Furio. ;)

I am thankful to be employed since I am hearing stories about people that are not so employed right now.

I am thankful for the lessons that I have learned so far.

I am thankful to know that I am in control of my own destiny.

I am thankful that I can make a difference in small ways.

I am thankful that I still love bubble tea.

I am thankful that I still love good animation.

I am thankful that I know that I can still be surprised and pleased.

I am thankful that I can still learn.

I am thankful that I can still make paper valentines.

I am grateful that I still possess a little from the cyncial column and a little from the 'sense of wonder' column.

I am thankful I still love to dance and sing.

I am thankful that I am learning to like people again.

I am thankful to have been connected to with someone who enjoys enjoying tasty food.

I am thankful that I lived to see the Red Sox and the Patriots win and that I vaguely remember when the Celtics last won (1986). I was not alive for the Bruins' triumphs.

I am thankful that I get to see a 'new' Robotech movie.

I am thankful that I can enjoy the small things as well as the big.

I am thankful to know that it is possible to get a job where you can drink, act as a chauffeur and beat up women for money (inside joke with Carl about a Barbara Stanwyck-Clark Gable called 'Night Nurse')

I am thankful because I think that the sea is a wonderful thing.

I am thankful that I still have so far to go on this strange and wonderful journey that is life.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Happy Birthday to ME

I know that I will spend part of the day working and the rest of the evening returning to better times by watching Robotech at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge.
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=HUXSOZZSOHDEOLCWWMJN

The usual maudlin thoughts that are usually reserved for this day were already spent while I was sick, so I don't have anything left for my birthday, which would actually be seen as a positive.

I don't feel older or wiser and I haven't since I was 13. The years rolled on and I just would get bigger and more liable for things like bills...

It's funny. I am grateful to be alive and I feel as if I should do something more to mark the occasion but anything else would be hypocrisy or plain weird.

I am bummed that the 65 degree weather of last year will not be this year. One seeming constant is that I delay any real celebration of anything until warmer weather. Details about that to come...

I did come up with a motto for this year: Know where you want to go and plan how to get there.

Last year's was probably: "You gotta be kiddin' me!!!"

2004 was: "I need a spear and magic helmet-STAT!"


Well, here's to another year full of possibilities and bumps and aches and possible growth.

And better blog entries...

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Gerald Ford's Funeral- live blogging

I am currently listening to the funeral for the 38th president of the United States-Gerald Ford. I tuned into CBS ready to hear the new carryings on taking place in Springfield (Guiding Light) and got the broadcast instead. Katie Couric is officiating the CBS broadcast. To give Anchor Barbie some credit, she is trying but tried my patience as usual with her limp attempts to be witty and knowledgeable. I went over to NBC, where Brian Williams resides. I thought that Tom Brokaw would have been pulled in as he had for the Queen Mother's funeral. Brian acquitted himself as competently as he often does; demonstrating why he was tapped to secede Brokaw when he retired. I realized that Charles Gibson would likely be hosting the ABC broadcast and so here I am, listening to Charles and now Barbara Walters providing commentary about President and Mrs. Ford. This is the kind of moment that both anchors are made for.

I now know why Tom Brokaw is not covering the funeral-he will be providing one of the eulogies. Tom acquitted himself well.

They retired his number, which was "48" at the Univ of Michigan.

It is a windy day.

The service is High Espicopal, and the hymns are being sung by the Armed Forces choir.

As the only President to serve that was not elected in a general election, it was pointed out that Justice John Paul Stevens was his only appointee to the Supreme Court.

Review: The Tale of the Dark Crystal

The Tale of the Dark Crystal by Donna Bass My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews