Here's to you (crazy old blogger-lady)

Even if this 60 year old lady reads this, I've already told her she is a crazy old blogger lady. So there's no hard feelings at all.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I'm typing away at the coffee spot, and there's an older (very crazy lady) also typing away. She keeps looking at me and finally comes over to chat. Apparently she is also an avid blogger and shows me her site (which I forgot). She asks about mine and looks at it. She then tells me how horrible it is, and that I should be writing about more important things (like kittens with yarn, 2010 calenders, itchy pillows and greeting cards). But she did give me an idea about some topics. One of those is the "50 of me" series. So basically I'll start up a post and go through 50 random facts about me.....She was CONVINCED that this is a humorous and entertaining idea, and won't be boring for those reading it.

So that will be the next post because I don't have that much time.....

I'm pretty pumped about some random book I got--"The story of Edgar Sawtelle". From what I've heard, it's a good one.

And today is going to be one of those dissapointing Sundays. The Jets and Vikings will probably miss the playoffs all together.

Speaking of random things, honey dijon chips are pretty good...

I've also become a huge fan of my wine decanter. It's the trillest thing since spendy glasses.

I need to get over this horrible cold. It was Joe Joe's Birfday yesterday, and I missed it all together because I was laid up with some Vicks!

So one of my ex students sent me a link to some "good music". Now my students are who keep me up and slang and popular music, but I was VERY pleasantly surprised when the link lead to De La Souls' 3 Feet High and Rising album....maybe the youth isn't lost as I thought!

Now it's off to figure out this external hard drive doohicky.

Life and lessons learned

I wish winter was over. It isn't even the new years yet, and already I'm longing for warm days to bike in....

On the upside, teaching for the year is over. AND I finally graduated from college. More on that stuff later.

I have semi-decided to make some new years resolutions this year... Normally I skip out on ever making them because they never work (see 2002--Only speak in a British accent or 1993--stop wearing a dashiki). Anyway, this year I will be making the bike trek from Minneapolis to Chicago, flying back out to San Francisco and start playing an instrument. Now I'd like to play a really cool instrument like the banjo or the oboe. Or maybe I'll just work on finally learning to play chopsticks on the piano....

I finally got the chance to see A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie theater the other day. I have to say, it was probably one of the best productions I've seen. Next up, A Bronx Tale at the State Theater (that's in June I think).

Well, it's off to finishing ChristmaHanuKwanzza shopping. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.....

So I leave all of you with the gift of a photo. Chris Farley's back.....

Good things, not so good things

So here is a new plan of mine. On Wednesday I will be finished teaching, writing thirty page essays and giving lectures to people that have had three times the schooling I've had. A new goal of mine is to do things/activities that everyone says are really good, but I've never had the need to do it. One of those things is going to an opera. Everyone says they're awesome, but I've never really had the desire to sit through one. Well, that's about to change. Another thing to do, is read War and Peace. Of all the books I've sat down with over the years, this has never been one. I'm not 100% sure why I've never read it, but I suppose I should get around to it. The final thing for this month I will try to do is hustle someone in a pool game. Now this may be tricky because I'm quite bad at billiards (this may require hanging out at 11-year old birthday parties--which leads to some more troubling questions). But I see it in the movies all the time, so I should really try to hustle someone out of money. I'll wear a fancy tux, stand in the corner all smooth-like, and probably talk like those old time criminals "See copper, I didn't do it, ya scheee. A wise guy huh? Well how about I dance with your dame". Ok, maybe I'll skip that last part.....

I just heard that we're expecting 6-8 inches (that's what she said) of snow today.....I'm sure traffic will be great in the morning.....*sigh*

Bingo Banjango

So it's pretty much official: Winter is here to stay.... Deb and Chris snapped a good one of a semi-frozen Mississippi running through Minneapolis.

So I finally got my bumper fixed. A few weeks ago some kid on his 18th birthday bumped into me and dinged up my car. The conversation that followed between him, myself, his three friends and his mom were pretty funny. But anyway, I'm all worried that the rental car is going to be horrible in the snow and blah blah blah. And it was. So they gave me this automobile achievement--the Kia Rio. Let's just say that when I got my car back yesterday, I was chipper as could be. I don't think I made it above 65 in the Rio.....

Ooh, and yes, it is that time of year for the Beaujolais and Marzipan. If you haven't had marzipan, it's quite the good snack/treat. It tastes nothing like the fruits their made out to be. It's made with sugar, almond and sometimes vanilla. They're mighty good with some wine. And that's where the Beaujolais comes in (even though one treat is Italian and the wine is French). But who really pays that close attention...

AND, as I'm picking up a bottle of the Beaujolais, some guy is making snide comments about how it's not real wine, and it shouldn't even be in the same stores with real wine. I then asked him to tell that to his sister, because I was sick of bringing bottles over to her. That shut him up and made the store employees chuckle.

I've been playing the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack a lot lately. Of course, not when anyone is around, but loud enough in the house so I can hear it.... Gotta love St. Paul cartoons and the music that goes with it!

And again, I wish there was some cool and random story to tell, but until December 20th, that won't be happening.

Are we there yet?

I'm not 100% sure why I love this picture of drunken lego hobos, but I do..

So to bring up the nerd in me, I stumbled upon some 1st-prints of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. I know, I know, what cool guy would hang those up? Me. I mean, these are original 1st prints of their official portraits!! That's gotta count for something right??

Another note for the week, I'll be a guest speaker at the University Social Studies program on Tuesday. I'll be giving a speech about Politics and History in the inner cities. That's right folks, the same guy who brought you Joose-from-a-straw will be schoolin' intellectuals about how to teach to inner-city students. Booya.

Wait, did the Jets really beat the Titans?? Remember the Titans?? Even Denzel likes Favre this year.

I wish I had some cool stories or something to tell, but working almost 16 hour days will pretty much eliminate all opportunities to have fun...But come December 17th, it's back to normal!

A lot of people go to college for 8 years...yeah, they're called doctors.

I can't see this movie and not think of Steve Dahl for some reason.....

With that, I'll leave you be. Have a good Thanksgiving and don't eat those weird fruitcakes.

Good to have you back

So this past weekend I was without my computer. Somehow or another, I contracted some sort of bug on it, and had to bring it in. I never realized how much I depend on this thing until it's gone *insert new movie idea here*.

Other then that, life's still staying busy. Only about 28 more days until I can I take a break from reality...

Oh, it would be wrong for me to not mention voting. So get out and do it......Even if the lines look like this!

I've sort of starting writing again. Mostly just short intro essays, but none-the-less, they may be published (which is ok by me).

I can't wait for the Christmas Carol play to hit the Guthrie. I wish I would have seen it at the old theater, but the new one will suffice.

Well, enough rambling. I'm off to do some grading.

7 weeks and counting

Wow. Seven more weeks of teaching to go. 35 working days (or something close to that). I know, I know, I should be saying things like "I love waking up everyday and doing this", but the truth is, it is cutting into my writing books, and reviewing others. I spent about 2 hours in Barnes and Noble yesterday, and thankfully I didn't go nuts on buying books like I normally do. It's funny, I'll buy about 8 books a month, and read about 3. So needless to say, I have a stack sitting in my corner that are begging to be indulged in.
I wish I had some cool picture to go along with this blog, but I don't...sorry.
And Mike Boo got me stuck on a song--Hanging on the Telephone. That song has been stuck in my head for about 2 days straight now.......
There is a wacky thing going on at the Minnesota Zoo in about a month. A wine and walk tour. It happens after hours, where people donate money to the Zoo fund, and walk around after hours drinking varieties of wine and eating strange finger-food. I'm sort of thinking about doing it, but I'm not sure if wine and Gabon doo go hand-in-hand.......
The first snowfall of the year happened today. Barely a week ago I was bragging about the beautiful weather, and BAM! snow flurries all day. Well, what can you do? As long as Friday stays semi-warm and nice.
Well, that's it for my sidenote-of-a-blog today. It's off to read papers from 11th graders that can't phrase the words "going to do". Instead, it's "dey gon do that"......*sigh* these kids will be taking care of us in about 60 years.........