Star Carol

Several years ago, I was listening to some of my Grandparents' old Christmas albums on my parents' record player, and I discovered this song as it was sung by Anna Maria Alberghetti. I was enthralled, and each year I continue to get out that old scratchy record so I can listen to it at Christmas time.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out the story of Alfred S. Burt (1920-1954) and his carols. We all know his songs "Caroling, Caroling" and "Some Children See Him," but I had never heard his story until I found it on the back of a record jacket. (And, of course, it's all now on Wikipedia.)

Mr. Burt was a minister's son and a jazz musician. Each year he wrote a song to celebrate Christmas and sent it out as his family's Christmas card. These songs have the quality, not of modern music, but of traditional Christmas carols, and performers of great stature have helped make them famous during the years since his death in 1954.

I'm very happy to listen to the old records in all their scratchy, nostalgic glory, and this old 1965 Goodyear Christmas record (Album 5) will continue to be one of my favorites, with "Star Carol" probably more worn than the other songs on the album.

"Star Carol"

Long years ago, on a deep winter night,
High in the heavens, a star shone bright,
While in the manger, a wee baby lay,
Sweetly asleep, on a bed of hay.

Jesus our lord, was that baby so small,
Lay down to sleep, in a humble stall.
Then came the star, and it stood over head,
Shedding its light, 'round his little head.

Dear baby Jesus, how tiny thou art.
I'll make a place, for thee in my heart,
And when the stars, in the heavens I see,
Ever and always, I'd think of thee...
-Alfred Burt, 1954


Merry Christmas, everyone.

Pac-Man Hits the Road

Pac-Man hits the road
(Someone painted the '80s video-game icon on Hwy. 55.)
By Jim Adams, Star Tribune
December 20, 2006

The Wright County sheriff heard from his deputies about the whimsical road
art and decided to take a look for himself.

Sheriff Gary Miller cruised east from Buffalo to the stretch of Hwy. 55 with large, white ovals painted by the state to slow tailgaters by showing drivers how far apart to stay. About halfway
through the stretch he saw the unauthorized addition: a giant rendition of a yellow Pac-Man, the jaws from the 1980s video game trailblazer, attacking an oval dot on the pavement.

"I drove that road the other day," an amused Miller said, "and drivers were bunched up to figure out what it was ... It's definitely a Pac-Man eating a dot." The oversize Pac-Man, at least a month old, may be a plus as people ease off the gas to catch a glimpse, he said.

"It's kind of comical," added county highway engineer Wayne Fingalson. "Somebody really did a good job of meticulously putting that [Pac-Man] in the dots."

Tom Dumont, the area traffic engineer for the Department of Transportation, wasn't pleased with the art work amid the $15,000 project. But he expects snowplows to chew up Pac-Man before the yellow jaws or road wear consume the dots. Pac-Man is not a safety concern, he said, except for the people who painted it and apparently have touched it up once or more.

"As word gets out, it's drawing more attention to the dots," Dumont said. "I'd hate to say positive things because I don't want to encourage people to try to paint something on a busy highway. But at least it's made the project a little more noteworthy," Dumont said.

The 7-foot dots are 225 feet apart, the distance needed at the 55-mile-an-hour speed limit, to stop in three seconds without rear-ending the vehicle ahead. Accompanying signs tell drivers to keep two dots apart in the stretch, traveled by an average of 16,000 vehicles a day.

Woman puts baby through X-ray machine at LAX

There's absent-minded, and then there's absent-minded.

Christmas Gifts

All people should be banned from buying themselves things in my price range during the month of December (ahem, DAD!). Thank you. Merry Christmas shopping, everyone.

a few more mexico pics...

Legally Blind Hunters

So, I recently discovered the essays of David Sedaris. Even though he tends to be liberal and at times extremely crass, he does tend to have a humorous take on things. Especially in his essay Six to Eight Black Men, a piece about traditions, mainly Christmas traditions. But in it, he also talks about American gun laws in relation to hunters. I wasn't quite sure whether to believe his assertion that in Michigan and Texas, you could hunt legally - even if you are blind. Apparently, in Texas, you need a sighted person with you. In Michigan, you can go it alone. Really?

Well, now I've read further proof that I think he wasn't making it up. The following is a story from the AP.

AUSTIN, Texas - A lawmaker in this firearm-friendly state wants to help more people get the chance to shoot live animals - even if those people can't see. A bill filed for the 2007 legislative session would permit legally blind hunters to use laser sights, or lighted pointing instruments.

"This opens up the fun of hunting to additional people, and I think that's great," said Republican Rep. Edmund Kuempel, the bill's sponsor. Visually impaired people are allowed to shoot now with the aid of a sighted person, he said, a requirement that would continue if the sights were legalized. "I've seen this on TV before, when they're taking target practice," Kuempel said. "When they aim the gun, the guide tells them, aim two inches higher or two inches lower and you're on the target, and you're off and running."

Kuempel's bill would give the state until Jan. 1, 2008, to come up with a definition of legally blind so the law could be enforced. Under existing law, the use of laser sights, spotlights and headlights is strictly prohibited in all Texas hunting. The practice can have the effect of making animals stand still as the light shines on them. Hunters using sights under the proposed legislation would have to carry proof that they are legally blind.

A couple of things come to mind. First of all, this is just the first step towards Texas becoming the new Michigan (if indeed, Michigan allows non-sighted people to hunt without a sighted companion). In our day and age of technology, I'm not sure if I should feel comforted or not, knowing that pretty soon radar, GPS and the like will replace the sighted companion. I'm not sure if those are required in Michigan, but at least it would be better than nothing.

I'm also of the opinion that this is essentially a form of blind people playing laser tag with deer. Well, maybe a slightly more deadly version.

The Chiles Family Goes to China

My cousin and her husband (Beth and Gary) left yesterday to go get their second child in China! They are adopting a little boy named Leland. Lily, their daughter, and Grandma and Grandpa (my aunt Sharon and Uncle Jack) went with, too, and all can be seen at The Chiles Family blog.

A few pics from Mexico, 11.2006

Cancun (A lil' windy)

Cancun, North Beach
Parasailing
Isla Mujeres v. Walmart

Isla Mujeres

Paranoia Epidemic

I work for the government. I understand that there are paranoid people out there. They call me all the time; we have our regulars.

But it was surprising to me last week to discover the number of paranoid people who work for the government: namely, the vast majority of my co-workers. I've always been under the impression that the paranoia remains out there, not in here. Oh, how I was wrong: the patients do run this asylum known as the government. Well, at least in one regard they do.

You see, Friday was flu shot day. I discovered that many people with whom I work closely do not believe in the flu shot. And no, it's not because they all have a huge aversion to needles (although there were several of those) or even an objection to shots in general. It's that many believe the flu shot is pointless. The belief commonly held is that you will either a) get the flu from the shot, or b) still get the flu at some point this winter, even if you did get the shot because of the great number of strains. One fellow labourer in particular ranted on and on about how "they" choose which strain of flu we'll get in 2006-2007 some three years in advance, tailor the shots we get to that particular strain, and how we'll probably get "some other" strain of influenza out there. When I asked her about Murphy's law (if you don't get the shot, you'll get that exact strain of the flu virus), she waved me off. You would think differently, in that if anyone should believe in Murphy's law it would be the paranoid people, but apparently Murphy's law doesn't apply to them.

So, I, not being afraid of needles nor with objection to shots, went and got my flu shot. I did not get sick over the weekend from the shot. I must confess, though, that I got it mainly because of Murphy's law. Maybe I am more paranoid than I thought...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mexico

I'm off on a much-needed vacation to Mexico with the girls.

See you in a week (when it will probably be snowing here upon my return).

Most people settle for parties when it comes to surprises

MANHATTAN BEACH, MINN. - By a meager three votes, a write-in candidate in this town defeated the mayor in Tuesday's election. But that's not the strange part: Mayor-elect Paul Allen wasn't trying to get elected. He didn't even know there was a chance it would happen. A secret campaign helped him get 21 write-in votes, topping the 18 for incumbent Frederick Gridley. The town, about 25 miles north of Brainerd, has a population of 62 people -- 56 are registered to vote. "I couldn't have dreamed I would be elected. I guess their secret mission was accomplished. I couldn't believe it. There were enough voters in the city who wanted a change," said Allen, who ran for mayor two years ago but lost. His wife, Janis, knew about the push to elect him as mayor, but she didn't let on, he said. The narrow margin gives Gridley the option to request a recount. As of Thursday, he had not. Allen said he will accept the position. "I am afraid I'll have to," he said with a laugh. "They made such an effort, I guess I'll have to oblige."
ASSOCIATED PRESS

I didn't even realize there was a Manhattan Beach in Minnesota...

Elections: Heaven or Hell

While walking down the street one day, a senator is tragically hit by a truck and killed. His soul arrives in Heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to Heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the senator.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
"There's no need! I want to be in Heaven," says the senator.
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator, the doors open, and he rides the elevator down, down, down. When the doors open again, the senator finds himself in the middle of a beautiful green golf course. In the distance is a club, and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.Everyone is very happy and in formal dress. They run to greet him, and they reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expenseof the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that, before the senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up, and the door reopens in Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him. So 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by, and St. Peter returns.
"Well, you've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now, you must choose where you want to spend eternity."
He reflects for a minute and then answers, "Well, I never would have thought it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better satisfied in Hell."
So Saint Peter escorts him to the elevator, and down, down, down he goes into Hell. Now, the doors of the elevator open, and he is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. And it's hot, hot, hot, and the odor is just horrible. Sweltering hot. Hot and miserable. The Devil comes over to him and smoothly lays his arm around his shoulder.
"I don't understand," stammers the senator. "The day before I was here, and there was a golf course and club, and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is is a wasteland full of garbage, and my friends look miserable."
The Devil looks at the senator, smiles, and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us."

Quote of the Day

Dr. Scott Wright, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, is a Republican running for the Minnesota Senate, and suspects that a single-payer health care system "would be run with the compassion of the IRS and the efficiency of Katrina disaster relief."

A very wise man once said...

"My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate - that's my philosophy."

Thornton Wilder (1897-1975)
Novelist, playwright

Cat v. Dog

In the timeless tradition of cat v. dog (or dog v. cat) comes this story:

AP - October 16, 2006

RHINE, Wis.— After a disabled woman's cat started a house fire, her specially trained dog rescued her by bringing a phone to call for help. Jamie Hanson, 49, received third-degree burns on her arm in the fire that killed both of her pets, Sheboygan County Sheriff's officials said Monday. The fire started Sunday night when Hanson's cat knocked a candle onto a chair. Hanson's dog then brought her a phone, allowing her to call for help. Hanson, who lost a leg in a car accident, told the dispatcher she was disabled but would try to leave the house, Lt. Chad Broeren said. Firefighters found her standing in the doorway as flames engulfed the home, he said. She was taken to Sheboygan Memorial Hospital. Her injuries are not life threatening, Broeren said.

A couple of comments:

1. The cat finally got its revenge, but it didn't work out so well for the cat.

2. The dog will always be man's best friend, saving the day.

Moral of the story? Cats bad. Dogs good.

What should taxi drivers and pharmacists have in common?

In the Twin Cities, we have recently had a debate over Muslim taxi drivers and their refusal to drive passengers carrying alcohol due to religious belief (found in the Qur'an). I find it fascinating that MAC (Metropolitan Airports Commission) tried to bend over nearly backwards coming up with a solution (though that didn't fly, either). Basically, of the 900 taxi drivers at the airport, 3/4 are Somali, many of whom are Muslim. If a Muslim taxi driver at the airport refuses to carry a passenger with any alcohol in their luggage (or for any other reason other than a safety issue), the taxi driver is forced to move to the end of the taxi queue (where it might be another three hours before the next fare). So, here comes MAC, trying to solve the problem. They suggested color coding the lights on cab roofs to indicate which cabs will carry whom. Now, the MAC solution is not going over too well. I gather there is fear that, eventually, religious divides would become so great that even in day-to-day levels such as tax rides, society would fail to function. However, there appears to still be momentum out there to somehow address this issue in a way that will satisfy all sides.

But it brings to mind this last legislative session here in Minnesota where legislation was introduced that was dubbed the "Pharmacist's Conscience Clause." Why is there no one bending over backwards to accommodate those pharmacists who, due to religious belief, do not want to dispense contraceptives or morning-after pills? There is the predominant thought from several legislators (Senators Lourey and Kiscaden, though now retiring, both sponsored legislation last session to this effect) that there shouldn't even be an "end of the line" for a pharmacist, but that they should be forced by threat of disciplinary action (see subdivision 3) to dispense such drugs, no matter their own personal beliefs. Let alone "color coded lights" on the pharmacy walls.

Does anyone else out there find this a little hypocritical? Christians don't matter but Muslims do? (I say this because from my perspective, those objecting to dispensing these pharmaceuticals and those sponsoring the legislation are predominantly Christian.) Are we this politically correct?

My only response - though ghastly and just as illogical as their own - is we should have a Muslim pharmacist testify in support of, if not sponsor, the pharmacist's conscience clause. We'd get better results. Or, at the very least, a discussion.

I've heard of Christmas in July, but Winter in October?

We've had temps below freezing and wind chills in the teens the last few days here in the Twin Cities. Snow flurries all day long on October 11th and 12th? Not my idea of a good fall. Wind that howls very eerily on Friday the 13th? Also, not my idea of a good time.

I was complaining a bit until I saw this story by Carolyn Thompson:

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - A rare early October snowstorm left parts of the Great Lakes and Midwest blanketed with 2 feet of snow Friday morning, prompting widespread blackouts, closing schools and halting traffic. The snow downed scores of tree limbs and toppled power lines, leaving more than 220,000 customers without electricity in western New York. By early Friday, 14 inches of snow had been recorded at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, with reports of 2 feet elsewhere, said Tom Paone, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The snowfall was expected to continue throughout the morning, he said. On Thursday, 8.3 inches of heavy snow set the record for the "snowiest" October day in Buffalo in the 137-year history of the weather service, said meteorologist Tom Niziol. The previous record of 6 inches was set Oct. 31, 1917. "This is an extremely rare event for this early in the season," Niziol said. Detroit also set a record, its for the earliest measured snow. On Thursday, the city broke by one day the mark set on Oct. 13, 1909. The weather, among other factors, prompted Major League Baseball to move up the start time of Game 3 of the AL championship from 8:19 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Only a few players practiced outdoors at Comerica Park on Thursday. The infield was covered with a tarp, so most of them hit in indoor cages. "It's definitely not going to be baseball weather tomorrow," said Dave Gurney of the National Weather Service in Michigan. "Around 45 degrees, wind gusts up to 35 mph and some snow showers." Meanwhile, a 105-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway from Rochester to Dunkirk, southwest of Buffalo, was closed Friday morning because of the snow. The Buffalo Police Department received more than 3,000 calls late Thursday and about two-thirds were related to the weather, Lt. James Watkins said. "There are power lines going down all over the place," he said. Crews worked into the night to restore power, but many customers were expected to remain in the dark through the weekend and into next week, National Grid energy company spokesman Steve Brady said. "This is extremely heavy snow and most of the trees still have most of their leaves, he said. "We can't do a complete damage assessment until the snow stops falling." Dozens of schools were closed and states of emergency were declared in the City of Tonawanda, and towns of Cheektowaga, Elma, Lancaster, Akron, and Depew. Unnecessary driving was banned in Buffalo and suburbs Amherst, Blasdell, Orchard Park and Hamburg. "We have a condition where 80 percent of the roads are impassable," said Lt. Stephen McGonagle of the Amherst Police Department. Officials said the snowstorm caused flight delays and cancellations at Buffalo's airport, which was shut down for almost two hours late Thursday. Meanwhile, tree branches were strewn across the roads around the region. A large box maple tree split in half, falling on Joan Casey's home in Buffalo. "The whole house shook," Casey said. "We were very afraid. Originally I thought it was just the thunder, and then I came outside and I couldn't believe it."

Rowin' on the River

Mississippi River, St. Paul

"Tenacious"

10.10.2006

The Launch

Warming Up

Practice Makes Perfect

"All eight, ready to row... and row."

Novice Team

Minnesota Boat Club

Raspberry Island

MLB: Minny Linney's Beleaguered (also known as the Twins)

Or Minny Linney's Bested. Or Minny Linny's Beaten. As in, "Beaten by the A's in horrible, ugly-offense, error-ridden shame."

*sigh*

I am a fan of leaving work early to go watch games with co-workers (either live and in person with dome dogs or at other comfortable locales, complete with hordes of boisterously cheering fans and Buffalo wings).

There's always next year, right? But then, I'm a fan of a club who basically grooms players to go on to play for successful teams (see David Ortiz, Doug Mientkiewicz - ok, Kansas City wasn't all that successful, minus their rout of Detroit last weekend, thank you Royals - AJ Pierzynski, et al; 1987 and 1991 aside).

I am an eternal fan of a ball club whose owner refuses to pay anything for decent players (see antonym, Yankees), or better still, keep them when we've got 'em (see many from 1987, 1991 and any time there's been hope of rebuilding in the last 5-10 years). I am not - I repeat, NOT - a fan of the Pohlads. They've set up multiple rackets here in Minnesota, with no end in sight. I didn't particularly mind losing the scumbag Pierzynski, and the memories of other players fade (except Kirby, who can forget him?), but I'd miss this 2006 version.

I am a fan of Gardy and Terry Ryan.

I am a fan of the M & M boys (Mauer: local boy made good, loved and adored by Minnesotans everywhere; and Morneau, Canadian guy, who makes you think of apple pie and boy next door playing with his bat and ball), both deserving of the MVP. A fan of Torii and his (sometimes-goofy) leadership. I love Cuddyer and his humor. Punto's unwillingness to settle. Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeew (as in, Ford). I am a fan of Redmond, proverbial old guy who's solid and dependable and (I'm positive) always-available sage advice. Even a fan of Tyner, who in his some 1450 at-bats has never hit a homerun, and would shock the world if he did. Radke's grittiness and tendons (holding his arm on - I was amazed I didn't see his detached arm go flying towards home plate as he pitched today). Ever a fan of Santana, Liriano and our bullpen. Boof? Who legally changes his first name to Boof? Only a pitcher would. And Nathan? The most un-sung hero of the AL closers, nay, pitchers, and the only pitcher in the bullpen who should keep his facial hair. (Sorry, Jesse Crain, it really has to go.) I am a fan of Dennys Reyes, who seriously has the roundest face I've ever seen, rivaled only by a cartoon (Stewie from Family Guy). I am a fan of Neshek's old school delivery and socks.

I am a fan.

Forever.

MLB: Minny Linney's Boys (also known as the Twins)

I still have hope. My Twins have been down more often than not this season, and I still have hope that they'll pull it off and win the next three straight, starting this afternoon at Oakland. I mean, how like this season's Twins would it be for them to do just that? I don't count them out, but why did they have to make it hard on themselves?

How is it possible that the first time I got to see Santana pitch live and in person, he lost his first game since August 2005? I went to the Metrodome on Tuesday afternoon, and was extremely disappointed. No, not disappointed with Santana, but with my other beloved (and offensively-challenged) players. Where has the offense gone? Where is the Minnesota Magic? Apparently Joe Mauer sent the wrong bat to the Hall of Fame ("Mauer sends one of his bats to Hall of Fame" Star Tribune, October 2, 2006). Nick Punto's two amazing catches practically in two fans' laps (nearly identical in games 1 and 2 both in location on the field and his position in catching them) and Morneau's jaw-dropping double play (in game 2) aside, there have been too many mistakes on defense to mention (although everyone's talking Torii, there was also the Bartlett bobble of game 1; the botch by Boof Bonser in game 2 where he tried to pick up a ball with his glove - but i suppose he'd just been drilled by the hit and still managed to get an out at first, so maybe I can forgive that one; and even Cuddyer, who apparently also had a case of greased-hand-itis out in right field during game 2).

All I want is another situation just like Twins v. A's in 2002. I want Cuddyer to say another really funny quote, just like the last time. Immediately after their 2002 Game 5 playoff win against the A's, Cuddy was the first to hug Guardado (former pitcher), and "all of a sudden I'm on the bottom of the pile," Cuddyer said, "face to face with Eddie, and we can't move, and I'm trying not to kiss him."

Wild Drive-Thru Rally

I've never even heard of a drive-thru rally, let alone participated in one. That is, until this morning. The MN Wild celebrated tonight's home opener with a rally this morning. Since I live and work in and around downtown St. Paul, I decided to drive through and see what was up with all the hoopla. Let me tell you, driving down Kellogg Blvd with other enthusiasts was a lot of fun: seeing all the Wild jerseys, hearing the horns blare, listening to a bunch of hockey fans cheer. But what was even better was driving through a line where you rolled down the windows and had people give you free stuff. I got a Wild flag for my car (actually two, when all was said and done), a Wild calendar, a schedule, free Caribou coffee, free snacks, free Coke, free OJ, free post-it notes. It seemed a little odd to have a rally that ended at 9am, but when I realized that you could cheer them on all from the comfort of you car on your way to work? Awesome.

HOTDM: Head of the Des Moines

Did you know Des Moines has a river called the Des Moines River? (Did you know Iowa even had a river?) I didn't either, until a few weeks ago. And then on Saturday, September 30th, 2006, I managed to tear myself away from other duties in life, and actually saw for myself that the rumors were true: Iowa does have enough water in the state to form a river. (I've heard rumors that there are other rivers, but we'll leave verification of those for another day, another race.)

That's me, in front, getting my shoes set in the right spot

I have officially raced as a rower now, and thus begins my one-year career as a novice (I can only race in the "novice" category for a year - I don't plan on quitting rowing after the next 12 months). I and three other girls, plus our coxswain (who steers and encourages us, all that) entered the Head of the Des Moines and rowed the Novice Women's 4+ (four rowers, the + means there is a cox in the boat, and we were all sweep rowing with one oar apiece). It was a blast.

From L to R: Kerry (you can only see her head; she taught me to row), Danielle, Georgie, Anna and me

Fall races are longer races than summer ones, and they're always called "Head of the _____" - I don't know why. So, the Head of the Des Moines was a 5000 meter race (about 3 miles for those of us who are Americans and can't remember a thing about the metric system). The best feeling was passing two other teams within 500 meters of the start, and holding off another team at the finish. Oh, and did I mention that we are part of a fantastic club? When we rounded the last bend (who knew there was anything in Iowa that wasn't straight or flat?), our team was there cheering us on - also another great feeling. We only came in 5th (but still earned points for our club which helped us tie for first place in points at the regatta), but I'm excited to get better. I want to win! I want a medal!

Last Few Hundred Meters: This is what nausea looks like (the precursor to dying right after the finish line)

My hands are like mincemeat these days: oozing sores, blisters underneath callouses, the whole nine yards (of medical tape and bandaids). But it's worth it. (It also helped that last night at practice, I finally realized that I've been very tense in my grip lately, so maybe I'll be getting fewer wounds in the future as I remember to relax.)

Saturday was a gorgeous day to race, and I'm excited for many future races. This is way too much fun to give up over a few bruises and blisters, sore muscles and frequent practices.

To my Big Brother, on the Occasion of his 30th Birthday

And now...a Moment of Silence

Left Nike Tennis Shoe (1998-2006)

Tennis Shoe, Nike, age 8, beloved by Owner, Linnea. Used extensively on her left foot, exclusively for rowing during its waning existence. Left Tennis Shoe enjoyed doing many activities with Owner Linnea, including running, basketball and the like. Lost to the Mississippi River Saturday, September 16th, 2006. Last seen by Owner Linnea on dock on Raspberry Island, disappearance shrouded in mystery: may have have involved wind or dog while Owner Linnea was out on River. Survived by fraternal twin, Right (Nike) Tennis Shoe.


...


Right Nike Tennis Shoe (1998-2006)

Tennis Shoe, Nike, age 8, no longer beloved by Owner, Linnea. Formerly used extensively on her right foot for many activities, including running, basketball and rowing. Preceded in death by Left (Nike) Tennis Shoe. Survived by Right (Newer) Nike Tennis Shoe and Left (Now Old) Nike Tennis Shoe. Euthanized Tuesday, September 19th, 2006 due to old age and uselessness.

Devil's in the (Dry) Details

Any book that has the following quote on the front flap is a book that I must purchase - and soon:

Happiness is "an agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another."
--Ambrose Bierce, The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary

I've always found myself getting lost when I look words up in dictionaries - the real kind of dictionary, not the fake online version I find myself frequenting so oft as of late where you cannot page through beautiful words to your heart's content - and now that I will be able to find humor there, too, will I ever read anything else?

I do wonder, though: will these words count in Scrabble?

Craig, the Columnist

I usually enjoy Craig Westover's column, but I especially enjoyed his column on Pluto and local Politicos from a lil' while ago. My favorite quote happens to be "from" the DFL Party Chairman, Brian Melendez.

DFL Chair Brian Melendez demanded (to no one in particular) that the designation "dwarf planet" be changed to "orbitally challenged." He blasted the Bush administration for not doing enough to correct Pluto's orbit while it promoted the interests of "Big Planets" on the backs of planets without color.

I have to admit that the entire column is rather satirically accurate on all parties and their persuasions.

Happy Primary Voting today, everyone.

7/16"

I won a wrench on Saturday. It's a jolly good little wrench, too.

I rowed the 2006 Pike Island Challenge on Saturday morning. Foul weather: upper 40s when i awoke, winds whipping up the Mississippi. But it was fun.

Why I love the Minnesota State Fair

For those of you who know what a freak I am when it comes to eating at the State Fair, and yet have no idea why, here's a small taste from one of our local paper's writers...

Sign you are bored at work: You play Boggle online

Signs you play too much Boggle at work:

1. You log in and out just so you can creatively change your Boggle name.
2. You log onto the Boggle board on Saturday mornings at home, just to see if the same people who play the rest of the week boggle on weekends.
3. You try to use the words (that you could have sworn were made up) in a sentence - without looking up the definitions.
4. You recruit selected co-workers who have large vocabularies.
5. You figure out how to play with your co-workers as a team, each at your own computer.
6. You say, "We need to find fresh blood," to which your co-worker in all seriousness responds, "Fresh blood? I didn't find 'freshblood' on the board."

Furniture-less?

Over the weekend, my roommate decided we needed to furnish our apt, at least to the point that it looks like someone resides there. So, to IKEA she went. I am still holding out on IKEA, and hope not to go anytime soon. But I am great helping put the quasi-furniture together. I have helped a couple times with IKEA build-your-own furniture - just as long as I don't have to actually step foot in IKEA for the first or last time, I'm okay with that. When working with IKEA furniture, I always feel like I'm five years old again, playing carpenter. All that's missing is the toolbelt with the plastic hammer. At any rate, we had fun putting the place together, and now our apartment looks completely different than it did a week ago. I mean, completely different. We hung curtains and pictures, assembled and arranged said furniture, placed lamps, the whole bit.

Last night began my membership with the Minnesota Boat Club. It was wonderful. I learned to scull in a quad, and have to admit, it was a lot of fun. I heard one of the team say we'd gone over 7 miles. Not bad, when you've never handled two oars at a time, if I do say so myself. The only problem is now my hands are blistered and swollen, and I'm supposed to play an orchestra concert in Minnetonka tonight. We'll see how that goes...

Twins v. Indians

My friend Ben Monshor was here for a couple days, and we managed to catch two of the three games in the Twins-Indians series. Fun was had by all, Twins memorabilia was purchased by yours truly, and the cotton candy was great. Mauer played, Morneau hit a homerun. Need I say more? The only thing missing was one more runner in Cuddyer's three run homer on Wednesday night. Wednesday night, Twins won; yesterday, Indians won. I am thankful, though, the Twins also won Tuesday night, so they won the series and my competitive pride was appeased (though the sweep woulda been better). Sorry, Ben. Looks like your Cleveland Indians are pretty much outta luck this season, but I've still got hopes for my boys, those Minnesota Twins....

Pics from the Parents - Ice & Water in AK

Worthington Glacier

Bridal Veil Falls

Pics from the Parents - Alaska

My Dad

Skagway, Alaska

Mount McKinley

Somewhere near the Kenai River

This one is in the neighborhood of Homer, Hope, or Iliamna, but not sure where

Pics from the 'Rents - Hope, Portage, Whittier, Anchorage

Pics from the Parental Units - Canada

As some of you know, my parents are on their retirement vacation. In July, they wandered through Canada on their way to Alaska. Here are a few pics of their Canadian voyage, including Banff, Lake Louise and Yoho Falls.

Row, row, row your boat

I have officially fallen in love...with rowing. I finished my class on learning to row on Saturday, and here I now stand (er, sit), blistered, tanned, biceped and very, very happy. OK, so I have more blisters than tan or biceps, but those, too, will come.

From the moment I started, I wandered around the Minnesota Boat Club on Raspberry Island in St. Paul with a silly grin on my face. This sport is for me, and I knew it before I even got on the water. Once we did get on the water, there were moments of sheer joy to go along with pangs of frustration. The pleasure of sweeping your oar through the water and taking a full stroke completely in sync with everyone else, though, far outweighs any of the bad - catching a crab with the blade, getting a finger crushed between the side of the shell and the oar, constantly balancing the height of the oar, wreaking havoc with the ergs (rowing machines) to starting out on the "Barge" to struggling with "Tenacious" (my first 8+). I didn't fall in (for which I am extremely grateful - the Mississippi is nasty), nor did I drop my oar ("Rule 1: Never let go of your oar!"). I happily suffered through a rainy river rendezvous (which is why I now have a horrible cold), survived at stroke (setting pace for the rest of the crew members), attempted to relax while rowing ("You need to relax, Linnea!"), and enjoyed being on the water, all while having a blast, rain or shine, hot and hotter. I highly recommend it.

I've decided to join the club (the St. Paul club - there are others in the area), and at the encouragement of other members, I will attempt to race with other novices this fall. I'll continue with sweep rowing (one oar) for the next year or so, except tomorrow night, when I'm going to try sculling (two oars).

And even crazier? There are others out there like me...

Proving my point even further...

Thanks, Solem, for bringing this piece on NRO's The Corner to my attn:

Tuesday, July 25, 2006 California Dreaming -- Nightmare Version [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
The California senators (Boxer is doing the floor work today — Feinstein's under the weather is my understanding) have been focused on that would allow clergy members to take a kid to another state to have an abortion. So a pro-life guy watching the Senate debate these days has just made himself a clergyman. He e-mails:

Friends,This is to inform you that I am now "a member of the clergy," and therefore would be fully empowered to transport minors across state lines for abortions under the pending Feinstein Amendment. It took me about four minutes on the Internet to earn ordination by the Universal Life Church, the credentials of which are recognized by the states under various court decisions and so forth. (The Universal Life Church says that has only two tenets, these being "to promote freedom of religion and to do what is right.") ....

PS. The ordination didn't cost anything, but to get a nice glossy hard copy of the credentials I would have to pay. The Universal Life Church is headquartered in Modesto, California, so perhaps Sen. Feinstein is merely trying to drum up some business for a home state firm?

Parental Notification = Accountability

This just in from Senator Dianne Feinstein (unquestionably D-California) on the Parental Notification Abortion bill currently before the Senate that would prohibit taking a minor accross state lines to obtain an abortion:

"We should not criminalize the grandparents or clergy members to whom a teen in trouble might turn for help."

I find this highly fascinating. The story begins by stating, "Confidants like grandparents or ministers who help pregnant teens should be protected from prosecution under a bill headed for Senate passage that would punish anyone who takes girls across state lines to end their pregnancies, Democrats said today."

At first, it was the ministers bit that caught my eye. Who would go to a minister, and then expect him to take you across state lines to get an abortion? The majority of ministers are male, at least I think they still are. All minors seeking an abortion would inherently be female. Talk about uncomfortable...but that could just be me. I would generally tend to think of a clergyman as a person of last resort, not so much a confidant. True, I might confess to or confide in my minister, but I'd have to be pretty desperate to want him to take me across state lines (kinda reminds me of kidnapping). Further, I can't think of a single minister in any of the churches I've attended throughout childhood or adulthood who would recommend that an unmarried, minor girl get an abortion, let alone take her across state lines to get one. But then, some might call me a religious right-winger or something. Maybe I'm just putting my head in the proverbial sand, but I'd like to think that there are still ministers with consciences out there who are part of a major denomination that would actually recommend an unwed girl not get an abortion. Call me old-fashioned, I guess.

Then, the whole confidants part garnered my attention. The reason I suppose I find this so fascinating is because there seems to be some sort of warp going on in the minds of liberals. They are pushing for a strange breed of autonomous children in today's society. Although I have yet to see the word "emancipation" in any of these stories, I'd like to propose that that is what this is: an emancipation from accountability. Emancipation of a minor generally includes both the authority to make decisions on one's own behalf, but also carries with it the responsibilities and consequences of being an adult. I don't really see that being the trend amongst liberal thinkers.

Not to be harsh to those girls in abusive parent-child relationships, but I don't know that those situations are necessarily the catalyst prompting Ms. Feinstein to make comments like these. It seems to me that if you are seeking out a "confidant" you are seeking out someone who will more than likely take your side in matters.

Maybe the use of the word "confidant" in the story was simply for lack of a better term, and maybe I'm not using the correct meaning. Maybe I'm appalled at the thought of circumventing normal channels of authority because I had and still have a good relationship with my parents. Maybe it's because I didn't engage in activities that would cause me to be in a similar situation of unwed, teenage pregnancy. Either way - whether it was because I had the decent relationship with my parents or because they laid a foundation down with me not to engage in such behavior in the first place - they were still the authority figures most prominent in my life. Even when I didn't want to deal with them, they were there, laying down the law for me when I was still a minor. I was still accountable to them, and couldn't just choose those authorities who agreed with me.

This story confirms for me that liberals want to give children all the authority in the world when it comes to making adult decisions - premarital sex, abortions, etc. - but do not want them to have to take responsibility for their actions when they then do make adult decisions and there are consequences (let's not make them humbly go to their parents to let them know what they've gotten themselves into; let's not try them as adults for their crimes; and to go off into a different tangent, heaven forbid we mention capital punishment when they off an innocent person, as it was in Roper v. Simmons. And if you think it was not cold-blooded murder, read the first couple of pages of the opinion delivered by Justice Stevens describing the facts of the crime). The first step towards allowing them to make adult decisions is to get rid of parents and the role they play as rulemakers in their lives.

And here we are today, with Ms. Feinstein decreeing that a child should be allowed to go to a confidant in order to take the life of her unborn child. What's next? Expanding the definition of "confidant" to include anyone the child chooses? Mandating that ministers must take these girls to receive their abortions?

Quote of the Tricentennial

"If the present Congress errs in too much talking, how can it be otherwise in a body to which the people send 150 lawyers, whose trade it is to question everything, yield nothing, & talk by the hour?"

Thomas Jefferson said this. Amazing how accurate it still is, isn't it?

How will I ever get the energy to go to work all of next week?

Ah, the 4th of July.

This week has been great. Any week you only have to show up to work for a mere 2.5 days is great. I had Monday and Tuesday off, and since I'm on summer hours and only work half days on Fridays, I had a 2 1/2 day work week. Next week will be challenging. To show up for a full 40 hours? Oh, so challenging.

On Monday, the 3rd, I continued my quest to sit on as many patios and decks as possible. I sat out by a pool, so does that count as a kind of patio? And then later in the evening, I sat on a deck at Maynard's on Lake Minnetonka, and that definitely counts. Good times with friends.

On Tuesday, the 4th, I went out with my small group to go canoeing down the St. Croix up by Taylors Falls. It was great - paddling, eating, playing ultimate frisbee on a football-field-sized sand bar? It was a very relaxing day in gorgeous weather. Unfortunately, there was a drowning (no one in our group, thankfully) that day at the place where we all pulled out of the river, and it made me realize that God really is in control. He created this gorgeous river and wildlife, but our lives in His creation are fleeting.

BBQ. Grilling out is such an American thing to do, and it's one of my favorites. However, I can honestly say this is the first time I've had the venison version of a brat. It was pretty good.

And then on to fireworks - both the "fake" kind (sparklers on the way to the real ones), and the real kind (in Stillwater, MN, over the St. Croix River closer to the Twin Cities). We discovered that using night shot on a digital camera while writing things in the air with sparklers can be quite fun: as in, how many letters can we actually get to show up in the picture? We were up to three when we ran out of sparklers.

Also, if you've ever wondered if you can walk through a drive-thru, well, I'm here to tell you, you can! DQ was in order after fireworks, and only the drive thru was open after 11pm, and since several of us didn't want to sit in the car any longer, I suggested we walk through. They served us quite nicely, and the cars behind us seemed to be amused by the whole affair.

And now I'm housesitting at the 'rents where I've been since yesterday afternoon, and life is good. I'm happy to have so much sunshine and hot weather, but I suppose a little rain every now and then wouldn't hurt. 'Cause now I'm forced to water my mother's outdoor plants. For those relatives who read this blog, I spoke with my parents earlier today, and they're doing well. They thoroughly enjoyed the Calgary Stampede yesterday, and have plenty of exciting adventures coming up soon.

It's the 4th of July; I should probably take down the Easter decorations....

i.e., the Easter poll.

Our favorite Easter candy:

Jelly Beans, with 47% of the vote.

To further induce a sugar coma, we like:
Malted Milk Eggs (29%)
Cadbury Eggs (11%)
Peeps (5%)

And one person cannot eat sugar (5%), probably because of a previous sugar coma from Valentine's Day or even Christmas. (I should hope that the tryptophan from the Thanksgiving Turkey has worn off by Easter.)

June is already over?

I can't believe it's already July!

I have a 4.5 day weekend, and I must confess, I'm liking this. I can see the nightly "Taste of MN" fireworks in downtown St. Paul from my apartment windows (no mosquitoes!). Plenty of grilling, sunshine and friends. I'd say "family", too, but just yesterday, I sent my parents off to Alaska for two months. They are off on their dream vacation, celebrating retirement and uh, wildlife, or something. I hope they have a great time, and I pray that they are safe for these two months of travelling.

My goal this summer is to sit on as many patios and decks as possible. At restaurants, particularly. So far, so good. We've been having nice weather, and there are a lot of restaurants in St. Paul and Minneapolis from which to choose, so I think this is a fairly attainable goal.

I've also decided to take up a new sport this summer, as has become my tradition. Three summers makes a tradition, right? Two years ago, golf. 2005, tennis. This summer, rowing. Indeed: I said rowing. I have joined a crew team, and we begin at the end of this month. Now, my hope is that finally I will take up a new sport, be really good at it, and keep it up more than one year so I don't just dump things in my trunk and never use them again (such as a tennis racquet. I don't really carry around golf clubs in my car, but that might be a good idea...the clanking of clubs every time I brake my car might be a reminder to use them more often). And then that might be the end of this "tradition" of taking up something new every year because I'd actually be busy doing the things I've already "learned" to do. Maybe. It's kind of fun to try new things. I'll keep you posted on the rowing adventure, and I am already fervently praying that I don't end up in the Mississippi River, 'cause it's rather dirty and gross. Oh, and there's a really big current, and it's fairly cold, but really I just don't want to get dirty and gross (at least not from the river; I'm sure there'll be sweat involved with the rowing part).

Work and goings-on thereat

Last week, I found this news story, shared it with co-workers. This led to a great conversation, slightly juvenile, and this website which had this game on it.

I'd say "Who comes up with these things?!" but since we know the answer to the next question ("who's stupid enough to sit online and find these things?"), I won't ask the obvious.

Can we tell it's the interim?

And people wonder why we don't like Mondays...

I've been waiting to see if any of my mornings this week will rival my Monday. Thus far, Monday's way ahead.

It began with me at my parents' house (spent the afternoon and evening with the parents for Father's Day, and just stayed over), and the congregation of an entire suburb's wildlife in their backyard, right outside my window at 2am. I cannot believe the chattering those nocturnal creatures can do, the noise they make, and the sleep they take from people who desperately need it, like me.

I then went to the dentist and had the world's chattiest hygienist - who I love, don't get me wrong - happily wile away an hour cleaning my teeth and doing strange things like checking my tongue for cancer. (Never had that one before. Apparently your dentist is the most likely person to discover cancer in your mouth since no one ever thinks to ask the doctor to check there when getting a routine physical done. The things you learn!) I suppose it could've been worse - I didn't have any cavities or anything.

I stopped at the store to pick up a few items with life-sustaining qualities (i.e., food), when in line, the slightly older gentleman next to me leaned over and said, "I'm tall and thin, too. Isn't it great?" I have to admit I laughed at the bizarreness of the comment...

Upon driving away, I then noticed a storefront in a strip mall that quite literally had me turning my head in awe three times to make sure I'd read the sign right. There, smack dab in the middle of a suburbiaville strip mall was a store named "Coffins and More". Um, excuse me? Who would go purchase a coffin in a strip mall, and what constitutes the "More"???

Shortly thereafter, I spilled coffee all over myself.

All of this before 9am. The rest of my mornings this week have been downright dull by comparison.

Memorial Day Musings

Happy Memorial Day, everyone. Since I started working for the state, I feel a little more patriotic than usual. This is a good thing. I went to visit my grandparents' graves at Fort Snelling on Saturday - it's quite a sight to see all of those markers signifying people buried there who have given service to our country. The white stone, green grass and US flags everywhere does make me very thankful, and even a bit proud.

For the first time in years (surely it must be years, but maybe my memory is not that great), it has been warm and sunny all weekend long- so far. I've heard there's a chance of showers this afternoon (bah!), but that's typical for Minnesotans and this late May holiday. What is atypical is the heat. It's been in the 90s & humid every day now for about 3 days, with temps going back up there today. I can't remember the last time it's been 89 degrees at 11pm on Memorial Weekend Sunday - has it ever? It's fantastic.

Since Session ended last week, I've been trying to catch up on sleep, catch up on work, and catch up with friends. Let's just say I'm doing a pretty good job on the latter. The two former are suffering just a bit. The work will still be there when I get back to the office this week and the sleep can never be recaptured anyway, so I might as well see my friends while they still remember me. Lots of parties and BBQs and the like makes for a very happy LinnEy.

Awareness weeks

When I heard that it was "National Dog Bite Prevention Week," I realized there really is a week for everything.

It is 1am on Sunday morning. Do you know where your child is?

Mom: No need to worry. I am at work.

WORK Virus

There is a dangerous virus being passed electronically, orally and by hand. This virus is called Worm-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK).

If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss or anyone else via any means - DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely. If you should come into contact with WORK put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest pub. Purchase the antidote known as Work-Isolator-Neutralizer-Extractor (WINE).

UPDATE: After extensive testing it has been concluded that Best-Equivalent-Extractor-Remedy (BEER) may be substituted for WINE but may require a more generous application. If you are receiving this message, I have already been seriously infected. You know where to find me.

You know you need to go on vacation when....

....the sound your dishwasher makes reminds you of Cape Cod.

This morning, my roommate started the dishwasher. Neither of us have been eating at home that much lately (I've been working late a lot these days, and I think she has, too), so it was shocking there were dishes to wash in the first place. Secondly, it was the sound of the water wand thing hitting a pot in there that sounded like the bells that are on the buoys out on the Cape. This caused me to pause. I couldn't figure out from where the sound was coming. Could there be a church around us that suddenly decided to start ringing their bells before 7am? And they sounded so strange. It was that clanging sound that I associate with Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard - you know the one. Think buoys and seafood and all things oceanic.

Then it dawned on me that it was the dishwasher. And that I really need a vacation. (Preferably back to Nantucket, but anywhere on the coast will do...)

Rainbow Brite

Our work softball team played last night against a team called the "Brokeback Ballers." I kid you not. The rain clouds were threatening again, and a rainbow appeared in the east. Unfortunately for the Brokeback Ballers, the rainbow was not there as a sign that they would win; further, the rain clouds didn't save them with a washout, either, and we managed to get our game in before it started to pour. At the fourth inning, when our team got up to 15 runs (to their 0), the ump made use of the 10 run rule; the Brokebackers scored two runs in our last inning of the night, and the ump called the game in our favor.

More Proof of Global Warming

Slightly sunny, with a chance of work

Hi, long-lost readers. I have been working a lot lately as session winds to a close for the year. But I don't think we're at the winding down part yet - we're still somewhere around fevered pitch, but you might not knowing if you were watching what's been going on here in the state of Minny. It has definitely been enjoyable - stadia, budget bills gone awry, etc., etc.

Last week our softball game got rained out, but this week we played in the rain. (With lightning noticeable to "the left" as some may be aware.) I guess they thought the rain itself doesn't matter, it all has to do with how muddy the field is or will get. Last week, it rained the three days prior to the game; this week, only one or so. The fields were not saturated enough on Monday to keep us away, nor from keeping pretty much every single guy on our team from diving into the mud for something-or-other - a base, a fly-ball, whatever. We girls are just too lazy for that. Good news is that we won again, and now we are 2-0.

My roommate, Kari, is gradumatating today from college; I am very happy for her as she says "B*bye" to the good ol' U of M. (As in University of Minnesota to all of you out there who do not realize U of M only refers to U of MN in my mind - and the minds of pretty much every one else who counts. I kid, I kid! Barely.) Congratulations, Kari! Best wishes for success in your new career, which you thankfully start in a week. I'm glad I won't be carrying us on the rent in the near future, and I know you'll be even happier to say "goodbye" to your current part-time job than you are to saying "B*bye" to the U of M.

weekend wanderings

Every week or two, I go home to my parents' place for dinner on Friday night. I usually think, "Oh, I'll just spend Friday night over there, and then go home Saturday." Inevitably, I find myself still here on Sunday mornings, usually with odd combinations of clothing to wear to church (since I don't really have much left here). I hate to admit it, but I'd probably stay until Sunday night, only I have orchestra rehearsal on Sunday evenings, and I never have my violin with me. Alas, I must go home to fetch it.

Such is the case this weekend. I'm about to wander off to church in a pair of rather ratty khaki pants now.

This week, we started softball. We won our first game - but froze in the process. After being spoiled with 70-degree weather for days and days on end, it got really cold and windy, just in time for our big opener on Monday night. I've never shivered so much like a chihuahua before in my life - freezing! But we won, and the Senators are off to a rousing good start.

And now I have become completely enthralled with Vince Flynn. Started Term Limits a couple days ago, and really have had a hard time putting it down. I'm about halfway through now, and can't wait to finish it...

Finally: Poll Results & New Poll

OK, so the 'Lympics have been over for a month and a half, so it's about time I changed the poll.

Plans to Watch Olympics Coverage:
The clear winner, with 46% of the votes, was to watch between 26 and 75 hours of coverage.
33% opted for 1-25 hours of coverage, 13% voted for watching 0 hours of coverage (you unpatriotic, anti-sports people!), and a mere 6% (which in reality was just one person) decided to spend 76-150 hours as a couch potato watching the athletic competition on NBC. No one decided to spend all their waking hours glued to the tv watching skiiers, sledders and skaters do their things (151-418 hours).

New Poll: Easter Candy

You all should know by now how addicted I am to candy. Therefore, Easter is a favorite of mine....mmmmm. Think of all the jelly beans, Cadbury eggs, malted milk ball concoctions and Peeps there are to be had. Starburst jelly beans are such a great innovation in jelly bean technology. And am I the only on who used to think Cadbury eggs were just huge when I was a kid? Have they gotten smaller, or have I only gotten bigger? maybe it's a combo of the two... Finally, on the proper way to eat Peeps: one must age them properly by slitting the package and letting them breathe for a day or two so that they're all soft on the inside and a little crunchy with all that beautiful sugar on the outside.

Hmmmm. Probably not making many friends with this little rave of sugar I've got going, so on to the poll question:

What is your favorite Easter candy? I added "none" to the answer list, but for the reason that it must be due to allergies. Please indulge me. I'd like to think everyone enjoys Easter candy, so even if you don't, please vote, but let me at least think it's because you can't eat it rather than won't eat it.

Holidays should be taken off...

Hello, and Happy Easter.

I had Good Friday off yesterday, and it was the first day in a month or two I've been allowed a day off (alas, no vacay during session). I started out my mini-holiday right by going to Maundy Thursday service at church on Thursday evening, and then slept in 'til nearly 10 yesterday. It was wonderful, that's all i can say. A quick run by the river - my first in downtown St. Paul - and my morning was complete in our sunny, 70-something-degree weather.

Went into "the studio" to record last night. A guy from our church was doing a recording of a string quartet, and he asked me to participate. I've never done any recording like that before, so it was all new to me (and a lot of fun).

And I've decided my next adventure will be the co-ed work softball team - we of the St. Paul Senators are bound to rule the league, I'm sure. (Maybe.)

Happy Easter! He is Risen: He is risen, indeed.

March and the Madness Thereof

Well, I figured this evening I would have to post, just so you all know that I was alive and kicking during the month of March.

This month has flown by, mainly because of my job. Long hours, crazy bills, debates on how best to spend taxpayer $$$, marriage rallying, all of it. Oh, and an ethical scandal thrown in for good measure. It's been a lot of fun the past month (though because of those long hours, it really feels like four or five months since the MN Senate began session).

I participated in a couple of pools for NCAA March Madness. I went down in flames. However, I really can't say that I care, quite simply because Duke and Connecticut lost, and therefore, it's all good.

My Bible study is over as of this week, and now I won't know what to do with myself on Thursday evenings until fall. I loved every moment of the first Precept class on John, and then the one I just finished was on Joseph. It's amazing how God reveals new things to you each and every time you read through a book, chapter, verse. I'm really looking forward to the second Precept class on John in September....

Also finished the belly dancing class. I have to admit: getting, oh, 25 or so white women of Scandanavian descent (with one nice African American lady who just laughed at us) into the same room trying to actually move in some fashion other than walking tended to be quite hilarious. Laughing was almost as much of a workout as the actual attempts to dance. To be sure, I don't think this will become my next career, but Emily and I had a great time doing it.

There's only a couple more weeks until Easter, and I'm looking forward to it - I love playing the Maundy Thursday service at church. And, too, I'll probably get a day off in Good Friday (crossing my fingers no floor session or committee meetings get called, but so far,so good.)

Thursday's Pics Picks

Here I am, taking the WI oath in the MN Supreme Court chamber...














When in Rome...pick up the new MN Supreme Court Chief Justice's gavel.

Moving

Hi, all. I'm not really sure if you've wondered where I've been or what I'm doing, but I'll tell you anyway.

I'm moving today! Packin' up the stuff, signing a lease this afternoon, and moving on down the road a bit so I'll be closer to work in St. Paul. Exciting stuff, huh?

I got sworn in this week for my WI license (finally got around to it). I have pics from my experience of getting sworn in at the MN Supreme Court chamber, and I'll try to get them up shortly. I must say, it was rather handy to get sworn in at the Supreme Court - it's across the street from where I work, and I didn't even have to go outside to get there, thanks to the tunnel system. I had a little entourage, including my own State Senator - he was bored in between appointments and came along with some other people from the office.

I'm playing a lot this weekend - church services and an orchestra concert. Have to admit, I love playing Carnival of the Animals by Saint Saens and Borodine's First Symphony. Fun stuff. The only thing I cannot fathom is how/why the church and orchestra dates always overlap. There are plenty of other dates from which they can choose, but no. They always coincide.

Anyway, that's about it for now. Session starts on Wednesday, so don't expect to hear a lot from me the next few months...

To which party do you belong?

OK, I'll admit it. I work in politics. And I get a lot of political jokes sent my direction. Prior to working for the legislature, I never used to pass them along that often, and even occasionally wondered if there was some exxageration to them. I will tell you now that, scarily, these things are not always blown out of proportion: sometimes they just so accurately display the mindset of many a politician. Like the following, for instance:

A Republican in a wheelchair entered a restaurant one afternoon and asked the waitress for a cup of coffee. The Republican looked across the restaurant and asked, "Is that Jesus sitting over there?" The waitress nodded "yes," so the Republican requested that she give Jesus a cup of coffee, on him. The next patron to come in was a Libertarian with a hunched back. He shuffled over to a booth, painfully sat down, and asked the waitress for a cup of hot tea. He also glanced across the restaurant and asked, "Is that Jesus over there?" The waitress nodded, so the Libertarian asked her to give Jesus a cup of hot tea, "My treat." The third patron to come into the restaurant was a Democrat on crutches. He hobbled over to a booth, sat down and hollered, "Hey there, honey! How's about gettin' me a cold glass of Miller Light!" He, too, looked across the restaurant and asked, "Is that God's boy over there?" The waitress once more nodded, so the Democrat directed her to give Jesus a cold glass of beer. "On my bill," he said. As Jesus got up to leave, he passed by the Republican, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed." The Republican felt the strength come back into his legs, got up, and danced a jig out the door. Jesus also passed by the Libertarian, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed." The Libertarian felt his back straightening up, and he raised his hands, praised the Lord and did a series of back flips out the door. Then Jesus walked towards the Democrat. The Democrat jumped up and yelled, "Don't touch me! I'm collecting disability."

These'll make you think twice about driving a motorcycle 250kph

Ok, so it's official my Dad works in the insr biz when i get pics like these. But they do cause one to pause before driving recklessly. The following accompanied the photographs I received:

A picture is worth a thousand words.
The Honda rider was traveling at such a "very high speed", his reaction time was not sufficient enough to avoid this accident. Swedish Police estimate a speed of ~250 KM/h (155mph) before the bike hit the slow moving car side-on at an intersection. At that speed, they predicted that the rider's reaction time (once the vehicle came into view) wasn't sufficient enough for him to even apply the brakes. The car had two passengers and the bike rider was found INSIDE the car with them. The Volkswagen actually flipped over from the force of impact and landed 10 feet from where the collision took place.
All three involved (two in car and rider) were killed instantly. This graphic demonstration was placed at the Stockholm Motorcycle Fair by the Swedish Police and Road Safety Department. The sign above the display also noted that the rider had only recently obtained his license.
At 250 KM (155 mph) the operator is traveling at 227 feet per second. With normal reaction time to SEE-DECIDE-REACT of 1.6 seconds the above operator would have traveled over 363 feet (21 yards more than the length of a football field) while making a decision on what actions to take. In this incident the Swedish police indicate that no actions were taken.

On Churches, second stab at 'em

Remember that post I had a while back about churches and their trends? And churches changing their names, catering to the masses (*cough*cough* pandering *cough*)? Well, let's add mega churches to the list of things that confound me because this is a kind of confirmation...

Soap: something scary?

There is something at work that is cause for concern. Basically, there is a very nicely appointed, public women's restroom in my office building. What concerns me is that there is a very nice old sink and countertop, and under the soap dispenser, there is a small divot. Now, it does make me wonder: what do they have in this soap that is causing a hole to form in the countertop? Maybe I shouldn't be using it...Or maybe the countertop is made of soapstone, and the erosion is more, uh, natural.

Munich

I saw the movie Munich on Friday night, and I can see why it was nominated for an Academy Award. I liked it for the most part, and it now makes me curious to know how much liberty the screenwriters took with the actual events...It was definitely thought-provoking, and messages were definitely there, but subtle. (And I was tired enough on Friday after a long day to probably not have picked up on all of them.) To me, because I'd never thought that hard about the Munich Olympics, it definitely put a different perspective on the accounts of the Old Testament and the warring between Israelis and Arabs.

Wally and the trade

It was with a great sigh of sadness last week that the women of Minnesota learned that the best-looking white man in the NBA was going to Boston. We will miss Wally Szczerbiak very much. Good luck to his wife fending off female fans in Boston.

But the question remains, was it worth it? I understand that a team can have a bad season, but c'mon! The Timberpuppies are still that - acting like they'll forever be the new kids on the block, even though the franchise has been around since '89 and KG is in his, what, 10th season? They should be putting up results, and not squandering draft picks, players and coaches in bad trades and bad business decisions. I even don't mind trading Wally if it would gain something in return, but will Ricky actually get us better results? Will KG get along with these guys better than Wally; will team chemistry click this time 'round? The Timberwolves have gotten rid of a good coach that pretty much everyone liked (Flip - and Chauncey Billups - seem to be doing okay in Detroit; they're 39-6, after all), and Glen Taylor is still touting his VP in Kevin McHale, but I'll believe the goods when I see 'em. And, oh, do I hope I see them! I love KG, and I'm a diehard Minnesota fan. I'll remain so. But I'd like to see the T'Wolves (not to even mention the Vikes) do well in my lifetime.

Liberty, or something akin to it

This week I was greeted by the Statue of Liberty. This was somewhat surprising since i am nowhere near New York. It really takes someone special, marching to his own beat (though he was drumless), to dress up in full green Statue regalia and greet people in below-freezing weather. There he was, in all the glory of Liberty's crown and gown, meeting and greeting people on the side of the road as we drove past [him?] in rush hour traffic. I assume his message was one of liberty, but it was kind of hard to tell exactly what the symbolic nature of his waving meant: he had no sign, nor was he speaking out loud. But it definitely put a smile on my face at the end of a long day to put my own message on it (which might have been the point), that someone would care enough about our liberty to remind us of it on a cold day in an unusual way.

Time to Celebrate....

Happy Birthday to my good friend, Kari(licious)!

(OK, I know it was a balmy 45 degrees here in the Twin Cities today, but not this warm...Although the St. Paul Winter Carnival ice sculptures were melting almost fast enough to look like these fountains. This pic of the two of us is from a road trip to the Windy City...Good times, just like your surprise party tonight was.)

a quick note to the world

I am still surviving - for once I might not get the entire cold. I'm still on the borderline, though, so I hope I don't tip over the edge...

OK, so am I strange? Undoubtedly. I hate racking up miles on my car, but if one must do so in order to get anywhere, shouldn't you find what little joy there is in racking up said miles? (I mean, besides the driving itself, of course, which is an entirely different story.) So, lately I've been enjoying watching my car's odometer wander through the 60K range. For example, it brought be great amusement to notice that my car was on 65656 miles yesterda. I can't wait until 66666 just to see if I have a really horrible day...

Speaking of driving to work (which is really the only place I go), I'm looking at shortening my drive time. I'm apartment searching with my future roommate Kari. It's been interesting thus far. I'll keep you posted, but I will definitely be watching the miles on my car flip more slowly when I'm done...

Since I'm on the subject of work, I announce to you that I like my job with the MN Senate. It's been great, and I'm looking forward to when session actually starts and things get really crazy. I have the feeling I'll find it immensely fun and entertaining (in between severe bouts of stress?).

And since so many of these things are converging at once (Senate session starts March 1st here in the land of Minny, and I'll be moving into the new place pretty much the same time), my life will get exciting very fast. Look for updates on my sanity at a later date.

Finally, readers, I am looking forward to beginning a new class this evening. I leave it to you to guess, but it is in the fitness realm, involves dance-like movement, and requires those finger cymbals I got as a gag gift several years ago...

Poll Results: New Year's Resolutions

"Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." ---Mark Twain

Results:
45% make them, but don't bother to keep them (see quote above)
27% each for making/keeping them (oh, you goody-goodies out there) and not making/keeping them (pessimists)

And so ends the New Year's 2006 Resolutions poll.

New Poll: Olympics on TV

The Winter Olympics are shortly upon us, and I was just curious: how many hours of televised Olympics coverage do you plan to watch beginning February 10th? All 418 (yes, that's 418 now, not 416), 0, or somewhere in between? Before you glue yourself to your couch to watch the Games, take a guess & vote (and then after they're over, see how close you were in your prediction).

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Surely that phrase must refer to the common cold. Only this thing that I've been trying not to get doesn't seem very common. It's felling many people in these parts, both great and small.

Have you ever just known that you were coming down with something, and then tried to ward it off? Popped vitamins like candy, gone to bed early, guzzled orange juice like it was going out of style? Hmmm. I have. To no avail, of course. And yet, hope persists.

Since Friday evening, I have just known I was going to get this awful cold (that members of my family and several co-workers have). I have had all the classic symptoms (scratchy throat, stuffed nose, headache), and yet it hasn't reached the boiling point thus far. So I snoozed the weekend away and drank lots of OJ because I somehow think that by doing so I won't get the whole enchilada. do I really think that'll work? No, not really; I don't remember it ever working before. but so far, so good. I guess I'm still in the hopeful/denial stage.

I'll let you know how that works out for me.

Quote of the moment

"More than once...I've turned to Howard Dean in desperation, looking for material. On a slow news day, when the usual sources of outrage and farce are tapped dry, Dean is always there: a bottomless well of almost unbelievable quotes. He's as reliable as taxes, and far more amusing. The average 10-minute Howard Dean interview contains more headlines than a month of the Congressional Record. For a journalist on deadline, Howard Dean is like Santa." ---Tucker Carlson

The crazies are emerging....

...it must be an election year.

So, if you thought Jesse Ventura was insane enough as guv, well, you haven't seen the latest in the line of psychos who want to rule MN. check out this guy. Yes, folks, the Impaler is planning on tossing his hat in the crazy world of the MN gubernatorial campaign this year.

(I doubt he'll go far. True 'nough, I didn't think Jesse would win, either, but this time I think I'm right. Jesse didn't make his "religion is a crutch" or other off-the-wall speeches until after he won. My question is for this guy's wife, Julie: did she know what she was getting into when she married him?)

Quote of the moment

"Variety reported a disappointing Christmas box office Tuesday. Hollywood can only blame itself. When the plot lines include girl meets ape, two gay cowboys, and a singing and dancing Hitler, the Red States are just grateful to have football." ---Argus Hamilton

***And boy, what a game the other night!***

Mouse thrown into fire sets home ablaze

From the "Oddly Enough" category of the St. Paul Pioneer Press...

Mouse thrown into fire sets home ablaze
Associated Press

FORT SUMNER, N.M. - A mouse got its revenge against a homeowner who tried to dispose of it in a pile of burning leaves. The blazing creature ran back to the man's house and set it on fire. Luciano Mares, 81, of Fort Sumner said he caught the mouse inside his house and wanted to get rid of it.
"I had some leaves burning outside, so I threw it in the fire, and the mouse was on fire and ran back at the house," Mares said from a motel room Saturday.
Village Fire Chief Juan Chavez said the burning mouse ran to just beneath a window, and the flames spread up from there and throughout the house.
No was hurt inside, but the home and everything in it was destroyed.
Unseasonably dry and windy conditions have charred more than 53,000 acres and destroyed 10 homes in southeastern New Mexico in recent weeks.
"I've seen numerous house fires," village Fire Department Capt. Jim Lyssy said, "but nothing as unique as this one."

Eating Oddities

Today I went out to lunch with a couple of friends, and I must confess to choosing my entree based on the fact that it involved "Drunken Goat Cheese."

(It was really good, both in taste and conversation opportunities.)

first day

I started the new job today. I think this'll be a good year.

My only "complaint" is really not a complaint, but seems to be a universal issue: getting used to a new mouse. I always have difficulty getting used to the little critter, and today was no different. It takes weeks for me to remember the feel of the new one (especially when I still use the "old" one here at home). Here, I have this great mouse that has those handy-dandy back and forward buttons on it. Wanna go back a page on the internet? Just click it with your right thumb. Forward? Flick your ring finger. I do it all the time. Well, the new mouse at the office doesn't have that. I kept trying to click a phantom button all day long. But it does have the scroller, so I'm very happy it's not totally different. That might've taken me months to adjust!

And then there were all the other exciting things, like getting my ID badge (in which I look like an idiot, but then so does everyone else in theirs, right?), and dropping off my paperwork, and picking up my parking permit, and all sorts of fun stuff.

January 1st, 2006

Happy New Year, all.

Happy birthday to my cousin, Rachel.