Answer: To go to Mall of America on the Saturday after Christmas.
It's a decision I immediately regretted.
For some reason, the girlfriend and I decided to go to MOA on the Saturday after Christmas. The only problem is so did the entire world.
After reaching MOA and finally finding a parking spot (on the top level of the parking ramp) we only hit up two stores before leaving (H+M and Best Buy). We faced hordes of people, 30 minute check out lines, and crying and whiny kids. It sucked!
By the time we left MOA (20 minutes later) there was a 3-4 mile back up on Cedar Ave. to get onto the off-ramp for Mall of America. Just WOW!
People sure suck sometimes.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
LASIK
Well today I get LASIK eye surgery. By the end of this day I hopefully won't need glasses anymore.
I'm a little freaked out about it just cause of 'fear of the unknown' and also a laser cutting my eyes working its voodoo magic.
However, I have a GREAT doctor who is well known and respected in his field and I've spoken with lots of satisfied people that have had it done. It seems to be a no-brainier.
Here's hoping all goes well and I end up with Superman X-Ray vision, but I'd settle for 20/20 without glasses.
UPDATE - Sunday at 5:25PM CST
The surgery was a success! For the first time since 6th grade I'm glasses free. Pretty strange!
It's been 2 days since the surgery and I'm seeing good for the most part and without glasses!! My vision is a little blurry and cloudy at times (expected through the healing process).
However, I had my check-up appointment yesterday and it appears that I'm seeing at least 20/20 in both eyes and even 20/15 in my left eye so far. It'll be about 3-4 weeks before my vision improves and adjusts as I heal. However, so far no glasses and I'm seeing 20/20. Not bad.
I'm a little freaked out about it just cause of 'fear of the unknown' and also a laser cutting my eyes working its voodoo magic.
However, I have a GREAT doctor who is well known and respected in his field and I've spoken with lots of satisfied people that have had it done. It seems to be a no-brainier.
Here's hoping all goes well and I end up with Superman X-Ray vision, but I'd settle for 20/20 without glasses.
UPDATE - Sunday at 5:25PM CST
The surgery was a success! For the first time since 6th grade I'm glasses free. Pretty strange!
It's been 2 days since the surgery and I'm seeing good for the most part and without glasses!! My vision is a little blurry and cloudy at times (expected through the healing process).
However, I had my check-up appointment yesterday and it appears that I'm seeing at least 20/20 in both eyes and even 20/15 in my left eye so far. It'll be about 3-4 weeks before my vision improves and adjusts as I heal. However, so far no glasses and I'm seeing 20/20. Not bad.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
How did we get here?!?!
Happy Birthday ... me.
Well I'm not entirely sure how I made it this far, nor do I want to quite believe it. However, I'm officialy 30 now. I'm not necessarly seeing 30 as old (although it kind of feels like it), but I'm trying to stay optimistic and enjoy the moment.
I say goodbye to my twenties. They were quick, young and fabulous and I will miss them. However, I now open a new chapter and look forward to some more mature, self-realized and fun years ahead in my thirties.
I must say I got to celebrate my b-day in style. My girlfriend threw me a surprise party last weekend and I had no clue! I had a great time and was once again reminded of what a great lady she is. I'll post a rather funny video of the "surprise" later this week.
Happy Birthday ... me.
Well I'm not entirely sure how I made it this far, nor do I want to quite believe it. However, I'm officialy 30 now. I'm not necessarly seeing 30 as old (although it kind of feels like it), but I'm trying to stay optimistic and enjoy the moment.
I say goodbye to my twenties. They were quick, young and fabulous and I will miss them. However, I now open a new chapter and look forward to some more mature, self-realized and fun years ahead in my thirties.
I must say I got to celebrate my b-day in style. My girlfriend threw me a surprise party last weekend and I had no clue! I had a great time and was once again reminded of what a great lady she is. I'll post a rather funny video of the "surprise" later this week.
Happy Birthday ... me.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Congrats Pete and Anne
The past weekend was my friends' Pete and Anne's wedding held out in Bryant, SD. And a lovely wedding it was!
Good times, good friends, and witness to the start of a new life together.
Congratulations Pete and Anne!! I'm very happy for you both and wish you a wonderful and happy future together.
Below are a few pics from the past weekend.
The Drive Out
The Ceremony (my POV)
Me and My Girl
Eric and Liz
Good times, good friends, and witness to the start of a new life together.
Congratulations Pete and Anne!! I'm very happy for you both and wish you a wonderful and happy future together.
Below are a few pics from the past weekend.
Monday, November 03, 2008
My kind of politics
If you are like me you are becoming increasingly annoyed and overwhelmed with all the election coverage, political ads, commentary and everything else in preperation for tomorrow's election. So much so that if it weren't for a few key people in my life hounding me to vote ... I WOULDN'T!
Well as a bit of a reprieve please enjoy some "alternate" political candidates that you could write-in on tomorrow's election.
10 Sci-Fi Alternatives To Obama/McCain 08 (Click HERE)
(Article and image posted on http://io9.com/)
UPDATE - Tues, Nov. 4 at 10AM CST
We'll it's official. I voted! It took me over an hour of standing in line, but I got out there and voted. Hopefully, by week's end the onslaught of political crap will stop. Here's to keeping hope alive.
Well as a bit of a reprieve please enjoy some "alternate" political candidates that you could write-in on tomorrow's election.
10 Sci-Fi Alternatives To Obama/McCain 08 (Click HERE)
UPDATE - Tues, Nov. 4 at 10AM CST
We'll it's official. I voted! It took me over an hour of standing in line, but I got out there and voted. Hopefully, by week's end the onslaught of political crap will stop. Here's to keeping hope alive.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Happy Halloween
Put on a costume, grab some candy and party it up!
Happy Halloween, everybody.
I have 3 Halloween parties over the next 3 days. Should be a blast.
Look for some picture updates to come...
Happy Halloween, everybody.
I have 3 Halloween parties over the next 3 days. Should be a blast.
Look for some picture updates to come...
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Up North
The girlfriend and I decided we desperately needed to get away from our busy lives and destressify (if that’s a word). So we escaped to northern Minnesota this past weekend. Destination ... Grand Marais (a sleepy little town on the shores of Lake Superior).
Friday
- We set out on our 5 hr trip up north and said goodbye to the city
- Stopped for lunch at Pizza Luche in Duluth. We had the worst service and waiter of our lives. I was convinced our waiter ‘Cheech’ was high on more than just life. He made us wait about an hour for our food only to give the wrong order “meat” to a vegetarian (Mary), of which we waited another 20 mins for them to get our order right. After giving the waiter a piece of my mind I decided I won’t be going back there ... EVER again!! Smok'em if you got 'em! Our waiter did.
- Made a stop at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to get a bunch of pictures. Childhood memories came flooding back from when I was a little kid exploring the lighthouse and causing all kinds of trouble. I took a zillion and two pictures.
- We finally reach our destination ... Grand Marais, MN. Woo hoo! We checked into our hotel and it’s off to the Gun Flint Tavern for some eats. Good food!
Saturday
- Woke up around 8AM and grabbed a hotel breakfast. A host of bizarre characters awaited us in the line for the sub-par feast.Some of which are creepy, others smelly, and a few that should skip a meal or two. I down an English muffin and some granola and we set off on our day.
- First destination of the day … Judge C R Magney State Park. I’m was really excited to break out the DSLR camera and the tripod and take a bunch of pictures. We set out and got our hike on and finally reached our destination … Devil’s Kettle Falls. It’s an absolutely beautiful hike overlooking miles of river valley and you come to a huge beautiful water fall. A great hike!
- We come back to Grand Marais for some lunch and eat at Sven and Ole’s Pizza Tavern. After seeing all the bumper stickers over the years and hearing people talk about it .. it’s not at all what I expected. A pretty small unassuming place. However, Sven and Ole’s had really good pizza so I can’t complain.
- After lunch we explore Grand Marais’ shops for a while and then set out for another state park ... Cascade River State Park.
- Cascade River State Park. I bust out the camera and tripod (much to Mary’s delight) and we set out to hike to the Cascade Falls. Absolutely beautiful hike. 2 waterfalls and a billion pictures later we head back to Grand Marais.
- More exploring in Grand Marais. Sites include lighthouses, coast guard tug boat, random shops, and dinner at the Gun Flint Tavern.
Sunday
- After breakfast, we pack up and set off back for home.
- We decide to stop off at Tettegouche State Park for some last hiking and waterfall picture opportunities. If you get the chance the ‘High Falls’ is a nice hike and really beautiful. Just beware the hordes of Boy Scout troops lurking around … they are everywhere and annoying.
- Back on the road with lots of traffic. We stop off for some lunch in Two Harbors.
- 5 hours of driving, being cut off a couple of times, and a little road rage later we are finally home. The weekend went by too fast.
All in all, it was a great little trip and chance to get away. Like I said I can’t resist the opportunity to take a zillion pictures. So you can see them all by clicking here. Or there are a few selects below. Enjoy!
Cascade Falls
Split Rock Light House
Judge C.R. Magney State Park
Devil's Kettle Falls
High Falls - Tettegouche State Park
Friday
- We set out on our 5 hr trip up north and said goodbye to the city
- Stopped for lunch at Pizza Luche in Duluth. We had the worst service and waiter of our lives. I was convinced our waiter ‘Cheech’ was high on more than just life. He made us wait about an hour for our food only to give the wrong order “meat” to a vegetarian (Mary), of which we waited another 20 mins for them to get our order right. After giving the waiter a piece of my mind I decided I won’t be going back there ... EVER again!! Smok'em if you got 'em! Our waiter did.
- Made a stop at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to get a bunch of pictures. Childhood memories came flooding back from when I was a little kid exploring the lighthouse and causing all kinds of trouble. I took a zillion and two pictures.
- We finally reach our destination ... Grand Marais, MN. Woo hoo! We checked into our hotel and it’s off to the Gun Flint Tavern for some eats. Good food!
Saturday
- Woke up around 8AM and grabbed a hotel breakfast. A host of bizarre characters awaited us in the line for the sub-par feast.Some of which are creepy, others smelly, and a few that should skip a meal or two. I down an English muffin and some granola and we set off on our day.
- First destination of the day … Judge C R Magney State Park. I’m was really excited to break out the DSLR camera and the tripod and take a bunch of pictures. We set out and got our hike on and finally reached our destination … Devil’s Kettle Falls. It’s an absolutely beautiful hike overlooking miles of river valley and you come to a huge beautiful water fall. A great hike!
- We come back to Grand Marais for some lunch and eat at Sven and Ole’s Pizza Tavern. After seeing all the bumper stickers over the years and hearing people talk about it .. it’s not at all what I expected. A pretty small unassuming place. However, Sven and Ole’s had really good pizza so I can’t complain.
- After lunch we explore Grand Marais’ shops for a while and then set out for another state park ... Cascade River State Park.
- Cascade River State Park. I bust out the camera and tripod (much to Mary’s delight) and we set out to hike to the Cascade Falls. Absolutely beautiful hike. 2 waterfalls and a billion pictures later we head back to Grand Marais.
- More exploring in Grand Marais. Sites include lighthouses, coast guard tug boat, random shops, and dinner at the Gun Flint Tavern.
Sunday
- After breakfast, we pack up and set off back for home.
- We decide to stop off at Tettegouche State Park for some last hiking and waterfall picture opportunities. If you get the chance the ‘High Falls’ is a nice hike and really beautiful. Just beware the hordes of Boy Scout troops lurking around … they are everywhere and annoying.
- Back on the road with lots of traffic. We stop off for some lunch in Two Harbors.
- 5 hours of driving, being cut off a couple of times, and a little road rage later we are finally home. The weekend went by too fast.
All in all, it was a great little trip and chance to get away. Like I said I can’t resist the opportunity to take a zillion pictures. So you can see them all by clicking here. Or there are a few selects below. Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Little Things
Random pic for everyone today. I took this one outside Bozeman, MT.
This pic reminds me that it’s a good idea to stop what you’re doing once in a while, take a step back and discover the little things around you.
Enjoy.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Pickle Adventure
I took these two pics next to a Dill Pickle Stand at the MN Renaissance Festival a couple of weekends back. Every time I look at these weird pictures it makes me laugh.
I must say it's a pretty ingenious way to get people to spend some time at your establishment.
Enjoy the Jedi Jesus Pickle Adventure/Massacre!!
I must say it's a pretty ingenious way to get people to spend some time at your establishment.
Enjoy the Jedi Jesus Pickle Adventure/Massacre!!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
The End of Summer
I'm not sure how it's possible but Labor Day weekend has come and gone. Now summer is over. (tear) Well not officially I guess, but pretty much. Truthfully, it feels about like it should be May or June to me, as the summer goes by so fast in Minnesota.
I ended up taking a few days off of work last week to make it a looong holiday weekend. I was able to go to the State Fair, MN Zoo, hang out on Prior Lake on my friend's boat, go fishing, and partake in some other random shenanigans. Good times were had by all.
Below are a few of the weekend's picks.
STATE FAIR
crowds suck
King of Machinery Hill
House of Butterflies
Mmmmmm....
MN ZOO
Psst...
MISC
Sammy at the Dog Park
I ended up taking a few days off of work last week to make it a looong holiday weekend. I was able to go to the State Fair, MN Zoo, hang out on Prior Lake on my friend's boat, go fishing, and partake in some other random shenanigans. Good times were had by all.
Below are a few of the weekend's picks.
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