Bring on the beer

Each summer, around 10,000 crazies participate in a little thing in Iowa called RAGBRAI. The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. This consists of dipping a tire in the Missouri River on an early Sunday morning on the west side of the state, followed by a week-long trek to dip a tire in the Mississippi River on the east side of the state. I'm leaving out all of the details in the middle, which can be summed up as: hills and booze.

From my experiences meeting people that are not from the Midwest, when they think of Iowa----- wait- they don't. They usually think of Ohio or Idaho...

Me: "I'm from Iowa."

Moron: "Oh! Potatoes!"

Me: "No. Corn. And education."

So, the slightly more informed non-Iowan will probably think of the heartland as: flat land, made up of fields of corn, small towns and... not much else.

WELL- let me just set the record straight by saying we also grow soy beans, we have 4 non-small towns, and the state is NOT flat. And... not much else.

In that spirit, when RAGBRAI comes through town, it is an EVENT! I am traveling an hour and a half back to my hometown tonight to celebrate at an 'overnight' location. This means that super tired bike riders will be entertained with music, food, beer gardens and the like. Screw the bikes- I just want the party! I even took the day off tomorrow in anticipation of necessary recovery time.

**Flashback- Jessica- remember when we were in HS, and we went to the overnight in Chuck-town with Libby? Ooohhhh myyyy... **

My partner in crime tonight is Kristin. Tully will be there too. I may or may not have stories from tonight that I may or may not share... we will see...

Incredible shrinking studio

It is the state law in Iowa that a landlord must paint the walls of an apartment before each new tenant moves in. My apartment was built in 1951. There could be 20-30 layers of paint on these walls! My question is this:

Do you suppose my apartment is smaller with each coat? Like- the walls are getting closer??

Chooseday

Tuesday is Chooseday. This is found each Tuesday over at TJ's.  

 

Today's questions are pulled from the book that started the whole concept of tuesday is chooseday. It's called zobmondo. And now, there's even a zobmondo board game. Breaks the ice at parties...

Would you rather:

1.     run a mile with a cracked shinbone OR do 50 situps with a cracked tailbone?

--I'm thinking sit-ups. I wouldn't want to run a mile with fully functioning bones! And I suppose it would be easier to do things-- like take breaks and whine...

2.     be stuck beside somebody with horrible body odor on a crowded subway car for 10 stops OR against someone with an obvious erection on a long elevator ride?

--No erections please. BO is pretty nasty, but-- it's not an erection.

3.     feed your children by regurgitation OR have to lick them to bathe them?

--Tough one... but I gotta choose the regurgitation! Ew. But can you imagine LICKING someone to clean them? I don't care WHO it is.

4.     while still living, get a glimpse of heaven OR hell?

--Hell. Then I'll know what I'm trying to avoid. The ULTIMATE motivator.

Start early

When I was a small girl we had two cats. Jack. And Daniel.
 
The subliminal messages were just deafening.

Hello?

Ya know, I have been thinking a lot about this blog thing. My friend, Gary, has been quiet successful lately. He has really developed a good site! It has a theme, he has found a consistent style, and he has even found a common crowd.
 
That last one-- that's what I'm looking for. Gary stumbled upon Genuine, who introduced Zero Boss, and so on. They have even blogged on this topic before- they are the 'Goofy Guys with Kids' group.
 
What is my genre? Where are my peeps!?
 
I don't have kids, or pets, or a mortgage. I enjoy politics, but am not confident/educated enough to blog consistently about it. I am not a student anymore-- but don't feel like an adult yet. I am losing 'coolness' every day in my little siblings eyes, yet I am not a total dork yet. (Working towards it!) I work in a cube, and actually like my job- so I don't bitch about that so much... In fact, there aren't that many things I DO bitch about (shut up Gary).
 
Okay. There's a list of what I'm not. So, what am I and what can I write about that will resound with anyone?
 
Yes- yes. I should write this for myself... I should write whatever the hell I want, whenever the hell I want. Got it. But I would LOVE to have a blog group with some common ground. I really enjoy reading my regular blogroll-- but... I want more.
 
SOOO... I'm gonna stop the sob-fest here and do something- find some people. I know you are out there!!! I know I will find some blogs that will cause me to say-- 'I know exactly what you are talking about.' I already have Tully, who is one of my best friends from high school. That's a wonderful start.
 
Blogroll- watch out. I'm looking for more recruits. (See? Dorky.)

Ramble on

Jesse and I just got back from our used-to-be-nightly-but-not-anymore walk. Even though the humidity is at a muggy 100%, we needed to get out into some air- even if it wasn’t that fresh.

As we left our apartment, we ran into our new neighbor who introduced himself as Jake. He was very nice and just meeting him lifted my spirits! (Apparently I am in need of some social time.)

Jesse and I trekked off into our fabulous neighborhood and even jogged a bit. My boyfriend, a.k.a. Mr. Tree and I were major tree lovers tonight. We measured a couple trees with our arms (one was 2 people around- one was 3!) We even lay down on a sidewalk for awhile to admire 'the Bruiser'. The biggest white oak we've ever seen. We like to visit it every once in awhile.

On the way back to our place, we met a couple walking towards us on the sidewalk. As they passed, both Jesse and I said "hello". They said nothing back. I think it is a small-town-midwestern thing, but I cannot imagine someone saying 'hi' to me and not saying anything back. We were the only four people on the sidewalk and I know they heard us. The only reason I mention it is because it seems to happen a lot around here... I'm not upset about it- just baffled.

Anyway- have a happy hump day-- and say 'hi' to a random person today!

Haiku for Sam

Today is my grandpa's birthday. But he's dead. So does that really count? He would have been 95 had he not died less than two years ago. But it was good that he went. His mind was not here anymore- ya know?

He and my grandma were some of the best people I've ever met. They were married for over 65 years. They really loved their family. They really loved me.

I went to college in the same city they lived in. This proved to be a great situation. Free laundry, an occasional home cooked meal and tons of time to get to know them better. I even had the chance to join a group that my grandma was in-- PEO. Something that I will be in for the rest of my life.

When my grandma died at the end of my freshman year, I decided to stay with Grandpa for the summer. I wanted to stay in town and he needed someone to take care of him. I was 19. He was 90. He was already moving into dementia, so it turned into an interesting summer. Very difficult at times, but something I will never regret or forget.

He moved into a nursing home that fall when I moved back into the dorms. It took him a little over 3 years to lose the battle and join my grandma.

I hope I can be so lucky to have what they had. So today I remember my Grandpa Sam with a lovely haiku. :)

Warm smile, and kind eyes
Would hum entering a room
Strongest hands ever

That's what I remember most about him. He would walk into the living room, observe the situation and hum- abruptly-, "Mmm-hm!" And when he shook your hand for the first time, you knew that he could crush your hand if he wanted to-- but you also knew that he never would.

It's the head

Has anyone seen the commercial that features the old-headed-guy that has the super buff body??

Check it out.

John Basedow. John.... your body says you're 21, but your head says you're 47. Which one is it? Cause if you're 21-- you have an old-ass head. If you're 47-- dude. That's unnatural. Admirable (as I look down), but unnatural.

And WHY does your head always look like it's pasted on to your body??? I cannot help but point every time I see your head. And laugh. I definitely laugh.

Happy 4th

I'm sure most people have seen this by now, but if you haven't, check it out.

Happy Independence Day!!!

Donkeys yay

My boyfriend Jesse wonders 'how did I become SUCH a die-hard Democrat??!? To attempt to solve this mystery, here's some evidence from the last month alone.

Exhibit #1: A pile of letters from my father- sometimes just clippings/articles with a small note. All of the articles are muy muy liberal.

Exhibit #2: An example from this pile: a letter from my father with an article included. The article is titled: "Not even a Hedgehog: the Stupidity of Ronald Reagan". You can imagine it is not saying very nice things about "THE COMMUNICATOR".

Exhibit #3: (and the most telling) A handwritten note on the side of this article saying (and I quote): "The Republicans would have us believe that RR was the 2nd coming of Abe Lincoln. Actually, he was very much against minorities and labor unions!"

Um. How can I fight THAT??

But alas. I really like my boyfriend. I think I will turn Daddy down a notch and try not to hate the Dub so desperately. I don't think of it as selling out- but as trying out a new outlook with my approach...

What do you think? Do I need to be more understanding of "the other side" to keep the peace?

Alright..... I'm back

Not sure what the big break was about... but I'm back. Rested from the blogginess. I didn't post any entries- I didn't READ anyone's entries-- but I think I obviously needed the time off and am ready for more! My 5 readers can now rejoice.

And that's all that matters.