12.21.2007
Every night on my way home from the gym (once I've passed the UPS truck that is always double parked in front of the candy shop with it's hazards on), I secretly hope that this light is red so I can take a picture of the Capitol all lit up.
12.20.2007
Sia is coming back to Minneapolis at the Fine Line Music Cafe on February 26th! Who wants to go with me!
A pretty lavender or perhaps a deep fuschia?
I'm embroidering a name of a women who lost her life in Iraq for a project called "The Mother's Day Project". A women is making a tote bag of these embroidered names and I volunteered to help. The tote bag will then be shared by all of those who contributed names, being asked to use it in everyday life for a week and then pass it on the the next person. Making war personal.
As I took a little break between working on Christmas gifts to stitch Michelle R. Ring's name, I couldn't help but think, Michelle, did you have babies? What were your hopes and dreams? Did you believe in the cause for which you were fighting?
It only took an hour to stitch and think about her. And I hope this little bit that I did honors her memory.
I'm embroidering a name of a women who lost her life in Iraq for a project called "The Mother's Day Project". A women is making a tote bag of these embroidered names and I volunteered to help. The tote bag will then be shared by all of those who contributed names, being asked to use it in everyday life for a week and then pass it on the the next person. Making war personal.
As I took a little break between working on Christmas gifts to stitch Michelle R. Ring's name, I couldn't help but think, Michelle, did you have babies? What were your hopes and dreams? Did you believe in the cause for which you were fighting?
It only took an hour to stitch and think about her. And I hope this little bit that I did honors her memory.
12.18.2007
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Jessica,
Happy Birthday to you!
Wishing you kisses and beer on your 23rd birthday.
- Your Biggest Fan
Stuff like, notice an amazingly tacky display of lights and have to turn around and drive by slowly and gawk. And he reversed the car just so I could get a better perspective shot without me even asking, he just knew.
Of course, after that we had to take a closer look at all the other neighbor's lights. Especially, the random blinking trees that I was certain were cued to music.
Then we went home and did what all old people do in that situation: eat cookies and stand around and talk.
Saturday night we went out to the CC Club in Uptown. This was chosen, after much deliberation, because it was within walking distance of our starting point and we could wear our coats in.
Apparently, this is a 'perfect pour' or something. As much beer as you can get in the glass without it overflowing. A picture was necessary.
Anthony's cousin, Nicole, explaining the Science Museum's Pompeii exhibit to us.
It was a good night.
Apparently, this is a 'perfect pour' or something. As much beer as you can get in the glass without it overflowing. A picture was necessary.
Anthony's cousin, Nicole, explaining the Science Museum's Pompeii exhibit to us.
It was a good night.
12.17.2007
I went to Wadena on Friday night to judge a dance team competition. I had never been there and was pleasantly surprised to find that they have a lovely and vibrant downtown. Complete with a Ben Franklin, an old-style movie theater, a Pizza Ranch and cyber cafe. And there was even a train running through town to stop for.
12.13.2007
Ice cream and alcohol - what more do you need!?
Missing from the picture is my pomegranate-tini, mmm. My contribution to the gifts was a photo box filled with a trashy novel: "The Wrong Man for Her" (sorry Jess, I gave it away:), a political novel: "Primary Colors" and a self-help book: "Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives".
My friend Meghan picked it out and it got lots of laughs, so I guess it served it's purpose.
My friend Meghan picked it out and it got lots of laughs, so I guess it served it's purpose.
Corner of Snelling and Selby!
12.11.2007
Now, to keep this or send it far away for an Xmas present? Probably going to end up being the later, since I'm way behind in that department.
Design*Sponge told me that Blueprint (the hip, young Martha Stewart Magazine) is closing after the January/February 2008 issue. Although, I cannot see any indication of this fact on the magazine's site or blog.
I can really pick 'em. Recently my subscription to Jane suffered the same consequences. Hopefully, this means they are going to send me Martha Stewart Living for the duration of my subscription:)
I can really pick 'em. Recently my subscription to Jane suffered the same consequences. Hopefully, this means they are going to send me Martha Stewart Living for the duration of my subscription:)
12.10.2007
But after a long Saturday of dance team competition (I'm finally official and can start getting paid!), this was my night:
Coffee, music and fun people at the Overflow Cafe
And checkout the cool faucets they have in their bathrooms!
Coffee, music and fun people at the Overflow Cafe
And checkout the cool faucets they have in their bathrooms!
12.07.2007
He hates when I photograph him eating. But, I'm just trying to capture the moment.
We had dinner last night at a noodles-esque Asian restaurant that we stumbled upon, Pei Wei. It is a PF Chang's endeavor and it exceeded our expectations. I was happy to see that my meal came with an option of brown rice that I always refer to as "Kashi rice". Mmm. Anthony, unknowingly, ordered the hottest thing on the menu - Blazing Noodles (guess the name was supposed to tip us off). And suffered the consequences. At one point when his tongue was numb he said, "We're gonna make out in the car. I want to see if I can make your tongue spicy."
12.06.2007
Yesterday, the majority leader's office coordinated a staff development training for us at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs on the U of M campus. The day far exceeded my expectations and I definitely learned a lot. We had great speakers and small group facilitators. They helped us talk through some of our issues without yelling at each other and with out one person dominating the conversation.It made me want to go back to school for a masters in public policy. But then Jess started talking about having to write a paper later and it jolted me back into reality.
But, the food was delicious. And I loved the flower arrangements that were on the tables. Tulips, roses and pine with little Minnesota postcards poked in. How appropriate.
I had never seen the Humphrey Forum/Museum space and it was so much fun to look at all the cool old campaign stuff in there.
In particular all the old campaign fashions! How 'bout some HHH sunglasses?
Or a lovely donkey appliqué cardigan (I totally want to make this).
Or a snappy candidate specific shift dress. Perhaps you'll see me sporting one of these with a big B on it one day.
12.04.2007
Anthony and I went to a needtobreathe concert last Friday at Club 3 Degrees. We went mostly because his friend's band, Highland, was opening for them and they did a great job.
But needtobreathe was so much fun! (For a moment, at the beginning, we were unsure if the bass player was a man or a woman. But, he was just a really pretty guy.) Initially, Anthony and I were the only ones dancing (we couldn't help ourselves), but eventually the whole crowd was jiving.
I promptly downloaded their two albums and have been listening to them ever since. I can't get enough of their songs, "Restless", "Looks Like Love" and "Signature of Divine (Yaweh)" from their new album, The Heat. While, Anthony prefers their previous album, Daylight, because he likes the production better. I'm not that sophisticated.
12.03.2007
Yea, well on Saturday the snow really just made me want to cry.
My landlord talked me into doing the shoveling for our house. Mostly, the fact that two other people and not just me are waiting for it to be done is stressful. And it ends up being a lot more work than I expected.
So, Saturday I was gone from 8:00 AM until 6:30 PM in Apple Valley doing my dance team thing. I came out to a car completely iced over and the snow drifted in around it. So, in my nice little high-heeled boots I scraped and got on the road. The very stressful, scary road where I couldn't see the lines and some obnoxious truck was passing in between the lanes.
Finally, I arrived home safe and sound to lots of snow to shovel. At which time Anthony and I decided that the roads were too treacherous to make the trip to Bloomington and thus I wouldn't see him.
That's the point when I started to cry. Outside in the snow, still shoveling and crying. The snow just made everything suck that day and I needed let it out.
My landlord talked me into doing the shoveling for our house. Mostly, the fact that two other people and not just me are waiting for it to be done is stressful. And it ends up being a lot more work than I expected.
So, Saturday I was gone from 8:00 AM until 6:30 PM in Apple Valley doing my dance team thing. I came out to a car completely iced over and the snow drifted in around it. So, in my nice little high-heeled boots I scraped and got on the road. The very stressful, scary road where I couldn't see the lines and some obnoxious truck was passing in between the lanes.
Finally, I arrived home safe and sound to lots of snow to shovel. At which time Anthony and I decided that the roads were too treacherous to make the trip to Bloomington and thus I wouldn't see him.
That's the point when I started to cry. Outside in the snow, still shoveling and crying. The snow just made everything suck that day and I needed let it out.
For the days leading up to Christmas, my good friend Kari and I are doing an Advent Blog. We'll be chronicling this time of waiting and preparing for the celebration of the birth of Jesus here. It's more than just shopping and wrapping. We have a need to ready ourselves for the advent of something arriving in our own lives. Peter (my pastor), on Sunday, called us to live honorably during Advent. That's going to be a tough one, but I'm going to try.
I'm adding a link to it up towards the top of this blog too. If you visit I hope you'll leave comments about how you get yourself ready for Christmas!
That was the theme of the dance competition that I practice judged at on Saturday. The lobby was decked out like a full-on party with balloons, hanging giant diamond rings and chandeliers. Very fun decor for the fans to hang out in. It ended up being a really long day while my car was increasingly being buried in snow outside. The simple, 20 minute drive home from Apple Valley was made treacherous!