Long time no post. I've been wallowing in post-election depression, which is why I haven't written. I spent 3 hours discussing things with my Uncle Charlie (my political mentor) and I have now come to terms with what has happened. No more whining.

Won't know if my job is safe for some time yet. It's really hard to say. Many other states are yanking their tobacco money to fix the budget (Wisconsin raided all of their's) so it's a definite possiblity. The Dept. of Health is giving these random answers. They don't have a clue. I think they're thinking that they have to watch their mouth because in a little over a month, Mr. Pawlenty will be their boss. His transition team is already in there asking such pointed questions as, "what program is this? Is it really needed? Where does the money come from?" I guess I'll just brush up the resume and hang on.

Spent the weekend in Rochester again. Mike is deer hunting last weekend and this weekend. I didn't feel like staying home and since I haven't had a lot of time in Rochester in the past months, I've been just hanging out and visiting with people. Nice to not have anything pressing to do.

Anybody catch 20/20 last week with Sharon and Ozzy? Pretty sad. Ozzy broke down on camera about Sharon. I will say that daughter Aimee is the smart one in that family. Well-poised, quieter, and not annoying at all. I'm not so fond of Jack and Kelly anymore-they're brats. The new season starts the 26th I think. I hope it's as good as last season.

I have a lot to say, today, the day after the election. I'll try to not rant too much.
I'm displeased with the outcome. It's going to be a sad 2-4 years in this state.<

However, Walter Mondale made an excellent point. Democracy spoke. We live in a great nation where we have the freedom to choose what we want. I might not agree with what was chosen this round, but there is hope. I'm going to remember the words of Paul Wellstone in the coming months: "Don't get cynical. Get out there and do something about it."

In the governor's race, Republican Tim Pawlenty won. What this means is that Target Market is in for the fight of our lives. Tim Pawlenty was the biggest opposer of our organization. He fought hard to get rid of us last year. Guess what that means when he is governor? A lot. Our staff has pulled together and determined we aren't going to go down without a dirty fight. Our theme song? Rocky. The next 6 months are going to be a wild ride. And this is why I truly love politics.

This is all I will be saying for the next two days...
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE


To continue in this spirit, I will post the following email sent from Michael Moore. I like it. And I'm probably going to do what he is suggesting.

Dear Friends,

Well, folks, Tuesday is the day! The day that George W. gets taught a long
overdue lesson. The day that we, the MAJORITY -- the 52% who never elected
him -- get our chance to reclaim a bit of our former democracy (back when
ALL the votes used to be counted).

What if, on Tuesday, all of us, regardless of our political stripe, and
just for the fun of it, decided to serve one big-ass eviction notice that
said, you have two years to remove yourself from the premises-and you had
better not damage anything on your way out?

I think we can give Bush the Mother of all Shellackings on Tuesday. It can
happen if you, and the millions of others, who are now reading this letter,
will do one simple thing:

TAKE THE DAY OFF THIS TUESDAY.

That's right. Call in sick, skip work, skip school, skip Springer, and then
devote the next 12 hours to dragging as many people as you can out of their
homes and getting them to the polls.

I know a lot of you cannot afford to do this. But, honestly, can we afford
NOT to? Bush has been effectively stymied in his first two years from doing
much of the serious damage he was hired to do (we owe a big thanks to Jim
Jeffords for that). Yet, if he has both the House and Senate under his
thumb for his final two years, we will all pay a huge price for many years
to come.

On Tuesday, go down to the local candidate's office and volunteer to do
whatever is needed: give a ride to the polls for senior citizens who can't
get there, make last minute phone calls to probable voters who may have
forgotten to vote, pass out handbills on street corners, do cartwheels in
the middle of the mall -- you name it, I am sure it will work.

Or you could just start going door to door in your own neighborhood. Knock
on every door and tell people in plain, non-political language why you
would like them to go down to the polls right now and vote for so-and-so.
Tell them you have never done this before, that you were just compelled to
do it as an act conscience, to do something for our country. Or tell them
you just needed to get some exercise. Tell them what they already know:
that the corporate guys have made off like bandits while the rest of the
country lives in utter fear over whether they will have jobs, health care
benefits, or our pensions when they retire. EVERYONE can relate to this --
and trust me, it is on everyone's mind right now. Even many conservatives
who have seen their job or their 401(K) go up in smoke are now livid and
want their pound of flesh.

I know that for many of you this will be a new thing. Give it shot. I
promise you, at the end of the day on Tuesday, if we succeed, you will
never again doubt the power of just one individual who decides that she or
he can make a difference

Send this email to your friends and family so that they, too, can be
informed of the good women and men who are running for the House and Senate
(and for many local and state races as well). Visit my web site at:
http://www.Michaelmoore.com for my recommendations.

We will deny Bush control of the Congress next week, and then we all work
to get him out of the White House in 2004. 2004 will NOT and MUST NOT be a
repeat of 2000.

As for local and state races, whenever possible support Greens and other
progressive candidates like those highlighted on my web site.
(http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/involved/greens.php)
There you will find the list of progressive candidates who have a chance to
win.

Will you join with me in doing this?

It's our only chance, right now, to receive a small measure of justice for
what happened in Florida in 2000. And that is worth something.

Expect a wake-up call from me at your bedside 6am Tuesday!


Yours

Michael Moore

You want to see somebody who had way too much time on their hands?? An entire website devoted to the bible-in the form of LEGOS. You have to at least look at it. It's way too funny. <

Last night I did not go to the Wellstone memorial. In the end, it was better that I didn't because they filled the place in less then an hour with 20,000 plus people. Nice service-but it turned into a political rally at the end. I have no opinion on whether or not it should have turned this way, except to say that it's most likely the way Paul Wellstone would have wanted it. Bill and Hillary got their fair share of cheers and Fritz was given a standing ovation. It was wild to see Jesse Jackson, Trent Lott (who is a dickhead), Tom Harken, the Gores, Ted Kennedy, etc. It was a nice celebration of the lives of some really amazing people. If you talk to the press though, they'll let you know that they thought it sucked. And, the GOP is throwing a big fit. Some feel Norm Coleman has some leverage against Mondale, but I think that's bullshit. <

The GOP has said they will respond with such criticism as: he's too old and that the voters of Minnesota don't know who he is because he last ran for an office in 1984. Hmmm..yet when the Star Tribune polled the state, they found that 98% of Minnesotans know who Walter Mondale is. What to think?

That's where my mind is now and will be for the next week.

I also have a brand new DELL computer at work and I'm loving it. My last one that I just retired was over 4 years old and pig slow (to quote one of my TMers.) :) I not only have a CD burner on here but a DVD player as well.

Since Friday, life in the political world of Minnesota has drastically changed. WIth election day being little more then a week away, Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash with his wife, daughter, 3 aides, and 2 pilots. It's looking like good ole Fritz Mondale will most likely be stepping in to replace Senator Wellstone. Watch for Minnesota to make headlines on Election night. It's going to be a doozy.



The hard part for our office has been that our boss and and press secretary knew the Wellstones and their aides very well. Obviously, they are taking this hard. Our boss could and most likely would have been on that plane if Wellstone had not been traveling to a private engagement before going to Duluth. It's scary to note that any one we know in the DFL party could have been on board. The headquarters is just a block away from our office and while all the news is transpiring, Ted Kennedy and Walter Mondale are standing down there giving interviews. Wild. Tom Daschle is in town now, and a lot more are on their way. Tomorrow is the public memorial service and I think I'll go. As inappropriate as this may sound, it's an opportunity to see many of our US Senators (rumor has it that most of the senate is coming) as well as Clinton. I would like to see Clinton speak in person once in my life. Cheney may come too, but I could give a rat's ass if I see him or not.



Thanks OJ, for the info on Gedde Watanabe. My husband and I also realized that he was in the movie GUNG HO with Michael Keaton if anyone even remembers it. We like it cuz it's pretty funny and has some great one liners. (Example: "Razy American auto worker!") Apparently Gedde has really been around the block in terms of TV and Movies!



Angels win the World Series. I gotta say they were the ones that wouldn't die. As I heard a reporter ask, "What helped get the monkey off your back? Whoops, not the Rally Monkey." Did anybody see the batboy for the Giants? His grandpa is the coach, and that little guy was crying alligator tears that they had lost. :( Poor kid.

Yay Paige! It's a big moment when you lose that first tooth.



Pat, do you remember this? I could never find the tooth fairy money under my pillow when I would get up in the morning. Mom would say, it's probably down in your bed from you rocking in your sleep. (To others, rocking is a term I won't get into) So, I would search my bed, but no luck. Then MOM would search my bed, and always miraculously find it down under the covers. Hmm-do you think the tooth fairy may have forgotten to put it under my pillow the night before?? Wink. :)



And, speaking of Arthur books, has anyone heard of this series yet? Captain Underpants. Such titles are: "Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space." Apparently, some parents have not taken a liking to these books because they promote being disrespectful, not to obey authority, etc. A fourth grader got in trouble because he and his friends were having too much fun with the Name Change-o-Chart 2000. You can take a chart and transform any name into something like: Samuel Albert Smith to Snotty Pizzashorts. Here's who I agree with. Barbara Genco of New York's Brooklyn Public Library says, "First of all, they're funny as heck, and kids love them. And they get kids, especially boys, to read-and that's what we want." I've asked Mike to buy me one of them for Christmas. Sounds like they are right up my farting and burping ally.

Saw a great billboard off of I-35 coming home from Northern Minnesota:

"Stop saying my name in vain or I'll make rush hour longer. " -God



It appears Bud Selig is trying to make ammends with Minnesota baseball fans as well as the Twins organization. In the Sunday Star Tribune he took out a full page ad with a team picture of the Twins that says (paraphrase): "Minnesota, thanks for your enthusiasm, patience and dedication this season. We look forward to working together in the future." Trying to make nice with all I guess. Yuck.



I was really excited to see John McCain on SNL. I liked his Ashcroft, but was disappointed in the rest of his performance. I guess he's truly a senator first. But it rocked that he did the show. Mike's question (some may find this word offensive, so I apologize) to me was: "Do you think he'll use the word gook like when Chris Parnell would play him during the 2000 elections?" I really think the show needs to start using Horatio Sands and Tracy Morgan A LOT MORE.



I don't know how much stock most people take in dreams, but I always have really vivid ones and usually remember them. After my step-sister passed away in 1991, I had a bizarre series of them about her. They freaked me out until I started to analyze them a bit. Anyway, I woke up Saturday morning kind of in a daze...had a dream about my grandma. It was actually really cool. She was just sitting at her kitchen table, hanging out with the family. I asked her why she was there and she said she had just come to say goodbye. She looked like the old grandma-the one with weight on before she got sick. I went over and gave her a big hug and she said something like she knew that we missed her, but she was okay and feeling much better. It made me feel a lot better for some reason. There are many philosophies on what dreams mean and I could read it many ways. I chose to view it as 1) my subconscious working out the many details of how I'm feeling about losing her 2) maybe she was really saying goodbye. Interesting to ponder, not sure of the answer. After 9/11 especially, I pay attention to my dreams even more. Before it ocurred, I used to have this recurring nightmare about once a week that I was on the top floor of this tall building and the floor was moving around. Kind of like it had waves. I would be crawling around trying to get to safety, but no once else noticed and they weren't experiencing the same thing. I'd wake up in a panic. After 9/11, I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS DREAM AGAIN. Strange???? Yes. But I'm glad I don't have it anymore because I hated it. I had probably been dreaming that dream for 5 years or more.



What's the best band name you ever heard?

My answers: Screaming Monkey Boner (my fave)

God Speed You Black Emperor

Bruce Banner (as in the Hulk guy)



Personally, I liked the Chain Smokin' Alter Boys that Pat posted.



We watched both Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club this weekend on TNT. These movies totally remind me of growing up in the '80's. I love 'em. I noticed the guy who plays Long Duck Dong has not only been on ER, but also played a doctor on 'My Wife and Kids' last week. One of my favorite scenes in Sixteen Candles is at the beginning whenever they mention Long Duck Dong, they hit the gong in the background. :)



Saturday night we spent at Mike's parents house looking at his Grandma's old slides. It was really cool. :) Maybe we should be nostalgic and go back to this? I remember it was always a highlight when I was little when we would ge the projector out and check out the family slides. You had to giggle at how young everybody looked, the places they'd been, the clothes they wore. Mike's dad had these wicked sideburns going in one picture. We had to laugh :)

I can't believe I came that close to being removed from Clan Lally. Thanks for being so forgiving :)



I took the afternoon off from work yesterday because I wanted to catch up on some sleep and lay around. About 3pm I ventured into the kitchen and made some homemade soup. Around 4:15pm I stepped into the living room only to see a dead mouse lying in the middle of the floor. People, WE DON'T GET MICE! We live in a second floor apartment that is no where near to being pest infested or anything. Let's just say I hid in the bedroom until Mike came home. Where did it come from and why the hell did it just croak in the middle of the floor?



As many of my co-workers and husband can attest to, I am being a total bitch this week. Just thought I'd get it out in the open. :)



Found this funny picture of Bush 'posing' like Dr. Evil with his pinky by his mouth. Seems appropriate this week doesn't it?



Anybody seen the GAP ad in Rolling Stone of Willie Nelson?? AWESOME picture. Also, Playboy's interview with him this month is highly recommended.

Forgot to mention that I ran up to KMart yesterday for a few things. Target is closer, however, the prices at KMart are cheaper. The ONLY reason I made the choice to go there instead of Target, however, is this: the self-checker. I cannot tell you how awesome this invention was, and I serious recommend other retail outlets similar to theirs look into this feature. I went into the store, looked around and picked up my items in 15 minutes, and checked myself out in 2 minutes flat. I took a look around, and only 2 lanes were open. Both of which were knee-deep with about 5-7 people per lane.



In any other circumstance, I would have chosen Target. But, the thought of wading my way through a Sunday afternoon crowd there and waiting in line for 10 minutes was too much to handle. KMart will keep my business (although their selection isn't as good) just because of this awesome feature. I highly recommend giving it a try if you manage to find a store you actually want to go into. :)



Tonight, while playing around on the computer, I was singing along to my Springsteen CD. Unaware of how loud I was getting (I had headphones on) Mike walks in laughing at me. He could hear me clear as day out in the living room. What can I say? I'm learning the words I don't know on some of the tunes and jamming to the others!!!!!!!!!



I'm working on old family photos again after taking a short break. I completed my grandmother's life cycle by putting in her death date in my geneology program. It was a reflective moment for me. I'm always putting in new info and catching up with stuff that hasn't been done, but rarely have to update information that has happened recently. Hard to explain how I felt about doing this one.



The Rein of Terror begins tomorrow at work. My boss officially starts her 3 week leave of absence. AHH!



Last item of interest: I purchased the 'Friends' trivia game yesterday. Mike and I are very sad people. We knew the answers to almost everything. However, we would love to play with anyone of you!! Let's get together soon! :) Good game of fun though.

FINALLY! My Blog is working. Apparently there were some issues with my template. It needed a face lift anyway.



Well, our rein of being America's Team is now officially over. The Minnsota Twins had a good run while it lasted, but couldn't catch a break in the end. Anaheim is a good team, and they deserve being in the World Series. However, it doesn't mean I have to like it!



My parents were up on Saturday and delivered our new/old bedroom furniture. They brought TJ, our dog, with so I got to play with him. He made himself at home by crawling up into the chair and taking a nap. :) I can't wait until we get a dog.



Still can't get enough of Springsteen's album. I listen to it all the time. I LOVE the beginning of Countin On A Miracle, and my all time fave is Waitin' On A Sunny Day. Brings back good concert memories. I gotta say that for being in his 50's, the guy can still boogie on stage. I'm really glad we went considering all the family stuff going on.



It's been 2 weeks since my grandmother passed away and I have to say that I really miss her. It's amazing how you just take advantage of knowing that they're always just 'there'. Plus, having gone down there almost every week or so since she became ill, I didn't realize how it had become part of my schedule. The more I think of her and the things she did in her life, the more I realize what she gave to us as individuals and as a family. She was truly our matriarch and will always be missed. Reading the memorial I wrote for her was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. It was, however, something I felt compelled to do. In the end, I'm happy that I could honor my grandmother in the way that I did.



SNL sucks without Will Farrell.

I've been having some blog issues. Nothing has been posting, so I apologize.



Been gone for the last week at my grandmother's funeral, etc. Back to work today, which is sort of a blessing to get back to normal again. Went up the north shore of Minnesota for our anniversary this weekend. We stayed at a cool lodge in between Lutsen and Grand Marais for 2 nights. Lakeside view of LakeSuperior. The lodge was pretty small, however Mike had to throw in that it reminded him of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. After that, I kept expecting to see those twin girls standing down the hall.



Crappy weather all weekend and very cold. IT started to spit snow today. I'M NOT READY FOR THAT YET!



Saw Springsteen last Monday night. It was hard to go the day after my grandma died, but our family was insistent that my aunt and I go. It's kind of like our special thing since we love the Boss. Best show I've ever been to. He played for 3 hours, with about 5 encores. Great tunes, great energy, great crowd. I've been playing the CD all weekend. Favorite tunes: The Rising, Lonesome Day, Waitin' On A Sunny Day, City of Ruins, Mary's Place, Counting on A Miracle, Empty Sky. Lally, you're going to love the show. Anybody see him on SNL Saturday?



Speaking of which, SNL was pretty good. Matt Damon is a hoot when he wants to be. Our fave was him and Jimmy Fallon doing Sully and his friend from Boston at a Springsteen concert. Rachel Dratch as 'zazoom' is awesome.

Blogger isn't posting for me yesterday and today.

No posts for me too. Lots to do and catch up on.



Can I just say that I think we need to buy a digital camera? This morning I looked at my brothers pictures from his trip to MN, clicked on the ones I wanted, purchased them, and they will arrive in a few days. How cool is this?? I just can't tell you. Plus, there are so many times that Mike and I are going separate places, but each need the camera. This would eliminate the problem. Neither of us like to use disposable cameras. They suck.



Worked a lot of extra hours last week catching up on stuff and helping out with a proposal for the Dept. Of Health. I have come to realize that state agencies are NOTHING but bureaucracy. They are nothing but this. It's ridiculous at times. I'm trying to get information about our bank account because the World HEalth Organization wants to deposit money they owe to us in our account. Except that our org that does the business stuff says that they 'don't like to give out that kind of information to just any organization.' HELLO! This is the WORLD Health Organization in Italy. I think they're safe. Plus, they don't want to send us a check in the mail for christ sake when they could just wire it. Frustrations abound. I've learned much about being in management in the past 2 weeks. I don't like it, but I'm doing it. My boss goes on a one month leave for October. That should be interesting to see how much people realize they HAVE to listen.




I spent the weekend by myself, while Mike went home to visit his parents. It was quite lovely. Friday I watched Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion. Then I went and had a beer with a co-worker and her parents who were visiting. I slept until 10:30 Saturday morning, then watched the end of Almost Famous and all of Field Of Dreams. The latter of which I cried like a baby. I'm very emotional lately. (Pertaining to grandparent issues, it's like I can't cry about them, but I cry over movies to release it). Then, I went to Taco Bell because I was hungry for it. I don't think I'll do that for awhile. Totally did not agree with me, but it tasted good. When I came home, I watched Coal Miners Daughter. When it finished, I drove up to Kmart and did my 'what we need' shopping. YOu know the stuff: shampoo, underwear, stuff like that. I've really gotten away from shopping at KMart sadly, but their prices are still cheaper on the items I use then Target. My only problem with them is still their check-out lanes. 2 lanes for about 15 people. Not good. So, what did I do? Used the fabulous self-checker machine. This is the coolest invention. I wish more places would get them. I was out of the lane in 5 minutes. You scan your own items, bag 'em, the machine talks you through the whole process, you swipe your credit card (in my case, a check card) and sign electronically on the pad. Out the door I went.



When I got home, I began to clean my disgusting apartment. It had been quite awhile. I re-arranged my plants, pulled dead leaves off them, swept the balcony, put up my new plant stands, etc. All the while I watched this Freddie Prinze movie called Head Over Heels. A dorky movie, but somewhat cute. Not good acting. One of those you have to watch a few times before it grows on you. As I began to do my laundry for the evening, I watched the Miss American pageant which is like tradition for me. We watched it when I was a little kid, and then in college we used to get drunk and take bets on it. Even better. Wayne Brady hosted and did a better job then many before him ever did. But, then again, I love Wayne Brady. My favorite round was the quiz show at the end. They had to answer 16 trivia questions, mulitple choice, and had five seconds to lock in their answer. Questions ranged from historical, current events, music, movies. Pretty fluff stuff. Holy crap were those girls dumb!! Out of 16, I got 2 wrong and it was only because I second guessed myself. The questions that the girls did not get were stuff like, "What is the name of Bruce Springsteen's new album?" Duh, it's only been all over the news radio and magazines. "Besides George W.Bush, what other son followed his father in presidency?" Hello, same thing. They've said it a million times on the news and campaign trail. The one stumper, but one you could get right if you really thought carefully, "Who was the first American in Space?" John Glenn, Alan B. Shepard or Neil Armstrong. Answer: Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, John Glenn orbited the moon, but Alan Shepard was the first person to go into space. Anyways, I just wasn't overly impressed with their knowledge of trivia!



Later in the evening, I began to watch Kindergarden Cop on TNT as I addressed envelopes. My boss made me a deal: she had tons of envelopes to do for the DFL campaign. She is in the process of moving and didn't have time. So, she'll pay me $10 an hour to do them. By the end of the weekend, I made $60! Not too shabby when you can just sit in a chair and watch tv while you're doing it. All in all, a lovely, quiet weekend was had. I recouped quite nicely.



A week from yesterday-it's Springsteen time on September 30!



Thanks to my brother, again, for the great CD of songs. I listen to it all the time. :) I'm particularly fond of City of New Orleans and Steve McQueen.



Question: anyone pay bills online? Or credit cards? What luck have you had and do you think it's a convenience? I have it set up with my long distance account, but set it up for my credit card because we are having huge issues lately at keeping track of when things are due. Just wondering the pros and cons of it.



Heading to the Twins game tonight, the only one I'll make it to this season since it's over in a few days! However, tonight Michael Restovich from Rochester, Minnesota makes his Metrodome debut. The guy played over the weekend in Chi town against the White Sox and blasted a 420 foot homer. He's going to do well with them I think. We're going with Mike's best friend Ty and his wife Jodie. I've been craving a dome dog lately. Makes me think of Field of Dreams. Remember these lines:



Ray Kinsella: So what do you want?

Terence Mann: I want them to stop looking to me for answers, begging me to speak again, write again, be a leader. I want them to start thinking for themselves. I want my privacy!

Ray Kinsella: No, I mean, what do you WANT?

[Gestures to the concession stand they're in front of.]

Terence Mann: Oh. Dog and a beer.



You gotta admit, this movie has some good quotes. I cannot watch this movie without getting goosebumps or shedding a few tears. This rates in my Top 5 of 10 movies.
Check out the quotes list here.

My translation of Alissa's Spanish came through. I like the thin vs. slim translation.



Let me pose a question to you all about the 'going back to school' time of year. Do you all still get that feeling? The one in the pit of your stomach that makes you partly excited and partly sick to think of going back to it all? Or, do you just get excited to think that you don't have to go? Or, even more, do you get the feeling because you watch your kids head off? Just curious. I still get the feeling no matter what, but mine is more the 'I'm glad it's not me' kind. I wasn't a big fan of school. College was different.



Janelle took off for UW-LaCrosse two weeks ago. All seems to be going okay. She had been talking with her roommate all summer, coordinating what they would both bring. They were both junior transfers, it was working out well. The night before Janelle leaves, the girl calls and says she isn't coming. She is pregnant. Nice! Janelle did get a new roommate but haven't heard how the new one is.



My friend Jess's brother Jordan took off for Luther College in Decorah at the same time as Janelle. He told his mom that he wanted to come home every weekend because his roommate was really wierd. Low and behold he jumped right into all the activities that Luther had to offer (including the Young Republicans) and no longer wanted to come home all the time. He was afraid he would miss out on all the cool stuff. That's what I like to hear!! :) After it taking me a full year to realize all the cool stuff college had to offer, I'm all about making sure kids get into the coolness of college.



Watched Silence of the Lambs on cable last night. I forgot how freaky that movie is. It's a really good movie, just a little unsettling at times.



The 6 episode season of Sex and the City finished up on Sunday night. It was supposed to be 13 episodes, but with Sarah Jessica Parker's real life pregnancy, it got knocked down to 6. It was such a bummer-this season was no where as good as the last one. Last season was amazing-every episode my mouth would be hanging open at the way the story line had turned. This last episode was good however. The guy from Office Space is potentially her new love interest. They have some cool chemistry.



The Twins magic number is now done to 6. Each time the White Sox lose, we gain. It will be nice to watch the Twins in post-season play for the first time in 11 years.



Pat, spoke with Grandpa and told him you likely found the plane he worked on at the Cessna plant in Kansas. He was interested in chatting with you about it. Like you said, he views it as another job and said, "pat was always really interested to know which plane i worked on. I never knew."

Congrats to Paige on her flying experience! Mom and I just sat down to read it and loved it. :)



Answer to Thursday (one) question:



The anti-christ for me in movies is: TOM GREEN, specifically the movie: Freddy Got Fingered

(I think he was funny on his show on MTV for the most part, but otherwise I have to turn the channel.)



Female: the chick who played Adam Sandler's girlfriend in The Waterboy: Fairuza Balk

I hate her!



Visited the grandparents today. After helping Grandpa out at their apartment by sweeping, vacuuming, etc he said, "Boy, look at the cheap labor I get out of buying someone a cheeseburger!" (He had gotten cheeseburgers from the restaurant for lunch for us.) We were happy to help.



BTW, Pat, they were THRILLED with the photo card of Paige with the copper tub. It was sitting on top of the TV. It was really cool and it turned out great.

Again, no posts, sorry, been busy.



Friday night we babysat for the Henks. Tyler and Riley were quite the pair, to say the least. We had friends visiting from Duluth as well, and Tyler was quite psyched to meet them. When Bryan and Mary walked in the door he said, "I thought more friends then them are coming." Apparently, he thought we had a party going on. He sat in the corner of the couch with Mike carrying on a conversation like an adult. All with a bag of Doritos in his lap, until I realized that Mike wasn't keeping track of how he was eating and neither had I. Whoops! Had a minor accident (almost got the toilet thing going) but couldn't keep his pants down to hit the toilet. I was putting Riley down so didn't know what was going on. Mary helped him get cleaned up and get a pull-up on instead of underwear. He asked her, "What's that brown thing on your face?" It was a mole. Gotta love 3 year olds!



State Fair on Saturday. Did the park and ride thing for 5 bucks. The crap part was that they cram you on a city bus, which we were the last to board and had to stand holding on for 20 minutes. We were all hoping we smelled okay with our arms up in the air holding on to the bar. Let's just say we got to know our fellow passengers pretty well. Easier then parking and walking and paying a fortune though. And, they give you incentive to do this by giving you $2 off your fair ticket.



Had a pickle on a stick, which was interesting. Pat, I forgot to get for you a Gedney Pickle Hat. More of a headband, but I thought of you. Had mini-donuts, Sweet Martha's cookies, a taco, etc. Walking from noon-5pm in the sun makes for a long day, but it was fun. Checked out the Poultry barn, Horses and Goats. Got to pet the goats, which is always fun. Saw some really interesting people as usual. Had a lady budge in front of me to get the pickle. There was like 3 people in line, so I don't know why she felt the need to do that. When she looked back at me to see if I was mad (She knew she did it) I said, "Hey, you must really want a pickle more then I do." I don't think she liked that. I was in no hurry!



Two cool things at the fair. One: this ride where they launch you into the air while you and a partner are strapped into this oval shaped thing while you hold your hands crossed your chest. It flies up, turns upside down, etc. People REALLY scream. The second one is taking you up a couple hundred feet and drop you into a net. It's a lovely free fall that scares the shit out of most people. Good laughs.



Saturday night we saw Austin Powers again because Bryan and Mary hadn't seen it. Even better the second time around.



I started watching Frequency the other night on HBO and have got to catch the whole thing. From the hour I watched it was AWESOME. We've also become quite fond of the Replacements. That's another movie I can't get enough of watching. Mike is into the Fast and the Furious on Starz lately. I think Vin Diesel is cool too, but that's about it. We also watched Blazing Saddles and Bull Durham.



Two new board games I have to get. The 20th anniversary edition of Trivial Pursuit, the 80's edition. Pat, we are hoping to purchase this before you come to Minnesota so hopefully we can play it. The second is the new Friend's Trivia Game. I don't know if you can purchase it, but it was in the JCPenney Christmas Catalog. I HAVE to have this game. Finally, something I could most likely win. Last year I wanted the Elvis Trivia game but no one got it for me. I think everyone realized I would just kick their ass so it was pointless.



Thursday Three Answers:

1. What would be the most mis-matched combination of food (i.e. curry flavored doritos)?

Syrup flavored baloney and Cookie Dough Gatorade (Stolen from Saturday Night Live )

My co-workers contribute these:

Marshmallow pot roast

Wasabi covered Hershey Kisses

Pesto Ice Cream

Lemon Hot Dogs

Peppermint Pastrami



2. Name a style of public urination in at a mens room urinal (sorry ladies):

Can't help you. But I can recommend that you put the toilet seat down at home so that your wives/ girlfriends/mothers/sisters/children don't fall in


3. Your favorite town name:

Well, there is Embarrass, Minnesota, the town before Babbitt, Minnesota where Minnesota Mike is from. (Could I fit Minnesota in that sentence anymore?)

But I think I like these ones:

Fertile, Minnesota which is near Climax, Minnesota. Spread Eagle, Wisconsin. Intercourse, Pennsylvania.



The discussion today at work centered on the episode of Friends where Ross and Rachel pick their "Top 5" celebrity list that they could sleep with and the other couldn't get mad. Makes for interesting conversations. We also are creating a staff CD of all our favorite songs. Do you know how hard it is to actually pick out your favorite song and album? I can't do it-I can' t pick out my favorite book either. I like way too many to narrow it down.

My answers to last week and this week's Thursday Three:



Would I run naked through my local shopping mall on a Saturday for a million dollars:

Yes



Who is the best looking Government Official?

Colin Powell



Link to goofiest guy or girl:

It's a celebrity, he's dead, but I've always wondered how the hell this guy got famous.



What’s the best business slogan you’ve seen?

I don't know if this is qualifies, but a local rock radio station had a billboard that said, "Elvis is dead. Face the music."



In keeping with the Elvis theme, what would Elvis be like if he were still alive?

I think he would have lost weight, gone to rehab, and been in seclusion for a number of years. Then, in 2000, he would have come back for another Comeback Concert and he would be dressed in regular clothes (no jumpsuits) and look distinguished and cool with silver/gray hair and glasses. Still would have all his gold and TCB jewelry.



Which two famous women would you most like to see fighting each other (cat or regular)?

Gwyneth Patrow and Jennifer Aniston (fighting over Brad Pitt) I think Jenn would kick her ass.



In my quest to find the goofiest person, I came across this tshirt slogan that Lynn saw on a poster in Galena, Illinois and we all thought was hilarious.



Spent 3 hours at the State Fair yesterday. This might sound crazy, but my co-worker brought along a polaroid from work and we went on Mullet patrol. We actually came away with 4 good pictures of really bad hair. Made the day quite fun! Otherwise, had the cheese curds, donuts, lemonade, cookies, etc. I didn't feel so good last night, can you guess why?

Did I mention that Pam and I are going to Bruce Springsteen in concert at the end of September? I hope (and think) that $85 is worth it to see the Boss and the E Street Band. Bought the new album last week. It's awesome.

Pat: Watch it, or you'll be walking to my house from the airport in Minneapolis.



Have any of you seen the Distinguished Gentlemen with Eddie Murphy? I had never watched the entire thing until last night. I have a fondness for short, political movies such as this one. Cute movie. Reminds me of a couple of my other political favorites: Dave and The American President.



Went out to dinner with Matt and Jill last night. Can't seem to coordinate weekend schedules, so we had to settle for a weeknight meal. Hadn't seen them in a long time. Went well, had fun. Ate at Damon's, which is a close knockoff of the ESPN Cafe. We ate in a round booth facing 4 big screen TV's and a speaker on the table. Unfortunately, the Twins were getting their butts kicked so it wasn't a fun game to watch.



The Great Minnesota Get Together started today: Minnesota State Fair. Did you know that it is the second most popular fair in the nation? Some favorites on a stick to note this year: alligator, fried candy bar, fried cheese cake, pickle, and turkey leg. The all-time best Minnesota fair feature is Tom Thumb mini-donuts. Second would be cheese curds. Third, corn on the cob cooked with the skin on over a grill, stripped down and dipped in butter, and then handed to the customer. Good stuff.



Going to see Matthew Perry and Liz Hurley's new movie: Serving Sara on Friday night.



No plans this weekend. YES! I'm sleeping until noon.



Newsweek had an article on blogging this week. Interesting to read and find out why some people do it, and what they post about.

Back from the weekend up north and doing my father-in-law's retirement party. A fun time was had by all. We had more then enough food with waaay too much leftover. Anyone want ham sandwiches and 2 lbs of homemade potato salad? It's tasty!



It was a long weekend, spent most of the time cleaning and making food. My folks came up with the dog. Our dog and Mike's parents dog didn't get along. They bit each other and then Joey kept trying to hump TJ even though they are both boys. It was very strange. TJ is so used to being socialized with other dogs, but apparently Joey isn't. He was really pushing his territory issues. Freaked me out. I hate dog fights. Gross.



That's all for now...