Yesterday, I was scheduled for three presentations and it turned into six. The teachers seemed to find it’s message important and the kids were very respectful. Every class clapped at the end, which is kind of a way to gauge their respect. Boston has overall been a waste of time, work wise. Students hear have an IV league mentality so it’s hard to get them to think about an alternative school. It’s been a curiosity of course, but my leads haven’t been that great.
After school I came back to the hotel exhausted and took a nap. When I woke up I drove to the closest restaurant for dinner. When I came back I just wanted to cuddle up in bed and be brain dead until I fell asleep. So that’s why the blog wasn’t posted last night. In about an hour, I drive to Rhode Island that will be my 5th state in this 25-day journey. My task today is to capture a sign of the town I’m going to called Woonsocket. After that I have another surprise in the works. We’ll see if it happens.
The Path Comments:
I received this comment via email in response to “The Path” posting. I haven’t asked their permission to post this so I’m going to leave it annoynomance just to make sure. But I think we all can benefit from their words. After reading it, it brought tears to my eyes and made rethink what I wrote. It’s a great response…. Thank You
The Comment:
Ever wonder if the forks in the road are supposed to teach you something that you didn’t know or give you an experience that you haven’t had? Sure your gut tells you to go the other way but yet you still take the other path. Why? Perhaps there is something down that ‘wrong path’ that you are supposed to experience. Maybe it’s not wrong … possibly it’s a journey you have to take. Sure you have to back track sometimes, or even carve a new path to find your original one, but maybe it’s not wrong at all. Something is drawing you down the ‘wrong paths’ even though you intuition says, “go the other way”. Sure, the experience may not be life altering; maybe it’s not an in-your-face lesson about life. Conceivably it’s just an experience to make you appreciate something else. Now, why would the path be so long and daunting just to learn how to appreciate something or experience something almost insignificant is a question for a higher power other than I.
Another thought on this is maybe it’s not a path for you. It’s entirely possible that you are supposed to give an experience to someone else down your “wrong” path, but it puts someone else on their correct path. God may think you are strong enough to take these detours in your own path to help someone else find theirs or be their voice if reason to turn around and take the other fork. Could you be someone else’s ‘intuition’?
Imagine a life full of knowing what to do and when to do it. Would it be exciting? Different for sure, but would it truly be worth living? Think of it this way if you will; how do you write about heartbreak if you’ve never experienced it. How do you write about a still black lake on a nice fall morning drinking a cup of coffee? How do you write about the joy of friends and the pain they can bring? How do you write about faith if you’ve never doubted or questioned it?
Perhaps “path” isn’t the word you should be concentrating on. Direction. If someone says go north, there are many ways to go north. From Florida do you go through Georgia or Alabama? Do you go through Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, then head north? Where is the final destination of “north”? Do you really think God would tell you or even show the exact way to go, really? If he did you wouldn’t have all the experiences you’ve had and will have. Yes, God can and will point you in the right direction but the actual ‘path’ may be up to you. Take a good look at a road map, you tell me if you see a ‘straight’ road or path.
Pete, my friend, you’ve always been heading the right direction, never forget that.
Great advice from my dear friend, my perspective has now been altered. I hope my weary eyed readers it’s brought something to you too.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Inspiration/Failure
Walden Pond
I hear birds and chipmunks scurrying through the grass. The pond is a few yards in front of me as I sit on tree stump writing this. I’m just 50 yards from Thoreau’s cabin ruins and I can see why he picked this spot. Long pine needles cover the ground. The sun backlights trees making the red leaves glow. I wish I could take a picture of that, but it looks over blown on my cameras.
The water in the pond is emerald green with a slight breeze making ripples. How I love nature. You do hear cars in the distance and airplanes over head. Tourists walk behind me knocking up the leaves and pine needles talking loud and being obnoxious. Yet overall I am at peace.
A woman yesterday told me that the pond wasn’t far. Since I had other tasks to complete I decided to wait until today since Belmont is not that far from here where my fair is tonight. I figure I’ll relax here for a bit, grab some lunch and complete probably the most challenging of tasks and that’s to find a sign with a Nobel Prize winner’s name on it. This one will be tough.
I am now distracted by a loud plane and voices screaming closer by now, why the yelling?
Now I am going to put my computer away. Sit on this stump and just be.
Belmont
I drove south to Belmont and found the school just fine. So I went off on my quest for Nobel Prize winners and food. I drove and drove taking left turns and right turns, finding nothing. Not even a restaurant. I started to get really hungry since it was around 3pm and I hadn’t eaten yet. The prizewinners can wait. I found a square that had a starbucks and an Italian restaurant. I went to the restaurant and ordered lasagna. It really wasn’t all that good. I guess nothing will be my grandmother’s but I keep trying. It was just one of those things that sounded good at the time. So after I ate and my stomach hated me I went over to Starbucks and got a cup of coffee.
I was able to steal the Internet from somewhere and looked online for Nobel Prize winners in Belmont. Nothing. I went on mapquest and look for a street name and found nothing. Time was running out. So I took some back roads hoping I would run into something that would have a name like Kissinger or Woodward and I didn’t see anything. Before long I end up at the school. Across from the school is a huge park. I start walking the trail and see monuments. The high flagpole is dedicated to the WWII vets a bench dedicated to a victim in 9/11 and a tree dedicated to a famous arborist. Still had nothing.
There was nothing I really could do so I had to improvise. I created a sign dedicating it to the Nobel Prize winners of Belmont and placed it on a bench. Me being the great writer I am misspells Nobel so I have to cross out Noble and put Nobel underneath it. So that was my sign and for those of you who call out CHEAT then I understand. It was a desperate attempt.
So I’ll leave it up to you. Do I get some brownie points for seeing Walden Pond and making my own sign or am I a complete failure? Tell me what you think?
The college fair sucked.
P.S.
Thank you for all your comments today. You all really reached out which was awesome and I felt so privileged that you were reading my blogs. I’m going to post two blogs tomorrow 1. For the comments you left today 2. For the day I will have tomorrow. It won’t happen until the afternoon so bare with me.
Walden Pond
Quote
The Site of Thoreau's House
The Chimney
Replica of Thoreau's House
Inside the Replica
Peter Vaughn Jervis is THOREAU
MY SIGHN DEDICATION TO ALL THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS OF BELMONT
I hear birds and chipmunks scurrying through the grass. The pond is a few yards in front of me as I sit on tree stump writing this. I’m just 50 yards from Thoreau’s cabin ruins and I can see why he picked this spot. Long pine needles cover the ground. The sun backlights trees making the red leaves glow. I wish I could take a picture of that, but it looks over blown on my cameras.
The water in the pond is emerald green with a slight breeze making ripples. How I love nature. You do hear cars in the distance and airplanes over head. Tourists walk behind me knocking up the leaves and pine needles talking loud and being obnoxious. Yet overall I am at peace.
A woman yesterday told me that the pond wasn’t far. Since I had other tasks to complete I decided to wait until today since Belmont is not that far from here where my fair is tonight. I figure I’ll relax here for a bit, grab some lunch and complete probably the most challenging of tasks and that’s to find a sign with a Nobel Prize winner’s name on it. This one will be tough.
I am now distracted by a loud plane and voices screaming closer by now, why the yelling?
Now I am going to put my computer away. Sit on this stump and just be.
Belmont
I drove south to Belmont and found the school just fine. So I went off on my quest for Nobel Prize winners and food. I drove and drove taking left turns and right turns, finding nothing. Not even a restaurant. I started to get really hungry since it was around 3pm and I hadn’t eaten yet. The prizewinners can wait. I found a square that had a starbucks and an Italian restaurant. I went to the restaurant and ordered lasagna. It really wasn’t all that good. I guess nothing will be my grandmother’s but I keep trying. It was just one of those things that sounded good at the time. So after I ate and my stomach hated me I went over to Starbucks and got a cup of coffee.
I was able to steal the Internet from somewhere and looked online for Nobel Prize winners in Belmont. Nothing. I went on mapquest and look for a street name and found nothing. Time was running out. So I took some back roads hoping I would run into something that would have a name like Kissinger or Woodward and I didn’t see anything. Before long I end up at the school. Across from the school is a huge park. I start walking the trail and see monuments. The high flagpole is dedicated to the WWII vets a bench dedicated to a victim in 9/11 and a tree dedicated to a famous arborist. Still had nothing.
There was nothing I really could do so I had to improvise. I created a sign dedicating it to the Nobel Prize winners of Belmont and placed it on a bench. Me being the great writer I am misspells Nobel so I have to cross out Noble and put Nobel underneath it. So that was my sign and for those of you who call out CHEAT then I understand. It was a desperate attempt.
So I’ll leave it up to you. Do I get some brownie points for seeing Walden Pond and making my own sign or am I a complete failure? Tell me what you think?
The college fair sucked.
P.S.
Thank you for all your comments today. You all really reached out which was awesome and I felt so privileged that you were reading my blogs. I’m going to post two blogs tomorrow 1. For the comments you left today 2. For the day I will have tomorrow. It won’t happen until the afternoon so bare with me.
Walden Pond
Quote
The Site of Thoreau's House
The Chimney
Replica of Thoreau's House
Inside the Replica
Peter Vaughn Jervis is THOREAU
MY SIGHN DEDICATION TO ALL THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS OF BELMONT
The Path
The Path
Every night I pray to God asking Him to keep me on path. Make sure my actions; my choices will lead me down the right path that He helps me do the right things that will guide me in the right direction. Today, I believe he showed me.
Chapter 1: Peace and Blueberry Pancakes
I dreamt that I was in car driving over a bridge. Freezing rain pouring down. My windshield starting to freeze over and I couldn’t see where I was driving. I knew something tragic was going to happen yet I continued driving. Next thing I know I slam into the side of the bridge, my car falling off the side and slamming into the water. The car begins to fill with water and I think to myself, I’m waking up now.
I grabbed a cup of coffee from the lobby and went outside looking for a place to sit down and enjoy the hot black water goodness. I strolled down near the golf course and found a bench overlooking a pond. I sat back thinking that I am in Massachusetts on this beautiful fall morning staring at a peaceful pond asking myself why do I get so glum on these trips sometimes. Of course I know the answer, but it was peaceful setting that I wish I could take in everyday. I didn’t have an appointment until 12pm so I had some time to relax and drink my coffee. I walked up to my room and sent some emails and did some work. It was 9am now so I decided to have some breakfast.
The restaurant is kind of shabby since the hotel is under renovation. I find a table and wait. I wait bit longer. I continue to wait until the waitress notices me. She comes over and asks if I want some juice or coffee. I choose juice since I’ve had enough coffee at this point. She fills my class with juice and walks away. I sip on my juice and wait. Finally another waitress comes up and asks if I’m doing okay and I say, “may I have a menu, please?” So I look over the menu and wait. The waitress comes back and I order blueberry pancakes. Sure assures me that the blueberries are cooked inside the pancakes just the way I like them.
The restaurant is a bit chilly so I wear my jacket and stare at a table full of Chinese people. Construction workers tool around the restaurant, which seems to be a bit distracting. Finally, my blueberry goodness shows up and the waitress brings me honey instead of syrup. I hold it up and she apologizes. I butter my hotcakes and she takes her time with syrup but it eventually shows up. I pour the pure maple syrup over the pancakes and dig in. They taste awful. Like the pancakes were pre cooked and microwaved for a couple of minutes and served hot. They were spongy and bland. I ate half of the three-cake tower and asked for my check. I handed over my amex and in know time she came back saying it was declined. I give her my personal card and signed the bill. I sat thinking; maybe I should have waited to go to the peaceful place after breakfast.
Chapter 2: The Lunch Time Representative
I made a few calls to work to get them to up my account once again. It’s all very confusing really. This expedia thing really has made it harder to regulate our accounts. They are learning that now, but nothing will be done. I jump into “Big Blue” and we cruise on the highway. Twelve miles later I’m in Lexington. I find the high school with no problem and park at the visitor’s space. I lug all my stuff to the main office passing by three other college reps sitting at a table. I sign in and they tell me to go to guidance down a long hall. I pass by the reps again and reach the guidance office. The lady then takes me down the hall once again with all my stuff to the tables where the college reps are. They give me a table and I set up. I mingle with the other reps that never heard of Full Sail and then the lunch bell rings. Students pass by looking over at my table with curiosity only a couple stop by. A couple of the reps pack up and leave me there alone. Apparently they had been there for a while already.
I watch students walk by looking at the table in passing. I felt belittled sitting there at the table. I never had to be that person sitting at a table in a high school outside the cafeteria. It felt degrading in a way. With everything that I have done, everything I’m trying to do it was one of those moments I felt like a failure. Then inspiration struck. Maybe the movie idea about college reps I have been waiting for. A shulb who was once an aspiring author takes a job at his old college the fictitious Merrimont College doing college fairs. I picture Philip Seymore Hoffman playing the guy who is quiet, awkward doing this to distract him from his work. There’s a story in this somewhere I know. My mind continued to watch this new movie in my head. The made time fly by. My time was up and I started to pack it up. That’s when several kids started to come by the table asking questions. I sold them immediately and they started filling out the forms. I went from one form to six in a matter of seconds. Still the movie continued to play over in my head so now I have a base to build on after having that useless dramatic feeling.
Chapter: 3 Battle Field Green
The next task was just a few blocks from the school. Lexington is a small historic town big on its history. I parked my car on the street and walk toward the monument. It was a monument created for the lives that fought on that day. The grass is a dark green well kept by the city. My task is to lie down on the grass of the battlefield green. It’s a beautiful 60 degrees and I lie down and close my eyes. I picture the moment at 1am in the morning where the first shots exploded starting the American Revolution. A rush of sadness surged through my body picturing the men who fell to their death perhaps where I am laying. Historical sites can be quite sad really. A lot of them are monuments of people who have died. Of course they died for something even greater than them but still in the simplistic basis, I am perhaps lying next to someone who was shot bleeding to death thinking of his life or family until passing on. I wish I could tell them what their sacrifice meant what their revolution became.
I walked over to a large statue of a Minuteman. Now for all you who I went to high school with I stood where the minutemen are truly represented. My high school was the Concord Minutemen in Elkhart Indiana. Now I feel like I fully understand the real meaning of what a minuteman is. I toured the one room museum and another park with other small monuments for other lives lost. I was now completely engulfed with history I realized that I was extremely hungry. So I ended up at a restaurant eating good old-fashioned Chinese food. Oh, the American Way.
Chapter 4: The Forgotten Path
I was excited to accomplish my next task. Finding the Brothers Rocks. I did much research before leaving the hotel to be able to locate this landmark. I drove up to Bedford and followed the roads. I turned right on this small road called the Old Causeway. Four houses line this single lane road and then to the left is a wildlife refuge. Trees lined the refuge while I’m looking for signs leading me to the trail. Nothing. I enter the Harvard Field Station where they keep goats and chickens looking around for any indication of trail to this historic landmark. I see a guy and pull up. I ask him about the Brothers Rocks, the trail and he has no idea what I’m talking about. I show him the map that’s on my computer and still doesn’t have a clue. He tells me to go to the Field Station office and ask. So I do and another Harvard student comes out. He has no idea either. So I drive down the Old Causeway and still don’t see any indication of a path. I turn right off the Old Causeway looking for signs, trails anything. I pass a boat ramp and come to another area on the other side of the bridge. A man is fishing by the river and I ask him. He has no idea what I’m talking about. He directs me to go further up the road where there’s a park. I do and know this isn’t it at all. I look at the map once again and see that it starts at Old Causeway road and ends on the south bank of the Concord River not the North and I know I am on the North side of the river. I drive back to Old Causeway road and I see nothing. Frustrated and time running out I decide to head back defeated.
I had text Brittany earlier claiming my frustrations and just when I was driving away defeated she calls. I tell her there’s nothing there and couldn’t see anything. I tell her I’ll turn around one more time and take a picture to show her there’s really nothing. So I go back and get out of my car to take a picture. I look through the dense trees and I see what could be a path. I walk closer and see that is a path, but where? It’s a wildlife refuge so I’m sure there’s a path but is it the right path? Am I trespassing? I park my car on the side of the road unsure if I should just leave it there. I decide to do it. I start following the path still unsure. The path forks so I take the one I think is north. The path leads me into a backyard of some residence. I turn back go back to my car again feeling defeated. I study the map on my computer once again. I debate and decide to try again. I take the other path pounding my feet against the ground in complete angry determination that I will find these rocks. I pass by a swamp, I look at the leaves turning colors, I continue following the path. Then another fork in the forest makes me even more frustrated. There weren't forks on the map!
I start going left and feeling my internal compass is off. I turn around and go the other way. I end up at a street lined with stacked rocks. Two small rocks sitting next to each other on the side of the road I ask myself this can’t be it can it? Knowing it can’t be I take a picture and text it to Brittany even though I know they aren’t the right rocks because they aren’t on a riverbank. So I turn around and head back. I get to the fork in the forest and have a choice, to either go with my first intuition or head back to the car. I go with my intuition. I walk for another ten minutes and come to another fork. Even more frustrated I stop to think. I start taking a path and just know it’s the wrong way. So I go back to the fork. That’s when I hear a motor of a boat. So I continue down the other path following the sound of the motorboat. A fallen tree blocks the path and I stop. I look down the path and really can’t see the river. So I climb over the tree. Now, I forgot to mention I am in my work clothes. I have on khaki pants and my Full Sail polo shirt. I’m really not dressed to be hiking especially when I have a college fair to go to in an hour. After climbing over the tree I continue down the path. Through dense trees I see the sun reflecting off the river. At the riverbank lies a huge rock. Ten feet away is another huge rock. Engraved on one rock says Winthrop 1638 and the other Dudley 1638. A moment of sheer excitement and accomplishment I have no idea what to do next. It’s muddy and wet so I lean against the Dudley rock and take it all in.
Chapter 5: The Shadow
I took the pictures I need to document this great find. I felt like that I was the first person do discover these rocks. Since no one ever has heard of them and later talk about it that night still find nobody even knows about this landmark I feel somewhat even more accomplished.
I head back down the path, the sun beating on my back giving me a shadow to lead the way out of the forest. While walking, I think about this simple journey. How I pray every night to stay on path. On this journey I constantly hit forks in the road where I didn’t go with my true intuition, which led me way off path. If I had just stayed with that gut feeling what I know was right the journey would have lasted only 15 minutes. The way there took me nearly an hour. I always come to these forks in the road with my life and sometimes I make the wrong decision that I know is wrong and get way off path. Some how though I stop or come to a dead end and get back on the right path only to come to another fork in the road. It was a reminder to go with what you know is right and stick to your intuition of what’s right. If not, no matter how fun it is or a different adventure it will be, it leads to a dead end and it’s exhausting to try to find your way back. I believe God was trying to tell me something.
I make it to the school with no problem. I unload my gear and try to knock the mud off my boots. I lug it into the school and find my table. I talk to the lady rep next to me about my adventure and she has lived here for a long time and never knew about those rocks. The fair began and it was very small. Not many students showed up but Full Sail sparked some curiosity in parents and students. It wasn’t a complete waste. Yet time went by fast and I was out of there in an hour and a half. The drive home was easy making it to my hotel just before 9pm.
I began writing this blog and realized, after a fulfilling day like today. Where I felt like a failure, honored the dead, became lost, discovered 300 year old rocks and made peace with God I decided to it was time to rest my body and fall asleep.
Epilogue:
Today I have some extra time. I think I’m going to do one thing that is not on my list of things to do, but every aspiring writer needs to do and that is…
Battlefield Green
Laying on the Battlefield Green: MISSION COMPLETE
Minuteman
Old Causeway Road
The Path
The Swamp
The Fake Rocks
A Rock Wall
The Concord River
The Dudley Rock
The Winthrop Rock
The Brothers Rock: MISSION COMPLETE
Every night I pray to God asking Him to keep me on path. Make sure my actions; my choices will lead me down the right path that He helps me do the right things that will guide me in the right direction. Today, I believe he showed me.
Chapter 1: Peace and Blueberry Pancakes
I dreamt that I was in car driving over a bridge. Freezing rain pouring down. My windshield starting to freeze over and I couldn’t see where I was driving. I knew something tragic was going to happen yet I continued driving. Next thing I know I slam into the side of the bridge, my car falling off the side and slamming into the water. The car begins to fill with water and I think to myself, I’m waking up now.
I grabbed a cup of coffee from the lobby and went outside looking for a place to sit down and enjoy the hot black water goodness. I strolled down near the golf course and found a bench overlooking a pond. I sat back thinking that I am in Massachusetts on this beautiful fall morning staring at a peaceful pond asking myself why do I get so glum on these trips sometimes. Of course I know the answer, but it was peaceful setting that I wish I could take in everyday. I didn’t have an appointment until 12pm so I had some time to relax and drink my coffee. I walked up to my room and sent some emails and did some work. It was 9am now so I decided to have some breakfast.
The restaurant is kind of shabby since the hotel is under renovation. I find a table and wait. I wait bit longer. I continue to wait until the waitress notices me. She comes over and asks if I want some juice or coffee. I choose juice since I’ve had enough coffee at this point. She fills my class with juice and walks away. I sip on my juice and wait. Finally another waitress comes up and asks if I’m doing okay and I say, “may I have a menu, please?” So I look over the menu and wait. The waitress comes back and I order blueberry pancakes. Sure assures me that the blueberries are cooked inside the pancakes just the way I like them.
The restaurant is a bit chilly so I wear my jacket and stare at a table full of Chinese people. Construction workers tool around the restaurant, which seems to be a bit distracting. Finally, my blueberry goodness shows up and the waitress brings me honey instead of syrup. I hold it up and she apologizes. I butter my hotcakes and she takes her time with syrup but it eventually shows up. I pour the pure maple syrup over the pancakes and dig in. They taste awful. Like the pancakes were pre cooked and microwaved for a couple of minutes and served hot. They were spongy and bland. I ate half of the three-cake tower and asked for my check. I handed over my amex and in know time she came back saying it was declined. I give her my personal card and signed the bill. I sat thinking; maybe I should have waited to go to the peaceful place after breakfast.
Chapter 2: The Lunch Time Representative
I made a few calls to work to get them to up my account once again. It’s all very confusing really. This expedia thing really has made it harder to regulate our accounts. They are learning that now, but nothing will be done. I jump into “Big Blue” and we cruise on the highway. Twelve miles later I’m in Lexington. I find the high school with no problem and park at the visitor’s space. I lug all my stuff to the main office passing by three other college reps sitting at a table. I sign in and they tell me to go to guidance down a long hall. I pass by the reps again and reach the guidance office. The lady then takes me down the hall once again with all my stuff to the tables where the college reps are. They give me a table and I set up. I mingle with the other reps that never heard of Full Sail and then the lunch bell rings. Students pass by looking over at my table with curiosity only a couple stop by. A couple of the reps pack up and leave me there alone. Apparently they had been there for a while already.
I watch students walk by looking at the table in passing. I felt belittled sitting there at the table. I never had to be that person sitting at a table in a high school outside the cafeteria. It felt degrading in a way. With everything that I have done, everything I’m trying to do it was one of those moments I felt like a failure. Then inspiration struck. Maybe the movie idea about college reps I have been waiting for. A shulb who was once an aspiring author takes a job at his old college the fictitious Merrimont College doing college fairs. I picture Philip Seymore Hoffman playing the guy who is quiet, awkward doing this to distract him from his work. There’s a story in this somewhere I know. My mind continued to watch this new movie in my head. The made time fly by. My time was up and I started to pack it up. That’s when several kids started to come by the table asking questions. I sold them immediately and they started filling out the forms. I went from one form to six in a matter of seconds. Still the movie continued to play over in my head so now I have a base to build on after having that useless dramatic feeling.
Chapter: 3 Battle Field Green
The next task was just a few blocks from the school. Lexington is a small historic town big on its history. I parked my car on the street and walk toward the monument. It was a monument created for the lives that fought on that day. The grass is a dark green well kept by the city. My task is to lie down on the grass of the battlefield green. It’s a beautiful 60 degrees and I lie down and close my eyes. I picture the moment at 1am in the morning where the first shots exploded starting the American Revolution. A rush of sadness surged through my body picturing the men who fell to their death perhaps where I am laying. Historical sites can be quite sad really. A lot of them are monuments of people who have died. Of course they died for something even greater than them but still in the simplistic basis, I am perhaps lying next to someone who was shot bleeding to death thinking of his life or family until passing on. I wish I could tell them what their sacrifice meant what their revolution became.
I walked over to a large statue of a Minuteman. Now for all you who I went to high school with I stood where the minutemen are truly represented. My high school was the Concord Minutemen in Elkhart Indiana. Now I feel like I fully understand the real meaning of what a minuteman is. I toured the one room museum and another park with other small monuments for other lives lost. I was now completely engulfed with history I realized that I was extremely hungry. So I ended up at a restaurant eating good old-fashioned Chinese food. Oh, the American Way.
Chapter 4: The Forgotten Path
I was excited to accomplish my next task. Finding the Brothers Rocks. I did much research before leaving the hotel to be able to locate this landmark. I drove up to Bedford and followed the roads. I turned right on this small road called the Old Causeway. Four houses line this single lane road and then to the left is a wildlife refuge. Trees lined the refuge while I’m looking for signs leading me to the trail. Nothing. I enter the Harvard Field Station where they keep goats and chickens looking around for any indication of trail to this historic landmark. I see a guy and pull up. I ask him about the Brothers Rocks, the trail and he has no idea what I’m talking about. I show him the map that’s on my computer and still doesn’t have a clue. He tells me to go to the Field Station office and ask. So I do and another Harvard student comes out. He has no idea either. So I drive down the Old Causeway and still don’t see any indication of a path. I turn right off the Old Causeway looking for signs, trails anything. I pass a boat ramp and come to another area on the other side of the bridge. A man is fishing by the river and I ask him. He has no idea what I’m talking about. He directs me to go further up the road where there’s a park. I do and know this isn’t it at all. I look at the map once again and see that it starts at Old Causeway road and ends on the south bank of the Concord River not the North and I know I am on the North side of the river. I drive back to Old Causeway road and I see nothing. Frustrated and time running out I decide to head back defeated.
I had text Brittany earlier claiming my frustrations and just when I was driving away defeated she calls. I tell her there’s nothing there and couldn’t see anything. I tell her I’ll turn around one more time and take a picture to show her there’s really nothing. So I go back and get out of my car to take a picture. I look through the dense trees and I see what could be a path. I walk closer and see that is a path, but where? It’s a wildlife refuge so I’m sure there’s a path but is it the right path? Am I trespassing? I park my car on the side of the road unsure if I should just leave it there. I decide to do it. I start following the path still unsure. The path forks so I take the one I think is north. The path leads me into a backyard of some residence. I turn back go back to my car again feeling defeated. I study the map on my computer once again. I debate and decide to try again. I take the other path pounding my feet against the ground in complete angry determination that I will find these rocks. I pass by a swamp, I look at the leaves turning colors, I continue following the path. Then another fork in the forest makes me even more frustrated. There weren't forks on the map!
I start going left and feeling my internal compass is off. I turn around and go the other way. I end up at a street lined with stacked rocks. Two small rocks sitting next to each other on the side of the road I ask myself this can’t be it can it? Knowing it can’t be I take a picture and text it to Brittany even though I know they aren’t the right rocks because they aren’t on a riverbank. So I turn around and head back. I get to the fork in the forest and have a choice, to either go with my first intuition or head back to the car. I go with my intuition. I walk for another ten minutes and come to another fork. Even more frustrated I stop to think. I start taking a path and just know it’s the wrong way. So I go back to the fork. That’s when I hear a motor of a boat. So I continue down the other path following the sound of the motorboat. A fallen tree blocks the path and I stop. I look down the path and really can’t see the river. So I climb over the tree. Now, I forgot to mention I am in my work clothes. I have on khaki pants and my Full Sail polo shirt. I’m really not dressed to be hiking especially when I have a college fair to go to in an hour. After climbing over the tree I continue down the path. Through dense trees I see the sun reflecting off the river. At the riverbank lies a huge rock. Ten feet away is another huge rock. Engraved on one rock says Winthrop 1638 and the other Dudley 1638. A moment of sheer excitement and accomplishment I have no idea what to do next. It’s muddy and wet so I lean against the Dudley rock and take it all in.
Chapter 5: The Shadow
I took the pictures I need to document this great find. I felt like that I was the first person do discover these rocks. Since no one ever has heard of them and later talk about it that night still find nobody even knows about this landmark I feel somewhat even more accomplished.
I head back down the path, the sun beating on my back giving me a shadow to lead the way out of the forest. While walking, I think about this simple journey. How I pray every night to stay on path. On this journey I constantly hit forks in the road where I didn’t go with my true intuition, which led me way off path. If I had just stayed with that gut feeling what I know was right the journey would have lasted only 15 minutes. The way there took me nearly an hour. I always come to these forks in the road with my life and sometimes I make the wrong decision that I know is wrong and get way off path. Some how though I stop or come to a dead end and get back on the right path only to come to another fork in the road. It was a reminder to go with what you know is right and stick to your intuition of what’s right. If not, no matter how fun it is or a different adventure it will be, it leads to a dead end and it’s exhausting to try to find your way back. I believe God was trying to tell me something.
I make it to the school with no problem. I unload my gear and try to knock the mud off my boots. I lug it into the school and find my table. I talk to the lady rep next to me about my adventure and she has lived here for a long time and never knew about those rocks. The fair began and it was very small. Not many students showed up but Full Sail sparked some curiosity in parents and students. It wasn’t a complete waste. Yet time went by fast and I was out of there in an hour and a half. The drive home was easy making it to my hotel just before 9pm.
I began writing this blog and realized, after a fulfilling day like today. Where I felt like a failure, honored the dead, became lost, discovered 300 year old rocks and made peace with God I decided to it was time to rest my body and fall asleep.
Epilogue:
Today I have some extra time. I think I’m going to do one thing that is not on my list of things to do, but every aspiring writer needs to do and that is…
Battlefield Green
Laying on the Battlefield Green: MISSION COMPLETE
Minuteman
Old Causeway Road
The Path
The Swamp
The Fake Rocks
A Rock Wall
The Concord River
The Dudley Rock
The Winthrop Rock
The Brothers Rock: MISSION COMPLETE
Monday, October 15, 2007
Fall River
There’s something special about Boston. I felt it the last time I was here. If you fly in on a clear day and you’re sitting on the right side of the plane look down, you’ll see a lighthouse standing alone on rocks in the Atlantic just a couple of miles from the airport. I’ve decided that’s where I want to write all my movies from now on.
When I went to the Enterprise I was greeted pleasantly and Mike took me outside to re introduce me to my old friend. That’s right “Big Blue”. The same PT Cruiser I had in Maine, the exact same color. I asked “Big Blue” how he got all the way down and he didn’t really want to talk about it. I mean we aren’t the best of friends because we argue a lot but it’s always good to see a familiar face.
Getting lost in Salem was quite the experience, which now is going to be a common theme I’m finding out. Salem was a pretty cool town and being here during Halloween was a rare treat. It’s funny, I didn’t even think of it until I was there. As you walk around you can’t shake that eerie history that happened so long ago. When you walk around the cemetery you just have that strange feeling. It’s kinda touristy but that’s expected. Hey, I’m tourist or do I not count since I got lost and ended up there? I’m glad I ended up getting lost there.
I’ve learned that I have picked the most secluded out of the way hotel in North Boston. There is nothing literally for miles. There’s only one easy to get to restaurant and I went there yesterday. It wasn’t very good, but the apple dumpling was amazing. Yet this over priced golf resort wannabe is nothing special. The room is like every other plain jane hotel. It’s still under construction and it’s smoke-free. Which I don’t mind if there’s a bench our something outside to sit at, but there’s not. The pool is located down the way in another building. It’s a wacky set up but whatever, I have things to do.
I woke up at 5am and took my time this morning. My presentation wasn’t until 11am but it was an hour away. You see, I’m really not in Boston. All my school are on the outskirts of Boston. So I probably won’t make it into the city. Today’s school and Friday’s school are way south of MA. My other schools are North Boston. So “Big Blue” and I will be driving around quite a bit. A lucky for me, I decided to leave the hotel at 7am prepared for a Boston morning rush hour and I got it. Mapquest stated that my drive would take me an hour to get the school. It actually took me an hour to get to the city of Boston at that was just 11miles. I still had another forty miles to go. I cranked up NPR and enjoyed my morning coffee in stop and go traffic. Finally it cleared up a bit. Cruising down the highway a rock jumps up and slams into my windshield making a dime size crack. What is it with windshields and me lately? While thinking of that I realized I got off the wrong exit. I went off exit 6 instead of exit 5. Of course there wasn’t an on ramp south bound so I had to go north to another exit and then head back south. I finally get to my exit and pull into a shopping center. I call enterprise and no one picks up the phone. I call 3 times. I call my boss and again no one picks up the phone. Urgh. Oh well. I grab a cup off coffee at a bagel shop and look at the clock. I realize I have time.
I drive down narrow one-way streets of old New England homes, strange intersections until I get to 2nd Ave. I drive up several blocks growing frustrated. I turn down a side street and around back on 2nd Ave. At the last moment I see it! I drive around a couple of blocks and park. I put a couple of quarters in the meter and start walking down the block. Tucked away in between buildings is Scavenger Hunt Quest #2 Lizzie Borden’s Home. Of course it wasn’t going to be open to the public until 11am and if you wanted a tour it would set you back 10 dollars. Though looking at the house, you kinda wonder how you’re going to get 10 dollars worth from a tour in a small house. I was hoping for a gift shop at least, but all the doors were closed. Though the hunt said I had to drive by it, which I did twice and leaving it 3 times, I stood back and took a picture on my cell phone. So…
COMPLETE: 2. fall river - drive by the house where lizzie borden
killed her parents (now a b&b):
http://www.lizzie-borden.com/about.asp?SiteSectionID=1&SiteSubSectionID=1\
The presentation went well. The kids were really receptive. I was only there for an hour and a half, less the time it took for me to drive down there. That’s okay, at least I saw Lizzie’s house and for you that aren’t aware of her story, she was the O.J. Simpson of her time.
Driving back I had no incidents. I made it to the hotel in an hour. Then I had a swell idea to grab dinner and catch a movie. Well after getting lost to the movie theater and finally finding it I realize there’s no restaurants anywhere near by. So I turned around drove back up the US 1 and found a place to eat. Now, if you never have driven in Boston, it takes a master skill. No matter what the speed limit you have to drive 20mph over it. So in a 30 you have to drive 50. At some point you may have to turn left and then right and then left to stay on the same road constantly looking at signs while going 50 in a 30 on a two-lane road. Sitting at the restaurant exhausted on US 1 I decided to skip the movie. You can’t just get on US 1 you have to scheme your way between cars and if you need to go south instead of north you may be able to do it if the exit you get off lets you. US 1 N and US 1 S is divided by a wall you cannot cross over it unless at an exit (maybe) So as I am going back to my hotel on US 1 N I find the exit. Well I have to turn left, but it won’t let me. So I turn right and see a church on a hill that I will pull into and turn left out of. Well, on a two-lane road where cars going 50 in a thirty and the traffic don’t let up makes it almost impossible. So I wait several minutes and get defeated so I turn right and drive to a stop light take a right and enter an elementary school and turn to the stoplight. Sure a few miles out of my way but needless to say I make it back to my hotel just fine…letting out a long exhausting sigh.
So here I am back at the hotel where I’m going stay in for the night. I have two things on my list that I have to do tomorrow so I have to get some much needed sleep. Oh by the way, I did get ahold of Enterprise, they told me not to worry about the crack. I just feel sad that Big Blue has not got a Black Eye.
My body is beginning to shut down from all the traveling. But hey, if Mick Jagger can do it, so can’t I!!!!
P.S. I figured out how to get pictures from my cell phone.
Lizzie Borden's House, Fall River, MA
Old Burying Ground, Salem MA
When I went to the Enterprise I was greeted pleasantly and Mike took me outside to re introduce me to my old friend. That’s right “Big Blue”. The same PT Cruiser I had in Maine, the exact same color. I asked “Big Blue” how he got all the way down and he didn’t really want to talk about it. I mean we aren’t the best of friends because we argue a lot but it’s always good to see a familiar face.
Getting lost in Salem was quite the experience, which now is going to be a common theme I’m finding out. Salem was a pretty cool town and being here during Halloween was a rare treat. It’s funny, I didn’t even think of it until I was there. As you walk around you can’t shake that eerie history that happened so long ago. When you walk around the cemetery you just have that strange feeling. It’s kinda touristy but that’s expected. Hey, I’m tourist or do I not count since I got lost and ended up there? I’m glad I ended up getting lost there.
I’ve learned that I have picked the most secluded out of the way hotel in North Boston. There is nothing literally for miles. There’s only one easy to get to restaurant and I went there yesterday. It wasn’t very good, but the apple dumpling was amazing. Yet this over priced golf resort wannabe is nothing special. The room is like every other plain jane hotel. It’s still under construction and it’s smoke-free. Which I don’t mind if there’s a bench our something outside to sit at, but there’s not. The pool is located down the way in another building. It’s a wacky set up but whatever, I have things to do.
I woke up at 5am and took my time this morning. My presentation wasn’t until 11am but it was an hour away. You see, I’m really not in Boston. All my school are on the outskirts of Boston. So I probably won’t make it into the city. Today’s school and Friday’s school are way south of MA. My other schools are North Boston. So “Big Blue” and I will be driving around quite a bit. A lucky for me, I decided to leave the hotel at 7am prepared for a Boston morning rush hour and I got it. Mapquest stated that my drive would take me an hour to get the school. It actually took me an hour to get to the city of Boston at that was just 11miles. I still had another forty miles to go. I cranked up NPR and enjoyed my morning coffee in stop and go traffic. Finally it cleared up a bit. Cruising down the highway a rock jumps up and slams into my windshield making a dime size crack. What is it with windshields and me lately? While thinking of that I realized I got off the wrong exit. I went off exit 6 instead of exit 5. Of course there wasn’t an on ramp south bound so I had to go north to another exit and then head back south. I finally get to my exit and pull into a shopping center. I call enterprise and no one picks up the phone. I call 3 times. I call my boss and again no one picks up the phone. Urgh. Oh well. I grab a cup off coffee at a bagel shop and look at the clock. I realize I have time.
I drive down narrow one-way streets of old New England homes, strange intersections until I get to 2nd Ave. I drive up several blocks growing frustrated. I turn down a side street and around back on 2nd Ave. At the last moment I see it! I drive around a couple of blocks and park. I put a couple of quarters in the meter and start walking down the block. Tucked away in between buildings is Scavenger Hunt Quest #2 Lizzie Borden’s Home. Of course it wasn’t going to be open to the public until 11am and if you wanted a tour it would set you back 10 dollars. Though looking at the house, you kinda wonder how you’re going to get 10 dollars worth from a tour in a small house. I was hoping for a gift shop at least, but all the doors were closed. Though the hunt said I had to drive by it, which I did twice and leaving it 3 times, I stood back and took a picture on my cell phone. So…
COMPLETE: 2. fall river - drive by the house where lizzie borden
killed her parents (now a b&b):
http://www.lizzie-borden.com/about.asp?SiteSectionID=1&SiteSubSectionID=1\
The presentation went well. The kids were really receptive. I was only there for an hour and a half, less the time it took for me to drive down there. That’s okay, at least I saw Lizzie’s house and for you that aren’t aware of her story, she was the O.J. Simpson of her time.
Driving back I had no incidents. I made it to the hotel in an hour. Then I had a swell idea to grab dinner and catch a movie. Well after getting lost to the movie theater and finally finding it I realize there’s no restaurants anywhere near by. So I turned around drove back up the US 1 and found a place to eat. Now, if you never have driven in Boston, it takes a master skill. No matter what the speed limit you have to drive 20mph over it. So in a 30 you have to drive 50. At some point you may have to turn left and then right and then left to stay on the same road constantly looking at signs while going 50 in a 30 on a two-lane road. Sitting at the restaurant exhausted on US 1 I decided to skip the movie. You can’t just get on US 1 you have to scheme your way between cars and if you need to go south instead of north you may be able to do it if the exit you get off lets you. US 1 N and US 1 S is divided by a wall you cannot cross over it unless at an exit (maybe) So as I am going back to my hotel on US 1 N I find the exit. Well I have to turn left, but it won’t let me. So I turn right and see a church on a hill that I will pull into and turn left out of. Well, on a two-lane road where cars going 50 in a thirty and the traffic don’t let up makes it almost impossible. So I wait several minutes and get defeated so I turn right and drive to a stop light take a right and enter an elementary school and turn to the stoplight. Sure a few miles out of my way but needless to say I make it back to my hotel just fine…letting out a long exhausting sigh.
So here I am back at the hotel where I’m going stay in for the night. I have two things on my list that I have to do tomorrow so I have to get some much needed sleep. Oh by the way, I did get ahold of Enterprise, they told me not to worry about the crack. I just feel sad that Big Blue has not got a Black Eye.
My body is beginning to shut down from all the traveling. But hey, if Mick Jagger can do it, so can’t I!!!!
P.S. I figured out how to get pictures from my cell phone.
Lizzie Borden's House, Fall River, MA
Old Burying Ground, Salem MA
The Scavenger Hunt
This trip is going to be different. My friend Brittany has conceived a game for me to play while I am on this two week trip. I am in Wakefield, MA just 12 miles North of Boston. I’m pretty much going to be in the outskirts of Boston and probably not going to make it into the city. So Brittany has devised this game to keep me entertained while I am visiting these suburban towns. Here’s the Game:
1. boston - throw a tea bag into the boston harbor
2. fall river - drive by the house where lizzie borden
killed her parents (now a b&b):
http://www.lizzie-borden.com/about.asp?SiteSectionID=1&SiteSubSectionID=1\
3. lexington - lay in the grass of the battle green
(where the first shots of the battle of lexington and
concord were fired):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexington_Battle_Green
4. bedford - visit the two brothers rocks (When
Governor Winthrop and his Deputy Thomas Dudley viewed
their lands in early 1638, they decided to use two
great stones on the site to divide the property.
Winthrop claimed the land to one side of one rock;
Dudley claimed the land on the other side of the other
rock. They named the rocks "The Two Brothers." Over
the years, the two men had many differences; however
they learned to work together and even considered
themselves "brothers" by their children's marriage.
The rocks have come to symbolize the men's sprit of
cooperation and democracy. The two brothers can still
be seen near the banks of the Concord River in the
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.): you can find
a map here, http://www.bedfordmahistory.org/free.htm
5. find a sign (anywhere, saying anything) referencing
any of the many nobel peace prize recipients or other
famous people who have lived in belmont: scroll down
to notable residents:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont,_Massachusetts
6. salem - visit the burying point (oldest cemetery in
salem), where you find the with trials memorial as
well as the grave of one of the witch trials' judges,
john hawthorne (an ancestor of nathaniel hawthorne,
who wrote "the scarlet letter"):
http://www.salemweb.com/guide/tour/attract3.shtml#OBP
7. woonsocket - oh, that town name is so awesome, just
take a picture of any sign with the town's name on it
8. long island - visit fire island!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Island_National_Seashore
9. long island - drive through the hamptons
10. long island - visit the beach at montauk (like in
eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!)
http://www.onmontauk.com/
11. new york city - visit the five points area (like
in gangs of new york!):
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=worth+st.+%26+baxter+st.,+new+york,+ny&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=16&ll=40.714362,-74.000452&spn=0.006408,0.021629&t=h
12. amityville - well, yeah, duh. here's some more
info: http://djtricities.com/amityville/location.php
(like the address isn't 112 ocean drive anymore, even
though it's in the same place).
When I arrived at the Boston airport I picked up my car without any problems. I started driving north and there were these roundabouts. I accidentally took the 1A instead of the 1 so I kept driving not realizing at the time they were different. After knowing that they were different streets I just kept driving since turning around would just be a pain. Looking at the map I found that the highway did cross the 1A just a few miles north. The 1A just happens to run through downtown Salem.
It’s that time of the year in Salem where people from all over the world come to visit in the month of all hallows eve. The witches were all in costume in this downtown festival. People lined up for the Witch Museum. Street vendors lined the streets selling kettle corn and other foods and novelties. From my list I was to see the old burying ground. I stepped into the crowded visitors center and asked a lady where it was. She pointed me in the right direction and one block away there it was. The old stone graves lined up in this small cemetery. It was amazing looking at these stones that date all the way back to the late 1600’s – 1800’s. On a street next to the cemetery was a haunted house tour. The festival was busy on this beautiful Sunday Afternoon. The weather was 60 degrees. I was happy to be walking around even though I was lost and tired. Salem was a gorgeous town. I may go back if I have time, it’s really not far from my hotel so who knows.
COMPLETE: 6. salem - visit the burying point (oldest cemetery in
salem), where you find the with trials memorial as
well as the grave of one of the witch trials' judges,
john hawthorne (an ancestor of nathaniel hawthorne,
who wrote "the scarlet letter"):
1. boston - throw a tea bag into the boston harbor
2. fall river - drive by the house where lizzie borden
killed her parents (now a b&b):
http://www.lizzie-borden.com/about.asp?SiteSectionID=1&SiteSubSectionID=1\
3. lexington - lay in the grass of the battle green
(where the first shots of the battle of lexington and
concord were fired):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexington_Battle_Green
4. bedford - visit the two brothers rocks (When
Governor Winthrop and his Deputy Thomas Dudley viewed
their lands in early 1638, they decided to use two
great stones on the site to divide the property.
Winthrop claimed the land to one side of one rock;
Dudley claimed the land on the other side of the other
rock. They named the rocks "The Two Brothers." Over
the years, the two men had many differences; however
they learned to work together and even considered
themselves "brothers" by their children's marriage.
The rocks have come to symbolize the men's sprit of
cooperation and democracy. The two brothers can still
be seen near the banks of the Concord River in the
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.): you can find
a map here, http://www.bedfordmahistory.org/free.htm
5. find a sign (anywhere, saying anything) referencing
any of the many nobel peace prize recipients or other
famous people who have lived in belmont: scroll down
to notable residents:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont,_Massachusetts
6. salem - visit the burying point (oldest cemetery in
salem), where you find the with trials memorial as
well as the grave of one of the witch trials' judges,
john hawthorne (an ancestor of nathaniel hawthorne,
who wrote "the scarlet letter"):
http://www.salemweb.com/guide/tour/attract3.shtml#OBP
7. woonsocket - oh, that town name is so awesome, just
take a picture of any sign with the town's name on it
8. long island - visit fire island!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Island_National_Seashore
9. long island - drive through the hamptons
10. long island - visit the beach at montauk (like in
eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!)
http://www.onmontauk.com/
11. new york city - visit the five points area (like
in gangs of new york!):
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=worth+st.+%26+baxter+st.,+new+york,+ny&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=16&ll=40.714362,-74.000452&spn=0.006408,0.021629&t=h
12. amityville - well, yeah, duh. here's some more
info: http://djtricities.com/amityville/location.php
(like the address isn't 112 ocean drive anymore, even
though it's in the same place).
When I arrived at the Boston airport I picked up my car without any problems. I started driving north and there were these roundabouts. I accidentally took the 1A instead of the 1 so I kept driving not realizing at the time they were different. After knowing that they were different streets I just kept driving since turning around would just be a pain. Looking at the map I found that the highway did cross the 1A just a few miles north. The 1A just happens to run through downtown Salem.
It’s that time of the year in Salem where people from all over the world come to visit in the month of all hallows eve. The witches were all in costume in this downtown festival. People lined up for the Witch Museum. Street vendors lined the streets selling kettle corn and other foods and novelties. From my list I was to see the old burying ground. I stepped into the crowded visitors center and asked a lady where it was. She pointed me in the right direction and one block away there it was. The old stone graves lined up in this small cemetery. It was amazing looking at these stones that date all the way back to the late 1600’s – 1800’s. On a street next to the cemetery was a haunted house tour. The festival was busy on this beautiful Sunday Afternoon. The weather was 60 degrees. I was happy to be walking around even though I was lost and tired. Salem was a gorgeous town. I may go back if I have time, it’s really not far from my hotel so who knows.
COMPLETE: 6. salem - visit the burying point (oldest cemetery in
salem), where you find the with trials memorial as
well as the grave of one of the witch trials' judges,
john hawthorne (an ancestor of nathaniel hawthorne,
who wrote "the scarlet letter"):
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Once
I know some of you have showed interest in the movie “Once” that I had mentioned and declared the best movie I’ve seen so far this year, so while I was trying to find the DVD release date I came across these tidbits.
Sources say the movie comes out Dec. 6th.
Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg was quoted as saying "A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year.
Shot for only $160,000
As of October 7, 2007, the film had grossed more then $10.5 million worldwide including over $9 million in the U.S
male lead to be played by actor Cillian Murphy but later dropped out.
Shot with a skeleton crew on a 17-day shoot
The stars, Hansard and/or Irglová composed and performed all but one of the original songs in the movie.
On the May 18, 2007 broadcast of Ebert & Roeper, both Richard Roeper and guest critic Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune gave enthusiastic reviews. Phillips called it, "the most charming thing I've seen all year," "the Brief Encounter for the 21st century," and his favorite music film since 1984's Stop Making Sense. Roeper referred to the film's recording studio scene as "more inspirational and uplifting than almost any number of Dreamgirls or Chicago or any of those multi-zillion dollar musical showstopping films. In its own way, it will blow you away."[
Sources say the movie comes out Dec. 6th.
Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg was quoted as saying "A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year.
Shot for only $160,000
As of October 7, 2007, the film had grossed more then $10.5 million worldwide including over $9 million in the U.S
male lead to be played by actor Cillian Murphy but later dropped out.
Shot with a skeleton crew on a 17-day shoot
The stars, Hansard and/or Irglová composed and performed all but one of the original songs in the movie.
On the May 18, 2007 broadcast of Ebert & Roeper, both Richard Roeper and guest critic Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune gave enthusiastic reviews. Phillips called it, "the most charming thing I've seen all year," "the Brief Encounter for the 21st century," and his favorite music film since 1984's Stop Making Sense. Roeper referred to the film's recording studio scene as "more inspirational and uplifting than almost any number of Dreamgirls or Chicago or any of those multi-zillion dollar musical showstopping films. In its own way, it will blow you away."[
Friday, October 12, 2007
On a Good Note: Farewell to Pasco County
Thursday I have to admit was a good day. The teacher was awesome and the students were well behaved. This teacher was the first person who ever asked me if I smoked. After I said yes, during our break we walked down stairs, through corridors and behind this long gate. There was a patio on dark side of the compound where teachers all sat smoking and bitching about their students. I felt like I was apart of the elite group, this secret society. All the teachers huddling, name dropping students good and bad and giving each other the 411. I asked myself if high school had this secret space on campus. It was amazing.
Of course I still believe this school isn’t the greatest. A fight broke out before school leaving one student in bloody pulp. I only received the details from the students. The day prior my teacher had a substitute and during the day someone in the class swiped her wallet. So the cops came in during one of my presentations which was a bit of a disruption but quickly ended. Overall my day was good.
I went to the coffee shop and did some work. I am confirmed to leave on my next trip on Sunday. I booked my hotels and my car. I then grabbed some dinner. As soon as I got back to my room to my surprise I had the internet. My last night at the hotel and doing all my work at a coffee shop, I finally get the internet. I just laid in bed silently going over my thoughts until I fell asleep.
Today I go back to the classroom from hell and do two presentations and them I drive back to Orlando. I have so much to do tonight and Saturday. On Sunday I’ll be on the road for two weeks straight so this could get really interesting. Stay Tuned my weary readers.
Of course I still believe this school isn’t the greatest. A fight broke out before school leaving one student in bloody pulp. I only received the details from the students. The day prior my teacher had a substitute and during the day someone in the class swiped her wallet. So the cops came in during one of my presentations which was a bit of a disruption but quickly ended. Overall my day was good.
I went to the coffee shop and did some work. I am confirmed to leave on my next trip on Sunday. I booked my hotels and my car. I then grabbed some dinner. As soon as I got back to my room to my surprise I had the internet. My last night at the hotel and doing all my work at a coffee shop, I finally get the internet. I just laid in bed silently going over my thoughts until I fell asleep.
Today I go back to the classroom from hell and do two presentations and them I drive back to Orlando. I have so much to do tonight and Saturday. On Sunday I’ll be on the road for two weeks straight so this could get really interesting. Stay Tuned my weary readers.
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