I can't smile anymore

Well I started my new job today. And man was the whole day a blur.

I started off the morning filling out lots of documents in HR of which I'm sure I probably signed a kidney away, or my first unborn child or something to that effect.

After that, it was off to take a tour of the new place. I was literally brought around to each individual person and introduced. Just about 150 people in all. Not only did this make it impossible to remember any names, but the tour was done in such a random way that I can't tell where the hell I'm going in this building. Later in the day, I walked into a wall a couple of times thinking it had a magic portal or a secret door or something...but it didn't. :(

Also, halfway through the tour I was fake smiling and laughing so much, meeting all the new people, I think my face broke. Seriously, I can't smile anymore...it hurts.

However, the day wasn't all bad. The new team took me out to a tasty lunch. And I got a nice office, a new mac and free parking downtown Minneapolis. Which is HUGE if you work downtown. And I get to work on the MN Twins with some great people. So it's not all bad.

Senor Frog

I was out at the parents' house this weekend for my sister's B-Day. Happy B-Day Angela! 21 years old for the fifth straight year. Simply amazing!

Anyway, as I'm leaving I see what originally thought was a green leaf stuck to the side of the house. Upon closer inspection, it was a small green frog just blending into its surroundings by a giant green bush.

Thought it was pretty neato-keen looking so I snapped some pics. Enjoy!

Hangin' Out

Trying to sleep, but some stupid human keeps using the flash.

Showin' some leg.

Pissed off.

Well after about 30 annoying pictures I finally left Senor Frog alone to take a nap in the bushes. Good night little buddy.

Gimp the Cat

Today's random pic is to give props to my friend's cat simply named, 'Gimp'. She is arguably the coolest and weirdest cat in existence today.

You stay classy, Milwaukee!

What could be better than a weekend with the guys, drinking beer, a road trip and a baseball game thrown in to top it all off? Well maybe that weekend with some hot girls, but other then that … nothing.

So last weekend Eric, Kris, Mike, and myself packed it up for a guy’s road-trip to Milwaukee or as Mike tells us … ‘"mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land."’

In this glorious city, among cities, much beer was consumed, practical jokes played, Eric flashing anyone that would watch and of course America’s greatest pastime … Baseball.

Here are a few of the trip’s highlights:

Think it's a good idea to eat a chili-cheese hot dog from a gas station? Think again, it might just be a decision you regret later. Right, Mike?

One of the main food attractions in Millwaukee is a place called Kopps. (Very similar to Culvers). However, if you ever go there please notice that they make JUMBO burgers. A fact I did not realize when I ordered my "double cheesburger." I'm still full.

Ahh, the Miller Brewery Tour. Gotta say I'm not a big fan of beer, but it was impressive. Eric, Kris, and especially Mike just about had a heart attack when they saw all the beer at this place. The security guards later caught Eric trying to jump into a huge vat of beer and swim around naked in it.

This warehouse contains over 500,000 cases of beer. You could fit 5 football fields in here. And the amazing thing is all this beer will be emptied and refilled within 24 hours. Damn, that's a lot of drunk people!

Say hello to everyone back home. Thanks Kris.

Time for some tailgating action! Before the Milwaukee Brewers game we decided to join the huge tailgating party and let me tell you these people know how to do it right! Man, I wish we could do this for MN Twins' games.

Time for the game. Miller Park Stadium. This stadium is just simply amazing!

Here's a panoramic picture of the stadium I tried to take. Click on the image or go to my photos for a better picture. Just amazing seats no matter where you are at; it makes you feel like you are right there within spitting distance from the players.

My ticket.

Weiner Races. Polish Sausage (left) won by a lot.

On the way home, I discovered a Rocky Rococo Pizza place and had to stop. As far as restaurants go, pretty crappy interior, but just GREAT pizza in my opinion. I was soooo excited to discover this gem of a find on the way home. Flashbacks of my childhood ensued. These are all but extinct now in Minnesota, but they still live on in Wisconsin (land of yester-year). And they serve "Spotted Cow" beer so the guys were happy.

Lastly, here is photo documented proof of the worst McDonalds EVER. A bunch of Re-Re's are running this place. The kid that served me was either Iclandic or Retarded. He took my order (which he really had trouble with) then made me stand there for 10 mins (literally) as he starred off into space doing nothing. I could go on, but it's a frustrating story filled with anger and empty calories and not worth it. Morale of the story, I'm finally sick of McDonalds.

However, over all just a great trip and a really fun weekend escape with the guys. I'm thinking we need to do this again next year! If you want to check out all the photos click yourself on over to my photobucket here (FYI - Pics are in totally random order).

You stay classy, Millwuakee!

Thanks for the memories...

Well today marked my last day at my current job. After 3 years and 3 months I'm leaving one Ad agency for another (which I start working at in about a week).

Leaving a job is always an interesting experience, here are a few highlights of what I've found to be true:

- Cleaning your office for the last time is a therapeutic experience. All the "important" files and information I was forced to hold onto for 3 years, I got to throw. I threw everything! Subsequently, I found all the files, and things I've been looking for for the past 3 years, after I cleaned my office...for the last time.

- People are so much friendlier and better to work with your last few days at work.

- You get happier as your workload disappears.

- You are sad to leave the friends you've made.

- Every goodbye you say and do always ends with an awkward pause at the end, no matter how you approach it. After the awkward pause it always ends with someone saying, "Well, thanks again..." and then depart. Hug is optional.

- This is the only time at a job you hope and pray you didn't take any vacation time, because you get your phat vacation check for all the time you didn't take. Oh yeah!!

- Also, taking a week off between jobs is one of the only times you can truly feel free and totally unhindered with no responsibilities. Kinda like summer vacation in High School.

Well, good times were had old agency. And I'm off for a weekend trip to a Brewers game in Milwaukee with the guys and then a week off with nothing to do. It's going to be amazing!

To quote Office Space, “I did nothing. I did nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.” That will be my week off.

Hot Lake Action

Well this weekend my friend Cory had a lake party on Prior Lake and damn was it fun! We all spent most the day on his boat, which consisted of many activities such as being pulled on a two person inner tube behind a speed boat while he thought it was funny to drive at insane speeds and whip shitties as I'm hanging on for dear life. I gotta say it was a blast!

And when that was done, and for the record, I went water-skiing for the first time in my life. Not everybody that tried that day could get up and stay up on the skis, but I did! Oh yeah, I totally conquered those ski's, the lake and the boat pulling me. No doubt! I was up for about a good ... oh, I'd say ... ten seconds. That's right, I'm all that is man!

Afterwards. we all ended the day with a BBQ, backyard volleyball (I have a wicked serve), watching Matt and Katie's cute baby girl, and a bonfire. Summer days and nights don't get much better then this. Good times were had by all.

Kudos on the rockin' party, Cory. Kudos!

Pics to come...

Babies in the Office

Babies + Office = Awkward. A formula for forced smiles and shifty eyes.

A former co-worker of mine brought their newborn baby into the office today and showed off the little guy for all to see. Now don't get the wrong impression, I like babies and all. They're cute and cuddly and truly we can all agree the miracle of life is wondrous, right? I mean we all saw that video in school so it has to be true! Anyways, I'm getting sidetracked....

Someone showing off their newborn baby in the office always seems to be this really awkward forced interaction everytime I see and experience it. Truly one of those "Office Space" moments.

Here's what I usually see happen. Enter the proud mother with newborn baby in tow (either in arms or stroller). She walks the little one around to each separate person and "surprises" them (usually by standing one foot behind the person in their cube while that person is engaged in the middle of a work call or email) and before you can realize what is going on you are scared half to death all while trying to figure out why the heck you are staring at a baby?

Then the mother is looking to you to re-assure her that her child is the cutest kid on the planet. So instinctively you go to non-stop smile and goo-goo talk mode, but you can only do that for so long before it starts to get awkward and creepy. Which leads me back to my original point.

Babies + Office = Awkward. New mothers be warned, congratulations on the kid! We want to see him or her, but please no ninja stealth moves around the office shoving babies in my face. It tends to creep me out!