Pats Schedule

	Sun 9/9/2007	1:00 PM	@	Jets					38-14	W
	Sun 9/16/2007	8:15 PM	vs	Chargers		NBC / WHDH Channel 7			38-14	W
	Sun 9/23/2007	1:00 PM	vs	Bills		CBS / WBZ Channel 4			38-7	W
	Mon 10/1/2007	8:30 PM	@	Bengals		ESPN / WCVB Channel 5			34-13	W
	Sun 10/7/2007	1:00 PM	vs	Browns		CBS / WBZ Channel 4			34-17	W
	Sun 10/14/2007	4:15 PM	@	Cowboys		CBS / WBZ Channel 4			48-27	W
	Sun 10/21/2007	1:00 PM	@	Dolphins		CBS / WBZ Channel 4			49-28	W
	Sun 10/28/2007	4:15 PM	vs	Redskins		FOX / WFXT Channel 25
	Sun 11/4/2007	4:15 PM	@	Colts		CBS / WBZ Channel 4
	Sun 11/11/2007		vs	Bye
	Sun 11/18/2007	1:00 PM	@	Bills		CBS / WBZ Channel 4
	Sun 11/25/2007	8:15 PM	vs	Eagles		NBC / WHDH Channel 7
	Mon 12/3/2007	8:30 PM	@	Ravens		ESPN / WCVB Channel 5
	Sun 12/9/2007	1:00 PM	vs	Steelers		CBS / WBZ Channel 4
	Sun 12/16/2007	1:00 PM	vs	Jets		CBS / WBZ Channel 4
	Sun 12/23/2007	1:00 PM	vs	Dolphins		CBS / WBZ Channel 4
	Sat 12/29/2007	8:15 PM	@	Giants		NFL Network

Sunday Excitement

Sox won in Denver... now they are 3 and 0 and could clinch the Series tonight. It's nice to see them so dominant. Plus the Patriots play the Redskins this afternoon at 4:15. Dave Bruett said something about a gathering at the Gerry for the first half. Could be a fine idea.
~
Too much excitement for one day..... I'll have to pace myself.
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My Manny shirt was a bust last night. The transfer Iron-on paper really didn't work well. It was a great idea though. I should get credit for that alone. Another fun Crawford Halloween party. I felt bad for Will Crawford with his MaryLou Retton gym tights on. That had to hurt, even for Will.
~
Got to see the two baby Wills - Crawford and Nestor... plus the always lovely Maddie Gill. Great additions to the holiday parties this year.
~
High tide is at 1:00 this afternoon. I can feel a good Harbor Row coming on, before the main events begin.

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.

Tempus Fugit

Did it seem to you like this week flew by? It's seems like yesterday when we were watching the Pats on the Peabody's deck. No running, no boating, no fishing, no dory work. Just the Project Management business and the World Series made the Time pass quickly.

Staying Put

Sox are 2-0 in the Series. You have to admit, they look really good. I'm sticking with my original Sox in six prediction though.

Peep of the Week - 43

Thursday came super quick this week. What with the World Series and all of the action at the bird feeder, it was damn busy.... not to mention that Nanepashemet Telecom is getting hot as a pistol. The Dory is suffering and my Running training is definitely on the back burner.
~
But enough about me. What about you and your life?? Ok..... I'll admit I could care less.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 43rd week of 2007

Nathaniel Clarke
Tommy O'Shea
Jonathan Papelbon
Jay Ohanian
Carol Andrade
Bob Towne

It's not that I'm indifferent to your plight, it's just that my life is just so much more interesting to me.

Series Opener

Did I mention that the Red Sox won the first World Series game 13-1 last night over a flat Colorado Rockies team??? The Rockies can't be that bad. Tonight's game should be more interesting.

Nuthatch Update

Peeps.....
~
I know that you're as excited as I am, but please stop emailing me about the White Breasted Nuthatch!!!!
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Yes... it was back this morning, but I don't have the time to report every sighting.
~
Why don't you get your own damn bird feeder????

Prim and Proper

But everyone thinks you are rude and mean. Kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think?

Game On

First game of the World Series is on for 8:30 tonight. It will be good to get acquainted with the Colorado Rockies, and even better if the Sox beat them in the process.
~
The official Nanepashemet projection is Boston in Six. You heard it here.

Fierce Feeder Action

A great morning for the feeder. Despite the usual gorging by the squirrels and a flock of about a dozen Common Sparrows, the following species made an appearance.

Male Cardinal
Downy Woodpeckers - Both male and female
Eastern Kingbird
Chickadees
Tufted Titmice
Bluejays
White Breasted Nuthatch

This is my first confirmed siting of a White Breasted Nuthatch, although it is reasonable to assume there will be more of them around. They nest in woodpecker holes and dead wood, and are frequently found in the company of Titmice and Chickadees.
~
At first I thought that the Nuthatch was a female Downy Woodpecker, but the blue feathers gave it away. A reasonable mistake that even accomplished Birders like you Peeps would make.
~
An exciting morning.

Stupid Good Morning

Fires in California.
Drought in Atlanta.
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Other good reasons to come from Boston.
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I'll admit that I've been getting a lot of my information on these unfortunate situations from Good Morning America. Such Sclock journalism. You would think that the entire state was ablaze and that every person in Cal. was in Qualcomm Stadium. They interview individuals who lost their homes until they make them cry. They ask the obvious questions.... "Is there anything that you forgot to bring with you?".... all to elicit an emotional reaction.
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I'm sure they dream of the day when they can "report" on the Apocalypse. But they are too egotistical to note that they also would be doomed.
~
In the meantime, we have little info on the true scope of the issue. From what I can make out, these fires and winds are blowing ambers and sparks that are randomly causing house fires. 1500 homes are lost. No other technical coverage regarding spread or duration of the fires, or overall impact. Of course, it's my own fault for trying to get the facts from Good Morning America. I suppose that I could get off my ass and actually research and read something.
~
Red Sox start the World Series tonight against the Colorado Rockies, and I don't feel guilty. I actually feel guilty about not feeling guilty.

A Legend is Born

International Affairs

I grew up during the Cold War. We fought Communism in Korea, the Cuban Missle Crisis, Vietnam, Granada, Panama, etc. It was all so simple... the Communists, like the Nazis before them, wanted to conquer the world, and we were bent on stopping them.
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Military strategy seemed to be very simple. How many warheads did the Soviets have??? We'll make more. How many nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, tanks, etc.?? We'll get more.
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Then the Reagan administration committed to Star Wars, and the Russians threw in the towel.. They couldn't compete with our technology or economic ability to outproduce them.
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The current situation is way too complex. Al Queda doesn't want to conquer us. They want to annihilate us. They are not a government and they hide behind the Islamic religion, which has been perverted and sacrificed to their twisted aims.
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I'll admit that I don't get it. It seems to be a throughback to a medieval way of thinking emanating from a deep pyscholgical sense of self worth and self esteem. But that is just my amateur conjecture. I haven't figured it out yet.
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My Middle Eastern friends always point to Israel and the support of the West for that Jewish state as the cause of all of the issues. But then why did Sadam invade Kuwait, and make vicious war on the Kurds and Iranians?
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See what I mean??? It's wicked confusing and illogical. I yearn for the good ole Cold War Days.

Being Manny

I'll be going to Sarah Crawford's "M" Halloween Party this weekend as "M"anny #24 Ramirez. I don't care who else goes as Manny. There are enough dreadlocks to go around.

Feeder Action

At the feeder this morning has been a Tufted Titmouse, Chickadee and a Downy Woodpecker. I'm not boasting, just stating the facts.


Also numerous Sparrows, Blue Jays, and Mourning Doves.
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Mammals have included some squirrels, my two Cats, Izzy and Roenick, and the stupid German Shepard from across the street who decided to chase Roenick up on the deck.
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The positive spin to that episode is that my knee didn't hurt me in my high speed chase after the dog off of the deck and around to the front of the house.

Video Request

The response to my Marblehead Rock video was amazing. Now a vast number of you want me to film all of the backsides of the islands in Salem Sound. Unlike most of your pathetic requests and suggestions, this one is actually quite good, and I may even comply.

Another World Series.

Sox won the pennant with a sensational catch in center field by Coco Crisp. A comeback from a 3 to 1 deficit.
~
It has to be heartbreaking for Cleveland, and for the guys who sold the insurance policy to Jordan's Furniture giving free furniture if the Sox win the World Series. Brilliant marketing.
~
Loyal Peeps will note that I called it two games ago with a lock on gut feeling. No need for excess praise, but I did call it right. Time to celebrate for Red Sox Nation. Bring on the Rockies.

Over?

Up by 7 runs in the 8th inning. Justin Pedroia has broken it open with two hits in the last two innings. It ain't over till it's over. But it sure feels like it's over for the Indians.
~
Youkilis just hit one into the Coke bottles. Now the are up by 9. 11-2. 3 outs away from the American League Pennant and a trip to the World Series.

On a Roll

Patriots emasculated Miami, as they have done for the previous six opponents. This type of play is unprecedented in my memory - for a professional team to completely dominate all in its path.
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I'm just glad it's the Patriots and not the Jets.
~
Now for the Red Sox - Cleveland rubber match. If the Sox go to the World Series, what's next for Nanepashemet Telecom???? I'm thinking there is a positive connection.

Marblehead Rock

Back side of Marblehead Rock. On a beautiful October day. Maybe it's good that my left leg won't let me run. I never would have gotten out to row.

Boston Bounty

I hope that you dudn't hit this Blog to see if the Red Sox won.
~
What do you think I am???? The freaking Associated Press?
~
If you don't know who won by the time you get here, then your priorities are way off.
~
BTW, Red Sox beat the Indians 12-2 and the American League Pennant is up for grabs tonight. But before that happens, we will be watching the Patriots tool on the hapless Miami Dolphins. With the Pats undefeated and some touting them as having the best offense ever, every game is an extra treat.
~
Plus, we are looking at summer like temperatures today. A nice Sunday to look forward to if you're from Boston.

F-150 and Lobster Transaction

Broke out of the malaise and got some Dory work done today. Tyler Gill and Chris Crawford actually got me into gear, because they wanted to borrow the truck and the inside was such a mess that I had to get off my sedentary behind to clean out the cab.
~
After that, I sanded all of the frames with the belt sander and the rotary Grizzly monster that I bought during a late night frenzy of irrational internet purchasing a number of years ago.
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Gilly and Chris returned the truck with a cooler of 10 lobsters. Excellent trade.
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We will boil them over at the Peabody's deck with the O'Shea's and be ready to slumber by the third inning of the Sox-Indians playoff game.
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Tomorrow, I will measure and attach the frames to the Dory bottom and the Strongback.
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Add another three hours to the Dory for a cumulative project amount of 23 hours to date.

Playoff Prediction

Game 6 will be at 5:20 p.m. Saturday, with Curt Schilling scheduled to start for Boston and Fausto Carmona for the Cleveland Indians.
~
My prediction is a Red Sox win tonight, another one tomorrow and on to the World Series on Wed. Just a feeling that I have.
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If I'm wrong, you can rank, condemn and vilify me. What's the difference??? You'd just find another excuse to do it otherwise.

Cap It Off

A good week. Breakthrough actually.
~
We penetrated a bit more into our most important carrier customer, made some inroads with a new carrier, tied into a nice tower company to contruct their towers, and picked up upon the scuttlebutt that our reputation is being "super responsive".
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I like that reputation. There's a lot of companies that can get it done, but being responsive is the key to delivering service beyond expectations.
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And Nanepashemet Telecom is "super responsive".
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I've had great success in this business working for the Man. But now we're the Man. And we're not doing anything different. This is going to be good.
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OK, I know you're saying that the Dory hasn't moved in weeks, the basement job is fallow and my marathon training is almost out the window.
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Thanks for wreaking it for me.

The Wocjik Supremacy

The thing that Bob Wocjik has going for him is that he is a PMP. It's kind of like being a "Made Man". You can screw with anybody, and nobody can screw with you. He must think he's Tony Soprano or something.
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Well Bob, I was a PMP way before you, so that tactic just doesn't wash here. We're on to you and your insidious tactics to mess with my training progress.
~
This weekend, I'll rev up a workout by rowing the Herreshoff Columbia Yacht Tender a couple of miles around Marblehead Harbor.
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By the way Bob, it's a Tender.... not a dinghy. A real PMP would be getting it right after awhile.

Manny Being Manny

If the Red Sox lose tonight, then Manny Ramirez is a bona fide idiot.
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"Don't worry, be happy", just doesn't cut it sometimes. You just have to hustle a little down the first base line. This walking by Manny after he hits the ball ,is really starting to get on my nerves.
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This is for the World Series. Get freaking serious.
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At least Josh Becket is looking like the stopper. If the Sox can get back to Boston, it's a whole new ballgame. Cleveland is the real deal.

POTW 42nd Week of 2007

I made a huge mistake yesterday.
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Telling a few Peeps who I thought I could trust, that the reason I fell off of my workout plan was because of Bob Wojcik. I should have never followed his suggestion to stretch out my calves at the edge of a curbstone. It's been a ordeal even to walk since.
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But that's no reason for all the resentment, vituperation and vitriol that so many of you have been trying to lay on Wojcik. It's my bad... my fault.... my stupidity.... for taking his advise. He doesn't deserve your derision and blame. You don't even know him (he lives in Albany, NY, about six feet tall, blond hair, vacant stare).
~
Even though he really screwed up my marathon chances. I will overcome this.

Announcing.....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 42nd week of 2007

• Bob Wojcik
• Brendt DiOrio
• Tyler Gill
• Mirela Marku
• Deborah Norville
• Coco Crisp

I'm begging you to leave Wojcik alone. Even though it wasn't his fault, he really didn't mean it. Being a peep of the week is punishment enough.

Hitting Stride

A Salem Waterfront Hotel meeting, then coordination with our largest carrier customer, then a reconnaissance trip to a Methuen lattice tower made for an interesting day today. And that was just me. The other guys were on another construction job.

Kicking Ass and Taking Names.

Damn... we're getting good.

Mucho Molar

Dr. Danny Levy capped a broken molar for me yesterday, so now I have molar caps on both sides of my lower jaw. There will be trouble free chewing on both sides of my mouth for the foreseeable future.
~
The novacaine is all worn off. They didn't even have to use the straps.
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I just thought that you should know.

New Visitor

Lots of Titmice, Chickadees, and common Sparrows at the feeder this morning. Also one solitary Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) made a first time appearance.
~
I'm afraid to stop looking at the feeder because I might miss something.

Jitters

Sox are down 4-0 against Cleveland in the fifth and Dice K is not exactly overpowering. This is going to be a dogfight to get to the World Series.
~
They just pulled Dice-K. If the Sox can't find a starter other than Becket, they will lose this series to the very talented Cleveland team.

Stoicism

Sunday, I could hardly walk with the calf pain shooting up to the area behind my knee. I'm pretty sure that nobody in the family noticed, because I always take pain like a man. No complaining.... no whining.....no whimpering. Naturally, I laid off the workout.
~
Today I had to go to Worcester with Mike Rockett. We met with the State rep, Bob Spilane, and the City Manager, Mike O'Brien - two very sharp guys who were great ambassadors for investing in Worcester. The only trouble I had was trying to keep up with them on a quick walking tour around some downtown buildings.
~
If I can't walk a block around Worcester, how the hell am I going to run 26 miles from Hopkinton to Boston????
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It's starting to seem like I'll need a visit to Lourdes to get this bum leg in shape, so I can work out again. Tomorrow, we'll see if the Cybex loosens up things a bit.
~
Meanwhile the Dory work lies fallow, and the basement tile project mocks me everytime I go down there. The only thing that is moving forward is Nanepashemet Telecom. For that , I'm very grateful

Patriots Stay Pat

In a football match of the undefeated, the Patriots blew past the Dallas Cowboys like they were just another opponent. They are now 6-0. This is one hell of a season.
~
McMahon, and his girlfriend, Alissa, dropped by after the game to drink some twisted teas. And you wonder why he is defending Peep of the Year??? It should be obvious.

Minor Setbacks

Cleveland waited until the 10th inning after 1:00 am in the morning to tee off on Boston with 7 runs. Now the series is tied 1-1. Cleveland is good.
~
But what is really disappointing is that my left leg is painful to walk on - forget running. The calf pain now extends to the back of the knee and runs up my inner thigh. I'm thinking that it relates to the sciatica that I suffered maybe ten years ago. Doubt that I will get in a running workout today, so I'll probably row the harbor and cycle the Cybex.
~
A little pain in the lower extremity didn't stop me from enjoying a visit from Will Nestor, my handsome 5 month old grandson though. He and I continue to communicate on a psychic level, and he mentioned that the Dory seems to be falling off schedule. Maybe he's worried that it won't be ready for me to teach him to row and fish. Already, he's looking for instant gratification. He also telepathically told me stuff that he didn't want me to repeat.
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The Kid has a lot to learn.

Fenway Layout

Baseball is a weird game, playing on fields that aren't rigidly regulated, with high walls and varied distances to them. Fenway Park is the embodiment of this.

Just marking time until the game starts at 8:00 PM tonight.

Successful Lives

These guys are the embodiment of success. Both Veterans of the 101st Airborne, Easy Company. I don't care how much money you make, the house you have, or the size of your boat.... you'll have to go quite a bit further to be more successful than them.

Edward Heffron, left, and William Guarnere pose with their book in Broomall , Pa., Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007. World War II veterans Guarnere and Heffron have written 'Brothers in Battle: Best of Friends,' published by the Berkley Publishing Group. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Harsh Dicotomy

I'm both optimistic and demoralized over my marathon training program. I've never had the discipline to always get a workout in before, but this has been accomplished. That is optimistic.
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Feeling like crap and being in pain in every workout is demoralizing.
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How's that for the Yin and the Yang?
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Over at the Marblehead Middle School Soccer fields this morning, I couldn't even finish three miles on level grass because I was afraid to push the pain in my left leg. It's not as much the pain that bothers me as the prospects of an injury that would force me out of the training regimen.
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191 days to the Boston Marathon. This is a lot harder than it was thirty years ago.

Too Much for Tuna Lips

Red Sox pummeled the Cleveland Indians last night, 10 - 3 at Fenway. A nice start to the American League Championship Series for Boston
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BTW, how does Cleveland get away with a crazy looking Indian as its logo? Where are all the politically correct, social controllers on this????
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To me, it is too offensive to offer any offense at all.
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To be honest, the logo looks a little like Manny Ramirez with really big teeth... except for the feather. Manny has maintained silence on this... so far.
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That reminds me...
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Watching Ramirez and Ortiz last night as masters of the art of hitting a baseball was awe inspiring. They continually showed extreme skill, professionalism and coolness as they controlled the strike zone during 10 at bats, where they got on base on each and every trip to the plate.
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What a pitching nightmare they present!!! Even Tuna Lips might be intimidated.

Gore's Global Warming

I Don't get all the hubbub over Al Gore. If his own state of Tennesee had voted for him, he would have been President of the United States. What did they know that all the other Dems didn't?
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So he loses the election, then wins an Emmy, an Oscar, and the Nobel Peace Prize. I saw parts of his environmental film and it seemed like a real political diatribe. More rhetoric than science.
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This whole idea that we have control of the Earth's climate is highly pretentious. The climate is always changing.
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Does Gore think that mankind caused the last ice age ... only a short 10,000 years ago???? I personally prefer global warming over another glacier run.
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Now they have drumming for him to enter the Presidential campaign again.
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I don't get it.

POTW Week 41

If I had known all of the anxiety that I would create by telling you Peeps about my quest, I would have kept it to myself. All day long.... hysterical emails, neurotic voicemails... all because I can't tell you what I doing.
~
So Guess What????
~
You don't deserve to know. Freaking psychos.

Announcing.....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 41st week of 2007.

• Larry David
• Trish Theriault
• Louis Levy
• John Hynes
• Mike Lowell
• Rachel Ray

I still can't tell you about the quest.

Here We Go Again

Off on another crazy, kooky, quest that I can't tell you about now. I've been down this road before, and really can't understand why I would return, but here I am. Maybe it will turn out differently this time.

Homecoming

Mike came home from DC last night. He's giving a presentation in Boston for Bearingpoint. It's really neat to hear him talk business with Katelyn at dinner. Makes you think that you did your job as a parent when you see your kids prosper.
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Although, they are still your kids even if they act really clueless and stupid.

Seasoned Advise

This morning was the first normal run that I have had in the past two weeks. I think it is because I heeded the advice of that seasoned jock, Pat Piscatelli, and stretched out well before my easy two mile haul.
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I figure that anybody who could strike out Mo Vaughn in prep school must know something.
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Pat k'd Mo while twirling for Taft School of Waterbury, CT. I heard that they still talk about it down there.

Back to the Boat

I know that I have been dwelling on my running regimen lately, much to the demise of all of you who yearn for any kernel of information about the Dory construction.
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Admittedly, the Dory has been neglected for the past week, but I have plans to rev it up this week. If enough customers decide that Nanepashemet Telecom is worthy of payment, I'll hire Kevin Rockett to come in and help with the basement tile job, allowing me to make some progress on the Dory that everybody seems to be so concerned about.
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The frames are all done and waiting to be attached to the dory bottom and the strongback. I have to sand them before making the connection though.
~
So Back Off. I didn't forget you or your freaking Dory project.

No Sweat

My workout was painful today. I had a lot of trouble with my left calf as I went uphill, and my back felt really skittish.... like I could throw it out at any time.
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I have some options.
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Giving up is not one of them.
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Tomorrow, I'll run two miles on the Marblehead Middle School track before the sun comes up. See how the level track surface affects the calf pain. If that doesn't work, it is back to the Cybex stationary bike, but I'll probably go for a minimum of 40 Min. a session for the rest of the week.
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I have ten weeks to train before the serious, 18 week marathon program begins. It's way too early to panic.

Happy Columbus Day

Columbus Day is one of those nuisance holidays. Enough of your customers work, but you can't go to the bank or receive mail.
~
It's probably losing its significance too because of the Native American reaction to white Europeans coming to America and wiping out indigenous populations with their microbes and religious inspired brutality.
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Italians like it, but even though my two partners are of Italian descent, they didn't seem to be in a celebratory mode today. Columbus showed up here a little over 500 years ago. A blink of a gnat's eyelash in the timescale of Mother Earth. What a difference a half of a millennium makes!
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I wonder when this technology curve will level out.

Management Effectiveness

You really have to wonder about the effectiveness of Steinbrenner's motivational abilities. You would think that a businessman with his experience would realize that threats almost never produce positive results.

BTW, the Red Sox completed a sweep of the Angels tonight to go to the American League Championship Series, and the Patriots beat the Browns to go 5 and 0. It's nice to be a Boston fan.

Steinbrenner isn't good enough to own the Yankees.

~

NEW YORK (AP) -Win or else! That was George Steinbrenner's message to Joe Torre before the New York Yankees played the Cleveland Indians on Sunday night.

With the Yankees trailing 2-0 in the best-of-five, first-round playoff series, Steinbrenner reverted to the blustering boss of old and said Torre likely wouldn't return as manager unless New York reaches the AL championship series for the first time in three years.

"His job is on the line,'' the owner was quoted in Sunday's editions of The Record of New Jersey. "I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series.''

Torre was hired before the 1996 season and led the Yankees to four World Series titles in his first five years but none since. New York last reached the World Series in 2003, wasted a 3-0 lead against Boston in the 2004 ALCS, then was eliminated by the Angels and Detroit in the first round the last two years.

"You're not surprised by whatever comes down the pike,'' Torre said. "You don't always get used to it, but you understand if you want to work here - and there's a great deal of upside to working here - that there are certain things you have to deal with. We've had ultimatums during the season, early in the season. This obviously is down to a game we need to win, and you'd like to believe everybody's trying to pull in the same direction.''

Cocktail Shift

Even though it's been unseasonably warm in New England for October, the leaves are turning and it is time to give the Dark and Stormies a rest.
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Those of you who have been most attentive know that autumn at the Nanepashemet Blog means time to roll out the classic fall cocktail...... Apple Cider and Seagrams VO.
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It's just not right to watch the Patriots play football without one. Or three.

Horsing Around

Yesterday, Joanne and I went horseback riding with the Murray's at Black Mountain in Jackson , NH. My horse's name was Chip, and he was a gamer. I wouldn't want a big load like me on my back for an hour as I walked around a mountain, but incredulously, Chip didn't seem to mind. He must have been sensing the cowboy in me.
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Linda Murray was bragging alot about what an accomplished horsewomen she was, and we weren't buying it 100%.
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I was nervous for Joanne, but she did very well. Got on and off the horse well, and stopped shaking by the time we were leaving the mountain.
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Hope Chip is OK.

A Weighty Subject

So far, I've lost 4 lbs this week. The goal is to lose 2.5 lbs. a week until April 21, 2008, which will get me in the 180 lb range. So if you are twisted enough to wonder what I weigh now, you do the freaking math. I choose to keep focusing Progressively on the future.
~
As far as the anonymous commenter who tabbed me as the "Round Mound of Telecom".... if you have the gonads to disclose your true identity, you are a shoo in for POTW this Thurs.

Have a Heart

As I sit here Blogging to you Peeps, my heart is clicking away at a rate of 61 beats per minute. I know this because I invested in a Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS that has a heart rate monitor.
~
The GPS antenna is the most powerful that I have ever used, being able to pick up satellite signals readily, even indoors. Now I'm down to 59BPM.
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The heartrate function is provided by a bluetooth wireless connection between a chest strap that is surprizingly compfortable, signaling the rate to the wrist unit.
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Although the device is a little bit bulkier than a large wrist watch, it is light and not noticeable after a while, especially during a run. It should be a motivating factor to get me to workout regularly.
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Now I'm up to 63bpm. Maybe blogging is too stressful.

Initial Reaction

Friday's are a day of rest in my running schedule. Tomorrow, I'll run three miles in the morning along Route 16 in North Conway. Then repeat that on Sunday. My legs actually have recovered from the pounding aches at the beginning of the week when I started this workout initiative.
~
I'm discouraged at the initial lack of weight loss, but Wed. night's beer bash with Kevin Rockett and his brother at the Gerry had to have a factor here. The fact that I haven't thrown out my back, or cramped up a calf or hamstring after a week of running has me mildly optimistic. This has usually been the case in previous attempts to begin a running regime.
~
Let's see how I feel six miles from now on Sunday evening.
~
BTW, http://www.runnersworld.com has a great free on line training log that is really worth looking into if you want to plan and track your workouts.

POTW Week 40

Nanepashemet Telecom has a construction job around Sebago Lake in Maine, so I'm working out of North Conway today. No difference. Mountains here, ocean in Marblehead.... it's all good. It's interesting that you don't need a General Contractor's license in Maine. NH and VT are the same way.
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Massachusetts requires a Construction Supervisor's license and a Home Improvement Contractor's license if you work on private residential construction. I have had both for years and they have come in handy. But now, with all of the construction that we are involved with for Nanepashemet, they are crucial.
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Announcing....

Nanepashenet Peeps of the Week for Week 40 of 2007

• Greg Bruett
• Kevin Rockett
• Tom O'Shea
• Linda Murray
• Bob Brown
• Dr. Phil

Now, it's time to fix the network around Lake Sebago.

Runner's High

Ever since I mentioned that I was training for the marathon, I've been deluged by emails from Peeps worried about my well being.
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Enough!!!
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I know that I am a fat POS..... but I'm not stupid. I actually ran on the cross country and track team at UMass Amherst and was part of the Freshman New England Cross Country Championship team.
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Don't you think I know what I'm doing?
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Actually, I feel like I never ran a step in my life. My breathing is heavy and my legs feel like lead. My vertebrae are ready to slip right off of my spine.
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You can't really say that what I'm doing is running. It is literally hauling my ass down the road. There are little gnomes with hammers beating on my thigh and calve muscles all day. I feel miserable.
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But I'm committed... I've made a resolution.... crossed over the line..... turned over a leaf. In other words... BRING IT ON!!!
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It's 200 days, 70 lbs, and 840 miles to the starting line of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
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See you in April.

Cell Phone Trauma

My MotoQ is lost somewhere in Milton, MA today. Good riddance. It was bulky, hard to dial and the battery life was terrible.
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But it is still very disconcerting to lose a cell phone, particularly when your business is so focused upon it. Plus replacing the contacts list is a real pain.
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The phone was clipped on my waistband, and I must have knocked it off while I was carrying some equipment to a rooftop. Retracing my steps through the building a couple of times was frustrating.

I bought a Samsung will alot less bells and whistles, that will fit easily in my pocket without making calls by mistake when you brush against the keys, which was a big problem with the MotoQ. The store in Beverly had me up and running almost immediately, albeit $200 lighter.
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I'm looking forward to a little simplicity in the constant use of this cell phone.

Electric Motor

An electric motor would be an interesting add on to the dory. This one is from eCycle Marine Systems of Temple, PA.
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I'll probably stick to a gas powered 15hp Honda 4 stroke from Ryan Marine though.

Seven Months to the Finish Line

203 days until the Boston Marathon. I'm not training to win, so the Kenyans have nothing to worry about.
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But today I started the journey by lugging my considerable bulk two miles up and down West Shore Drive. This will be a painful and challenging 203 days. Along the way, I hope that my weight drops well below 203 lbs.
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I'm going to have to find a charity to run for because I won't be able to get a qualifying time before the actual race.
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The last time I ran Boston, I was 18 years old. There have been many comeback attempts, usually marred by injury of some kind.... or reasons of motivation loss - some valid and some just character weaknesses. There is no reason why this time will be different, outside of the fact that I am opening myself up to ridicule by the likes of you Peeps.
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Maybe that will be the difference.
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Anyway, I'm following a program set up by Hal Higdon (www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-1.htm), and the real marathon buildup doesn't begin until Dec. 17. Everything up to that time is just conditioning to get into condition.

Dory Shape

These are the extreme frames and stems for the Marblehead Gunning Dory. Unlike the Tender, the stems will not be flush with the breasthook, but will extend about six inches beyond.
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Not for any particular reason outside that I just think it will look cool. A little bit like a Viking ship. Suitable for pillage and plunder.

Add another three hours for a cumulative 20 hours on the dory. Not too bad. We'll be planking soon.

Dory Projection

After the Bluefish victory yesterday, I took an obligatory nap, then put in another 2 hours on assembling the Dory frames. This brings the tally to 17 hours for the project. I also got a chance to tell Will about some of my fishing prowness. I think he will be a fine boatbuilder like his grandfather.
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With any luck, the frames and stems will be set up on the strongback this week. Then we'll have a feel for the true lines of this boat. Unlike the Tender, it should easily accomodate two rowers, and equiped with a 12 HP outboard, it should be great for moving in close to the rocks to flyfish for Stripers.

Circus Boy and Red Sox

I tried a six pack of Katelyn's Circus Boy by Magic Hat Brewery yesterday at dinner. I share her recommendation. A fine choice.
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BTW, have you noticed that the Red Sox won the American East Pennant? Sox are ending the regular season with a 96-65 record - best in MLB. Unlike the bulk of you fretters and non-believers, I never had any doubts.
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Maybe I'll stockpile some Circus Boy's for the post-season run.

Don't Get Mad, Get Even

~

Bluefish will mock me no more this year as Bruett and I boated a dozen of them in Fish Alley by the Ledges behind Baker's Island this morning on the WhaleEye.

Good Guinness

Business drops off fast on Friday afternoon so I jumped into the Tender and rowed out to the gut at Children's Island to see if a big Striper wanted to give it up. No takers so I rowed back for a decent 6 mile rowing workout.
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After a half hour on the Cybex, and a much needed shower.... it was time for refreshment.
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Most people don't know that Guinness has less calories than light beer. I could care less. It just tastes so freaking good. I'm thinking of tasting a lot of it this weekend.

Dory Frames

I've been working on the stems and the frames. These are the skeleton of the Dory and they have to be perfectly symetrical. This is where the bandsaw is a necessity in boatbuilding. The manuals will tell you that you can get by with a jigsaw, which is possible but the quality would be unlikely.
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With a bandsaw, you can screw all of the matching pieces together and cut them simultaneously, ensuring that they come out symetrical. Then you just flip them and attach opposite ends.
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It is also possible to cut the stem molds to use to clamp the stem strips into a laminated curve with the bandsaw.

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I mean, don't go rushing out to buy a bandsaw just because of this. But if you wish to build quality boats, you should invest.
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I have a Jet 14 inch which I'm pretty pleased with.
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With three hours spent of the frames, the cumulative tally is now 15 hours.
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Next I'll attach the frames to the dory bottom and set everything up on the strongback to start planking the Dory.

POTW Week 39

Even though it was a slow day, we still closed out one carrier order, opened another, and continued the Coast Guard work in Maine. So maybe it wasn't that slow.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for Week 39 of 2007

• Bob Brown *
• Michael Murphy
• Mahmoud Almadinejad
• Lindsey Kepnes
• Matthew Peabody
• Kevin Rockett

* Automatic Lagavulin Rule.

This would be so much easier if more of you would just buy me a bottle of Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch like that mountain of a man, Bobby Brown. Then I wouldn't have to think. Course I'd probably be too sloshed to think, with all that Lagavulin around. So maybe we have reached a kind POTW selection equilibrium.

Excellent Michael Murphy Dance Video

Common Courtesy

It's already Thursday. Let the hysteria begin.
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Before you start uselessly sending me your POTW selections, could you please review the selection criteria????

To become a Nanepashemet Peep of the Week, the lucky/unfortunate candidate will be measured as follows:

1. The candidate has to have done something annoying, stupid or inspirational in the past weeks.
2. Animals and dead people are not eligible.
3. The gift of Lagavulin to me within the last week is an automatic selection.

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So even though it is highly unlikely that I would pick anyone that you recommend, you could at least have the courtesy to recommend someone who is eligible for selection.
~
Now... Bring It ON!

Slow

Slow day. Waiting for the phone to ring. Joanne thinks that if I work on the Dory during the day, that somehow I'm goofing off. But she doesn't know that I'm doing a lot of thinking... crucial to moving the business forward.

Food Reaction

Joanne and Amy Mann went to the Red Sox game tonight at Fenway Park, and I was left home to cope by myself, so I treated myself to a decadent kettle of macaroni and cheese which I seasoned with a 1/4 cup of Red Hot Sauce.
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DAMN GOOD!!!
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The only problem is that Frank's Louisiana Red Hot Sauce always makes the sweat pour out of my forehead. Eating apples has the same effect on me. I really love both, so I've never really understood why this happens.
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Probably some allergy, but as long as people who eat around me don't get grossed out, I will continue to enjoy both.

Dory time

Another 2 hrs today, gluing up the other stem, bringing the total Dory time to date up to 12 hours. The weather is too nice to sit in waiting for the phone to ring.
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Next step is to build the frames and lay them out on the Dory bottom, attaching all to the strongback. Then it will look like a boatbuilding project.

Gale International

Tom and I attended the monthly Executive Breakfast Club meeting at the UMASS club in Boston this morning. Bob Maloney of Gale International gave a presentation regarding the status of commercial development in downtown Boston. His company is presently building 2.5m square feet in Boston, and have a huge development in South Korea as well.
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He said that over the past 30 years, downtown Boston has absorbed an increase of 1 million SF of office space on average every year, and that there has been no new large scale corporations migrated to Boston during that period. The space has been assumed by organic growth of companies, particularly in the financial and venture capital industries, as well as some law firms. This has been achieved despite major banks leaving the core downtown during that period.
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He says that the vacancy rate is around 10% which is the equilibrium point.... over 10% rents begin to go down, under 10%, they go up. Rents are now in the $45 per square foot range and he expects them to trend up to $70.
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Bob says that it costs $600/sf to develop first class office space in Boston, and that you need rents of $75 per sf to justify the expense.
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He was completely in command of the Boston Market, understanding all of the development prospects of his competitors, and what their impact would be on the overall market. A very impressive presentation.
~
BTW, I didn't ask any stupid questions, nor did I offer ridiculous comments, although I had to fight the temptation.

More Marblehead

Disclosure

OK. I'm going to admit something to you. Something from my vulnerable side. Something requiring a little bit of trust and understanding.
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I really like watching "Dancing with the Stars."
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Does that lessen me in your eyes???
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If it does.... Kiss my Royal Irish Ass.
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I'm sure you all have your freaking weaknesses.

Impatience

I've received quite a few emails lately, asking about the progress on the basement.
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What do you think I am? A Freaking Octopus?
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I only have two hands and the weather has been so nice that it would be foolish not to take advantage of it in the driveway. And I'm no Fool.
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Even with the need to finish the basement by Thanksgiving, I'm better off spending time on the Dory. Plus I'm writing the book on the Dory project... not tiling the basement. Who would ever be interested in that???? The Dory is where the money is.

Little Persuading

Mondays can be so tiring.
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Three nights of Dark and Stormies can take their toll. I wish that I hadn't been the spokesperson for that cocktail. Everybody who comes over now brings a big supply of Black Seal and Barritts.
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It would be rude to turn down their considerate gesture to join them with two or three D&S's.
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And I pride myself on my manners.
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So today, my ass is dragging.
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Luckily, there was nothing hot on tap at Nanepashemet Telecom.
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I did get a half hour on the Cybex and glued up one of the Dory Stems using a mix of oak and mahogany 5' strips. I thought that I would have to steam the strips, but they bent in the mold using the pipe clamps and epoxy easy enough.
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There is actually an inner and outer stem in the clamps, separated by cellophane so that the epoxy doesn't weld them together.
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Chock up another 2 hours for this operation and the cumulative today is 12 hours.

Stem Work

Laid out the Stem mold patterns which will be identical for the bow and stern.
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I use 1/4 luan for the patterns and always seem to find a piece of a sheet in the garage that meets the required dimensions.
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The curved stems will be formed from strips of oak that are 5' long, 1 1/2" wide and 1/4" thick. I bandsawed the strips from a 3/4" oak board, and will epoxy glue them, and then clamp in the patterns that I cut from a piece of 2x10 construction lumber.
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Add another 3 hours on this project for a current total of 10 hours.

Fit the Bills

Pats play the Bills today at 1:00 PM.
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Until that time, I'm going to use the beautiful sunny day to lay out the Dory frames in the driveway. Somehow a couple more courses of basement tile have to be laid and a workout has to factored in.

Skunked Again

Waiting for Dog and Lec to show for the fishing trip, I put in two hours on the dory, sanding the bottom and laying out the frame templates. Cumulative now is 7 hours.
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Dog showed up to fish with a bottle of Lagavulin. You know what that means???? An Automatic POTW selection. I love it. He also was very considerate in bringing an ample amount of Guinness to last for the three of us during our sporting event.
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Btw, we didn't see any blitzes, and had no strikes. That's right... we were skunked. Live with it.

Fishing Dilemma

Lots of stuff to do today. Lec and Dog want to go fishing, which to them is drinking beers and smoking cigars. Dog likes to insult me by saying that I don't go fishing, I go boating. Lucky for him that I have enormous self control and rarely fly off the handle, or he could be in store for a knuckle face massage.
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Before I take these irreverent pagans out in the WhaleEye at 1:00 PM, I need to get some tiling done in the basement.
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They don't deserve a Bluefish blitz, but I do, and I'll be in the same boat. So let's see how the Universe sorts out this conumdrum.

Time to Reset the Clock

I'm toying with the idea of getting into shape.... just getting sick and tired of being a fat POS.
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When I was in college, a skillion years ago, I was in unbelieveable shape, both endurance wise and upper body strength. But then you tend to put business, career and social obligatons in front of fitness and you slide.
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A big mistake.
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It's really a function of priority adjustment and the realization that getting fit again will be beneficial for business. It's time to make the time.
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I figure to get more Tender rowing in, keep cycling on the Cybex, and start running again - maybe set the Boston Marathon in April as a goal. Start slow and make it a habit. The problem is that every time I've been motivated to get in shape in the past, I've hurt myself by overdoing it.... pulled a calf muscle or threw out my back.
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You have to get in shape in order to get in shape.
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My plan is to intensify the low impact rowing and cycling for a week or so before hitting the road. If this really works out, I expect to see a lot of Peeps at the end of the Marathon route in Copley Square next April.

10 1/2 Kilometers

This loop is 6.7 Mi around Marblehead... a nice training loop for 10k runners
View Larger Map

New Way to Blog

I have a copy of Microsoft Word 2007 which allows you to post blogs from directly within the program. I think it's cool, but then again, I am a nerd.

Peep of the Week for Week 38

So you all thought that I would forget the POTW selection.
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You Crazy, Kooky, Whacky Bastards!!!
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I'm 100% on my game. Solid as a Rock. Steady as a Priest in the Altar Boy's lockerroom.
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Ok... scratch the last one. But no way could I forget. We've been doing this for over 50 Thursdays in a row. It's become more than a habit... more like a religious ritual. I approach it with the utmost reverence and respect.
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Tired of this Bullshit??? So am I. So here goes....
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Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 38th week of 2007

Tommy McMahon
Mike Nestor
Jay Turner
Bill Hillegas
Eric Gagne
Jill Phillips

These people now join the immortal roster of peeps with their names carved in the permanence of cyberspace. Now I'm getting unnecessarily emotional.

Conflicting Priorities

The Dory constructon has sat, unattended to, for the past few days due to the frenetic pace of Nanepashemet Telecom this week. I'll start the templates for the frames this weekend, but I also have to get some basement tiling in. In the end, the weather looks like fishing might get the nod.
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It's the best time of the year to find a Bluefish or Striper blitz, and I'm way overdue this year.

Lead Eroded

Sox lost. 1 1/2 games in front of the Yankees. Holy Crap! They're ruining my Septemba! !!!

Keeping Pace

Boston is leading 1-0 over Toronto in the fifth inning.
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Jerry Remy running for President of Red Sox Nation is pretty funny.

Baseball is the only game that gives you enough time to let the announcers offer diversions from the action at hand. There is an easy, comfortable pace to the game.
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It was a long day, but we picked up a purchase order from a major company and answered the right questions for another. Just when your confidence starts to waiver, the good stuff gets you optimistic again.
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Tomorrow, we sit down with the Bank to bring order to the action.

Depraved

This is a video of me reading my email. The Blog is really going downhill.

Waterfront Offerings

Land Offerings

Familiar Feeling

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get worried over the Red Sox. They just lost the second in a row to Toronto, four of their last five, with the Yankees hot on their tail.
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I'm just not comfortable.
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Clay Buchholtz, the rookie no-hitter pitcher, will try to stem the slide tomorrow.

Peep of the Year in Fine Form

Once again, Tom McMahon, our reigning Nanepashemet Peep of the Year, shows why he is worthy of the title.
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Manhandling a poor Yankee fan at Fenway Park.
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Annoying?
Inspiring?
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Both????
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You be the Judge.
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But it again validates the controversial choice.

In McMahon's own words....

"This one was something special. This jerk off ran from next to the sox dugout after Hinske hit a double on Sunday night. He then gave Hinske a pat on the back, took Robinson Cano’s hat, put it on and headed for the outfield. He didn’t make it too far though because even though I was hungover this guy had nothing when he tried to turn on the jets."

Patriots v. Red Sox

Red Sox v. Yankees are on ESPN and the Patriots v. Chargers are on Network TV.
~
Thank goodness for cable TV and the "last" button. The commercials won't have a chance as we switch from game to game.
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It will still be a late night though because both games started after 8:00 PM and I have a huge customer meeting tomorrow morning in downtown Boston.
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I suppose I'll do the responsible thing and go to bed before either game is decided.

Lost Lure

The day went as planned.... got some tiling done, got some rowing in.... the only glitch was that when I brought the Tender out to the mouth of the Harbor, about 100 yds. off of the Marblehead Lighthouse, I lost my only lure on the first cast.
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Didn't really bother me, because I was only out to row anyway. But in the future, I'm going to bring a little extra tackle.
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I rowed about a quarter of the way into the Marblehead Channel and picked up some decent wakes and swells. The Tender really is a stable and seaworthy design. I pulled the oars up and floated aimlessly out there for about a half hour or so. Nothing metaphysical or anything, just enjoying the movement of the water in the Channel under the Tender.
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Anybody passing by thought I was fishing anyway, so it probably didn't look so weird.
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But I was just sitting and breathing. It was kind of like when I go fly fishing in the Saco River with my rubber pants on. Just standing there feeling the water pass by.
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On the way back, I stroked the oars fairly vigorously... a decent workout. It will be interesting to do this around mid-November when all but the working lobster boats will have been hauled out of the Harbor.

Basement Projection

Tiling floors always gets me into rigor mortis if I overdo it. So today I quit after three hours, before I got to the staring blankly at the floor stage. Since it's only the basement, there is no crucial time requirement like happens with most tile jobs. So I'll come back later this week and get a little more done.
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I'd love to have this project done by Thanksgiving when Mike gets home again from DC. There are a lot of miscellaneous details since I will be ripping out the existing cabinets and constructing a built in for the HD TV the we foolishly bought before the new flat screen technology was available.
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Can't let the Dory project get stale either.
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Thanksgiving is probably an attainable goal but I'm not promising anything.