I have coached Wachusett Regional High School Basketball in some capacity for my entire adult life. Coaching basketball is my true passion in life and what I do best. High school basketball does it mean much to a lot of people, but for me it is my life's work. In the past twelve years I have coached over 150 players and watched grow from scared teenagers into men far greater then myself. I have been a part of great teams, bad teams and everything in between over the years and never come across anything like this year's team. It is not supremely talented, it isn't even that confident in itself, what it is however is incredibly committed to each other and willing to do whatever it takes to win.
When Coach Gibbons asked me to be part of the day to day coaching staff against this season I could not have been more excited. I coached the team in summer as I have done each of the last six seasons and we had struggled to find our game in a disappointing 3-9 summer campaign. There was some encouraging signs 3 of our starters played on an AAU team that qualified for nationals in Orlando and some young players seemed to be developing nicely but we seemed destined to struggle just to get to 10-10 and qualify for playoffs. My excitement level for the season was further dampened when it was determined that I would not be able to sit on the bench during the games because of MIAA rules that prevented summer league coaches from coaching during the season. I felt like it was going to be hard for me to be "all in" this season. Then we reeled off four straight wins to start the season and stunned Cambridge in an out of district game. Despite an ugly style of play that featured turnover filled low scoring games we found ourselves at 13-3 in district play heading into a ten day break in play.
During that break we lost our starting center to injury and began working with a life coach to deal with an increased lack of confidence in our play. During these grueling hours long session the team showed amazing courage in baring there souls to each other and sharing personal fears and goals. No team I have ever been a part of has been as open with each other and believed much more in their teammates talents rather then their own. We came out of that break 3-1 to finish 16-4 and earn a #3 seed in the playoffs.
As we prepare for our first playoff Thursday night it is hard to describe all the emotions that I am feeling. I never wanted anything for anybody more than I want a championship for this special group of kids. As a coach you know how rare it is to really have a legitimate chance to win a championship and to be able to do it with a team you really love. As coaches this is our Superbowl week we all try to morph into John Wooden and try to figure out the right buttons to push. You are fully aware that at the end of the week many tears will be shed and you can only hope that they are happy ones. I was not expecting to be so emotionally invested in this again but this team has brought back my passion for the game, brought me back closer to so many great friends and reminded me what my true calling is in this life. When we end practice on practice I will be given the last word like I am the day before every game and I will have my team totally prepared and willing to push themselves furthered then they ever have. It's a responsibility I cherish and never take for granted. Our players give my more then I could ever give them. They give me respect, inspiration, purpose and love. I could not be more excited about the opportunity we have in front of us and to see how this unexpected and magically journey ends. My blood truly runs Wachusett Green and I feel so lucky to have great friends and mentors like Al Dion and Tom Gibbons who allow me to be a part of something so special.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
My First Solo Day Out
As many of you know I have been making a real effort to start becoming even more independent. I have been thinking for sometime of things I can do on my own instead of staying home all day. Since we live close to a movie theater I thought it would be a good first step to see if I could spend the day there on my own. One of the things I hoped to accomplish by doing this is to establish the idea that even though I don't have a car during the day that I might not always be home all the time. I've called this the "God Will Hunting" philosophy that one day someone is going to come home and I'm going to be gone and on to doing better things.
My plan was not very well thought out and kind of spur of the moment. I knew I had to leave at the same time my sister Jill left for work which turned out to be 11:30. My transportation for the day was Red Cab which has a couple of cabs with wheelchair lifts in the back. If I had planned this out a day in advance I could have taken the WRTA van for $2.25 but I would have loss the element of surprise that I was going for since they call the night before to confirm. The five minute ride cost me a whopping $15 and of course the driver didn't have change for my $50 bill. I settled for what he had in his pocket and loss $10 in the exchange. I got to the front door at 11:45 only to find the doors locked, apparently they don't open until noon during the week. I stood outside and waited for the manager to come open the door which they did ten minutes later. My journey was not off to good start and was complicated by the fact nothing good started until 1:00pm. I had brought a book to kill time, but quickly lost interested and caved to buying a ticket to the first movie of the day "Man on a Ledge" at 12:30.
I had countered on all the doors being closed to the actual screening rooms and found an usher to rectify the situation. I alerted him to what I was doing for the day and he said they would be around often to help me get in and out. I stupidly forgot to having just leave the door open and was stuck in that theater for the duration of the movie. It was a private showing as no one else ever entered which made me uncomfortable. I sat through seventeen minutes of previews and very by the numbers heist film. I was pissed that my crappy phone didn't have service inside preventing me from sending amusing texts to my friends during the film. The movie ended at 2:39 and I sprinted outside to inform people I was still alive.
I had left a note for my Mom on the table in my worst possible handwriting that I was out and would call her later. With no one getting home to let me until 4:15 I had to see another movie. The problem was since I had no service inside I had to make sure I was around to call home before 5pm or would risk her having a full blown panic attack. This meant I had to see the next movie showing a 3:05 "One for the Money". I was not looking forward to being the only person in a Katherine Heigl movie and luckily their was a lone older gentlemen in the back saving me from total embarrassment. I don't hate Katherine Heigl but her jersey accent in this movie was unbearable. It was a truly terrible movie that couldn't end quickly enough. I rushed out at 5:05 and called my mother for a ride home. She figured out where I was and had been awaiting my call.
She had arrived home to my brother Matt calling and despite my note the two of them failed to figure out what was going on. She frantically called Jill three times at work until she got a hold of her to find out where I was. It was not my intent to scare her but simply to establish that I am capable of being anywhere at anytime. I hope to expand on this idea and head out to different places around the city before working my way up to longer trips. The ultimate goal of all of this is to be able to get to the point where I can show up at anyone's door at anytime. I used to call this idea "going off the grid" but really means is that I can get to the point where I can be as impulsive as anyone else.
The day itself was not all that entertaining, seeing two bad movies in empty theaters is not a great time. It was however something I was proud of myself for doing and hopefully shows how committed I am to shaking things up. I was able to establish that I can do something completely on my own and it will give me confidence to do more in the future. As long I can avoid total disasters, I will continue to push the line of what I can and can't do on my own until I am satisfied with all the outcomes. The day is coming soon where I just might be knocking on all your doors when you least expect it.
My plan was not very well thought out and kind of spur of the moment. I knew I had to leave at the same time my sister Jill left for work which turned out to be 11:30. My transportation for the day was Red Cab which has a couple of cabs with wheelchair lifts in the back. If I had planned this out a day in advance I could have taken the WRTA van for $2.25 but I would have loss the element of surprise that I was going for since they call the night before to confirm. The five minute ride cost me a whopping $15 and of course the driver didn't have change for my $50 bill. I settled for what he had in his pocket and loss $10 in the exchange. I got to the front door at 11:45 only to find the doors locked, apparently they don't open until noon during the week. I stood outside and waited for the manager to come open the door which they did ten minutes later. My journey was not off to good start and was complicated by the fact nothing good started until 1:00pm. I had brought a book to kill time, but quickly lost interested and caved to buying a ticket to the first movie of the day "Man on a Ledge" at 12:30.
I had countered on all the doors being closed to the actual screening rooms and found an usher to rectify the situation. I alerted him to what I was doing for the day and he said they would be around often to help me get in and out. I stupidly forgot to having just leave the door open and was stuck in that theater for the duration of the movie. It was a private showing as no one else ever entered which made me uncomfortable. I sat through seventeen minutes of previews and very by the numbers heist film. I was pissed that my crappy phone didn't have service inside preventing me from sending amusing texts to my friends during the film. The movie ended at 2:39 and I sprinted outside to inform people I was still alive.
I had left a note for my Mom on the table in my worst possible handwriting that I was out and would call her later. With no one getting home to let me until 4:15 I had to see another movie. The problem was since I had no service inside I had to make sure I was around to call home before 5pm or would risk her having a full blown panic attack. This meant I had to see the next movie showing a 3:05 "One for the Money". I was not looking forward to being the only person in a Katherine Heigl movie and luckily their was a lone older gentlemen in the back saving me from total embarrassment. I don't hate Katherine Heigl but her jersey accent in this movie was unbearable. It was a truly terrible movie that couldn't end quickly enough. I rushed out at 5:05 and called my mother for a ride home. She figured out where I was and had been awaiting my call.
She had arrived home to my brother Matt calling and despite my note the two of them failed to figure out what was going on. She frantically called Jill three times at work until she got a hold of her to find out where I was. It was not my intent to scare her but simply to establish that I am capable of being anywhere at anytime. I hope to expand on this idea and head out to different places around the city before working my way up to longer trips. The ultimate goal of all of this is to be able to get to the point where I can show up at anyone's door at anytime. I used to call this idea "going off the grid" but really means is that I can get to the point where I can be as impulsive as anyone else.
The day itself was not all that entertaining, seeing two bad movies in empty theaters is not a great time. It was however something I was proud of myself for doing and hopefully shows how committed I am to shaking things up. I was able to establish that I can do something completely on my own and it will give me confidence to do more in the future. As long I can avoid total disasters, I will continue to push the line of what I can and can't do on my own until I am satisfied with all the outcomes. The day is coming soon where I just might be knocking on all your doors when you least expect it.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Boston Part 2 The Captain and Charlestown
After last week's amazing experience taking the train into Boston, hanging out at the aquarium and taking in a Bruins game we decided to do it again. For the second straight Tuesday me and my partner in crime boarded the 10:35 train from Union Station to South Station and endured no problems during the pleasant 90 minute journey. The plan for the day was the historic Freedom Trail which this particular idiot writer didn't understand at all. I am so unaware of my own surroundings that I actually thought the Freedom Trail was a stand alone museum or a closed in area of the city. After informing Colleen of this and her responding with the right amount of laughter, we headed down that magic red line which is a lot harder to follow then it seems.
Our first stop was the old Statehouse and after snapping a quick photo headed into the Visitors Center to get a map. There was a slight step up to get in which my chair wasn't in the mood to make so the Visitor's Center was not all that visiting. Having gathered the necessary maps and materials we ended up at Faneuil Hall. My job for the day was for me to figure out how to get around on my own and hit all the walk buttons. I failed this test several times in addition to struggling mightily at being trip leader and following directions. If this was an audition for a solo voyage in the near future I don't think I got passed through to the next round. Faneuil Hall had a very small elevator that got us up to the museum and the Great Hall. An old Parks Department guy perked up when we entered and went into full scale tour guide mode. The hall had several impressive paintings including a very large depicting Daniel Webster taking on the floor of the Senate. Colleen was not happy that the painting of George Washington and his horse was identical to the one that already hangs in Mechanics Hall. We then made our way to the Artillery Museum on the next floor that featured some cannons, knives and marching drums. There was also numerous naval uniforms and medals that are worth checking out.
We then headed out to Quincy Market and its various shops and eateries. The tour guide had shocked us when he revealed that Faneuil Hall was really only the hall and museums and everything else was Quincy Market. Apparently people have most using the wrong terminology when discussing their shopping trips. The outer area really wasn't my thing a lot of chain stores that didn't have great wheelchair access. Our one piece of shopping was done at the Fine Arts Museum store which was fine with me because that is a museum I want to see on my next trip so it served as kind of a sneak preview. I was impressed with the wide array of food court options on the inside but that many options overloads my brain so it was just a quick stop for coffee and a cookie. The next stop was the Holocaust Memorial which is very basic and as sad as you could ever expect.
It was here that we began to encounter some of the less wheelchair friendly parts of the trail like Paul Revere House and a couple of the churches. There were also several short cuts through the trail that had stairs so we had to go up and around a lot. We did get a nice picture in front of Paul Revere's statue and were able to find a way into I think it was Old North Church which was very cool.
My favorite part of the Freedom Trail was the Bunker Hill Monument for reasons that were probably only funny to me and Colleen. It had long been established that this would be the easiest place for me to go the bathroom so we were always going there even though it was the most out of the way. What I did not know was just how long that red line on the ground for going to go for, I kept waiting for it to stop and it just kept going. My old chair would have died a half an hour into this trip but armed with the impressive battery life of the Permobil 350 I made it all the way to Charlestown. We got there at 4:15 and it closed at 5 so we weren't really interested in hanging around and chatting. That did not stop a guide from calling us in during the middle of his lecture and going on endlessly about the battle. With the clock ticking and the bathroom way across the street we just had to bail even though the guy was mid sentence. I have no doubt I ruined his life but he had a family there to keep him company. A family by the way that said they had been bumping into us all day on the trail despite the fact I had no recollection of them whatsoever. By the time we get back to the North End was dinner it was 5:15 so we essentially went 90 minutes out of the way to go the bathroom, but at least I can say I made it to Charlestown!
Dinner this week was at Antico Forno I step down in price from Strega but no less upscale. One again I played no part in the ordering process. I'm kind of lame in that regard, but I like to simply go with whatever someone else wants. We had an appetizer which I think was Antigno but Colleen can correct me. It was very good it was like a fried rositto and meatball dish that we followed with a sausage and broccoliti pizza. We passed up wine this time and went with martinis which brought out my bitter face even though I downed three. We then made a stop at Mike's Pastry which I made sure we didn't skip over this time and ended up picking some awful M&M thing. I would learn on the ride home that Colleen's choice of red velvet cake was a million times better.
The sporting event this time was Celtics vs the last place Bobcats. I was quite mad at myself for not getting a better game but it couldn't have turned out better. It just so happened that Paul Pierce needed 9 points to pass Larry Bird on the Celtics scoring, list which he got on a three early in the third quarter. It was nice to see a cool moment in team history live and I was shocked to find out it was Colleen's first Celtics game so that made it even better. The Celtics start at 7:30 instead of 7 so it's a lot harder to make the 10:20 back to Worcester and we missed it. That left us with an hour wait for a 11:30 train that only went as far as Framingham. This made for an extremely long day this time around but an equally awesome one. These last two weeks I've been able to do a lot of awesome things that I wouldn't have otherwise done. They were easily two of the best days of my life and take on added significance with Colleen taking her vast talents to NYC next month. It has been awesome to share new experiences, conquer fears and focus on accomplishing more then I previously thought possible. I don't know if I'm ready for a solo trip, I'll probably focus on conquering NYC first but for the first time it seems not only possible but right around the corner.
Our first stop was the old Statehouse and after snapping a quick photo headed into the Visitors Center to get a map. There was a slight step up to get in which my chair wasn't in the mood to make so the Visitor's Center was not all that visiting. Having gathered the necessary maps and materials we ended up at Faneuil Hall. My job for the day was for me to figure out how to get around on my own and hit all the walk buttons. I failed this test several times in addition to struggling mightily at being trip leader and following directions. If this was an audition for a solo voyage in the near future I don't think I got passed through to the next round. Faneuil Hall had a very small elevator that got us up to the museum and the Great Hall. An old Parks Department guy perked up when we entered and went into full scale tour guide mode. The hall had several impressive paintings including a very large depicting Daniel Webster taking on the floor of the Senate. Colleen was not happy that the painting of George Washington and his horse was identical to the one that already hangs in Mechanics Hall. We then made our way to the Artillery Museum on the next floor that featured some cannons, knives and marching drums. There was also numerous naval uniforms and medals that are worth checking out.
We then headed out to Quincy Market and its various shops and eateries. The tour guide had shocked us when he revealed that Faneuil Hall was really only the hall and museums and everything else was Quincy Market. Apparently people have most using the wrong terminology when discussing their shopping trips. The outer area really wasn't my thing a lot of chain stores that didn't have great wheelchair access. Our one piece of shopping was done at the Fine Arts Museum store which was fine with me because that is a museum I want to see on my next trip so it served as kind of a sneak preview. I was impressed with the wide array of food court options on the inside but that many options overloads my brain so it was just a quick stop for coffee and a cookie. The next stop was the Holocaust Memorial which is very basic and as sad as you could ever expect.
It was here that we began to encounter some of the less wheelchair friendly parts of the trail like Paul Revere House and a couple of the churches. There were also several short cuts through the trail that had stairs so we had to go up and around a lot. We did get a nice picture in front of Paul Revere's statue and were able to find a way into I think it was Old North Church which was very cool.
My favorite part of the Freedom Trail was the Bunker Hill Monument for reasons that were probably only funny to me and Colleen. It had long been established that this would be the easiest place for me to go the bathroom so we were always going there even though it was the most out of the way. What I did not know was just how long that red line on the ground for going to go for, I kept waiting for it to stop and it just kept going. My old chair would have died a half an hour into this trip but armed with the impressive battery life of the Permobil 350 I made it all the way to Charlestown. We got there at 4:15 and it closed at 5 so we weren't really interested in hanging around and chatting. That did not stop a guide from calling us in during the middle of his lecture and going on endlessly about the battle. With the clock ticking and the bathroom way across the street we just had to bail even though the guy was mid sentence. I have no doubt I ruined his life but he had a family there to keep him company. A family by the way that said they had been bumping into us all day on the trail despite the fact I had no recollection of them whatsoever. By the time we get back to the North End was dinner it was 5:15 so we essentially went 90 minutes out of the way to go the bathroom, but at least I can say I made it to Charlestown!
Dinner this week was at Antico Forno I step down in price from Strega but no less upscale. One again I played no part in the ordering process. I'm kind of lame in that regard, but I like to simply go with whatever someone else wants. We had an appetizer which I think was Antigno but Colleen can correct me. It was very good it was like a fried rositto and meatball dish that we followed with a sausage and broccoliti pizza. We passed up wine this time and went with martinis which brought out my bitter face even though I downed three. We then made a stop at Mike's Pastry which I made sure we didn't skip over this time and ended up picking some awful M&M thing. I would learn on the ride home that Colleen's choice of red velvet cake was a million times better.
The sporting event this time was Celtics vs the last place Bobcats. I was quite mad at myself for not getting a better game but it couldn't have turned out better. It just so happened that Paul Pierce needed 9 points to pass Larry Bird on the Celtics scoring, list which he got on a three early in the third quarter. It was nice to see a cool moment in team history live and I was shocked to find out it was Colleen's first Celtics game so that made it even better. The Celtics start at 7:30 instead of 7 so it's a lot harder to make the 10:20 back to Worcester and we missed it. That left us with an hour wait for a 11:30 train that only went as far as Framingham. This made for an extremely long day this time around but an equally awesome one. These last two weeks I've been able to do a lot of awesome things that I wouldn't have otherwise done. They were easily two of the best days of my life and take on added significance with Colleen taking her vast talents to NYC next month. It has been awesome to share new experiences, conquer fears and focus on accomplishing more then I previously thought possible. I don't know if I'm ready for a solo trip, I'll probably focus on conquering NYC first but for the first time it seems not only possible but right around the corner.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Deja Vu
Not a lot to say about the game tonight but here are my instant reactions while they are still fresh in my mind. You can't take a quarter off and win the Super Bowl especially against a good team. I will never figure out how someone as good as Brady comes out for a game so rattled that he causes a safety on the first play. That combined with Gronk injury, three failed fumble recoveries and Welker's drop our the standout memories of this game. The Patriots had three drives late in the game where a touchdown would have iced the game and failed to convert on all of them. Just like 2007 it feels more like a championship the Patriots lost rather then a championship the Giants won.
Coach Belichick did not have a great game tonight the team came out flat, had some big defensive penalties and it was the wrong decision to challenge the Manningham catch. While there is still no other person I'd rather have roaming the Patriots sidelines being personally owned by Tom Coughlin is a major indictment. It also is damning that the team continues to have no running game, no vertical receiver and a total lack of defensive play makers.
Tom Brady is human, but he remains one tough quarterback. A 16 for 16 stretch is amazing and he was clearly hindered by a major left shoulder. His performance was made even greater by the fact that Gronk was so limited by his ankle injury. He handled the rush pretty well and if not for Welker's drop would have another Superbowl MVP award. I think he has one more run left in him even though he will be 35 next season.
I feel really bad for Wes Welker and I hope that's not his last moment in a Patriots uniform. He's a free agent just like Assante Samuel was when he dropped a game winning interception in 2008. I don't know if I give him #1 wide receiver money but he deserves to go out better then this. On a separate note Eli Manning is elite and their was no doubt in my mind he was going to score when we gave him the ball back.
We were clearly not the best team this year and still came up only one play short of the Super Bowl. I feel very bad for Robert Kraft who clearly wanted to win badly for his wife, but it was a very memorable season. I've had season tickets since 2001 and this year was the most fun I've ever had following the team. We might have lost to insufferable New York fans but I will most remember an October 9th win against the other New York team and all the great things that came after it. The Patriots might have come up one play short but they were responsible for so many great moments in my life this season and I'll remember that far longer then I remember this loss.
Coach Belichick did not have a great game tonight the team came out flat, had some big defensive penalties and it was the wrong decision to challenge the Manningham catch. While there is still no other person I'd rather have roaming the Patriots sidelines being personally owned by Tom Coughlin is a major indictment. It also is damning that the team continues to have no running game, no vertical receiver and a total lack of defensive play makers.
Tom Brady is human, but he remains one tough quarterback. A 16 for 16 stretch is amazing and he was clearly hindered by a major left shoulder. His performance was made even greater by the fact that Gronk was so limited by his ankle injury. He handled the rush pretty well and if not for Welker's drop would have another Superbowl MVP award. I think he has one more run left in him even though he will be 35 next season.
I feel really bad for Wes Welker and I hope that's not his last moment in a Patriots uniform. He's a free agent just like Assante Samuel was when he dropped a game winning interception in 2008. I don't know if I give him #1 wide receiver money but he deserves to go out better then this. On a separate note Eli Manning is elite and their was no doubt in my mind he was going to score when we gave him the ball back.
We were clearly not the best team this year and still came up only one play short of the Super Bowl. I feel very bad for Robert Kraft who clearly wanted to win badly for his wife, but it was a very memorable season. I've had season tickets since 2001 and this year was the most fun I've ever had following the team. We might have lost to insufferable New York fans but I will most remember an October 9th win against the other New York team and all the great things that came after it. The Patriots might have come up one play short but they were responsible for so many great moments in my life this season and I'll remember that far longer then I remember this loss.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Boston with Open Eyes
I have had the opportunity to do some pretty cool things in my life. As someone who spends 80% of their time in a small bedroom at 15 Inman Avenue, I still have manage to go to dozens of Patriots, Celtics and Red Sox games, attend a Ryder Cup and a Super Bowl and have been on some truly wild road trips. No one could ever mistake me for a shut in or someone completely closed off to the world but that doesn't mean I haven't done a shitty job of taking in the world around me. I realized this yesterday when walking or as some readers would say "rolling" around Boston for the first time. I've attended hundreds of events in Boston and always done so in much the same way by parking my beast of a van an hour before the game and then jetting out right after. I never bothered to try public transportation or breathe in the character of the city. All that changed yesterday when I saw the city with open (but not always sober) eyes for the first time.
I don't know where I get my fear of cities from. I've always lived on dirt roads and never had to walk around neighborhoods so I just grew into the worst pedestrian ever to the point where street crossings became trying events. My dad would rather not go somewhere then drive to Boston and will never be seen on an MBTA train or bus so somehow I got in stuck in my head that the 45 mile journey to the state's capital was never really worth the effort. My mom desperately wanted me to go college in the city (Northeastern) and I never even really considered it. I focused on all the things that could go wrong and never opened my mind to the limitless opportunities I could have allowed myself. With my brother now in New York and best friends determined not to let their vast talents be limited to Worcester, it was really important to me to get more comfortable getting around cities on my own and to get more familiar with what is easy and what is hard for me when it comes to city life. When the opportunity came up for my next adventure (Bruins-Senators) in the city I was determined to experience the city the right way.
My first train ride from Union Station was easier then I ever could have expected. There was no giant platforms to hover over, just a simple roll out ramp to large train car with plenty of room to maneuver around. There was no tie downs (and I didn't roll once) and ride was smooth and easy unless the conductor was coming through was always caused me to jump. My friends make this ride very day and I can so easy it is to fall asleep with all the stops the make on the inbound route but I had good company and Colleen had large amounts of coffee so made it the whole ride without passing out. South Station was bigger then I thought it would be but moved through it quickly and started our journey through the streets of Boston. We decided to go to the New England Aquarium
and I made the twenty minute roll and the numerous street crossings along the way like a champ. (We took in a couple city parks and gardens along the way I didn't even though they had such things)
The aquarium is free to the disabled just because one of the tanks is not accessible or some other unclear reason so we took in that good news and went straight over to see the penguins.
I am not one of those guys who likes to pick out a penguin and name them for the day (if there are such guys) so I did not bond with any of the penguins. I found their late day feeding to be quite disappointing, apparently penguins like sardines as much as humans so nobody really ate. We were outraged they feed them something they knew they wouldn't eat. Other highlights to cut it down a bit where a driver scaring me half to death by cleaning the giant fish/shark tank (you couldn't pay me enough but Colleen is apparently game) and a lobster challenges every large fish in his tank to a fight.
The highlight of the day came at the stingray touch tank. The tank featured several stingray and few creepy looking sharks that could reach in and touch as they were going by. I didn't know if I was going to be up for it my fear of animals is legendary so I decided to let Colleen take the lead before I made my decision. Now in her defense it is more difficult to touch a stingray then make you believe. You have to dip your hand in, keep in flat and hope you graze the back of one as they swim by. They appear to be looking at you and opening their mouth to bite you and can make sudden movements that can appear aggressive in nature. With all that being said Colleen totally wimped out the first 20 times they came by and pulled her hand away at the last second. As little confidence as this gave me I was determined to do it after seeing her get comfortable and trying 500 ways to get my chair close enough to reach me hand in. This might have been the first time my tilt high feature actually earned its worth because I never would have gotten close enough to tank without it. I tried for more than 20 minutes without getting my hand far enough out or low enough down to touch one. This poor mother got to the point where she was lifting them closer and still wasn't happening. We were getting ready to leave and it finally happened! Never has a man been so happy to touch the squishy underside of a stingray. I think we live life was silly little moments like that, it was so mundane is everyone else there and here we are legitimately moved that I touched a stingray. It got crazy addicting and I was able to pull off the feat 8 more times before leaving!
We headed out and made our way to the North End where I had made dinner reservations. I had never been to this section of the city at all and it's reputation for being accessible is horrible. The legendary broken cobblestone sidewalks weren't that hard to get around even though one resident gave me a very apologetic stare. A lot of the shops and cafes had stairs to get in and no other access. The harsh reality of city life is not everything is going to be accessible most notably apartments and houses people can afford to live. (I guess that's the trade off for the close parking) It's not something I'm going to get pissed about anymore I'm just going to roll with it. It was at this point where I realized Nico the place I made reservations with might not be accessible and sure enough we were done in by one lone stair. (dammit) It worked out very well they had another restaurant they owned 500 feet down the street that was and they were very accommodating. It was a very fancy other authentic Italian place so I left all the ordering to Colleen who serves as my fine dining expert and knows Italian from her studies in Italy. She picked out a bottle of wine that I drank way too fast in typical Chris fashion as Jackson and Kate know all too well from trying to get me into wine. We started with some bruschetta, then moved on to some potato gnocchi (another think Kate turned me on to) and had a veal dish as our main course. Not exactly a meal I'm used to but that's the point when your out. (I swore I really did like everything sometimes I lie like the Italian sandwich sorry again! I really did though) It was a true Boston dinning experience that sure beat the hall of the lame pubs I usually ate at in Boston. Our walk to the Garden was true Chris in DUI mode (if those apply to wheelchairs) that all my friends know, dread and super secretly love.
I don't remember much of the game (you could have guessed that everybody) but we had our usual good seats, there were goals and fights (all you really want in a game) and it was a 4-3 come from behind win for the Bruins. (I swore the winning goal was from center ice) The walk from North to South Station wasn't nearly as long or hard as it was made out to be and we were able to catch the last train all the way back to Worcester. The ride back was faster because of the fewer stops and just as easy. The overall MBTA experience was a pleasant one beyond the broken ticket machine at Union Station that we really didn't need anyway.
In the end it was a great day and night in the city with a very dear friend. I think it's important for everyone to have friends that push them to do new things and make them want to be better people. I'm very lucky that all my friends are like that and are determined to get me off Inman Ave and finally get me to go somewhere that I might finally live up to my potential. I didn't really know if I could handle living or working in a major city and now I am determined to at least die trying. I feel really bad for sister Jenn who designed a whole vacation in Baltimore to get me to realize this but I just wasn't ready and sometimes you have more confidence around your friends then you do with family. I can't wait to do it again I feel like I have a lot of lost time to make for in Boston. I can't wait to experience walking around New York in March and then get to the point where I finally start acting independently instead of just talking a good game. Thank you to everyone who may read this my closest and dearest friends for putting up with the all drama that comes with hanging out with me (drunk chris pushy chris bathroom chris) to give me moments and memories like yesterday. I hope I gave you half as much as guys give me and can't wait for all our many adventures that lay ahead.
I don't know where I get my fear of cities from. I've always lived on dirt roads and never had to walk around neighborhoods so I just grew into the worst pedestrian ever to the point where street crossings became trying events. My dad would rather not go somewhere then drive to Boston and will never be seen on an MBTA train or bus so somehow I got in stuck in my head that the 45 mile journey to the state's capital was never really worth the effort. My mom desperately wanted me to go college in the city (Northeastern) and I never even really considered it. I focused on all the things that could go wrong and never opened my mind to the limitless opportunities I could have allowed myself. With my brother now in New York and best friends determined not to let their vast talents be limited to Worcester, it was really important to me to get more comfortable getting around cities on my own and to get more familiar with what is easy and what is hard for me when it comes to city life. When the opportunity came up for my next adventure (Bruins-Senators) in the city I was determined to experience the city the right way.
My first train ride from Union Station was easier then I ever could have expected. There was no giant platforms to hover over, just a simple roll out ramp to large train car with plenty of room to maneuver around. There was no tie downs (and I didn't roll once) and ride was smooth and easy unless the conductor was coming through was always caused me to jump. My friends make this ride very day and I can so easy it is to fall asleep with all the stops the make on the inbound route but I had good company and Colleen had large amounts of coffee so made it the whole ride without passing out. South Station was bigger then I thought it would be but moved through it quickly and started our journey through the streets of Boston. We decided to go to the New England Aquarium
and I made the twenty minute roll and the numerous street crossings along the way like a champ. (We took in a couple city parks and gardens along the way I didn't even though they had such things)
The aquarium is free to the disabled just because one of the tanks is not accessible or some other unclear reason so we took in that good news and went straight over to see the penguins.
I am not one of those guys who likes to pick out a penguin and name them for the day (if there are such guys) so I did not bond with any of the penguins. I found their late day feeding to be quite disappointing, apparently penguins like sardines as much as humans so nobody really ate. We were outraged they feed them something they knew they wouldn't eat. Other highlights to cut it down a bit where a driver scaring me half to death by cleaning the giant fish/shark tank (you couldn't pay me enough but Colleen is apparently game) and a lobster challenges every large fish in his tank to a fight.
The highlight of the day came at the stingray touch tank. The tank featured several stingray and few creepy looking sharks that could reach in and touch as they were going by. I didn't know if I was going to be up for it my fear of animals is legendary so I decided to let Colleen take the lead before I made my decision. Now in her defense it is more difficult to touch a stingray then make you believe. You have to dip your hand in, keep in flat and hope you graze the back of one as they swim by. They appear to be looking at you and opening their mouth to bite you and can make sudden movements that can appear aggressive in nature. With all that being said Colleen totally wimped out the first 20 times they came by and pulled her hand away at the last second. As little confidence as this gave me I was determined to do it after seeing her get comfortable and trying 500 ways to get my chair close enough to reach me hand in. This might have been the first time my tilt high feature actually earned its worth because I never would have gotten close enough to tank without it. I tried for more than 20 minutes without getting my hand far enough out or low enough down to touch one. This poor mother got to the point where she was lifting them closer and still wasn't happening. We were getting ready to leave and it finally happened! Never has a man been so happy to touch the squishy underside of a stingray. I think we live life was silly little moments like that, it was so mundane is everyone else there and here we are legitimately moved that I touched a stingray. It got crazy addicting and I was able to pull off the feat 8 more times before leaving!
We headed out and made our way to the North End where I had made dinner reservations. I had never been to this section of the city at all and it's reputation for being accessible is horrible. The legendary broken cobblestone sidewalks weren't that hard to get around even though one resident gave me a very apologetic stare. A lot of the shops and cafes had stairs to get in and no other access. The harsh reality of city life is not everything is going to be accessible most notably apartments and houses people can afford to live. (I guess that's the trade off for the close parking) It's not something I'm going to get pissed about anymore I'm just going to roll with it. It was at this point where I realized Nico the place I made reservations with might not be accessible and sure enough we were done in by one lone stair. (dammit) It worked out very well they had another restaurant they owned 500 feet down the street that was and they were very accommodating. It was a very fancy other authentic Italian place so I left all the ordering to Colleen who serves as my fine dining expert and knows Italian from her studies in Italy. She picked out a bottle of wine that I drank way too fast in typical Chris fashion as Jackson and Kate know all too well from trying to get me into wine. We started with some bruschetta, then moved on to some potato gnocchi (another think Kate turned me on to) and had a veal dish as our main course. Not exactly a meal I'm used to but that's the point when your out. (I swore I really did like everything sometimes I lie like the Italian sandwich sorry again! I really did though) It was a true Boston dinning experience that sure beat the hall of the lame pubs I usually ate at in Boston. Our walk to the Garden was true Chris in DUI mode (if those apply to wheelchairs) that all my friends know, dread and super secretly love.
I don't remember much of the game (you could have guessed that everybody) but we had our usual good seats, there were goals and fights (all you really want in a game) and it was a 4-3 come from behind win for the Bruins. (I swore the winning goal was from center ice) The walk from North to South Station wasn't nearly as long or hard as it was made out to be and we were able to catch the last train all the way back to Worcester. The ride back was faster because of the fewer stops and just as easy. The overall MBTA experience was a pleasant one beyond the broken ticket machine at Union Station that we really didn't need anyway.
In the end it was a great day and night in the city with a very dear friend. I think it's important for everyone to have friends that push them to do new things and make them want to be better people. I'm very lucky that all my friends are like that and are determined to get me off Inman Ave and finally get me to go somewhere that I might finally live up to my potential. I didn't really know if I could handle living or working in a major city and now I am determined to at least die trying. I feel really bad for sister Jenn who designed a whole vacation in Baltimore to get me to realize this but I just wasn't ready and sometimes you have more confidence around your friends then you do with family. I can't wait to do it again I feel like I have a lot of lost time to make for in Boston. I can't wait to experience walking around New York in March and then get to the point where I finally start acting independently instead of just talking a good game. Thank you to everyone who may read this my closest and dearest friends for putting up with the all drama that comes with hanging out with me (drunk chris pushy chris bathroom chris) to give me moments and memories like yesterday. I hope I gave you half as much as guys give me and can't wait for all our many adventures that lay ahead.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)