10 years later...

This past weekend I attended my 10-year High School Reunion. Quite the surreal adventure! It was hard for me to believe it had been 10 years already, but time really does fly. Truth be told I had a good time and I'm glad I went.

It was held in the ever classy VFW in Prior Lake, MN last Saturday. I decided I didn't want to fly solo, and I wasn't going to subject the girlfriend to a bunch of total strangers, so I called up a buddy of mine from high school. Strength In Numbers, my friends, Strength In Numbers!! My friend Ben was up for the challenge, so off we went to the PL VFW to re-live some Class of 1997 high school adventures!

Upon entering the VFW my ears were immediately hit with a deafening blow from a crappy band playing country music. I walk into the VFW to see a dance floor filled with couples in their 60s-70s dancing up a storm like it was 1920. What the heck? Did I go forward in time and not realize it? Did everyone get really old? Where's Marty McFly? Doc Brown? Delorian? Just then, I spot some friends and familiar faces on the other side of the room and realize the reunion was being held on the "other" side of the VFW.

Well to sum up, like I said, quite the adventure! All in all a good time, and more people than I expected showed up. I found enough time had passed where people had matured and had enough time to actually do something with their lives. Not everyone took that opportunity, mind you, but most did. Some people changed, some didn't, and about 60%-70% of the guys lost their hair. Those were the main take-aways. Also, some hot girls stayed hot, and most did NOT!

The one point to note from the evening is as follows. First off, there was this kid in high school that was constantly picked on. His name was Brian. In high school he was awkward, shy, had no friends, and constantly ridiculed and beat up. (Not by me for the record). Heck, I voted him most likely to show up at our 10-year reunion with an AK-47 and exact his glorious revenge! However, he did not. Instead he took the high road and showed up, mingled and enjoyed the evening. I talked to Brian for a bit. He was still awkward, but after college joined the Navy and defended our country, which entailed a 3-year tour in Japan, and another 2-years at Virginia Beach. I salute those in our armed forces. It is something I don't think I could do and I truly look up to those who defend us, our country and our freedom.

Which brings me to the other point of my story. Well with the underdog there inevitably has to then be a bully. Enter Jake the Snake. Jake was the kid throughout his school career (K-12) that was the class bully. Always a total asshole, and thought he was really cool. (I'm sure you know the type.) Truly the guy you (and everyone else) loved to hate! Well Jake showed up at the reunion (10 years later) and NOTHING had changed. Still the same asshole as ever!

Throughout the course of the evening Jake managed to pick about 5 fights, punch 2 people, knock over a lady spilling her drink, and get into a fight with his old girlfriend. All while being drunk and spitting chewing-tobacco everywhere. He even decided to make a classy wardrobe choice and show up in a well-chosen Mossy Oak camo hunting hat and baggy clothes. Way to go, Jake! Truly a modern-day Seabass (for all your Dumb & Dumber fans), if there ever was one. Just a TOTAL LOSER!

The part that really pissed me off in the night, however was this. I'm talking with Brian (the kid that was picked on in high school) and impressed that he made something of his life and more then that defended our country and our freedom. The freedom we take for granted on a daily basis. Then out of nowhere, Jake shows up (as we are talking) and punches Brian in the stomach and walks back to the bar. NO WARNING, NO REASON ... just a TOTAL ASSHOLE!! I was stunned, speechless. (I still am thinking about it.) I couldn't comprehend what just happened. All I could yell out was, "What the FUCK was that for you ASSHOLE?!?" But it was too late, Jake had left and didn't hear me and everyone was engaged in their conversations and drinking their beer. It was if no one had noticed the travesty that just happened. Brian shrugged it off like the gentleman he was, and made the best of the evening.

I still can't believe it. Here is a total loser (Jake) that has done nothing with his life except inflict pain and torment on others. And what does he do 10 years later showing the mentality of a 14-year old? Punches a veteran at the VFW. Someone who has provided him the daily freedoms he takes for granted. Someone that allows him the right to be an asshole and a drain on our society on a daily basis. I'm stunned!!

Well this post is turning into a novel and a rant, but that last particular incident was really bothering me and I had to get it out in the hopes it will quit angering me. Overall, believe it or not, it was an enjoyable evening and good to see old classmates. The only advice I can give is if you get the chance please DO go to your 10-year reunion, you will have a good time. And if you do see Jake stranded on the side of the road, please make an extra effort to swerve and HIT the bastard!

Class of '97 kixx ass!!!

Walker Art Center

I'm a lover of art. I truly enjoy going to art museums and looking at paintings, sculptures, and photography. I even enjoy attempting to create some myself. However, I'm not sure I really 'get' Modern Art, as most of it seems to me somewhere between the artist wasn't even trying and/or the playful attempts of a misguided kindergartner.

On Saturday, the girlfriend and I, headed out to the Walker Art Center to check out some Modern Art, and more importantly the Frida Kahlo (paintings) exhibit that's being advertised all over the place.

Well the modern art exhibits I have seen before at the Walker. There are a few particular pieces that I really enjoy and remember seeing from when I was a kid, but for the most part most of the exhibits went over my head and had my girlfriend saying, "That crap is art? I could do that!"

However, the Frida Kahlo paintings were worth the trip! Frida Kahlo the Mexican (unibrow lady) artist had a troubled life that inspired some really creepy paintings. Typically, the paintings that you see advertised or that she is most famous for are her self portraits (again the unibrow). What would seem like pretty "safe" and "acceptable" paintings. However, this was a woman that was constantly sick, had a number of miscarriages and marital problems, quite the difficult life and as thus inspired her very morbid and strange painting style.

The majority of Frida Kahlo's paintings involved ghastly and morbid images of sickness and death. The paintings were a bit creepy, but I REALLY enjoyed them. What I didn't enjoy however was the billion and two people trying to get into the exhibt along with Bob the misunderstood artist who was so misunderstood he hadn't taken a shower in a century. (Oh Bob, you don't need to reek to get attention. You are supposed to do that with your art!) Oh well, I'd say the exhibit was still worth the trip, and dealing with a few stinky artists. Check it out!

As I was prohibited from taking pictures at most of the exhibits I don't have any pics to share there, but below are a few pics of areas I could take pics of at the Walker. Enjoy the adventure!

Modern Art!

Como Zoo ... a depressing adventure!

Took a trip to the Como Zoo last weekend, and I had a good time however it was quite a sad experience. No I’m not schizophrenic, I’ll explain. I hadn’t been to the Como “free” Zoo since I was a kid. Probably about 13 or 14. Back then all the animals, and especially their cages and exhibits looked BIG.

Well fast forward 14 years to today and I’m all grown up. The girlfriend and I, being the animal lovers that we are, decided to go to the Como Zoo since we’d been to the Minnesota Zoo about a month ago.

Well, we had a good time at the zoo, but the sad thing is now that I’m grown up I’m able to properly evaluate ‘spatial relationships’ … meaning … the animals cages are WAY TOO SMALL!!

As we walked around I quickly noticed that most of the animals cages were way too small, which lead the animals to succumb to boredom, malnutrition and more commonly … insanity. It was quite sad!

One exhibit in particular made me just about want to cry. It was the Silverback Gorillas. Contained in the indoor exhibit was one male and two females. All just sitting and laying down in an exhibit barely big enough for one gorilla. Bored and confined I watched as one of the females lay against the floor next to the glass and watched me with bored sad eyes. Meanwhile, families of annoying kids tapping the glass and amateur photographers flashing blinding pictures of the caged animal passed by. All I could do was stand there and imagine this animal’s sad pathetic existence. It made me so sad.

I’d go on but the stories were much of the same and well I’m bumming myself out. If you ever get a chance to make a difference tell your friends and family that the animals at the Como Zoo need help and more space!

On a lighter note, since the animals were closer it made for some good pictures. Check ‘em out.

Random Pixs

Random picture day. Here's a few pics I took on a walk around Lake of the Isles on a nice fall day last weekend.