Sorry to spring that on you. I suppose it’s as good a subject of discussion as anything else I’ve ever written about on here. I am currently trying to proofread a press release about window blinds, so obviously my mind is bound to wander. I don’t remember high-fiving any hippies during my walk to work, and I definitely didn’t wear this dress shirt to Amherst recently, so why do my hands reek of patchouli? This isn’t a rhetorical question, people. You may explicate.

The only people I shook hands with today were the plumbers who came to replace a zone valve in my building. I think it goes without saying – patchouli is to plumbers what an under-counter carbon filter is to Chris Barron. So the mystery continues. Stay tuned for the weigh-in tomorrow. It’s not going to be pretty.

We’re sitting in Newport, after an afternoon on the boat, watching the amazing lacrosse game between UMASS and UVA on TV – The Cinderella story surrounding UMASS’s appearance in the D1 finals has been the talk of the house all weekend. What a great way to spend Memorial Day, although I’d be shaking the hand of a veteran if I had one handy. Anyway, since I found a laptop sitting in the kitchen, I figured I’d send the team some happy thoughts for the second half.

Home now… The lengths to which I devastated my diet is eclipsed only by my sunburn. The gallery is your typical fare – boat, beer, dogs, kids and Kingman. But for the first time in ages I added captions to most of the photos. Just like the old days. Now, get some aloe vera on yourselves and get to bed.

I made a very bad joke on the blog earlier this week, where I ignorantly referred to one of the sacred relics from the summer Saint’s Feasts as “creepy”. I spent about as much time thinking about the comment as I did typing it, and have found out today that I offended many of my neighbors as a result. My remorse stems from a true admiration of this neighborhood, rather than any stab at self-serving diplomacy. I have lived here seven years for a reason.

I hope that my continued charitable activities in the North End, and my many positive remarks on the site about the neighborhood and the people within it over the years, will attest to where my heart truly stands in regards to it. I also maintain a separate website devoted to the area, which is a labor of love. I have actively worked to maintain good relationships with my neighbors over the years, and frequently go out of my way to meet as many new residents as possible. That is what makes this incident all the more unfortunate and unacceptable.

I do not pretend or assume to be a true North Ender, and for that reason I can never fully understand how my remarks effected those that are. I would like to ask that you excuse me, and have agreed to redesign the NEMPAC website as a gesture of apology and pennance. I had already been asked to help migrate it to a new webserver, but I know for a fact the organization wants to pay to have it re-vamped, and I am offering to do this myself now for the first time – because I truly feel awful and have to try and make things right.

I was raised a Catholic, have many Italian cousins and I am absolutely mortified that I have been responsible for generating so much offense. My Grandmother would surely slap me if she were still with us. It was a terrible comment, and I will regret making it for a very long time. My deepest apologies to you all.

Very sincerely,

– Dave

I love the new GB logo, and I have someone ready to make these shirts at a really low price – but I’m in marketing and I know better than to assume anything. Have a read about our forthcoming and exciting limited edition hockey t-shirts, and leave a comment on GB if you’d be interested in buying one for the low-low price of only $10. There’s next to no profit margin after shipping, and I just want to get a first run funded and off the presses. Is there a market? Is there a demand? Let us know.