Tank sixty-four

Total miles: 23736. Trip miles: 332.2. Gallons: 6.827. Price per gallon: $2.559.

Screen mileage: 52.3 mpg. Tank mileage: 48.7 mpg.

Mostly highway miles over vacation.

The car got an oil change yesterday, just before the fill-up.

Halloween cupcakes

Halloween cupcakes
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I also went to a church fair yesterday, and scored these Halloween cupcakes. They must have been homemade... they were delicious!

DeCordova Museum

Two Big Black Hearts
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Yesterday, I did a short hike through Lincoln Woods. I took the trail that passes to one side of the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park. I like these "Two Big Black Hearts" by Jim Dine, even though they are kind of creepy.

another view from Gilbert Lookout

another view from Gilbert Lookout
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I think this was looking SE, but I could be all wrong!

view from Gilbert Lookout

view from Gilbert Lookout
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Gilbert Lookout

DSCN3098
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

The climb to Gilbert Lookout is pretty steep near the peak, and it's not well marked, but it's well worth the effort. The view is glorious. Plus there's this very cool marker. I would recommend against trying the climb in wet weather, however.

Bromley

Bromley
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a view from the top of Bromley, where you meet up with the Appalachian Trail. There's a tower you can climb to get a great view, and a ski lift up here, too.

fall foliage in Vermont

fall foliage
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This photo was taken along the Lye Brook Trail.

Vermont vacation

foliage
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I managed to get in a fall vacation to Vermont a few weeks ago. The weather was nearly perfect, and the foliage was just about at peak.

Walk to work for 30 days over the next year

I live about two miles from work, so the walk is not difficult, but it is time consuming. When walking, my daily commute time goes from 20 minutes to one hour. However, walking is a good stress reliever. In contrast, driving increases stress levels.

It has been difficult convincing myself to add an additional 40 minutes of commute time to my day, when I have little enough time already. However, I can afford to do this once in a while – 30 days over the next year certainly seems possible.

Today was Day 1. I did the route faster than expected, at a pace of about 4 mph.

See more progress on: walk to work more often

Tank sixty-three

Total miles: 23404. Trip miles: 310.2. Gallons: 6.259. Price per gallon: $2.999.

Screen mileage: 52.6 mpg. Tank mileage: 49.5 mpg.

Highway miles, on vacation.

A review of "The Handmaid's Tale"

The Handmaid's Tale

by Margaret Atwood

I wanted to like The Handmaid’s Tale. Unfortunately, I found it ferociously boring. I suspect that Atwood was trying to relay the incredible boredom that comes with oppression, but she did it too well.

The protagonist is extremely weak, so much so that I didn’t care about her, or become absorbed in her story. Stuff just happens to her. In fact the only thing she initiates involves a silly and unbelievable “love story” which is tacked on near the end. I suppose the love story may be an ironic commentary; presumably the protagonist has some form of Stockholm syndrome.

I suppose some might argue that she was strong, because she was a survivor. That might be my perspective if this were a real, living person. But this is fiction, and I want more from my fictional characters than what was given here.

I’ve been trying to read more about this book, to discover if there’s any underlying meaning or symbolism that I’m missing… so far, zilch. It is what it is.

See more about The Handmaid's Tale

Tank sixty-two

Total miles: 23094. Trip miles: 446.9. Gallons: 8.535. Price per gallon: $3.479.

Screen mileage: 54.7 mpg. Tank mileage: 52.4 mpg.

Mostly highway miles, again.