We have finally put the finishing touches... scratch that- we skipped the finishing touches in order that we could be 90% done painting and organizing our library, formerly the room with all the unpacked boxes. The room's primary crimson/brick red colour is up, but the trim is absent like it is through most of the house.
Most importantly, we have a functioning library with most of our books/cds/dvds housed nicely on its shelves. No longer are the bookshelves lining our living room and bedroom (not that that was soooo bad, but it's just cool that they have a room of their own.) Anyway, that takes care of the last great pile of boxes, including some which had been packed since Duluth.
Idris has been great inspiration for the project, admonishing me when I wasn't finished and telling me I'm doing a great job while I'm working. He was most happy to have easy access to his puzzles and games, which have their own shelves.
8/31/07
8/21/07
Old Friends
This summer has been especially fruitful for meeting up with old friends unexpectedly. I met up with one at a wedding whilst another was getting married at said wedding, and another at Best Buy while working. I suppose that's 3 if you're counting, but that's enough of a coincidence if you consider that 2 had not met Idris or even Jenny. One I had only bumped into once or twice randomly since sophomore year of high school, the other once since... grade school I think.
Old friends always tell you something different about yourself, as you need to explain- to some extent- how you changed from being that guy to whatever you are now, plus describe whatever it is that you are now.
Oh, and... Did you share an inside joke back then? try not to use it more than twice in the same conversation. You don't want to seem DESPERATE to re-connect. After all, it was just a happy mistake.
Were you happy never to see them again? try not to make this obvious by saying something like: "I always liked to think you never did make it out of that broom closet/locker alive. It was a fun anecdote."
Had you really hoped to reconnect? it may be unseemly to describe how you scoured the yellow pages, searched Google (once it was invented) or hired that private detective.
Not that any of these scenarios applies to me (I did, after all, freely make this blogsite available to their eyes). Just some useful pointers for you, the reader at home.
Old friends always tell you something different about yourself, as you need to explain- to some extent- how you changed from being that guy to whatever you are now, plus describe whatever it is that you are now.
Oh, and... Did you share an inside joke back then? try not to use it more than twice in the same conversation. You don't want to seem DESPERATE to re-connect. After all, it was just a happy mistake.
Were you happy never to see them again? try not to make this obvious by saying something like: "I always liked to think you never did make it out of that broom closet/locker alive. It was a fun anecdote."
Had you really hoped to reconnect? it may be unseemly to describe how you scoured the yellow pages, searched Google (once it was invented) or hired that private detective.
Not that any of these scenarios applies to me (I did, after all, freely make this blogsite available to their eyes). Just some useful pointers for you, the reader at home.
8/17/07
Rain Storms
We've had a few tremendous rain storms the past week or two. It's amazing how my perspective has changed on violent storms in general. I remember the prolific hail storms we had in the spring of '98 and how much I enjoyed driving about in the surreal white-out. I knew the road would keep going straight for a stretch, figured most potential oncoming traffic would pull over in zero-visibility, and surged ahead a bit above the speed limit. I've always enjoyed violent rainstorms and the energy they send through nature.
Recently, though, when I see the early signs of 80 mph winds shoving trees around, I start to wonder what the cost of the storm will end up being. I get curious about how many trees we'll lose, whether we'll lose power, how long, and how we'll find a way to preserve $100-$200 of food we have in the refrigerator and freezer when the power goes (of course, if a tree falls on the house, that would be egregiously annoying).
Anyway, the last storm we had offered the nifty opportunity for me to enjoy the rain again. I was taking a walk downtown that night (11-ish?) and was just strolling on my way back through the secluded 5th Street route which crosses the park when the skies opened. I happened to be under the railroad bridge, in fact, and tried waiting it out for 15 minutes or so while trains rumbled overhead. It was nice, and there was absolutely no traffic (5th St. floods in a storm anyway). I decided there was no waiting it out and headed on into the rain. It took my awhile to find a decent path back to 7th Street to get home, and I pretty much got soaked from the moment I walked into the rain.
There were a few other pedestrians there, too, and Metro State continued to water its lawn throughout the deluge.
Very nice.
Recently, though, when I see the early signs of 80 mph winds shoving trees around, I start to wonder what the cost of the storm will end up being. I get curious about how many trees we'll lose, whether we'll lose power, how long, and how we'll find a way to preserve $100-$200 of food we have in the refrigerator and freezer when the power goes (of course, if a tree falls on the house, that would be egregiously annoying).
Anyway, the last storm we had offered the nifty opportunity for me to enjoy the rain again. I was taking a walk downtown that night (11-ish?) and was just strolling on my way back through the secluded 5th Street route which crosses the park when the skies opened. I happened to be under the railroad bridge, in fact, and tried waiting it out for 15 minutes or so while trains rumbled overhead. It was nice, and there was absolutely no traffic (5th St. floods in a storm anyway). I decided there was no waiting it out and headed on into the rain. It took my awhile to find a decent path back to 7th Street to get home, and I pretty much got soaked from the moment I walked into the rain.
There were a few other pedestrians there, too, and Metro State continued to water its lawn throughout the deluge.
Very nice.
8/7/07
A Note on the Fallen Bridge
I haven't really wanted to talk about the recent tragedy of the bridge collapse with people in general, but that partially just shows some remaining awkwardness in my conversation (or, quite simply, in my dealing with other people).
I'm always shocked when something tragic happens and it seems people want to talk about it either casually or salaciously (read: FOX news). It isn't true, though. Everyone has their way of dealing with things. Some people are callous about them... others do find that lots of discussion centered around an incident is therapeutic or gives it due attention per its gravity. Some people need to do different things to keep the weight of death from crushing their spirits. I suppose it's good I was 150 miles away and not needing to "confront" the issue (since there's precious little I could do to help, of course) so I could deal with things in my own way.
Anyway, it seems the human cost may not be nearly what they had estimated at first, and the first-hand victims were limited to single lanes of traffic. We can be grateful it wasn't much worse, at least.
I remember when I was younger and crossing a bridge was an extremely frightening experience for me. I suppose I envisioned a very similar experience to that which actually occurred.
I mostly hope right now that the incident doesn't lead to a lot of divisive finger-pointing and we can simply learn and rebuild as a community.
I'm always shocked when something tragic happens and it seems people want to talk about it either casually or salaciously (read: FOX news). It isn't true, though. Everyone has their way of dealing with things. Some people are callous about them... others do find that lots of discussion centered around an incident is therapeutic or gives it due attention per its gravity. Some people need to do different things to keep the weight of death from crushing their spirits. I suppose it's good I was 150 miles away and not needing to "confront" the issue (since there's precious little I could do to help, of course) so I could deal with things in my own way.
Anyway, it seems the human cost may not be nearly what they had estimated at first, and the first-hand victims were limited to single lanes of traffic. We can be grateful it wasn't much worse, at least.
I remember when I was younger and crossing a bridge was an extremely frightening experience for me. I suppose I envisioned a very similar experience to that which actually occurred.
I mostly hope right now that the incident doesn't lead to a lot of divisive finger-pointing and we can simply learn and rebuild as a community.
Back in St. Paul
We arrived back in STP just in time for a neighborhood block party we didn't feel like going to.
The "cabin" we stayed at was actually more like a loft apartment with a private beachfront on Lake Superior with the greatest skipping stones I have ever encountered littering the entire shoreline. I skipped so many stones so many times, so far and so high... An entry in the travel guide True North- highly recommended for connoisseurs of the North Shore such as myself- actually comments on the state of skip-worthy rocks on the public beach 2 miles south of our location.
We did hiking and picnicking and campfiring and other standard things which are enjoyable at such times. It was mostly great to relax and revisit the scenery of my brief college days and the first year of our marriage.
We also had the pleasure of introducing a friend to Duluth for his first time. Unfortunately, that was one of Duluth's 3 hot days this year, but the weather was otherwise extremely agreeable.
Oh, and I submerged in Lake Superior for possibly the first time ever (that may be untrue). The water is shockingly cold to the uninitiated, but really wasn't as life-threatening as I thought after I stopped dawdling and rolled under the mildly angry mid-day waves. No worse than a January morning in short sleeves.
I also availed myself the opportunity to do some reading and writing. I would- given the option- spend most every day with literature as I do on vacation, so it's nice to be able to do that once and awhile.
The "cabin" we stayed at was actually more like a loft apartment with a private beachfront on Lake Superior with the greatest skipping stones I have ever encountered littering the entire shoreline. I skipped so many stones so many times, so far and so high... An entry in the travel guide True North- highly recommended for connoisseurs of the North Shore such as myself- actually comments on the state of skip-worthy rocks on the public beach 2 miles south of our location.
We did hiking and picnicking and campfiring and other standard things which are enjoyable at such times. It was mostly great to relax and revisit the scenery of my brief college days and the first year of our marriage.
We also had the pleasure of introducing a friend to Duluth for his first time. Unfortunately, that was one of Duluth's 3 hot days this year, but the weather was otherwise extremely agreeable.
Oh, and I submerged in Lake Superior for possibly the first time ever (that may be untrue). The water is shockingly cold to the uninitiated, but really wasn't as life-threatening as I thought after I stopped dawdling and rolled under the mildly angry mid-day waves. No worse than a January morning in short sleeves.
I also availed myself the opportunity to do some reading and writing. I would- given the option- spend most every day with literature as I do on vacation, so it's nice to be able to do that once and awhile.
8/1/07
Going to Grand Marais
Tomarrow (actually, in 4 hours or so, when my wife wakes me up with my choice of European coffees and pastries and then drags me out of bed) we will be leaving on a trip to Duluth and up the North Shore to Grand Marais. Jenny's aunt and uncle have generously allowed us to use a cabin which is reportadly (that's not spelled right, is that a word?) just off Lake Superior, so we're looking forward to being away for a few days to a week.
If you need to get in touch with me, I don't know how good reception will be on my cell phone. Just keep dialing until I happen to be near the highway or a semi- civilized area. Oh yeah, and I got a new cell phone. The old one still works, but now is exclusively Jenny's, like it has been for a few years. Off hand, I can't recall what my # is, but it is in the 651 area code and I gave it to a few people. Keep calling around until you find someone who has it- remember, we're all seperated by 6 degrees. With due diligence, you may reach me within a day or two.
While I am away, my fantasy baseball teams will continue to crush opponents without mercy or remorse, so that you all may feel I am still nearby.
If you need to get in touch with me, I don't know how good reception will be on my cell phone. Just keep dialing until I happen to be near the highway or a semi- civilized area. Oh yeah, and I got a new cell phone. The old one still works, but now is exclusively Jenny's, like it has been for a few years. Off hand, I can't recall what my # is, but it is in the 651 area code and I gave it to a few people. Keep calling around until you find someone who has it- remember, we're all seperated by 6 degrees. With due diligence, you may reach me within a day or two.
While I am away, my fantasy baseball teams will continue to crush opponents without mercy or remorse, so that you all may feel I am still nearby.
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