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.'
Monday, September 24, 2007
"SOLE" Mates
If and when Nick and I have children, we know this much is true:
S/he will have some seriously messed up feet and ankles.
Nick came home last week and his right ankle was so swollen it looked like he had accidentally swallowed a baseball and it was lodged in his ankle. A doctor and a physical therapist visit later, Nick has been given a series of exercises and stretches to strengthen it. Better to strengthen it now, the doctor explained, than to wait until you're older and there's nothing he can do about it.
Mhm. That medical advice sounds familiar. OH YES, I remember now - I told him that exact same thing about 287 times over the past 2 years. "Fix it now, it'll be harder later on."
He's mobile and it doesn't hurt much, but his ankle's still pretty huge.
In the fourth grade, I had to wear orthopedic shoes to correct two extra bones in my feet. I have absurdly flat feet and the extra bones, located on the inside of my feet, can't take much pressure and so I wore huge corrective brown shoes for my entire fourth grade year. Everyone called me, "Grandma" and I cried off and on for a year. Finally, the humiliation was too much and I put my Grandma shoes away, sabotaging my future of having any sort of a life with normal feet. If I had known then that my future husband would have severe ankle problems and by not fixing my own feet problems I would be jeopardizing our children's future, I may have tried to stick it out with my orthopedic footware.
Despite our failing feet, things continue to go splendidly here in Boston. This past weekend, we had visitors. An old college roommate, Cara Hansen, was passing through and we met up for drinks. Nick's aunt and uncle, Andy and Linda Meyer, were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary here in Boston and we had a great evening in Harvard Square and stopping for a drink at Cheers.
Familiar faces are always welcome! Book soon and frequently.
S/he will have some seriously messed up feet and ankles.
Nick came home last week and his right ankle was so swollen it looked like he had accidentally swallowed a baseball and it was lodged in his ankle. A doctor and a physical therapist visit later, Nick has been given a series of exercises and stretches to strengthen it. Better to strengthen it now, the doctor explained, than to wait until you're older and there's nothing he can do about it.
Mhm. That medical advice sounds familiar. OH YES, I remember now - I told him that exact same thing about 287 times over the past 2 years. "Fix it now, it'll be harder later on."
He's mobile and it doesn't hurt much, but his ankle's still pretty huge.
In the fourth grade, I had to wear orthopedic shoes to correct two extra bones in my feet. I have absurdly flat feet and the extra bones, located on the inside of my feet, can't take much pressure and so I wore huge corrective brown shoes for my entire fourth grade year. Everyone called me, "Grandma" and I cried off and on for a year. Finally, the humiliation was too much and I put my Grandma shoes away, sabotaging my future of having any sort of a life with normal feet. If I had known then that my future husband would have severe ankle problems and by not fixing my own feet problems I would be jeopardizing our children's future, I may have tried to stick it out with my orthopedic footware.
Despite our failing feet, things continue to go splendidly here in Boston. This past weekend, we had visitors. An old college roommate, Cara Hansen, was passing through and we met up for drinks. Nick's aunt and uncle, Andy and Linda Meyer, were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary here in Boston and we had a great evening in Harvard Square and stopping for a drink at Cheers.
Familiar faces are always welcome! Book soon and frequently.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Seriously Football
If you know the Borchers side at all, meaning, if you know Nick at all, you know that autumn means two reliefs come into our lives: cooler weather and Ohio State Football.
There are football fans and then there are Football Fans.
Nick is a FOOTBALL FAN.
As he is now 2 weeks into theologizing, if that's a word, his mind for the next five years, I sometimes worry that he'll begin to take life too seriously. Seriously, talking about Augustine and the ethical facets of Rwandan genocide are definitely not the most light of topics.
So we watch Tiger and boo Phil, laugh at 0-2 Michigan, and wag our index finger at Belichek. I like to think that sports, sometimes, provides a nice break from the seriousness of our lives. I also think he likes to pretend he doesn't take sports as seriously as he did before, but when I hear:
[couch slap] "GOSH DANGIT BENGALS, why don't you at least try to block once in while?"
I begin to wonder,
is he getting proper respite?
So, I worry about the level of fun in our lives and try to make sure we have appropriate levels of sarcasm and pop culture to balance us out. I had him sit in front of our new baby - the laptop we just purchased (which we LOVE) - that has all sorts of fancy gadgets. We started experimenting with the distortion tools and we couldn't stop laughing.
Now, if Michigan goes to 0-3 against the Irish today, you'll hear our guffawing from Boston.
There are football fans and then there are Football Fans.
Nick is a FOOTBALL FAN.
As he is now 2 weeks into theologizing, if that's a word, his mind for the next five years, I sometimes worry that he'll begin to take life too seriously. Seriously, talking about Augustine and the ethical facets of Rwandan genocide are definitely not the most light of topics.
So we watch Tiger and boo Phil, laugh at 0-2 Michigan, and wag our index finger at Belichek. I like to think that sports, sometimes, provides a nice break from the seriousness of our lives. I also think he likes to pretend he doesn't take sports as seriously as he did before, but when I hear:
[couch slap] "GOSH DANGIT BENGALS, why don't you at least try to block once in while?"
I begin to wonder,
is he getting proper respite?
So, I worry about the level of fun in our lives and try to make sure we have appropriate levels of sarcasm and pop culture to balance us out. I had him sit in front of our new baby - the laptop we just purchased (which we LOVE) - that has all sorts of fancy gadgets. We started experimenting with the distortion tools and we couldn't stop laughing.
Now, if Michigan goes to 0-3 against the Irish today, you'll hear our guffawing from Boston.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Anyone Can Comment
Hola Amigos,
We just got word from a few folks that have let us know that you've tried to comment, but you've been unable because you don't have a gmail account.
I changed the settings so that anyone, regardless of email account, can comment.
So, comment away!
Give us love.
We just got word from a few folks that have let us know that you've tried to comment, but you've been unable because you don't have a gmail account.
I changed the settings so that anyone, regardless of email account, can comment.
So, comment away!
Give us love.
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