Rewind

What remains to be said about Martha’s Vineyard. . .

One of my favorite things to do was talk to people on the bus. I met a nice lady from New Hampshire that has a house on 20 acres of land. She has two donkeys, six geese, chickens, and a dog. She was a real gem and knew it was funny to have donkeys as pets. I wanted to invite myself to visit her sometime.
Another man I met has visited 46 of the 50 states. He has Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah to go. He’s from New York I believe, the same town that Jimmer Ferdette is from.

I had lunch with a 55 year old woman from church. She’s a mix between Julie Andrews and Princess Diana. She found it hard living on the Vineyard because it’s hard meeting Mormon single guys, you know? But other than that, "it’s diamond."

The bus drivers on the Vineyard are really nice.

I ran into a competition called, The Biggest Catch, while wondering around Oaks Bluff. It was raining but a large crowd gathered to watch fishermen bring in their biggest shark catch. Most of the sharks were Threshers and weighed 200-300 pounds. Then they’d slice it up right there. I don’t know what the people do with all that shark. I guess eat it. But there was a lot of shark laying around and a lot of knives for that matter. The knives used to cut the sharks had to be switched out every two sharks because they’d get dull from the course skins. It didn't seem like it should be legal catching and cutting up all that shark, but there they were.

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It was at that competition I learned that every fisherman stereotype is real. The full-faced beard, rubber jumpsuits, anchor tattoos, and rubber boots are all very real.

I left the Vineyard that Saturday that marked three weeks, and took the boat to the main land, then took the bus into the city. There I met up with Ashley for the rest of the weekend and particularly to get gelato and cannolis in the North End. We ran into a festival while we were there and celebrated a saint with the rest of the Italians.

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After the North End we went over to Holly's house to play games. It was more than just games as her performing arts school friends were there to give us a show. I really should have got their autographs. It was "choir kid" behavior at the college level which means it was extreme, but almost professional. I hope one day to see them on the center stage.

I slept on the futon again and then went to church at three in the afternoon the next day.

 

Martha's Vineyard: Scene One

The first week.

We arrived on the island and I was welcomed with a lobster role for dinner and a beautiful sunset.

Sunday morning, I woke up for church. I got on the bus and sat by the driver, who I became good friends with for the next three weeks, so we could figure out where exactly the church was. Bernie, what a nice guy. He radioed the other buses asking if anyone knew where the Mormon church was, no, not the Episcapalian church, the Mormon church. With the help of bus driver from route 13 and the man that we picked up along the way, we were able to locate the church and Bernie practically droped me off at the front door. I gave him a Book of Mormon.

I had my first lobster dinner that night with an instrucational lesson on how to eat it.

I made a friend at church who was a nanny with a car. I was able to hang out with her all of Monday. We visited the town of Oak Bluffs, ate a sandwhich on the public beach, and looked around at the gingerbread houses.

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The week was full of spending time at the beach, running and sweating like a Gatorade commercial, and trying to read my Jane Austen book.

Friday I ventured to the town of Vineyard Haven. I went to an expensive store that one of the siblings of James Taylor owned. Some of James' siblings live on the island and their music, along side the Weapies and Jack Johnson, are always playing on the radio. I mostly though how much Natty Boo would like it. I also got a dessert at the classic Black Dog bakery and ate it while watching the Italian group of women in brightly colored swimsuits and unhealithy tanned skin, enjoy their picnic on the shore.

Saturday I visited Edgartown. Prepy. Khaki shorts, matching belts and lofers, polo shirts, sweaters draped over shoulders, and if you're shoping there they have additional sizes in the back. No, I don't fit into a size two. I ate clam chowder and ice cream on the dock. You also might think there was an EFY stationed there, but my guess is the parents of the dozens of teens thowing pops at each other's feet, were back at the house sipping wine and throwing their heads back in laughter, allowing the packs of kids to wonder freely. Actually, I imagined Rosie spent most of her summers in those teen packs.

I got off the bus way past the driveway of the house so I had to walk a bit to get back to the house. It was eleven at night and with no streetlights on the island, it was really dark. There was also no cell phone coverage. I walked rather quickly making that the foolish thing I've done this trip because I really should have gotten off earlier. But I did notice the nice stars out that night and the mom waited up for me to make sure I got home.

My favorite thing of the week was using the outdoor shower. Everyone should be able to shower in an outdoor shower. It's great.

 

July 28, 2010

Tonight 

Maggie Gyllenhaal.

and I were at the same event.

True.

July 5, 2010

Guess what?
I had the day off.
So what did I do?

The original plan was to go to the Museum of Fine Arts with the borrowed members pass. However, the YSA crew was going to the beach. So I thought, hey, I'll go to the museum then head over to the beach afterward. So I hopped on the public transit system and met a boy who was going apartment hunting. He is starting a job at Microsoft within the next few weeks. Go him. He got off and I realized I was on the wrong route. So I hopped off. Then hoped back on. Then I looked over and saw some YSA members so I thought, hey, I'll just go with them to the beach right now. Which I did. Revere Beach.

Rumor has it that Revere Beach is the Massachusetts version of Jersey Shore. Some people have hopes that MTV will produce a show called Massholes to follow up Jersey Shore. That might have been too much.
So the beach felt great. Jarom brought grapes which has an alternative scientific explanation. It was a perfect beach day. Hot. And the water felt great.
I left America's first public beach established in 1896, shortly there after to go to the Museum of Fine Arts. I really should have left myself more time to view the museum because there was so much to see. It was brilliant. There were Van Gough's, Picasso's, and Monet's alongside ancient Egyptian artifacts that I couldn't help but thinking how awesome it would have been to uncover. I also met a "ski bum," if you know what that is, outside the place. I had a favorite piece but I'll have to get back to you on the name.

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Next stop: Faneuil Hall.

Also known as the Cradle of Liberty, Faneuil Hall is where the colonists began to protest against the Sugar and Stamp act. Fortunately, a Duck Tours vehicle drove up and stoped to look at the building so I was able to overhear the tour guide spill.

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Across the Street to Quincey Market.
This was fun. I was just in time for the trapeze street performers. Inside the market were dozens of places to eat. I got some classic New England Clam Chowder and a Boston Cream Pie. Classic. It was a hot day for soup, but it was perfect for the moment.

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Followed by the Old State House.
Here the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed for the first time. Yes. I did feel very patriotic this 4th of July weekend.

 

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Next stop: FHE at the new stake center.
It was red, white, and blue themed. We played a, how well do you know our country? type game. It was funny with a bunch of MIT and Harvard kids especially when it came to questions certain bonded elements and other things like that. We also had sandwhiches and always, a game of ultimate frisbee after, which we played until 10.

4th of July in New England

If you can't be in Lake Powell for the 4th of July then I would recommend Boston.
After church, I went with the family to watch fireworks on the roof of the Museum of Science. Pretty exclusive. Members only. We enjoyed listening to the broadcast performance of the Boston Pops Orchestra featuring Toby Keith which make me feel more like the wild wild west than I do at home.

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July 3, 2010

Got up.
Ran.
Explored Concord.
Walden Pond was closed until 30 minutes after the hour and I didn't have that kind of time so I headed over to Minute Man National Park to see the Old North Bridge. This is where the "shot heard around the world" occurred. The Americans were commanded for the first time to fire back at the Brittish. The works.

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Went to a baptism.
Worked a 10 year old girl birthday party.
Around 9:00 I ventured to Vanerbuilt Hall, of Harvard Medical Student housing, to play cards.
The room we played in was similar to that of the Gryffindor Common room at Hogwarts. Just imagine the Sorting Hat yelling, "Vanerbuilt!"
We played cards from 10:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m. Most of which was Scum. I was King for the first hour but lost it from there.
After, we went back to Ashley's apartment and, I was starving and she fed me, tired and she gave me a futon which was shared with Kendra.
Woke up.
Happy 4th of July!
Went to church at the Davis Square church building.
*Thanks to Ashley for letting us crash at her place.