Ah, the joy of moving.

I really do like the new place. I just wish I had some way to magically bob my blond hair or wiggle my nose and make the stuff from Three move to Two and go where I wanted it to without the pain and struggle of moving. I do mean pain, too. Yesterday I was moving some stuff in a crate downstairs (ok, I admit, I was doing it stocking feet) and I slipped on the step. It was classic feet out from under you; box in the lap, sliding down the stairs to the door. No one saw me, but I bet it looked pretty funny. I keep finding bruises today that emanate from that little debacle.

Still, organizing a new place is fun. I love deciding where things are going to go and Katie and I accomplished most of the kitchen and bathroom last night. The best part is, for at least a day (hopefully much, much longer) the place will be organized and we’ll be able to find things. Ok, we’ll be able to find things if we remember where we put them.

Tonight is the rest of the kitchen, the rest of the bathroom, small parts of the living room, and dining room, and small parts of our bedrooms. The bigger parts, things that are bulky and heavy, will be moved on Saturday. Hopefully (fingers crossed) we’ll have bribed some strong, tall, male (and/or female) determined types to help us with that endeavor. Anyone want free pizza?!? All you have to do is help us move bulky furniture (and put up with us moving it ten times as we decide where it fits “just right”).

Katie started putting up her window scarves yesterday, which makes me want a curtain or window scarf of my very own to design. I have nice blinds, but this time I want something more ‘homey’ for the room. I think I’ll, like Katie, actually hang some pictures this time. I want the place to look like home. Maybe we’ll go to a few garage sales this spring and see what else we can scare up for the place.

Anyway, I’ll be out of touch all weekend and probably through Tuesday. The nice cable man can’t come until then to change our cable. We’ll be hooked up upstairs still, but I doubt we’ll be running up the stairs every hour or so to check the email. So, wish me luck on the move, and hopefully I’ll manage not to fall down the stairs again. I’ll update and maybe add some pictures of the new place next week.

Snowdays, snowmen...

An entire winter has almost swept itself through this northland. It has snowed many times, but there has only been that one biggish snowstorm in our area. This past Sunday evening however, we had our first packy snowfall of the season (this late, I know.) It was 54 degrees F on Saturday, gorgeous and not typical for February in Minnesota. It rained all day Sunday, and we lost any snow cover we had. Then, latish sunday night, it began to snow. Big fluffy flakes that just begged for a person to run outside and stick out one's tongue to catch a falling snowflake and let it melt in the mouth. Katie and I looked at each other late that evening, roughly 11PM and thought about the fact that enough snow had fallen to shovel. (we like our snow-income) On went the snowpants, the boots, the hats and mittens. On went the jackets, and down the stairs we went. We grabbed a shovel each and headed out into the snowflakey wonderland to shovel our walk. The snow was water underneath and made that satisfying 'scrinch, scrunch' noise that all good packy snow makes. Well, most of it did. Remember the rain? Some of it was slush under the snow on the walk, and really quite heavy to move. We shoveled just as quick as we could, and I did take the opportunity to stick out my tongue and taste the wintery precipitation. Towards the end of our shovelling, Katie and I had an idea. This was the first packy snow of the season, and while it was WAY to wet for snow angels, it was just right for snowballs. The first one flew, and the second, but the third...began to grow into a bigger ball. Then another followed it. A third made up the head of our little snowperson, who was really the size of a snowhobbit. He was only about 2.5-3 feet tall, and fit just wonderfully on the end of the stone walkway by the stairs that lead up to our home. He was quickly outfitted with rock eyes and nose and mouth, branch arms, and a pot for a hat. I don' t have the picture on this computer, but here is a link to Katie's picture of Frosty Appleseed. Very quickly on the other side of the stairs, a one foot miniature snowbrownie (for those who have seen Willow) was errected. He received no rocks for his face, our rocks were way to big, but we did add some branch arms. The next day (Monday, and the day of being nicked in the arse) was 40 degrees F, and very quickly in the warmth of the sun both our snowhobbit and snowbrownie went the way of all snow on a warm day...melt-splat down onto the sidewalk. But at least I can still say that I have gone all my walking years of winter without missing the chance to make at least one snowperson. Our two snowpeople were not as big as the one a few years ago; Katie and I required special leverage devices to make that 8 foot tall snowgiant, but they were just as important. Here's to hoping that we have at least one more chance at snowpeople this winter. I would greatly like to try to make a snowman, or even a snowelf.

I wonder how hard it would be to add pointy elf ears to a snowman?

On getting nicked in the arse...

Today has significance to many people in the US of A. It is the day of buying candy (especially chocolate), flowers, and cards for that significant person in your life, and generally being sweet and nice to them. This raises the question, however, what do you do the other 364 (or 365 on a leap year) days a year for this person? Why is it that a day needs to be specified in order to remember and be sweet to your sweetheart? Isn't that for anniversaries, and just generally everyday? I am wondering, do other countries carry the custom of Valentine's Day the way it's carried out in the US? I remember when I was little it was St. Valentine's Day, but it seems in the recent years people have decided to shorten the name. I remember giving out candy and silly little cards to all the people in my class, even the ones I wasn't particularly fond of. We'd put the valentines into a brown paper bag taped to that other person's desk. Mom made sure you had one for everyone.
Now, as an adult, it's a holiday full of chocolates and roses and come-hither glances. At least, that's what mainstream American Corporations would like you to believe. I know the truth, though! This day is actually a celebration of hundreds of thousands of people getting nicked in the arse. Yup, you heard it here. You see, I am no fool, and I've seen the cards. Thousands of tiny cherubs who have forgotten their apparel lay-in-wait for unsuspecting arses to shoot pointy little sticks at with their toy bows. If this is indeed a reference to Cupid then I say, "Zeus, come and rein-in that miscreant youth!" Seriously, though, I feel no need to be shot in the arse. I've survived 24 + years without it, and I can survive at least that many more. This isn't to say that I don't ever want to fall in love...I just prefer my backside the way it is. I don't need a day to tell me when I should be nice to someone. I don't need a designated day to tell me when to feel romantically inclined either. (Though, I should warn you, I do indeed enjoy the idea of a day specifically devoted to chocolate - Dark Chocolate especially - Yum!) Nope, cherubs, keep your bows pointed firmly at other’s backsides. As for St. Valentine’s Day, while it’s cute watching the couples all out in their splendor and seeing girls riding home on the bus with roses in their hands, I really do wonder what the world would be nice if we adopted the ideals of Valentine’s Day during everyday. Just think, people being nice to each other…and all that CHOCOLATE!

Yup, this sounds about right...

Pink, or Blue?

No, I’m not having a baby. I’m trying to pick a color for my new bedroom. I get to pick the paint color and it is quite the decision. Katie and I think the bedrooms should match, and probably the Landlord would agree with that, so we’re in the process of narrowing it down. We have it narrowed to a classical color, that will look good with beige carpet and dark woodwork…perhaps a vintage rose or something. Otherwise, the rest of the place is being repainted a khaki color. We’ll see how it looks when they’re done. Katie and I are still not sure of the move in date…and there is lots to do before hand. I would like to go through my clothes and find out what I can give to Goodwill. I have papers and such that need sorting, and the ‘attic stuff’ that accumulates and noone ever really knows what it is or what it’s for.

Did I mention the homework I’ll be doing in the meantime? No? It’s probably too scary a story for this late at night. I will have to leave it for another time. Right now I think I’ll have some tea and get ready for bed.

Comments are back. yay.

I decided on a whole new look. The things I'll do to procrastinate from homework! Anyway, I took the time to place my comments back on the page. (after remembering my password to said comment website). I will probably change a few more things about this template...but not just yet.

I'm trying to add a picture to my profile, here it goes.

We are Alone

First off, Happy Birthday to Katie, my best friend and roomie. May her “older than dirt” year be as nice as mine has so far. I raise my glass to you, amiga! We had peeps over to celebrate last night, but that is a story for the Katie to tell.

Hm, my computer has taken to randomly assigning headings to my documents. Interesting. That is on a different note though, and only applicable because I’ve taken to typing my blog entries in word first so I don’t loose them to the vastness of space that is the WWW.

Also on a note not related to what I started writing this entry for – my title has put a song in my head. One I often hear at a certain club in town. The lyrics there are “I stand alone” rather than “we are alone”, but…damn. Now that song will be in my head all night.

The real reason for stating that we are alone is that Katie and I are now alone in the Green and Yellow House. Two’s tenants moved out this weekend, and One has been empty for quite a while. It’s odd, there are only two cars in the parking lot, and no one to say hi at when one enters the building. On the positive side, now Katie and I can play our music loud and dance around like idiots and not bother anyone.

We still haven’t made a 100% decision on moving to the second floor. If only the gas bill wasn’t so high. If he’s willing to wait, even a month or so, perhaps, but this place is cute and so no worries on losing out on two. The biggest advantage would be knowing who our neighbors are (if Katie were to move back up to 3 w/ me and Jenny in 2) but if we don’t know who our neighbors will be, I’d just as soon be on the top floor.

I’m not procrastinating nearly as bad so far this semester as I did last. Oh, I’m not necessarily finishing things the day after their given out, but at least I’m not (yet) into the habit of starting something the day it’s due, or the night before at 11PM. Go me! Here’s to hoping it lasts.
Well, I’d best be off. Katie and I have to put the recycling out and I have to floss my teeth and journal a bit before bed.

OUCH!!!

This weekend was really quite painful. I love snow, and it finally came, but something about it just makes me lose some of my common sense I guess. This past Friday we finally got snow in more than a 'trace' amount. (About bloody time, too.) Totals were around 7 inches. Katie and I shoveled it all on Friday night. Ok, most of it as the snow was still falling at about 1 in/hr during the time we were shovelling. Saturday, the wind had 'helped' us out, and brought all the snow back to where we had made clean sidewalks, so we had to shovel again. Only on Saturday, the snow was packy. Ugh, but still in that novelty of fun stage.

Sunday I went skiing with Jenny A. and Lance. Yay. I've been trying to get out skiing with Jenny for quite a while. Hmm, I ended the night skiing anyway. I started by snowboarding. Last year was my first attempt at anything remotely sideways and I remembered two things about it. One-it was MUCH different from skiing, and two-it's painful when one falls at high velocities. (The second lesson I've learned on waterskies, regular skies, and rollerblades more than once in the last two years, but I seem to have to keep relearning it.) I also remembered catching on rather quickly...at least to the basics. So, off I went onto Lance's old snowboard with rented boots. I tried, and fell a LOT. Then I had lance adjust the bindings from a slightly carving stance to a 'regular' stance, and I was doing a lot better. I made it off the bunny hill and onto the regular greens. But after two hours I had fallen more than 50 times (or at least it felt that way) and I felt I had abused my muscles enough. Plus, I had forgotten my wristguards and I don't have a skiing helmet, and I refuse to go any faster without both for protection. So I switched to skies. Great fun, though after starting my skiing year with a board strapped to both feet and going sideways, it took a few runs to figure out two seperate ski-velocity-making instruments and forward momentum. Still, it wasn't crowded, and I had forgotten how much fun skiing is. Now I crave going West. Anyone game?

Below are pics from last years firt snowboard adventure. I don't have any from this year...Yet.

Here is the end result of said first snowboarding trip...one very wet pair of jeans. I guess waterproof snowpants are only SO waterproof.
Posted by Hello

This is last year's first ever snowboard attempt. Rather early in the evening. Note I look happy?
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School isn't so bad...

...at least not yet. The school week is over and I’ve had three of my five classes. I’ll start the fourth next Monday and the fifth after spring break. So far so good but then, I’ve only had one class for each. It looks as though I’ll be spending much of my class time on field trips. I should have expected it in a class that has “field problems” in its name. That is one of my three hour classes. I am relieved that I will not be spending three hours a week every week in lecture for that one. My two hour IH applications class is similar to the class I had last semester by the same teacher. Part of the class is lecture, part is group work or work time. Again, even though long, it shouldn’t be too bad. My four hour lab class instructor has assured us that we shall not go the entire time for ‘most’ of the classes. I certainly hope so. Lab or not, four hours is rather a long time for me to concentrate. My Monday class, which I have not yet had, is a three hour lecture on control of exposure to physical and chemical hazards. I’m not really sure what to expect from this one, other than: 1. night class, 2. three hours, 3. all lecture (I think). It will probably be quite a bit like Air Borne Contaminants last semester. I expect to not be good at sitting still, and be rather loopy by the time class ends each evening. My ethics class starts after Spring Break, and lasts for the rest of the semester. Accelerated and on a subject people can argue about for days at a time. I’ve also heard the tests are icky and the teacher grades hard. Hopefully all will go well.

Today, in preparation for the field problems class, I went to the footwear store to buy my first pair of steel toed boots. I found out that the State pays for up to 100 dollars of said boots because they are required for safety reasons. So, out I marched to the nice safety shoes store and informed the nice salesman of what I wanted. A boot (not shoe), steel-toed, acid-resistant sole, and something that is comfortable enough to wear for an entire day. Tall order, but I think he managed to find me something. What is more, he managed to price it for 100 dollars, so nothing will be coming out of my pocket on these. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not just for school I need them. If I ever go along to an industrial spill site, I’ll need my steel-toe boots too. The boots of purchase are black, doc-martens, and have the necessary elements. They are a bit tight right now, but I was assured they would ‘stretch’ them for me.

Tonight, in preparation for the rest of my classes, I’m going to the bookstore to purchase my books. So far the only one I know that is required is a Ventilation book for my Monday night class. It will hit me for 112 dollars, so I really hope the rest of my books aren’t required. I know that three other classes “highly recommend” you purchase X or Y, but I’d like to see just how useful they are from borrowing the books on reserve at the library before hitting my pocketbook for over 100/book. Katie will be going along – if she is feeling not so under the weather as she did yesterday. She has one class at the U this semester, also a night class, also on Monday nights (but they don’t end at the same time).

All in all, I’m really happy to be back into the school/work routine. I like the money I receive when I work full time, but I was finding myself highly sick of filing. At least with part-time work, there are more varied jobs. (In full time, I’d finish the varied jobs too quickly and be stuck back with the filing.) Now, if I could only figure out what I’m doing about my summer field experience and my thesis topic, and find out if I have to do May classes, I’d be one happy little student. After all, I have a trip to New Zealand to plan, and I can’t start that until I know what I’m doing for work.

Float On
Whee! I did one of these silly tests and it actually came up with a song that I like and actually heard of.

Float On by Modest Mouse

"Bad news comes don't you worry even when it landsGood news will work its way to all them plans" Laid back and real, people appreciated you for you are in 2004.

What 2004 Hit Song are you?

Winter Comes to the Green and Yellow House

As my tale continues, it may be almost quiet inside the Green and Yellow house. The construction of One is past the noisy stages, and Two and Three’s tenants are at work for the day. The cars and busses provide a humming background, and the wind doesn’t make too much of a stir. Within Three, there live still two female tenants, and an uncounted number of small, four-legged squatters. The squatters have been unseen and unheard recently. Perhaps they know the end is near? The Owner of the Building hasn’t informed the tenants when the pest control person will come…perhaps the little squeaking ingrates understand their time is near, and are rallying for some final stand? Probably not. The tenants on Two inherited a cat from a boyfriend. Short term only, but they are hoping to scare the little squatters into submission. No report to Three has been made by Two’s tenants as to the successfulness of the cat, however. The feline is friendly (to humans) and does have its claws, and Two hopes that it prefers to chase small rodents rather than sharpen said claws on the woodwork. Three’s tenants hope that all the rodent poison (used as a first attack) by Two’s tenants has been thrown out, and that the little squeakers didn’t actually eat any (if indeed the cat does catch them).

Outside of the Green and Yellow House, the sky turns grey and imposing. It looks like winter may come to the City afterall. Just this morning, a tenant of Three had to shovel the path. The weather service predicts that another 4-6 in of the ‘white stuff’ along with a ‘wintery mix’ (read ice) shall fall between this hour and the end of Wednesday. This makes a certain tenant of Three pretty happy. It should be white outside in winter, and each time the tenants of Three shovel the path, they get to reduce the lodging fee due the Owner of the Building at the end of the month. After the snow though, things may get ugly outside the Green and Yellow House. Arctic temperatures are to blow down from the poles and the little lines on the weatherman’s chart showed a wind of >40mph. The regular temperatures are supposed to fall to <0F with a high temp on Friday of -8F. Still, the Green and Yellow house is built sturdily, and the little stove heater in Three can be set higher to anticipate the chill of the blowing wind. The tenants of Three think that this will be a lovely time to enjoy hot cocoa, or wine, and watch long anticipated movies.

The Writing of a Dissertation

Today I was talking to a coworker about the probable topic of my Masters Dissertation. As this isn’t even remotely decided yet, I’ll not announce that topic. That one all depends on if funding goes through and if the research I’d do is ‘good enough’ to be considered the Original Research I need for said Thesis. But that got me to thinking of my other Dissertation, the one that some of you may remember reading almost 2 years ago. It started in 2002, with parts being added to it in 2003. The subject of this dissertation had nothing to do with Industrial Hygiene, or even the Engineering I was doing at the time. Nope, this dissertation was on a more…universal topic. This week I was reading a friend's journal, and the comments on that journal, and it inspired me to bring up a few points from said dissertation, and then to post it again.

I have a Live Journal, mostly so I can read other peoples “friends only” Live Journals, but I figured that was as good as any a place to post it. Then it occurred to me that only the people from Live Journal know that I have one, since I’ve never actually done anything with it. There are readers of this blog that didn’t read my other blog, which has since been archived and stopped. This dissertation was originally posted there. So, here is the link to my Live Journal and the first three parts, or chapters if you will, of my original dissertation, “Boys are Dumb: A Dissertation”

To the males that read this blog, please don’t be mad at me. I report the truth as I see it, and I welcome any and all comments, opinions, and proof that this dissertation reports falsehoods!

A tale of two stories

My tale is of two stories, not the type you sit in a circle around a campfire and listen to, but rather the type that populate a house. The first is a quaint third story, the second a more vacuous second story. I suppose one could also call them floors, but they are so much more than the linoleum or carpet that covers them. They are the walls, the ceilings (my goodness, the ceilings), the adornments, the bathroom fixtures, the kitchen appliances. To some, they are home. Both of these stories are situated in a Green and Yellow Building located on a somewhat-active street near a park, a lake, and a zoo in a medium-ish suburb of a large city. Two below Three, following numerological law. Two and Three became populated about 17 months ago, almost at the same time. Two’s residents were female and both gainfully employed in the health field. Three’s tenants were also both female and both students at the local University. The tenants of both came to know each other quite well. 12 months after first tenanting Three, one of Three’s residents moved to a new story that would be by far warmer and more aqueous. Three gained a new resident. Not too long after that, both Two and Three gained even more residents…but they were not the type of tenant most buildings (or stories) would admire. These tenants were small, furry, scavengers and rabble rousers, mess-makers, and were not bathroom-trained. Further, they didn’t understand the concept of walls, doors, or furniture. Two and Three were heartsick, as were their tenants, that these interlopers would dare to move in without permission. The tenants set out to persuade the new furry home wreckers to leave the premises immediately. No such luck. The four legged squatters were comfortable, and intelligent. They ignored bribes left on little wooden planks, conveniently located on the floor where they could reach them. They ignored little blue pellets that taste good, but may cause indigestion. They ignored attempts to lock other entrances that had been found behind appliances. And having found a convenient shelter and source of food and water, they multiplied.

Here is where my tale takes a sad turn. It seems that the squatters have convinced Two’s tenants to vacate the premises, and find a new, less occupied, story to live in. They have given notice to the Owner of the Building, and in 30 days, will say goodbye forever to Two, and the Green and Yellow Building Two resides in. As the residents of One also moved on to a bigger story, soon Three’s two tenants will be all alone in the Building meant for at least 6.

Three’s tenants, after learning the plans of Two’s, thought about the larger space available within Two. While there is a smaller kitchen, Two sports both a dining and living room. There are two bedrooms, same as Three, but in Two they are more of equal proportions, and both have closable doors. The bathroom of Two is not a bane-to-the-existence-of-all-menfolk as in Three, and there is more room to move about. Whereas Three has slanted ceiling and a feeling of unfinished-ness to her, Two has straight walls and ceilings and woodwork. (Three’s slanted ceilings give her character and charm however.) There is a front and back porch available with Two (although the front porch is shared with Three’s tenants). The living room in Two has a fireplace, although the jury is out on whether or not it is a usable fireplace, or just for decoration. The squatter infestation, reported by Two’s tenants, is much worse than on Three, however. The Owner of the Building charges more for Two than Three as well. Three’s tenants haven’t decided what to do. They like their little hobbit-hole, and have become quite cozy. To move one story down would require effort (although since the Building wouldn’t change, frigid weather is not involved.) My tale has mentioned that ceilings were different, and they become an issue in the decision. Three’s ceiling/walls have born the stress of time, hanging always at a 45-degree angle to the horizontal. This past summer some of these ceiling/walls came crashing down, much to the dismay of Three’s tenants. There are still Cracks…sometime next summer more ceiling/walls will come crashing down, or will have to be removed and replaced before said event occurs. This annoys Three’s tenants as they have no wish to deal with the dust and interruption that occurs during these events.

Still, from adversity comes ingenuity. What if Three’s tenants did move to Two? That would eliminate the ceiling crisis completely. (Who knows what new crisis could occur, but that is for another tale.) What if The Owner of the Building then came into the now vacated Three and fixed the rest of the ceilings and repainted? Then there would be an empty, quaint story above Two where perhaps new-tenants-of-Two’s friends might wish to move in?!

As you can see, my tale is far from complete. A new chapter will be written in the morrow, when the tenants of Three go to the Owner of the Building with the monthly boarding fees and the above propositions. Stay tuned to see what, if anything changes in the Green and Yellow Building.

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.