It's Been a Long Time (Comin')

Hi. Remember me? I used to write this blog called The Last Single Gal in Boston? I know, I know, it's been awhile. Some things have changed too. To be completely frank, I should just change the name of this blog, because, well, it's becoming increasingly inaccurate by the month. For those of you who didn't already know (what, do you live under a ROCK?) I am not single, and haven't been, for like almost a year now. Hell hath freezeth over. And hockey is back, so it's really convenient. So Single is out.

Also, there's something else I must confess. Last week I was accepted to NYU's graduate program for Public Administration. Soooo, that means no more Boston. It breaks my heart a little to actually write it.

For the past two years and change, the Boston area (specifically Somerville and Cambridge) is where I've called home. I have been lucky enough to be a part of a warm, creative, loving, and ridiculously fun community of friends, colleagues, and local businesses that make you feel like you're their friend in real life. In this seemingly short amount of time, the growth has been momentous. You all have been with me along the way: specifically during my painfully awkward date recaps, or hilarious misadventures as both a single and attached gal. I went from someone who exclusively wrote in her journal in coffee shops, to writing a weekly column for my favorite local newspaper, Dig Boston. 

It feels like just yesterday I was waking up in all of my clothes from the night before with a text conversation from nameless new number, and an empty hummus container on my bedside table. Somehow, someway, I survived living on the minimum of the livable wage of the city of Boston for awhile, deciding between doing my laundry or buying a $7 bottle of wine. I let friend's roommates cut my hair in their bedrooms, kept bars open entirely too long past last call for a dance party, gone sledding at the Arboretum on a work day, performed on stage at the Middle East, and dated nearly every eligible bearded man in the radius of 5 miles. This has been my journey, and lord, what a ride it's been.

Thank you for reading my stories, my rants, my ridiculous (and sometimes polarizing) opinions. While I'll be leaving Boston for New York soon to start a new phase of my life, this small and imperfect city will always hold a huge part of my heart and dignity. I feel like I've been complaining a lot to people who will listen regarding the difficulty of my generation to actually grow up. Without actually defining this, because I think it means different things to different people, the grittiness of my coming of age in the last few years in this city is something I wouldn't change for anything in the world. All the hardships, difficult decisions, and loss coupled with the vivacity and bliss of a fantastic life that I'm privileged enough to lead, have led to me this present moment. This present moment where I find comfort in the uncertainty of the future, but the strength to propel me forward from a great past.

So Boston, this isn't goodbye. In fact, this blog will continue to be a source of an ever-evolving outlet when I'm transient (read: homeless) this summer. While the name may change (Brooklyn has a good ring to it, amirite??!) the roots will always remain the same. You're my #1 Boston, and don't you ever forget it.

Until next date and forever yours in Boston,

LCinTransition


Here are some photographic highlights of 2 years well spent. Enjoy.

My caffeine savior. 

adventures with alfred.

check out my homegirls at CBC

thanks to Boston, I met this guy.

dune hiking on Crane's Beach

Besides my undying love for the Caps, I met these guys too.

had the privilege of living with JCM.

dress up party in Maine

most of my friends are musicians, and that's cool.

first trip to Nantucket.

I met Rachel Maddow. Thanks Harvard Books!

my siblings visited and we drank too much (per usual)

Rehab Not Recidivism

Hey party people. This article originally appeared in print for Dig Boston last week, so now I'm sharing it online in case you don't live in Boston and want to read it. What do you think about mandatory maximum sentencing in some states? Read on and let me know.

Back in July of 2012, Governor Deval Patrick begrudgingly showed support for the Massachusetts "three strikes" bill that recently became law. According to the  Boston Globe, Patrick buckled under political pressure from law enforcement agencies, victims rights groups, and families of victims.  Politically, it was the right thing to do at the time. In general, loaded bills such as "three strikes" are never straight forward and tend to have great arguments from both sides for signage or veto.

However, if you step back and take a look at long term implications of such a bill, things start to become a little hazy.

Bills like "three strikes," and other federal policies for ex offenders either in prison, or being released, create a punitive system of recidivism for some  looking for a second chance.

Why are these pieces of legislation sometimes unnecessarily punitive? In the case of "three strikes," it introduces a mandatory maximum sentence for repeat offenders of certain crimes. This means: no parole, no going back to court, and certainly no rehabilitation programs to reintegrate into society. For truly violent offenders, this provides some peace of mind to victims and families of victims, and keeps those individuals off the streets for good. However, for offenders who are getting picked up on felonies not violent in nature, like drug charges,  the "three strikes" net picks them up as well.

More money is being funneled into the already bloated prison industry, overcrowded with inmates whom could benefit more greatly from rehabilitation programs to include: education, life skills, or job training, not stringent punitive measures to continue the cycle of violence. This national trend of defunding social welfare programs continues to be thematic in prisons systems as well.

While "three strikes" is a bleak solution to reducing crime, Massachusetts actually just passed a relatively progressive CORI(Criminal Offender Record Information) reform bill in the commonwealth, according to the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and the ACLU.  Based on the original CORI law, questions regarding criminal history on initial job applications were deemed appropriate. With the reform, it's now banned, unless the applicant is subject to identifying themselves based on federal mandate.

Also, ex offenders now have the right to seal unrepresentative cases if they're ten years old for felonies, and five for misdemeanors. This can create a newer, cleaner version of a CORI for job and housing interviews. However, the road is still long and difficult for ex offenders post prison life.

As someone who works with ex offenders daily, I've seen firsthand the struggles of men and women who have wrestled with addiction and committed crimes years ago. However, once they're released from prison,  already sparse and underfunded reentry programs are full, and most end up in homeless shelters, or on the streets.

If the Commonwealth's answer to reintegrating ex offenders into the community is to limit their resources, ban them from subsidized housing and gainful employment, and defund treatment programs that could better their lives, then it remains unquestionably clear why the rates of recidivism are sky high, and people continue to commit crimes. The worst position to place a person at high risk of committing another crime, with potentially undiagnosed mental illness and trauma, is an unstable environment: a shelter, the street. What is the expected outcome of such public policy?

While good steps forward have been taken, a few steps backward stand in the way of true reform and rehabilitation of some offenders who deserve a second chance.

How to Survive a Blizzard

Courtesy of City of Boston

State of Emergency: This past friday, Deval Patrick issued an executive order for a driving ban past 4 pm. Libertarians were up in arms. Stoners were looking into conspiracy theories. Moms were nodding their heads and glaring at their teenagers who want to ' just run to 7-11.'

Over the span of 48 hours, Boston and greater Boston received a delightful dump of over 2 feet of snow, but don't worry internet, I survived. At the onset, I was safely tucked away in my Somerville apartment with a lot of people I love. Wrapped up in my fleece blanket, christmas lights twinkling above me, the snow blew fiercely outside my window. But strangely enough, it turns out that simply snuggling up in a blanket isn't the only way to survive.

Here's a Missadventuruous Guide to Surviving a Blizzard:

1. Make sure you have a lot of alcohol and cheese. Like, a lot of alcohol and cheese.

It's ok to get some ice cream too.

2. Make a snow fort, and stand on it.

Photo by T. Blasko

3. Wander out into the world, with snow banks taller than you, with a backpack full of booze and stumble upon a city wide dance party.

Photo by T. Blasko

4.  After you're finished dancing, you might be a little tired. It's a good idea to take break, maybe lay down for awhile.

Photo by D. Bishop

5. After wandering around with your friends on nearly deserted streets, you should probably head home to warm up and put on a fresh pair of socks that aren't covered in snow. (how does all that snow get into snow boots?)

Alright, who left the can of valuable paint outside during Nemo?

6. What's that? You aren't ready to abandon the reckless and ebullient wonder of fresh snow on a city landscape? Alright, friend, reassemble your shapeless and marshmallow-like uniform for one last romp. 

7. You've sufficiently had your fill of snow fun, and now you're ready to actually throw on a snuggie and cuddle up with someone you care about. Definitely head back home and do that. Maybe light one of these, throw on some Barry White, open a bottle of pinot. 

And there you have it, without realization, you've survived another blizzard. Congratulations.

I hope everyone out there had their own version of winter wonderland filled with sledding, awkwardly talking to strangers holding shovels, hot cider, day drinking, petting absurdly happy dogs, and snow forts.

Suck it, Puxatony, Winter still reigns supreme. Supremely awesome. 

this one's for you, meels.