two things

1. OH MY GOD my head is k-i-l-l-i-n-g me. I don't know what is going on, but I feel like my forehead is going to explode. Do you think it is possible that fall allergies are starting already? I can't imagine what else it could be, even though it is a little early.

I never had allergies until I moved to the East Coast and since then I have gotten sick each and every fall. One of my first doctors here told me it had to do with immunities growing up, and since I was immune only to germs on the West Coast I was bound to get lots of sicknesses. I have gotten bronchitis and laryngitis every fall since I moved here, 9 freakin' years ago. GRRRR.

This is ridiculous, though. It is only August! Granted, we've had a chilly couple of days, but still, it is too early!


2. I'd like to start a campaign, similar to the "Got Milk?" campaign called the "PEDESTRIANS NEED TO STAY OUT OF THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE LIGHT IS GREEN" campaign. I cannot tell you how often I curse at people who step in front of my car, or insist on running across the street after my light is green. Downtown Boston is very congested (especially with the Big Dig and all the excess machinery) and having to wait for all these less-than-brilliant individuals to cross the street at every light is maddening.

A couple of years ago, while living in NYC, there was a breaking news story about a man driving around midtown Manhattan refusing to brake for those people who stepped into the street in front of him. If the light turned green and people crossed the intersection anyway, he hit them, or almost hit them. If they insisted on crossing in the middle of a street while he was driving down the street, he plowed into them.

Now, of course I am not condoning his behavior (although it was a little bit funny at the time), but I did sympathize. He clearly lost him mind in that afternoon when he realized that it took 10 minutes to drive 2 blocks because of pedestrians ignoring street traffic. Thankfully, he didn't kill anyone in his insanity, but sometimes I wondered if pedestrians would be more careful after the incident.

I live about 15 miles from Boston, and there are many mornings that it takes me less time to drive the 15 miles on the highway than the 5 blocks from my exit to the parking lots. 5 blocks > 15 miles. Something is wrong with this picture.

If only I could convince Mayor Menino to put up some billboards telling people to WAIT THEIR TURN. Maybe we could install little shocks in the street that activate after the "No Walk" sign comes on. You cross, you get zapped. Any takers?