April 24

I had a pretty photo of my landlady's "miracle flowers," all lined up for the Photo of the Day today. Then, on my commute to work, this lady walked by.

Oh. My. God.

On the spot, I decided that today's POTD would be fauna, not flora. I drove by this woman and stopped at the red light, three or four cars back. Then I got my camera and waited, hoping for once that the light wouldn't change too soon.

Our fashion victim strutted past. Yes, strutted. From her attitude, it was obvious that she thought she was lookin' goooood in this outfit. It was fascinating to watch, really. I know a new outfit, a new hairstyle or even new accessories can make you feel good, but I've never seen an example quite so heinous as this ensemble have that effect.

My friend Sean describes this look as "the Great Wall of Panty Line," topped by "the Golden Gate Bra." I couldn't have said it better myself.

As for the Photoshop, I was playing around and liked the effect on the right side. While it didn't make her dress look better, per se, it at least made it less startling in context.

114/365 -

April 23

My neighbor has an apple tree that blossoms beautifully every spring.

She has a green thumb and ... let's call it eclectic taste .. when it comes to landscaping. Her yard is an ever-evolving experiment in unlikely combinations of plants -- sometimes deliberately planted, other times not. Wildflowers ring her fence line and grow halfway out over the sidewalks, and anybody allergic to bee stings treads carefully when visiting or passing by.

When the tree blossoms, it's really quite beautiful, though the fragile blooms don't last very long. It's always a special treat to walk by and see it in all its glory in the springtime, and usually it's the first true harbinger that warm weather is on the way.

Besides, it makes for a very pretty picture.

113/365 -

April 22

It's street cleaning day on Castleton Street in Jamaica Plain, and the meter maids were out in force today. There were seven cars on one side of the street, which runs about the length of a football field, and six of them had parking tickets. Thus is the joy of on-street parking in Boston.

These cars are lucky. In heavily-populated areas like Boston's Back Bay and South End, the cars wouldn't have just been ticketed, but towed. Those poor car owners get to pay for the ticket, plus the cost of towing and impound, before they can get their car back.

Fortunately, I live on a street without any posted street-cleaning days, so I don't have to do the on-street parking shuffle, because it can be a giant pain in the butt.

112/365 -

April 21

The weather in Boston, which isn't cold but decidedly rainy and kind of clammy-muggy, put a damper (pun intended) on my photographic inspirations today. That, and taking my camera out in the rain is a non-starter. So I'm fobbing you off with a screenshot today.

Here you see me planning my trip out to Illinois next month. My dear friend Ruth is graduating from college, and I'm going to attend the event, take some photos, and spend some time with her and her family. The ticket costs dropped fairly dramatically over the past week (down by 35 percent), so the trip is within my budget.

I'm looking forward to the trip, now that I know I can take it. :-)

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Thank you, Mrs. Cianci, for not stalking us! (I fixed the problem and appreciate your pointing it out.)

April 20

The not-at-all-exhausted looking lady next to me here is Kathryn Nixon. I have trouble making myself presentable most mornings, yet she looks beautiful after having run 26.2 miles in a marathon in 3:52:37.

Kathryn is a former resident in the building in Boston's Back Bay where I work. She and her family moved a few years ago, but she ran the Boston Marathon again this year and dropped in for a short visit with Ennio and me. It makes me feel good that people leave with fond memories and, indeed, visit us occasionally.

Indeed, with all the hassles of driving to work today, with closed-off streets, little or no parking, and thousands more pedestrians than normal, Kathryn's visit may be the best thing about Patriot's Day in Boston.

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April 19

I missed my grandmother's birthday.

It wasn't on purpose, however. She didn't receive her card, though, so I put together a new card for her. Most people would send just the card, but when your grandson's a photographer, you don't get off that easy. I had a year or so of catch-up to do, so she's got a couple of dozen photos in her card.

She'll be especially glad to see my shorter hair -- she's been going on about my looking "like a hippie," since I began growing my hair out a couple of years ago. My friend Brandon took a great photo of me yesterday, so I added it to her card to round out the package.

The card may be late, but the new haircut just might make it worth waiting for. :-)

109/365 -

April 18

Compare and contrast: Something is different about today's photograph.

I decided to have my hair, which I've been growing out for a couple of years, cut off today. I've been growing it out partly out of vanity, but after finding out about Locks of Love, an organization which makes wigs for children, most of whom have a condition called alopecia areata that causes total hair loss, I had a goal: Grow ten inches of hair out so I could donate.

Good intentions being what they are, I kept growing more and more frustrated because my hair just wasn't long enough. Caring for it was taking more and more of my time -- just washing and drying it could waste half an hour of my day. Out of desperation, I went to the salon today. My stylist, Denise, shrugged and told me that the hair on the back of my head wasn't nearly long enough, but the hair on the top and sides could be used. I'd decided the hair was coming off anyway, but that just made my decision easier.

Now I feel lightheaded. :-)

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April 17

Normally I don't go in for self-portraits. They're just not my thing. But today, a convergence of factors made me decide to go for one.

This is the first really pretty day of Spring we've had, and with the temperature set to drop dramatically over the next few days, it makes you want to make the most of it. I was also having a great hair day, which is a precious and rare thing in and of itself. And, having done laundry, I had the most appropriate shirt to wear for the weather -- a light cotton shirt described by my friend Scott as "both great and extremely queer." Boyfriend brought it back for me from India, and I think it's awesome.

So with everything having fallen into place so beautifully, I hauled the tripod out onto the sidewalk, plonked my butt on the front steps and used my remote control to get the photo. It came out pretty well, didn't it?

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April 16

I normally try to space out my commute photos to every other day or so, but today's bumper sticker was so freakin' perfect, I had to use it.

I've always associated the word Masshole with Massachusetts drivers and their habit of offensive driving. I hadn't really realized that it was used in other contexts -- perhaps because I've only lived here for ten years or so. It's something people around here seem to take perverse pride in. "Masshole," is the perfect example of taking a pejorative nickname and turning it into something you're proud to be.

Thus, seeing this bumper sticker on a car en route to work today, I actually made a point of going back and getting the photo. I've never seen this particular bumper sticker before, but now, I want one for myself. To use the local slang, it's wicked pissah.

106/365 -

April 15

Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco, but some unfortunate driver left his (fill in the blank auto part) on Hyde Park Avenue in Jamaica Plain today.

Now I know a little about cars. I can change my oil and top off my fluids, but that's about it. I am pretty sure, however, that leaving bits and parts of your car on the street can't be a good thing. Boston's streets have never been perfect, but after the extended periods of snow and frigid weather we had this winter, we have more potholes than I've seen in my ten-plus years in the city. Road crews have been out filling the most egregious examples, but it's impossible to keep so many miles of road in pristine shape. So sadly, it's not uncommon to see hubcaps and various car parts along the city's thoroughfares. The trick is to make sure they're not various parts from your car.

105/365 -

April 14

For most of the year, our house is home to two families. In the spring and the summer, though, it gets a little more crowded when the house sparrows come out. We usually end up with a nest in the window by our air conditioner upstairs (this drives Pretty Boy crazy), but now they're establishing a new tradition of building a nest in our porch light.

Alas, getting a good photo of a porch light with a half-built nest isn't as easy as it might seem. It's just not that interesting. So you're going to have to settle for this photo of a happy couple of birds hanging out on the tree in the front yard.

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April 13

I was stopped at a light on Huntington Avenue today when this beautiful retro bicycle caught my eye.

A couple of summers ago, I commuted to and from work on my bicycle. Often, I could ride the five miles faster than I could drive them (which speaks volumes about Boston's notorious traffic). It was a great opportunity to save on gas, to get some exercise, and to be nicer to the environment, all while accomplishing something useful (moving from point A to point B). I really enjoyed the experience, right up to the moment the car hit me.

Fortunately, considering the injuries I could have sustained, I got off with a couple of broken ribs. With both my bike and my body bent, I didn't ride anywhere else that summer. But now I'm feeling up to doing the commute again, once I get a new bike (a project I need to put some more thought and energy into). Seeing this pretty blue bike, with the wide whitewall tires and the rack on the back, made me realize I really want to get back on a bike again -- hopefully remaining uninjured this time.

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April 12

Happy Easter!

A resident where I work (and one who has a dog I like very much) gave me Godiva chocolate eggs for Easter.

At the building where I work as a concierge, there is a no-tipping policy in place. We are expected to refuse gratuities, the idea being that whatever tasks we perform are all "part of the service." In essence, we're expected to treat everybody equally, and they don't want us being nicer to the more generous residents in the building. It makes sense in a way.

It's pretty common for us to be offered meals, or candy, or sweets. I've always told Ennio, my doorman, that when your residents offer you money, you can't be sure whether they're just doing it because they're grateful for your help or because they think it's expected. But when a resident feeds you, you know they like you. And that's a great feeling.

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April 11

If you're wondering why Belynda is hiding behind a drinks menu ... well, join the club.

Belynda had a birthday last week, and Marion (of Script Frenzy fame) decided that she needed a little birthday party. After batting around various ideas (visiting the IMAX theater, Jasper White's Summer Shack, etc.), we settled on going to Longhorn Steakhouse for chicken parts and assorted dinner stuff.

We took two separate cars to get there, and our original party of five expanded a bit with the anticipated arrival of Tom's girlfriend. After originally requesting a table for seven, we hurriedly revised it to eight after I realized that, being a liberal arts major, I couldn't count straight. (I rarely do anything straight.) Eventually, eleven people showed for the party -- and honestly, I couldn't have had more fun while remaining sober.

Our waiter Jason (nicknamed Spunky almost immediately) was pure eye candy. A nearby waiter, Duane, was nicknamed Studly for similar reasons. When Sparky the Waiter appeared, and one poor unattractive man we called Scary, we had a virtual platter-carrying boy band on our hands.

I got Mary Anne, who is very shy and says she's sexually frustrated, to leave her number on a napkin for Spunky, with the entreaty to call her. We very nearly got Marion, who has a thing for somebody else, to leave her number for the cute waiter Studly, but she demurred. Happily-married Belynda settled for pressing her girly parts into me for a couple of minutes (eat your hearts out straight men!), and to coin a phrase, a good time was had by all.

Considering the widely-held opinion of Script Frenzy and National Novel Writing Month participants as socially-awkward, it's amazing how much fun we can really have when we let loose. :-)

101/365 -

April 10

I probably pass a dozen of these signs on my commute daily. Every time I see them, with the pictograph of the running boy, I read "DRIVE SLOW," then mentally add "RUN FAST," to the sign. It's probably a subconscious desire on my part to run down pedestrians or something, since I've taken the Massachusetts tradition of offensive driving (the opposite of defensive driving) somewhat to heart over these past ten years.

I was hoping for something prettier, or more momentous, or even just noteworthy, to mark the occasion of my 100th photograph in my Photo of the Day series. I guess this will just have to do.

100/365 -

April 09

There's something about 60-degree weather and blue skies that almost makes up for the insufferable winter Boston just had. Almost.

I downloaded "Twiggy Twiggy" by Pizzicato Five last night. It's a catchy little tune, and while I've heard it (on the Prêt-à-Porter soundtrack) before, I never knew the group or any of its other work. I'm not music savvy by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know what I like. If you're interested, you can find this and more of their work on YouTube.

So, with my iPhone plugged into my car stereo, the windows down because of the great weather, and some of my favorite music playing, the commute into town to go to work was considerably nicer than usual.

99/365 -

April 08

If Wheaties is the breakfast of champions, steak tips and spicy fries must be the dinner of losers.

My doorman and I occasionally order from Nicoles, a local delivery place that has decent food most of the time. I usually just get a hamburger, but I'm not feeling well and I'm not in a marvelous mood, so I went right for the steak tips dinner with spicy fries tonight. The steak tips are cooked with onions and peppers, and the cook has the rare and special ability to cook the meat well done without turning it into show leather.

My dinner wasn't healthy, and many people wouldn't find it appetizing, but when I'm in a crummy mood, this really hits the spot.

98/365 -

April 07

Here I present to you the scene yesterday at the corner of Huntington Avenue and Ruggles St. near Northeastern University.

Note the green light. I should have been rolling forward at this point, but I wouldn't have gotten very far. Look closely at the four layers of cars and how each layer is going in a different direction. In my experience, this is a uniquely Boston phenomenon, caused by unclear, ambiguous, or even nonexistent traffic markings. Boston drivers, of course, view traffic signs and markings as nothing more than suggestions, and treat them accordingly.

In a way, Boston drivers have a certain laissez-faire attitude to driving. You do your thing, they do theirs, and if nobody hits each other who gets hurt? It's that kind of driving that results in it taking me 45-50 minutes to drive the five miles to work on a good day.

97/365 -

April 06

It's chilly and rainy in Boston again, which really limits my opportunities to get out and get photos. I've also had a cold the past few days, which further limits my motivation. I'm never quite sure if it's true that your mood can vividly affect your photography style, but I have to say that this image pretty much nails my mood today.

The beauty of it is that this was a very serendipitous shot. I was outside trying to get the drops of water on the tree branches when I looked down at the guy walking by in the raincoat and the umbrella. Aim and shoot, one shot, and I got it.

Photoshopped to desaturate image, crank contrast a teensy bit and add a blue wash to better suit my mood.

96/365 -

April 05

I haven't turned into a shill for Longhorn Steakhouse -- not that my meager readership would make me an effective advertiser anyway. Anna held the Thank God Its Over (TGIO) party at Longhorn for a small group of folks (four of us), and it was fun.

Anna runs National Novel Editing Month, which ended March 31. It's a much smaller event than National Novel Writing Month or Script Frenzy, but we have a few people who carry over from the other events. Brandon and Randy are two of those folks, and they're awesomely fun guys. It's difficult to coordinate something like this to bring everybody together for the event, which is unfortunate, but we had a good time anyway, discussing head colds, sex ed and detachable penises, and telling jokes. I had commented to Anna that telling dirty jokes wasn't as fun with the guys as it was with Marion and Belynda; I think they took it as something of a challenge. They certainly rose to the occasion -- pun absolutely intended.

Actually, on that topic, it's somewhat ironic that we were discussing detachable penises at a restaurant called "Longhorn," isn't it?

95/365 -

April 04

Aren't these crocuses pretty?

I was walking my dog when I noticed that these flowers had popped up in the landlady's garden. I complimented her on her tulips, only to be corrected. Considering my lack of a green thumb, I was doing good to identify it as a flower.

It's been rainy the past couple of days -- today less so than yesterday -- and tomorrow is supposed to be downright beautiful. I'm really looking forward to more days where I can venture out without a jacket and enjoy a sunny day.

Meanwhile, I know perfectly well that the flowers in the back are tulips, and they're going to be magnificent when they're in full bloom.

94/365 -

April 03

Driving the boyfriend to the airport was the most exciting thing I've done on this dreary, rainy day.

He's headed to New York City for the weekend to smell things -- specifically, an event called Sniffapalooza, geared to perfume enthusiasts. Originally, I'd planned to go with him, and while he was sniffing things I would do a little sightseeing around the city. Alas, those plans fell through.

It's not all bad, though. I've got a head cold of monumental proportions, so getting on an airplane would have caused my head to explode. But I have the day off already, which is nice; I don't have to be at work with my sinuses thumping behind my eyes.

If you're going to be sick, planning the day off three weeks in advance, being able to spend time by yourself, and picking a gray, rainy day where you can't spend a lot of time outdoors is the way to do it. I wish I could claim credit for the foresight, but today's just pure dumb luck -- or as lucky as you can feel with a head cold and cough.

93/365 -

April 02

It's nice working with somebody who can find and nurture beauty in the least likely places.

My doorman -- and good friend -- Ennio found a forlorn little azalea plant in our loading dock, thrown out by a resident and waiting for trash day. Ennio has a green thumb and didn't have the heart to get rid of it, so he took it, cleaned it up, watered it, and brought it back to health. Now it's in a place of honor by the concierge desk, so everybody can see it.

After this brutal winter, I needed a little green and a little prettiness to cheer me up, and Ennio provided it.

92/365 -

April 01

It's been a busy day for me, but at least I've accomplished a lot -- at least tonsorially. The lustrous brown locks are gone, replaced with a more sensible haircut.

We had a minor plumbing mishap at home this morning -- the hose to our handheld shower head decided to part company with the threaded nut holding it to the bathtub spigot -- which got me out of bed unexpectedly to try to deal with it. As I said, it was minor, but a nuisance nonetheless. Leaning over the bathtub trying to fix the problem, I had a hell of a time keeping my unkempt hair out of my face.

Without the benefit of a shower, my hair -- which is very thick and exceedingly full -- was not being particularly cooperative. I brushed it back, put in a hairband to keep it out of my face, and tied off the back in a ponytail. Well, that just didn't work.

It's a nice day out, so I cracked my window as I drove to the hardware store. My hair got all up in my face because of the breeze, which was frustrating. Sitting at the red light at the end of Cummins Highway, trying to fix my hair again, I spotted the Rialto Barber Shop across the street; once upon a time, I went there every two weeks to have a trim. "Well screw this," I said to myself out loud, and I pulled into the lot behind the barber shop. I mean, this is bullshit, not even being able to keep your hair in line.

And that's how I ended up with the old-fashioned shorter 'do.

Oh, and happy April Fools Day*.

91/365 -

*The real Photo of the Day will resume tomorrow.

March 31

Here's a photo that sort of turns my stomach.

My poor puppy dog is diabetic, and I'm overcoming what to me is a perfectly rational case of needle phobia. That means that, twice a day, Pogo gets seven units of insulin at mealtimes. Boyfriend is awesome about giving the injections, but sometimes he's just not home when the injections are due, and it falls to me to give them.

Five months ago, I fainted when I saw a needle. Then Pogo started needing shots, and I had to work to overcome that perfectly rational reaction. Just trying to talk about it made me stammer. With time, patience, and necessity, I managed to reduce my reaction from fainting (not helpful) to throwing up, and then to nausea and only occasional lightheadedness.

That I can keep the presence of mind to actually take a photograph of myself handling a needle is nothing short of remarkable. I don't believe I'll ever really get used to giving shots, but I'm able to do it when I have to. And I'm pretty proud of that.

90/365 -