For those of you who do a lot of road-tripping in the U.S., here’s something that you might find interesting — a map of the U.S. Interstate highway system, simplified in a fashion similar to many subway maps:
Click the map to see it at full size.
Map courtesy of Miss Fipi Lele.
This map is a creation of Chris Yates, and you can get prints of it from the “Toys” page of his site.
Last night, as the Ginger Ninja and I emerged from baggage claim at Peason’s Terminal 1, we saw a chauffeur from a car service holding up a sign that read: Gilbert Gottfried.
“Oh, crap,” I said to Wendy, “let’s get out of here.”
I should’ve taken a picture, but I was just too tired.
danah boyd making her “MyFriends, MySpace” presentation at the Berkman Center at Harvard, Tuesday, June 19th, 2007.
One of the things I got to do during last week’s vacation was go visit the place where the Ginger Ninja worked for four years (and where I met her!) — the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard. We caught their Tuesday luncheon series and had the good fortune of meeting danah boyd, who gave her presentation titled MyFriends, MySpace.
It’s about 17 or so hours until my brother-in-law Andy Ramoniac and his fiancee Sue tie the knot. Since I expect that my hands will be full with groomsman, accordion and “chair lifting during the hora” duties, I thought I’d take this quiet moment to wish Andy and Sue my best.
In their honour, I present a poem by Ogden Nash…
Tin Wedding Whistle
Though you know it anyhow
Listen to me, darling, now,Proving what I need not prove
How I know I love you, love.Near and far, near and far,
I am happy where you are;Likewise I have never larnt
How to be it where you aren’t.Far and wide, far and wide,
I can walk with you beside;Furthermore, I tell you what,
I sit and sulk where you are not.Visitors remark my frown
Where you’re upstairs and I am down,Yes, and I’m afraid I pout
When I’m indoors and you are out;But how contentedly I view
Any room containing you.In fact I care not where you be,
Just as long as it’s with me.In all your absences I glimpse
Fire and flood and trolls and imps.Is your train a minute slothful?
I goad the stationmaster wrothful.When with friends to bridge you drive
I never know if you’re alive,And when you linger late in shops
I long to telephone the cops.Yet how worth the waiting for,
To see you coming through the door.Somehow, I can be complacent
Never but with you adjacent.Near and far, near and far,
I am happy where you are;Likewise I have never larnt
How to be it where you aren’t.Then grudge me not my fond endeavor,
To hold you in my sight forever;Let none, not even you, disparage
Such a valid reason for a marriage.
Even though I’ve been to a good number of U.S. states, especially those on the east coast, this is the first time I’ve ever set foot in Connecticut. I have some preconceived notions about this place, culled largely from three sources:
Friends from Connecticut, all of whom went to prep schools and good universities
Episodes of Gilmore Girls (the Ginger Ninja watches them religiously and has most of the DVDs)
A staple of 80’s teenage reading: Lisa Birnbach’s The Official Preppy Handbook.
The Official Preppy Handbook is sort of like the old campy Batman TV series — how you looked at it depended on how old you were:
At a certain age, people interpreted it as a “how-to” guide. For a while, my sister and her friends and classmates at Havergal College did just this, treating it as an instruction manual.
Once a little bit older, they then dismiss the book as junk.
Finally, they appreciate the book for what it is: a tongue-in-cheek “it’s funny because it’s mostly true” self-deprecating lampoon of the life of people who wore uniforms in high school, took tennis lessons and had alligators on a fair number of their clothes (I’m guilty of all three).
I should go see if the ol’ Preppy Handbook is still kickin’ around Mom’s place.
I’m here as a guest, groomsman and accordion player at the wedding of my brother-in-law Andy Ramoniac and his fiancee Sue. I get to do double accordion duty at this wedding, joining Andy’s balalaika group to do some Russian and Jewish tunes as well as his Ramones tribute band, The Ramoniacs. It’s going to be a party, and rest assured I’ll post pictures.
In keeping with the tradition on this blog, I’m posting a photo of the fried dough cart in Boston Common:
The Ginger Ninja and I are in the Boston area for the week. We’re catching up with family and friends for most of the week, and this weekend, we’re part of the wedding party of her brother, Andy Ramoniac.
If you’re thinking of robbing our place while we’re gone, let me assure you that you will fail. Our building is protected by the best crime detection system I’ve ever seen: cranky retirees who like to watch the closed-circuit lobby channel on their TVs.
Click the photo to see the article in the Toronto Star.
Click here to read my account of the wedding.
Today’s Toronto Star has a story about Julie’s and Amanda’s wedding. I should run over to the corner store and pick up a few copies for the ol’ scrapbook (and to send to Julie and Amanda, of course!).
For the Star readers who came here, my story about the wedding is here.