Refreshing...

This afternoon I went for a run. I will have to admit it felt pretty good to feel sweat run down my face. It has been such a long time since I have had that sensation...I didn't know how to behave. Hahahah. It is hard to imagine that only weeks ago, it was almost 50 degrees colder. Wow!

But as I was running today, I was thinking about the weather. Even though I enjoyed the weather currently. I kind of miss the refreshing feeling the below zero temperature's bring. When dressed properly the artic temps are a wonderful time. First you get to enjoy having the outdoors to yourself. The only sound you hear is the squeeky snow and you get to watch your breath become a cloud of moisture before your eyes. I also enjoy the feeling of getting to somewhere warm. The feeling is wonderful.

Regardless of what the weather will be like in the upcoming weeks....I know that change is in the air and before too long I will start to complain about how hot it is....until then enjoy the weather.

Semester 19...done

86 days....That is how many school days the last semester was. I am always surprised by how fast the days fly by. It seemed like only yesterday was October. WOW.
Now that the semester is done, I have the new semester to look forward to. This past semester went well. I had really well behaved students, who were eager to learn. Which makes teaching fun. Yeah!!
As I am typing this up I am having a hard time believing that I have been in the education field for 10 years now. If I do the math quick...on average, I have about 20 student in each class...I teach 5 classes a semester. Now take 100 multiply by 19....wow....I have had about 1900 students in the last decade.
Now if I could only remember all their names. Hahah imagine that!

Choose Wisely!

As I am sitting in the warmth of my house. Old man winter is pounding on the door with minus 20 degree force. Pound away!!! I am not leaving, at least for awhile. I have the day off because of the cold. The last day I had off because of the cold was January 30th of last year. I chose wisely because yesterday, I had a dentist appointment that took up most of the morning and I had yesterday off as well. So today is a nice gift and break from the routine.

Yesterday I graduated from the dentist, at least for awhile. In the last three months, I went 4 times because of cavities...Booo. With all the money, I put into my mouth I could have funded a great trip somewhere!

A word of advice! Don't go multiple years with out a trip to the dentist like I did! I remember the dentist saying, "Boy, I haven't seen a cavity this bad in 6 weeks" on one of my visits. I guess that means, I won an award and have a plaque on a wall somewhere in his office. I don't know if that is a good thing???

So last night the school that I teach at cancelled school, so I knew that I didn't have to set an alarm. It felt great to sleep in.

What does the day hold for me? I am planning on making some bread, heading to the gym for a workout, and maybe a walk. Inside or outside....to be determined.

Note: In the time that it took for me to type this it has dropped two degrees.... -22 .....

...And Hello 2009!

Happy new year! Derek's end-of-2008 post pretty much sums up my sentiments. Looking at that list, one thing is clear -- there was much to enjoy in 2008! I'm very thankful for getting a chance to do and experience all that I did, but more importantly, I'm thankful for the people who helped make it so enjoyable. Derek, friends, family...you know who you are.

Derek and I celebrated the end of 2008 with an old favorite -- dinner at Great Waters Brewery in downtown St. Paul. We had appetizers, drinks, dinner and dessert, we spent about 2.5 hours total in that place. Good stuff! We started with a hummus/pita/veggies plate, followed by chicken for me and duck for Derek. The best was the desset, though...bread pudding as big as my head. Derek was happy...just look at him!


After dinner, that left us with about 2.5 more hours to burn until midnight, and we decided to spend it at home...where it was warm, comfortable and free! I really couldn't ask for more on NYE.

So far today has been what New Year's should be...a whole lot of not much of anything besides relaxing and enjoying simple pleasures like pancakes and a walk on what's turned out to be a not-too-cold day. The year 2009 is off to a great start.

Goodby 2008!!

Wow! It is hard to believe that another year has passed. I am reminded by what my Grandpa always said...."the years just keep getting faster, as you get older." Well I just wanted to wish everyone a great 2009! May you have a great new year!

I also wanted to create some best of 2008 lists...here it goes:

Best Music acts I saw:

• MIA at the Myth
• The Hold Steady in July at First Avenue
• Lucy Kaplansky and Storyhill at the Fitzgerald
• Jeremy Messersmith at Mears Park
• Trampled by Turtles at MN State Fair

Best Albums:

• The Hold Steady: Stay Positive
• Mates of State: Re-arrange us
• Cloud Cult: Partying Thur Tornadoes...
• Mike Doughty: Golden Delicious
• Jeremy Messersmith: Silver City
• Bon Iver: For Emma, forever ago

Best Trips:

• Month long trip in Colorado
• Presidents day weekend in Chicago
• Leesome Lake multiple times
• Philadelphia
• X-mas in Chicago

Best Eateries for Dinner:

• Great Waters Brewery
• BonXai
• Peninsula
• Seven Sushi
• Nala Pak

Best Eateries for Breakfast:

• West Egg Fork (Chicago)
• Longfellow's
• Highland Grill
• Egg and I
• Trotters

December

I am always amazed by how fast time goes…once again several weeks have gone by with out an entry. My bad!

Besides the typical routine of life we have been up to a few activities. In early December we went to a charity benefit for Asian American Journal Association at the Children’s Museum in Saint Paul. It was a good time we met some great people, ate some good Asian food, and were entertained by varies forms of entertainment.

There was also a silent action and we bid and won on a gift certificate for True Thai and Midwestern Mountaineering. It was nice because we benefited the AAJA and got a great deal. It also gave us an economical dining option that we took advantage of.

Then a couple of weeks ago, a friend of ours (Karl) organized an outing. We attended The Holiday Pageant with Kevin Kling, Sarah Agnew, Luverne Seifert, and Amy Matthews at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis. It was festive, entertaining, and full of slap stick comedy which got you in the holiday sprit. Yeah!

Christmas this year was spent in three places Illinois, Wisconsin, and Saint Paul. We left for Illinois the Friday before Christmas. We broke up the trip by staying one night in Madison, then traveled to my Grandparents house in Northern Illinois. It was great to see both my immediate and extended family.

Then on the 21st we headed to the Sheraton in Downtown Chicago for a three day stay. It was great to be in the windy city again and enjoy everything that it offers. We did the usual…run, eat, wander, eat, relax and then repeat. I look forward to traveling there again, maybe when it is summer. I think one day there were minus 40 wind chill. Burrrrr.

We then returned back to Saint Paul to celebrate Christmas with Tracy’s parents on the 24th and mine parents in St. Croix Falls, WI. on Christmas day. It was a great Christmas. I received more then I deserved and enjoyed the time spent with family.

Back from Philly!

We are back from the, "City of Brotherly Love." I really enjoy this city, every time I return home, I think about what I would like to see the "next time" I go back. That being said, this was a great trip! Tracy and I got there on Saturday morning and left early afternoon on Tuesday. We stayed in the Rittenhouse Square area, in a beautiful hotel right in the middle of Center City. It was nice to stay in this area because it made everything we needed, accessible on foot.

Here are some of the highlights...

• Participate in the half marathon and watch the Philadelphia Marathon. (Nice Job Karl!)
• Walk through the historical district and see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Constitution Center, and Federal Reserve.
• Take a Tour of the Eastern States Penitentiary (Wow...this was very interesting)
• Cruise through the Reading Terminal Market and sample all the treats (Yum!)
• Walk around the neighborhoods and streets of Philly!
• Eat at some great restaurants....Tokyo Sushi and El Vez....