The Proof is in the Pudding

This is a picture of Rob and I at his wedding reception. I wore pants and everything. SHOCKING!!! I know. I even wore a suit (as you can see). This one is of the bride and myself. I think you can almost see the pants.

Here I am proposing to Brooke with a plate of cake. I hate myself for posting pictures. . . Not really.

The syndicate

I find it hard to post on new material. It is never a lack of imagination or ingenuity. I try and change up the flavor of my blog. I suppose if I weren't so sick; it may be easier to come up with the material. I've thought about posting on how after howevermany years they still can't make a cough syrup that tastes good. I am by no means a professional "Tussin" drinker but I've had my fair share of the "monkey snot" (my childhood name for cough syrup). I suppose we have it better than my parents' generation. They could get legally intoxicated from a sip off the bottle. But then again my great-granparents generation grew up with tonics and potions that caused Lord-knows-what. But the people who got the worst end of the stick were my Great-Great-Grandparents; they got straight whiskey. Ok, I just read what I wrote. I meant for it to be a short post about the lacking taste of cough syrup; not an essay on my family's history on cough prevention.

Let's call it 6 months

Let me begin this post by saying Happy Birthday to Brooke Ellen Devine. Why the middle name? I dunno . . . because it sounds like Brooklyn if you say it fast?? Ok, digression. . . . . . . .

This post is a reminiscence (vocab word of the day) of how things were 6 months or so ago. I had just turned 22 and was feeling high. I was seeing a girl named Kelly (seeing- 2 dates [if you can call them that]). I was on top of the world. We had taken 3rd in softball. Everyone was getting ready to head off to school. Amber was on her way to Austin. I joked "Ya know, HCC will have openings 2nd semester." (Watch this smooooooth transition)
The NFL season was upon us. Baseball was ending. I was gainfully unemplyed. It was a different season. We had 70 degree heat and 5 mph winds. Everyone seemed to be scurrying around trying to prepare for the Minnesota winter rapidly approaching. The shorts went away and out came the other shorts.

And now, I'm 22 1/2 and no longer see Kelly. I don't even talk to her. I am preparing for softball to come around again. People are preparing to head home (for spring break). Amber has returned home from Austin and attends HCC. ( Even smoother transition)
The Steelers won the Super Bowl. I'm now gainfully (un)employed. It is the new season. The baseball season cometh. We have 5 degree heat and 70 mph winds (maybe a bit exaggerated). Everyone scurries in preparation for . . . . the Minnesota winter (end). The shorts have stayed and the others are ready to come out.

Take a look back and think about where you were 6 months ago and the changes that have come about. It's interesting. Read some old blog posts and enjoy them. You will see the hardtimes God has brought you through and the blessings he has given you.

The Mild Warm Truth

Ok this "frigid" weekend turned out to be nothing but a hoax. I had my best shorts out for the coldness. I was expecting the absolute worst. I expected to walk outside and see every living thing frozen still. All matter frozen. I was expecting temperatures to be below absolute zero. Sadly, the coldestI saw was -16. What a disappointment. My step-mother asked me Friday night, "Why are you wearing shorts?" then proceded to tell me, "If you break down; you're going to freeze." Apparently, she forgot a few things. 1. I am in Hibbing. It's like 3 blocks to any "warm" building. 2. I have a cellphone. If a breakdown occurs, help is only 4 phone calls away. 3. If I break down, I have a while until I begin to "freeze". Lastly, I've gone through worse conditions. -16 is not that big of a deal. If it were say -60 perhaps I may reconsider wearing longer shorts (also known as pants . . . pantaloons to my friends from 15th century.) Moving on. . . . .

This week is going to mad fun and rather. . . . emotional? I think that's the right word. I get to embarrass myself beyond all belief when I try to dance away. But that's not the icing on the cake. Rather, this is: I will be wearing . . . pants. Also, I have to see my "mom" marry one of my best-friends.

The bitter cold truth

So this morning my art teacher told us that this weekend it's supposed to dip into the -30's and -40's. Then without missing a beat he turns and looks directly at me as though I should run screaming out of the room. Then after that I was walking down the hall and some kid told me, "You know it's going to get down into the -30's and -40's this weekend, right?" I just looked at him and kept on walking. After school I had to go to Wal~Mart and pick up art supplies for some collage (or college) project. The cashier at Wal~Mart told me, "This weekend it's supposed to get @$@#*! cold this weekend. Like -30's &-40's." I just grabbed my board and smacked him over the head with it. So when I got home I received a new email from Col. Havoc (I always want to call him Col. Hogan. . . I don't know why. . . ) saying this weekend is supposed to be really, really cold. I am left wondering what this weekend's weather will be like.

After much deliberation, I've decided to rob a jewelry store & tell them I need a grill.
(please note: I don't intend to actually rob a jewelry store)

Am I Hank?

Wednesday: I just finished curling and was heading out the door. I decided to be a gentleman and hold the door open for those coming in. A fellow came in and said "Thanks." I realized it was Mark Groettum. I walked out saying, "Mark Groettum said 'Thanks.' " I was just relishing in the fact I was thanked by a future congressman. Then realized that's something he would do. If I am Hank who is my supporting cast?


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Be Quiet

With no real news going on in my life, I decided it's time to pick up a new CD. The latest addition to my collection is a great musician writing about a "Collision" or else how 3+4=7. Regardless, it's a very interesting CD, not because it has some monk-chants on it or anything, but because it is divided into 4 parts (A-D). Either way every part has a great song in it. Part A- Here is Our King. Part B- I Saw the Light & A Collision Part C- Come Awake & Part D- A Lark Ascending Or. The CD is good stuff. He does his usual David Crowder stuff (you know what I mean if you are into him). However, he also does stuff that is cool (no other way to explain it other than that). I think this CD is very friendly towards people who are new to DCB's sound. I am a bit reluctant to give it a perfect score on my scale, but it's close. I am reluctant because I don't think it's "All that and a bag". I will give it a 9.4! This one is seriously a buy.

Credit . . . .or something like that

My fans have returned to me. In order to keep them I need to keep the gold coming. I don't really know how to do that. I could share my interesting curling stories (Yes, I am a curler. . . somewhat). But that would be a cyclical story of me throwing a rock down the ice and having it come nowhere near the house. Then when my 2 rocks are gone, I'd have to sweep and I usually fall at least once an end or "burn" one rock and not tell anyone. (Look at me using all these official terms. I feel so. . . Scottish or at least Canadian.) So I don't think anyone (other than curlers who enjoy reading about the failed attempts of posers) would be entertained.
So, I will instead comment on the life of an extra in the Simpsons. It stinks. You are the people who end up going off the "Escalator to Nowhere" or getting beat down by the Monty Burns Militia. I mean it would stink. There are other examples of how it sucks so I'd like to invite you all to share one of your favorites.
I got a Cheat Commandos shirt that says, "Rock, Rock On!"