2008 Archives
A Smattering of Happenings
December 27, 2008
Here's a menagerie of firsts from the past few weeks
- Celebrated Christmas from the inside of a red barn
- Got a flat tire
- Made cranberry-orange bread with my new Kitchenaid mixer
- Left two bottles of wine in the trunk of my car in sub-zero weather--whoops
- Had a great hours-long conversation over coffee with my friend Erica
- Embracing dangly earrings
- Became the offical IT support tech of my house
- Pounced around in the snow with Baxter while he tried to chew off his new snow booties
- Made sweet potato fries
- Started a faux sorority with my roommates
- Got a library card to rent DVDs
- Had a fire in our trendy fireplace
- Drank cocoa with hazelnut-flavored creamer
December Public Service Announcement
December 15, 2008
Sloths are indeed wonderful animals. Just ask my friend Melanie. Unfortunately, unlike other animals, there is no scientific name for baby sloths. We've got kids, joeys, cubs, puppies, kits, and kittens, but nothing to aptly name recently born sloths.
This is where my friend Melanie comes in, over some holiday pie.
Melanie works at the Minnesota Zoo and is an avid fan--no fanatic--of sloths. (Just ask to see her baby photos for Pete's sake.) Melanie was just on Kare 11's Simply Science bit last week talking about her fine furry friends and, yes, also recently had pie with me.
It was over that same Holiday pie that she informed me of this dire nameless situation of baby sloths that she's doing some grass roots campaigning to alleviate. Melanie, with all her zoo-goodness, is promoting the name "slothlette" as the scientific name for sloth babies.
It is only with our help that these baby sloths can one day have a named slothlette-hood that they so dearly deserve.
Slothlette. Pass it on.
The Best and Worst Christmas Songs
November 27, 2008
I just got back from getting together at Caribou Coffee with my great friend Brynn. We've been meeting up every Thanksgiving morning for 10 years, since we were freshman in college! It started out when I sorely missed Caribou Coffee, never mind my friends, while away at college, as an excuse to enjoy as much Caribou Coffee as possible over Thanksgiving break, and has since morphed into a great tradition, complete with occasional commemorative T-shirts.
Christmas music was going non-stop while we were at the coffee shop today, and I realized that every year, I'm not in the Christmas "spirit" until about 3 or 4 days before Christmas Eve. Then, as my YWAM DTS friends will attest, I sing and whistle Christmas songs well in to the New Year...say, March or so. I'm way behind the marketing of Christmas, and there's nothing I can do about it.
At any rate, Brynn brought up an interesting topic the other day: she confessed her love for Wham's Last Christmas, which inspired me. I, too, enjoy Last Christmas, but I started thinking about which Christmas songs I absolutely love and those that I absolutely hate--and there's plenty of the latter. But for now, here's a top 5 of my personal favorites and the ones that make me cringe
Best
- Silent Night by Sara McLachlan
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by the Barenaked Ladies
- A Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen
- Step Into Christmas by Elton John
Worst
- Christmas Shoes by Bob Carlisle
- The Christmas Song by Alvin and the Chipmunks
- War is Over by John Lennon
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by a variety of artists
- Santa Baby by Ertha Kitt
Happy Holidays, everyone!
Turns Out The Twin Cities Also Includes St. Paul
November 7, 2008
It's a fact that as a resident of Minneapolis, it's easy to forget about St. Paul. You get so caught up in your routine and usual goings on, that weeks, even months go by before you venture over for an occasional night out or hockey game. I heard that people-- wherever they live--tend to stay within a 10-mile radius of home, and it's understandable that people want to be cozy. People naturally want to know their neighbors and be connected to their community. Thus, in a sense, it's almost unnatural to want to go over there. If you're not familiar with it, it's hard to consider it an option for entertainment.
I'm horribly excited to be creating a new St. Paul radius when I move there at the beginning of next month. It's a sweet deal: instead of having to drive across the country, I just have to drive 11 miles down the road to my new city. I still receive all the same benefits of getting to explore and enjoy a brand-new city, but I'll have the added comforts and familiarity of home. What a deal.
I'll tell ya that St. Paul has been around since 1849, 159 years. A rich 159-year history of Minneapolis residents not wandering over to partake in its many fine cultural, gastronomical, and recreational activities.
For example, Muffuletta, a wonderful restaurant that I've known about for quite some time. Because it's in St. Paul, however, the chances of me visiting were slim to none, for the mental street maps of St. Paul are blotchy at best for Minneapolis residents. Now, though, it is right down the street from my new house. a 0.5 mile walk.
Other fantastic places now within walking distance include:
- The University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus,
- Minnesota State Fair,
- Bruegger's Bagels, and
- Hamden Park Coop
Life certainly takes on extra joy when you can walk to great places from you house, doesn't it?
Indeed, it does.
After 12.5 Years Behind the Wheel, The Inevitable
October 28, 2008
I knew I couldn't go my whole life without getting pulled over by the police, so I was waiting for it, with anticipation. I always envisioned that when I was finally pulled over it'd be filled with drama. Not necessarily tears, though that would be applaudable, but perhaps a little groveling or pleas for forgiveness, a racing heart, a sense of dread or fear, or even some offense-related humor. Would I lie? Would I cry? Would I get tongue-tied? Only time would tell. Whatever the case, surely, when it finally happened, being pulled over would live up to my biggest expectations.
After 12.5 years behind the wheel, I was pulled over last night and despite the years of anticipation, I was significantly disappointed in the experience; my expectations let down.
The Experience
Oh, how I wish I could say I was pulled over while zooming down a freeway, weaving in and out of traffic, failing to use my blinkers. At least that would be cool. Instead, I was pulled over at 4700 West Lake Harriet Parkway. A 25-mile-per-hour, drama-less parkway.
I didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign at 4700 West Lake Harriet Parkway, and there was the police car, waiting for people like me to do what they subconsciously do at stop signs when clearly no one is around: just tap, slow down maybe 5, 10 miles and proceed. I saw the police car, acknowledged its presence, and yet continued to proceed down the path of rebellion.
I let Myself Down
Even though I'm not a seasoned citation-receiving citizen* and familiar with working one-on-one with police officers, I feel like I really fumbled through the process of being pulled over and quite frankly failed. I failed at being pulled over. My first chance at success and I failed. ("Success" defined as "up to and including drama while in the act of being pulled over.") So, I failed my expectations. There were no tears. I wasn't embarrassed, nor was there nary a joke about 185 stop signs walking into a bar. Rather, I accepted it. I was 100% guilty and was accepting the consequences of my actions with a zero-drama policy (however lame of a charge I was pleading guilty to is another issue). My heart just wasn't in it this time.
Silver Lining Even in Failure
Even though my heart wasn't in it, I can learn from the experience and learn how to better implement my zero-drama policy or even amend the policy for that matter.
There were some excellent learning opportunities. First and foremost, I had the pleasure of working with an all-business-and-no-games cop, which I greatly appreciated. His no-guff demeanor kept my faith in our city's best. Second, he let me participate in the experience--he let me tell him why he pulled me over. That experience alone is invaluable. Afterward--and this is what I appreciate most--he immediately presented me the facts that I deserved to hear. Those facts included the possible consequences of:
- A moving violation
- Possessing an auto insurance card expired by 1 year, and
- Using a drivers license with an outdated address.
The consequences include up to a $1,000 fine, a misdemeanor, jail time, or all for one or a combination of the above. Did you think "I could afford that, I could be a real-life rebel, and jail could be kinda fun" when you read that? Neither did I. Neither did I.
The Result
I had a few impromptu laughs about this on my way into work this morning. I made sure to keep the speedometer at 67 MPH today. I laughed that I'm one of them now, as I've joined the ranks of millions of Americans who have received moving violations And even though I don't feel any different today than I did yesterday, at least I found one of my favorite pens and two quarters in my glove compartment.
*Someone who has been pulled over more than once.
No Records, but Shazam!
October 22, 2008
I was in Iowa for about 30 hours for the pleasantly chilly and crisp Des Moines half marathon last weekend. I felt wonderful the whole race (which I couldn't believe), taking my time, pacing well, listening to my body, and enjoying the view. My only goal for the race was to run the whole way (something I didn't do last year due to my neglect to train)--that's it, the only goal--but I ended up inadvertently knocking off 11 minutes from my run last year. On the way, I learned so much about the rewards of actually being trained for a race. Funny how a little training can go such a long way. I crossed the finish line at 2:27:00, and that was so cool!
The whole race, except for the bruised toenail, was a joy to run, especially because of Advil, Gu Packs, and Disco Karaoke Guy at mile 8. I've been running a lot these past few months and now that I have the endurance down, it's time to focus on speed. Shazam!
Autumn Goings-On
October 12, 2008
I've really enjoyed these past few weeks, from spending time with old friends to enjoying the fall colors, but I just haven't had a chance to document it all. Soon, very soon, I will have a few photos up about the goings-on of these past few weeks.
I'll point out that the prairie grass photo above was taken in Prairie City, Iowa at the Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge, a beautiful prarie area tucked in between acres of farmland.
For now, visit the recipes page of my website for some great fall food!
And lastly, my contact page is up and running, so if you want to get in touch with me, fill it out. Honestly, for my sake. I put a lot of work into it. (Really, you have no idea.)
Have a good one!
October Public Serivce Announcement
October, 2008
October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness Month in the US. Unfortunately--and hence the campagin for awareness--most people don't know just how deadly SCA is. SCA kills more people in the US than "the number who die from colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, auto accidents, AIDS, firearms, and house fires combined" (sca.org), resulting in about 325,000 deaths each year (suddencardiacarrest.org).
SCA is preventable and treatable, but people who are at risk for SCA still need more education and familiarization; two-thirds of the people who die from SCA had no previous indications heart disease (sca.org). Risk factors then, go beyond just symptoms. Family history and life style habits play a large role in increasing the risk of SCA.
Furthermore, educating the general public about the symptoms of SCA and how to help an SCA victim would undoubtedly decrease SCA deaths. Knowing the symptoms, how to perform CPR, and using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) are integral to survival when just a few minutes means life or death during an SCA event. There's a 6-percent survival rate of SCA vicitms and the chance of survial drastically begins to decrease after going just 4 minutes without oxygen.
Symptoms of SCA include:
- Sudden collapse
- Loss of consciousness
- Cessation of normal breathing
- Loss of pulse and blood pressure
(sca.org)
For more information about SCA, other heart diseases, using AEDs, or taking a CPR class, visit the American Heart Association.
I-35
October 3, 2008
There's nothing like a fall road trip. Radio up, windows down, and singing non-stop to whatever radio station is in range. Just me, the open road, and some longstanding tradtions, including:
- Waving hello to the Iowa Border and commenting on how it's been so long, but knowing that really isn't a problem, since we're old friends
- Giving a shout out to the Red Barn Rest Stop at the Top of Iowa
- Stopping in Ames to visit Wheatsfield Coop, Iowa State, and Skunk River Cycles (because they have a resident store cat)
- Spending time with my great Iowa-dwelling friends
- Drinking coffee with my great Ames-dwelling friends
I'm heading down to Des Moines, Ames, Prairie City, and Newton Iowa this weekend, in a whirlwind tour of friends. This weekend includes one great wedding featuring barn dancing. Really, could a wedding reception be anymore joyous than when it includes promenading, circling, stars, and dosados? No, no it couldn't.
I don't think I've ever danced, on all the continents I've danced on, something so inclusive and gratifying as barn dancing. Check out the Tapestry Folk Dance Center, a great little world dance center tucked away in Southeast Minneapolis, and a place known to foster good feelings that come from good dancing.
In other news, I'm excited to continue my tradition of meticulous car maintenance and mileage tracking on this road trip. I just got my oil changed whilst at work this week (that's right--they come to you) and I'm pleased to say my Civic's MPG has been hovering around 36, which makes me so proud. Way to run little buddy, way to run.
An Obsession
September 25, 2008
Somewhere along the running path this occasional recreation outlet of mine has somehow morphed into an obsession. I ran 7.5 miles just for fun. I mean, who does that? Apparently, 30 million people. Right.
It makes sense, too, I mean, once you've finished a road race like those other 29,999,999 people, you can't help but crave that next runner's high or that next race T-shirt. 30 million US citizens claim to be runners, too. Can you believe that? Clearly, I am in good company
Check out Runner's World.com, to get a glimpse into the obsessiveness of an average runner.
And if you're simply repulsed by running, type a few numbers into their Smart Coach and start training for your first 5k. Maybe then, after your race, we could find a race that has great T-shirts to run together. That'd be great.
Des Moines Half Marathon
September 22nd, 2008
I've been known to make hasty decisions and for having a one-track mind when I get overzealous. So, that means I've signed up for the Des Moines Half Marathon again, 4 weeks before race day, and I for one couldn't be happier. One, for earning the free, albeit lame, race t-shirt and two, for having yet another outlandish goal to conquer...whether gracefully or ungracefully. With some things it doesn't matter that you finish with energy to burn, in good spirits, or well dressed. If only we could say the same about the work day. If only.
New Website!
September 20th, 2008
Slowly but surely, this new-fandangle website is getting implemented. Cool things that I'm using for this redesign that surely nobody except me cares about include:
- Snazzy web standards like CSS to aid in creativity and general goodness,
- Handy tools like WeBuilder 2008 to play around with code,
- Great books like Beginning CSS Web Development (albeit sprinkled with erroneous fun, which makes me wonder: "if this book can get published, hell, I could publish one!) from which to learn, and
- Customized, yes, customized bullets, for web design is too fun to have to settle for pedestrian circular bullet points. Ha!
No, not every link on the navigation bar work yet, my CSS isn't perfect yet, and there aren't many other cool things, yet either. But there's no need to be disappointed by any means. Craftiness takes time, my friends and I am happy to share what I have!
Look around, people. It's just beautiful, isn't it? High-fives all around!
A Rainy Day
September 13th, 2008
I'm one of the few Midwesterners who prefers a nice cloudy, rainy weekend over a cloudy, rainy work day. Probably because my intense love of coffee is expounded with this lovely weather, but more likely because I like to daydream in this weather and that's something you can't do every day at the office. So, it's a nice treat when great weather like this comes on the weekend. I can sit back, relax, nap, and daydream to my heart's content. And that's what life really is all about, contentment.