Please do not remind me, I am well aware of the fact that I am posting twice in one day. It is just that I feel that my last post was a bit inferior. Of course, feelings are subjective and it could be that I am under the influence of dreary weather combined with complimentary coffee that my friend refers to as "cat piss," but who knows. I do not really know what cat urine smells like, so I will take her word for it. This is why I should always stop at Caribou before work.
One thing that I have noticed in several of my favorite blogs is that people really like to write out past conversations. I am always amazed at their ability to recall phrases, but maybe I am giving them too much credit. Perhaps they are mere remembering the gist of things more than actual word placement. With that in mind, I shall now endeavor to do some of the same.
To give you a background (What? You were expecting immediate dialog? Please. You should know me better than that by now.), my brother has been dating a lovely girl named Heidi for almost three years. They are both in their late 20's (or on the cusp of 30 if you want to round up). They have been living together for a year. It is pretty clear that this is a serious relationship and I believe that my brother intends for it to be permanent. He just doesn't appear aware of how to do so.
Enter my mother. Like all good mothers, she wants her children to be happy. She also has needs of her own; specifically, she wants grandchildren. My brother, the constant procrastinator, also has a penchant for deliberately trying to annoy my mother. He doesn't need me to tell him that this is playing with fire, but apparently he likes to take the risk.
Anyway, last weekend, my brother came home for the wedding. Although the topic came up more than once, I believe it was at the wedding reception that the clearest and most direct inquiry was made. My brother and I were seated with my parents at a table in my aunt's backyard enjoying some food and beverages, when the spirit of weddings took hold of my mother.
Mom: So Mikey, do you think you and Heidi will get married?
Mikey: (Silence)
Mom: Do you ever talk about marriage?
Mikey: Yeah...
Mom: (Changing tactics) So where do you think you'd get married?
Mikey: Ummmm... probably Vermont? [Heidi's home state] Most of her family lives there.
Me: (Deciding to help out) Sweet! I have always wanted to go there! Just remember, don't make me stay in a tent. If I am going to be photographed in wedding photos, I do not want to deal with the mess that ensues when I sleep in a tent. Right? (Because it's all about me, isn't it?)
Mikey: (Laughs. Coughs. Hopes that the subject will soon be changed.)
Mom: But really, don't you worry that she will get sick of waiting for you to take action?
Mikey: (Silence)
(Clearly this was going nowhere, so I again jumped in.)
Me: Ummm... wait. Michael, I was just wondering. If you were to decide to propose or to come up with a plan, would you even tell us? Or would you prefer to surprise everyone?
Mikey: Oh yeah, I would surprise you all.
Mom: Hmph.
Please keep in mind that this is just one example of what we do to Mikey when we have him alone. My dad usually stays silent for the interrogation, but I know he feels the same as us. It is definitely an eye opener of what guys must go through when they face their families and have not yet proposed to their long term girlfriends. Or who are currently highly educated and unemployed. I can only imagine what would happen if he didn't live four hours away.
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
One, two, buckle my.... road?
Here we are on Day 2 of record breaking high temperatures for June in MN. Fortunately, I am blessed to work, drive and live in environments that are air conditioned. God bless modern technology - I really don't think I could have survived in a time without it.
I have to say that one of the big disappointments that come with working all day and attending school at night is that there is not much room for interesting or entertaining stories to share. At least for me personally.
Generally speaking, I do have an interesting story or fact to tell you. Yesterday after work, after picking up my requisite five shot iced espresso, I took off on a major freeway to make the trek from work to school. It isn't really too harrowing of a journey, but any time one attempts to drive through a major metropolitan downtown area during summer rush hour, there is always the possibility for frustration.
Happily, for traffic going in my direction last night, things were normal, A-OK, totally cool. Typically I do not pay much mind to the traffic going in the opposite direction, probably because it is usually moving along at a reasonable pace and therefore does not attract special attention. However, yesterday afternoon it was shockingly different.
As I approached the north side of Minneapolis, a scene closely resembling a tightly packed parking lot arose before me. Readers, it was BAD. Given the sweltering heat and that it was still only 4:30 p.m., it looked like utter misery. I could not tell what was causing the backup, but it was extensive. I did happen to notice a group of city work trucks located at the start of the stoppage, but it was unclear what they were doing. As there were no emergency vehicles on the scene, I surmised that it was not an accident, but because my direction of the freeway was moving quickly, I could not stop to examine.
The only thing I did notice was that there seemed to be some odd sections of ripped up and rocky pavement as I drove along. This is a freeway that I take every week to class, and I had not noticed it before, nor were there any signs indicating that road construction was taking place in the area.
It was not until I arrived home last night to watch part of the nightly local news that I learned what had really happened. Are you ready? Due to the extremely high temperatures, the roads were literally buckling beneath traffic. That's right. Pavement hates high temperatures even more than I do. Our roads are used to the havoc that snow, ice, salt and gravel wreak during our bleak and freezing months, but submit them to 97 degrees in June and they say NO WAY!
Today is supposed to be more of the same, but I do not have school so I will not be back to reassess the conditions of Interstate 94 in northern Minneapolis. Hopefully no more roads will be buckling on my usual routes, but I wouldn't blame them if they did.
I have to say that one of the big disappointments that come with working all day and attending school at night is that there is not much room for interesting or entertaining stories to share. At least for me personally.
Generally speaking, I do have an interesting story or fact to tell you. Yesterday after work, after picking up my requisite five shot iced espresso, I took off on a major freeway to make the trek from work to school. It isn't really too harrowing of a journey, but any time one attempts to drive through a major metropolitan downtown area during summer rush hour, there is always the possibility for frustration.
Happily, for traffic going in my direction last night, things were normal, A-OK, totally cool. Typically I do not pay much mind to the traffic going in the opposite direction, probably because it is usually moving along at a reasonable pace and therefore does not attract special attention. However, yesterday afternoon it was shockingly different.
As I approached the north side of Minneapolis, a scene closely resembling a tightly packed parking lot arose before me. Readers, it was BAD. Given the sweltering heat and that it was still only 4:30 p.m., it looked like utter misery. I could not tell what was causing the backup, but it was extensive. I did happen to notice a group of city work trucks located at the start of the stoppage, but it was unclear what they were doing. As there were no emergency vehicles on the scene, I surmised that it was not an accident, but because my direction of the freeway was moving quickly, I could not stop to examine.
The only thing I did notice was that there seemed to be some odd sections of ripped up and rocky pavement as I drove along. This is a freeway that I take every week to class, and I had not noticed it before, nor were there any signs indicating that road construction was taking place in the area.
It was not until I arrived home last night to watch part of the nightly local news that I learned what had really happened. Are you ready? Due to the extremely high temperatures, the roads were literally buckling beneath traffic. That's right. Pavement hates high temperatures even more than I do. Our roads are used to the havoc that snow, ice, salt and gravel wreak during our bleak and freezing months, but submit them to 97 degrees in June and they say NO WAY!
Today is supposed to be more of the same, but I do not have school so I will not be back to reassess the conditions of Interstate 94 in northern Minneapolis. Hopefully no more roads will be buckling on my usual routes, but I wouldn't blame them if they did.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Off on a Caribou Dash
I have given some serious thought to the possibility of writing an entry for every day this month. It could be possible, except that I am not sure how I will do it while at the Hallinglag at month end. Perhaps the high class Fargo motel we are staying in has wi-fi? We shall see.
Today's entry should be a little more brief as I am hoping to get over to Caribou to visit my mom before her shift ends in 45 minutes.
Last night's covert operation went well. It was nice to sit with people in a casual setting and just enjoy being outside. It is always so hard to find free time in summer for impromptu grilling parties, that when it works, it is awesome. Plus, my friend brought over some really yummy cucumber sandwiches and my mother made my great-aunt's recipe for rhubarb dessert. Normally I am not a cucumber fan, by the way, but these sandwiches were addictive!
I am looking forward to a quiet and lazy day today, with the exception of the readings I have to do for tomorrow's class. It is going to be a hard adjustment to having a Monday night class as it is not something I have ever experienced before. My grad school traditionally does not schedule Monday night courses during the regular school year as they like to reserve the evening for department-wide lectures, meetings and gatherings. As I don't really like to make an extra post-work trip to St. Paul, I have never attended.
There is just something about Mondays that make it seem so unnatural to add in yet another obligation. Here's hoping that it goes well. There is always the positive angle to take that having Monday and Wednesday classes get the dirty work over early in the week thus allowing me to enjoy my weekend more fully. Right?
Next weekend is going to be a bit of a doozy, I think. I am hoping to get my new car detailing and body work done on Saturday morning. I must then return home to help my mother prepare for a baby shower we are hosting on Sunday. Why the early prep work? My mother's stepsister is getting remarried next Saturday night and my parents' house is going to be the central dressing/prep space for the ladies of the group. Oh, and my mom and I are in charge of manning the chocolate fountain out at their reception later in the evening. It really should be fun, especially since my brother is coming home for the occasion.
I must now dash to ready myself for the quick Caribou run. I really really REALLY feel the need for an iced espresso drink this morning.
Today's entry should be a little more brief as I am hoping to get over to Caribou to visit my mom before her shift ends in 45 minutes.
Last night's covert operation went well. It was nice to sit with people in a casual setting and just enjoy being outside. It is always so hard to find free time in summer for impromptu grilling parties, that when it works, it is awesome. Plus, my friend brought over some really yummy cucumber sandwiches and my mother made my great-aunt's recipe for rhubarb dessert. Normally I am not a cucumber fan, by the way, but these sandwiches were addictive!
I am looking forward to a quiet and lazy day today, with the exception of the readings I have to do for tomorrow's class. It is going to be a hard adjustment to having a Monday night class as it is not something I have ever experienced before. My grad school traditionally does not schedule Monday night courses during the regular school year as they like to reserve the evening for department-wide lectures, meetings and gatherings. As I don't really like to make an extra post-work trip to St. Paul, I have never attended.
There is just something about Mondays that make it seem so unnatural to add in yet another obligation. Here's hoping that it goes well. There is always the positive angle to take that having Monday and Wednesday classes get the dirty work over early in the week thus allowing me to enjoy my weekend more fully. Right?
Next weekend is going to be a bit of a doozy, I think. I am hoping to get my new car detailing and body work done on Saturday morning. I must then return home to help my mother prepare for a baby shower we are hosting on Sunday. Why the early prep work? My mother's stepsister is getting remarried next Saturday night and my parents' house is going to be the central dressing/prep space for the ladies of the group. Oh, and my mom and I are in charge of manning the chocolate fountain out at their reception later in the evening. It really should be fun, especially since my brother is coming home for the occasion.
I must now dash to ready myself for the quick Caribou run. I really really REALLY feel the need for an iced espresso drink this morning.
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