2 Hours Traffic

Music for Memorial Day Weekend

My latest ITunes Downloads...

If you are interested.  I LOVE The Killers and The Shins!

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

I am in the middle of this book right now,and it is hard to put down and yet exhausting to read.  This is self-depreciating humor at its finest.  This is tragic.  This is odd and discomforting.  This is original and fresh.  This is self-righteous and demanding.  This is beautiful and poetic.  This IS genius. 

Really a great memoir of a young man who loses both of his parents to cancer in five weeks and suddenly, in his early 20's, must become the "parent" to his 7 year old brother.

If you read it, let me know what you thought of it.  If you haven't...

READ IT!  :-)

Please Vote!

I am working on a business card for my little summer adventure into entrepreneurship.  I need to tweak these some(#1 needs a better look to the business name) and I may do something different in the end, but I would like to get your opinions on these VERY different looking cards.  It is obvious that #2 pops better, but I am looking for overall design/mood for just the card.  I am open to constructive criticism.

#1 Vintage/Soft

#2 Retro/Funky

#3 None of the above

#1

#2

10 more days...10 more days...come on! EVERYBODY chant..10 more days...

Doing a little jig ............

I am sure it is quite unprofessional of me to be GIDDY about the last day of school at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, but frankly I don't care!  Whoo hooo!  I am so excited for the summer!  You all know I love the students and all, but I sooo need a break from the whining, grading, teacher "looks", paperwork, and did I mention GRADING!  I NEED that time to regroup.  I know many people who do not teach think that the break is not needed, but I BEG to differ.  I have worked in other fields, and there is nothing quite like teaching.

So, before I get on my soapbox (no, that was just a warm-up) I will end this post...but just wanted to let you know that the official count down has started...now, if I could just figure out how I will get everything taught and graded between now and then, I would be ecstatic!

That Mother@#$%^n' $#@sucker...

The only show on T.V that I watch on a regular basis is Deadwood.  It is violent, dirty, intense, profane (BEWARE RATED "R") , only slightly based in truth, and it is what I think is the BEST written show on television, and it has some of the best character development and acting I have ever seen.  I am not even a big western fan, but this series has sucked me in.

Anyone else watch it?  If you do not watch it and are up for an intense experience, I recommend you rent the first season and check it out.  Let me know what you think.

This site explains why you should watch it better than I can... I am just going to say ditto.

Well, I had an idea for today's post...

but I ran out of time.  So, I just thought I would post a few Photoshop creations:  my final mother's day cards for my mom and grandma and a photo of my brother and his wife.  Many people are participating in Ali's challenge.  It looks very cool, but I am pushing my artistry right now by teaching myself Photoshop.  It is an exciting journey.

Frivolous?!?!?!?!?

I am spending the day after my 33rd birthday at the Grand Hotel at Mackinaw Island Michigan.  We are traveling with my parents and my mom and dad went there for their honeymoon, 15 years later (with me) and now again for their 35th anniversary.  20 years ago my mom said that if she ever made it back to Mackinaw, she was staying at the Grand Hotel...so Bob and I will also be the recipients of that statement.  Happy birthday to me....  :-)

Of course we were the "frivolous" ones in the past; in 2000 Bob and I visited Bob's aunt and uncle in Seattle and we took a day trip to Victoria B.C.  Since I am my mother's child, I said to Bob, "If we ever get back to Victoria Island, I am staying at the Empress." 

Little did we know that we would make it back there three years later (with my parents).  When I made that remark, I assumed we would either never make it back or we would be back 20 years from now...but fate brought us there early and I committed myself to staying there.  It was very expensive but we all agree it was worth EVERY penny.

Empress Hotel

I am one of those, "you only live once" types.  I think it is important to be sane with your money, but not tooo tight.  I want to enjoy what the world has to offer!

On anotherr frivolous note:  How about this Brazilian Magazine Purse.  I am soooo very tempted!  I saw one at a store, Three Rooms, in the Twin Cities.  So not practical..but sooo much fun!

What was the last frivolous thing you purchased? 

Down in the Valley of Gravy and Dentures

We spent Mother's Day in Redwood Falls,  Minnesota visiting my grandma.  My grandma is a beautiful woman, and she is still living on her own at age 87.  She made sure we had reservations down at "The Valley" which seems to be the place were people over the age of 70  to go to "see" and "be seen." This is apparent because the vast majority of patrons consist of elderly people straining their necks to see who enters the dining area, and my grandma's discussion was punctuated by comments such as: "Is that so-in-so?...she looks tough" or "Mary, did you babysit that Johnson boy" and finally "I see Frank is out of the hospital."

The menu consists of six selections which include: Beef in Gravy, Turkey in Gravy and Ham with Potatoes and Gravy. (gravy is part of the local food pyramid evidently) For those who are frivolous with their money, one may choose Fried Walleye, or Fried Shrimp.  If one wanted an "ethnic" experience one could choose Chicken Kiev.  In Redwood Falls, there really are only two places for :::ahem::: "fine dining" : The buffet at the casino and "The Valley."  If we are

there for Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas (since my grandma put the cabash on any meals at her house...even if we bring the food) we must dine at the Jackpot Junction casino because it is the only establishment open on the holidays (that is another blog entry...let me tell you)...any other time, my grandma prefers "The Valley."   All in all, the day was a success, and I am glad we were able to spend some time with each other.

(The LITERAL scene from the doorway of "The Valley)

Above photos:

(My aunt, my grandma and my mom)

I am playing with Photoshop and...

I could see going digital...ahhhhhhhhhhhh!  This is a mother's day card I was working on...I messed up on the "M" (too light), but it was fun!  I was also working on a new banner for this page and for some reason it is not showing up...I will have to figure out what is wrong with it...but here it is:

I LOVE this stuff.  I love brushes (can you tell I am having a love affair with the grunge brushes?) and I finally downloaded some of Rhonna's Stuff. 

Gee it was grand..I wish I had a picture...

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So, I went to "The Lion King" at the historic Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis with my sister-in-law, Amie.  We had a fantastic day!  I was so excited about going, and I debated taking my camera (not for the show, but to document the entire day).  In the end, I decided that I could fit my Rebel in my purse, so I SHOULD bring it.  I did; however, I DID NOT bring a compact flash card.  A hard lesson learned...

Oh well, we went shopping at Southdale Mall (the first enclosed mall in the U.S..check out the facts by clicking the link), and the Galleria.  We had a light lunch at P.F Changs, a juice at the Good Earth, and dinner at Goodfellows, a historic art deco restaurant in Minneapolis.  I guess it was quite the "historic" day. 

The play was amazing...just like everyone who has attended it prior to me has said.  The costumes and choreography are genius...really, I am in awe that someone could even come up those ideas.  It is a production that everyone should experience.