THE YEARLY SCOOP
by Todd
It’s official. I’m old.
I now mean it when I say I can’t believe how quickly a year passes. When I was in chemistry class at age sixteen, I never believed I’d see the day….
Lot’s of activity this year. We bought a house. Built in 1880, it is a true “fixer-upper”… and a few other choice words. Three bedrooms. 1 ½ bath. In the safest city (Newton) in America according to the Newton Tab. The entire house needs to be remodeled from the guts out. We’re SLOWLY making progress.
We’re working on the kitchen first. The idea is to get the biggest most difficult aspect out of the way. I think when the kitchen is complete the rest will be relatively simple.
In March, I took a job at Bristol Recording Studios in downtown Boston. My role has slowly evolved into “business manager.” The interesting aspect is that I’m handling the finances-payroll, accounting, budget, taxes, accounts payable, etc. All the things I was supposed to learn about as a management major….
Music is still keeping me entertained on a slightly less grand scale. I’m having more fun with less pressure. My home studio is evolving with technology. It’s really becoming more standardized/simplified, but the technology manages to throw a wrench into my plans every couple weeks or so. In any event, I hope to one day have some music for to share. Hold your breath :-)
Our longest-distance trip for the year was to San Francisco to visit my sister, Kristin, and her fiance, Garret. I included two pictures from an amusement restaurant called Entros. You’ll see from the pics that we had enough fun for the WHOLE year.
May your holidays be great and this millenium your best yet!
Me next! Me next!
Best for last, right?
Happy Holidays… I hope your celebrations are filled with lots of lovin’ and laughter.
As for what’s new with me, I’m really loving Boston. Especially now that I’m a homeowner. While it’s somewhat of a nightmare, it’s OUR mess. I have the same full-time job since the week I moved here almost 3 yrs ago. The only difference is that now I worship it. It has really developed into a dream job. I work as the Coordinator of Services at Univ. of Mass’ Center for Disability Services. I help students receive notetaking, testing, reading, or interpretting services. I’m also the desktop publisher of our office-- along with other university offices. My boss is the coolest. She continuously "waters me" so as to increase my understanding of disability issues and the laws, and to encourage me to fully express myself & to share my talents. Plus, I have made my office space into a gallery of my artwork.
Oh yeah, my artwork. I’m still painting with oils, but working much larger than before (4’ x 6’). I’ve been taking class at Mass College of Art and love it. I took a landscape painting class in Maine this past August. It changed my view of my environment—everything I see outside is a painting screaming my name. I made our third bedroom into my painting studio. It’s so funny because the only two tolerable rooms in our "haunted house" are our studios J . Thus we have kept our sanity.
I will graduate with my M.Ed. this semester from Umass. I’m not sure what next, but I could really handle being forever a student. I love the college atmosphere and someday hope to be a professor.
Kari, Toddy’s mom, will be celebrating the holidays with us in Boston. We’re both so excited to see her—I wonder how Boston’s December will compare with Arizona’s.
Cheers…to a very healthy and hearty Year 2000.
Libby