Spread the Love

Over the past couple of months I’ve used Vegetable Oil to stir fry veggies, but Sara, Matt and Bella Janssen have been using it to drive across the country. No, really! The Janssens are a month and a half into a one year tour of the country in their veggie powered RV. Their goal is to educate folks about sustainable living and alternative fuels.

I had been a reader of Sara’s blog, Walk Slowly, Live Wildly (which was full of inspiration for a simple life) when she mentioned that they were downsizing from their apartment to an RV. They spent a while refurbishing the interior with earth friendly, sustainable materials (bamboo flooring, sunflower seed counter tops, etc.) and now their on the road, “spreading the love”.

Peter and Catherine and I met up with the tour on Tuesday evening and our families got to know each other over Thai food and pie. On Wednesday we all hopped on the train and zipped into Boston. We walked a good chunk of the Freedom Trail, had lunch in Quincy Market, visited the ducks in the Public Garden, checked out Harvahd Yahd and grabbed some Vietnamese noodles for dinner.

We were glad to show our visitors around our fair Capital and were thrilled with a tour of their rig. I’d highly suggest checking out their tour site at Live Lightly Tour. If it looks like they’re coming to your town keep your eyes peeled for the big blue bus!

Our photos are here and don’t forget to Spread the Love!

Weirdness

I was tagged by my friend Katie to post six weird things about me. Here goes!

1. I check the mail obsessively. If I go out and it hasn’t come yet I will listen for the mail truck and then run out as soon as I’m sure the mail lady has moved up the street. Usually there’s nothing good…unless Jennifer has sent something!

2. I name my cars…”Otto Marius Ahenobarbus”: Red 1984 Saab, “Hedwig”: White 1998 Subaru, “Stewart”: Green Volkswagen Golf.

3. I think Purell is evil. (except in certain instances)

4. I love to shovel snow. This winter has been such a disappointment!

5. Peter and I grew up several states apart and didn’t meet until college…but I went to high school with his first cousins!

6. I’ve seen every episode of ER… probably twice.

I’m tagging:Jennifer, Bethany Joy, Amanda and Jenny

Interview

Our Canadian friend and fellow blogger, Michelle, has taken on the third edition of her wildly popular “Random Interview Project.”

My interview was posted today, here.

To read interviews with some of her other readers, make sure to check out her blog Mikao’s World daily.

Hometown 6 Edition 4

It is time once again to participate in Michelle’s Hometown Six project. Here’s the April challenge.

Peter and I went out yesterday to Lynch Park here in Beverly. It is probably our favorite place in town so we thought we’d take our six pictures there.

This month’s six pictures are found in our gallery.

meme x2

Peter and I have been tagged by Michelle for the ever popular “4 things” meme. We decided to fill it out together, with both our responses.

Here’s the first category to whet your whistle, click below to read the rest!

4 jobs I’ve had in my life:
R/P

1. Bank Teller/Mailroom Worker
2. Museum Teacher/Helpdesk Assistant
3. College Teaching Assistant/Paperboy
4. Museum Head Guide/Web Developer Continue reading…

Hometown Six: Beverly, MA

Peter mentioned the other day that our friend Michelle was organizing a year long, blog project called the Hometown Six. Basically, the idea is to introduce her (and her readers) to our hometown via 12 monthly challenges.

The January challenge was to post 6 pictures of signage bearing the name of your hometown. Peter went on a walk around town to capture some local signs.

Beverly has been our ‘hometown’ since 2002. I moved in in the summer and Peter joined me in October when we got married. We’ve been in the area, however, since we started our freshman year at Gordon College…one town over in Wenham. It is a decent sized city; big enough to have some industry, but small enough to sponsor a ton of hometown events like ‘first night’, the ‘Santa parade’ and outdoor movies in the park during the summer.

It is also very convenient for us. Peter’s commute is a 15 minute drive and I either drive 5 minutes to the YMCA or a quick walk to the MBTA commuter train for a 40 minute train ride to Boston.

Here is the gallery with our six Beverly Signs.

Favorite Blogs of 2005

Peter and I collectively read over 200 blogs and websites every day (thanks to Bloglines). Out of all of those blogs, there are a couple that stand out this year as our favorites. Whenever we view one of these blogs, they make us laugh, smile, think, and wonder. We keep coming back to them day after day because of their interesting insights and observations.

(a)musings, by Christine

Christine is a fellow North Shore dweller, Gordon Grad, Oregon Extension alum and blogger. (We have alot in common!) Her musings center on her family, their adventures in life and geocaching, her love of Barenaked Ladies, and some trials and tribulations associated with all of the above. We also love perusing her flickr albums.

Mikao’s World, by Michelle

Representing the Great White North, Michelle blogs from chilly Canada. She talks about faith, travel, crafts, work and daily life…and her Hot Rod. We’ve been following her blog for almost 3 years now. Wow! I am pretty impressed at her artistic ability and creativity.

Congratulations to our favorite blogs of 2005. Keep up the good work!

I’m it.

I have been tagged to complete a survey. I’ve been remiss in responding. Without further delay…

Jennifer tagged me for the ‘Movie Meme’.

1) Total number of films I own on DVD/video: seventy two (based on Peter’s count) 2) The last film I bought: I honestly can’t remember. It was THAT long ago! 3) The last film I watched: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 4) Five films that I watch a lot or that mean a lot to me (in no particular order): Sound of Music Pirates of the Carribean Henry V French Kiss Napoleon Dynamite

Ten Things I have NOT done: 1. Danced on a bar counter 2. Hang glided 3. Been to Kansas 4. Dyed my hair 5. Met Michelle in real life 6. Had stitches 7. Drunk a Double Light Sweet Mochachino 8. Changed my own oil 9. Shoplifted 10. Gone on a cross-country road trip

Tuning In

Behold the power of the internet: I can now listen to my two favorite radio stations just by logging on to iTunes and double clicking! Will the wonders ever cease? Here’s the low-down…

WERS: The listener supported, commercial free station run by Emerson college students here in Boston. Their programming is extreemly varied. They play everything from hip-hop to modern Israli music, from cartoon theme songs to Bob Dylan. Who could ask for more? My personal favorite shows are “The Playground”: kids music, “The Coffee House”: folk music, and “Standing Room Only”: Broadway showtunes.

WMVY: Progressive radio broadcast from Martha’s Vineyard. This is the station most often playing in the kitchen in our house on MV. The music is an interesting mix of folk and rock with a smattering of reggea, oldies and more. I especially love hearing the local news, standby list and island/cape commercials. It makes it feel like summer all year round!

While I listen to these stations through iTunes you can also get a live stream through the websites above. I’d recommend you check them out. Listen for a while and let me know what you think!