At least I respond to harrassment. I mean, I have that going for me. And, after some extremely intense, albeit loving, emails and myspace messages from my dear friends back home in California, I realized it was time to put down my new favorite book "Publishing for Profit" and update this thing. There is so so so much to say!

First of all, my sister Ilana is the new shining star in Boston. She is working at Starbucks and at Perkins School for the Blind (where Helen Keller went!!) as an aid. She could not be happier--even though I am a little bummed I won't be coming home to steak dinners and a spotless apartment anymore;). I actually have to pull my weight? Dang! She and I continue to text each other random stories and go on secret missions. Here are some highlights:

Random T story #1: Nice, normal-looking man sitting on T reading newspaper, idly waiting for his next stop. Glances around, but not in a manic, i'm-homeless-and-haven't-eaten-anything-but-an-old-cigarette-butt-in-two-days way. Just a few furtive glances. Suddenly, out of nowhere, homeboy stands up, and BELTS the star spangled banner!! We are talking rumbling baritone, here, people. BELTS it out, at the top of his lungs, and gets off the train. Nice.
Random T story #2: Picture it: Boston, 2008 (I often talk like Sophia Patrillo, get over it). Ilana and I are trying to get used to the massive amounts of rain that fall here. Suddenly doors to T opens and in steps a young women.....who falls on her face. slips. right there, in the middle of the T. Doesn't move. after three seconds of wondering whether I can reenact my old lifeguard skills, she looks around to see if anyone is watching. Well, of course we are watching, you dumb broad, you just fell and aren't moving. Then she squeals and puts her hands over her eyes. she looks again. now we have all inched back several feet. she covers her face again, and gets up slowly, hands still over her eyes. wow.

Secret Mission #1: As of yesterday, Ilana and I have officially been using coffee filters as toilet paper. That;s right, people, laugh all you want, but we just haven't had time to go shopping!!!! and don;t you need money for that, too? SO, for those who have promised to send me a ripe tomato and a quesadilla, send over some good old TP too;)

In all seriousness, things have been going very well for us. School is getting to the beyond-busy point, but I am loving the challenge of my classes. They are relevant, exciting, and interesting. My work is going equally as well...and i finally figured out how to use the one-cup coffee machine without either spilling or destroying, so that;s a plus there. This past weekend, I was honored to be in my cousin Jamie's wedding and my family commented that I looked happier than I had appeared in a long time. It was SO GOOD to see everyone, and it reminded me that California will always be home. I wish I could have seen more of my friends, but it really was a jam-packed weekend...complete with a red eye that I am still recovering from. The bride was beautiful, my mother was radiant, and the groom was hilarious.

As some of you may or may not know, Cameron has decided to join me in Boston! He has packed up his life in Sacramento, and will now be working for New England Cable Channel. He will be here Saturday:)

Emerson Explorers is still going strong. We have decided to forego this week's place of interest and carve pumpkins at Julia's house. Laura's boyfriend is in town, and we are going to grill him...I mean, meet him.

I have already worn all my January clothes...fabulous. Any excuse to go shopping, though, right?

Please write to me and let me know how you are doing! I miss you and love you...

MAB

Upon our arrival on the first day of orientation, all Emerson students received a free student planner. The creator? Map Boston, by Morgan First, an Emerson alum. The planner is very trendy and retro, and lives up to its acronym "Map", which stands for "Motion Affair Planner". Part of its charm are local restaurants, sites, and bars/club, which are featured weekly in a colorful column right next to the planner's day-by-day calendar. These little gems include the name of the location, the atmosphere, and best of all, which subway to take to get there! My friend Julia and I, eager to explore our new home have started Weekly Watering, a tentative name, but seemingly appropriate for our adventure. Our mission? Each Friday, we will visit the featured location in our planner!! Simple, easy, and a great way to put a small dent in the thousands of places to visit in this city.

This last Friday, 9/12, Julia, Ilana, Ty (our neighbor) and I visited The Savant Project, located in Mission Hill. The Savant Project is Boston's version of Vini Vidi Vici's in the Tower District of Fresno. Low, moody lights, fantastic and ever-changing local artwork, sultry colors and a jazz band made the evening an ideal time to relax with a cocktail and talk about the week. The Savant Project serves only tapas-like food, but the drinks were the best part! My first drink was a Pimms. For those of you who have been to London, you know all about this outstanding little drink. Tangy, fruity, refreshing and full of garnishes like cucumbers, cherries, and orange rind, this drink is festive and fun. At around 10p, the band started playing lively jazz/blues tunes, and we were moved to an upstairs balcony where we had access to a number of board games. We chose "Would You Rather?" and spent the better part of the night laughing hysterically at questions like, "would you rather drink foot sweat or bite off the head of a gopher?". The only disturbing part of this bar was a painting of a nude woman who's fingers were crouching a little far into her tissue-like underwear (maybe to distract the viewer from the under-side of her breasts falling out of her balck leather bra) complete with a camel toe that reminded me of a small stapler. You get the picture.

Stay tuned for the next Weekly Watering extravaganza.


Also, I have to mention that today (Sunday), my friend Laura and I went to the open house of Cutler's Magestic Theater, owned by Emerson. This beautiful theatre was built in 1903 and has been through many changes, including a place to watch pornographic films. I fell in love with the rich rose and gold colors....it looked like something out of Sense and Sensibility....very Victorian and grand. We saw two opera performances, ate German scalloped potatoes and mini-fruit tarts, and played a little hide-and-seek in the orchestra pit. Okay, not really hide-and-seek, actually, we just couldn't find it at first so we were really just seeking the damn thing.

Happy Birthday to Cameron tomorrow!!!

-MAB

I know it has been a LONG time since I've written to all of you, but things are starting to get crazy here! Here are quick highlights of the last two weeks: Cameron came to visit, as well as David. If you take a trip to my myspace page, you can get in on some of that entertainment. I went to Salem, where I learned the value of paying attention to children so that they don't start accusing their parents, their priest, and their Fido of being witches. I also learned that if anything should be hanged in Massachusetts, its the mosquitoes. For all of you spoiled princes and princesses reading this who get to jaunt over to Trader Joes for fresh, cheap produce, I HATE YOU. Don't get me wrong; wilted tomatoes that cost more than my Starbucks drinks are certainly better than nothing, but give me a break. Also, please think of me next time you settle down to a big plate of dripping nachos or a cheesy, hearty quesadilla...I'm dying over here....at least I have crab....um, that didn't sound right...

I also went to my first Sox game...and, yes, the stadium is all its cracked up to be. I felt like I was in an old movie, and I wanted to yell at the players and fans to be careful not to hurt structure! It is beautiful...the best part was the fans. I was fascinated by the patriotic pride and loyalty to the team. I didn't like the drunk guy in front of me who kept waving his hot dog around whenever he made emphatic gestures at the other team. As artistic as his splashings of mustard, ketchup, and an unidentifiable sauce may have seemd, I was not thrilled.

Today was the first day of classes for me! My first class was Seminar in Poetry, a mandatory class that fulfills Emerson's literature requirement.
It was either Poetry or Shakespeare, and I wanted to choose the unknown to challenge myself. This was, of course, before I learned that if you receive two Cs at Emerson, you are kicked out of school. What the H was I thinking??? But, honestly, the class is going to be well worth the work. I LOVE the format of grad school. There are only 10 people in my class! The professor did not stand at a podium and lecture at us. It is about discussion, expression of original thoughts and ideas, arguments, challenges, and interpretations. I learned as much from my peers as I did from the professor. For my homework, I have to read 18 poems and write blurbs about each of them. I think you all know what my weekend is looking like :(. JR, can I have my job back????

On the work-related front, my company DirectoryM has offered me the chance to promote to a full time writer when I have completed the editing work on its article content. This will not be for a couple of months, but it is nice to know they appreciate me.

This past weekend, I saw Mel Gibson in the Boston Common (Boston's version of Central Park)!!!! He was filming a movie. It was sooo cool! Then Hurricane Hanna decided to drop by with buckets and buckets of water so that ended that adventure....I didn't know rain was so versatile. I mean, things were wet that are not supposed to be....that is, in rain. Never mind.

This is starting to sound like one of those annoying Christmas newsletters (sorry for everyone who does those) so I'm going to bed. I miss everyone VERY MUCH and I wish I could bring you all here, even for five seconds just to give you hugs.

You're all still pretty.

Gia Ashlan


MAB

But don't let my headline fool you....your darling, sweet, innocent Michelle, who has never once had a hangover in all her sorority-ridden, Fresno tower district life woke up with her first one ever this morning....yikes. Last night, Ilana and I decided we were sick...of being sick. We put on clothes suitable for public viewing (although I really missed my bright yellow sweatpants and my raggedy t-shirt) and hit the town. WOW, if I thought people during daytime hours were friendly, nighttime people in Boston are REALLY friendly...oh get your heads out of the gutter, we just made a lot of new friends. who bought us a lot of drinks. a lot of different kinds of drinks. together. and that's enough about that. Thanks to a nice Jamaican cab driver named Groulaph (trust me, I made him show me his i.d.) and a loving sister, I made it home in one piece;)

Everything else is going wonderfully. I started my new job last Friday. Basically, there are 500,000 articles (no, i didn't get button happy with the 0s, that is the actual amount) that need editing for my new company to send out to other countries for translation. I have never read about acne, adult education, and refinancing all at once and in one hour....and I LOVED it. It helped reassure me that I am on the right path. The only downside?? Its definitely not my normal KMPH family in Fresno. I work with mostly guys, and they are serious, professional guys. You know, the kind that don't laugh at my craziness or help me sew buttons onto my jackets. The CEO walks the pit constantly looking over their shoulders and making suggestions. No, JR, I am not giving you tips. It was slightly brutal and I don't foresee any cochina jokes or Scott challenges coming any time soon. Still, the work was great, and eventually I will be able to edit from home.

I took a walk today and discovered that 2.5 minutes away from bedroom exists an honest-to-goodness beach!!!! With sand, and shells, and half-naked men playing volleyball (not as pretty as you, Cameron;)) and....the best part....drumroll....a seaside cafe called Michelle's! Ilana and I grabbed our new neighbor Tynan and headed out. The water was shockingly warm and the air was humid but peaceful.

I miss everyone! You're still pretty.

I want to hug the guy from Nickelback

-MAB

Sorry it has been so long since my last update...my sister and I have been REALLY sick and I didn't think anyone wanted to be a part of the Sudafed cloud that was my brain. It certainly didn't stop us from riding the subway though!! yes, we were hacking and wheezing and passing around crumbled tissues, but we figured if there were any sinister people on the train, that was our best defense. Turns out, the trains are great, and, once again, Bostonians are absolutely the nicest people on the planet. Everyone was willing to help us...even though we were walking biohazards.

We rode the T because I had my first board meeting with Cal Alumni Club of New England...or, more fun, CACNE. Say that ten times fast. The meeting was held at The Baseball Tavern and it as during a Red Sox game so I got to be right in the middle of that frenzy. It was a blast. They elected me Vice President of Membership, which basically means I get to talk to people and get them intersted in joining the group. Make them feel welcome at events, that sort of thing. I know those who know me know that this will be an extremely difficult task for me since usually I like to spend my days hiding in a corner working on love potions. Ok, I'll steer clear of the meds.

Last Thursday my family went to North End. In San Francisco, North Beach is Little Italy. Here Little Italy is North End. Kind  of cool. This is the part of Boston I want to spend every minute in. Cobblestone streets, historic buildings, restaurants lining the streets, outdoor markets, crammed tourist booths....it was breathtaking and deliciously fun. I was sauntering down the street feeling very much alive and freshly put together with straight hair and nice makeup when suddenly it started to pour. i mean, POUR. It went from sunny to raining. God should win an Olympic medal with that one. I have never seen two extremes happen that swiftly. My hair grew outward about three inches, and I was soaked!! We snuck inside a tiny little bakery and ordered five desserts.....stop judging, we had to try them all!!!

Now, Ilana and I are working on getting better, finding jobs, and switching banks. Any of you Wells Fargo users who are planning on moving to Boston-BEWARE- they don't exist out here.

Three Sheets to October 4th.

-MAB

I have learned 3 very important lessons today.

1. I was completely wrong about Starbucks being on every corner. In fact, Bostonians cannot breathe, move, blink, or mis-pronounce their "Rs" without at least one stop into DUNKIN DONUTS. Having Dunkin Donuts coffee in a restaurant is, in fact, a huge incentive. I mean, we are talking date night make or break includes choosing a great Italian restaurant with fine, sweet wine, luxurious pastas, juicy sausages, tira misu, and, if you want an invite inside, Dunkin Donuts coffee for dessert on the menu. Yikes.
2. Don't ever drive in Boston. Just don't do it. Especially don't do it when you are have absolutely ZERO directional ability. 
3. When you eavesdrop on a conversation between two guys talking about going to the potty, don't try to be the hero by tapping them on the shoulder and graciously pointing to the men's restroom. They are not looking for bladder relief. They are planning their nighttime social get-together. You know, with alcohol and dancing? 

On a positive note, I have found that people in Boston are some of the most generous, poised, kind people who are very willing to help. They are rich in quiet manners, warm smiles, and sophisticated explanations. Even Ikea was a dream come true in terms of customer service. Of course, with the amount of money we spent in there they should have given us half their stock, but seriously, nice people.

My favorite scent is D&L Light Blue

Have a great Monday! I will get to see 3 hours of it before yoooooou do!

-MAB