New Year’s Resolutions

Last year I resolved to floss more, amongst other things. I managed to hold onto this resolution though about August with great success. The success became intermittent during September, October, and sort of went poof! during November and December. Dental Hygiene just wasn’t as important to me as finishing a paper for one of my Industrial Hygiene classes.

Speaking of hygiene in general, dental hygiene as a profession has ruined it for us industrial hygienists. Now, no matter what I try to do, as soon as the word hygiene leaves my mouth when I tell people my major, they look at me and think, ‘what, like in dentistry?’ Oh, they may not say it, but they are thinking it. “Industrial hygiene huh?, Oh, I get it, you teach industry to brush its teeth!” Nope! The dictionary defines the word hygiene as 1.The science that deals with the promotion and preservation of health, and 2. Conditions and practices that serve to promote or preserve health. Therefore an industrial hygienist is one who creates conditions to promote or preserve health within the workplace, or industry. Similarly, a dental hygienist is one who promotes and preserves health within the mouth. See. Ok, I just had to clear that up. Oh, that and the fact that I went into industrial hygiene had nothing whatsoever to do with my resolution last year to improve my dental hygiene.

This year, I plan on renewing the aforementioned flossing resolution. It can’t hurt, and unlike those resolutions to ‘lose some weight’ or ‘get in shape’ it is a small goal and readily attainable. Floss more than zero times a year last year turned into flossing with pretty good regularity for 3/4ths of the year. This year, I’ll go for 4/5ths or even 5/6ths. (I’m having fun with fractions, boy but I’m a geek!). I’d like to make a second resolution, but for the life of me I can’t come up with one. Yes, I want to lose some weight. I also want to tone up the tummy and other bits of the self, and get into better shape. This is not necessarily a resolution which, by the way, the dictionary defines as: a course of action determined or decided on, the state or quality of being resolute; firm determination. I would very much like to do the North Shore Inline Marathon again this year, and I think I’m going to expand my racing to include the Great River Roll and the Roll for the Roses. (Two local Cities races, one is a half marathon, and the other only 6 miles I believe.) I’d also like to be able to finish the Hairpin Run 5K without having to walk at all – time is irrelevant as I don’t plan on winning. These are all goals though, not resolutions. This leaves me in a quandary. I get into better shape to do these things (which inherently includes the losing some weight and toning up) but I have no other resolutions to spout to friends and strangers Friday night. Hmmmm. I thought about saying “I resolve not to procrastinate on my Master’s Thesis work.” That would be an outright disaster though. I know me, and I know I can’t not procrastinate on things, especially big papers.

Ooh, I know…how about I resolve to journal more. Both on my blog and in a paper journal that I bought two years ago, started, and then ripped the pages I’d started out of so that it’s blank again and ready for the ‘me of now’. I could have left them in there (and I didn’t throw them out) but I am SUCH a different person now that two years ago when I started it that it would be very strange to read back from one to the other. Ok, barring an epiphany that includes a much better resolution than ‘journaling more’ I think I’ve found my resolution for aught five.

What are other people resolving to do?

Has anyone ever heard of a consistent office temperature?

Perhaps, but only if that temperature is labeled “cold”. It’s freezing in my little cave of a cubicle today. I know that all caves of a certain size and depth maintain one temperature year round (unless there are some sort of hot springs located there). That temperature is about 55, 60 degrees or something like that…which is what my office feels like today. I’m freezing! I own way to many ¾ length shirts and that leaves ¼ of my arms and my hands feeling like attached icicles. I have had lunch; I thought that maybe I was hungry because I had not eaten. Nope. I had tea this morning, and I spent a good 20 min reading my document with my hands cupping the mug and my body huddled over it’s warmth like some strange office fire place. I am seriously going to bring a blanket to work if it doesn’t get any better.

The only problem with a blanket at work is the succinct comfort that blankets create. I would be lulled into this state of warmth and happiness for a few seconds at a time, and then I’d have to get up to go get a file, or reach outside my cocoon for something on my desk, and my little happiness bubble would shatter. After lunch I just might find that having a little bubble of happiness translates far too easily to a little bubble of naptime.

I really need to get out from behind this desk I think. I’d even do a site visit in the rain (yes, I wrote rain. Bloody end of December in Minnesota and it’s drizzle raining here). Maybe someone has a new project for me that involves brains rather than mindless typing of labels onto the computer. Maybe I should rent a book or two on CD at the library for this label making. It can’t hurt, and I’m going to need some mental stimulation as I look forward to another 2.5 weeks of full time work with no more projects besides organizing and labeling files.

And WHERE is my snow?! I want to build snowmen, like the one I left for Rachel on her car last year because I could. I’d like to make one that encased a car, too bad they moved the derelict black car behind our house just before it could have become useful. Huh, sigh. I also want to go skiing on something besides manmade ice chaff. Oh well, enough ramblings for now, yes? I must get back to the overly stimulating task of making labels for files.

White Christmas: Accomplished

I had my white Christmas, and what a nice weekend it was. My car caught a cold on the way home to Green Bay. The symptom most shown was spontaneous loss of gage readings, (looked much like an anti-sneeze), the speedometer, odometer and gas gage would go down to zero and then they would come back. While that happened the brake light would come on. It happened 50 times on the way home. At first I was really worried that I wouldn’t make it home, that I was loosing the alternator or something. I called Lance to see if it sounded familiar, and he blamed a cold too (or rather THE cold as it was only 1 above freezing with a -20 wind chill). I called Saturn then to see if I should bring it in to have it checked out; they said at my leisure. So either they are so busy this time of year they don’t need or want more business or they really don’t see it as a problem. I’m betting the former as the nice guy said the storm in green bay caused so many cars to be towed to them to be fixed. So I gave my car new windshield wipers for Christmas, and a new quart of oil, and that perked up her spirits greatly. On the way back to the Cities, she didn’t sneeze once. I figure I’ll keep an eye on it, but it’s probably one of those electrical or computer problems that you can spend a fortune on trying to isolate and never every truly fix.

On Christmas Eve, my family had to break with tradition. The NFL, in its infinite wisdom and money grubbing scrooginess, decided to have the Packers play on Christmas Eve at 2PM. Usually my family goes to Mass at 4, then eats dinner (prime rib-yum!) and then opens gifts. This year we did it a bit differently. You see, it wasn’t just any Packer game, it was against the Minnesota Vikings, and the winner would be crowned the NFC Central Division Champs. So, We switched the order. Watch the Packers, eat, go to Mass, and open presents. My dad got his present early when the Packers beat the Vikings 34-31 (same score as the first game played in GB). He was like a kid with a new toy for the rest of the night. The rest of the fam was quite happy, cause none of us wanted to deal with a grumpy papa for the rest of the night. Would have dampened the Christmas Spirit…drown it really.

Present opening was great fun. Everyone got something they really really wanted. My mom got her record player (for the old fashioned 33s, 45s and 78s), dad got his Miter saw, Troy got a Soniccare toothbrush (if you know my brother, it will not surprise you that this present made his day) and he liked the sling ski-carrier I got him too. I got so many wonderful things. A new desk chair, some nice winter gloves from Troy, and the Lord of the Rings, Return of the King DVD being high on the list of things I wanted. I got a new shiny from my parents too, though I don’t have it yet.

Christmas Day we had dinner with some of the extended fam. There was only 10 of us; it was quite quaint and really relaxing (usually we have a minimum of 20-25 for holidays). After a super yummy lunch of ham and acorn squash (where I got the leftovers) we settled into the living room to play some Phase 10 while light snow fell outside on top of the 8 inches of beautiful white stuff that was there already.

Sunday we went to my mother’s brother’s house for Turkey dinner (where I also got the leftovers) and more family togetherness. I headed back to the Cities after that, and the roads were clear, empty of traffic, and the temperature was warmer. Probably one of the best Christmas’s I’ve had in a while.

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas!

That makes me think of the Coke commercial now. Well that, and I'm drinking a cherry coke. Yuck - but I wanted bubbles. I think it's MFatGG that sings the I'm dreaming of a white christmas rendition for that commercial, I think I recognize the style. Erin, any opinions on that?

But more to the point, I want snow! I talked w/ Mom back in GB, looks like I'm going to get my White Christmas. While here in the Cities we only have a whee dusting of the white stuff, they got 8 inches! Woot! I'm going to go sledding on this hill I played on as a child. If I can't find my old sled, I'll use I plastic bag. Here in the cities if they want a whiter christmas they'll have to dream harder. It's bloody cold outside, and it's only going to get nippier. Something like -25 to -30F tonight w/ windchills. My car doesn't appreciate it. It can't snow when it's this cold, just no way. The the good kind of snow. The wet, fluffy, build a giant snowman that is so tall you have to engineer a way to get the balls on top of eachother, kind. (Katie, we are building a snowman in our yard this year!! Remember your Sorrels!) Problem is, it's so cold in GB now that my 8 inches of fluffy snow will be all icey crystals by the time I get there :(

I also think of skiing when I hear about this much snow. I have many friends I want to go skiing with, and to teach if they haven't before. I only was on my skies for a total of an hour last year. I did spend half an evening learning to snowboard. I will be spending more time learning that this year. It's a good workout. Anyone have any skate-style cross country skies they want to lend me (size 7.5 womens boot). I want to learn to do that too! Oh, and snowshoeing is fun.

I went to work out again on Monday with Katie. My poor stomache muscles. I'm going climbing tonight for the first time in like...2 months. I love how I take a bit of time off for doing the working out and then just start up again. No ramping up and down, nope. I love just jumping in. One of these days I'm going to jump in head first and find out the pool is made of ice. I may hurt my head, but when I recover, I'll go ice skating. :P

Ding-Dong, the Witch is Dead!

Last night I watched The Wizard of Oz on tv. I finished my christmas cards, well, most of them, and then played some Champions of Norath with Katie. It was really odd not having a million bits of homework to finish up, or any homework at all. Yes, school is gone. (But why is the school gone you ask? Because it is a vile thing that makes even the most intellegent people tired, grumpy, and sick in the last two weeks). I have been a very bad girl, not posting at all since Thanksgiving, and I can't really say that I had too much to do. Ok, I did have final papers and final projects and all that, but I could have found a minute here or there to post. Bad Self!

Anyway, an update. Jenny A. is back in town, so I have been chillin w/ her and Katie. Last weekend we went out to the new club in S. St. Paul called Valentino's. Had a good time, but I was SORE from all the dancing. This tells the self that the self is out of shape. Really, really out of shape. This weekend I did most of the rest of my x-mas shopping, and Jenny, Katie and I had a movie marathon. We watched El Mariachi, Desparado, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. I have to say, I liked El Mariachi best. Still, it was good fun. I went running on Saturday at the St. Paul Gym, it felt really good to be out and about at the gym again. I am going to go again tonight. I am climbing (for the first time in about 2 months) on Wed. I think I'm going to start going to the "rollerdome" soon as well. This sitting around with no physical activity is going to stop. (Even though it wasn't exactly on purpose, with school and all).

I can't believe that this coming Saturday is the day of Christmas. It doesn't feel like winter yet. We've had a few cold days, but no real snow. Today we have ice. About 1/4 inch of it. It all ice rained and covered everything, and I'm sitting at home working today becuase I didn't want to be out in it. I may go to work in the afternoon, or I may continue to work from home. We'll see. I'm going to go to GB for the holidays leaving Thursday, and I will probably head back there for New Years. We'll see.

Ok, so this is also a lame post, but it's something. I probably don't have any readers left. I'm going to go work on (yet) another blog. Later

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope this guy made his way to your table, and that he is big enough to constitute leftovers. (Hopefully he was dead, plucked, and stuffed before he made it to the table, my appologies if you regularily dine with Turkeys, and therefore don't eat them out of respect).
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I know, I really ought to update more...

It’s been a while since I wrote anything. Yes, Internet, there is a Blogging Slacker. (Probably more than one in fact) I have caught up on sleep since my last post, the Packers beat the Vikings yesterday, and Katie and I have gotten two more characters from adventurous to courageous level on Champions on Norath. Times have been good (if not exactly productive in a school-sort-of-way).

This past Friday night I went to an all ages show at the Triple Rock with Seconds Before, Redoverlunar, and Down and Above. I don’t mention the first band because I can’t remember what they kept calling themselves. It wasn’t “she might be a spy” like they had on the billing. Probably they are the same people with a new name. Either way, I wasn’t terribly impressed with them. I think they need to get the little ear pluggies that hook into their monitors so they can hear when they are off key. I don’t know if I’m just sensitive to tone and pitch, or if they were that off…but EEP! More practice, I ‘spose. As usual, Seconds Before rocked, turning out high quality, enjoyable music. It was Redoverlunar’s last show (sniff, tear) but they tore up the stage, and I’ll be sad to see them go. Down and Above closed the show down in their usual awesome fashion. I love watching and listening to those guys rock. They really know how to have fun up there, and draw the crowd into energy. The only downside of the whole adventure was that I got hives. Really, really bad hives. *sigh* I’m not even sure what from this time. I think maybe it was the pizza crust. I seem to get hives from bagels, why not pizza crust (and no, I’m not developing a gluten allergy) it’s probably some crazy additive that’s supposed to preserve the food. Anyway, they were bad enough that I left the establishment of the Triple Rock and went to the Very Expensive Pharmacy down the street to buy children’s Benadryl. They are only half the dose the dose of the adult version, they are chewable (though I do not agree with the ‘grape’ flavor label, bleah) and they don’t put me to sleep quite as bad as regular Benadryl does, though that could be because I spent the evening trying to stay hyper, who knows.

Saturday was Lee’s b-day so Katie and I made cupcakes and headed over to Chris and his place to chill with the peeps, play Taboo, and Trivial Pursuit (team of course). It was actually even when we decided to call it a night. The Cobra team lost their last question though, so Stripes won…Go Stripes! Lee, Katie, myself and somebody named Nick are to play a heated game of Star Wars Trivia sometime in the near future. I better pull out the old book and do some studying up; these are going to be tough opponents!

This week is supposed to be nice out, so I’m going to attempt to get out of the pattern of laziness I’ve fallen into and do some exercise outside before it gets major cold. Running, anyone?

Where has A-Good-Night's-Sleep Gone???

It's just about that time again. You know of what I speak. Cold Season. Two words that put the fear of sniffles, headaches, body aches, stiffness, sleepless nights, sore throats, and sneezies into us all. To combat this Season, we have Kleenex, VapoRub, Cold Medicine, and A-Good-Night's-Sleep. Unfortunately for anyone who is...for anyone, A-Good-Night's-Sleep is off fighting other battles, and won't be able to join the war on Colds.

A-Good-Night's-Sleep is currently fighting Midterms and Term Papers. Term Paper has been defeated, and Sleep and Midterms are locked in mortal combat. The is only one small problem for Sleep...Midterms aren't fighting fair, and have enlisted the help of Homework, Appointments, and even Leisure Time has joined the fray. No one knows yet whose side Leisure Time is on.
Stress and Headaches are constantly around, egging both on. Oh, and don't forget the groupies, the Mice. They cheer for whomever is on top at the time, ignore the peanut butter snacks set out for them and are instead enjoying DownStairsNeighbor's saltine crackers. Of course, it could be that the Mice don't wish to be challenced by the Traps, and would rather play the trickster charecter of this whole drama.

Just like a boxing match, though, this whole jamboree has a time limit. The bell sounds, and the clock strikes it's metaphorical midnight by 5PM on Wednesday. I'm sure that Cold Season will hang around after the outcome, just to see if Sleep wins. Cold Season loves to take advantage of those who have been roughed up by Stress and Headaches.

As for the Lone College Student, she hopes that Leisure Time leaves the fray and joins her sometime soon.

They are invading! They have taken the house by storm! So far, I've seen 3...or maybe it was one three times, or...AH! You never know. We thought it was one, and we chased it away Sunday night, but then...Katie saw one last night. We are DOOMED. Ok, enough with the C-3PO quotes, but still, it is a problem. I called the landlord for traps, but he's not being so quick about getting them to us, and I don't want the mice to have babies in our cozy place. So I'm going to go harass him again for more. I've never encountered a mouse in this house before, though there was some evidence in the basement. GRRRR. I want my mouse free house back.
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Remember me talking abou the ceiling falling down? There it is, chunk one of the fallen ceiling exposing the wall below. The next chunk (everything below this missing one here all the way to the left and more) fell later that night, and I dont' have a picture of that. I should have taken a picture of the mess it made too, but I didn't. Oh well, the kitchen and my room are fixed now, but they have yet to mud and paint Katie's room...since August. Ugh.
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Look at me go!

Ok, to explain the picture below, this picture is taken at mile 26 of the 26.2 mile race, and just after you have come up the interstate off ramp (the second biggest hill on the course, but it sucks worse cause it's at mile 26). I think I look pretty good for being at this point. BTW, I went on to sprint past Mr. Number 5022 to the finish line. From this point in the race, it's down the hill and around the corner (tricky w/ the tar and tired legs) and then a 300 m sprint to the finish line. People cheering you on, bells ringing, it's great fun! I can't wait for next year!

Here is me in the Northshore inline marathon. This picture was taken by ActionSports International. It's copywrited, but I'm not distributing it, so I think it's ok for me to use here :P I'm still deciding if I'll purchase a small pic of me in the marathon or not...
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The Bus of Eternal Stench

Oh, it stank. It's the stink of ages. Once it gets on you, it never goes away, and even when you are in your house, away from the bus for 3 hrs, you still smell it. Noone else does, or they pretend not to. But that SMELL! The bus I rode home tonight smelled like mothballs, or something equally discusting. That putrid, astringenty, metallic-biting smell. Maybe it smells of Urinal Cakes. I don't know. But whatever it was, whoever it was -STANK. I smelled it all the way home, and combined with the diesel fumes and the fact I had to sit in the back of the bus, facing sideways and trying to hold a convo w/ someone...

My poor belly is still doing flip flops. I took a shower to releave myself of the stench, but I think it's permenantly impressed upon my nose hairs and my brain. I can't really even smell, my allergies are so bad. Ugh, so that tells you just how BAD this was. I think I'm going to put vaporub under my nose and go to bed and pout there. I'm sure Eeyore and Kirara will keep me company, and they won't tell me that I smell now too. :(

...And Stretch.

Oh, I'm a bit sore. Not so bad though, because I did train, but eep...I'll train harder for next year. But I so happy I did it, not just to prove to myself I could, but because I set a goal and attained it. I finished in 1:46:58, and my goal was to finish in under 2 hrs. My other goals, not falling, and getting to the start on time, also were attained.

So at the award ceremony, my brother is looking at the times that won the Rec division. Suddenly he announces, "I could beat these times." I looked at him, and I thought to myself, "yup, he could...hmmm" and a plan formed. So, for next year, he's gonna do it, and we're gonna train to do a speed line together. we hope to get at least one more who can go that fast (finish around 1:20) so that he wins overall rec. and I win women's rec. Sound impossible? Well, I thought me doing a marathon in anything was gonna be hard, but I actually had quite a bit of energy left at the end...so who knows how fast I can go. Oh, and of course I'll be souping up my skates for next year (not new ones...yet...but definately better/bigger wheels and better bearings).

Good times. Now to lose 15 lbs, get a bike, find some goggles and do the swimming and the biking for cross training. Oh, and don't forget the skate skies and classic style XC skies...oh, and the downhill skies! Gotta have something for cross training!

I'll get a pic of me up as soon as I have one.

Back to basics

So far in my classes, I haven't really learned anything new. I thought that was what grad school was all about. But I spose we have to review everything that everyone might have forgotten over 1 to 15 to 30 summers between their last semester and now. Still, I'm getting a new perspective on old material. It's odd though when you cover an ENTIRE class you had in undergrad in 50 min. (and you understand it all, and it starts coming back to you! woot!) The homework sucks, and I'm not quite sure how I'll keep up with it, and working, and having any sort of life what so ever. I know what Katie means, she's at school all friggen day, and I'm at work and class all day too. I should put a blanket in my pod at work, and another in my locker at school. Yes, I said locker. I have a cute little locker that is about 4 inches wide by about 4 feet tall, perfect for jackets and mittens, and on top, there is a little 1ft x 1.2ftx 2 1.5ft deep cubby for things like extra shoes, food, gym clothes, books, etc (though not necessarily all at the same time!)

When I look at it all, it's like EEP, when am I doign to get X, Y and Z done and still read P, D and Q while studying for F, U and K exams. But, it's not so bad when I break it down week by week, and make lists, and just breathe. After all--everyone is getting overwhelmed by something at some point, it's how we deal with it that makes us stronger people. I am convinced (at least at this point) that grad school isn't so much about learning the material, as about learning how to find the material you need, and how to cope when you can't or it's just too much at once.

In other news, my B-day went quite well. I went to work and to class, (poo) and then after my class I went to Old Chicago w/ Kris from downstairs, Peri from class, Lee and Chris and my bestest roomie Katie! We had food, and then, I had the Fudge Brownie (w/ ice cream)-for free cause it was my b-day and they're all nice like that. Don't worry, I shared. It was a hodge-podge celebration put together about 3 hrs before we went, right before my class, and I didn't get a chance to call everyone, specially the people I knew it would be more than a little hastle to drive all the way over to St. Paul just for a late dinner...but I hope to do something more next week/end sometime. Nothing special, just maybe dinner or a small movie night, or going out (hehe)

So, the rest of this week stays busy. I have class tonight, volunteering tomorrow and then a Dr. Appt. and then I leave to go get my race packet in Duluth. Then Saturday is The Big Race. (well, big for me anyway, as it's my first ever) Karin is riding up to Duluth w/ me, so we'll get to chat away any pre-race jitters. But all in all, I'm getting really excited for this race. I was really kinda disappointed when we didn't do it last year, so here's to the second try!

Whew!

Ok, I knew that grad school would be work, but this is ridiculous! I will most definately be reorganizing my study habits. I am used to skim the book, do the problems. Now it's read the book, write the paper. That's easily twice the work as before. Not HARDER work, per say. Just more work. And I'll be working more hours during grad school because I need to pay rent and eat food. Luckily for me, I have 5 hrs between classes tomorrow in order to study study study!

Bleah. I've been up since 6, I'm going to bed. I worked twice as long today as I had planned on working. I'll probably check my webct stuff again before going to bed, just to make sure I have everything I need for tomorrow.

Gotta love school, right? WHEEEE!

Yippee! Remember all that talk about cutting the hair and changing the window dressings? Here it is. I've added the little picture bot thing from Hello (link at bottom) to my blog. I am not sure what pics I'll add, but this is one of my favorites from the Europe trip last summer. Oh, and Rachel, do you have the pic CD? I don't know where it is, grant it haven't looked, and I accidentally deleted them all off my computer when I reformated :(
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What a difference a day makes!

Wow, I have already typed this blog entry. It's almost like deja-vu, only this time I know I'm repeating something. Damned blogger has been misbehaving for me lately. Ok, here I go again.

On Tuesday, I was fretting because I didn't know what I was going to be doing one week from then. Then Wonderful Wednesday. I met my advisor, registered for classes, visited the bookstore (in an attempt to purchase my books so I could be super ready for class, but no luck), and poof!, I know what I'm doing from now until December. Not only that, but I have a strikingly good idea of what is going on Spring semester too! Woot!

Also on Wednesday I had my car's oil changed and tires rotated, and all the other bits checked out--good news, I have no need to replace my breaks like I though, they are just being squeaky (so says the nice mechanic who should know what he is talkign about). When I got home from doing that I cleaned the kitchen, and cleaned my room. But I still wasn't done. I then attacked all the stuff in my attic that I've been meaning to do all summer, and was one of the major 'you will do this' things on my "summer to do list". Missions: accomplished. So I celebrated last night by playing video games with Katie and reading some Star Wars. A good day indeed.

I also learned that once you are registered for grad school, you become suddenly smarter. At work for instance, I suddenly have been talking with people about 'developing' things and 'researching', instead of simply filing. Oh, and the biggest improvement on the work situation...tomorrow I'm going to go shoot water balloons off - as scientific research. I like 'developing' and 'researching'. Yup, it has been a good day and a half!

Sometimes you just need to cut your hair

You know that feeling. It's the "I need to change something or do something different or I'm going to explode" feeling? I'm having that feeling right this second. Part of it could be that it's now 2:20 and I've eaten lunch, and been working on this project for 6 hours and I have to be here til 4 and I am really sick of sitting behind a computer. I think it has more to do with the fact that I've been wrestling with ideas now in my head for a while.

I'm starting grad school. That's something different. I've always tried to reinvent myself when I went to a new school. I tried to be less shy when I switched middle schools. I tried to get more involved in sports and academic team stuff when I went to high school. When I went to college I went somewhere that was out of state, that not a lot of people I knew went to. New major, new me, right? But through it all, I'm still same me on the inside. Oh, I've grown and changed. It's kinda impossible not to in almost 24 years. Still, I have grown into a set of morals and values that are mine no matter what, and not much is going to change that. So all this other changing is just window dressing. It's like the seasons almost. My back yard looks major-different four times a year, and every day there's just a bit of change to be found. Still, no matter how much snow there is, or how many leaves are on or off the tree, the tree is still there, and it's still my yard.

Still, You can trim the tree, or add hedges, or build a deck or gazebo in your yard. It's still the yard, but you've ended the monotony of looking at the same scenery every day. You can change the window dressing. I think I see a gazebo on the horizon.

Pete and Repeat went out in a boat. Pete fell in, who was left???

Yeah, we all know. Repeat. As in repeat my idiocy of last summer. Though this time the reasons were a bit different. But, the results were the same. So, are you all wondering what I have repeated?

I managed to fall down on my rollerblades again. Yup. I managed to skin open the same places as last year. My whole lower left leg, my upper (way upper) thigh of my left leg, and I managed to catch my right elbow as well. Would you like to hear the best part?!? I was TEN MILES from my car when it happened. 10 miles. And on a straight trail that it wasn't an option to have my companion go get the car. So, I got up, washed out as much of the dirt and rocks as I could w/ the water we brought along, and took off towards my car. (I had already skated the 11 miles out, we were returning) The stinging wasn't as bad while skating as it was while stopped though, and by mile 18 I was feeling my knees and back more than my new cuts and bruises...but still.

It happened because I didn't see a pile of wet leaves til it was too late. I was learning how to draft in a pace line, so I was about 1 foot behind the guy in front of me. When he yelled watch out, I didn't react fast enough. Oh well....live and learn I guess. At least this time the wounds are nearly as bad as last time. Oh they still hurt, and I won't be wearing jeans or tight pants or tight shirts for a while...but at least it isn't oozing as bad. And if I can do 10 miles on it when it's fresh, I can certainly do another hour and a half ride tomorrow...which is the plan.

At least it was a good workout, since the guy from work I was skating with is a whole foot taller than me!! And tomorrow I'm going out w/ a biker, so I get to play catch-up again. Sheesh!

As promised, more details of this weekend

Wow, what a fast weekend! I had so much to do, I can hardly believe I finished it all.

Let's see. Friday I did my volunteering in the morning. Then, about 1 Katie and I left St. Paul. We found some traffic, so we didn't get out of town as fast as we'd like. We made lunch stop (cause I was starving) and then drove all the way to GB. Once in GB I found another car, and drove to meet my parents on the property. Spent the evening making big fires, eating 'sacrificed' hot dogs, and making smores. And the STARS!!!! wow

Saturday I was able to sleep in, then I joined my parents on the property for some cutting wood fun. We hauled two pickup loads of firewood over to the campsite, and then went to destroy some bad gypsy moths who had taken up residence in one of the apple trees. We went for some lunch then, and came back to the campsite to make a nice fire and enjoy the afternoon. I left there about 3 or so and headed back to GB. When I got back, I found out Katie hadn't gone running yet that day, so she and I did a nice run to the park and back before I went home to get ready for the class reunion.
The reunion
It was something I wasn't really worried about going or anything, I just was undecided about actually going. I didn't know if I wanted to see those people again. Still, there were those who I had lost contact with for one reason or another, and hoping to make contact with them again, I went. I was pleasantly suprised. I chatted with a lot of people, even the ones I barely said 'boo' to when I was in high school. I did reconnect with the majority of the people I wanted too, and for some of the others, it was nice to hear what they are doing. It was also a nice gage for me to see if I'd been 'successful' in the last 5 years. Overall, we're all doing a variety of things, from work to school to lazing about to raising families, but most people seemed happy with where they were. I know I am. The reunion was held at a bar, so after it was over, I just met Katie and Shelly out at said bar to have a drink and chat. We met some guys and we chilled w/ them at various bars for the rest of the night.

Sunday I was able to sleep in a bit and then did some laundry (which I forgot in the dryer at home, damn it!) and then I went to dinner with the family before heading to Katie's graduation party. It was a great time. Got to see lots of more peoples, and Katie seemed to have a good time too--which is the important thing. Went swimming, and didn't freeze to death, catch pneumonia, or become hypothermic. Wow, the way this summer is going, that's almost a miracle. Then after the party, Katie and I loaded her car, and headed back to the Cities.

You see. Very busy weekend. Now hopefully I can recoup in time for this coming Saturday's festivities.

What an Interesting Night..

So, I started typing this, and got a phone call, so now it's later than I'd like it to be. Still I had my 5 year class reunion for high school tonight, and I have more fun than I thought I would. I'd like to write more, including the interesting stuff that happened after the reunion was officially 'over' but, I'm way to tired now. I'll write more either tomorrow night, or on monday.

Goodnight everyone!

BRRRR

Ok, where did the summer go? I mean, really! It's 62 outside. That would be fine if it were 3Am not almost 3PM! It's summer, and while I do not particularily appreciate extreme heat, I do rather enjoy not having to wear sweaters to be warm. I like cold weather. It's great. Fall is one of my favorite seasons (also when I was born, but that is besides the point) and I enjoy spring as well. I just prefer that seasons happen when they are supposed to. This is not Monty Python! There will be no 'giving summer a miss' here. We've had, what, 1-2 weeks of real summer weather so far this season?

By writing this, I am not inviting the realm of heat to invade our little city. I just want weather that will make me happy to be outside. I will save wearing the sweaters and wool socks for two months from now, thanks. So I ask you, if you are the one who stole our hot weather, please bring it back. If you place it in the box at the front of the day, where the sun can pick it up, noone will fault you.

Happy 200th Post!

This is the 200th post to this blog. So, instead of being a meaningful one, talking about all the interesting or meaningful shit I've written, I'm gonna ignore that, just wish my blog a happy 200th post, and leave it at that.

The Parents are Coming!!!

And I'm excited. It's going to be a fun weekend, and I think (think) the sky will stop falling long enough for a visit from them. I noticed the crack by the TV in the living room to be a bit larger last night than the night before, but let's hope it makes it though the weekend. (Oh, this is so joyful). Anway, Lance's family and my family are going out to eat tonight. Tomorrow my parents and I will go to the farmer's market, and to the zoo and the botanical gardens and all sorts of other fun and exciting places. Yippee.

Happy August on Sunday Everyone. And happy beginning of your Month of Birth Nae.

Wouldn't It Be Nice?

Remember that oldies song?  It went something like "wouldn't it be nice if we were older, then we wouldn't have to wait so long..." or something.  Yeah.  To that effect.  Wouldn't it be nice if people at work invented databases that worked, then we wouldn't be spending our day mincing around in a half working one.  For instance, I'm trying to add county data to address where it's missing.  Instead of "memorize address, delete address, search for address, see if it has the county in it...no?...delete address again, search again, then add new, add address again (the same one) w/ county in it, change something slightly so it doesn't yell at you, add this new address, save; we could instead just EDIT THE DAMNED THING!!!!   *takes deep breath*  Oh, there is a modify current address function.  But apparently I need my supervisor's supervisor's password to have access to changing that (I've tried it w/ the sup's).  It has sharing violations or something.  Aparently this database never went to kindergarten.  So, instead of just click, type address, save, continue, I get to do the process above...ALL bloody day.  *takes another deep breath*  This is definately a good test of my patience and ability to hold my temper.  Oh, I do so HATE stupid people, or at least people who don't think things through. 

Oh, and the best part is...they designed the database this way so they wouldn't have duplicate addresses...when the only way to fix the address is to duplicate the address w/ the county in it.  Oh, I can't wait for one of the database-police to come yell at me.  I will give them what's for.  *looks around*  Now, I'm going to go find something to kick.  Good thing I get to climb the walls later today, or I'd be trying it now.

Painted Fingers!!!

Well, not really, but I am going with a theme here.  My apartment is painted, and I'm sure the painters did paint their own fingers by mistake while doing the apartment.  I know that they sure didn't match the color scheme going when they did it.  But, I didn't want to wait and have them fix it so I put all my stuff back.  Then I call my landlord this morning to find out when they are going to work on the other bedroom and the living room (the whole house is falling down, I swear) and he tells me he will have them fix the paintjob.  I said, I already put everything back, so no thanks.  Hehe.  He'll just have to make it look normal when we move out.  Harumph. 

The bedroom Katie is moving into is going to be gone over and fixed on one wall.  It's not in danger of pulling what the kitchen pulled.  Kabooom!  But, it could in the next year or so.  Then, yesterday, in a mad dash to rearrange the living room...again...I noticed a goodly section on the wall in there that needed redoing.  So, that was the reason for this morning's call.  My landlord is probably not looking forward to calls from me.  Hehe. 

An update on the apartment on 1st, I peeked in the window (rather blatently, oops) and becuase of sun glare, the only thing I could catch was that the refrig is newer than ours.  All this fixing up brings to mind a song that Katie and I sung in grade school music class...the one about a hole in the bucket and two people named "lyza" and "henry".  I wonder how the "there's a crack in my wall..." song would go?

Finger Painting?

I haven't posted in a while, but it's not really my fault.  My apartment is still torn up, but hopefully today or tomorrow the nice painters will show up and make it so I can put it all back together. (pretty please?!?)  It shouldn't be too hard for them.  We hope something like painting a wall/ceiling bit doesn't tax them too much.

Anyway, the weekend rocked.  I went to see the Bourne Supremacy w/ Katie Saturday afternoon, and then Katie, Chris and I drove to SC to see Jenni.  We chilled w/ Jenni and Chad and Erik, played video games etc., and then it was on to the dna show.  I must say, the show rocked.  We were in and out b/c of food and drink necessities.  Saw Seconds Before and Down and Above play.  Must say, both bands were on.  Great toons, got my dance on.  Yay. 

Sunday I slept in late, did some cleaning, watched the tele, and then went for a run.  After the run I talked with the parents about their impending visit, and then went to Kris's for dinner and a movie.    Went to bed at my normal time, and could NOT sleep!  So, I'm sleepy today.  It will be an early night for me...after I finish my errands.

The sky is falling, Chicken Little!

Well, the ceiling is anyway. I went to work, and was having a good day, got lots done, and came home about 4. Walked in the door to my apartment and just stared. It looked like a mini ground zero in there. Plaster and sheet rock everywhere, like a mini bomb had just gone off. Then I looked at the wall/ceiling. The slanted part was missing a 7.5 by 4 foot section of plaster, that was now on the floor. And, another 8foot by 3 foot section was about to come down. I got out the broom, swept up the stuff on the floor, and left the stuff on the counter (I was NOT about to go under said about to fall section to clean up the other stuff).

Later last night, the second section fell. My toaster is full of plater, so is the foreman grill and the oven, and the counter and floor are scratched. I'm glad I don't own this building, and I'm just renting...but still?!!? Since when do ceilings fall down? Eep.

Oh, but the best news about this is, there is a section in my bedroom just about to fall. So I spent late last night moving my computer and my bookcase and hoping that the fallout wouldn't include where I'd be sleeping.

They're at my house today (the maintainence men) to redo the kitchen, and they'll redo my bedroom while they are at it. But sheetrocking is messy, and I'm NOT looking forward to cleaning up their mess when they are done! AND I just cleaned! Ugh.

(PS, my roommate's car battery was dead when she tried to start her car last night as well.)

Rain, Rain, go away. Come back another day.

On second thought, the rain wasn't so bad. I ran my first 5K today, the "Hairpin Run" in Door County. So named because about 1.5 miles into said run, you run down the 'hairpin curve' on some road. So, you start by running up this REALLY BIG HILL, and then you run up and down some more hills, and then you run down a hill and around this curve, and then you finish on this really long straight flat part. We woke up this morning, and it was pouring. So I sighed and thought to myself, "If only I hadn't actually pre-registered for this madness." But I had, and my mom and dad paid for said madness, so I was going, even though bed was a good place to be w/ the rain pouring down and the window open. Still, it wasn't a bad thing, because I talked a whole bunch of my cousins into sharing the madness with me. We started the weekend w/ just my brother and my uncle running it, and them having conned me into running it. By race time, it was my brother and his girlfriend, my cousin and her two children, my other cousin M who had the homecoming party on Friday night (more below), and my uncle. Going from 3 to 8 people. Whee!

So, the horn (airhorns are prefered instead of guns aparently) went off, and up the hill we went. My uncle was convinced that sprinting up the hill was better than taking it easy, since you didn't burn out so fast that way. Hell, what do I know, I followed his advice and tore up the hill. As my dad said (sorry if this offends any animal lovers) I ran up that hill like a raped ape. Then it was the long, wet trudge to the finish line. At least I gave it my all when I got to the end, and ran accross the line feeling good. I took 461st. (at least that was out of 800 people. I don't feel quite like a slow slow idiot.)

The rest of the weekend was fun as well. Wednesday night I went to Spiderman 2. May I repeat Katie's setiment...if you haven't seen it, get your lazy bum to the theatre pronto. Thursday I got up early and went riding/training horses w/ my good friend here. I didn't ride too much, in anticipation of the afore mentioned race. Friday I did my laundry and washed the Super Saturn, and then I went up to DC w/ the fam and went to M.'s homecoming from the armed services party. Good times! Saturday was play at the beach day w/ my bro and his girlfriend, and then out to the cottage to eat yummy food and shoot off big big fireworks. Damned mosquitos there ate you the second you went outside though. Nasty critters them. Sunday was the race, as mentioned, and now i'm sitting on my bro's laptop, getting pissed at the little mouse thing, and gonna order chinese and watch Kill Bill. Good weekend all around I think!

FINALLY!

Some decent weather! It's 80 outside and sunny. The best part is, I get to go enjoy said weather in a little while. Yup, you heard right. I'm going to leave work and go boating. Suntans galore! I don't know if we're waterskiing, or just pleasure riding, but it will be grand fun indeed.

Tomorrow I leave for GB for a long fourth holiday weekend. I'm going to go see SpiderMan 2 Wed. evening (after a yummy supper of Frank and Pat's Pizza). Thursday I'm gonna play w/ horses, and probably Monday too. My friend Shona and I are gonna go train some, and I'll finally get to see her Arab. Friday I'm gonna go to the dr. and then up to DC for a BBQ at my aunt and uncle's place. My cousin is coming home, so-in family tradition-it's time to party. Saturday is playing on the lake and supper at the cottage, like traditional fourth weekends, and Sunday is "the hairpin run". If you scroll down to previous posts, you will see that I'm going to run in a 5K on the 4th, which is suddenly this coming Sunday. I'm not sure I'm ready to run that far. Anyone who is a distance runner knows that that is not at all far, but for me, it's practically a Marathon. Let me have my rollerblades anyday. Still, I'm gonna prove to me that I can do it.

So, it will be a full weekend, and I have a feeling I will be sore when i get back to the cities! I just hope they don't pack up that finish line at the race before I manage to cross it. I'll position my mother at the end to make sure they don't. She'll give them what's for if they try to ruin my accomplishment!

Road Blocks of a Different Sort

I went to GB for the Father's Day this past weekend. Man, I've heard the old joke about there being four seasons in WI, Spring, Fall, Winter, and Road Construction, but that was rediculous. And, MN has the bigger problems. I'm happy to report that the bridge work by Menominee is better, or at least, temporarily over (if they decide to demolish the other side, it will be a few more months of ick). But, from the St. Croix to the twin cities is a pain in my bum. I swear! It is a good thing I left GB later than normal, or I'd have been really stuck in traffic.

The weekend was good. Had a good time with dad, did some shopping w/ mom, drove around in the little cabriolet (won't have it much longer, since the parents are going to sell it. The property is going to get a road soon, as in next week sometime. Well, at least we'll have the culvert in, and then we'll just have to order the gravel to make the road. No more going way past the entrance so you can get down the ditch safely! Yay.

So, now here's the week again. Where does the time go?

Road Blocks

Every time I've tried to write here for the last week or so, something has come up, or I've had writer's block. It's not like nothing's happening, lots is happening, it's just that whenever I try to make the words leave my head and transfer themselves down my fingers, though the keyboard, and onto my screen, a roadblock goes up. I suppose makes sense. I mean, this IS construction season after all. Every time I drive on I94, it seems like they have put up more barrels or rumble strips, or other traffic impeding apparati. Why not so in my brain as well. It's summer, and the warm days and gorgeous nights make sitting in front of a computer another type of block. I can't type when I want to run and play in the out-of-doors.

Katie made it up to the cities at last! Yay. I'm so excited that one of my best friends is finally here and we can enjoy the city together. Jenny made it to England ok, and I'm watchin the airfares so I can go visit. Jenni has had her baby, and he's the cutest little button I've seen in a long time, even when he makes his big stinks :P I still have two whole months of playtime left before beginning my masters. All these are good and happy things that have happened. Still, the roadblock exists and it's hard to write much about them.

I spose, it's probably because the main people who read this blog, read Katie and Jenny's blogs, or know Jenni, so they already know these things, and so I don't really have to blog it. Still, I want to. So there :P Ok, three year old mentality aside, it's just been difficult to turn my computer on at home at night when I've had one on infront of me all day at work. I'll get better at posting, I'll just have to do it during the day!

AMBITION!!!

I suddenly have the urge to go home and clean my room. If I could leave now from work, that's exaclty what I'd do. Here's to hoping the urge lasts. Maybe I can leave a bit of that urge here in this post. *** There. Now, when I read it again at home, I'll be like...Must...Clean....Room, and the compulsion to do it will be strong. I'll look at this and remember how eager I was to live in a clean room again, and have all my paperwork taken care of, and how exciting it will be to be done. Hmmmm, yup, 4 hrs from now I'll be working on getting this ambition back.

update

I did get the room clean and the paperwork taken care of. Now, of course it's a bit messy again, but the paperwork is still all good, and I'm excited. Yippee.

Whee!

I went running last night, and I ran a lot faster than my pace! I went w/ Kris, and her pace is so very much faster than my pace. 2 mph in fact (which is a lot when running) and so I ran 2.5 miles at her pace, then I walked around for abit while she ran another 1.5 mile lap, and then we ran home. I went another mile and just faster than my 'old' pace, but it wasn't quite as fast as her pace either. Yippee!

So, to answer my old post, I went to the movie and figured out the shrunken head. It was a good movie; they left a lot out from the book though. Still, I enjoyed it, and look forward to the fourth movie.

Tonight I get the joyful tasks of doing paperwork, and going grocery shopping. I told Kris we should go rollerblading today (last night), but I have since changed my mind. I went climbing, for a walk, and for a run on Sunday; climbing and for a walk on Monday; for a walk tuesday; climbing and for a run on Wednesday. I think it's time to settle down and take a day off. Or, maybe I could do situps and such today? Nah. I'm really getting myself into the groove though. I feel icky if I don't work out. Like, not quite w/ the world unless I've done something active for the day. Now I need to alter my diet, and we'll actually be on our way to getting in the shape I've wanted to be in for the last few years, and been to lazy or complacent to do. Go me!

Now, if I keep it up, I might actually NOT look likea fool in the Fourth of July run that I'm doing. It's 5K, and I'm doing it to get my uncle and brother off my back about it, since I've been telling htem for a few years that I would do it with them. I just hope they don't pack up the finish line stuff before I get there...talk about nightmares :P I'm trying to go faster, I might even not be last if I keep this up!

Shrunken Head?!?

I looked at the website for Harry Potter more this week as I bought tickets and became addicted to the hippogriff game. What the? Is it just me? I don't remember there being a shrunken head in that book. Or any book. I think I'll reread that book tonight/tomorrow a bit before the movie opens. Or, I can just wait til tomorrow evening to figure out wny my memory sucks. Or, maybe they are introducing peeves as a shrunken head? Time will tell!

I'm entitled to a little down time...

So I did this:

T	Tough
R	Realistic
I	Inspirational
C	Crazy
I	Innocent
A	Accurate

Name / Username:

Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com

Super Size Me

Yesterday I was busy at work with files all day, so when I got off work, I decided I needed a treat. I went to B&N for a book, but didn't find one. Then I went to get groceries, and found a book at the grocery store. Weird, I forgot to look for that authoress when I was at B&N though. Then I ate a quesadilla and drove to Uptown for the movie Super Size Me. Great film. Really funny, and disturbing at the same time. I laughed a lot, and cringed a lot, and recommend everyone go to see it. Especially if you tend to eat a lot of fast food. I haven't eaten at a McDonald's for about 5 years, unless you count the 1 snack size yogurt parfait and the 2 apple pies I know about in the last five years. No meals, anyway. I tend to avoid fast food on principle, but mostly because I get physically sick every time I eat it. I can eat some Arby's, the potato or chili at Wendys and subs. That's about the extent of my 'fast food' intake.

Not that I'm getting all up in the faces of people that do eat it. It's just I can't, and since I can't, I don't. And now that I haven't for a really long time, I feel sickened by the thought of putting that much grease into my belly. The average burger/fry/soda combo scares me. This movie validates much of the problems I have with this food. The nice nutritionists in the movie say you should eat at a McDonald's type establishment only once or twice a month, because of the high fat content and the fact that it doesn't meet most of your nutritional needs. I think that would be good enough for a 'treat' for people who need/want/like it. I won't give anything else away, but if you have a chance, to watch it.

I have my vices too, of course. Like last night, for instance. When I was at the grocer purchasing my book, and milk, I bought a half gallon of ice cream. Ice Cream is just as bad for you as fast food. If you eat it all the time, you'll have the same problems. I don't intend to eat it all the time though...it's just it made me giggle so hard when I saw it, I had to have it.

I bought Bunny Tracks Ice Cream. It made me laugh because I was thinking about the bunnies on the property from this weekend. The baby bunny that came shooting out of the bonfire (apparently he decided to take up residence) and then the Mommy Bunny that gave us "evil death looks" for tampering with her baby bunnies. So, the ice cream was only fitting. Talk about impulse buying though :P I had a bowl last night, and maybe I'll have one tonight, but I doubt it. I had chili and a crossant for lunch, and I'm having a piece of cake from a coworker's daughter's wedding leftovers for dessert, so I don't think I'll need the bunny tracks tonight. Besides, when will I have time? I am climbing right after work, then eating a small amount and going rollerblading after that, and then trying to finish my book. No time at all. Gotta get in shape-the movie has inspired me to exercise more and eat better, and do my situps. Ugh--now it's in writing and I'll have to do it!

Gotta love fire

So,the weekend rocked. I would have written about it yesterday, but I was so busy...more on that later. Katie gave a good synopsis of the events, so I will sum up :) Friday was a beautiful, if somewhat cold, night. We arrived at the property, and put our stuff in order, and then took a walk around the 20 or so acres my parents own. We were in the NW corner, inspecting fence and I was telling a story, when all of a sudden, a ball of black fuzz goes hopping and speeding off into the distance. Upon further inspection, said ball of black fuzz had two white stripes on it...Meet Mr. Skunk (he lives there, we think). Luckily, he recognized his noisy and somewhat funny smelling two legged neighbors (I think they don't like the smell of fire, really) and was kind enough not to spray us. We walked the property for the rest of the perimeter in the gathering darkness with only a few stumbles, no ticks, and good convo. Friday night was FREEZING in the camper, but I still managed to sleep.

Saturday my mom and aunt made us breakfast at the farmhouse (my aunt lives about 2 min. by car down the road, about a 15 min walk). Then Dad, Ryan, Chris, Katie, Rachel and I set off to the property to haul some auxilary wood for the big bonfire (which was about 20 feet in diameter and at least 8 or 9 feet tall) and we set up some other things. We ate hamburgers for lunch sitting by the big pile, and Rachel and I had to keep getting up and going to get more wood to stay warm. It was sunny for a while, but the wind had a bit of a bite to it. Saturday evening at 4 pm we lit the big pile. It took a while to get going...we tried four different places before it took off. And away it took! The flames were 25 feet, shooting sideways, burning grass and licking at the remains of a pile I insisted we move to the other side of the pile earlier. Those remains were small though, and didn't start on fire. it burned that way for a few minutes, and then calmed down into a normal sized--well a super sized bonfire. I think bonfires are about the only thing that should be super sized. Rachel and I had hauled some trees down to be cut by the chainsaw, but since that never happened, we just threw them on whole..and they burned just fine.

Sunday we had breakfast with my aunt again, and then got ready to do some hiking on Eagle Trail in Penninsula State Park. Renae and Graham had now joined us, and we enjoyed hiking along the bluff, attempting to skip rocks, avoidance of mosquitos and bay flies (more bay flies than mosquitos, luckily) and exploring mini-caves. We were just about back to the one car (one was at the bottom, one at the top of the hike) when the sky decided it was about time to act like Memorial Day in the Park. That is to say, rain like the dickens. By the time we got the other car, people were wet, but not drenched. (Unlike my brother Troy and his gf Amanda, who went kayaking and apparently almost drown. The story got more and more elaborate as the evening went on, as all good tales must, so we're not sure exaclty how much drowning and how much fear of drownign was involved.) We played Spinner (a kind of dominos) with my aunt before supper, and then had a wonderful spagetti dinner before going and starting our own fire in the pit at the property. Can you tell we were fed really well all weekend long?

We woke up Monday to some really heavy rain, and it had been raining all early morning and morning. (from 3am to 9am when we woke). That got me to thinking of our ditch, and its tendency to hold water. So, we packed up, ran everything to the cars, and managed to negotiate the 'driveway' without getting stuck. We had breakfast at my aunt's again, then drove back to GB, said goodbye to Katie, and headed back to MN. A great weekend, and I'm still kinda tired today from it all. Though, being up late last night reading my newest book probably doesn't help.

Where were you?

This job is making me feel something I have not felt in a while. I feel really young. Young as in the oposite been around for a while, not necessarily as the opposite of old. Work makes me feel this way. I think it never really hit me before that the people I work with are sometimes much older than I am. I think of them as my peers, even if they happen to be close to retirement age. Even when I hear about one of my unit-mate's getting an honor for being here for 30+ years, it doesn't really sink in.

Working on this project makes it sink in a bit better though. I have to sort through one of the spill sites to organize the file. The file was started in 1968, when the agency opened. It's still going. Even this doesn't really sink in. I don't so much think "this file has been going since more than a decade before I was born" as, "there is way too much of this file, and it's going to take forever to organize...Why didn't someone do this earlier".

What hits me is that today I came across some spills for the site that happened on my birthday when I was 7. Some of my coworkers now were the ones who responded to the spill. That got me to thinking, what was I doing on that day? I was celebrating being 7. I probably had a birthday party of some sort. I would have been in second grade. That's the year I got glasses. I had my neighbor for a teacher. And we had these horrible, horrible math assignments EVERY NIGHT! I probably did my math homework, and read a book. Probably some of my aunts and uncles came for dinner. I maybe played with my friends, Katie or Jenni or Beth or Melissa or Jenny.

Wow. See, now that makes me put things in perspective. Some of the same people I greet everyday, were responding to spills when I was playing 'my little pony' or some such with friends. And the best part is, even though they probably realize this, I'm treated as an adult--my opinions matter. Maybe 20 or 30 years from now, someone else will realize all this about me.

Ticket? What ticket?!?

So, Sunday night, while Jenny and I were eating food at the Old spaghetti Factory I was blissfully unaware of the parking ticket lurking under the dripping, squishy windshield wiper-blade on my car. Oh, I knew about the possibility of a ticket, since the meter was broken in that lot, and so we couldn't do much about actually purchasing our parking, thus receiving the necessary receipt, as to avoid a parking ticket in the first place. But, I din't have the receipt, so I got the ticket. $50 dollars, but only $25 if you pay within 72 hrs. Kind of them, huh?

Personally, I didn't feel I should pay to park in a location where the pay-meter is broken. It's not my fault I can't pay, so they should give free parking til it's been fixed. I mean, there is limited parking downtown, and I can't be expected to try to find a different lot, farther away, just because this parking company doesn't have the manners to let me pay to park on their little piece of paved ground! Sheesh, what a privilege it was too, let me tell you. At least their little piece of paved ground was closer to the restaurant, and it was raining, so I didn't move my car.

So, I have this ticket, and I don't want to pay. I have been trying to get ahold of them since Sunday about it. But every time I called, the message would say "we're closed, call back between 8:30 and 4:30 pacific time. So I would, but they would still be closed (yesterday). Perhaps this company participates in random bank holidays, which would necessitate closing their doors, in California?!? (I think they were just lazy). Today, I finally reached the 'nice' receptionist. After explaining my problem, she put me on hold, only to tell me she would recend it this time, but next time I have to pay in the pay lot, or go somewhere else. DUH! I would have paid if I could, and I'm to lazy to go somewhere else. Since they took care of my problem, I didn't suggest that if they acquire a working meter. After all, they're making more money off tickets than paying customers anyway, or at least that is my guess.

What a Weekend

Saturday I went to The Movie Troy with Karin and Cliff. I was leary at first, because I have read the Illiad, and I am reading it again. And I wasn't sure about a few of the actor(ess) choices. So, I decided to walk into the theatre pretending that the Illiad doesn't exist, and this was just a nice piece of historical fiction made up by Warner Brothers and the Screenplay-writer. I was pleasantly suprised. Yeah, things don't go exaclty the way they do in the Illiad, but they had to cram 10+ years of warfare and history into 3 hrs. The sets/props/actions were mostly attempting historical accuracy, and I was pleased w/ actor choice in most cases. Yup, as to not give anything away, that's all I'll say--oh and I'd go see it again! Then after it was Baker's Square and Pie, and then Barnes and Noble. A great day indeed.

Sunday I woke up late, because it was raining, and a good day for just sleeping. I finished reading a book, and then went grocery shopping and did laundry. I tried to make banana bread, and never have had a problem before, but this time I wasn't paying much attention, and forgot to add flour, so it became more of a bread pudding. Yummy, just really really sweet and mushy. Failing in that, I went to Old Spagetti Factory with Jenny and had a yummy meal. Then on to Kohls for some good deals on work clothes.

When we got back to my place, Jenny, Rachel and I were looking through old cookbooks. We found a recipe for "Tomato Soup Cake" Giggling like mad women, we decided to try it. So right then and there we did the baking of a cake, including an emergency trip to the grocer to get cream cheese for the frosting! We all thought, it can't taste good--it can't! It's cake w/ tomato soup in it. But, after cooking it, and icing it, and eating it, we were amazed. The thing actually tasted good. So, I took it to work today to share my experiment. Judging by the compliments and the amount of cake gone (almost all) I think Jenny, Rachel and I did a good job! (Or maybe it's just the Icing--wtg Jenny!)

BABIES!!

Yay, Jenni and Chad have had their little one, Erik! Happy B-day on Tuesday little man! I can't wait to hold him, and when he gets older, take him climbing, and give him candy and...oh wait, Jenni's probably reading this. I can't wait to be really nice and not spoil your child, so that when I have my own (1.3 million years from now) you can't one-up my spoilage :P

Congrats to both of them, and I know they will make excellent parents!

HA!

I have given Munchenstein a cure for his amnesia. It worked.

Now to fix his...ehem...other problems

Bleepity Bleep Bleep BLEEP!

I am so not fond of Munchenstein right now. Munch, who died a sad death earlier this year is survived by Munchenstein (read Munch in Stein, not 'Munich stein') Munchenstein received a few transplanted bits from Munch, namely a brain (and a spare brain) a mouth, some ears, and probably a kidney. But, alas. Munchenstein is being a pain in my ass.

(for those of you who don't know the torrid history of Munch and Munchenstein, I will sum up. Munch was my computer. It died, so I got a new box and a few new parts, raised the parts of Munch that weren't decrepit and decayed, and made Munchenstein)

So, Munchenstein got sick, he caught 4 viruses in a row. Then his quick launch toolbar (which I was fond of, and he found so useful) launched itself to the moon. He fell asleep a few times and wouldn't wake up, until he was jerked awake by some changes to his voltage. Then, the kicker. He lost his IP address. You should NEVER do that (it's since been learned that his ISP lost his IP address for him, but his ISP is very money hungry and will do anything for the right fee, so they were going to help him get his IP back). So, to remedy all this...Munchenstein was blown up, and rebuilt even better...

Or so I thought. You see, as these things always go, you forget the little things. Like addresses in your address book, or telling Munchenstein to remember the mail (poor, poor emails downloaded into M.'s brain, I've lost you forever). And so, One HD less(because M. won't recognize it) and a different set of clothes (Windows 2000 rather than XP), M. was reborn. Unfortunately for me, he still doesn't remember his IP address. At least we've gone from 169.blah blah blah to 0.0.0.0 But, I need a 66.blah blah blah to get the internet to talk with him. He's being coy, and not remembering how to talk to a server, telling me that his DHCP is all wacky (it's not, I double checked), and just being naughty. So, today I had to download him a new driver, so that maybe, just maybe his little self would remember his IP address. (which is DYNAMIC--hello, you don't have to remember lots of numbers just the first two, stupid Munchenstein!) If this doesn't work, I'll have to perform an "Ethernet card transplant" which could be dangerous and life threatening. In some cases where all this happens, Computer tend to jump out windows or in front of sledge hammers.

And you wonder why I called his father "munch"?!?!

Some things just shouldn't be seen...

They say there is a time and a place for everything. I have to disagree. I also agree with that, "you have to try everything once." statement. I do not feel the need to do things that would hurt myself or my friends. That being said, I'm not going to shy away from things, just because they are the unknown.

No, there are some things that don't need to be experienced. Like for example, seeing one of America's Finest in their underoos. I was going for a walk, minding my own business, staring blankly at the buildings on the side of the road. Then, to my consternation, we came upon a Firehouse. The window was lit by the pale and flickering glow of a television tuned to late night programming. I was still looking blankly at the buildings and windows, when suddenly, painfully, my eyes came into focus on the dorsal side of one of America's finest, changing his clothes in said room. He was in the process of adding pants to his attire. Ugh. Not something I needed to see, but I couldn't seem to turn my brain off fast enough. Now I have the contrast of dark briefs and pale legs burned forever into the part of my brain labeled "shouldn't have gone there". Sigh, note to self: Learn to look at the sidewalk.

T-minus 2 days, and counting

O-chem. Here I go again. Gotta love it, but you know, I'll be glad to have it over. I just studied for abotu 3 hrs (I know, sounds like a pathetic amount), but I'm too tired to study more. I think I'll be going to bed soon, reading a smidge, and going to sleep. I was gonna write about the weekend more. I will have to do that later. There is a nce breeze blowing in the window. I'm tempted, I'm moving...I'm gone!

Fire!!!

Holy singed eyelashes, batman! Yes, we had a bonfire on the property today. Not a big one, just a mini-one. A practice for the big hurrah on Memorial Day, you could say. Learned a few things. 1. Don't try to put out the grass fire while the wind is blowing soot in your eyes...it burns. 2. If you stay too close to the heat for too long, you will singe your eyelashes, making them a bit shorter, and causing them to curl every which way. 3. It take a long time for that much wood to go out. 4. Wear layers.

Lessons learned, it was a fun time. We made even more piles to burn, though the ones we made won't be the ones we burn on Memorial Day weekend...not unless we are really ambitious, and have more in the way of fire prevention materials on hand. My brother works like a fiend. I think he doesn't like to sit still. I mostly played with kerosene, paper, and sticks, and carried fire around on the end of my burned stick, lighting other things on fire. Pyro? Who, me?

And the beat marched on

The raindrops are goign splitter splatter outside the window, I can't hear them, but I know that sound well. The pace is frantic, and the noise is probably a bit squishy, from the water that hasn't drained off the sidewalk to make room for the next drop to fall from grace. Inside the tempo of coworkers talking, phones ringing, and people walking by my desk sets a more relaxed tempo, one of monotony. Inside my head, my thoughts are swirling around in a whirlpool. Get this done, make sure you have that with you, here is the deadline, etc...

It's finals time again. I feel I should write a poem or an epigram. I am just not so inclined. The beat of time marches on, and for once, I'm content to just sit her and let it sweep me up. I'll finish my paper tonight, after dark sometime, it's due tomorrow. I'm hoping there will be a thunderstorm so I can take a break and go play in the rain. I have a final next Wednesday in O-chem. I really should study, but I think I'll wait to worry about that til next monday or tuesday. Yup, I'm rather relaxed this time around. Relaxed or lazy or just stuck in a well of contentment and monotony that this week is like the one before and the one after, and I don't have to worry about it, just do what I do, and spend most of my time daydreaming.

That's where I have been the last two weeks...daydreaming and reading. I'm sure I have been doing other things-like visiting Jenni in St. Cloud (great times), and chillin w/ friends in the cities, and other stuff. But right now, with my belly full of food, and a good CD playing and another 3.5 hrs of monotonous work and meetings in front of me, I'm content to just daydream, and do data entry stuff, and drink my koolaid. A nap would be nice too.

Sun and Storms

It was again a hectic, and fun weekend. I drove back to Green Bay w/ Chris, and we got into town about dinner time on Friday. He and Katie and I went out for dinner, and then I went home, talked to the parents and their friends, and then changed and went out to the martini bar in town. I had a chocolate covered cherry martini. Pretty good. It was crowded and loud in the bar, and there was no eye candy to distract me from the hives I got thursday night and still had Friday night, so we left and went to our homes. Early night, but I stayed up reading to make sure I didn't wake up too early :P

Saturday I did laundry and reformatted my parents computer (one problem, I forgot to download the modem drivers before I left the cities, so they don't have internet access right now. Mom has it at work, so we're kosher til I get home with the new modem and drivers for their computer. We went north in the afternoon to work on the property, well walk on it anyway. It turned out to be a glorious day, and walking was fun. I tripped in a few gopher/badger/prairie dog/ground squirrel holes...I didn't see the critter, so I can't tell you what made them. They're new this year though. Later on we saw a bunch of deer sign, and tracks. After we left, we saw a wolf lope onto the property, and a red-shouldered hawk. It was indeed a good day.

Sunday was a frantic attempt to download drivers at my mom's workplace, only to learn that the program to unzip them was too big for the floppy disks I had, and they had no burner, and none of the computers had a zip drive....Chris and I left Green Bay by noon to get to a good local rock show in the cities. MAN! it was one windy drive back. I few times it felt as though my car was lifted up by some invisible hand and set in the other lane, w/out me doing anything.

The show rocked, but it was pretty rushed. Each band got a 30 min set, and two rooms were going at the same time. It was still good fun, I hadn't seen Seconds Before or Align lived yet. About 7 or so we took a break and ran upstairs to get a drink, and that's when we realized it was storming. Really storming. I wished the place had reentry so I could go out and play in the rain and puddles, and then come back in for the last band. I'm sure noone would have wanted to stand by me, but it would have left me plenty of room to watch dna! I love playing in the rain, next time I'm gonna get drenched!

The joys of computer labs

So here I sit at the library, doing research like a good student worker, and i'm having to use a mac. Not that I don't like them, it's just I don't prefer them. I hate the keyboards they have, and I have to remember back to my days of using a mac full time. Oh, the good old days of macs and Oregon Trail. I remember playing that game as if it were yesterday. I just had the bloody mac crash IE on me though, and I had to get it back. I thought macs weren't supposed to crash? Oh well, no harm done, i have the source written out. I'll look at it at home.

Speaking of home. I'm driving to my parents place again. This time, i'm armed, dangerous, and looking for a fight. Not with guns or knives or garrotes or anything sinister like taht. I'm armed w/ computer disks. Yes, that's right. My parent's computer is finally going to get what's for. It's getting destroyed, and remade, with only the things I think it needs. That out to make it just a bit more user friendly!

So, I'll probably not be around online all weekend, unless I can fix my parents computer enough that I can actually stand to check email on it. I'll be back here sunday night for the big show at 1st Ave. Can't wait for that one!

Have a good weekend!

Ugh

That's how my weekend started out. I lost my voice, which didn't really bother me, but it made things complicated. I had an appt. in Green Bay at 5pm so I left Minneapolis at 11:45 thinking that it was plenty of time to get there (read: 4 hr 15 min drive on average, 4:30 if you stop). I got into town at 5:20. Clinic closed at 5:30 but they agreed to see me. I sat in traffic (jam from construction) for 1.5 hrs.

The rest of the weekend wasn't bad. I got to the clinic, and then I went home. Friday night i did laundry, ate, and then went to bed. I was tired from going out on Thursday. Saturday I went to breakfast with mom and dad, and then went shopping for some necessities (lipstick and contact solution and jeans). We went to dinner at my aunt's house and had a great meal with plenty of leftovers for me. (*grin*) I left with my brother when he left, and went to visit Lance and Erin at Erin's place. I wasn't good at talking there either.

Sunday was church with the fam, (try singing w/ no voice...). I had lunch at my place with my fam and my aunt and uncle, and then I left. The ride back to town was significantly better than out of town. I waved at Katie (literally) on 94, and then I came back, read my book, and went to bed.

Fairly mellow overall. So why am I so tired?!?

How can I study?

When it's so beautiful outside!?! It's cruel to run the semesters as they do. They should be shorter or something! Oh well, 5 weeks left and it's summer w/ only work and play! YAY! And this summer will bring more peoples to Minneapolis, and some people will go away for the summer :( but it will be a good summer full of adventure.

Why is it that a certain culture uses the curse, "May your life be interesting"? Oh well!

Pretty short entry, but I can't really think beyond the "go play outside" thoughts circling my being!

Apparently the picture doesn't work, oh well...everyone knows a tigger when they see one!

Let's Bounce a little Faster-er"


You're Tigger. Playful and fun-loving, you enjoy
hanging out with friends even though you don't
always have to be the center of attention.
You're never pessimistic or sluggish. Your
enthusiasm is at once endearing and
over-the-top. You're the quintessential
extrovert.


Which famous feline are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


My baby cousin Griffin got a tigger for his b-day. It made music and bounced. Then it would say "let's bounce a little faster-er" and take off at Hyperactive...man I loved that toy. I only got to play with him with it for a few minutes, but all the adults ('specially those of an engineering persuasion) were facinated by it. *Grin!*

Daydreaming about a different me

I should so be studying for my O-chem test right now, but I can't. I have too much on my mind. So, I'm listening to Michelle Branch, and blogging in the hopes that my mind will stop running circles around itself long enough for me to dredge up some interest in the studying I HAVE to do. And to think that I just voluntarily signed up for two more years of this.

Still, two years isn't all that long. I mean, I've been in Minnesota for four and half now. WOW. I knew I'd be here for 4-5 while finishing my bachelor's. I didn't really think much beyond that. I mean, I knew what I wanted, but what I wanted was always vague and fragmented. I wanted to travel and see the world. I wanted adventure, I want my own house, I want horses, a farm, breeding and training animals. I want 2.4 kids and 1.6 dogs (I'm not sure whatsomething with .4 kid and .6 dog is, but that's the engineer in me always making wholes.)

I'm a daydreamer. Always have been. In one day I may be back in 'yonder times' dreaming about a romance with some handsome royal personage, or I might be flying dragonback or having all sorts of special powers and saving the world. Sometimes I see myself as this great peacekeeper for the world, or I'm simply really good at whatever sport or game or hobby I'm dabbling in at the moment. The only constants in all my daydreaming is that I'm in charge, I'm the leader, and I get what I want. Even when I get what I want, I don't seem to get it without hardship in my daydreams. Even at their most imaginative, they are practical daydreams. *sigh* So as I get older, and I look forward to two more years of school, of daydreaming, and of staying in Minnestoa, I have to wonder what now? Who am I really? I know I'm Tricia, and I'm even beginning to fully apreciate who I am and what I can do. I know I'm getting a degree in Industrial Hygiene. What I don't know is how that fits in with the daydreams, with the other half of me that is just as important to me as breathing.

I couldn't be who I am without the daydreaming, the creative energy that is trying to break loose. What if I get stuck into a life where I'm in IH at some company, and I live in the same city for the next 50 odd years. Am I settling, or is that what's best for me? I can't let go of my will to travel, or my strong belief that SOMETHING is waiting to happen to me. Some great adventure, some great romance, some great change. Like all this is just preparation, or even just wasting time til I get to my real life, full of dragons and magick and me being in control.

Maybe this is just about control after all. In my daydreams, I'm always important, in control of the situation. The one with the friends in the right places, or who can help my fiends get to the right places. I have the power (80's animated show jokes, please.) I mean, something can't be set right yet, if I still wake up and ask, "Is this my life? Is this all? Where's the rest? When does that START!?!"

I could keep going rather at length, but I think I've rambled long enough for now. I'm going to go back to daydreaming, and hoping, and procrastinating over my O-chem test, because I just an not as excited about that as I could be. This doesn't mean I don't want to be in MPH in IH. It just means that I want MORE than that.

Bad Munchinstein

Munch, my first computer, sadly got taken apart for parts, and rebuilt. Munch 2, or Munchinstein, as I like to call him, has been doing his thing for a term or so now. Now, the Munch Monitor, which hadn't changed, is doing jigs while I type. The edges sway, the picture jiggles....it's like I'm in a constant state of "degauss". Not very comfy on the eyes, let me tell you! I think I'll need to find a monitor for "very cheap" that has good video capabilities. I have a good video card afterall, and I'd not like to waste it. I am wondering if a virus of some kind could make my comptuer do this. I may have to install the virus software again. (I can't keep it installed cause it has issues with my A drive. they don't play nicely together at all). Probably though, it's cause my monitor is (eek) 5 years old, and in computer years, that's like being Eleventy One (111) years old.

Oh well. Not something I'll worry about til I have a paper due the next day and suddenly the Munchinstein blows up. At least it's not a constant state of the jigglies yet. It's just getting worse.

Update on IT CAME!!!
I have the second letter. See the first one told me that a second letter would follow containing "information about matriculation from your major program". I now know who my advisor is. I think that's what they meant, cause not much else was in the letter.

IT CAME!!!!!!!

IT being the letter from the grad school I applied to. It's here, I was ACCEPTED! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

A weekend of Rock!

Yes, a good weekend was had by me. Friday night I went to the Down and Above/Skywynd show at UW Stout. It was fun, but really lacked energy for dna. People didn't know them, or something, and so stood around like so many bumps on a log. Chris and I got our rock on, trying to provide an example...but it was all for naught. Then Skywynd came on, and there were these four, shirtless, incredibly funny headbanging fans right next to me. I guess they are regulars, but I've never seen them with their shirts off before. (eek!) They had markered S-K-Y-W-Y-N-D-! on themselves two letters each, and were having great fun. It's great to see people having that much fun at a show. The whole crowd got into it music, and the 4 compadres got to go up on stage and be recognized. There were sound issues, but they were more amusing that annoying (to me, I'm sure the band was pissed). I just wish that that much energy could have been given over to dna as well.

Yesterday I went rollerblading, and realized my blades are a bit small. I have really nice blades too (anyone want a pair or size seven Rollerblade Aero 9's for half price?!?) I have to get new ones before the marathon, and before I kill my feet training for said marathon. I only went nine miles, and my feet were killing me. Then I went to Ciatti's w/ Rachel for dinner, and showed her what her present of Birthing Day would be. we have to go do the shoping for it today.

Then last night was the Somerset/Quietdrive/Down and Above show at the Rock in Maplewood. Much better sound, much better energy! Since we stood over by Ian on Friday, we had to stand by Dave last night--gotta share the love, and all that. I got my rock on and definately enjoyed hearing all the old favs plus my new fav's from the as-yet-unrealeased new albumn, Anodyne. After chattin with peeps for a bit we left the Rock and hung out w/ some more peeps and I got some really nice scotch. This makes me happy! *sigh* now it's Sunday, and I have to do homework and get back to my boring life.

So Hard to Find

So many things...So hard to find. Today for instance. I was trying to find the place that the show I'm going to tomorrow night is located. U of WI, stout. Not hard to find. Then the building on campus, not hard, then the showtimes and cost, again...not hard. It was kinda like playing detective. But then, I finally had an idea where to start.

I also had to find a picture to put into my frame today. I wanted it to be a picture from the trip to Europe that Rachel and I took last may. (Oh, do I want to go back...more on that later...) Finding the right picture was so hard to find. I had about 8 choices, till I realized the frame looked silly vertical. It was fine horizontal. so my choices were down to about 4 or 5
Two just didn't fit, so I had three. Then there three that each had their benefits. The forest picture was vibrant green, but not much else. The castle across the lake was pretty, and brought out the silver in the frame, but it was kinda dark. The picture from Edinburgh of the hike we went on to Aurthur's Seat ? (Brain fart on names) was what I finally decided on. See it's a quote frame, with the quote saying, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." from Henry David Thoreau. So, the path up into the hills with the yellow flowers just fit. Specially cause, off to one side, so you almost don't notice it, is me walking on said path. Rachel helped with the decision.

I also finally got the picture of me and my family from my graduation into the frame I had for it. I did a sucky job of cutting the picture though. I was doing ok, and then I screwed up. Oh well, it's not terrible.

So now all I need is a picture book for the rest of my England trip pictures, and a plane ticket back there. Wow. I can't believe how much wanderlust I have right now. I'm not sure it's even wanderlust. I just have a profound NEED to be there right now. In Wales, hiking on Snowdon, or in Ireland in one of the many parks...or a trip to the Scottish Highlands. I need to be away from here. I don't even think that Colorado's mountains would do it for me right now. To bad it's spring over there too. *sigh* I shouldn't have looked at my pictures, and having that picture in that frame only drives home what I'm not doing right now. I'm not living the life I have imagined right now. I am living part of it...but. I don't know! I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling right now. A deep longing, and a wish I would have made more of the time I had there. I had a lot on my mind, and though I don't have any regrets, there was some time when I was there that I was wishing I was elsewhere--mostly when on the train, and mostly I was wishing I was doing something rather than sitting. GRRR! I'm having issues with describing what I want to right now. I spose I will just say I need another vacation, and I wouldn't mind going back to last year's choice of locations and seeing what I couldn't then.

Anyone up for coming with me? This summer? I can probably raise the money for a trip later in the summer. I think I just need spring to finally get here.

Oiled in Bed

Or rather Boiled in Lead. Their name seems to morph every time I see them. Once they were Boiled in Led Zepplin. Another time, the guy just couldn't get "Boiled in Lead" past his lips and through his tongue. Oh well. Whoever they think they are, I think their great. Too bad they only play twice a year (that I know of) in town...

Last night was the Annual St. Patties Day show at 1st Ave. The opening act was ok, but I wouldn't buy their cd any time soon. The Tim Malloys were as good as ever, and the Minnesota Pipes and Drums were at their peak...we just couldn't see the dancers because there were too many bodies and heads in the way. Someone still has to explain to me what kilts, bagpipes and St. Patty's Day have to do with each other. So, Boiled in Lead came out and played a very rockin set. I have never seen them 'electrical' rather than 'acoustic'. It was interesting, and different, and much higher energy and good. I had a good time jumping around and dancing. All in all it was a good show!