I work at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, MA. The hospital is not getting the same number of patients so it looks like some people will need to be laid off. This has gotten me thinking about a number of things so I wanted to take a minute and jot them down.
The first is that even though I definitely need to keep my job I don't want someone else to lose theirs. It is a weird feeling knowing that to keep your job a guy you see around work all the time may lose his. I may not know the person that well, but I do know that anyone working the third shift in a hospital needs a job. It isn't like they could retire, but are trying to get out of the house. I'm not a martyr, but if I didn't have kids I would offer my job up to the cost cutters just so I wouldn't feel like I was subconsciously rooting for someone else to get fired.
The other thing that I have been thinking is actually kind of liberating. If I do get laid off I am going on a nation wide job search. This is the chance to break free of the gravity that is Brighton MA and try something else. I have lived my entire life in the same ten square mile area. I love Brighton, but there is a whole big world out there and if I am one of the ones to get laid off I am going to go out and see it.
Hopefully the layoffs will not happen. If they do, however, I am going to look at as an opportunity to expand my horizons.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Thank You
Dear Veterans:
I would just like to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you to the men who died for our freedom from tyranny in the Revolutionary War. Thank you to those of you who died protecting the
Thank you to each and every one of you who have ever volunteered to defend our country whether you were in a war or not. Thank you for offering your very life so my family and I can go to sleep at night knowing the bravest, most selfless, determined, resourceful, people in the world are standing guard against those that would do us harm.
Thank you to those of you who represented our country well in foreign lands. Thank you to each of you who were not only willing to die for your country, but who were also willing to smile at a foreign child. To those of you who offered to help a woman in a far away place carry her bags I say thank you. For anyone who offered assistance to any person who needed it whether American or not; thank you.
I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who were ever held prisoner during wartime. We will never know what you endured, but we should all know enough to offer our undying gratitude. I hope you hear this not only on Veteran's Day, but every day.
I would also like to thank those of you who came home wounded. Some of you will never walk again, some of you will never see again, but to all of you I offer my thanks. It will not make up for your injuries, nor is it meant to, but thank you so very much for all you have given to the rest of us.
Lastly I would like to thank my father who served in
To my father, and to every other man and woman, who has ever worn the uniform of a branch of the armed services I say thank you. My family says thank you. God Bless you all.
Sincerely,
Jerry Kelly
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Jimmy Fund Walk
Last Sunday, 9/21/08, I participated in the twentieth annual Jimmy Fund Marathon Walk.
(http://www.jimmyfundwalk.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=265752). The Jimmy fund is part of the Dana Farber Cancer center and is dedicated to eradicating cancer in children. I had always wanted to walk the Boston Marathon route (http://www.bostonmarathon.org/) and the Jimmy Fund walk gave me the motivation I needed to do so.
The walk started out perfectly. It was nice and cool, the registration people were super helpful, and I didn't even get lost in Hopkinton. I've never walked 26 miles and change before, but I figured if eight thousand other people could do it I could too.
I started off great. I was walking at a nice even pace. The ipod was fully charged. The Patriots hadn't gotten smooshed by the Dolphins yet. I fell in with a group of kids from Wellesley College. One of the girls had a button on her backpack that said "I'm living proof!" which was pretty inspirational. We walked along for a while and then I realized we weren't even close to Boston yet and had my first "oh crap" moment of the day. As in, "oh crap, how the hell am I going to walk to Copley Square?!" I think we were in Natick at the time.
I would like to take this opportunity to mention that Framingham is the biggest city in North America. I walked into Framingham feeling pretty good. When I left Framingham I felt like fire ants were eating my calves while evil little leprechauns were hitting the balls of my feet with very small iron hammers. I never really thought of stopping though, mostly due to the gentleman I met who was pushing his obviously ill child in a carriage. He looked pretty winded, but if he could do it so could I.
Wellesley is the mid-point of the Walk. I collapsed on a bench near the Red Cross tent and just zoned for a little bit. I drank lots of water and then got back to it after a lovely stranger gave me a couple of Motrin. I walked by a sporting goods store and bought a nice pair of soft socks and that was my fifth and final wind.
I was pretty much in last place at this point so I picked up the pace and breezed through most of Newton. Boston College was a tough place to walk by because if I took a left I would have been home in about ten minutes. By now I had a blister the size of a UFO on one of my feet. Six miles to go.
I seriously considered quitting in Cleveland Circle with only five miles to go. Every step felt a little bit worse than the last. I was sitting on a rock trying to psych myself up for the final push to the finish when I made eye contact with a couple in their fifties. The wife gave me a thumbs up and mouthed, "you can make it." to me. I'd like to thank her for that because I was done if I didn't see her. I painfully got up and started walking again.
Near Kenmore Square I met a couple of women who worked for a jewelry design firm who were nice enough to let me latch onto their little group for some moral support. One of them mentioned her friend decided to run the thing so he could watch the Patriots game while he waited for her at the finish. I was secretly glad they got pummeled when she told me this. They were great though and the three of us sort of ambled, limped, and scuffled toward the finish line. It's funny, but after walking 26 miles I figured the last three blocks would be a piece of cake. Like every other part of the walk I badly misjudged that. Every step was absolute torture. In no particular order my back, shoulders, calves, ankles, feet, and head hurt. I also had a sunburn.
The finish line was like a mirage. I thought I saw it twice before I actually did. It was getting closer. A detail cop stopped traffic and let us cross the street. I was actually going to finish. As I crossed the finish line I felt terrible. Truly and completely terrible. They gave me a turkey sub and sent me on my way.
I called my wife for a ride, ate my sub, and promptly threw up all over my new Jimmy Fund Walk t-shirt. At least they gave us a hat too. It only took three days for me to be able to walk without pain. At the end of the first day I was certain I would never do this again. At the end of the second I was pretty sure I wouldn't. By day three I was pretty sure I would.
Special thanks to all the folks that donated money to the Walk:
Maureen Kelly, Paula Vernon, Trish Wright, Elaine Thorpe, Amanda Mercier (I'll learn your married name soon I promise!, Nancy Adams, Mark Haigh, Tina Gosselin, Cheryl Wright, I know there is one more and as soon as I get home I'll find my book and write you in. Thanks Guys!!!
(http://www.jimmyfundwalk.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=265752). The Jimmy fund is part of the Dana Farber Cancer center and is dedicated to eradicating cancer in children. I had always wanted to walk the Boston Marathon route (http://www.bostonmarathon.org/) and the Jimmy Fund walk gave me the motivation I needed to do so.
The walk started out perfectly. It was nice and cool, the registration people were super helpful, and I didn't even get lost in Hopkinton. I've never walked 26 miles and change before, but I figured if eight thousand other people could do it I could too.
I started off great. I was walking at a nice even pace. The ipod was fully charged. The Patriots hadn't gotten smooshed by the Dolphins yet. I fell in with a group of kids from Wellesley College. One of the girls had a button on her backpack that said "I'm living proof!" which was pretty inspirational. We walked along for a while and then I realized we weren't even close to Boston yet and had my first "oh crap" moment of the day. As in, "oh crap, how the hell am I going to walk to Copley Square?!" I think we were in Natick at the time.
I would like to take this opportunity to mention that Framingham is the biggest city in North America. I walked into Framingham feeling pretty good. When I left Framingham I felt like fire ants were eating my calves while evil little leprechauns were hitting the balls of my feet with very small iron hammers. I never really thought of stopping though, mostly due to the gentleman I met who was pushing his obviously ill child in a carriage. He looked pretty winded, but if he could do it so could I.
Wellesley is the mid-point of the Walk. I collapsed on a bench near the Red Cross tent and just zoned for a little bit. I drank lots of water and then got back to it after a lovely stranger gave me a couple of Motrin. I walked by a sporting goods store and bought a nice pair of soft socks and that was my fifth and final wind.
I was pretty much in last place at this point so I picked up the pace and breezed through most of Newton. Boston College was a tough place to walk by because if I took a left I would have been home in about ten minutes. By now I had a blister the size of a UFO on one of my feet. Six miles to go.
I seriously considered quitting in Cleveland Circle with only five miles to go. Every step felt a little bit worse than the last. I was sitting on a rock trying to psych myself up for the final push to the finish when I made eye contact with a couple in their fifties. The wife gave me a thumbs up and mouthed, "you can make it." to me. I'd like to thank her for that because I was done if I didn't see her. I painfully got up and started walking again.
Near Kenmore Square I met a couple of women who worked for a jewelry design firm who were nice enough to let me latch onto their little group for some moral support. One of them mentioned her friend decided to run the thing so he could watch the Patriots game while he waited for her at the finish. I was secretly glad they got pummeled when she told me this. They were great though and the three of us sort of ambled, limped, and scuffled toward the finish line. It's funny, but after walking 26 miles I figured the last three blocks would be a piece of cake. Like every other part of the walk I badly misjudged that. Every step was absolute torture. In no particular order my back, shoulders, calves, ankles, feet, and head hurt. I also had a sunburn.
The finish line was like a mirage. I thought I saw it twice before I actually did. It was getting closer. A detail cop stopped traffic and let us cross the street. I was actually going to finish. As I crossed the finish line I felt terrible. Truly and completely terrible. They gave me a turkey sub and sent me on my way.
I called my wife for a ride, ate my sub, and promptly threw up all over my new Jimmy Fund Walk t-shirt. At least they gave us a hat too. It only took three days for me to be able to walk without pain. At the end of the first day I was certain I would never do this again. At the end of the second I was pretty sure I wouldn't. By day three I was pretty sure I would.
Special thanks to all the folks that donated money to the Walk:
Maureen Kelly, Paula Vernon, Trish Wright, Elaine Thorpe, Amanda Mercier (I'll learn your married name soon I promise!, Nancy Adams, Mark Haigh, Tina Gosselin, Cheryl Wright, I know there is one more and as soon as I get home I'll find my book and write you in. Thanks Guys!!!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Painitng a Room
Sorry I haven't posted in few days, but if the counter is accurate then only one or two of you have noticed. I haven't had a lot of time to keep up with this lately, but will do better. I've spent the last two days painting a room in my house in preparation for the new addition to the clan. He's due in December and my wife's nesting instincts are demanding everything be done now which is why I've spent every waking, nonworking, moment painting rooms in my house.
My daughter currently has the smallest room in the house and since she and baby brother will be sharing a room for a while we decided to let them share the living room room which is the biggest room in the house and make her current bedroom into the living room. Lots of things to do in preparation for the move which led to my new career as a painter. As I was painting I realized that it was one of those things that looks a whole hell of a lot easier than it is. Which made me think of other things that look easy to do, but in reality are best left to professionals.
1) Giving someone a haircut. Looks easy enough. Cut where it's long, leave the rest alone, and presto...a new haircut. In reality you'd be most likely to make someone look like they were attacked by carnivorous birds. then they'd cry.
2) Driving looks easy. Most of us do it every day. However, there are literally thousands of people who have no business behind the wheel of a car. On my way to work the other day a car swerved into my lane to go around another car that was double parked in their lane. I had to stand on my brake pedal with both feet to avoid a head on collision. The person who had swerved into my lane gave me the finger. If you're reading this I followed you home and now know where you live. Or do I? Makes you wonder doesn't it?
3) Anything technical. I don't know about you, but I have never been able to set up anything at all and have it work as it's supposed to. A great example of this is my new wifi router. I got all excited because I'd be able to use my laptop in any room of my house. The kid at Best Buy told me all I had to do was put the installation CD in my laptop and do what the instructions told me. Piece of cake he said. Everything went fine until the thing asked me for some numbers and I had no idea what it meant. I now have a router, but no wifi.
4)Cooking. On TV they show some chef throw together a three course meal in forty-five minutes. If I try this every pot, pan, utensil, plate, and bowl in my house are on every flat surface in my kitchen. The entree is done before the appetizer, the desert burns, and it takes longer to clean up than Chernobyl.
5)Painting. The inspiration for this column and one of the most aggravating exercises any human has ever invented. It looks easy. How hard can it be? the wall is one color, I want it to be another color, so I'll paint it. Seems logical enough, but no one takes into account the fact that walls meet ceilings and floors which means the paint needs to stop at a certain, exact, point. Since this is harder to do than split atoms it is best left to professionals.
Until Tomorrow--JK
My daughter currently has the smallest room in the house and since she and baby brother will be sharing a room for a while we decided to let them share the living room room which is the biggest room in the house and make her current bedroom into the living room. Lots of things to do in preparation for the move which led to my new career as a painter. As I was painting I realized that it was one of those things that looks a whole hell of a lot easier than it is. Which made me think of other things that look easy to do, but in reality are best left to professionals.
1) Giving someone a haircut. Looks easy enough. Cut where it's long, leave the rest alone, and presto...a new haircut. In reality you'd be most likely to make someone look like they were attacked by carnivorous birds. then they'd cry.
2) Driving looks easy. Most of us do it every day. However, there are literally thousands of people who have no business behind the wheel of a car. On my way to work the other day a car swerved into my lane to go around another car that was double parked in their lane. I had to stand on my brake pedal with both feet to avoid a head on collision. The person who had swerved into my lane gave me the finger. If you're reading this I followed you home and now know where you live. Or do I? Makes you wonder doesn't it?
3) Anything technical. I don't know about you, but I have never been able to set up anything at all and have it work as it's supposed to. A great example of this is my new wifi router. I got all excited because I'd be able to use my laptop in any room of my house. The kid at Best Buy told me all I had to do was put the installation CD in my laptop and do what the instructions told me. Piece of cake he said. Everything went fine until the thing asked me for some numbers and I had no idea what it meant. I now have a router, but no wifi.
4)Cooking. On TV they show some chef throw together a three course meal in forty-five minutes. If I try this every pot, pan, utensil, plate, and bowl in my house are on every flat surface in my kitchen. The entree is done before the appetizer, the desert burns, and it takes longer to clean up than Chernobyl.
5)Painting. The inspiration for this column and one of the most aggravating exercises any human has ever invented. It looks easy. How hard can it be? the wall is one color, I want it to be another color, so I'll paint it. Seems logical enough, but no one takes into account the fact that walls meet ceilings and floors which means the paint needs to stop at a certain, exact, point. Since this is harder to do than split atoms it is best left to professionals.
Until Tomorrow--JK
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
fifteen things that make me happy
1) Fall. I think I officially hate the other three seasons. Summers too hot, Winters too cold, and spring doesn't really exist anymore.
2) Toddlers. Babies are too much work, older kids are great, but don't have that goofiness toddlers have that is so much fun to be around.
3) The elderly using electronics. There is someting cool about seeing a WWII vet bopping down the street listening to his ipod.
4) video games. I know that by definition this makes me a loser, but I'm OK with it. Madden 09 came out today and if you don't think I'm picking one up in the morning and playing for fifteen straight hours you're crazy.
5) Being on a boat. I can be having the worst day ever and somehow being on a boat makes it better.
6) The Olympics. When the National Anthem is played for the whole world to see it might be getting a little dusty in here.
7) The Patriots and by extension Tom Brady. Brady has become that old SNL bears skit. OK who would win in a fight, Brady or a puma being ridden by Kimbo Slice? Tom Brady eats the puma and beats Kimbo over the head with it's skull.
8) Totally un-pc of me, but midgets always put a little hop in my step.
9) Kids selling lemonade. Is there anything more American?
10) random music from any of the Rocky movies. I don't want a second chance I just wanna know whyyyyy!
11) Seeing a buddy you haven't hung out with in a while. Happened to me at a wedding recently and it's good times.
12) Finding a new author who has already written a bunch of good books. I never read anything by Nelson Demille until a couple of weeks ago. It's a good feeling knowing he has written about ten more books I want to read. Also takes the guess work out of going to the book store.
13) Catching a movie on TV that I loved when I was a kid and haven't seen in fifteen years. Hello Red Dawn, Big Trouble in Little China.
14) Listening to the Red Sox on the radio. Especially while sitting at Walden or someplace.
15) Pulling an idea for a daily blog out of my arse. Like, oh say, a list of things I like.
Until tomorrow--JK
2) Toddlers. Babies are too much work, older kids are great, but don't have that goofiness toddlers have that is so much fun to be around.
3) The elderly using electronics. There is someting cool about seeing a WWII vet bopping down the street listening to his ipod.
4) video games. I know that by definition this makes me a loser, but I'm OK with it. Madden 09 came out today and if you don't think I'm picking one up in the morning and playing for fifteen straight hours you're crazy.
5) Being on a boat. I can be having the worst day ever and somehow being on a boat makes it better.
6) The Olympics. When the National Anthem is played for the whole world to see it might be getting a little dusty in here.
7) The Patriots and by extension Tom Brady. Brady has become that old SNL bears skit. OK who would win in a fight, Brady or a puma being ridden by Kimbo Slice? Tom Brady eats the puma and beats Kimbo over the head with it's skull.
8) Totally un-pc of me, but midgets always put a little hop in my step.
9) Kids selling lemonade. Is there anything more American?
10) random music from any of the Rocky movies. I don't want a second chance I just wanna know whyyyyy!
11) Seeing a buddy you haven't hung out with in a while. Happened to me at a wedding recently and it's good times.
12) Finding a new author who has already written a bunch of good books. I never read anything by Nelson Demille until a couple of weeks ago. It's a good feeling knowing he has written about ten more books I want to read. Also takes the guess work out of going to the book store.
13) Catching a movie on TV that I loved when I was a kid and haven't seen in fifteen years. Hello Red Dawn, Big Trouble in Little China.
14) Listening to the Red Sox on the radio. Especially while sitting at Walden or someplace.
15) Pulling an idea for a daily blog out of my arse. Like, oh say, a list of things I like.
Until tomorrow--JK
Monday, August 11, 2008
People who should get mad cow disease...
The guy who holds up the line at the store buying scratch tickets. Double Mad Cow to the ones who think they have a system and ask the clerk for serial numbers before buying them.
clerks, toll takers, public servant types who don't say you're welcome after I thank them for some menial task they've performed.
Anyone and everyone who feels the need to pound on their horn every time you are a tenth of a second late after the light turns green.
bicyclists who complain about cars not sharing the road and then break every road rule in existence. I'm more than happy to share the road with you, but if you blow through an intersection and I hit you, it's your fault.
Anyone in a convenience store who uses more than one form of payment. If you buy three scratch tickets and give the guy six bucks and then take out your debit card to buy your basic 100's you're a jerk.
people who boo hometown athletes for legitimately struggling. It's not like they're not trying. If they are, in fact, not trying please feel free to boo. (Hi Manny, I remember you!).
Anyone who ever accuses anyone of being unpatriotic for questioning our leaders.
People in ridiculous places that fear terrorism. Be real people unless you live in a major city the terrorists don't care about you. Most Americans can't find Idaho and you think someone who grew up ten thousand miles from here in a desert could?
Pedestrians who walk SLOWER when they walk in front of your car. It's like a ridiculous old west challenge. Inner city kids almost dare you to look annoyed while they slow to a crawl in front of your car. It's amazing these kids ever get anywhere...ever.
Everyone who complains about how much money athletes and entertainers make. Don't you understand that they are the product that enables the owners to make money and not the other way around?
People who spit on ducks. Enough said.
This is going to be an ever expanding list of people/situations that drive me to the point of throwing a half finished hot dog at someone. Tomorrow I'm going to go through some everyday things that make life more enjoyable.
Also on a personal note I'm becoming a big brother this week. I realized that every thing I've ever done has basically been for me or my family and I'd like to do something for someone else. I'll let you know how it turns out. If anyone is actually reading this then try to remember the weei (www.weei.com/) Jimmython is this Thursday and Friday. It's basically a two day event where weei raises money for the Dana Farber Cancer institute.
Until tomorrow---JK
clerks, toll takers, public servant types who don't say you're welcome after I thank them for some menial task they've performed.
Anyone and everyone who feels the need to pound on their horn every time you are a tenth of a second late after the light turns green.
bicyclists who complain about cars not sharing the road and then break every road rule in existence. I'm more than happy to share the road with you, but if you blow through an intersection and I hit you, it's your fault.
Anyone in a convenience store who uses more than one form of payment. If you buy three scratch tickets and give the guy six bucks and then take out your debit card to buy your basic 100's you're a jerk.
people who boo hometown athletes for legitimately struggling. It's not like they're not trying. If they are, in fact, not trying please feel free to boo. (Hi Manny, I remember you!).
Anyone who ever accuses anyone of being unpatriotic for questioning our leaders.
People in ridiculous places that fear terrorism. Be real people unless you live in a major city the terrorists don't care about you. Most Americans can't find Idaho and you think someone who grew up ten thousand miles from here in a desert could?
Pedestrians who walk SLOWER when they walk in front of your car. It's like a ridiculous old west challenge. Inner city kids almost dare you to look annoyed while they slow to a crawl in front of your car. It's amazing these kids ever get anywhere...ever.
Everyone who complains about how much money athletes and entertainers make. Don't you understand that they are the product that enables the owners to make money and not the other way around?
People who spit on ducks. Enough said.
This is going to be an ever expanding list of people/situations that drive me to the point of throwing a half finished hot dog at someone. Tomorrow I'm going to go through some everyday things that make life more enjoyable.
Also on a personal note I'm becoming a big brother this week. I realized that every thing I've ever done has basically been for me or my family and I'd like to do something for someone else. I'll let you know how it turns out. If anyone is actually reading this then try to remember the weei (www.weei.com/) Jimmython is this Thursday and Friday. It's basically a two day event where weei raises money for the Dana Farber Cancer institute.
Until tomorrow---JK
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