Promised picture

The hurricane is a comin

To the loyal followers, this may be my last post. The hurricane is coming; the necessary preparations have been made; our futures are subject to fate.

Having been reared on the east side of New York and in Newport, I have led a sheltered life style unencumbered by these things people call "hurricanes." Now, as we cruise down Memorial, I've seen shops boarded up, emergency signs all over, and Home Depot is out of generators. My sister, dad, I will make one last trek to Five Guys today -- our last supper. Let's hope for the best. My camera is charged, and I'll be taking photos of the ocean as the storm intensifies. Stay tuned for pictures on another day (if there is one ...).

A harrowing Yankees game

First, let me announce that I've began my year long "Gap Yah Burger Quest." By next summer, I will hopefully be able to recommend the best burger in the US. To date, my notable burgers have included Five Guys, Ray's Hell Burger, and Good Stuff Eatery/We the Pizza. I tried Shake Shack on Wednesday with Madeleine Foote; it was really good and the burger was especially meaty -- I kid you not; this burger had the most pure beef flavor of any burger I've ever had. Unfortunately, I forgot to order "Shack Sauce," so my assessment is incomplete. I'll have to revisit and reassess. Also, as a general burger pet peeve, I hate it when a place can't cook a burger medium rare. Shake Shack was the most grievous offender, because they "can only cook the burger medium or rare." Really?

We were in the nose bleeds all right.

I'm not much of baseball follower. I was a huge fan of the Yankees in 2009 and a bigger fan of the Rangers in 2010. Are you noticing a pattern? Either I'm the greatest baseball soothsayer in the history of history, or there's a more insidious motivation behind my support. This summer, I've had the good fortune of being invited to two baseball games, both times using the tickets as a backup. Last week, Brian McNamara had an extra ticket, so Brian, Madeleine Foote, Mariah Foote, and I went to see the Yankees play the Oakland A's. The game was rather boring until the 8th inning, at which point the Yankees were down 6-0. Nick Swisher hit a home run in the bottom of the 8th to make the score 3-6. Oakland didn't score in the 9th and went on the defensive. Jorge Posada, first at bat, knocked a homer into left field ... 4-6. Bases loaded, two outs, the pitcher walks Cano ... 5-6. Nick Swisher gets at bat again, hits the ball deep center, and comes 10 feet short of a grand slam. The Yankees lose. What an exciting anti-climactic game!

Got my permit

The line at the Cranston DMV

Equipped with 3 hours of cram studying, I woke up bright and early to go to the Cranston DMV to take my permit test. I had heard the horror stories, tales of government bureaucrats, incessant lines, and the effects of budget cuts apparent everywhere. To our dismay, my dad and I arrived 10 minutes before the DMV opened, and there was a 1/4 mile long line. To quote the great Ned Gallagher, I thought "ah fag-ga-gaad." Surprisingly, once the doors opened, employees ushered in the entire line and the process was painless from there. The employees were respectful, but more important, efficient. I got in, took a number, waited in line for 30 minutes, was processed, waited in line for another 30 minutes, took the test, passed, waited in line for another 20 minutes, took my picture and then went to Whole Foods. Here's the scary part (though loyal viewers, you need not be scared). I have no idea how to drive, but I can legally take a Hummer, for example, and cruise down the highway. Unfortunately my parents won't take me unless I'm a good driver, so I now I have to get lessons, learn to drive a stick, and pass my driving test on October 18th. We'll see if that's possible. My only hope -- our two cars, a Mini and a Wrangler, are idiot-proof when it comes to parallel parking. Just remember, when the car starts hydroplaning, don't slam on the breaks. I unfortunately learned that after I took the test.

Today's juices

Breakfast - Carrot, Apple, Orange, Yellow Pepper, Tomato

Lunch - Five Guys

If you haven't noticed yet, a full out cleanse assault was a failure. However, I'm sticking to multiple juices a day, coconut water, and less substantial foods to the best of my ability. Beginning tomorrow, I will start posting about RhodySquash and my experiences as the Executive Director!

Cleanse temporarily postponed

Don't judge me yet. Sometimes I can be like the government; I make promises I can't keep, impediments eventually arise, inconvenience mounts, etc. I'm only human. The cleanse is still on, but we postponed it until Saturday.

Today, I woke up at 5:30 to take a train from Kingston to Stamford, CT. There I met Chip. The Choate board had a meeting today, which for all intents/purposes, meant we had a chance to interview Bruce Gelb for ChrossTalk. Equipped with a new mic, Chip and I conducted our longest interview to date -- 1600 bars on GarageBand, which amounts to a 75 minute interview. Luckily, Chip edits our interviews! Tomorrow is my birthday, and I'd prefer to eat cake rather than juice. Barring no unexpected surprises, the three day cleanse -- and my extremely soon to be mercurial mood -- will begin on Saturday.

Now that it's the end of August, I'm having to send many of my friends off to college. Not having to attend school next week is a total relief. I'm not ready for college. Choate cooked me to a crisp, and Washington exposed me to a completely different and at times more satisfying reality than school. Planning for the rest of the year continues. Tomorrow I have the inaugural RhodySquash meeting with the seed donors to chart the direction for the coming year. Off to the next adventure!

Preparation for "The Cleanse"

Please excuse the tardiness between posts. I just returned from DC. Last week, my Mom and I collectively agreed that we're going to do a three day cleanse. The idea was completely spontaneous, but probably necessary. I need a cleanse more than my mom does. I could lose some weight. I need a six-pack. I probably could afford to eat slightly healthier, having lived in the land of Five Guys for the entire summer. Beginning on Thursday, my Mom and I will go more intense than vegan.

Here are the rules of the cleanse:

1. The cleanse shall last for three days -- no more, no less.

2. Only fruit and vegetables allowed. No meat, eggs, bread, bagels, butter, hamburgers, hotdogs, and pasta. Include any and all other foods that you hold near and dear to your heart.

3. The food need not be raw. If compelled to sex up the food, please do so for the sake of sanity.

When I get hungry, I get upset. The running joke in the family is that I'll have to lock myself in my room to avoid flipping out at people. I'm totally obsessed with food. With the exception of a few Fox/Bravo game shows, I am devoted to the FoodNetwork. I should also mention that I've attempted cleanses in the past to no avail; my record is one day with a lapse for an after-dinner snack. As a testament to my obsession with food, I am genuinely scared. Without squash, I'm certain I'd be another obesity statistic. I have gone thunderous in the past and danger always lurks. Let's hope I last and emerge with a willingness to eat healthier foods. After all, I need to jump into the dating scene some day... 

I will give daily updates tracking my increasing desperation. God speed!