So I have a plan about how to get home if there is a terrorist attack while I'm at the office. This might sound weird and a little bleak, but in fairness I also had a plan in case we were attacked by Russians in the early 80s. Think Red Dawn. I was nine.
Anyway, the plan is good to have because "terrorist" can easily turn into "when the MBTA fails at every turn" which happens more often than you might think.
Last night I was happy to have some plans in place. Plan A is full blown disaster plan - I walk up Massachusetts Avenue for approximately seven miles until I'm close to home. Plan B is the inconvenience plan - I walk to Kendall Square and hang out at the mall and wait for Deeps to show up and meet me for dinner.
I implemented that plan last night when
a fire on the T shut down Red Line service for a good long while. Once I saw a flood of people crossing the bridge towards the MGH stop I knew I'd have to keep hiking.
But while I was walking across the bridge, as dark clouds loomed and the rain gently fell I started to wonder if it was really wise to be walking on a big metal bridge during storm - especially when I suspected there might be lightning. That's when I started to formulate Plan C. Call my work buddies to see if anyone is still in the neighborhood.
Plan C means I hole up in a nice pub, sip some whiskey and wait out the delays with my friends. It's a good plan, I don't see what could possibly go wrong.
Labels: 2008, Boston, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at Wednesday, May 28, 2008 | | 
Derek joins the rest of us in our early, middle thirties (despite my assertions that he's just turned 21 and that I regularly gave him bathtub gin) and to mark the occasion we complain about a weak end to a rough television season. We assess how the strike affected finales for Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Reaper, House, and Bones.
Then Deeps and I chat - well, I go on a small tirade - about a little film called Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Listen to this week's episode.If you enjoy the show, why not throw us a bone over at Podcast Alley
Podcast Alley? We appreciate it! Then visit us at
PopSyndicate.com/forums to participate in lively discussions. Or give us a call at 206-202-0197.
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Labels: 2008, podcast
By: Alyssa | Monday, May 26, 2008 at Monday, May 26, 2008 | |
This is Hoggy. He lives under my shed. He also loves to nibble on my plants.
He's kind of cute, but he's also a bit destructive. I opted not to plant any tomatoes this year (one if his favorites to take a single bite from) and focus on my peppers. Undaunted, he's been burrowing around in my veggie patch.
And I think he's been snacking on my hostas.
Still, I don't know if I can evict him. I may resort to using mothballs to deter him before I have to call
The Man.
Labels: 2008, animals
By: Alyssa | Thursday, May 22, 2008 at Thursday, May 22, 2008 | |
Sure it is easy - but can you deny the cutness of baby ducks? I didn't think so.
Surely this makes up for my lack of a turkey photo?
Labels: 2008, animals
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at Wednesday, May 21, 2008 | |
It's that special time of the year - season finales! And we're ready to take apart finales for The Office and Supernatural. Then we roll into regular favorites like LOST, How I Met Your Mother and Reaper; the latter two are recent renewals for the fall.
While we're talking about fall we look at some up fronts and wonder if we can do an adequate preview in the future.
Then we field a phone call from Bill at
Outside The Cinema. You could call us and be cool too: 206-202-0197.
Listen to this week's episode.If you enjoy the show, why not throw us a bone over at Podcast Alley
Podcast Alley? We appreciate it! Then visit us at
PopSyndicate.com/forums to participate in lively discussions.
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Labels: 2008, podcast
By: Alyssa | Sunday, May 18, 2008 at Sunday, May 18, 2008 | |
I ratted out my maple tree yesterday.
The tree in front of our house has always been a little bit... off. It juts into the street at an angle, which is fine, but it drops a lot of stuff on the street. Like enormous, huge branches. We've been lucky nobody has been parked under the tree when that happens.
So after seeing another hunk of stuff fall off the tree on Monday I called the Tree Warden yesterday. I thought the Tree Warden might have a stern talk with the tree or perhaps get it to shape up.
But then I saw the big green X on the tree when we got home last night.
Deeps: Why is there an X on the tree.
Me: I called the town about the tree.
Deeps: What does the green X mean?
Me: I think it means mulch.
Deeps: We are sorry,tree.
Me: We are sorry, tree. I watered you but I think you are sick.
Deeps: I know you don't want to be known as a tree killer.
Me: I didn't kill the tree!
Deeps: You dropped a dime on the tree.
Me: What if the pine trees in the back find out?
Deeps: I wouldn't garden alone for a while.
Labels: 2008, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at Wednesday, May 14, 2008 | |
This week Derek, Deeps and I give our somewhat spoilery review of Iron Man before diving into the magic of sweeps including LOST, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Gossip Girl, This American Life and 30 Rock.
And we field calls from Brother D of
MailOrderZombie fame and Freddy from
Night Of The Living Podcast. Would you like to call us? Just dial 206-202-0197.
Listen to this week's episode.If you enjoy the show, why not throw us a bone over at Podcast Alley
Podcast Alley? We appreciate it! Then visit us at
PopSyndicate.com/forums to participate in lively discussions.
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podcatcher. Don't forget to leave us some iTunes feedback.
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Labels: 2008, podcast
By: Alyssa | Sunday, May 11, 2008 at Sunday, May 11, 2008 | |
We were driving in to work on Monday - I was getting a drop-off near the T - when I spotted something that sent my heart aflutter.
Me: Oh My God!
Deeps: What?
Me: (pointing excitedly) Stop the car!
Deeps: I'm in the middle of the road.
Me: Pull over in the parking lot.
Deeps: You shouldn't yell and point in my face while I'm driving.
Me: But there's a turkey!
Deeps: What?
Me: Look!
We observed an enormous male turkey hanging out under a low tree. He was staring at an office building near Alewife.
Me: That is the biggest turkey I've ever seen.
Deeps: How many turkeys have you seen?
Me: I grew up in Indiana, so I've see a few. Also peacocks.
Deeps: That's weird.
Me: Drive over by the turkey, I want to take a picture.
Deeps: For what?
Me: The internet!
Deeps: We need to go to work. You stay away from the turkey.
Me: But... if I don't take the picture then I'll never make it on the
deadly turkey watch section of
Universal Hub.
Deeps: What a tragedy.
Me: I'm letting Adam Gaffin know that you hate Universal Hub.
Deeps: I don't hate Universal Hub. Besides, that turkey looks big and angry.
Me: That's how all turkeys look!
Deeps: I wouldn't know.
Me: I think Adam loves turkeys and would like to see this turkey.
Deeps: Haven't been featured for a while, have you?
Me: No.
Deeps: You can't engineer interest...
Me: I think I can with that turkey picture.
Today I saw Canadian Geese in the parking lot, but no turkey. If only I could get a picture of the geese fighting the turkey....
Labels: 2008, animals, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, May 07, 2008 at Wednesday, May 07, 2008 | |
This week Derek, Deeps and I address ugly glasses on The Office, the morning after on How I Met Your Mother, and underutilized Dennehys on 30 Rock. Plus we take a look at lava monsters on Doctor Who and talk timelines on LOST.
Then we roll into a little light video game review of
Mario Kart for the Wii!
Listen to this week's episode.If you enjoy the show, why not throw us a bone over at Podcast Alley
Podcast Alley? We appreciate it! Then visit us at
PopSyndicate.com/forums to participate in lively discussions.
Subscribe to the podcast with
iTunes or your favorite
podcatcher. Don't forget to leave us some iTunes feedback.
Subscribe to Big Red Podcast by Email
Labels: 2008, podcast
By: Alyssa | Sunday, May 04, 2008 at Sunday, May 04, 2008 | |
Since yesterday marked the start of May, I turned off the heat.
Right now, the house is sitting in the... okay, low 60s. And I see on the news that it is currently in the 40s and raining. So there's that.
This may be a pyrrhic victory. Well played, Nature. Well played.
Labels: 2008, weather, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Friday, May 02, 2008 at Friday, May 02, 2008 | |
Last night I met up with a few friends after work to have a drink and enjoy some cheap Happy Hour bar food. It's tougher to find discounts than you might think.
There were three of us and as we waited for our forth we ordered some drinks and some hideous bar snacks: things covered in cheese and things you dip in cheese. These are separate and distinct items.
We were able to slide in an order before the 5:30 Happy Hour cut-off point. Our friend didn't arrive until after 6.
Me: You've missed Happy Hour!
Friend: What? It's only six!
Me: Well according to this place Happy Hour runs from 2:30 to 5:30.
Friend: That's not very convenient.
Me: I would agree. But at least they discount some of the food for that time.
Friend: But not the drinks?
Me: I don't think you can do that in Massachusetts. You can only discount the food.
Friend: None of this seems very happy at all.
Me: Times are tough and we merely pursue happiness, there are no guarantees we will catch up to it.
Friend: I was hoping to catch up to some discounted nachos.
Me: They were delicious and they went quickly.
Friend: Like happiness.
Labels: 2008, Boston, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Thursday, May 01, 2008 at Thursday, May 01, 2008 | |
