Category: Tips & How To…

Charlie Cards, Pass It On…

These are the two extra, empty Charlie Cards that I carry with me as I travel on the MBTA. I've noticed how elusive Charlie Cards have become so I picked up some extra ones. Now, when an MBTA attendant tells someone, "We actually don't have Charlie Cards at this location," I have a solution.

I can hand over one of these with a request that the passenger pass on the kindness to someone else by picking up an extra card when they are at a station where the cards are available. I write, "Pass it on… " with a Sharpie so I won't give out my loaded card by mistake. It may also encourage the recipient to pay it forward.

If you can find an attendant, they are supposed to have Charlie Cards at these locations. I have found the booth between the westbound tracks at Park Street usually has them. But note the hours, 7 am – 7 pm. For some locations, the hours are shorter.

This post was inspired by a conversation over on Universal Hub. At the 5th comment down, the conversation changes to Charlie Cards. I shared my solution there but figured I should pass it on to the BostonZest community as well.

Even if you're not going to use a Charlie Card all that often, you should have one in your card collection because each year there is a book full of discounts you can have for flashing your Charlie Card. Those discounts are particularly good for visitors since they included attractions and museums.

Our household also has a guest card that we mail to friends coming into Boston or let them use while they are here. If they can't find a card at the airport or train station, we have them covered. We started it off with $5 and our guests have kept it filled for us. That one is marked with "Guest Card" on the front.

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

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Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 15, 2013
Charlie Cards, Pass It On…

These are the two extra, empty Charlie Cards that I carry with me as I travel on the MBTA. I've noticed how elusive Charlie Cards have become so I picked up some extra ones. Now, when an MBTA attendant tells someone, "We actually don't have Charlie Cards at this location," I have a solution.

I can hand over one of these with a request that the passenger pass on the kindness to someone else by picking up an extra card when they are at a station where the cards are available. I write, "Pass it on… " with a Sharpie so I won't give out my loaded card by mistake. It may also encourage the recipient to pay it forward.

If you can find an attendant, they are supposed to have Charlie Cards at these locations. I have found the booth between the westbound tracks at Park Street usually has them. But note the hours, 7 am – 7 pm. For some locations, the hours are shorter.

This post was inspired by a conversation over on Universal Hub. At the 5th comment down, the conversation changes to Charlie Cards. I shared my solution there but figured I should pass it on to the BostonZest community as well.

Even if you're not going to use a Charlie Card all that often, you should have one in your card collection because each year there is a book full of discounts you can have for flashing your Charlie Card. Those discounts are particularly good for visitors since they included attractions and museums.

Our household also has a guest card that we mail to friends coming into Boston or let them use while they are here. If they can't find a card at the airport or train station, we have them covered. We started it off with $5 and our guests have kept it filled for us. That one is marked with "Guest Card" on the front.

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 15, 2013
Charlie Cards, Pass It On…

These are the two extra, empty Charlie Cards that I carry with me as I travel on the MBTA. I've noticed how elusive Charlie Cards have become so I picked up some extra ones. Now, when an MBTA attendant tells someone, "We actually don't have Charlie Cards at this location," I have a solution.

I can hand over one of these with a request that the passenger pass on the kindness to someone else by picking up an extra card when they are at a station where the cards are available. I write, "Pass it on… " with a Sharpie so I won't give out my loaded card by mistake. It may also encourage the recipient to pay it forward.

If you can find an attendant, they are supposed to have Charlie Cards at these locations. I have found the booth between the westbound tracks at Park Street usually has them. But note the hours, 7 am – 7 pm. For some locations, the hours are shorter.

This post was inspired by a conversation over on Universal Hub. At the 5th comment down, the conversation changes to Charlie Cards. I shared my solution there but figured I should pass it on to the BostonZest community as well.

Even if you're not going to use a Charlie Card all that often, you should have one in your card collection because each year there is a book full of discounts you can have for flashing your Charlie Card. Those discounts are particularly good for visitors since they included attractions and museums.

Our household also has a guest card that we mail to friends coming into Boston or let them use while they are here. If they can't find a card at the airport or train station, we have them covered. We started it off with $5 and our guests have kept it filled for us. That one is marked with "Guest Card" on the front.

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 15, 2013
Your Farmers’ Market Kit: Cash, Bags, Containers

Bring Cash

Ones, fives, tens, and quarters. The farmers will love you, and you’ll shop faster! Each year, more stands take credit cards, but they tend to be the ones with higher priced items like meat and specialty foods.

Bring Bags and Containers

Also, bring what you’ll need to tote your fresh food home. For example, I bring plastic containers for berries and cherry tomatoes. It ensures they arrive home in perfect condition.

Remember, a local farmer doesn’t grow and pick fruit and vegetables to make them perfect for shipping, they grow and pick them to make them perfectly delicious. You also save the farm the expense of the bags and baskets and help the environment.

Keep it Cold

Finally, bring an ice pack or a small cooler. It can hold all your shopping or just perishables like meat, fish, cheese, and eggs.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 31, 2013
Your Farmers’ Market Kit: Cash, Bags, Containers

Bring Cash

Ones, fives, tens, and quarters. The farmers will love you, and you’ll shop faster! Each year, more stands take credit cards, but they tend to be the ones with higher priced items like meat and specialty foods.

Bring Bags and Containers

Also, bring what you’ll need to tote your fresh food home. For example, I bring plastic containers for berries and cherry tomatoes. It ensures they arrive home in perfect condition.

Remember, a local farmer doesn’t grow and pick fruit and vegetables to make them perfect for shipping, they grow and pick them to make them perfectly delicious. You also save the farm the expense of the bags and baskets and help the environment.

Keep it Cold

Finally, bring an ice pack or a small cooler. It can hold all your shopping or just perishables like meat, fish, cheese, and eggs.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 31, 2013
Your Farmers’ Market Kit: Cash, Bags, Containers

Bring Cash

Ones, fives, tens, and quarters. The farmers will love you, and you’ll shop faster! Each year, more stands take credit cards, but they tend to be the ones with higher priced items like meat and specialty foods.

Bring Bags and Containers

Also, bring what you’ll need to tote your fresh food home. For example, I bring plastic containers for berries and cherry tomatoes. It ensures they arrive home in perfect condition.

Remember, a local farmer doesn’t grow and pick fruit and vegetables to make them perfect for shipping, they grow and pick them to make them perfectly delicious. You also save the farm the expense of the bags and baskets and help the environment.

Keep it Cold

Finally, bring an ice pack or a small cooler. It can hold all your shopping or just perishables like meat, fish, cheese, and eggs.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 31, 2013
“Reading” the Book, “Permanent Present Tense” Three Ways

I always have a few books in my reading pile, on my Kindle, or in my "tonight" audiobook playlist on my iPod. Right now, I have Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Susanne Corkin in all three places.

I "read" books in different ways. We live in a tiny home with books shelved two deep in some case, and others in storage waiting for their turn to come live with us. New books must audition before they find a physical place in our home.

When I hear or read about a book that I want to read, I go directly to the Boston Public Library catalogue and see if they have a copy. If not and I think it has a wide interest, I'll suggest that they purchase it.

In the case of Permanent Present Tense, I had to wait a bit before it was my turn to read a library copy. Since I have met the author and she played an important role in the life of a dear friend, I had every intention of buying the book. I just had to decide how to buy it – hardcover book, Kindle edition, or audiobook.

In the end, I did all three. I'm reading the library's copy in hardcover. I added the Kindle edition to my library when I want to continue reading the book and forget to bring it with me. And, I purchased the audiobook so that Ed and I can listen to it in the car on our next road trip.

This doesn't happen often, but this is a fascinating book that I do recommend. Here is a great interview about the book from the radio show Fresh Air.

Update: July 5, 2013: Here is another great interview on WBUR's Radio Boston.

What's your favorite way to consume new books?

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: Cover art courtesy of Amazon

June 28, 2013
“Reading” the Book, “Permanent Present Tense” Three Ways

I always have a few books in my reading pile, on my Kindle, or in my "tonight" audiobook playlist on my iPod. Right now, I have Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Susanne Corkin in all three places.

I "read" books in different ways. We live in a tiny home with books shelved two deep in some case, and others in storage waiting for their turn to come live with us. New books must audition before they find a physical place in our home.

When I hear or read about a book that I want to read, I go directly to the Boston Public Library catalogue and see if they have a copy. If not and I think it has a wide interest, I'll suggest that they purchase it.

In the case of Permanent Present Tense, I had to wait a bit before it was my turn to read a library copy. Since I have met the author and she played an important role in the life of a dear friend, I had every intention of buying the book. I just had to decide how to buy it – hardcover book, Kindle edition, or audiobook.

In the end, I did all three. I'm reading the library's copy in hardcover. I added the Kindle edition to my library when I want to continue reading the book and forget to bring it with me. And, I purchased the audiobook so that Ed and I can listen to it in the car on our next road trip.

This doesn't happen often, but this is a fascinating book that I do recommend. Here is a great interview about the book from the radio show Fresh Air.

Update: July 5, 2013: Here is another great interview on WBUR's Radio Boston.

What's your favorite way to consume new books?

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: Cover art courtesy of Amazon

June 28, 2013
“Reading” the Book, “Permanent Present Tense” Three Ways

I always have a few books in my reading pile, on my Kindle, or in my "tonight" audiobook playlist on my iPod. Right now, I have Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Susanne Corkin in all three places.

I "read" books in different ways. We live in a tiny home with books shelved two deep in some case, and others in storage waiting for their turn to come live with us. New books must audition before they find a physical place in our home.

When I hear or read about a book that I want to read, I go directly to the Boston Public Library catalogue and see if they have a copy. If not and I think it has a wide interest, I'll suggest that they purchase it.

In the case of Permanent Present Tense, I had to wait a bit before it was my turn to read a library copy. Since I have met the author and she played an important role in the life of a dear friend, I had every intention of buying the book. I just had to decide how to buy it – hardcover book, Kindle edition, or audiobook.

In the end, I did all three. I'm reading the library's copy in hardcover. I added the Kindle edition to my library when I want to continue reading the book and forget to bring it with me. And, I purchased the audiobook so that Ed and I can listen to it in the car on our next road trip.

This doesn't happen often, but this is a fascinating book that I do recommend. Here is a great interview about the book from the radio show Fresh Air.

Update: July 5, 2013: Here is another great interview on WBUR's Radio Boston.

What's your favorite way to consume new books?

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: Cover art courtesy of Amazon

June 28, 2013
Allergy Season Tips for Dog Lovers

The downside to wonderful, warm, spring weather and more time spent outside can be allergy symptoms for both you and your dog. While a vet or doctor’s visit is needed for a serious reaction to allergens, there are many steps you can take to lessen the impact.

The ASPCA says, “The best way to treat allergies is to remove the offending allergens from the environment.” They suggest consulting with your vet for flea prevention, since fleas are the cause of many skin outbreaks. And, there's a list of all the symptoms and other tips at this link.

Give Pollen the Brush Off

Mother Nature designed some pollen to be lightweight and blown by the wind to a female plant. Other, heavier pollen is designed to stick to critters so it can be moved from plant-to-plant.

Dog fur is a great place for both types of pollen to reside. A simple wipe down with a damp towel after a walk can leave some pollen on the doorstep. Regular brushing this time of year can also help.

Regular Home Exams

Catching a problem early generally makes it easier to cure. Having had two dogs with fairly serious skin allergies, I’m in the habit of running my hands under the fur and feeling for any bumps, breakouts, hot spots, or cysts. Try to be systematic and check the entire pup.

If you see your dog rubbing his ears or shaking his head more than usual, be sure to do a close inspection.

Check all four paws, too. Allergies often show up as licking behavior. If your dog is licking her foot or leg, it may be a sign of allergy.

Keeping a Medical Log

A bit of record keeping on your part can help your vet diagnose the likely cause of allergies if you do schedule a visit. Allergy symptoms include: itchy, red, moist, or scabbed skin, increased scratching, runny eyes, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea, and snoring caused by an inflamed throat.

If you notice any of these symptoms, make a note on a calendar or in your pup’s medical log. Also, note what pollens are out, any new foods your dog may have had, and any new places you’ve visited. All of this will help with a diagnosis and with future preventative action.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one as a gift for a Graduation or Wedding? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: iStockphoto.com

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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