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...