If you haven't heard, Skybus is a new airline that operates out of Columbus. The fares are dirt cheap - as low as $10 on some - and one of the destinations is Boston! (Well, it's actually New Portsmouth, New Hampshire which is 45 minutes away) So, get moving!
Forego a late night at the movies, skip the popcorn and soda and in exchange buy a flight to Boston.
Tickets are on sale.
Go.
Now.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Family Visits Continue
Sometimes life seems like a series of hellos and goodbyes.
That's a quote from one of my favorite priests who I grew up with in Ohio. And before you think I'm about to write a Hallmark sentiment to make up for the fact that Nick forgot that Saturday was Sweetest Day, I'm just marveling how quickly this weekend passed because of the goodness of family visiting.
Nick's mom, brother (Keith) and, Kelly were here for three great days and the time slipped by us too quickly. We bar-hopped like wild college animals and we walked the city like true Bostonians. With Game 6 of the ALSC at Fenway; the Regatta/Head of the Charles (an enormous national rowing tournament that filled the Charles River all weekend); and the infamous Family Weekend scheduled for several colleges in a city that boasts 250,000 students in the greater Boston area - the city, needless to say, was busting at the seams.
Keith and Nick opted for an early Christmas gift to head to Fenway for Game 6 and watched the Sox stomp 12 runs out of the Indians. Benedict Nick rooted for the Sox and I, remaining true to my roots, cheered for Cleveland from bars in Harvard Square. It was a sport-filled weekend with a lot of celebration and catching up.
One of the things that is always fun about visitors is the opportunity to see the city from fresh eyes. The following is a collection of shots I have taken for the past few visits.
On deck for next weekend: my folks will be visiting!
This shot of Fenway was taken during a tour of the park last weekend.
To give you an idea of the busy-ness of the city, three weeks ago Nick and I woke up to the sound of a loud microphone voice booming, "GOOD MORNING BOSTON!" I glanced out the window to see 7,000 plus women registering for the Tufts Healthcare for Women 10K. (picture is taken from our living room window)
Just another morning in Beantown.
An autumn sunset on Beacon Street.
That's a quote from one of my favorite priests who I grew up with in Ohio. And before you think I'm about to write a Hallmark sentiment to make up for the fact that Nick forgot that Saturday was Sweetest Day, I'm just marveling how quickly this weekend passed because of the goodness of family visiting.
Nick's mom, brother (Keith) and, Kelly were here for three great days and the time slipped by us too quickly. We bar-hopped like wild college animals and we walked the city like true Bostonians. With Game 6 of the ALSC at Fenway; the Regatta/Head of the Charles (an enormous national rowing tournament that filled the Charles River all weekend); and the infamous Family Weekend scheduled for several colleges in a city that boasts 250,000 students in the greater Boston area - the city, needless to say, was busting at the seams.
Keith and Nick opted for an early Christmas gift to head to Fenway for Game 6 and watched the Sox stomp 12 runs out of the Indians. Benedict Nick rooted for the Sox and I, remaining true to my roots, cheered for Cleveland from bars in Harvard Square. It was a sport-filled weekend with a lot of celebration and catching up.
One of the things that is always fun about visitors is the opportunity to see the city from fresh eyes. The following is a collection of shots I have taken for the past few visits.
On deck for next weekend: my folks will be visiting!
This shot of Fenway was taken during a tour of the park last weekend.
To give you an idea of the busy-ness of the city, three weeks ago Nick and I woke up to the sound of a loud microphone voice booming, "GOOD MORNING BOSTON!" I glanced out the window to see 7,000 plus women registering for the Tufts Healthcare for Women 10K. (picture is taken from our living room window)Just another morning in Beantown.
An autumn sunset on Beacon Street.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Two RDs for the Price of One
Visitors galore!
Boots, Don, and Barb Cordonnier just passed through Boston last weekend and we're gearing up for another fresh batch of family tomorrow night. Kay, Kelly, and Keith Borchers are flying in tomorrow and Nick is heading up to the airport to pick them up so I don't miss one moment of Grey's Anatomy.
Sometimes I forget that we live, as Don would say, DOWNTOWN. "Not just near downtown, but DOWNTOWN," is how Don describes it. Unfortunately, our guests got a little too much a taste of city life when we watched the aftermath of a pedestrian get hit by a car right in front of our apartment complex. The drama doesn't stop.
In addition to visitors, Nick and I are gearing up for our first autumn together in the city. The sheets are flannel, the jackets are out, and Nick's Adidas pants are a near daily occurence. Living in a high rise residence hall continues to be full of surprises. About three weeks ago, a student accidentally burned a plate full of Tostino pizza rolls that sent the alarms off at 12:30am. As the RD (Resident Director) on duty, I helped evacuate the building and tried to keep traffic under control, I kept glancing at Nick to make sure he knew where to go.
Why was I worried? That worry proved unnecessary when I spotted him directing students across the street and cautioning them not to jaywalk. Sometimes, I swear, he wants my job. When it was time to go back in the building, I started wondering how 550 students were going to get back into the halls without their IDS, which is necessary for entrance. It took some time, but I managed to get a system going and it seemed to be going well. Then I felt a finger poking me in the shoulder. It's Nick.
"Leese, there's a kid trying to sneak in by using someone else's ID. I stopped him and confiscated his card." He held the card to my face and nodded emphatically several times in a quite official manner.
"Oh. Ok. Thanks. I'll take care of it. You, uh, you know, don't need to be confiscating cards or guarding the entrance. I have staff to take care of it."
"I know, but I wanted to! Crap like that pisses me off! I told him to stand over there," Nick points to a section of the lobby where a dismal student anxiously shifted his weight from side to side.
Though Nick is entirely happy to be studying his theology and ethics, I think it's important to note that anytime my job requires my authoritative fist and Nick is around, he is more than happy to jump in and bust any student on any policy violation. We were resident assistants together in college, so I guess that still hasn't died down in him just yet.
Boots, Don, and Barb Cordonnier just passed through Boston last weekend and we're gearing up for another fresh batch of family tomorrow night. Kay, Kelly, and Keith Borchers are flying in tomorrow and Nick is heading up to the airport to pick them up so I don't miss one moment of Grey's Anatomy.
Sometimes I forget that we live, as Don would say, DOWNTOWN. "Not just near downtown, but DOWNTOWN," is how Don describes it. Unfortunately, our guests got a little too much a taste of city life when we watched the aftermath of a pedestrian get hit by a car right in front of our apartment complex. The drama doesn't stop.
In addition to visitors, Nick and I are gearing up for our first autumn together in the city. The sheets are flannel, the jackets are out, and Nick's Adidas pants are a near daily occurence. Living in a high rise residence hall continues to be full of surprises. About three weeks ago, a student accidentally burned a plate full of Tostino pizza rolls that sent the alarms off at 12:30am. As the RD (Resident Director) on duty, I helped evacuate the building and tried to keep traffic under control, I kept glancing at Nick to make sure he knew where to go.
Why was I worried? That worry proved unnecessary when I spotted him directing students across the street and cautioning them not to jaywalk. Sometimes, I swear, he wants my job. When it was time to go back in the building, I started wondering how 550 students were going to get back into the halls without their IDS, which is necessary for entrance. It took some time, but I managed to get a system going and it seemed to be going well. Then I felt a finger poking me in the shoulder. It's Nick.
"Leese, there's a kid trying to sneak in by using someone else's ID. I stopped him and confiscated his card." He held the card to my face and nodded emphatically several times in a quite official manner.
"Oh. Ok. Thanks. I'll take care of it. You, uh, you know, don't need to be confiscating cards or guarding the entrance. I have staff to take care of it."
"I know, but I wanted to! Crap like that pisses me off! I told him to stand over there," Nick points to a section of the lobby where a dismal student anxiously shifted his weight from side to side.
Though Nick is entirely happy to be studying his theology and ethics, I think it's important to note that anytime my job requires my authoritative fist and Nick is around, he is more than happy to jump in and bust any student on any policy violation. We were resident assistants together in college, so I guess that still hasn't died down in him just yet.
Monday, October 1, 2007
How the Hyphen Happened
The hyphen.
It stands for a lot. For Nick and I, the hyphen means long sighs from the receptionist at the dentist office who tries to spell my name and the poor pizza guy trying to pronounce it.
When I decided to hyphenate my name, it came after much thinking and long, long discussions with Nick.
I'll never forget the months preceding the decision to hyphenate my name. Thanks to my rocking memory, this is a pretty darn accurate account of one of the many conversations that took place in the summer of 2004.
We just got done eating at Sunset Bar and Grill. We're talking about the possibility of what are names should be if we get married. At this point, we are not even engaged. We're just in the car, I'm driving (probably too fast.)
L: Mhm. What do you think of taking my last name?
N: Nick Factora? I don't think so. That's just...you know, that's just not me.
L: Weeeellll, I feel the same way about Lisa Borchers as you do about Nick Factora.
N: Yeah. I can see that.
L: Well, we could always mix the letters of both of our last names.
N: Like a whole new name?
L: Yeah! We could create a whole new family name, based from a mixing of our old ones.
N: (the infamous skeptical tilting of the head) I don't know.
L: Why not?
N: I don't know, it just sounds odd to me.
L: Let's brainstorm.
-silence-
L: I actually already have one in mind. I just wanted to make it sound like a new idea.
N: I am not surprised.
L: Are you ready?
N: I can't wait.
L: What do you think of 'Ratcho?'
N: (explosion) 'RATCHO?'
L: See, we both have an 'r' in there. There's an 'a' in 'Factora.' There's also a 't' in-
N: I can clearly see where the letters are coming from. That's not really the problem.
L: You don't like it.
N: Are you trying to say you'd rather be known - for the rest of your life - as 'Lisa Ratcho' than 'Lisa Borchers?'
-contemplation-
N: Think of how horrible that would be: 'Lisa and Nick RATCHO.'
L: Yeah, you're right. That's pretty bad.
And thus was born the idea of hyphenating my name and Nick staying with Borchers.
My maternal grandfather is from Spain and in Spanish tradition, the maiden name of the mother becomes your middle name. I always loved the idea of your name being a story. My first names are from my grandmothers, my middle is from my mother and my last is from my father and, now, also my spouse. It certainly is a long name, (and we're not even including Confirmation names either!), let's not be ridiculous, but at least I never have to worry about someone having the same identity.
In addition, while I do acknowledge the annoying (yet fortunately infrequent) burden a hyphen may carry, Nick and I both agree whole-heartedly that 'Ana Lisa Fernandez Factora-Borchers' sounds a helluvalot better than 'Lisa Ratcho.'
It stands for a lot. For Nick and I, the hyphen means long sighs from the receptionist at the dentist office who tries to spell my name and the poor pizza guy trying to pronounce it.
When I decided to hyphenate my name, it came after much thinking and long, long discussions with Nick.
I'll never forget the months preceding the decision to hyphenate my name. Thanks to my rocking memory, this is a pretty darn accurate account of one of the many conversations that took place in the summer of 2004.
We just got done eating at Sunset Bar and Grill. We're talking about the possibility of what are names should be if we get married. At this point, we are not even engaged. We're just in the car, I'm driving (probably too fast.)
L: Mhm. What do you think of taking my last name?
N: Nick Factora? I don't think so. That's just...you know, that's just not me.
L: Weeeellll, I feel the same way about Lisa Borchers as you do about Nick Factora.
N: Yeah. I can see that.
L: Well, we could always mix the letters of both of our last names.
N: Like a whole new name?
L: Yeah! We could create a whole new family name, based from a mixing of our old ones.
N: (the infamous skeptical tilting of the head) I don't know.
L: Why not?
N: I don't know, it just sounds odd to me.
L: Let's brainstorm.
-silence-
L: I actually already have one in mind. I just wanted to make it sound like a new idea.
N: I am not surprised.
L: Are you ready?
N: I can't wait.
L: What do you think of 'Ratcho?'
N: (explosion) 'RATCHO?'
L: See, we both have an 'r' in there. There's an 'a' in 'Factora.' There's also a 't' in-
N: I can clearly see where the letters are coming from. That's not really the problem.
L: You don't like it.
N: Are you trying to say you'd rather be known - for the rest of your life - as 'Lisa Ratcho' than 'Lisa Borchers?'
-contemplation-
N: Think of how horrible that would be: 'Lisa and Nick RATCHO.'
L: Yeah, you're right. That's pretty bad.
And thus was born the idea of hyphenating my name and Nick staying with Borchers.
My maternal grandfather is from Spain and in Spanish tradition, the maiden name of the mother becomes your middle name. I always loved the idea of your name being a story. My first names are from my grandmothers, my middle is from my mother and my last is from my father and, now, also my spouse. It certainly is a long name, (and we're not even including Confirmation names either!), let's not be ridiculous, but at least I never have to worry about someone having the same identity.
In addition, while I do acknowledge the annoying (yet fortunately infrequent) burden a hyphen may carry, Nick and I both agree whole-heartedly that 'Ana Lisa Fernandez Factora-Borchers' sounds a helluvalot better than 'Lisa Ratcho.'
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