state of being

Choir was great. It was like riding a bicycle in that I used muscles and positions I remembered, but had not used, from years ago. The sensation was also similar. The first time I started riding a bike as an adult, I remember this feeling freedom and flying when I pushed off. Singing again was also like flying.

It's a big group. I've only met a few people so far, but that's not really the point. I really missed being part of a choir and joining my voice with others to make something greater than the sum of its parts. The music is varied, but luckily nothing yet that would require jazz hands. This will be a good experience.

My sister's birthday was Sunday (as was Dennis', Happy Birthday again). I think I got the present mailed in time. I'm really going to have to get used to this mailing thing. I can barely remember to send email (hence this web log). The post office always seems a little like magic to me. I give them a box and not too much money and they deliver the box for me half way across the country. It's so old fashioned and so real and tangible. Got another chance to work on this mailing thing today when I sent the present for my mom's birthday (on Saturday). Hope she likes it.

This weekend was overcast, damp and drizzly so I stayed in and caught up on my housework. Not so exciting. This weekend may be better. I'm supposed to go on a canoe trip down the St. Croix river. If I'm not exhausted from the trip, I'll also be hitting the Vali-Hi drive in for the last showing off the year. I hope I've got the energy. I love drive-ins. Something else old fashioned and nostalgic and fun.

Welcome Autumn

Fall came in with a bang. Yesterday was sunny, beautiful, and warm (in the mid to low 80's). I made sure to spend some time outside soaking up the sun. I even slipped out of work early and had a bubble tea, a nice walk and ended with an ice cream cone from my downstairs neighbors (B&J). Not as good as England's, but it was nice to sit outside and take in the street life from a different perspective.

About 6:30 or 7, tar black clouds closed in and the network stations began continuing coverage of Big Weather. All around were high winds, downpours, hail, even a few tornados. St. Paul was fine, so I just closed my windows and clicked to another channel to continue watching the season premier of Lost.

I woke up to a chill and windy first day of autumn. From short sleeves to do-I-need-a-jacket, in just a few short hours. Mmmm...now I want all the good hearty cold weather food. I may need to make a trip to the farmer's market this weekend.

Extra note - I'm joining a choir and the first practice is tonight. Wish me luck.

MN Faire

This was a good weekend.

The faire was excellent. It reminded me greatly of the MD faire. Similar layout, lots of music and street theater, lots of shows, good shopping, open alcohol allowed throughout the grounds. It even offered a few things MD doesn't that were really nice.

Such as:
*Pets are allowed so there were lots of dogs and even a cat there. The owners are very conscientious. I never saw any animal waste on the ground. Some of the pets were 'costumed' but most were just hanging out with their owners, hoping someone would drop food.

*There are two booths serving popovers with fresh butter. Very Midwest and sooo yummy. Cara was the 'guide' for the day. She's about my age and she's been going to this faire for about 20 years. Stopping first for a popover is one of her traditions in which we were glad to partake.

*There's a permanent building for the herpetological Society. Lots of scaly and cold-blooded critters being shown by people who obviously love them. Mostly snakes, turtles, lizards and alligators. And the primary form of display (except for the crocs) was for a human handler to stand near the fence and share the animal with the curious. We saw a couple of tortoises wandering the grounds with handlers. One tortoise was 'dressed' in a kilt. It was deeply cute.

I went with only three other people, so I was not overwhelmed with strangers. We all got along well so I wasn't too stressed by NEW PEOPLE. We had beautiful weather so, all in all, it was a great day.

So - new to my list of Minnesota recommended events is the MN Renaissance Faire. It runs about mid-Aug through end of Sept (next weekend is the last weekend). The Englands and Mertine/Molnars might have trouble getting away, but the Monks might want to give it some thought. If the trip was timed right, you could do the State fair and the Ren faire. Of course, that might be overload. Waskey, we'll find a way to get you here for at least one MN faire visit.

Nobody wants to hear about other people's dreams

I had a recurring dream last night that I could not shake. The song "Science Fair" by Trout Fishing in America played incessantly in my dream and I was trying to make a science fair project of the the rotting garbage that was all that was left in the world. Every time I managed to cobble something together, I would wake up and when I fell back asleep it would all start over.

In other news, I'm going to check out the MN Renaissance Festival tomorrow. I'm traveling with complete strangers who know this faire. In all probability, I'll be a wreck by the time I get home from having to interact with so many new people in one day.

Hmmmm-I'm not as depressed as I sound here, just a little unsettled.

********************************************************************
Harry brought a hurricane, trapped in a terrarium.
Ruth made a working model of a nuclear reactor.
There was a cure for the common cold.
Someone cloned his little brother and if the truth be told.
It was the finest, fanciest Science Fair anybody’s ever seen.
It was the finest, fanciest Science Fair anybody’s dreamed of.
(Amazon has a clip here -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003JXJ/103-4301609-7027055?v=glance)

Post-apocalyptic movie night

Last night was the next installment in Post-Apocalyptic Movie Night, organized by my friend Ethan. We've seen Shawn of the Dead (excellent!) and Omega Man (unintentionally humorous-especially the DVD interview with Heston about the movie). I think there was one other. We get together whenever an appropriate movie shows up from Netflix.

So last night was Return of the Living Dead. It was great. Did you know that this is the movie where "brrraaaiiiinnnnsss" comes from? It is. Plus the kids being attacked are (almost) all punks and there's a punk soundtrack. When the kids run around, it feels choreographed (in the good way). Like watching the Jets get chased by zombies. The zombies are fast, strong and smart. In a recurring bit, the zombies kill whatever rescue workers show up then call for backup. tee hee. The movie was made in 1985 and it is perfectly dated.

I had lunch yesterday with someone who started here about the same time I did. She and her partner came from Cambridge. We talked about how much we missed the East Coast and knowing the ocean was near. It felt good to share that with someone else here. Most of the Minnesotans grew up around here. They don't really get the "missing a different place" thing. I like Minnesota, I just feel dislocated. I wish it was closer to everyone else. Of course, I felt the same way about Philly initially, so I know this will pass. Anyway, Joanne has promised to invite me out if she goes to any cool shows or art things, so that's a good thing.

Vacation

Susan and I had a great NC vacation. We spent Labor Day week in the Outer Banks of NC. There was much sun, sand, ocean, pool, hot tub, shrimp, barbecue, frozen custard along with a healthy dash of alcohol. BTW - it turns out that watermelon mimosas (pureed watermelon and champagne) are as close to ambrosia as humans can come.

We also spent some time improving our minds and junk. We went on a brief hike, checked out the NC Aquarium, and went on a kayak eco-tour. The Aquarium was very nice and Susan discovered that the rays in the touch tank like her very much. They kept coming back for more petting. My shark photos have turned out well. The kayaking was cool. First time for both of us. We spent time in a lake and in the canals. We also got close (possibly too close) to an alligator. There's a picture of it, too, but since only his nose was sticking out, you'll have to take my word for it.

Leaving was really hard, but I got to spend a fun weekend with the folks. We played Mexican Train Dominoes and Spinner (which I suspect is also called Chicken Foot dominoes). And my mom taught me how to play Shanghai Rum, which requires at least 2 decks of cards and apparently more than two players. Fun though. Our group would definitely like Mexican Train. I'll be picking up a set soon

Photos will be posted soon-ish. I have a half a roll I'd like to finish before I post everything.

Anyone got New Year's thoughts? Cause I hear the Twin Cities are nice.

bad dreams

I could not shake the bad dreams this morning so I'm feeling a little weird. I'm still trying to make it out to the state fair. I had planned to go tonight, but Tilly asked if we could reschedule to tomorrow. I may try to go both nights. The fair is really big and I'd like to try to see most of it. I think with Tilly we'll focus on the Ag stuff, so maybe tonight I should hit the Midway and some of the other buildings, like art and technology.

Looks like all the apartments in the building are filled now. I've seen boxes at all of the doors. I haven't met any of my neighbors yet and if I'm out the next two nights, I probably won't meet them until I get back from the Outer Banks. I just hope Tempest doesn't cry at the door and piss anyone off.

Prairie Maze INSTALLED!

So my Prairie Maze project is drawing to a close. The new entry sign was installed today and the guides have been printed and installed as well. The first time I went to see, there were a few families already using the guide!! I'm so pleased.

mawrige

They're MARRIED!! It was a great weekend, capped of by a beautiful wedding. I had a great time (so thanks to everyone I had a great time with).

Looks like the cat's forgiven me for leaving her this weekend. Let's see how she feels after I leave her all next week. And I got one set of new neighbors while I was gone. They moved in to the apartment behind me. I haven't met them yet, but I plan to make brownies tonight and take them over to share.

Much work to do to prepare for being gone again next week.

Har Mar Superstar*

Veni, Vidi, Vici Har Mar Mall. I managed to find the mall last night and make my way back home, all on the bus. I still want a car, since the bus still takes forever to get me from point A to point B, but it's good to remind myself that I can get beyond my usual circle.

I did not find a dress, which was my original reason for seeking out a mall, but a conversation with Jane has convinced me that fancy is not the way to go. So I'll raid my closet tonight to find something more appropriately festive. What I did find while I was out was a waterproof coat with a hood for cheap. Score.

When I moved to MN, I came woefully unprepared for the winter. Luckily the winter was unseasonably mild (just like this summer has been unseasonable warm and unseasonably short on mosquitoes - I think I'm getting spoiled). I was able to make do with a couple of pairs of regular boots and a dressy wool coat that is also very warm. But I knew that what I had would not cut it for the next winter. I'll need actual snow boots and a real snow jacket. But with this new mid-weight coat, I can continue to ignore this problem and hope it goes away. That works, right?


*Har Mar Superstar is the name of a local Twin Cities Musician. I just like the way it sounds.

A play's the thing

It worked. I felt much improved by the end of Friday. Of course, a large portion of that may be due to Sara and Brian (her husband). We had a lovely dinner at their place with lots of tasty things picked fresh from their garden. I picked and ate green beans and a whole cherry tomato, not to mention a stuffed pepper. I really get this whole delicious, fresh-picked vegetable thing. I'm just not usually able to pick my food and eat it minutes to seconds later.

The play was charming. All about infidelity, which is always a fun subject in a comedy. It was The Constant Wife by Somerset Maugham. Then we went out for beers afterwards. Made me feel all normal.

Of course, my allergies ate my Saturday so I felt back to weird me by Sunday. But now I've got trip anticipation bubbling through me. It's like I've got two separate tickles of happiness that catch me up all the time. One is just getting back to see friends (yay!) and then I remember the reason for the trip and I get goofy grinned all over again. Couldn't happen to a better couple.

Change in outlook

I've gone from funky to grumpy. I'm not sure that's better.

On a brighter note, I'm going to a play tonight. And as a bonus, I'm having dinner with my friend Sara and her husband before (plus they are my ride to and from the play). Maybe a little art will turn my frown upside down.

bleh

Feeling crappy today. It's raining and I started the day with a 2 hour bus journey so I could pick up some labels for the musuem. (could not borrow the car this time). It's not that far away, but I had to take 3 different buses to get from home to the vendor to work. Now I'm here and I just feel bleh. Oh well. Might as well feel bleh at work as feel bleh at home. Maybe things will perk up.

Foiled again

Turns out I lack the key ingredient for three different meals. I had grand plans to make a fabulous dinner last night but was foiled in my attempts due to missing ingredients. So it was chinese noodles instead. Tasty, but not the same as a real meal. Just did ordinary things. Returned a movie to the video store (I had already returned the box, oops). Picked up a bubble tea as a joyful little pick me up. I adore bubble tea. And I saw too late that they are offering thai tea with bubbles. I'll be back for that.

Today I get to run errands for work via the bus. Whoo hoo. We had a deluge of rain last night so its very humid today.
The rain was beautiful, but tricky. I was initially able to leave the windows open to listen to the rain, but when I would stop looking out the window, the rain would change direction and come straight in. Happened to me twice before I gave up and closed the window. Lovely sound to fall asleep to.

honorary cat

Yesterday I was bestowed the title of honorary cat for a day. I called in sick to work and the rest of my day progressed as such; sleep to 2pm - get up for glass of water, back to bed - sleep to 6pm - get up, eat leftover mashed potatoes, back to bed - wake up at 9pm, read for a hour - sleep.

Tempest stayed comatose and snuggled next to me the whole day. I think she was impressed.

Today - just the niggling remainder of a headache.

feeling nostalgic

I feel buffeted by the winds of nostalgia. It's a crisp, cool day, a good preview of what fall will bring. The air is alive with scents, all of which are triggering memories. It's overwhelming.

Cali time

I spent three days last week in LA for a client meeting. It was much more real than I expected. Granted my previous expectations were crafted by Hollywood and so not very trustworthy, but other than a noticeable predominance of large breasts, the people were pretty normal. Of course, we spend most of our time downtown, near the airport, in East La or in South Central rather than Beverly Hills or Hollywood. We did drive through, or rather by, Beverly Hills. It was the first night there, I was exhausted and had the backseat of the car all to myself. So I struggled to keep my eyes open.

It seems to me that there is not one LA, there are many, each with its own character. And for a place seemingly obsessed with body image, there are junkfood places galore. There's an eating holiday waiting there. Tamales, chilidogs, fish tacos...

We could not stay at the museum's usual hotel (apparently very quirky with the best breakfast in town). So we stayed at the Biltmore (THE Biltmore - steeped in history, it is ). There was another conference in town so the desk attendant upgraded the two guys I was traveling with to a suite so that he could gain an extra room. They were moved to the Music Suite. Name on the door, grand piano in the sitting room, ugly dog sculpture and everything. We were wowed at first but the bloom came off the rose after the first morning when it was discovered that the suite was not actually comfortable for hanging around. I got upgraded, too. I named it the Ottoman Princess room. It was really two rooms and one wall had been partially removed in order to frame The Bed. It was huge, comfy and beautiful. There was a partial canopy. I only wish I had gotten a picture.

Paul is very into super tasty hole in the wall food, so we ate very well. Including stopping at Maria's Tortillas right before we got on the plane to eat some melt in your mouth tamales. Sooo good.

the flaw in my brilliant plan

My hair was yucky this morning, so I decided to walkt to work in the rain (downpour) thereby obliterating any previous wonky bits. The rain was sweet and warm (if also, somewhat dense) and I got flashbacks to Susan and I playing in rainshowers at the Virginia Beach apartment. Nice and sweet. Got lots of sympathetic looks upon arriving looking like a drowned rat, also nice. Had to paper towel myself off significantly in the bathroom to take the drippy edge off my new look but the hair was thoroughly ruined, just as I was hoping for.

Except now it's two hours later and I'm still damp. Blech. I need a mini dryer at my desk to just dry my top. Hmmm - maybe I can use the air handdryers in the guest bathrooms.

Firefly!

Sci Fi is showing Firefly. In order. Fridays at 7/6c. Excellent.

And Serenity the Movie will be coming out. September, I think.

What a nice surprise.

company car

Working in this science museum is just cool sometimes. Yesterday, I was recruited to have my temperature and heart rate monitored while I listened to different pieces of music. It's for an exhibit we are developing on 'bio' music, loosely defined as a natural study of music. I'm constantly hearing bird calls and other animal sounds from the desks of the folks working on the project. Its a cool project.

Yesterday I found out that I can borrow one of the museum's cars. For museum errands only, so no borrowing so I can make my rounds of errands, but still. Here I was, ready to whine about not being able to pick up supplies for a project I'm working on, when the scientist I'm working with says, why don't you borrow one of the cars. Well, why not indeed.