this morning i signed up for another vernal pool class, this time at boardmoor wildlife sanctuary in natick, "vernal pools for the inner child." i've been researching a good pair of rubber boots online.

after a stop to cvs to get some toothpaste and to the post office to mail something off, i went to the porter square star market to buy some groceries. they'd recently renovated and moved the entrance, so it took me a while to figure out how to actually get into the supermarket (an old woman standing outside pointed out the way). i'm actually starting to believe that prices at the porter square star market are actually a little bit higher than the beacon street star market. i'm going to get all investigative journalism on this matter, and hopefully return with a full report soon.

i came back home and cancelled my current health insurance, making the switch to an HMO. i pay $240/month now, but the coverage is so basic, even routine check-ups without any sort of tests cost me almost $100 a visit. with my new plan ($400/month) doctor visits just require a simple copayment and drug prescription is included as well. this will come in handy when i go traveling again and need to get vaccinated. the only downside (besides the greater cost) is i can't use my current physician at MGH, doctor lester.

and just when i thought things were getting boring, something exciting happened. i was working on my computer when i noticed somebody in the backyard from my bedroom window. at first i thought it might've been my upstairs neighbor, but when he started walking up the stairs, and i didn't recognize him and immediately grew suspicious. i knocked on my window to get his attention. i waved to him and as soon as he saw me, he immediately turned around and left. i went out my front door to wait for him to come out. "can i help you?" i asked as he exited the backyard. he didn't even look at me, just pulled up his jacket (kind of pointless to hide at that point though, since i got a pretty good look at him when i watched him come up my back stairs), and started walking away out to beacon street, disappearing around the corner. i don't know what i was thinking, maybe just the rush of adrenalin, but i grabbed my camera, put on my shoes, and chased after him. when i got onto beacon street i didn't see him anywhere. i thought i lost him but then i saw him in the distance, a young man with dark complexion, wearing jeans, a green polo shirt, a white hoodie, and a cap. he seemed nervous, and turned around and saw me. i made no effort to hide, but after he crossed the train tracks into somerville, i continued following him for a few more blocks. he took off his jacket, maybe to change his appearance, but i had my eyes on him the whole time. he knew i was behind him because he kept on looking back, and eventually i think he hid behind a house. i decided to go back home, figuring i scared him enough already.

i didn't bother calling the cops because i figured there's nothing they could do anyway, and i rather have this amateur burglar be a little paranoid from now on, since i don't think i'll be seeing him around here again anytime soon. of all the houses he could've picked, he just happened to pick the one where somebody (me) is home pretty much all the time. i sort of feel bad for him. but things like this is why i think we need a neighborhood watch program on my street, and naturally, since i work from home, i would be the sheriff. as acting sheriff i can park anywhere on the street without getting a ticket or towed (even on street cleaning days). i'd be armed with a non-lethal weapon, like nunchunks or a taser. i'd convert my basement into a makeshift prison cell, for those times when i apprehend suspects.

in the evening julie came over and we ordered pizza, the rustica from topspeed pizzeria. she was raving about how good this pizza was, but i prefer their buffalo chicken pizza a whole lot more. the prosciutto and the capers on the rustica were nice, but it still felt plain. julie was hysterically laughing over the two episodes of scrubs - i thought they were funny, but not that funny (ain't no chapelle show, that's for sure). she left during SVU, confessing her newfound lackluster passion for law & order dramas.