My Top 25 of 2011

Xmas has come and gone, surprisingly without snow. Before the year is over, it's hard not to look back at what  has been and look forward to what might be.
One nice thing about having an actual calendar on the wall is you write things on it; things that can be fun to flip back to at times like these when the whole year seems like a blur. So besides enjoying good health, good friends and good times, here's my top 25 things of 2011:

25. Fixed the fence in the backyard
24. Beer Fest at the fair grounds
23. Painted the bedroom
22. Got iPhone (then lost iPhone)
21. Got glasses
20. Eric and Bekki's Wedding
19. NHL Draft at Xcel
18. Got a Kindle Touch
17. State Fair
16. Annual Valley Fair trip
15. Sold pinball machine for a new washer & dryer
14. Anne Frank and The Odyssey at Park Square Theater
13. Rock Band Parties
12. Renaissance Festival
11. Devotchka show(s)
10. Summit beer dinner & brewery tour
9. Weekends at Amey's cabin
8. Circus Juventas: Grimm
7. Cirque du Soleil: OVO
6. Florida/John Mable Ringling Museum
5. Wisconsin Dells/Circus World Museum
4. Berg's resort/fishing in Alexandria
3. Caribbean cruise
2. Started a new job
1. Asked Angie to marry me

Touchy Feely

I walked out of work tonight and didn't look back. What a great feeling to finally be done and moving on to bigger, better things. I don't think it's actually hit me yet that I'll be off work at 3:30pm now. We can go to our favorite classes at Lifetime again, like Monday cycle and Thursday yoga. Together! We can cook and eat dinner at the same time again. Together! It's such a great time to be starting the new job, too. A bunch of short weeks at the new job, celebrating the holidays and then a seven night all-inclusive trip to Mexico. It's hard not to be excited for all that's to come.
I'm only a little nervous to start the new gig on Monday, but mostly I feel prepared and ready for the change. It will take a little while getting my body used to the 7:30am start time, but if that's the worst of my worries, BFD. I'll be sure to post a blog after I get my feet wet and have a better idea of how it's going.
How about those Wild, huh? Even though they've fallen on tough times now as the injuries pile up, they  continue to find ways to battle and win games like never before. I'm not expecting them to stay in first place forever, but I do expect them to make the playoffs, where anything can happen.
I bought myself a Kindle Touch as a new job/early birthday present to myself and I love it. The first book I downloaded was the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I'm very impressed with the visual quality and ease of use. Not to mention, it's lighter, more portable and all-around more fun to read than an actual book. Another reason I decided to pick up a Kindle was my serious resolution to cut down on "filler" video games and focus my spare time on reading instead. Frankly, I've found myself losing interest in the single-player, so-called blockbuster video games and feel my time (and sore eyes) would be better spent reading. I still plan to make time for Rock Band parties and the occasional indulgence, but no more pre-ordering, gotta-play-it-now bull sh*t and being tethered to my controller for weeks at a time.
That's about it at the moment. Looking forward to so many things in the coming weeks... Wild games, making more lefse, holidays, family gatherings, vacations, but most of all I'm looking forward to spending more time with the woman I love.

5 Days Left

Only five more days of work left until I start my new job. Even though I know I'm done soon, it's still dragging like crazy. My favorite part is when my boss tells me she expects me to keep my schedule clear in order to work overtime as needed. I'm sorry, do I need to explain to you the unwritten rules of the two-week notice?! Two week notice means I've essentially checked-out from here on out, and while I will still put forth a satisfactory effort, you're sh*t nuts if you think I'm going to work overtime for you. I mean, it's not like you get an oil change on a car before you trade it in.

Most (all?) of the Xmas shopping is done, thanks to a very successful trip yesterday with Ang. I even found some shoes for the new job on clearance at DSW for myself. We got a good start of wrapping but still have a ways to go. Today were headed to my Dad's to visit and celebrate his birthday, which was actually on Thursday.

The new washer/dryer is fantastic, definitely puts a new spin on doing laundry (zing!). I don't think I would ever go back to a top-loader again. Started reading the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy, only about 200 pages in, enjoying it so far. Perhaps I can read the the remaining books while we're in Mexico next month?

Feeling Up, Counting Down

I got the job. < fist pump, loud scream goes here >

That simple sentence carries with it a complete change in perspective, schedule and future. While I could easily write five paragraphs on the shit I put up with for the last year and a half, I'm going to immediately put it behind me. Writing about it would only give it more life, and waste more of my time in the process. Instead, I'll take with me a decent amount of experience, whilst forgetting an enormous amount stress, frustration, and... people.

I start my new position on December 19th. My new schedule will be M-F 7:30am - 3:30pm. I'll be working about 9 miles down the road in Bloomington, not far from Angie's office; maybe we can even meet for lunch one day? My official title will be something like "Digital Press Operator" or "Digital Production." It basically means I'll be taking files of all types, performing preflight/edits, setup, printing, bindery and shipping. I'll even have the pleasure of getting 40% of the print work from an in-house design agency, and working in an apple computer-based environment.

• 10 working days left at my current job
• 15 days until I start my new job
• 3 weeks until Christmas
• 5 weeks and 3 days until we leave for Mexico
• 5 weeks and 4 days until my birthday

El Job-O. Por Favor.

I'm tired. It's been a crazy few days, and it's not over yet. I had my first interview today which apparently went well, as they have already called for a 2nd interview Friday morning. My head is still spinning while I try to absorb all the information. I'm excited for the opportunity, however, I'm still in the dark as far as compensation, benefits, time-off, etc. so it's really hard to make any kind of decision. I'll know Friday, that's all I can say at this point.
More big news, we have booked the all-inclusive trip to Mexico! Needless to say, super excited and very much looking forward to the sun, waves, food, drink and spending time with Angie. Tropical paradise style. We'll be staying 7 nights at Riu Palace near Playa Del Carmen.
The washer and dryer is coming tomorrow morning, odds are I'll be spending the time before work making sure everything works. Hopefully they show up closer to the 8am part of the 8am - Noon window.
Whew. Lot's of balls in the air, little anxious, lots of fun.

Rollercoaster Continues

Shortly after I got over the rejection of not landing the job downtown, I've got another interview lined up for tomorrow in Bloomington. So begins the cautious optimism cycle again. This time it's a smaller company with a bunch of unknowns at this point. I won't know the exact nature of the position until after the interview tomorrow morning.
The good news is, either way, Ang and I are very close to booking a 7-day winter vacation to Mexico. At this point, it looks like we'll doing an all-inclusive resort near Playa Del Carmen. So that's one thing I can be excited about without the possibility of being let down. Speaking of, we've got tickets to another Wild game the day after Christmas. Can't think of a better use of the Holiday off of work!

Short Week

I'm super excited to have the short week ahead, only having to go to work Mon - Wed. I'm in the process of picking out a new washer and dryer with the money I got from selling the pinball machine. I'm leaning towards a Samsung front loader washer and whirlpool dryer. Probably going to buy from Lowes since they offer free delivery and free haul away of the old units.
I sold back Gears of War 3 and picked up Batman: Arkham City. It's amazing how much content they squeezed in, just doing the Riddler challenges alone could take 30+ hours of time. It's probably the last game I'll pick up before January when Final Fantasy XIII-2 comes out.
The Wild continue to impress, last night's overtime shootout thriller was awesome. Hopefully they can maintain their winning ways on Friday when I'll be in attendance. We ended up getting about 2" of snow yesterday, which meant Ang and I shoveled the new sidewalks for the first time. Much easier!

!*^@#%!

Well, I didn't get the job. Rejection. It takes the wind right out of your sails, no matter how much you say you're prepared for it. I'm officially not a fan of this week, at all. Nothing left to do now but drown my sorrows in the Lefse I plan to make next week. You know, next week. The one that can't possible suck as much as this one.

What, Me Worry?

I was supposed to hear back sometime this week about the new job, nothing yet. Yes, I still have tomorrow, but I'm started to get a little rattled. It took over a month the last time I got hired, so I know sometimes these things take time, but the anxiety creeps in and you start to question yourself. Either way, the only thing I can really do is stay positive as things could change at any time. Everything is on hold at the moment while I wait for the verdict, stay tuned.

Closer to The End/Beginning

I was just notified last night that I've a "finalist" for the job downtown. Needless to say, tremendous news and once step closer to the end of working Noon - 8pm and a rather long list of negatives. I believe they are doing a background check on me at the moment, I should hear back sometime next week regarding a final interview and/or the next step in the process. Very excited.
Also excited about the Wild putting together a 5-game winning streak, Nice! Maybe the trick all along was to get rid of cable and stop watching all the games, who knows. My mom is in-flight right now and will be landing later this afternoon. She'll be staying with us for a week, during which time we'll probably do some bumming around, shopping etc.
I was pondering the idea of using the money from selling the pinball machine to get a new washer and dryer. Ours are quite old and I like the idea of front loading, high-efficiency machine. Maybe it's time to do some research.

Hurry Up And Wait Mode

The interview for the new job downtown went great, now I have the hard job of waiting until next week to hear back if I got the job or not. I'm super anxious because it's an upgrade in ever sense of the word; location, benefits, time-off, paid holiday, personnel, working conditions and of course scheduled hours. I'd be working from 8am - 4:30pm, which means I could resume my life again (already in progress).
The pinball machine was posted and sold already on craigslist for $1600 cash. That was fast, huh? Sure, I'll miss it now and again, but I can always get my pinball fix at the state fair or something If needed. I don't have any big plans for the cash yet, probably save it for something special.
My mom is flying into town this Thursday, so the next week or so looks to be pretty busy. I also placed an order for a new lefse rolling pin and pasty board/cloth. I'm not messing around anymore with amateur-hour-lefse-making. It's time to get serious this year.

November News

We've picked a date for the wedding, Saturday, June 9th 2012. That wasn't too hard was it? We've got a few details left to work out with the pastry chef, chair rentals and music (?) but nothing we can't handle. We're happy with the location in the park, with a fall-back plan to do the ceremony in the restaurant if the weather turns.
I've got a job interview tomorrow morning for a state job located in downtown St. Paul. I don't have specific work experience for the position, but they called me anyway and I'm going to check it out. I've been told that the state interview process can be drawn-out, but there really isn't a sense of urgency since I'm not unemployed. I would like must to get back to working normal daytime hours, and I just can't see that happening at my current job (besides the fact that my job is sucking the life out of me).
Can you believe it's November? Just under two weeks until cyber monday, which means I really need to get that xmas shopping taken care of. I like to have it all done by black friday, mostly because I hate going into Target etc. after that day.
In other news, I put my pinball machine up for sale on craigslist today. It's not a must-sell, but I'd love to take the money and use it towards something I can use on a regular basis. It's not cheap, so it might just be destined for the basement anyway.
The Wild are tearing it up lately, winning 4-games in a row (at this point). Ang and I have been watching a few games over at her mom's house since we don't have and don't want cable. I'm looking forward to seeing them take on the Edmonton Oilers the day after Thanksgiving.

Hello Neighbor

If you or anyone you know is serious about looking for a new home, the house right next door to us is for sale and priced to move at $129,000. It doesn't sound like any offers have been made, so you could probably get it even cheaper than that.

 We would love to have "fun" neighbors, friends as neighbors would be even better. We took a walk-through during the open house today just to check it out. Anyway, follow the link below to see the house and spread the word!

House Next Door For Sale! - Property Details

Forecast. Forepaughs?

The more we research our options the more we like the idea of Irvine Park and Forepaugh's for our ceremony and reception. Not only is the park nice, it's close to home and very easy to manage. It the weather doesn't cooperate, we would be able to do the ceremony in Forepaugh's instead. The guest list is still a work in progress, however, it's going to be SMALL. Our vision from the start has been a small wedding, so that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.
Anyway, besides wedding stuff we're going to be painting the bedroom this Saturday. I know, another exciting weekend, right? We went with a very light blue tone called "Sky High." Right now the room is just white with white trim, this should help give it a little more life.

TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Fall)

We've got a busy Saturday planned tomorrow. We're waking up early and heading downtown to the Farmer's Market, a place made better with brisk wind and morning coffee in-hand. We might even pop into this new little donut shop that opened down the street from us called Donut Monkey.
After the market, we're heading to Gerten's to get the skinny on when to seed the newly landscaped yard. Apparently there is some kind of dorment seeding that can be done even this late in the year. Later in the afternoon we're heading up to Irving Park and Forepaugh's restaurant to tour and get information about our wedding.
There is a Wild game later in the evening, I'm hoping we can get together somewhere and watch it. Maybe have a couple drinks perhaps? It's been a long week.

Planning Progress

We've made a little bit of headway in the wedding planning process, but nothing is booked or set in stone. We're going to take a closer look at Irving Park (St. Paul) for the ceremony followed by the dining room at Forepaugh's restaurant. We like the idea of being outside combined with the simple beauty and ease of renting the park. The restaurant can accommodate small wedding parties of up to 40 people, which fits nicely with what we have come up with for our guest list. We are going to do a walk-through sometime this weekend, more to follow as details become clearer.

October

It's my favorite month of the year again, but it's already going by too fast. Work has been super busy as of late and we've got a few projects going on around the house. This weekend we are bringing in a big load of dirt to even out the yard around the new sidewalk and cement patio. We're also planning to paint our bedroom while the weather is nice and cool.
This Saturday is the Wild's first game of the season and we are looking forward to watching it with Jeremy and Kelly. It's a shame, but there isn't a single Wild game televised on Network TV this year. You either have to have FSN or Versus (both cable channels). Needless to say, we will have to get out more to be able to see the team in action this year.
We haven't had a whole lot of down time (together) to do any real wedding planning. The only thing we have come up with is a time frame; most likely spring to early summer. Stay tuned.

And Then She Said Yes

It's been quite awhile since I've had such big news to share, or been this excited about blogging to tell you about it. On September 24th I asked Angie to marry me and she said yes! I've been reluctant to post on Facebook and thus receive a bunch shallow pleasantries, so instead I thought the blog would be a great way to both make the announcement and launch the new re-design.

For those of you who didn't get the whole story, I'll give you the condensed version. Angie thought we should go out to dinner at Moscow On The Hill for dinner, which happens to be the place where we had our first date. Since I already picked out the ring and just needed a romantic locale, this fit the bill perfectly. We arrived early for dinner, so we took a quiet walk in the park by the restaurant. It was a beautiful fall day. I remember the sun was shining and the first leaves on the ground were gently blowing by feet. I got down on one knee and, well, the rest was history.

We've been together a little over two years now and I'm so excited to be taking the next step. If we haven't gotten together yet to celebrate with you, we should. If you've been reading this blog for awhile now and you have yet to leave a comment, you should.

Here's to the next step, Cheers.

At Summer's End

Just a quick post to reflect back on the summer that was. Talking with Angie the other night, we were pretty satisfied with everything we were lucky enough to do. From spending time in Wisconsin Dells, camping a couple of times at the cabin, our trip to Alexandria, a tour of the Summit Brewery and Beerfest, numerous long bike rides and lots of barbeques, it's been quite good. However, all good things must come to end. That end is punctuated by a flip of the calendar page and a trip to the State Fair again this year on Monday.
I for one am happy that summer is coming to a close. I love the milder fall weather (all 2 weeks of it) and the changing of the season. I've said many times that fall is my favorite season and brings with it all the things I love. Cooler days and nights, changing leaves, the Renaissance Festival, the start of the hockey season, a never-ending list of new video games, and of course, Halloween!
Besides being a little upset that my work hours changed to Noon - 8pm, there is lots to excited about. We're looking forward to meeting Jeremy and Kelly's new baby girl Samantha this weekend for the first time. We've also got a fairly large landscaping/cement project about to start that will result in new sidewalks, steps and a bigger patio landing. I've got a weekend long fishing trip at the cabin with Jeff planned in two weeks, and shortly after that is Bekki and Eric's wedding in Stillwater. It's nice to have so many fun things going on, but it's going to make Fall go by even faster than usual.
It won't be long before I'll be sitting here in the dead of winter wishing it was summer again, craving a cold beer in the sun or long bike ride along the river, and wondering what happened to days like today.

Grimm Is Good

Last night we had the pleasure of seeing this year's Circus Juventas production "Grimm." The tale revolved around the brothers Grimm and their journey to not only pen fairytales, but to ensure that each and every one has a "happily ever after."

If you've never heard of Circus Juventas before, you need to get with the program. Not only is it the largest youth performing arts center in the entire United States, but it puts on some of the most entertaining circus shows you'll ever see. What's more, it's located 5 minutes away from our house, across the street from Highland Park.

This years show did a great job of showcasing all the diverse skills and talents of the kids. Everything from juggling, trapeze, high-wire, to the russian swing and german wheel. Choreographed dance numbers are a bit of a snooze for me, but they are well done and beautifully scored.

Overall we loved the show this year, but felt like it was missing a bit of the humor that made last years production "Sawdust" extra special. We each bought a t-shirt with 100% of the proceeds going to help fund the program.

P.S.
The bleechers had pads on them this year, which means someone must have been listening to all the concerns (complaints) last year about being uncomfortable.

Is It Fall Yet?

It's been quite awhile since I posted, but not for lack of fun things to share. No, I blame the heat mostly. You see, it's been about 100 degrees in the office lately and I just can't write with sweat in my eyes.

Our summer trip to Wisconsin Dells has come and gone, but we sure had a blast. The weather was scorching hot for the water parks; we couldn't have planned better. This being our second year in-a-row staying and playing at the same locale, we've got things pretty well figured out now (read: savvy). Even Circus World was fun a second time, despite the mind-numbing heat.

We spent last weekend in Wisconsin at the Amey Family cabin, our second trip in as many months. The first trip didn't go so well for me, considering I locked my keys in my car and later lost my iPhone (FML!). I learned from my mistakes and had a great time regardless. This time we even got to do some fishing out on Loon Lake, even though the storms cut us short, we got a bunch of fish and had a blast.

In domestic news, we got a new security system installed last week. It seems like no matter who you talk to these days, someone has a break-in story to tell. We even upgraded to include fire monitoring, considering we get an additional break on the homeowners insurance as a result. I highly recommend our Nighthawk Security if you're in the market for a system. Besides being very helpful, I can text or call the owner directly whenever I have a question or concern, you can't say that about most security companies.

Lifetime Fitness and I continue to get along great, however, I'm run into a few class instructors that I don't care for. I think Angie and I actually stumbled into a Christian cycle class a few weeks ago, man was that bizarre. Sorry, but I'm here to work out, not reflect on my level of happiness. At one point the lady said "Be sure to drink plenty of water- and stay away from those colored drinks, they are very bad for you. Your body is your temple."

As far as entertainment goes, I've been playing Shadows of The Damned and watching season 6 of Boy Meets World. We downgraded our Netflix to streaming only, so I don't expect to be watching a ton of movies anymore. I'm currently reading yet another book on circus history, the memoir of Tiny Kline. In music, I'm fixated on The Black Keys for the time being, especially enjoying their earlier, bluesier records.

I'm looking forward to seeing Circus Juventas "Grimm" next weekend and hopefully doing some more fishing this weekend. Other than that, it's more hot weather... which means more infrequent blog posts!

Memorable Memorial Weekend

The long weekend is drawing to and end but we definitely made the most of it. We spent Saturday AM shopping for some things at Fleet Farm for the yard etc. Ended up coming home with some vegetables to plant and a few other things for the yard. While it didn't happen this weekend, we're really looking forward to doing some work in the yard and planting the seeds.
Saturday afternoon-ish, we went to see Cirque Du Soleil "OVO" under canvas by the Mall of America. It was a insect/nature-themed performance and I was really impressed. The level of skill and precision is absolutely amazing, It's something that you just can't see anywhere else. The tent added a very cool backdrop, especially with the thunder rumbling and the rain falling outside. I had a fantastic time and will definitely see another performance in the future.
Saturday evening we spent some time at a house-warming party. We had to giggle when we left the house at 9:30pm, considering most of the time we're in bed by 11pm. Either way, it was a good time and we enjoyed the company and this year's bottles of Summit Heifeweizen.
Sunday was the annual Valley Fair trip. As usual, the weather held and there were barely any lines. We managed to ride everything without to much hassle, although it wasn't warm enough this year for any water rides. Regardless, it was a great time and we were pretty exhausted when we came home. We capped of the day by watching "Black Swan." Without going into detail, I thought the movie was decent, but perhaps built up a little too much to meet my expectations.
On this last day of the bunch, I've just been cleaning and putzing around the house a bit. At 3pm I'm heading up to Lifetime Fitness to open a membership. I'm excited to participate in some structured work-outs and classes, and at the same time, ensure that riding my bike stays fun and doesn't become a daily grind for exercise only.

Pirates of The Caribbean: On Strained Tides

With the latest Pirates movie (#4) still fresh in my mind, I thought I'd take a few moments to write a quick review. For this latest entry in the series, I decided to splurge and see it in 3D. Apparently the "D" stands for Damn! that cost a lot of money! $26 for two tickets to be exact.

It's no secret that I love Pirate history, and along with the truth, the fictitious Captain Jack Sparrow. The pirates movies have sailed with tide over the years, some absolutely brilliant (#1) and some quite convoluted and tiresome (At World's End). Whatever the future holds for the franchise, I walk the plank to the theater, clinging to both $26 and my illusions that the best movie is still on the horizon.

On Stranger Tides is a stand-alone entry, meant to be character driven and unique in it's plot. Johnny Depp has admitted that during the filming of the sequels he paused frequently to say WTF? It's also a fact that he doesn't tend to watch is own movies, which has nothing to do with my review, I just find it interesting. Regardless, the main goal of this entry was to move the characters forward and leave the long-winded back story in the past.

For the most part, I found the movie to be quite dim and drab, both comically and literally. Part of what made the series my favorite was the colorful characters, breathtaking scenery and well-balanced comedy/drama/action sequences. On Stranger Tides never really takes off and becomes a summer blockbuster, it feels more like a series of ideas strung together from the cutting room floor of previous entries. While I managed a few chuckles, the comedy seemed a bit too familiar for my liking.

My biggest disappointment didn't lie with the actors (or lack thereof in the case of Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley) or the story (predictable, much?) but rather with Jack Sparrow. In my mind I was thinking this movie would take Jack to a whole new level, but unfortunately, I really felt like this was a step backward for him. Overall, I wouldn't say the movie is dead in the water, however, it didn't shiver me timbers and/or blow me down as much as I would have liked.

iPhone Apps iLike

I haven't had my iPhone 4 forever, but I've definitely found some apps I consider to be amazing. Here's my top five favorite apps I've found so far:

1. Netflix 
This is pretty much hands-down the best feature of my phone. I love being able to watch all of my instant play movies right from my phone no matter where I am. Load times are minimal, the quality is great and the library is getting bigger as we speak. Cost: FREE

2. Shopkick
I'm totally addicted to this simple yet rewarding app. Shopkick is the first mobile app that gives you rewards for walking into stores, for scanning products, or for just sitting on your ass. You can collect "kickbucks" and bonuses at millions of stores and restaurants, including Target, Best Buy and even gas stations.
My addition revolves around using the barcode scanner and scanning the UPC of featured products and collecting points (kickbucks) which can be redeemed for instant gift cards. It's almost like getting paid to do a scavenger hunt while you're out shopping around. As of right now, I'm sitting at 1573 kick bucks (which is more than enough to cash in for a $5 gift card) but I'm going to keep collecting awhile longer.
If you have the means, download the app and give it a try. If you remember to use my code "crane6116" after installing the app, we both get 50 kickbucks as a bonus! Cost: FREE

3. Flixster
Flixster is all about movies, all in one place. It lets you see what's in theaters (now, coming soon, etc.) what's coming to dvd, and what's playing at your favorite theaters. What's more, it's integrated with both Rotten Tomatoes and Netlfix, which allows you to see review scores and instantly add movies to your Netflix queue. Cost: FREE

4. Vlingo
Vlingo for iPhone is speech recognition technology with decent accuracy. It even connects you to your third parties – like Facebook and Twitter. Let's say I want to Tweet a live broadcast or otherwise update my Twitter/Facebook page without typing... all I have to do is say "Facebook Update: I can't believe her boob just fell out, did anyone else see that?!" and then hit send. Cost: Using the social media update function is completely free, however to use text/email voice support the cost is $6.99.

5. IntoNow
IntoNow makes sharing your favorite television shows easy and fun. Just tap the green button when you’re watching, and IntoNow will identify the show, right down to the episode. Once identified it’s easy to share with your friends on Twitter or Facebook. Cost: FREE

Anyone care to suggest some great apps that I may have missed? Leave a comment below.

Watered Down Elephants

After much anticipation, I finally got my ticket to the big show. So the question is, was it truly the greatest show on earth or just another mud show?

Let me start by briefly giving my thoughts on the book by Sara Gruen. Insanely popular, easy to read and with an absolutely perfect setting for a circus fan, I found the book held my attention with an interesting cast of characters and decent pacing. Her knowledge of circus history is questionable, and at times I felt like she threw around "circus-speak" with a reckless abandon; if only to make a point that she tried to study and bring a touch of authenticity. Highlights for me were the shady circus elements--the booze, the grift, the cooch tent etc. Some found the side story of the old man in the twilight of his life touching, while I found it a bit distracting and became anxious to be back in the sawdust. Minor quibbles aside, it was fun circus book that already felt like a movie.

The big screen version took all of the R-rated (read: interesting) aspects of the book and either glossed them over or left them out entirely. Instead of grit you get glamor. While the circus set pieces are beautiful, the same cannot be said the on screen chemistry of Jacob and Marlena. While not awful, it definitely seems flat at times and I found their moments to coincide with the times I felt the most bored. What also bothered me (besides the fucking annoying girl next to me who keep talking to the screen and making "awwww" remarks every two seconds) was the way the movie felt slower than the book. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Needless to say, I didn't feel completely duped like a rube being pushed into the sideshow tent, however, I felt like it was more respectable than spectacle. A little more sex and booze and a little less pink lemonade and cotton candy and this could have been a center ring attraction.

Hollywood Sucks: Part 6 (3D)

I returned last night from another underwhelming movie-going experience, this time seeing the highly regarded "Source Code." While the movie wasn't terrible, it didn't do much for me in the way of creativity or even a cheap thrill. I'm finding that most of the movies I watch are just as lack luster as the one before, with only a few exceptions. The machine in Hollywood keeps pumping out garbage and continuing to charge us more to see it, thanks to the wonder that is 3D. Speaking of that, I was rather glad to see that Pirates 4 is NOT going to be in 3D. However, it comes as little consolation if the movie ends up sucking ass and making me wish they hadn't even made it.
It seems apparent to me that the time for 2 hour "epic" movies has past. I find that Premium channel original series' and television sitcoms deliver more consistently and more originally than anything on the big screen. Who doesn't appreciate the bite-sized story arcs, the evolution of the characters, and the cliff-hanger moments. Not to mention, the obvious time/financial savings. And while not shown in 3D, at the Zoo Omnitheater, whilst eating $8 popcorn, overall I feel like they are a more personal, enjoyable experience.
The only thing keeping me away from the theater is time. It's the same reason I have to pre-order video games, the anticipation and the excitement makes it just too hard to resist. Alas, I'm giving in again this Friday and going to see Water For Elephants. As a well-documented circus history buff, and having read the book, I'm cautiously optimistic. Obviously, I haven't learned a thing from my experience.

Ignorance Is Your New Best Friend

One of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite bands is titled "Ignorance." Since it's release, it's taken on a whole new level of meaning, now that the lyrics have become a self-fulfilling prophecy to the band that wrote them. This band is Paramore, and they have since parted ways with their drummer and guitarist, one of many facts that a casual listener wouldn't even know about. But exactly when did I start calling myself more than a casual listener? I don't know, but it definitely happened. This sort of thing happens all the time in fact, and I really wish it didn't.
Whether it be a band, a sports team, a television show or what have you, slowly I become more and more invested into it, until, at length, I've taken my casual interest and turned it into something else. Less than obsession, but more than just interested. I blame the update-a-second society we live in, I blame Facebook, smart phones and every other social media outlet for making me info obsessed. And, I blame myself. However, everywhere you turn there is a rss feed to subscribe to, a page to bookmark, a link to click, a video to watch and a "like" button to click.
Sometimes I feel like the more read, subscribe, watch and "like" all these things, the worse off I become. Instead of just listening to a band because I enjoy their music, suddenly I find myself reading their Tweets about how much they love their new tattoo and how they could eat cereal for every meal. Do I really care about these things? No. It's then that I realize, I've lost my ability to just enjoy, because now I know too much, and there's no going back.
If I could just appreciate casually, if I could just stay a safe distance and form my own opinions free of social media influence, if I could just remember that ignorance is bliss.

Grillin' Like a Villian

Ahh, yes. April is here and the snow is not. I've taken full advantage of the improved weather and cooked on the new grill 3-4 times already. The old grill found a new home in the back of some dude's truck, thanks to craigslist. Along with cooking dead animals over flames on-demand, I was able to get out and play my first round of disc golf at Blue Ribbon this past Sunday. It was still super wet and soggy, but still lots of fun and definitely worth the wet feet on the drive home.
I watched a couple of crappy movies the other day, Sucker Punch and Due Date. I highly recommend avoiding both, as they suck so badly I can't justify blogging about them any further. However, I did really enjoy watching Little Miss Sunshine, which I realize isn't exactly a "new" movie. Either way, it was both a great movie and a great way to listen to some Devotchka before the concert last Friday night.
The Devotchka show at First Ave. was even better than last year. They were the main act and played a solid 2 hours (including encore). They're such an awesome live band, you really get a sense for the complexity of the songs and the talent they possess. I really can't say enough good things about them and continue to devour their discography whenever I get the chance.
My gaming has been put on hold for a bit while I continue to wait for my new glasses to arrive at Target optical. In the meantime, I've been slowly (but surely) completing the pro drum trainer lessons on Rock Band 3. It never ceases to amaze me how some beats that once seemed impossible one day become do-able.
I also recently finished reading "Big Top Boss, John Ringling North and The Circus." Another solid read in a long line of circus history books I continue to delve into, with no end in sight. Next up? "Spangles, Elephants, Violet's and Me."
Oh, and I discovered uTorrent today. OMG. Coincidentally, I'm now listening to piles of new music by Devotchka, The Kills, Avril Lavigne, Metric, Prince, The White Stripes and The Sounds.
Finally, the Wild can suck it.

Sucker Punching Winter In The Devotchka

It's unofficially winter send-off week around these parts; as temps outside slowly rise and the sun shines a bit longer into the evening. I plan on placing my order for some new discs and hope to get out to play the first round of the season soon. Not only looking forward to shaking the rust of the discs, but the bike as well.
As far as actual festivities this week, I've got a outing planned with friends to see "Sucker Punch" opening night this Friday. It's a small but important step towards everyone coming out of hibernation and spending time together again. This Saturday I plan to put together my new grill, followed by a nice feast o' flames shortly thereafter (rain or shine). Basically, the math looks like this:

Disc Golf + Biking + Grilling - Minnesota Wild Interest = Happy Fun Spring Time!


Not only looking forward to all the above, but heading to another Devotchka show at First Ave on April 1st. If you never heard of them before, they are a genre-bending breath of fresh air that includes everything from tuba to accordion. I'm still absorbing their body of work, but I really like the "Mad And Faithful Telling" album the best at this point.
In other news, I went in for an eye exam on Saturday for the first time in at least ten years. I'd been suspecting my distance vision was slipping and the tests confirmed that; I'm .75/.75 to be exact. While it doesn't mean I'm blind, it does mean I'm nearsighted and will need some glasses for part-time use. I was expecting as much and have begun the search for frames that I like. It's strange to say, but I'm looking forward to having glasses, especially for when we go to plays/concerts/shows/movies etc. Whether it be needing a another set of eyes or another set of discs, the times they are a changing.

Marching On

It's a strange time right now. Winter has taken it's usual oppressive hold on me, turning me into some kind overachieving shut-in. On the one hand, the weather keeps me from doing the things outside that I love and miss, like playing disc golf, riding bike and cooking food on the grill. Yet, at the same time, while I'm getting all OCD about things around the house all winter, I tend to get a lot done - for better or worse.
So here we are finally getting to the end of February and it seems like it will never be summer again. On the bright side, March grants the change in clocks (spring ahead), St Patrick's Day and Angie's Birthday. It's not that everything is bad, it's just nice to have things to look forward to on another cold day like today.
To keep entertained, I've been watching the Wild as they make their push towards the playoffs. Since we don't have cable, Netflix has also been worth it's weight in gold. Speaking of tech, I recently got the iPhone 4 as well. It was something I knew would eventually come to Verizon and the timing ended up being perfect for me to upgrade. So far, I love the damn thing. It filled the Apple void in my life nicely, and I'm very happy with the quality of photos/video it takes in place of carrying around a separate digital camera.

Watching: Spartacus Gods of The Arena, The Tudors S3
Playing: Rock Band 3, Magna Carta 2
Reading: Big Top Boss (The Story of John Ringling North)

Reading My Reviews

It occurred to me today that I've read quite a few books lately and I haven't posted my thoughts on any of them. I didn't used to think of myself as much of a bookworm, but finding books on circus history really changed my ways. Here are a few of my reads of the last few months...


The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy
This one really blew my away. Sure, I love reading about circus, but this book is less about the circus and more about the people and events surrounding the tragic fire in 1944 that left 167 people dead, 487 injured and many intriguing questions unanswered.
The book was impossible to put down; full of well-researched information and well put together. Photos are presented in limited number, however, they are extremely moving and I found myself examining them repeatedly the more I continued to read. Highly recommended.

Angel Time: The Songs of The Seraphim, Book One
I was told Anne Rice wrote good books (see: The Vampire Chronicles). However, this book was a complete snooze, and it promised so much more intrigue from the synopsis:
"Toby O’Dare—aka Lucky the Fox—is a contract killer of underground fame on assignment to kill once again. He’s a soulless soul, a dead man walking. His nightmarish world of lone and lethal missions is disrupted when a mysterious stranger, a seraph, offers him a chance to save rather than destroy lives.
What you end up with is a short read about an unbelievable contract killer, followed by a very long, tedious read about him changing on a dime and putting all his effort towards conflict resolution in the name of unbelievable angel. I found the entire affair very uninspired and I won't be picking the next book. Highly recommended. For me to poop on.

Stieg Larssons: Millennium Trilogy
Yes, I've read all three books. Yes, I believe they are worth all the hype. I've also watched all three of the movies, I even saw the second film in the theater. The bottom line is Lisbeth Salander is a very magnetic, readable character and I wouldn't have enjoyed the nearly as much without her. If you haven't read these books you need to, especially before the american film version comes out and we have another Twilight-Saga tween shit storm to deal with.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise

Day #1 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Our flight coming out of MSP was delayed by more than an hour, effectively making us and a handful of other people very close to missing the boat. By cutting it close, we ended up missing the better part of the day aboard the ship and rushing through embarkation. They moved us along so quickly that we didn't even get the cheesy "Welcome Aboard" photo taken. After we found our room, we quickly headed to the muster station drill with our life vests, making it just in time yet again.
After the safety drill in the theater, we were able to breath a bit easier and officially start our vacation. Since both of us hadn't eaten on the plane, we headed up to the lunch buffet to get a bite to eat. After lunch we did the customary walk around the ship to get orientated and see everything up close and personal. Our ship, called the "Ruby" is the flagship of the Princess fleet; built in 2008, it's also the newest ship.
After a relaxing afternoon, we unpacked our bags and headed to dinner. The highlights of the dinner on the first night were both deserts. My carrot cake and Angie's flour-less chocolate cake were delicious. After dinner we headed to the theater to watch the welcome show. It was mostly song and dance, previewing the talent aboard the ship and letting everyone know what was yet to come. We closed the first night with drinks while watching the house band play in Explorer's Lounge.

Day #2 - Princess Cays, Bahamas
Princess Cays is a small island that Princess owns and therefore has exclusive access to in the Bahamas. After taking a short tender ride from the ship, we were free to spend the day doing whatever on the private island. While the weather was only in the 70s and a bit cloudy, I still wasted little time in getting in the ocean. While Angie relaxed on the beach, I did a little snorkeling.
After relaxing a bit, we took a long stroll down the beach. The sun came and went along the way, and near the end of the walk I found a living conch shell in the shallow waters. Lunch was provided to everyone on the ship near the beach, although it wasn't anything different than the buffet on board. After lunch, we decided to head back to the ship a little early and sit in the hot tub for awhile.
We spent the time before dinner watching a comedian (who was quite good) and having a cocktail. Dinner on day number two was highlighted again by dessert; some sort of neopolitan ice cream cake. After dinner we took in another show featuring an illusionist named David Cats.


Day #3 - A Day At Sea
Most cruises have days where you just travel to your next destination, and ours was no different. Our first sea day found us soaking up the sun and swimming in the pool. During the afternoon we grabbed some ice cream and headed inside for a bit to play some Bingo. After lunch, we attended a rum tasting.
Before our formal night dinner, we spent a little extra time getting ready and stopping for champagne in the Piazza.

Day #4 - St. Maarten
We originally booked a snorkeling tour, but found out it was cancelled due to low visibility. It ended up being just fine, and we spent the day at the beach next to town. The port was very busy, in fact there were five other cruise ships in port with us. Either way, the weather was sunny and the ocean was wonderful.
We spent a little time wandering the shops afterwards, and I picked up a book to read and souvenir magnet to put on the fridge at home.
Before dinner, we were entertained by the physical comedy of Jim Maltman. We both really enjoyed his work and later learned he has a history with circus! Dinner was above average, and I especially enjoyed the cod w/chorizo and bacon.

Day #5 - St. Thomas
Easily the best day of the trip. We got an early start with room service breakfast and headed off the ship at 8:00am to meet with our tour group. Shortly after 9:00, we walked to the nearby dock and boarded a beautiful catamaran called "The Cat." Our new home for the day, The Cat first took us sailing to Buck Island, where we dropped anchor and snorkeled for about an hour. Among the many fish, we were lucky enough to spot a large number of sea turtles and a sting ray. After we were all aboard again, we hoisted sail to our second stop; Honeymoon Island. Along the way the sun was shining, the wind was blowing and the rum punch was flowing; absolute paradise.
Once we were on Honeymoon Island, we had hot BBQ ribs and chicken waiting for us. The food was fantastic and a nice change from the ship's cuisine. After lunch, we spent the remaining time we had sitting in the water and enjoying the never-ending supply of rum punch.
When it was time to sail back to port, neither one of us wanted to get off. Before we did, I made sure to buy a T-Shirt with The Cat logo on it. Needless to say, it was a great tour and a great day!

Day #6 - Grand Turk
Grand Turk consists of a man-made cruise terminal and not much else. Tourism is the islands primary income, and not many people have heard of it. Either way, we made the best of it by booking a Bike Tour which not only gave us a taste of the island, but a bit of exercise as well. Our bike tour ended with a relaxing dip in the ocean at Governor's Beach before heading back to the ship.
For better or worse, I went with an all-seafood dinner selection that night. Beginning with lobster salad and caviar, then escargo, and finally lobster tail and prawns. Caviar is not my favorite, escargo is quite good and I've always loved both lobster and prawns.

Day #7 - Another Day at Sea
Our final day was spent at sea, as we made our way back to Fort Lauderdale. This was the only day were the weather was a bit cool and overcast, making it a bit difficult to sit outside and lounge. We spent some time playing bingo again and checking out the art auction. We especially enjoyed the culinary demonstration in the theater, not so much for the food but for the entertainment the cooks provided.
The early evening show was a rather interesting play, using some 3D-esqe stage effects I'd never seen before. Our last dinner was delicious, including a watermelon/feta salad and perch w/curry and rice.

Overall, the weather was fantastic and life aboard the Ruby was good. Checking the weather at home in Minnesota, we successfully missed the coldest weather of the winter, too. And while I'm sure it will get just as cold again, all I have to do is close my eyes or drink a little rum punch and I'll be feeling warm all over.

32

It's my Birthday today, but you already knew that, right? Part one of the mass celebration starts tonight with a trip to the movie theater to see Black Swan. The fun continues tomorrow with a birthday dinner out, and still more merriment on Friday with club level seats at the Minnesota Wild game. Finally, the funtastic week comes to and end on Sunday with flight to Florida and a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean for seven days of a sensational sea-faring sojourn. 32 FTW!

Edit: Didn't end up going to Black Swan tonight; decided to save it for when we get back from the trip.

Screw You, Frosty

In just a few short days we'll be embarking on our first cruise together, heading to the tropical eastern caribbean for a 7 days of fun n' sun. We'll be aboard the Ruby Princess (Princess Cruise Lines) and our ports of call are Princess Cay, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk.
While separtately both Angie and I have done quite a bit of cruising, this should prove to be an entirely different experience spent together. I'm really looking forward to the warm weather, swimming/snorkeling, delicious dinners and activity-filled days and nights.

Kinections

After much deliberation, I decided today was the day to pick up Microsoft Kinect and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. Driven partially by a need to invigorate my exercise regime, and partially because it was on sale this week on the cover of the Best Buy ad. You might be quick to label me a New Year's resolute, but I assure you I've had my eye on this game since Kinect was introduced. Besides, running after work everyday in subzero temperatures isn't exactly something I look forward to on a daily basis.
So now that I took the plunge and spent the evening getting my feet wet, I can say I'm very happy with the purchase. The Kinect system itself was simple to setup, and it performed exactly as I expected in my play area. Granted, our living room is the ideal setup (6 -8 of empty space in front of the TV and no coffee table) but I was still impressed with it's functionality. Navigation is more of novelty, but the voice commands are quite useful when you are preparing for your workout and don't want to carry the controller around.
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved is very fun way to do cardio, strength training and/or just break a sweat. After taking a short physical evaluation, numerous workout programs are available tailored specifically to your level and goal preferences. I've only just scratched the service of the programs, but the workouts feel precise and the feedback is helpful to get the most out of each exercise. With just me and my digital personal trainer, I feel less likely to be self conscious, and being "scored" on the exercises gives you incentive to improve where it's needed.
So today I burned 227 calories and $195, both of which I feel are a great start to a more diverse, enjoyable exercise routine.