More from the Peep of the Year

Peeps....

As I have explained to you time and again, being named Nanepashemet POTY is a life changing event. Look what happened to Tommy McMahon!!! You can see the transformation begin with Michael "Murph" Murphy.

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Fasten your seat belt and hold on tight Murph. This year will be more thrilling than "Mr Toad's Wild Ride" at Disney. And be sure to keep Beth in line. But don't be too hard on her, what with her being new to the limelight and all...

Murph said...

I had no idea the magnitude of being POTY. I have Tuna Lips giving me his valued input and now I am getting fan mail. The following message was in my inbox this AM:

Dear Murph,

I would very much like to give you a half gallon of N. Nog the next time you grace Marblehead. Any chance it could be this weekend? Perhaps we could include the Nestors and the other Nestors. I believe they too are fans. Pre-Pittsburgh / Jaguars? (I'm thinking they're Sat. night, but if the game's earlier, we could do it during). Or Sunday?

Greg could be pissed, but we will soldier on.

A mere 36 years ago, I worked on the 25th floor of the State Street Bank Building on Franklin St. The elevator had a mirror on the ceiling.


Thank you Fans, Thank you Nancy. Upon hearing of my POTY Nancy has invited me to star in the Movie version of "Dustings". A true honor. Thank you Nancy.

The POTY is a bigger honor than I thought. I have my work cut out for me but it looks like I have the fan support. I shall continue my reign so that I could possibly pull off the unthinkable....a repeat in 2008. Tough challenge but I am ready. In a dissapointing move, my wife Beth was recently nominated as a POTW. I was excited to point it out to her and was ready to congratulate her when she asked the unthinkable... "Why did Jay make me a POTW?". I froze. How could she ask such a question. She is married to the Peep of the Year, perhaps the decade. Against all Peep rules. I hope this will not hurt my repeat chances.....She better make up for it with the Automatic Lagavulin rule...Perhaps that will help.....Tuna Lips may have some advice for her I hope....

Tuna Lips said...

This Jay feller you speak of, I would be wunderin' ifin he has eyes fer yer lass. Such subterfuge I have engaged in to hang another pair of bloomers from the good ship Tuna Lips. Beware, good sir, beware. And Rock n' Roll, Hoochie Coo! Oops, voices in my head, gotta run!

Nanepashemet Peep of the Year - 2007

Happy New Year. I have to get out and fix the tarp on the tender this morning before it snows, but before I do that, it's time to select the Nanepashemet Peep of the Year.
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As you may know, last year's POTY, Tom McMahon, caused a rash of controversy. There was a lot of "Oh Yeah!" combined with quite a bit of "WTF!!!"
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Well Tommy proved to be a very worthy election, what with the photos of him chasing drunken idiots in Fenway Park during Red Sox games and all. And his sojourns down to our house with various youthful girlfriends and six packs of twisted tea solidified his status. It was an excellent year for Tom, as befits his reign as the prestigious/disgraceful Peep of the Year.
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This year, there was a great candidate pool to choose from. Huge amounts of stupidity, annoyance and inspiration.
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You should know the selection criteria by now. It's the same standards used to choose the POTW.
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The winner/loser must have done something stupid, annoying or inspirational, and must not be an animal or dead. I kind of hoped that the automatic Lagavulin rule would kick in this year, with the successful candidate showing up at my house with a case of the King of Single Malt Scotch, but once again I am bitterly disappointed.
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This year's recipient fit the criteria well and had a huge year.
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ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peep of the Year 2007

Michael "Murph" Murphy

Now don't start in with the obnoxious "Why.... Why.... WHY!!!" whine. You know that I can't disclose the specific reasons. Just suck it up and send your congratulations/condolences to Murph as he begins his momentous reign as the POTY for the coming year.

Peep of the Week - Week 52

• Last Week of the Year
  

This is the last Thursday of the year. I can't believe that I've risen to the occasion - each and every week - summoning the strength and mustering the courage to make the all-important weekly POTW selections.
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To those of you who look to this as the highlight of your week, I definitely suggest that you look into some type of hobby or interest that will help you to advance your life to a more meaningful type of existence. I hope I said this gently enough.
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If you've been named a Peep of the Week this year, be not proud... nor should you be ashamed. General malaise and confusion is probably the most appropriate emotion for the weekly honor/disgrace. Most fortunate among you are those Peeps who were selected but don't realize it. Ignorance is truly bliss in this situation.
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The Peep of the Year will be chosen on January 1. I'm pretty sure who it will be, but I'm keeping the options open just in case a Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch delivery truck shows up at my front door between now and then.

ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 52nd Week of 2007

• Kyle Raiche
• Ben Martin
• Emily Ingardia
• Mark Vona
• Tom McMahon
• Steve Lewis

The countdown is on for the New Year.... and the life changing POTY selection. Keep the nominations coming in, although I probably won't be paying much attention to them.

Patriots 15

So I started watching the Patriots game with Joanne and Katelyn at home.... then Mike and Nathaniel called and wanted me to meet them at Flynnie's. I was surprized that Flynnie's was so empty. A couple of cougars at the bar, along with Nathaniel, Mike and Jeff Flynn.
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Jeff said that the Gerry, and HDTV has affected his business during Patriots games. People would rather stay home or go to their friend's house to watch the game. The restaurant business must be a continual horror show. Literally feast or famine with constantly changing conditions.
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Ben Martin joined us at Flynnie's for one more and we moved the event to the Gerry 5 Fireman's Association.
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Ever since Larry Hudak finished the renovation at the Gerry, it has drawn a new crowd mixing in with the old guard, although Kevin and Brian Rockett are starting to seem like the old guard.
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Joining the Rockett brothers were Dave and Abby Bruett and their former nanny, Courtney Lynch, in from San Francisco. Courtney professed her allegiance to the Nanepashemet Blog, which is always the foundation for a potential POTW selection, because of its annoying/inspirational significance. She paid for a Gerry membership application for her father, Paul.... a very thoughtful gift for the popular Marblehead Attorney.
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The Pats cruised past the Dolphins for their 15th regular season victory this year.
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There was Good Will Toward Men at the Gerry, although women are still ineligible to join.

Piscabo said...

Merry Christmas to the old school peeps from back in the broadband revolution days, both on and off the treadmill. Spent a lot of good company time talking smack.

And a shout out to Father Christmas, Little Willie Hillegas, what up dog!?!

POTW Week 51

The Fact that it is Thursday today almost seems supernatural. Lately the weeks have had only three days. Monday, Thursday and Sunday of course when the Patriots play. I wonder if global warming has anything to do with it?
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"Time flies when you're having fun." The adage holds no weight here. It's no fun watching deadlines loom so much sooner. The problem with deadlines is that people get so wrapped around the axle trying to meet them that they basically don't give a crap what happens by the time that the deadline is passed.
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If you make it, you hate the naysayers and ballbusters who tormented you along the way, and they don't give you any credit when you finally succeed because of the overall acrimonious nature of the process.
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Are you depressed enough now???? It gets worse..... because now it's time to choose the Peeps of the Week.
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ANNOUNCING....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 51st week of 2007.

• Gail Johnson
• Josh Dolben
• Dave Bruett
• The entire Membership Committee of the Boston Yacht Club
• Bill Hillegas
• John McCain

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Now let's get back to the hand wringing.
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Holiday Strain

Every year in the wireless telecom industry, the same thing happens.... a headlong rush to get things done by the end of the year. As I contemplate the last ten years doing this, the holidays are always extra stress. If it's not a major procurement, it is a production deadline that must be met.
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This year is no different. Fending customer expectations and trying to get subs to take on challenging amounts of work.
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The Stress and Strain Game. Pressure that a lesser man would surely find daunting. And yet I carry on. If I only was eligible for POTW, this type of inspiration would be a no-brainer.

Tuna Lips said...

Speaking of strain, I need to introduce some fiber to my diet. I popped a blood vessel "heavin' a havana" last night, plugged up the Route 135 rest stop outhouse but good.

Seems the local area boys choir gave a concert last night, al fresco, takin' to the woods about the rest area, singin' what musta been Christmas carols, what with all the howlin' and gleefulness. Gave me a special feelin'. And the local police provided the twinkle lights, with their strobes of blue and red flashin' and they search lights flashin' across the tree line. Real community spirit.

POTW - Week 49

It's hard to believe that this year is coming to an end. Soon we'll be contemplating a momentous decision.... the Nanepashemet Peep of the Year. I see where Brett Favre, Quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, made it as SI Sportsman of the Year, which has recently lost its lustre to the coveted Nanepashemet designation.
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Sorry to tarnish your accomplishment, Brett. It still is pretty impressive.
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But you have to admit, it isn't Peep of the Year.
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One of you deviant/over-achievers, pervert/role-models will walk away with the ultimate distinction/humiliation in a few short weeks. Yes it could be you.... so get your affairs together before it is too late.
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Look what happened to Tommy McMahon, the defending 2006 POTY. His life has been a living hell this year.

ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peep of the Week for Week 49 of the year 2007

• Dr. Danny Levy
• Dave Bruett
• Mike McLellan
• Sarah Maxfield
• Lauren Rathbone
• Patrick Piscatelli

I'm not sure that I'm man enough, or strong enough, or sober enough to ultimately handle this year end duty.

Tuna Lips said...

Belated birthday salutation, there, Big Cheese. I wish you a good year, may many a bird alight on yer feeder and leave they droppins' on the vehickles of your enemies.

Speakin' of enemies, lest you pinkos forget, some 66 years past since the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was launched by those devilish Jap imps. Sunday morning, too, when proper sorts was attending services. The horror. Never forget, the peaceful Sunday silence broken by the bombs those rice-eating slopes dropped on us unsuspecting like. I weren't there, but I can tells you such a thing is just bad. Like finding a cockroach in yer gumbo or your date has a penis. But we press on, and heed the call to defend our way of life, of affordable footware made by children who need jobs and would be up watching TV all night anyhow, of news ladies with really great tits and the camera crews with sense enough to make that the lead story, of discount cigarettes and sloppy joes, gorcery shopping at the cumby's where you can top off yer tank, pitching shoes and peeing in public, the sweet symphony of domestic negotiations and snarling rottys in the trailer yard, wide open spaces to dump our Arby's wrappers and the like. The list goes on. I'll close here with this thought. I have seen this great land from sea to shining sea. You wear a clean shirt and drawers, you can git somewheres.

9:14 AM

Anonymous said...

I have "Peep of the year" on my resume. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason I got my job. I think they now regret their decision.

-McMahon

9:39 AM

Plain Gunning dory

This is a plain version of the dory that I'm building. Mine will have a motor well, and some deck modifications at the bow and stern for flyfishing.
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Also, I will add sealed compartments with polyurethane foam for sink proofing.
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And of course, there will be provisions made for two Piandetosi Sliding Seat Rowing rigs.
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Not sure if I will modify for sailing with a centerboard. I probably will for future enjoyment by those who care about sailing. So far, that bug hasn't hit me.

POTW - Week 48

I'll be truthful....... I've been so busy this week that I didn't even realize that it was Thursday. Business has hit a fever pitch. I wonder if the Dow hitting new heights has anything to do with it?
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At any rate, I really haven't had an idle moment since Monday morning. That's a good thing as long as the activity is profitable... I mean, ditch diggers are busy too.
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But I have to believe that the action will convert into dollars, otherwise I'll never get that big ass BMW that I've had my eyes on.
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Announcing.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for week 48 of 2007.

• Barry Lutchen
• Lindsey Kepnes
• Eric Rumpf
• Tom McMahon
• Linda O'Shea
• Brian Butler

It looks like a busy day tomorrow too.

Tuna Lips said...

Idle hands is the Debbil's workshop, that is what my momma was good for sayin', particularly when she caught me interferin' with myself. I never got that. I would say, "but momma, my hands is busy", whereupon she would throw in my general direction the mason jar she was drinkin' corn spirits from to forget about her existence.

Anonymous said...

A+ on the Peep of the week selections. Anything that puts me and Lindsey Kepnes together is perfect by me.

J. you gotta check out Tony La Rusa's youtube video from his sobriety test. The whole thing is good but make sure you hear the part where he says the alphabet. It's something special.

-McMahon

10:04 AM

2:15 PM

Dory Stalking

The other day, when I was coming back from the post office, I got behind a truck that was towing a Chamberlain Gunning Dory into Old Town Marblehead. Stalker that I am, I followed the trailer until I got to a narrow one way street where the truck stopped.
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Not being able to pass, I got out and asked the guy, who was directing the boat trailer into a driveway, if that was a Chamberlain dory and who built it.
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He corrected me by saying that it was a Chamberlain Gunning Dory (like I didn't already know) and that it was built by Thad Danielson of Redd's Pond Boatworks.
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It was planked with four chined planks, painted gray. The lines were straight out of John Gardner's depiction.
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I'm pretty certain that the utilization of cedar strip planks, carefully matched for color and grain and clear varnished, with no hard chine delineation, will make my dory a unique interpretation of a beautiful design.

Bash Rehash

The Thanksgiving Eve Bash came off flawlessly as planned. Some of the Peeps claimed it was the best time of their lives, which is pushing it a little, don't you think?
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There were two automatic POTW selections due to the gift of the king of scotch, Lagavulin, to me.
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That honor went to Bob Wojcik, who obviously is contrite about wrecking my marathon training, and Michael "Murph" Murphy, who has to be in the running for Peep of the Year.

POTW Week 46

I hate to reveal my weaknesses to you Peeps.... because you are so quick to judge, and so harsh in your judgements. Yet, I am drawn to express the truth from a strange, moving, somewhat idiotic force. I wish that I could be more demure and discrete at times.... but discretion can be so boring.
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So, given that nice little preamble, I have to admit that I am scared of heights.... really afraid.... like having a sinking fear from my stomach to my scrotum. I can be on a rooftop with a parapet, and no problem. But a flat roof that you can fall off the edges sends me to wanting to assume the fetal position in the middle, as far away from the edges as possible.
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Notice that I said wanting. I resisted the position in actuality
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Not only am I nervous for me, but I can't stand to see anyone else near the edge.
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I know what you're thinking.....
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How can a rough, tough manly man like myself be so freaking fearful???
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It's a mystery to me too. But today, on a rooftop in Providence, RI, I was reduced to a quivering mass of nervous protoplasm. Which reminds me....

ANNOUNCING....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 46th Week of 2007

• Bill Shanahan
• Jill Phillips
• Emily Buttorf
• Pat Piscatelli
• Sue Roper
• Debby Clarke

Tomorrow, I'll get on another roof.

Mass Movement

Peeps.....
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Would you believe it if I told you that I was too busy to Blog?
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Say it ain't So!!!
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But that is the case as Nanepashemet Telecom reaches critical mass. After a while, we will open up and hire, which I swore not to do, but it is getting big fast. Which means I am glued to this keyboard, with a Blog in need and a Dory project waiting for a next step that just keeps getting pushed back.
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Please don't panic. I will find a way to solve this.

Dory Delays

Yesterday, during my row around the Harbor, I saw an 18 foot Swampscott Dory with two oarsmen. It moved throught the swells very smoothly and inspired me to get the Marblehead Gunning Dory project back on track. But today, I hit the laptop at 6:30AM, skipped lunch, broke for dinner at 5:30 PM and then worked from 7:30 until just now at 9:45PM. And I still didn't get where I wanted to be. My partners are also kicking it.
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And that's just to clear to decks so that we can deal with the big procurement that just walked in the Nanepashemet Telecom door. There will be some major hours processing that. I'm not complaining. This is infinitely better than waiting for the phone to ring, or trying to manufacture opportunities.
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But I'm not the least bit optimistic about finding the time to spend on the Dory. Plus it's starting to be the time to plan on the annual Nestor Thankgiving Eve Bash. Joanne wants to scale it down this year. She says that every year, and every year it always escalates to a blowout.
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What makes this year different? Absolutely nothing. All of you Peeps are invited, and none of you know how to behave.

Another Convert

Yesterday, at various and repeated times, McMahon, Vona, Rafe, Frankie James and a girl whose name I forgot came by to drink their beers and Twisted Tea and sit with Joanne and I. They wanted to see the progress on the Dory, which was embarrassing, because of the sad progress attained on that all important project.
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I introduced Frankie to the virtues of Lagavulin though, so it wasn't all bad.

Friday Forecast

The Patriots have a Bye this weekend, and it seems like another rainstorm is in the forecast. It's probably the perfect weekend to tie up some Nanepashemet Telecom loose ends.
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I don't usually like to work on business during the weekend.... it's healthy to turn away for a two day period. But we have to get all of the small details under wraps as we attack a major procurement that will have a profound effect on our company.
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I know. Once again, the Marblehead Gunning Dory project is fading from view. I obviously haven't forgotten about it, but if I land this business, everything should be moving forward, and I will be able to devote some attention to your precious Dory.

POTW - Week 45

I did something today that I'm not proud of. I'd tell you what it was, but it is kind of too embarrassing. It wasn't illegal or immoral or anything, but for a short while I really felt like a jerk.
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Then I went to Dr. Danny Levy's office and had the baby tooth that had been my left front canine for the last half century yanked. I felt sentimental about it and took it home in an envelope. Not that I believe in the tooth fairy or anything. I asked Joanne if she wanted it mounted in a necklace or something, however, she had no real show of enthusiasm.
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Now I have a full size bridge and my mouth feels completely unnatural. Wonder if this will screw up my public speaking ability? At least Scotch tastes the same.
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For the most part, the dentist trip proved to be cathartic after my embarrassing jerk episode.
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..... So now I'm back to normal.
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Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for Week 45 of 2007

• Pete Endras
• Emily Ingardia
• Rebecca May
• Tanya Towne
  
• Joe Collins
• Tom Faiola

Tomorrow, I'll try to be a better man.... with a brand new smile ;-)

Picking Priorities

Emily Ingardia again proves why she is an all time awesome Peep by finding this wicked cool T-shirt on line.
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I know that I should be marketing a full line of Nanepashemet POTW stuff, but there is only so much time in the day.
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Then I'd have to get in the mail order business... so when would the Dory get built????
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Sometimes you just have to compromise.

POTW - Week 44

Went to the Bruins game tonight at the Garden in Boston.

But before that, we had a great Italian dinner at Masiminos in the North End. The veal and eggplant parmagian was incredible, but gassy. I really didn't mind grossing out my peeps, but I felt sorry for the innocent bystanders.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for Week 44 of 2007

• Rich Ellis
• Mike Delia
• Kevin Grimes
• Tito Francona
• Scott Boras
• Will Nestor

We'll see how I make it through the night.

Ambitious Plans

Stuff to do on Saturday.

• Assemble my Manny disguise for the Crawford's "M" Halloween party.
• Attach the Dory frames to the Dory bottom and Strongback.
• Get a Rowing workout in around Marblehead Harbor in the Tender. (High Tide tomorrow is around noon time.)
• Rake the leaves at the house and Sundance School.
• Have beers at the Gerry.

I'm thinking that I'll pull off two, maybe three of these. Chances are, there will still be leaves at the house and the school.