Friday
I have spent the past week down in North Carolina at Carolina Beach with my some of my family. I've had a little time to do some reading. I've been working my way through Uncle Tom's Cabin. It seems ridiculous to me to think that this is where our society was only 160 years ago. It's not really very long ago when you think about it. Grandpop, my great grandfather, lived to 104, and thus I got the chance to know him a little, as a young boy. He was born in the 1800s, and would certainly have known people that lived through all of this. As far as we have come since then, we have further to go still. My father told me again this week about his time working a hotel in Ocean City during the 70s. He had to stand up to his employers who would not rent rooms to blacks. He told them that he refused to discriminate. One small piece in the larger story.
In the story, one of the characters dies before having done several things that he had promised to do. As a result, they were never done, and the promises left unfulfilled. This was right after Miss Ophelia had pointed out that, "Now is the only time there ever is to do a thing in." True enough. If you have something that you've been meaning to do, maybe now is the time to do it.
Friday, July 16, 2010
"Welcome to the Home of the Big Dig"
Thursday
Now I don't know anything about bricklaying, but I bet I could learn if I needed to. And if I needed to I bet I could brick up a garage door in a day. The city owns the building that we work in, and they have some kind of plan for it. Yesterday they began laying cinderblocks in front of Door Number 2 (no organization uses that space currently). Four guys were working on the wall again today, and they still haven't finished. Several weeks ago the city tore up the asphalt from the street in front of our warehouse, and they still haven't come back to repave it. I can't imagine that our van's right front idler arm appreciated that we played dodge the raised manholes while loaded with 3,000 pounds of produce every day. While that wasn't the sole reason we had to replace it, I'm sure it didn't help.
While on the subject of the streets of Boston, I should put in a word about the cars on those streets. People always say that Boston drivers are crazy, but it turns out... they're right! A for instance: Once, back before the rode in front of our warehouse was torn up, I was driving along it, ready to turn left into the parking lot. A car was behind me, and I signaled a left turn. I slowed down slightly to make the turn (I didn't need to slow down much, as it is a slow road regardless). I see a whiz of white as the car passes me on the left, while I nearly turn into the car.
Another for instance: I watched two cars coming from the same direction approach a stop sign. Both cars were turning right. The car in back squealed its tires to make the right turn on the outside of the other vehicle.
On the main roads, depending on the time of day, one is better off on two wheels. On my way to the warehouse I drive on Dorchester Avenue (Dot Ave) for about two miles. Turning onto Dot Ave, yesterday, I was behind a cyclist I hit several red lights along the way, and plenty of traffic. While I was sitting, waiting to turn left off of Dot Ave, who should come pedalling along but the very same cyclist. Biking on the main roads is a job and a half. You have to keep 150% of your attention focused on the biking, and as a mathematician I know this isn't even possible. Since you are allowed to pass cars on the right, this sometimes means navigating a narrow alley between the cars in the road, and those that are parked. All the while the cyclist must watch for cars on both sides of the alley that might decide that they would rather be on the alley's other side. Car doors could open suddenly, and behind every parked car lurks the potential for an oblivious pedestrian. Maybe this is why varieties of pedestrians have been categoried and intersections have been mapped in a book called "The Boston Driver's Handbook: Wild in the Streets--The Almost Post Big Dig Edition" (http://tinyurl.com/guidetodrivinginboston).
There's an intersection on Dot Ave that almost seems worthy of inclusion. Two roads intersect Dot Ave near the same spot. Both intersect at different angles on each side of the road. Rather than install a normal traffic control light, Dot Ave is always blinking yellow, and the side roads are always blinking red (unless a pedestrian hits the crosswalk button, in which case the entire intersection shuts down and waits for the pedestrian to cross) (http://tinyurl.com/dotave). This is what happens when you let cows design the roads.
Now I don't know anything about bricklaying, but I bet I could learn if I needed to. And if I needed to I bet I could brick up a garage door in a day. The city owns the building that we work in, and they have some kind of plan for it. Yesterday they began laying cinderblocks in front of Door Number 2 (no organization uses that space currently). Four guys were working on the wall again today, and they still haven't finished. Several weeks ago the city tore up the asphalt from the street in front of our warehouse, and they still haven't come back to repave it. I can't imagine that our van's right front idler arm appreciated that we played dodge the raised manholes while loaded with 3,000 pounds of produce every day. While that wasn't the sole reason we had to replace it, I'm sure it didn't help.
While on the subject of the streets of Boston, I should put in a word about the cars on those streets. People always say that Boston drivers are crazy, but it turns out... they're right! A for instance: Once, back before the rode in front of our warehouse was torn up, I was driving along it, ready to turn left into the parking lot. A car was behind me, and I signaled a left turn. I slowed down slightly to make the turn (I didn't need to slow down much, as it is a slow road regardless). I see a whiz of white as the car passes me on the left, while I nearly turn into the car.
Another for instance: I watched two cars coming from the same direction approach a stop sign. Both cars were turning right. The car in back squealed its tires to make the right turn on the outside of the other vehicle.
On the main roads, depending on the time of day, one is better off on two wheels. On my way to the warehouse I drive on Dorchester Avenue (Dot Ave) for about two miles. Turning onto Dot Ave, yesterday, I was behind a cyclist I hit several red lights along the way, and plenty of traffic. While I was sitting, waiting to turn left off of Dot Ave, who should come pedalling along but the very same cyclist. Biking on the main roads is a job and a half. You have to keep 150% of your attention focused on the biking, and as a mathematician I know this isn't even possible. Since you are allowed to pass cars on the right, this sometimes means navigating a narrow alley between the cars in the road, and those that are parked. All the while the cyclist must watch for cars on both sides of the alley that might decide that they would rather be on the alley's other side. Car doors could open suddenly, and behind every parked car lurks the potential for an oblivious pedestrian. Maybe this is why varieties of pedestrians have been categoried and intersections have been mapped in a book called "The Boston Driver's Handbook: Wild in the Streets--The Almost Post Big Dig Edition" (http://tinyurl.com/guidetodrivinginboston).
There's an intersection on Dot Ave that almost seems worthy of inclusion. Two roads intersect Dot Ave near the same spot. Both intersect at different angles on each side of the road. Rather than install a normal traffic control light, Dot Ave is always blinking yellow, and the side roads are always blinking red (unless a pedestrian hits the crosswalk button, in which case the entire intersection shuts down and waits for the pedestrian to cross) (http://tinyurl.com/dotave). This is what happens when you let cows design the roads.
"I'm a Huge Metal Fan"
Saturday
When I first saw the modern musical Once I really enjoyed it for a number of reasons. One of these was that the music flowed naturally from the characters, requiring no suspension of disbelief or acceptance of genre stipulations to understand or appreciate the film. Jason seems like he could have walked off of the set of that film, for music flows naturally from and around him. He brought along his Ukulele today, and was giving me some free lessons during the van ride. He taught me a few chord progressions, and then sang some songs to them, and improvised lyrics for a few more songs. When we ride in the van we usually have the radio on, and it is not unusual for us to start improvising additional percussive tracks for the music. To Jason, music is intuitive, which is how we can have a jam session with Brother Lowe for an hour and a half, and it is how he can play beautiful music on the piano after only a year of piano, (despite the fact that he doesn't read notes), and it is how he can keep playing fresh styles of music on the guitar for the length of Mary's going away party, accompanied variously by accordion, singers, and miscellaneous percussion instruments (including wood blocks, plastic bags, sticks, a grill lid, a fridge rack, cinder blocks, and tin can shakers.
Jason even used to be part of Boston's Heavy metal scene, back when his hair was a little longer. He hasn't forgotten either, as he pointed out at the market this morning. We went into Gold Bell and a pallet sized cooling device was sitting in front of our normal pickup location, so Jason gave voice to what it was thinking...
When I first saw the modern musical Once I really enjoyed it for a number of reasons. One of these was that the music flowed naturally from the characters, requiring no suspension of disbelief or acceptance of genre stipulations to understand or appreciate the film. Jason seems like he could have walked off of the set of that film, for music flows naturally from and around him. He brought along his Ukulele today, and was giving me some free lessons during the van ride. He taught me a few chord progressions, and then sang some songs to them, and improvised lyrics for a few more songs. When we ride in the van we usually have the radio on, and it is not unusual for us to start improvising additional percussive tracks for the music. To Jason, music is intuitive, which is how we can have a jam session with Brother Lowe for an hour and a half, and it is how he can play beautiful music on the piano after only a year of piano, (despite the fact that he doesn't read notes), and it is how he can keep playing fresh styles of music on the guitar for the length of Mary's going away party, accompanied variously by accordion, singers, and miscellaneous percussion instruments (including wood blocks, plastic bags, sticks, a grill lid, a fridge rack, cinder blocks, and tin can shakers.
Jason even used to be part of Boston's Heavy metal scene, back when his hair was a little longer. He hasn't forgotten either, as he pointed out at the market this morning. We went into Gold Bell and a pallet sized cooling device was sitting in front of our normal pickup location, so Jason gave voice to what it was thinking...
"You're a Legend!"
Thursday
While Megan, was TBPM staff member Monday and Tuesday, a fellow named Taylor came yesterday and today. When they arrived he informed me that some of the kids had been talking about me last night. I guess it's nice to know that I'm different enough from the norm for some high schoolers to remember me at least into the evening. I guess I have to stand in as a pale shadow of the wildness that is Nancy. She was at the warehouse briefly one day this week, but the youth did not get to spend any length of time with her. Instead I got to inform them about the mission and functioning of Fair Foods.
It was curious how each group had a different feel. On Monday, the group was a little older (late high school students), and they were very interested in learning about the waste in our society, about how Fair Foods operated, and about the Market. On Tuesday, the group seemed very interested in me, and how I'd come to Boston, where I went to school, what I studied, and so forth. Wednesday, and today the groups seemed more interested in having fun amongst themselves, playing word games (Name a famous person whose name begins with the last letter of the previous name) and puzzle games. Having spent three years in college, I was familiar with all of their puzzle games, and even contributed one of my own ("Ok, This is an Onion!"). Unfortunately one of these kids had just learned about The Game, and proceeded to make me lose. Being the first person in Boston to independently make me lose The Game in almost a month, I wasn't thrilled, but was quite amused.
If you don't know about The Game, then I am sorry I must be the bearer of bad news.
The Rules:
1. Everyone is playing The Game at all times.
2. If you think about The Game, you lose, and are granted a small grace period of forgetting.
3. If you lose The Game, you must announce this loss to those around you.
While I wasn't on the truck today, we set a new record: 11 plates of food were brought to us! Fortunately that was enough that I got some of the delicious leftovers, despite working at the warehouse all day.
While Megan, was TBPM staff member Monday and Tuesday, a fellow named Taylor came yesterday and today. When they arrived he informed me that some of the kids had been talking about me last night. I guess it's nice to know that I'm different enough from the norm for some high schoolers to remember me at least into the evening. I guess I have to stand in as a pale shadow of the wildness that is Nancy. She was at the warehouse briefly one day this week, but the youth did not get to spend any length of time with her. Instead I got to inform them about the mission and functioning of Fair Foods.
It was curious how each group had a different feel. On Monday, the group was a little older (late high school students), and they were very interested in learning about the waste in our society, about how Fair Foods operated, and about the Market. On Tuesday, the group seemed very interested in me, and how I'd come to Boston, where I went to school, what I studied, and so forth. Wednesday, and today the groups seemed more interested in having fun amongst themselves, playing word games (Name a famous person whose name begins with the last letter of the previous name) and puzzle games. Having spent three years in college, I was familiar with all of their puzzle games, and even contributed one of my own ("Ok, This is an Onion!"). Unfortunately one of these kids had just learned about The Game, and proceeded to make me lose. Being the first person in Boston to independently make me lose The Game in almost a month, I wasn't thrilled, but was quite amused.
If you don't know about The Game, then I am sorry I must be the bearer of bad news.
The Rules:
1. Everyone is playing The Game at all times.
2. If you think about The Game, you lose, and are granted a small grace period of forgetting.
3. If you lose The Game, you must announce this loss to those around you.
While I wasn't on the truck today, we set a new record: 11 plates of food were brought to us! Fortunately that was enough that I got some of the delicious leftovers, despite working at the warehouse all day.
"Are You Hungry?"
Tuesday
Today I have decided to present a random fact, a list, and a recipe:
Random Fact:
I found a spoon down the drain in the bathroom on the first floor.
List of everything I remember consuming today, roughly in order:
Corn Flakes (From Stop & Shop)
Orange Juice (From Stop & Shop)
Bite of a Chicken Sub (From Richard)
Two Ears of Raw Corn (From New England Produce Center)
PB&J (From The Boston Project Ministries)
Store Brand Cheetos (From TBPM)
Apple (From TBPM)
Water (From Tap)
Coconut Ball Pastry (From Stop & Shop)
Three Slices of Watermelon (From NEPC)
Fried Plantains (From NEPC)
Tofu Fries (From NEPC)
Fried Catfish (From Stop & Shop)
Fried Mushrooms (From NEPC)
Fried Green Tomatoes (From NEPC)
Pig's Feet (From Jason, from a lady at a site)
Recipe for Homemade Toilet Paper Holder:
Ingredients
1 eight inch screw
1 broom handle
1 sledgehammer head
Cooking Instructions
Pre-drill hole for screw in broom handle end. Cut broom handle to desired length. Chisel cut end as necessary. Insert broom handle into sledgehammer head. Flavor with long screw. Serve.
Today I have decided to present a random fact, a list, and a recipe:
Random Fact:
I found a spoon down the drain in the bathroom on the first floor.
List of everything I remember consuming today, roughly in order:
Corn Flakes (From Stop & Shop)
Orange Juice (From Stop & Shop)
Bite of a Chicken Sub (From Richard)
Two Ears of Raw Corn (From New England Produce Center)
PB&J (From The Boston Project Ministries)
Store Brand Cheetos (From TBPM)
Apple (From TBPM)
Water (From Tap)
Coconut Ball Pastry (From Stop & Shop)
Three Slices of Watermelon (From NEPC)
Fried Plantains (From NEPC)
Tofu Fries (From NEPC)
Fried Catfish (From Stop & Shop)
Fried Mushrooms (From NEPC)
Fried Green Tomatoes (From NEPC)
Pig's Feet (From Jason, from a lady at a site)
Recipe for Homemade Toilet Paper Holder:
Ingredients
1 eight inch screw
1 broom handle
1 sledgehammer head
Cooking Instructions
Pre-drill hole for screw in broom handle end. Cut broom handle to desired length. Chisel cut end as necessary. Insert broom handle into sledgehammer head. Flavor with long screw. Serve.
"Four High Pallets"
Monday
We had our first group of volunteers from The Boston Project today. Everything seemed to go surprisingly smoothly. In past conversations with my sister about her experiences working with volunteer groups at the multi-faceted Joe's Java ministry, it sounds like groups of volunteers can sometimes be a hassle. When large groups come in to a small space, finding something productive for everyone to do can be difficult. Fortunately TBPM splits the groups into smaller sets. We had four students, one leader, and Meghan, a member of TBPM staff, who also happens to be a Calvin girl!
We had our first group of volunteers from The Boston Project today. Everything seemed to go surprisingly smoothly. In past conversations with my sister about her experiences working with volunteer groups at the multi-faceted Joe's Java ministry, it sounds like groups of volunteers can sometimes be a hassle. When large groups come in to a small space, finding something productive for everyone to do can be difficult. Fortunately TBPM splits the groups into smaller sets. We had four students, one leader, and Meghan, a member of TBPM staff, who also happens to be a Calvin girl!
We managed to have a very successful day. We put half the crew on painting new signs, and the other half on taking care of the corn that had been brought in. The signs are sky blue plywood sheets that we set out at the various sites to attract attention. We need new ones, since some of our sites' times are different then they used to be, and some of our sites simply did not have their own signs. We are hoping to make site specific signs for each site, as well as a few general signs, and some large arrow signs to point the way to the van. One girl there who was working on the signs was doing some beautiful work. The girl next to her was having a bit more trouble staying in the lines. However, rather than discarding or redoing the second girl's work, the first girl simply outlined the strokes on the second girl's sign, turning her attempts into a beautiful, useful sign. I think God does the same with our efforts: making beautiful our feeble attempts to work for him.
The corn that we got today was the most of any singular item that I have yet seen. We brought back only three of the pallets that they had available today, and we plan to take the rest tomorrow. Since we had no sites today, we need to help the corn keep as well as possible. Many of the ears have a few spots of mold on the outer layer of the husk, so we went through, ear by ear, husking the first layer of the corn, and bagging up eight ears for a dollar. We have a lot of corn to move. Boy, this warehouse doesn't stay empty for long.
"Warehouse"
Sunday
Remember that clubhouse that I built for the Riddles' kids the first week I was here? We finally delivered it today! Originally it had windows, a ladder, a seat, and a covered interior. However, the longer it sat in the yard, the more additions it picked up. Now it has walls around the top, a flagpole, a fenced in porch, a seat on the porch, and peepholes. The neighbor painted it jungle green, and there are plans to add a basketball hoop, and a flag to the flagpole. That seems to be the way everything goes around here. Nancy has a lot of ideas, and dreams big, so consequently she is always in the middle of a lot of half-finished projects, some which will be accomplished, and some of which will be perpetually on the back burner. What gets done is based on what seems most important at the time. Since it was finally important enough to take the clubhouse over, we loaded it into the back of the van, and Jason and I delivered and installed it while the kids were out.
After we finished we played a little one v. one b-ball, (PIG and Fifty), and though it was competitive, Jason beat me handily. When the kids returned, Joseph, the oldest, clocking in at five years of age, declared the structure to be their warehouse. The kids have been over to the Fair Foods Warehouse a few times, so what else would Jason and I bring over, but a miniature warehouse for them? They had soon declared that there were "No Grown-Ups Allowed." I was still allowed in, despite my grown-up status, seeing as I am a "Grown-Up Kid."
Remember that clubhouse that I built for the Riddles' kids the first week I was here? We finally delivered it today! Originally it had windows, a ladder, a seat, and a covered interior. However, the longer it sat in the yard, the more additions it picked up. Now it has walls around the top, a flagpole, a fenced in porch, a seat on the porch, and peepholes. The neighbor painted it jungle green, and there are plans to add a basketball hoop, and a flag to the flagpole. That seems to be the way everything goes around here. Nancy has a lot of ideas, and dreams big, so consequently she is always in the middle of a lot of half-finished projects, some which will be accomplished, and some of which will be perpetually on the back burner. What gets done is based on what seems most important at the time. Since it was finally important enough to take the clubhouse over, we loaded it into the back of the van, and Jason and I delivered and installed it while the kids were out.
After we finished we played a little one v. one b-ball, (PIG and Fifty), and though it was competitive, Jason beat me handily. When the kids returned, Joseph, the oldest, clocking in at five years of age, declared the structure to be their warehouse. The kids have been over to the Fair Foods Warehouse a few times, so what else would Jason and I bring over, but a miniature warehouse for them? They had soon declared that there were "No Grown-Ups Allowed." I was still allowed in, despite my grown-up status, seeing as I am a "Grown-Up Kid."
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