Lucy and Pete

Check out the cute couple. Pete and Lucy were featured on the "Commitments" page in Mpls.St.Paul magazine, January issue. Click on the image to get a version big enough to read. Adorable!

In related news, the scanner that came with my computer works.

Crazy in the Woods

For those who haven't heard the story (how did you manage to avoid me?), I went canoeing in the Boundary Waters in October for a week with Denise, Joe, and Ben. We ended up doing some unintentional winter camping, to the tune of six inches or so of snow. I know this is old news, but one has to milk these foolhardy nature adventures for all their worth. It helps justify having been cold, wet, and mildly terrified. On vacation.

More to the point, Joe (our fearless leader) sent some more photographic evidence. (Of course, I assume you all think I've been exaggerating.)

One morning we found ourselves breaking ice as we paddled. That's me taking point, y'all! When we finally reached the portage, we took a picture of the trail we had blazed. That's Joe reveling in the snowfall.

Crazy in the Woods II

We at least began with good weather.

Indeed, we had a few beautiful sunsets and some pretty scenery. Even the snow was pretty, though we perhaps didn't appreciate it completely at the time. It is weird though that we saw way more snow up there in the second week of October than we've seen down here in all the winter since.

While we were still in the woods, Denise asked me if I thought I'd go on the same trip again. We speculated that it might be like childbirth--when you're in the middle of it, you think, "Dear God, this is horrible! Why did I ever agree to this?" But later, your memories are softened, and you get to tell a lot of harrowing stories and make yourself sound intrepid, and you think, "Hey, that wasn't so bad."

I did not learn a thing.

Justice is NOT Served. Again. Some More.

I've been thinking lately that nothing is so damaging to our notions of justice than the average workplace. It seems like the universal work experience: People are always getting promoted who shouldn't be, the folks that are genuine screw-ups are never held accountable, and you rarely get the recognition you deserve. And then there's this: Some genius has decided that My Former Employer warrants an award for "championing work-life balance."

Oh my sainted aunt! Since you all are either personally acquainted with the terrors of that place, or have already heard my endless screeds on the subject, there's no need to say more here. Except the Center for Ethical Business Cultures and WFC Resources can go suck it.

God.

Gaines!

From the blog of Jimmy Gaines:

Product idea: A flask that, when tipped up, displays messages that you can read while drinking ala the magic 8-ball.
Messages:
"Church is halfway over"
"She's a bitch anyway"
"Problem solved"
"'Guilty, my ass!"
"One day I'll show them. I'll show them all!"

I wish I saw that guy more often.

Funny Voices

My oldest brother Beau has always had a way with little kids, even when he was one. When I was maybe four or five, he had this thing where he would take two of our many stuffed animals—I think it was a bear and dog (with floppy ears?)—and make them "talk." He had these specific funny voices for them. It was the first thing I remember laughing uncontrollably at. And I'm pretty sure that's why I love any comedian who does voices:



Katie, Phillip, and I went to see an expanded version of this live at the Varsity. She was filming that performance in hopes that it could become a sitcom. It is simply delicious. And there's a pug!

If that gets your mojo workin', check out The Ointment Interview #2 on her MySpace page. I laughed until the tears came.

A shout-out to any sibling who can remember the name of the bear and the dog!

God's Waiting Room Has Great Art

I wish I was in Florida this week. Buk's having a show. Congrats Buk! I love your firing techniques—you seem to be putting that kiln to good use. But you also seem to have significantly reduced your use of pointy shards of metal, which makes me wistful.

I still tell people the story of emptying out that storage space of yours in Verm, in which you were keeping random shards of metal in boxes made of like, two by fours. For maximum portability, as we found out. We joked about what would happen if you had an accident while you were hauling all that extra metal: "What the hell happened here?! There seems to have been another car involved .... that was blown to pieces ..."

Mully, I'm so psyched that your Erturk surprise worked out so well. Yay! I must go book a flight to Florida this instant.