The Joys of Urban Living

I live in Allston and, most of the time, I like it.  As an Allston-ian, there are certain things you have to deal with, like waking up to piles of vomit on your doorstep on Sunday mornings and fireworks being set off until the wee morning hours after the Cetlics win the NBA finals.  Despite this, I’m kinda a fan of my apartment.  I’ve come to appreciate the mouse (mice?) who I share my apartment with and look at my room’s lack of wintertime heat as a charming eccentricity.  It’s more than just being the first place I’ve lived for more than four months since going to college.  It’s cozy and convenient to all the hip spots like Our House and Spike’s. 

Ok, but let’s be serious here.  There’s been somethings lately that have suck beyond the realm of normal Allston quirks.  And I aint talking bout the mouse who ran over my foot at 1:30 am.  

1.  Early Morning Construction

 

Everyday I wake in the presence of 5-25 burly men.  7 AM on the dot, they’re digging, blasting, and pounding away at…whatever.  Best case scenario, I realise it’s pointless to try to hit the snooze button and get out of bed when I was planning on it.  Worst case scenario, my plans to sleep in on my day off are ruined.

2. Water Woes

Imagine, if you will, having no hot water for a weekend, making showering painful and sponge baths necessary.  Annoying, right?  Now imagine having NO WATER between the hours of 3 and 11 pm on a saturday.  A hot saturday when you’ve just gone out for a run and desperately want a drink of cool water or to shower before climbing into your freshly-washed sheets.  A saturday when guests have been invited over and the planned menu required water be boiled for the pasta.  A saturday in which you discovered no water means no flushing the toilet (not that you would have peed anyway, you couldn’t wash your hands).  Yes, heavenly.

3.  Crazy Neighbors

Yes, that’s cat litter on my stairs and no, I don’t know why there’s care litter on my stairs.  I do know I prefer my neighbors getting kitty litter all over the place to their other exploits (breaking the same window twice in 2 days or practicing the drums [poorly] at all hours of the day and night).

All this results in

an unwashed, unhappy urban-dweller.

What is the World Coming to?

I was just at McDonald’s.  No, I wasn’t eating there.  I wanted a fountain Coke, ok?  But that’s not the point.

THEY WERE OUT OF HAMBURGERS.  

McDonald’s.  150 Zillion Served.  No Hamburgers.  What?

Shameless Plug

Yes friends, it’s been a while.  What’s my excuse?  Laziness, I suppose.  There’s been plenty to soapbox about.  You know, quitting my job, graduating from college four months after I graduated from college, kind of starting a new job, getting the MONSTER bruise at the opening of the Apple Store, kind of figuring out my life, making the July trip to California official, learning I’m going to become a 1st cousin-once-removed, showing my best friend from high school around Beantown, being diagnosed as not the least bit clumsy by two specialists, my discovery of the greatest drink every (decaf iced grande soy peppermint mocha)…I’ve just been too busy livin’ life and enjoying these last days of being 21 to keep up with the ol’ blog.  Sorry, folks.

But now I’m back in the saddle.  With many of friends either on fabulous European get-aways or visiting their families, it’s looking like I’ll have quite bit of time on my hands in the coming days.  So what am I going to talk about?  The heartbreaking news that my favourite president wants my preferred candidate to quit?  My up-coming birthday? Life in the real world? Nope.  I’m just going to brag a bit here so please hold back your vom.

Yesterday I ran in my first race since my high school track days.  Tired, dehydrated, and sick as a dog BEFORE the race, I managed to finish in 44 minutes and 45 seconds, putting me at an 8:57/mile pace.  I placed 554th out of 1702 runners and was the 99th 19-29 year old female to cross the finish line (out of 418).  Highlights from the day included seeing two friends of mine from high school, cheering on/being inspired by the half-marathoners, and spending the afternoon on the couch recovering and eating an eggplant sub.  While I won’t be setting world records anytime soon, I would like to brag that I am officially a runner now.  And I have my cheesy finisher’s medal to prove it.

The Circus Came to Town!

And by circus, I obviously mean the 112th running of the Boston Marathon.  

Aah, Marathon Monday.  A day when 80 year olds run 26.2 miles and 12 year olds are drunk in the streets (and vice versa).  This was my 4th Patriot’s Day as a Bostonian but only the 2nd one I’ve actively participated in (active participation=drinking booze and cheering from the sidelines).  Just as the Red Sox won the World Series both my freshman and senior year, Marathon Monday is my college bookends.

For most of last week, the Marathon caused nothing but distress in my life.  In a week of more freakouts and life crises than I’ve had during the rest of my life combined, the Marathon was just one huge annoyance.  It meant an influx of an obnoxious number of obnoxious tourists, many whom did not speak English and many of whom made my life pure hell at work.  Adidas’s “Impossible is Nothing” campaign was suddenly everywhere, with pictures of exhilarated runners triumphantly crossing the finish line.  With a broken toe preventing me from running and my lack of life direction weighing heavily on my mind, I was a pretty unhappy camper.  Luckily I’m now back on my feet (or toe)  and back in my (more or less) right mind.  Just in time to enjoy the Marathon!

Boston was sunny and warm today.  It was also a madhouse.  Court and I secured a prime viewing spot at the usually uberclassy Eastern Standard (they got into the marathon spirit by turning the outdoor seating area into a place to knock back Harpoon IPA in plastic cups [we kept it classy with our favourite cocktail, the Pelican[).  Since I had to work this morning, I missed the elite runners, Lance Armstrong, and Rick and Dick Hoyt.  I did, however, see men dressed as nuns

and a guy juggling 

We stayed until the very end (when they reopened Beacon Street to traffic) and cheered for every person that passed us.  While walking back to Allston, I passed several people still making their way to the finish line.  I cheered for them too.  That Boston Marathon running spirit is infectious and I am SO excited about my upcoming running exploits.