Shorts

[magid]

Lots of other things to write, too, but they don't want to be written yet, sadly.

The T seems to have updated all the maps. I hadn't realized that the Silver Line has two pieces. On the annoying side, not all the Green Line stops are named on the big map, which I think is foolish.

I just got an announcement of a bat mitzvah kiddush next Shabbat (Noach), for the daughter of my college bf. I don't think I'm really expected (it's in Bala Cynwyd, PA, and I just got the info this evening), though it would be nice to send a gift. Only I have no idea what to get, since the xbf and his wife have definitely shifted right (religiously, possibly also politically) since I was in real contact with them, and I don't know the daughter's taste, either. Any ideas?

Toast!

Micro-review: I picked up an Italian cheese, Galbusera's Solarella (though the Butcherie label has it as "fontal"), just because it was there. It's very nice, medium soft (meunster-ish), but with a flavor that's a bit more intense, on the stinky-cheese scale of intense, especially close to the rind. Not cheap, but if they continue to carry it, I'll likely get it again.

The annual frustration with Jewish holidays: somehow, the best part of autumn always seems to be during the month eaten by holidays and holiday prep. I walk around and see so many trees already aflame, when I missed seeing them start at all.

Debate with self: turn on furnace? Or wait a bit longer? It's 59 F in the apartment.

Comments

[arfur]

I hadn't realized that the Silver Line has two pieces.

That's one reason why transportation activists like to call it the "Silver Lie."

[jaq.livejournal.com]

I believe the second piece of the Silver Line only opened recently, which would explain why people hadn't noticed. It goes from the airport now, which might be handy when we visit.

[magid.livejournal.com]

It's definitely the airport route for people on the Red Line (unless taking a cab, of course): instead of changing trains twice then getting on a shuttle bus, it's one change to the bus, and that's it. Much less schleppage. And I hear it's faster, too. Definitely useful when you visit. Depending when you arrive, though, you may be offered a ride... :-)

[magid.livejournal.com]

And it's only one (T) stop away from at least overlapping one stop. Silver A and Silver B? (And how do you know which of the branches it goes to on the airport run?)

[arfur]

"Silver Line Waterfront" and "Silver Line ForgottenMinorityNeighborhood" is how they tell them apart, I think. They might use a slightly different term for the Dudley half, though, now that I think about it.

They make a point of mentioning Silver Line connections on the Orange Line at New England Medical Center, Chinatown, *and* Downtown Crossing, even though you get a transfer ticket Northbound at Chinatown (not that anyone would want to, getting off a train you've already caught to wait for a bus that will be stuck in traffic 10 minutes to go 3 blocks to the end of its line) and the Silver Line doesn't stop at Chinatown Northbound, and it makes no sense to transfer at Downtown Crossing if you're going Northbound. But okay, they're stupid, I can cope with that. What I *can't* cope with is the fact that they announce South Station as a Silver Line transfer point on the Red Line, but *not* Downtown Crossing. It's speaking out of both sides of their mouth: "oh, but you *are* really a transit line" to the glorified surface-only no-segragated-traffic-flows Dudley half, but "there's no other half of the Silver Line" to the higher-net-worth many-more-non-minority customers on the Red Line.

As to the branches: it's kind of like the Green line, only without as much documentation. The branches are numbered, SL1 going to the airport, and SL2 and SL3 going to the marine yards and other weird parts of south boston, respectively, IIRC. Except after hours, when SL2 and SL3 combine. Of course, the official word is just: look at the front of the bus for the word "Airport". Not that there's an international symbol on those busses or anything.

[magid.livejournal.com]

The only place on my regular commute that mentions the Silver Line is Boylston, which is why I hadn't realized the bifurcality before. Nor all the other mess you mention.

[powerfrau.livejournal.com]

We originally decided to hold out until November first to turn on the heat--we were feeling macho or something...we wimped out last evening and turned it up to sixty. I was mostly scared that it might get to cold (hovering in the mid thrities and we might have pipe problems. I would like to believe that I am the robust offspring of the grandparents who wintered over in a tent while they built a house in Boston--but I think I was implanted by aliens!!

[magid.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's gotten quite down to the 30s yet in the city (how much difference a few miles can make!), but my thoughts of Nov 1 (also) aren't likely to happen; I don't want to spend Shabbat day huddled for warmth. (At least I have a somewhat programmable thermostat. And the neighbors downstairs like it fairly warm, so I end up stealing some of their heat.)

[fetteredwolf.livejournal.com]

We turned it on last weekend, when the temperature in the house hit 58F. Right now it's at a comfortable 60. The thermostat cranks it up to 64 at 5am (and back down at 7am), so I can actually manage to drag myself out of bed.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I have the house warmer in the morning, and after-dinner evenings (unless I remember I'll be out and turn it lower for the evening). I *heart* programmable thermostats. Though this one doesn't let me distinguish between weekdays, so perhaps I should upgrade to one that lets me choose the program for each day individually...

60 is still a bit cool for me if I've been sitting around too long (which should be inducement for me not to sit around, but somehow it doesn't work that way). Mid-60s is my usual.

[fetteredwolf.livejournal.com]

Ours is actually programmable for weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays separately. I guess separate Sundays and Saturdays comes in handy sometimes.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's what mine's like. And having Saturday and Sunday separate helps a lot; I'm home a lot more on Shabbat.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Clearly, I am a wimp. I've had my furnace running since earlier in the month, around the time we got the snow. Nights _have_ gotten down to near-frost temperatures pretty much every night since then, and I don't fancy allowing the temp to drop below 64 inside. I just can't cope with it.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Clearly, you are not a wimp, but a less-insulated person. And though I haven't checked overnight temps, I suspect it's rather colder where you are.

the gift...

[tapuz.livejournal.com]

she probably has 16 tons of candlesticks by now... so, some ideas that come to mind immediately:

* book on tekhines
* honey dish for RH
* subscription to Yaldah (http://www.geocities.com/leah_yaldah/home.html)
* reference or coffeetable book on animals -- afterall, it is Noah!
* donation in her honor to UJC Katrina fund (https://secure.ujcfederations.org/ft2/form.html?__id=7500), Mazon, or some other charity that a 12-year old could get behind (hm, or her school library, come to think of it... that should have occurred to me sooner...)
* necklace of Jewish significance
* something about or relating to your and her father's mutual alma mater -- either a book on its history, a toasty sweatshirt (full disclosure: I got one of those for mine and it was very comfy!), etc... (donation to their library...)
* hashkafah-safe graphic novel -- maybe check ye local Judaica store?

Re: the gift...

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Yaldah looks about right for her (and I knew one of the girls who wrote the fiction in the TOC they have online. Small world.), plus she's the only girl in her family (I think it's five younger brothers at this point). (OK, plus, you've already given me the pointer, so it's pretty easy :-).

Re: the gift...

[(Anonymous)]

Ooh, the connection to the alma mater idea is smart.