Month: September 2009

Doug’s birthday was on Friday, and we celebrated it yesterday. A bunch of folks went out to Spectacle Island with Doug for the day, and then a whole bunch of us met for dinner. Doug got to wear the awesome “birthday boy” hat pictured here, and he got a lot of cards and generally had  a pretty great day.

OK, so they’re not people. But they are working, all the time.
Today was a Critter Day at work, and we  had a beekeeper join us, with his small demonstration hive of bees. Even if you’re kind of afraid of bees, you have to admit they’re pretty amazing. These are probably the female worker bees, who do all the harvesting of pollen, making the honey, building the hive, etc. The male drones just mate with the queen. They’re driven out in the winter when the queen’s not laying, since all they’d do is sit around and eat. Hmm.

I wonder how many little boys think “when I grow up, I want to have a job that lets me spend my day in a big hole in the street.” Because apparently these guys did.

Here’s a thankless job. I always feel bad for the conductors–no one is particularly nice to them (I myself am usually asleep when they come around), but everyone is happy to complain to them. If the train is late, too crowded, too hot, too cold, too expensive–you name it. And the conductor has no control over these things. They must have the thickest skins of anyone.

This guy looked bored out of his mind. In the 30 seconds it took me to notice him and take his picture, he wandered around the car, climbed the steps, leaned against the wall, came back to the car….

I imagine it’s kind of dull–driving wealthy people to interesting places but not getting to go into them yourself.

I had to pick up more decongestant today, but you can’t just buy good ol’ Sudafed off the shelves anymore (thanks, crazy meth lab people!). You have to ask for it and show your ID. The woman at the pharmacy was very good natured about having her picture taken.

This week I’ll be looking at people at various jobs.

I suppose on a day like this–sunny, high 70s, little breeze–this isn’t such a bad job to have.

But I still don’t think I’d want it.

Geez, at most snack shops you can get chips, maybe a Slushee. But at this one you can get a Mercedes, a Honda…

Funny story: apparently the cashier was pissed that I took a picture. The “policy” is to ask for permission. Now, I ask you, what gas station has a policy about photos? Why would that be?

this is a detail from a print at an Irish pub we went to tonight. It showed many “Irish Patriots” of 1778. It looks like this guy is either putting his hat on the other guy’s head, or else stealing the hat off the other guy’s head. I suspect it’s neither, and is just badly composed.

Meanwhile, the print was originally published by someone named  R. Lipsheitz and I’m guessing he wasn’t Irish.

it’s a good thing the so-called Medium sized socks fit me, because I have never once in my life seen smaller ones.