Where is Maudeline Park?

New Alternate Blog

2008-07-06T23:15:00.002-06:00

After surveying a few other blogs and realizing that few, if any, insult their readership as this one generally does, I decided to split my blogging between 2 sites. Family- related material will be posted at :
http://stpmasons.blogspot.com/
this will allow Jenny to take part in posting as well, hopefully.
I will continue to post random thhoughts at random times herre... wiith random spellings. What is happening to my keyboaard??
that is all

So much Clearer

2008-06-26T23:02:00.003-06:00

I finally checked out my blog on my laptop and was surprised at how clear it was; apparently it is actually readable from a computer monitor that is not flickering on the brink of darkness. So here's a random favourite picture to celebrate that.

Malfunctions

2008-05-28T23:06:00.004-06:00

Among other things, I haven't posted to this blog for awhile due to a strange series of malfunctions in my electronics that have resulted in my dumping my laptop's memory, losing all my bookmarks, getting a new digital camera, and... other stuff.
I hate it when technology doesn't do enough to help us out.

Flickr!

2008-04-10T02:25:00.002-06:00

Arriving at the realization that not all people are required by law to hold a facebook account (yet), I have also posted pictures on Flickr! and sent just about everyone an e-mail to join Flickr! so I'm not sure why I'm even mentioning this here.
thanks for reading

Arken Pics 2

2008-04-03T04:00:00.002-06:00

W/ Steven & Nona

Arken arrives at home

Arken Pics

2008-04-03T03:53:00.003-06:00

Idris enjoys a small meal after his overnight w/ Mema and Papa

Idris w/ mommy

Arken himself

Arken w/ Mema & Papa

Our whole family of 4

Arken Arrives

2008-04-03T01:15:00.002-06:00

It has been just a few days now since we brought Arken home from the hospital. We brought him home amid the flurries which gathered to 7" the other day, which was rather nice.
The essential information is:
His name is Arken Theodore Mason
at birth, he was 9lb, 2 3/4 oz; 22+" long, almost 2 pounds and 2 inches more than Idris
He has very light, longish but sparse hair
Is fairly mild-mannered, but can certainly make noise
Is, overall, rather healthy and quickly re-approaching birth weight
Arken is a Scandinavian name we came across through our exhaustive research process, selected after weighing together and eliminating about two dozen other finalists for the boys' name.
The name's definition, as given to us by the book, is "Son of Eternal Kind" which I assume to be descended from Scandinavian legend. You could also say that it is a Christian name referencing eternal life; or as my brother pointed out, a statement that Jenny and I are immortal.
Neither of us has heard the name used before as a first name, but we were simpatico with knowing it as the last name of the actor Alan Arken.

If you Google it, you will find:
*A modern art museum by the name just outside Copenhagen, Denmark
*Arken Designs, which seems to manufacture technical designs
*A gentleman named Mort Arken, collector of WW2 planes and a pilot
*Another technological co
*A Swedish music group by that name (electronica, it's okay)
*A Norwegian shopping mall
*A Best Western hotel in Sweden
*A black and white Swedish movie from 1965
*from a web dictionary:

arken

Definite singular form of ark. Swedish

*I guess Allan Arkin is with an "I", upon further searching

So, most of the top hits used Arken as a form of Ark or as a last name, it seems. Its usage is favorably linked with architectural, artistic, and technological accomplishments.
It seemed to Jenny and myself to be a good pairing with the name Idris, suitable for a second son.
Theodore was Jenny's grandfather's name. She was never able to meet him, as he passed away when Jenny's mom was a teenager. He was, to judge him by his offspring and the accounts I've heard, a gregarious, kind, and wonderful person who enjoyed theater among other things (I'm sure I could add a lot more).
Mason is our last name. We passed it on.
Although it would be nice (or will be) to have a daughter, we are extremely pleased to be be blessed with two boys. Idris is especially pleased to have a brother (rather than a sister), but I think he was looking forward to being a big brother either way. Incidentally, boys seem in short supply these days, and we now have more sons than any of our siblings or close friends. There have just been so many girls recently!
Anyway, we've added some pictures to Facebook and have tried e-mailing some out, but that hasn't worked well so far. I'll have to check out Flicker or something soon...

Super Friends

2008-03-01T22:37:00.002-06:00

Sooo long since I last posted.
Anyway, I just wanted to mention the wonderfull new trend Idris and I have developed recently. I have not been particularly fond of most of his tv shows (at least of watching them with him), so I have begun renting dvd's of tv shows I watched as a kid. "The all-new super friends hour" has been the first foray into my nostalgia and Idris has loved it. The producers have put out episode samples from 1977-1985; from before my time until I was precisely Idris' current age. I especially look forward to watching the '85 shows which I undoubtedly viewed when they were brand new and beamed into my parents' basement on Saturday mornings for my brother and occasionally my elder sisters' enjoyment.
Super Friends, though a shadow of the accomplishments of recent cartoon adaptions, feature some surprising moments of solid writing. The theme music, long forgotten, was superb.
Now, I look forward as much as Idris to rediscovering the later episodes featuring Darkseid, the Bizarro world, and the anti-justice league villains.
Needless to say, I am thrilled with the phenomenon of releasing tv on dvd and that netflix carries just about everything.

Charlie Wilson's War

2008-02-01T01:54:00.000-06:00

I must recommend Charlie Wilson's War as a superb, fun biopic "period piece" from very very early in my lifetime. It's a classic story about the good philandering (sp?) politician and an insightful (and for all I know, accurate) look at the U.S. involvement in Afganistan during the last decade of the cold war. I figured it would involve some lazy, popular indictment of our incidentally arming today's terrorists (it does address this issue), but it took a very refreshing Hollywood approach. Mike Nichols did a much better job crafting this film than "Primary Colors", which was fun but not as insightful or enjoyable.

Shadows of Holidays

2008-01-16T23:50:00.000-06:00

Although I experienced an entirely enjoyable holiday season filled with family and friends and celebration, I always feel I lose hold of the season in the end. Especially when, as usual, I forget/am late/otherwise neglect to produce a Christmas letter- or at least a card- to send out to friends and family, and further neglect the less common but more practical post-holiday card, I guess I feel like I've unwrapped each gifted day and am unable to tie up the loose ends. I feel like I've forgotten to say "thank you" to someone and have only to grab the discarded wrapping paper from the floor and throw it out.
I'm not the least bit depressed or saddened the holidays are passed. I really had a great time and I actually enjoy the beginning of a new year quite a bit. I guess I just regret that I'm a bit sloppy about recounting the days and visits properly and achieving the little bit of closure which people probably experience most conveniently by keeping in touch a little more closely with those they are close to and saying "See you next year" to those who merely crash my New Years' party on an annual basis.
Either way, if you're reading this and I saw you this holiday season, be assured that I enjoyed your company immensely, wished it could have lasted hours or days longer, and look forward to keeping in touch with you. You also may ignore the "About you" section which is a permanent component of this blog.
Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays

2007-12-22T02:43:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all.
Come to our New Year's part, if you haven't already been invited!

Strange Evidence

2007-12-02T02:36:00.000-06:00

Strange things were showing up the other night which are difficult to make an accounting. The first item was a small piece of scratch paper which was lying on the floor. Idris brought it to my attention: "What's that?" he asked and pointed at it. It featured some stickman- like drawings complimented with various, suspicious abstractions in the background not unlike a drawing Idris himself may have made. "Who do you think put that there?" Idris asked. Then he led me to a more provocative item in the other room. A door, slightly ajar, had rubber bands stretched from one doorknob to the other. "Who do you think did that?" Idris asked me.
"I just don't know who would do such a thing" I agreed.
Idris was also able to point out a couple bottles which were banded together and explained his utter mystification at the phenomenon.
We agreed it was very mysterious.

Ambivalence

2007-11-29T00:15:00.000-06:00

In my second consecutive sports- related entry (this one involving team and sport I actually care about), the Twins made a very strange trade today with the Devil Rays. They gave up one of the best pitching prospects in baseball for a pretty good, free-swinging outfielder who doesn't even fill the hole left by Tori Hunter in the Twins' lineup. Certainly this is an offensive upgrade overall, but why are we getting rid of both our stars and our promising rookies? Obviously, more trades need to happen for this to make sense.
It makes me rather uncertain because the Twins have a rookie general manager who now seems to be going in a very different direction and there's a terrible chance that moving closer to the Target Center has inspired him to adopt the reckless, chaotic and putrefying incompetence of the Timberwolves' McHale. I seriously doubt we're headed that way, but it's hard to be confident in that this offseason.
I'm also sick of people crying out for the team to rebuild for a run at the world series in 2010 when the new stadium opens. The Twins have contended for the postseason honors all decade. There's no reason they can't steadily contend until then with the talent they have/will receive and the money they are currently dedicating to payroll.
So, to sum up, I'm sick of 85% of local sports writers and people with obnoxious opinions.

Record Day

2007-11-04T16:49:00.000-06:00

Wow, I hardly ever watch football-nor usually admit to the existence of the game since I am a fan of the most embarrassing franchise in the NFL- but that all changed today for 45 minutes as I was trying to take an afternoon nap. Adrian Peterson seems to be the type of running back you could only get in the NES game "Tecmo Bowl", who carries to the goal line every time he touches the ball and who injures opposing defenders who try to tackle him.
Vikings' fans finally have a reason to look forward to games.

Responses (so far)...

2007-11-03T13:26:00.000-06:00

Excellent. A few notes responding to comments:
I would like to hear your proposed solution to the looming crisis that is the alternative minimum tax.
- I paid the amt a few years back. It meant I got less money back than i deserved because inflation adjustments weren't built into the amt policy when it was originally passed, like, in the 70's. Since I first heard of this problem a year or so after I was a victim of it, and no legislation has been passed yet to correct what seems a very simple, straightforward problem, it is obvious our elected officials don't care much for people who don't earn enough $$ to contribute significantly to re-election campaigns and need to be replaced or guillotined. Either way. In conclusion, it can maybe be eliminated altogether, I'm not sure.
That, and weekly reviews of WB network teen soap operas.
-The WB no longer exists, and the stately replacement CW network airs nothing but tightly written dramas about high school- young adult aged people co-existing with snappy dialogue and an impeccable sense of serendipity in ideal settings which closely resemble the daily lives of each of their viewers. It's like looking out the window with one of those devices that allows you to eavesdrop on conversations across the street; except in my neighborhood you can close all the windows and still hear the dialogue clearly.
Really, I just post about things which interest me. It's almost more about trying to remember things myself than trying to keep other people updated about me.
-Hmmmm... like slowly feeding your own life into a computer so that upon the unfortunate incident of your demise you may, at the last moment of sentience, transfer your consciousness into an instrument of artificial life already ripe with memories. Like the episode The Schizoid Man on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Check it out (Season 2, somewhere in the middle)
Incidentally, I'm usually a bit out of touch; you almost had me with your crack about Portland. :)
-Peter, this is Optimus Prime. Put down those games and listen to me.

Excellent, I'm always happy to serve...

News of the Day

2007-11-01T14:10:00.000-06:00

I know many of you come here to read my posts to catch up on the latest news. You hear sirens, perhaps a comment by a passer-by: "So I don't know if I'll make my trip to Oregon now that the atom bomb fell on Portland", or you just get an urge to find out what's going on in the world so you log on and punch up this page where you are immediately caught up and told how to feel about the news.
That might not be enough, though. Maybe you're looking for more opinions, thoughts and analysis from me at 2 in the morning. Maybe not.
I was just wondering what sort of info was interesting to people reading blogs of people they know? If you're like me, I simply make a quick round of 4/5 blogsites and facebook sometimes when I check my e-mail, and I'm just curious to see whatever friends/family have decided to rant about, or write about recent trips or family events. It's interesting just to see what they feel like sharing. I also rarely leave comments for people, even if I find their posts interesting, so I'll hardly hold it against you for not leaving any here, but if anyone does actually foster curiosity about some topic loosely associated with my life or interests, then by all means post it. I'd post slightly more often if I had better ideas on what to post... or who was even reading (most of you are anonymous when leaving comments- also no big deal).
Otherwise, simply feel free to drop by occasionally and see what I'm going on about- like I do.

Brit Band Embraces FREE Enterprise

2007-10-10T22:31:00.000-06:00

Radiohead, a Brit-alt band firmly rooted in my later adolescence, has released an album today which they have offered for download on their website. It's price is determined by the patron; anywhere from free to... well I suppose you could pay them quite a bit if you chose to. They have exhorted listeners to pay them what it's worth to them... or what they can afford depending on the source.
Radiohead have always been rebels of the industry, strong supporters of the original, free Napster, and many say they may have changed the way the industry works for good with this offer. Of course, some change-over to digital accomodations has been inevitable for some time. I guess I'm just happy Radiohead was able to inflict it.
Incidentally, the album seems very solid. I paid 2 pounds.

Cardboard Lawn

2007-09-29T00:52:00.000-06:00

We now have a cardboard lawn in the backyard.
Those of you who live in the area recall we had a spectacular- if short- rainstorm about a week ago. It caused a river to flow through our yard, cascading from the downward slope of the street, and flash flooding in our basement. Although we have little of value in the basement, we had numerous empty boxes from our move and a few old area rugs keeping the floor covered. All of these became soaked, of course.
As the aroma of mildew and what-not arose from the basement, Jenny had a plan that took care of 2 problems for us. Our back yard has been home to a weed forest (not the type that one could profit from, mind you) since the lovely weed-trees sprouted early this summer. There was talk of lawnmowers and weed-whackers but the forest was much too fortified for such contraptions. So... I finally recovered our clippers (bush- trimming blade device, whatever it's called) from Lauderedale and plunged into the forest, shearing the weed-trees from their stems.
I then tossed the two unsalvageable rugs onto the forest floor and proceeded to break down box after box, spreading them out across the yard to cover about 85% of the back yard with cardboard or rug. The idea here is that such cover will prevent weeds from overcoming the yard next spring, giving us a veritable chance to plant native plants and so forth.
At least our back yard isn't too noticeable to many people.

...In the Waters of Lake Minnetonka

2007-09-11T21:45:00.000-06:00

I have finally completed the necessary requirements for Minnesotanhood by watching "Purple Rain" and assimilating its wisdom. Somehow, I had gone nearly 27 years of my life without watching the seminal '84 film which helped make Prince a star and put First Avenue on the map.
What the movie spared in scripting and acting, it certainly made up for with a plot that conveniently sewed together events which could be interpreted as backstories for songs on his "Purple Rain" album and that play out with those very songs in the background- or foreground.
It also delights in the playfully enigmatic personality of Prince, which sometimes accidentally comes across as melodramatic, moody, non-specifically obsessive or inexplicably inarticulate. He also drives a motorcycle around a lot.
As a result of these revelations, I have added a new requirement to my qualifications for friendships, as Price put it: "You must first be cleansed in the waters of Lake Minnetonka (sp?)"
The rest of you can be grandfathered in.

A Library of One's Own

2007-08-31T00:08:00.000-06:00

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.

Old Friends

2007-08-21T00:24:00.000-06:00

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.

Rain Storms

2007-08-17T01:08:00.000-06:00

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.

A Note on the Fallen Bridge

2007-08-07T23:32:00.000-06:00

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.

Back in St. Paul

2007-08-07T23:16:00.000-06:00

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.

Going to Grand Marais

2007-08-01T02:43:00.000-06:00

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.

Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary

2007-07-20T12:33:00.000-06:00

Last night Jenny and I finally took a long walk down the recently-opened trail linking Swede Hollow Park to the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary (and eventually Mounds Park and beyond). It's strange to be in a wide-open field not far from downtown STP and just below Dayton's bluff. The area is pretty well hidden from the road and features remnant of old railroad tracks, industry, and old brewery buildings which were pretty cool. The best sight was a flooded cave which you can approach along the bluff. It is gated off (as are many caves around STP) and was apparently of some significance to people of the Dakota tribe some time ago.
On the way back, Jenny and I crossed the footbridge over highway 94, and I don't think either of us had crossed any roadway that size before. I think I enjoyed it a little more than Jenny did, but it was fun.

Exploring Facebook

2007-07-11T22:39:00.000-06:00

Apparently, facebook is an excellent way to put your life on-line. You can link up with all your friends, post pictures, and explain every aspect of how you know each other and what you'v done together. No doubt this will be invaluable data for the government when investigating people for trivial misdemeanors and social inpolitenesses.
From what I can tell, the goal is to accumulate as many friends as possible and know them as many ways as possible. Extra points for tagging pictures. I believe you can win by trying to link yourself to Kevin Bacon through 6 friends or fewer.... so it's pretty fun overall.

Hey, I have a blog!

2007-07-03T00:30:00.000-06:00

I've read that the first rule of establishing a good blog is to post very frequently. I think that is what makes this blog very successful.
After much indifferent pond-lapping, I unearthed a USB cable appropriate to requisition pictures from the digital camera I was borrowing, and have uploaded them to a Facebook site so all of you can see our new house. I think you can get to it by going to facebook.com and looking for me... http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=533702501 might work, but I'm really not too familiar w/ this system.
If one of you knows a better way to link to those pictures, please leave helpful instructions in the comments section.
Why did I choose Facebook? I'm really not certain, though I am out of touch with internet conveniences and I know several of you are on that site... and it's not myspace, so that's something. Well, I hope I can expect to find numerous new "friends" next time I log in.
Cheers

Vacation

2007-04-30T23:06:00.000-06:00

I've taken about a week off for our anniversary and for house projects, etc. I don't know if I've accomplished so much, but I've enjoyed it immensely. The house is looking ever more presentable and our stuff more usable.
Since I have once again structured this time off from mid-week to mid-week, I'll not be cutting into my vacation time very much; this move was made more by habit than necessity as I have stockpiled over 3 1/2 weeks of vacation pay which I couldn't use all at once even if I wanted to. I hope to make use of the time more prudently before next holiday season by taking weeks off here and there. I just need to plan for them.

Dehabilitation

2007-04-17T23:28:00.000-06:00

General Notes:
We have officially moved to the house on Bates now (a majority of our stuff is here and we sleep here, etc) but have made little progress finishing our move the last few days due to a combination of dehabilitating headaches and flu symptoms among us.
Nonetheless, we were able to "show off" the house to some family the past weekend, and that was nice.
Jenny has been preparing for an "American Doll" show at Barnes & Nobles this Saturday, so that has also kept her busy. She has prepared most of the events herself, being dissatisfied with the provided materials, so those 8-12 year old girls will be treated to a slight education in 30's-ish hobo signs and culture, which I found interesting myself.
The 27th will mark Jenny & my 5th wedding anniversary, which amazes both of us because the time has gone very swiftly. We plan to spend time here at the house because it's still pretty novel and cool even to be here.
My general manager at Best Buy is a very intense person. While sometimes being great to work with, there are other times when his "passion" is stressful. Recently he informed me to "watch it!" while I was disagreeing with him. Today he walked into the store for merely a few minutes before leaving. Apparently he was sporting a cast on his forearm, and the rumor I heard was that he suffered the injury while expressing a pointed opinion to a coworker by slamming his fist on a desk.

Original People

2007-04-11T03:27:00.000-06:00

It becomes clearer to me that Idris is very different than I was at his age, and his personality seems quite original to me. By that I mean that I'm rather unsure where it came from. Obviously, we all formulate original (to varying degrees) personalities, but I always imagined that, given the opportunity to witness the formation of a young personality up close/first hand, I would be able to gather a more comprehensive sense of where/how he would develop behaviors and trains of thought.
Although thought patterns have been easy enough to trace, I can't begin to account for some of Idris' demeanors. While demonstrating a Passover dinner at my parents'-in-law's church with 150-odd people, ours was the table with a microphone. This was suitable for Idris while he was not in nursery:
When someone instructed the microphone be passed to the speaker, Idris piped up "You can pass the microphone to ME!"
When everyone was instructed to open their books, Idris announced "I don't have a haggedah(spelling incorrect)."
His line, practiced numerous times at home, was eagerly spoken into the microphone. When his aunt took the next few lines he had practiced, Idris grabbed for the microphone and was NOT happy.
After the supper, during cleanup, Idris regained the microphone and entertained everyone with such songs as "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and whatever else he could think up.
He then led a vocal charge about the church, running up stairs, through halls, and often down the elevator, avoiding the lava which was carelessly left on the floor.
I suppose it comes down to his having some very definate agenda most of the time. He always seems to be needing to do something or explain something. He's often "very busy" and very vocal about it.
Those of you who knew me when I was young can probably compare nothing of that memory with these behaviors, and Jenny- though less silent and obsessively receptive than I- was not, I believe, like that either.
Today, I was in the breakroom when Idris ran back to say "hi". I told him to run into the next room and hit one of my co-workers with his sword. I watched him run into that room, then back toward Jenny in the store. Kevin came out then and asked if that was my kid. "He hit me REALLY hard, and right in my gut".
So goes the Blue Knight

Night After Night

2007-04-11T03:16:00.000-06:00

This post brought to you by The Sound's Night After Night, a fine song, buy it now on compact disk or from your local internet merchant. Check out the album, also. It's fiercely rad.
I've been dropping off stuff at the new house each night after work this week. It's been slow work, but relatively painless thusfar.
My brother Nate has helped us out quite a bit, as have Shaun and Callie some. Without those guys we would only have lots of little stuff moved at this point.
I still maintain that pictures will be posted here when two things happen:
1)I take pictures
2)I figure out how to post pictures here

New Cruiser

2007-04-11T03:04:00.000-06:00

A week or 2 ago, I finally picked up a new car. Some guy paid me $75 to tow away my old car from me, which was nice. He said he would crush it into a cube.
The new car is shiny and red, with a gray interior which allows me to use the fancy seat cushions and steering wheel cover I had previously invested in for my cube. Not only is this new ride from the mid-90's- 3 years newer- but it has a muffler. It features working air conditioning and windshield wipers.
Most essentially: Red 4D Geo Prizm (comparable to Toyota Corolla) w/ much improved miles per gallon but less power than I'm used to. Also no cruise controll.
I'm very pleased with it, because it fits into my new lifestyle of commuting several extra miles and no longer enjoying poisonous fumes and chancy suspension.
I'm currently keeping a tally of miles I'm driving and gas I'm using so I can figure out how much $$ I'm saving. It's fun.

The Twins: A Work in Progress

2007-03-27T22:03:00.000-06:00

Baseball season is nearly begun, and since I post most baseball- related comments elsewhere for my baseball friends to read, I'll simply announce my hearty endorsement of the coming Twins' season. The team is always a work in progress, with high turnover rates due to lack of $$$ and the injuries every team goes through, but there's some comfort in that, too. When the Twins break camp with a few under performing veterans and roster wastes, there's no reason to worry. As soon as we get sick of them we have the next fleet arriving. We have exciting prospects waiting to break through and a competitive streak which runs through the entire organization which characterizes the Twins in a way that it doesn't characterize, say, the Vikings.
I'll be participating in fantasy baseball for the second time, and I'll send out a late invitation to absolutely anyone interested to join the league Shaun and I have started. It takes very little time and doesn't absolutely necessitate baseball knowledge (though both help). You would need to respond quickly, though, as we draft Saturday from the comfort of our own homes.
Fantasy baseball has been great for me because it gives a usage to my previously strange and superfluous enjoyment of mathematics. It's all very fitting though; I learned how to figure percentages and decimals by examining the batting averages and ERA's on baseball cards, so I suppose my enjoyment of math was never really linked to academics, it was founded in baseball.

Small Talk/Personal Ad

2007-03-23T00:12:00.000-06:00

A gentleman came into the station the other day and informed me that Foshay Tower is being converted into a luxury hotel- not a bad idea for the stately old tower. He was on a crew charged with transporting away many tons of marble which is being removed from the current restrooms (etc).
He said rooms will go for an excess of $1200 a night.
I said something to the effect that it would not be an ideal cheap date.
He assented, though with demur characteristically sporting for a demolition specialist, declared he would spend a night there if a lady would care to foot the bill.
I'm pretty sure I can put you in touch if anyone is interested?

On an entirely separate note, I keep raving about the movie Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room to random people. I usually don't recommend movies because so many of my recommendations go so, so horribly wrong, but Smartest Guys in the Room is a perfectly cut bit of docu-drama. It puts Tom Waits to good use while splicing interviews and courtroom footage with some great matter-of-fact analysis of how a house of cards almost became the largest company in the world. I was completely ignorant of the impact of the company's tactics- that they were responsible for the California blackouts and the election of an inarticulate action movie star to governorship. Aside from the well-known facts about Enron, the movie explores the morality tale that can be found in the examination of the company's braintrust and the darwinian atmosphere that propelled many in the company to invent and execute some very bold, pervasive means to make a lot of money (for themselves).
Anyway, see it.

The Bates House- Pilot Episode

2007-03-16T01:53:00.000-06:00

Many boxes are being filled in the beat-down little house in Lauderdale which resides next to the stately log cabin of holistic wellness. Preparations are being managed for transportation to the Bates house. A Silverado, abandoned by its (or my) parents has been parked just down the block. Three music students currently residing at the Bates house await their fate, driven, like all good musicians, to the streets by cruel, heartless landlords. They are forced to resort to such means as moving to Uptown or back home to Oregon.
But this blog is about the landlords who kicked them out. Passive- aggressive words were exchanged such as:
"We really want to make this as easy for you guys as possible" and "Hey, that's pretty cool you guys got this place, and it works out perfect because I just got done with school and I was needing to move out anyway. I'm glad these guys didn't get stuck with a year lease they couldn't pay for."
But behind all the civility and beneath all the death-metal music and well-wishing on midterms, there was one woman's desire for her husbands' approval to buy a fabulous slab of marble for the small yard outside those very windows which looked in on the sordid scene and outward at the whisper of possibility...
And later, as a child runs rampantly through interior decorating facades, recklessly pouring glass after disposable glass of spring water to hand to other people, the woman reveals the fractured marble to the fellow landlord, who surveys that the piece would, in its perfection require about the same compensation he had so rigidly demanded of the lame-duck musician tenants by depositing the check they had proffered him. And...(we got a few things for a fraction of the original price due to minor and major defects that will be really great for the new house...skip ahead...)
The deal is closed. Just like the musicians' chances of remaining at the Bates house past April 1st. Or at least, April 5th or 6th.. whenever they'll have enough time to vacate the premises and clean up nicely and all.
But the renters/laid-back musicians have one last parting shot for the high-rolling, confoundedly- attractive landlords:
"Make sure you get us the water bill..." one says with a straightforward smirk and small-town tricksterishness. "It hasn't been coming for the last several months and we don't want you guys to be stuck with it."

A Figure in the Darkness

2007-03-16T01:28:00.000-06:00

I was headed out to jog the other night, and as I opened our back door, I braced myself mentally to be confronted by a man standing in our porch. He would be alerted to my presence by the sound of the door- it squeeks terribly- and if he had been waiting for awhile he would have been prepared for me more than I for him had I not braced myself for the surprise of his presence. I think that rather reverses the advantage, doesn't it? My lack of surprise, that is? He certainly wouldn't have expected to be expected.
There was noone there, but the weather has been unseasonably hospitable to jogging early mornings.

Between the Night Job and the Day Job

2007-03-10T01:58:00.000-06:00

Many hours are wasted in this gray area between night and morning shifts. When I only have 4-6 hours between times I need to be at work, I'm not always able to maximize the time by getting sleep. Usually I get a nap in, and check my e-mails, do some dishes, (recently) pack some boxes, stare blankly at the tv, jog (if it's not freezing or slippery as it's been), or do something much less productive with my time.
Annoyingly, tomorrow is my one "full day off" this week. We have a 2 hour meeting at 7. As a supervisor, I need to lead a "break-out" portion of the meeting for my department. That's going to be great.
I also have daylight savings to look forward to, as it will fence-in another hour of my day off by getting me up, effectively, at 4am Sunday for a split- shift (I also work Sunday night). It's rarely this bad anymore, but I'm plenty annoyed right now.

This is Hard to Read

2007-03-08T00:19:00.000-06:00

I will half apologize for my blog being somewhat difficult to read due to my color choices. I'm trying to weed out those who like my blog for the way it looks, and those who like my blog for what it truly is. Thanks for stopping by!

We Are Homeowners!

2007-03-07T04:20:00.000-06:00

Jenny and I became homeowners the other day, and are looking forward to moving. We accomplished the goal of finding a great place within a nice area of STP. We have 3+ bedrooms, 2+ floors, 1700+ ft2, appliances, 2 bathrooms, and easy access to downtown, parks, walking trails, and both 35E and I94 (and 61 & 52, for what good that will be). It also satisfies my great desire for a circular floorplan- on two floors, no less. I will finally have an office space for all my stuff and we will be able to house guests with ease.
If you wish to locate the place on a map, the adress is 604 Bates Ave, STP, MN and it has a zip code.
Thank you for all of you who have already wished us well. Those who haven't- please get with the program.

Welcome to Maudeline Park

2007-03-07T03:33:00.000-06:00

Who doesn't have a blog for their personal life available for the general public to read? Still a vast majority of people, thankfully, yet such a large number people I know do, and the idea of cyberspace autobiographies being pushed ever more tightly into a web of interlinking networked familiarity has always intrigued me. You are reading a minute portion of immediate grassroots international history from primary sources. Enjoy.
Actually, my brother-in-law began writing a blog for his life recently, and I found it inspiring because you discover all sorts of things people will write about themselves which simply do not surface in conversations-or by any other means. A person like myself, especially, is likely to reveal numerous facets of his character/personality which he otherwise would find little occasion to do. The only question is whether anyone really cares to familiarize themselves with such information?
On the other hand, I now have several out-of-town friends and family who may want to shuffle through my hazardous, wayward musings and altruistic essays toward the good of mankind for practical information on, say, what Idris did today after his nap.
I have no idea what sort of information/thoughts I will post here. I just know that I occasionally enjoy reading my friends' blogs and one person once asked me to write a blog so he could keep up on my life more easily. I'm terribly obliging.
Thanks for reading.

PS The title for this blog is derived from my e-mail address, Maudeline@hotmail.com, and people asking me what "Maudeline" means, in case you were wondering