Answering questions at Boston College O’Neill Library
I agree, and as a Wall, I deeply appreciate a good paint job. If you’re a connoisseur of painted trucks, you might appreciate the fine art book Wings of Diesel: Trucks, Identity & Culture in Pakistan, by Jamal J. Elias. It’s over in the Bapst Art Library: NK1476.7 .A1 E453 2011.
Thank you! I don’t think anyone has ever given me flowers before. It is lovely.
Not personally, no. But I do know a wall in downtown Boston who is second cousins with a wall on Drury Lane. So that’s pretty cool. I’m also an professional acquaintance with the Bodleian Library walls which hold the oldest known manuscript of The Muffin Man (circa 1820). So that’s also pretty neat.
The Wall fears to wander blindly into a two thousand year old argument. Here’s a pretty intense scholarly summary of arguments for and against: bit.ly/bc-free-will. You could also take a look at a few of the almost three thousand results related to that at Philosopher’s Index, a favorite source of the Wall’s: bit.ly/bc-free-will-2
You should head down to the Little Italy of Boston, the North End! This area of Boston is packed with some of the best Italian restaurants in the city, all boasting about how their homemade pasta is the best. Many of the walls in this historic district have heard patrons rave about how excellent their dinners were, but see for yourself! If you venture down there, you’ll see people lining the streets in queues just waiting to sit down and mangiano! If you’d like to stay a little closer to home, check out Carlo’s Cucina in Allston, which has a great North End feel. Or if you want something fancier & authentic & don’t mind a trek to Needham, try the spaghetti alla carbonara at Spiga.
I can’t pretend to know what goes into CAB’s choices for entertainment. If you have criticism or suggestions for them, I recommend you address them directly: bc.orgsync.com/org/cab/ContactUs or perhaps via twitter: @CABofBC.
Chances are good there are others feeling lonely in that sea of people, but it never seems that way. Loneliness is self-reinforcing that way.
Thomas Wolfe had some thoughts on this exact question, although his story is a little funny. He wrote actual people from his hometown of Asheville, NC into his first book, Look Homeward, Angel (PS3545.O337 L6 1934). The townsfolk were angry at their depiction, so he left them out of his second book, Of Time and the River (PS3545.O33 O3x 1944). Being left out angered them even further, so he wrote You Can’t Go Home Again (PS3545.O337 Y6). Long story short: you may return to where you grew up, but as you mature and make your own path, you’ll find yourself making a new home.
I’m not sure why you think this may be a possibility, but if you are concerned, I would advise seeking out a spiritual advisor; you could contact Campus Ministry: bit.ly/bc-campus-ministry
Ask Thanos. No idea what his selection criteria were.
The “random guy w/ white hair” is far from random. He’s Jeff, and he’s been on the library staff for many years. (He has also bumped into BC students in the San Juan, PR airport and on a mountaintop.) You’ll see him and other staff counting, because the library is currently assessing space usage to help determine space needs, seating preference, and the effectiveness of furniture configurations. To assist with this study, library employees have been conducting head-counts three times per day, every day. This part of the project will end on May 18.
The general answer is mostly yes! 1 – Corcoran and McElroy now have “post consumer food waste” composting for what’s left over after eating. 2 – Yes! All dining halls compost kitchen prep waste. As for Q3, several student groups such as UGBC Environmental Caucasus and EcoPledge have engaged with BC Dining to help bring this all about. BC Dining has several other initiatives regarding sustainability, see: bit.ly/BCDiningSustainability
Unfortunately, there are simply more students at BC than there is housing. Forced triples exist for the same reason that housing isn’t guaranteed for all four+ years you’re at BC. BUT there are some advantages: 1) you’re on Upper, which is pretty great; 2) reduced room and board costs makes the bill a bit easier to pay (or loans a bit smaller). The best thing to do is just embrace the minimalist lifestyle and find things to do outside your room. Good luck!
The roasting process of coffee beans occurs at a high enough temp to destroy some of the caffeine molecules contained within coffee. So, contrary to expectation, light roast coffees have more caffeine than dark roast. Espresso has a high caffeine content (~150 mg) for its volume of liquid (~2 oz.), but less than a normal cup of coffee (~235mg in 12 oz.). Here’s a great list of common coffee drinks and their caffeine content: bit.ly/CaffeineList.
The grass is grown on a sod farm just for Boston College; this contract gives BC a good price break. Buildings and building spaces are much more expensive and require lots of planning and then ongoing maintenance. That said, I have heard that BC is looking very closely at existing spaces that would be suitable for practice, performance and collaborative study. I think the answer to your question is that BC can afford both grass and student spaces- we just need to see what their final plans are for student spaces.
Whoever wins a majority of the Electoral College votes.
The Wall doesn’t have a copy of Strange Tales #180 to consult, but suspects that someone on Zen-Whoberi knows. bit.ly/bc-gamora
Perhaps “gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!” or “fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!”? More probably something like a high pitched dog bark: bit.ly/popsci-fox.
You’ve had a book published? That’s fantastic! I have to admit if I were (not a wall and) on a date, and I had written a book – yep, I’d find a way to slip it into the conversation. But lightly, and just once, or save it for the second date. Probably best to focus on your date, and finding out about him or her.
The consensus of Matthew, Mark, John, and Luke is about five thousand the first time, and four thousand the second. (Mt 14.13–21; Lk 9.10–17; Jn 6.1–13; cf. Mk 8.1–10). Check out Oxford Biblical Studies Online for Bible texts and commentaries, and the answers to questions like this. bit.ly/bc-obso
