any suggestions on a good homemade compost bin

looking to neaten up the ol compost area and think the current black plastic bins are just a little too hard on the eyes. I am thining of creating a grated bottom with 2×4 sides and chicken wire and using a leaf shredder on anything going in to quicken decomposition. Any thoughts?

Songs for getting off a train or racing to one

So I got a few responses from my post early this morning …..

 

I guess people don’t appreciate good music to get off a train to but it made me think a little more about the things I like to listen to in terms of the commute.

 

So I broke down some critical musical offerings for

1. getting off the train in the morning and walking to work.
2. walking to the train leisurely
3. hauling arse to the train because your co-worker would not stop talking or your boss would not get off the phone.

 

These are my votes, and if you have a difference of opinion please let me know, you can also let me know if you have songs to add.

 

1. Music to get off a train and walk to work to. Now this may sound like a long description but some of you may appreciate this. There are days when you wake up, drive to the train, get on the train, you are all business, you are looking forward to work, or looking forward to taking over the world, or you are late to a meeting because your train is late AGAIN, or for whatever reason you need something to either pick up your pace or to at least propel you forward in a somewhat quick fashion.
   1. Snoop Dogg: Gin and Juice. Doggystyle.  Just play it and understand that this tune needs to be used when you have a little time to laugh, to saunter a little when you walk, and to look around and say to yourself…they’d never guess I am listening to this. For some reason the beat to this song matches the typical commuter walking down the platform.
   2. The Office Space Sountrack: Damn it Feels good to be a Gangster. More than likely you are not a gangster, you are taking the train, Gangsters and gangstas do not take the commuter rail. However that’s the whole point of picking this song. If you saw the movie, you know.
   3. The Grateful Dead: Uncle John’s Band. You only listen to this getting off a train if you are in the rear car, wake up with drool on your tie and realize that it is a bad dream, you do have to go to work, and no one is trying to pass you because this is a song to wake up to, not to saunter to and not to walk quickly to. Hopefully there is some aromatic in the air, few clouds, and no early meetings. You can walk down the street and smile, and wish for the days of Jerry.
   4. Mike Doughty: 27 Jennifers. This song should be on any teen movie soundtrack, but it’s from that ol Soul Coughing lead singer who has a great voice, great sense of timing and a great album.
2. Songs to walk to the train leisurely to: I have never walked leisurely to a train. If I have time to stroll to a train I have time to walk quickly and have a beer before going home. I suggest you consider doing the same.
3. Songs to haul arse to the train to. This is an everyday occurrence, but here are a few of my favorites that get the blood flowing:
   1. The Crystal Method: Busy Child, Vegas. “I Guess I didn’t know..” Yep this one gets the blood pumping for that extra quick walk to the train. It’s also about 7 minutes long so it keeps you moving for a few minutes.
   2. Rage Against the Machine: Bulls on Parade, Evil Empire. Better know what you are getting into before you play this one. It gets the blood pumping but somehow also transforms you into a politically idealized radical. Zach de la Rocha can literally transform you into a sabatouer of the Olympic Flame and you might find yourself on the side of a road looking for the flame and all of a sudden taking your Poland Spring bottle and flinging the contents at the torchbearer screaming “Free Tibet” if you listen too often. Careful.  But usually that means a real commitment, so perhaps playing this as you walk through the financial district looking at all of the idiots who beat you up in high school who now wear better suits and drive nicer cars than you while listening to Tom Morello make his guitar squeal will be comforting. You might even take your Sobe menacingly by the neck and hold it like a mic while doing the “swivel hand” with your free hand to help enunciate.
   3. Green Day, Welcome to Paradise, Dookie. Play it loud, play it proud, and three and half minutes later, it’s over.
   4. The Killers, Somebody Told me, Hot Fuss. A good quick walker, a good song on I believe a great underrated album. Plus you try to figure out what the song means…
   5. Little John, Derailer, Derailer. Not the “whoa, yeah” Lil John but a great pop outfit from Boston from the mid 90’s who were underappreciated for some great rock that hit but didn’t necessarily hurt. Listen to the album and you might just get a little sweat pudding in the drawers on the walk. Especially if you look anything like Fatty McCarthy.
   6. Luscious Jackson: Naked Eye: Fever in Fever Out, yup, this one gets you moving and makes you wonder…whatever happened to them?

 

Well train is getting in soon, have to get ready for the race…

Glen Hansard…still loving you

Dear Glen,

Still love the Once soundtrack this week, probably because in fairness to you as I mentioned in my earlier post  http://thoughtsfromatrain.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/man-i-just-love-glen-hansard/

I feared I would overlisten to your stuff. No fear there..the Ipod was uncharged for a week. I’ll let you know how it goes today, either I buy an earlier release or I find myself listening to old Bosstones discs…yes, the commute leads to some random music choices…a fun suggestion…next time anyone gets off the train and is about to walk through the train station put on the song “Gin and Juice” from Snoop Dogg,and try

1. not to laugh.

2. not to change your walk.

it may be the best “getting off the train” song I have ever played.

Deval Patrick ..you are killing me

Nooooooooo!  Noooooooo!

I picked up the paper saturday and realized that not only is our Governor stepping out on casino votes, but he is rewriting history also. The article below details an interesting point in the recent Patrick story regarding his book deal.

Matt Viser’s 4/5 article says”

Governor Deval Patrick said in his book proposal that he was able to “fill the Boston Common recently with ten thousand people,” a boast intended to prove to publishers that his message of hope and optimism generates enthusiasm and will translate into sales.

But Patrick left out a key fact about the Oct. 23 Boston Common rally.

It was held to celebrate Patrick’s endorsement of Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, who stood by Patrick’s side at the event. “

 

from Saturday’s Boston Globe article

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/04/05/patricks_book_pitch_didnt_tell_the_whole_story/?page=1

a few quick things to reflect on here…

1. I find this incredibly encouraging for me. knowing that Deval could claim to fill Boston Common, and as a result demonstrate his potnetial to sell books, I have thought about some of my speeches and I think I will be able to sell more books than Deval.

I have, on many occasions, filled Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, the Tweeter center, and various churches. I have spoken in all of these places, often times when I speak it results in great cheers, many high fives, or bands breaking into simultaneous song. Usually there is some weird event going on at the same time like a pats/jets game, or Game one of the World Series, or a Dave Matthews concert but hey- that’s just a little background event – I know those people were there to see me, and I spoke at each of those events, and usually there was thunderous applause and cheering at around the time I was speaking.

jeez, even right now, I am speaking and my dog is lying down at my feet.

2..if you are a book publisher and you fell for this pitch…I am coming to find you, there is gold in them thar hills…

3. Governor…you owe Mr. Obama a little dough

a week of train races

it’s been quite a week on the ol train. I must admit to driving in twice and nearly losing my umbrella this week so I missed a third race but for the two I did see this week, our ol friend Fatty McCarthy bombed down the straightaway on April Fools day and even got up the stairs before some random unknown train racer caught up…

Thursday was an all out battle between Chick Hicks, Diddle McDiddle and some guy I have yet to name. Diddle came flying out of the train with the random guy right behind him. Hicks came out of the other train door almost at the same time,  and while Diddle moved quickly to the front with Random following him close behind, Hicks was coming up quickly on them trying to pass on the left .

The funniest moment was when Diddle in his haste to be  the racer of the day, used his arms for an extra flail of speed and hit the random guy on his backswing. It was a little comical because ol’ Chick Hicks was passing at that moment and there was a STUTTER step from Diddle and that was all Hicks needed to stiffly move by both of these goofs and show who was boss. Without even a look back he doulbe stepped ahead of them and without as much as an upper body movement basically left the two in his dust.

Now what makes writing this just a wee bit ridiculous is the reminder that we are talking about people who walk maniacally fast from a train to their cars. These guys couldn’t take the half second to look at each other as they walked, they couldn’t think to look back and say a kind word of apology for nearly smacking some random guy in the face. I think I need to get this on video…