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magidI was a bit tired last night, and debated whether I'd go out as I'd planned. But really, how could I *not* go to the first Boston flash mob, when it was within walking distance and all? So I walked to the Border's restaurant on Church St., since my birthday is in October (there were five different locations, for people with different birth months). I hadn't been able to synchronize my watch as instructed, since I lack a watch, but the timing wasn't so precise for getting further instructions. I went towards the main bar, and there was a person handing out sheets with what to do next. People were to go to the card section of the Harvard Coop at 7:13, and be silent, without touching the cards. If asked, say that I was looking for a card for a friend, whose name is Bill, who is from New York. After a few minutes, those with cameras should take pictures (and post them on the Net). At 7:21, everyone should disperse.
I'd thought I might see people I knew (and could take advantage of their watchedness), but no luck. There was plenty of time to get to the next place, and since we weren't supposed to arrive early, I meandered the Square for a bit, wondering who of the people around me were mobsters, too. Finally, the bank's digital clock read 7:12, so I headed into the Coop. I wasn't sure where the card section was, but I saw lines of people headed up the curving staircases, and just followed. Up to the third floor, across the bridge, and down to the second floor in the other building, to find that the card section was completely filled. No way I could get near it, really. I moved around the edge of the crowd, trying to get a little bit closer, but just ended up near the escalators (not a bad thing, either). The sales people seemed rather surprised about everyone being there, and a bit alarmed. I wondered if the one talking on a phone was calling for help. As mentioned, word had leaked, and there were media people there, interviewing people and taking pictures. It must've been a slow news day; there were a lot of different news outlets there. I was a surprised that people weren't really paying attention to instructions, so were chattering a lot. Eventually things did go eerily quiet, except for the muzak playing. Some moments later, someone started whisting, and many people joined in. I couldn't figure out which tune it was due to the muzak, though I could definitely hear them. After that, there was a big round of applause, then people started dispersing.
I went down the escalator, and got the chance to appreciate the coolness of MattListener's Palm/camera gadget. It seems so incredibly James Bond, just moving the Palm up out of the case just a little, and snapping a picture that few would even notice happening. Of course, then I started to think that if it truly were a James Bond doohickey, it would not only take pictures, but be able to shoot out darts, or a laser, or something, too. Standing by the T, I saw a cadre of 5 or 6 Cambridge policemen on bikes ride by, apparently heading to where we'd been. Not so long after, they rode by in the other direction; apparently things really had broken up when they were scheduled to.
Thoughts: having the gathering be inside in a rather complicated space wasn't ideal. I had wondered what sort of odd thing the mob would do, and this seemed rather tame, somehow (though perhaps that's good for a first try...). In some ways, I was surprised at how few people there were (a couple hundred), since I'd heard about it so many times in the past few days.
I started home, then remembered I needed to get eggs. I headed to the recently-renovated Broadway Market, and ran into a couple of people I haven't seen in ages. Jeremy G-F offered to walk with me once I'd gotten my stuff. So I paid for the overpriced eggs, and we started walking and talking. It's been ages since we've caught up, and they've moved into a condo. He's starting a PhD. in public health, and she's starting her residency. And I found out about a kosher Persian bakery, Tabrizi, in Watertown, which caters events in NYC for Persian Jews; shipping kosher food from Watertown to NYC just seems the wrong direction... I got a tour of their new place (a pantry! and a covered porch! and too many big closets to count!), then headed home.
There was a beautiful crescent moon last night, in the blue just above the dark of the trees. As the blue got deeper, I could start to see the rest of the shadowed disk.... No one gets excited by the partial eclipse that is the waxing and waning moon...
Some interesting email, and to finish off an unexpected evening, a call with an invitation to a Shabbat meal. It feels like threads to the minyan are becoming more apparent than they have in months. Nice.
I'd thought I might see people I knew (and could take advantage of their watchedness), but no luck. There was plenty of time to get to the next place, and since we weren't supposed to arrive early, I meandered the Square for a bit, wondering who of the people around me were mobsters, too. Finally, the bank's digital clock read 7:12, so I headed into the Coop. I wasn't sure where the card section was, but I saw lines of people headed up the curving staircases, and just followed. Up to the third floor, across the bridge, and down to the second floor in the other building, to find that the card section was completely filled. No way I could get near it, really. I moved around the edge of the crowd, trying to get a little bit closer, but just ended up near the escalators (not a bad thing, either). The sales people seemed rather surprised about everyone being there, and a bit alarmed. I wondered if the one talking on a phone was calling for help. As mentioned, word had leaked, and there were media people there, interviewing people and taking pictures. It must've been a slow news day; there were a lot of different news outlets there. I was a surprised that people weren't really paying attention to instructions, so were chattering a lot. Eventually things did go eerily quiet, except for the muzak playing. Some moments later, someone started whisting, and many people joined in. I couldn't figure out which tune it was due to the muzak, though I could definitely hear them. After that, there was a big round of applause, then people started dispersing.
I went down the escalator, and got the chance to appreciate the coolness of MattListener's Palm/camera gadget. It seems so incredibly James Bond, just moving the Palm up out of the case just a little, and snapping a picture that few would even notice happening. Of course, then I started to think that if it truly were a James Bond doohickey, it would not only take pictures, but be able to shoot out darts, or a laser, or something, too. Standing by the T, I saw a cadre of 5 or 6 Cambridge policemen on bikes ride by, apparently heading to where we'd been. Not so long after, they rode by in the other direction; apparently things really had broken up when they were scheduled to.
Thoughts: having the gathering be inside in a rather complicated space wasn't ideal. I had wondered what sort of odd thing the mob would do, and this seemed rather tame, somehow (though perhaps that's good for a first try...). In some ways, I was surprised at how few people there were (a couple hundred), since I'd heard about it so many times in the past few days.
I started home, then remembered I needed to get eggs. I headed to the recently-renovated Broadway Market, and ran into a couple of people I haven't seen in ages. Jeremy G-F offered to walk with me once I'd gotten my stuff. So I paid for the overpriced eggs, and we started walking and talking. It's been ages since we've caught up, and they've moved into a condo. He's starting a PhD. in public health, and she's starting her residency. And I found out about a kosher Persian bakery, Tabrizi, in Watertown, which caters events in NYC for Persian Jews; shipping kosher food from Watertown to NYC just seems the wrong direction... I got a tour of their new place (a pantry! and a covered porch! and too many big closets to count!), then headed home.
There was a beautiful crescent moon last night, in the blue just above the dark of the trees. As the blue got deeper, I could start to see the rest of the shadowed disk.... No one gets excited by the partial eclipse that is the waxing and waning moon...
Some interesting email, and to finish off an unexpected evening, a call with an invitation to a Shabbat meal. It feels like threads to the minyan are becoming more apparent than they have in months. Nice.