Digging Out
The place practically feels like home--we've unpacked the DVDs. We bought some pine DVD racks and have filled them to the brim (and overflowing) with DVDs and videos. And yet, despite the wealth of DVDs, they don't look as impressive as they did in our tiny little closet. The basement is simply too big.
Today was a loverly day that involved absolutely no work or no work searching on my part. Jon (my brother-in-law) had tickets to a Big Dig tour that he couldn't use (the Big Dig being the massive road project that's been going on in Boston for pretty much forever, from what I'm to gather. It's supposed to be done in another couple of years--they're submerging roads and building bridges and demolishing the surface routes in favor of parks. The job is many years over long and a few billion dollars overbudget). The tours are free, but they are completely full through the end of 2002 so I was psyched to get the opportunity to go. Kara, another HBS partner, and I showed at around 10 for an hour long presentation. I was surprised at how interesting it was. They talked about making the tunnels under the train tracks (the federal government wouldn't let them reroute the trains or halt the trains at all), the objects they've discovered in their digs, and all the modern technology (there are sensors in the roads that when the speed changes suddenly, alarms go off and operators can see on monitors where there is a breakdown to send emergency vehicles; they also did things such as sonic charges to move the lobsters away from under water so they wouldn't get hurt and they added holes to the bridge so light would shine through so the fish wouldn't get confused when swimming upstream; also they rebroadcast fm and am radio and cell phones in the tunnels so if they ever need to, they can do an emergency override). Then we walked out on to the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge and into one of the underground roads. Of course, I forgot my camera. But it was phenomenal to stand in the middle of this huge bridge with no traffic staring up at the support cable. The bridge is incredible, lit up in blue at night. Check out more photos of it here. The underground portion was also interesting, but I was more fascinated by the bridge. Amazing to think that in a few months, no one will be able to stand in the middle of it again, as thousands and thousands of cars rush over it every day.
After the tour, Kara and I went for an over-the-top lunch in the North End, followed by cannoli and cappuccino at Mike's Pastry. We did a little shopping--picked up some bread, prosciutto, salami, and pecorino for dinner as well as some dessert--and then I hopped the T back to the park and ride. I'm amazed at how fast I can get downtown.
The rest of the afternoon was spend unpacking more of the basement. We need to get the basement room painted and the carpet stripped before the end of the month when we're having flooring put down. The boxes are slowly disappearing completely....
Today was a loverly day that involved absolutely no work or no work searching on my part. Jon (my brother-in-law) had tickets to a Big Dig tour that he couldn't use (the Big Dig being the massive road project that's been going on in Boston for pretty much forever, from what I'm to gather. It's supposed to be done in another couple of years--they're submerging roads and building bridges and demolishing the surface routes in favor of parks. The job is many years over long and a few billion dollars overbudget). The tours are free, but they are completely full through the end of 2002 so I was psyched to get the opportunity to go. Kara, another HBS partner, and I showed at around 10 for an hour long presentation. I was surprised at how interesting it was. They talked about making the tunnels under the train tracks (the federal government wouldn't let them reroute the trains or halt the trains at all), the objects they've discovered in their digs, and all the modern technology (there are sensors in the roads that when the speed changes suddenly, alarms go off and operators can see on monitors where there is a breakdown to send emergency vehicles; they also did things such as sonic charges to move the lobsters away from under water so they wouldn't get hurt and they added holes to the bridge so light would shine through so the fish wouldn't get confused when swimming upstream; also they rebroadcast fm and am radio and cell phones in the tunnels so if they ever need to, they can do an emergency override). Then we walked out on to the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge and into one of the underground roads. Of course, I forgot my camera. But it was phenomenal to stand in the middle of this huge bridge with no traffic staring up at the support cable. The bridge is incredible, lit up in blue at night. Check out more photos of it here. The underground portion was also interesting, but I was more fascinated by the bridge. Amazing to think that in a few months, no one will be able to stand in the middle of it again, as thousands and thousands of cars rush over it every day.
After the tour, Kara and I went for an over-the-top lunch in the North End, followed by cannoli and cappuccino at Mike's Pastry. We did a little shopping--picked up some bread, prosciutto, salami, and pecorino for dinner as well as some dessert--and then I hopped the T back to the park and ride. I'm amazed at how fast I can get downtown.
The rest of the afternoon was spend unpacking more of the basement. We need to get the basement room painted and the carpet stripped before the end of the month when we're having flooring put down. The boxes are slowly disappearing completely....
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