Apartment 11

a whole year????

2012-01-04T22:52:00.002-06:00

Good golly, Miss Molly. It has, according to my last post date, been nearly a year since I've declared my voice on this blog.

And what a year it has been.

A year of change. Of blessing. Of tough decisions. Of love. Of tears. Of life.

We added a new sweet baby girl to our family. We learned of her existence in April, thought she was a boy until July, and once we found out "he" was a "she", we rejoiced in our upcoming re-use of all of Olive's clothes/toys/baby gear. She -- Delia Lyn -- arrived two weeks early on Thanksgiving Day, and we've been loving her ever since. Her birth will have its own, more complete, blog post.

We have decided to move to Minnesota for my job at the end of my maternity leave. That decision brings the bitter promise of sad goodbyes here in Virginia, and I'm dreading the day we embark on our next chapter of life 1,000 miles away from my parents and Olive and Delia's grandparents. I'm so excited to be close to Ryan's family and to the friends that we've missed so much while we've been out here -- but it will be very hard to leave.

We sold our first house -- a house that we loved, a house that we brought our first child home to, the home that held us as we became three. And then four. In the end, the whole thing was really better than we hoped. It was a short time period, and we broke even. Not bad for two and a half years.

I can't think of anything else that needs recapped at the moment. Long nights with a baby will hopefully provide more opportunity to blog. Dedication will hopefully provide the discipline to blog more than once a year. Not too tough to beat last year's entries, eh?

down in the dumps...

2011-01-12T10:37:00.002-06:00

It all started back on December 28. Ryan, Olive and I left my parents' house around 8 p.m. The plan was for Olive and I to return sometime the following day so my mom could babysit her while I worked. It sounded like such a good plan.

Early on December 29, I received a call from my brother that went something like this: "Um, Cal? I'm sick." "What kind of sick are you, Griff?" "I've been *gag* throwing up all night." Ew. "Mom's sick, too. She hasn't thrown up yet, but she feels awful."

Of course, being the caring, sympathetic person that I am, my first thought was, "Are we going to catch this?" I scolded myself for being so selfish, said a prayer for their health, pleaded with the Lord that we wouldn't get it, and then set to googling incubation time for flu bugs. According to the internet, we were looking at 18 to 72 hours. Of course, having a 16 month old around at Christmas time means lots of hugs and kisses. Apparently kissing is a really good way to spread germs -- especially explosive, nasty germs. I could think of about 15 times Livi had gone around the room in circles giving every family member a kiss. She's practically a cotton swab of germy saliva. Ick! So, the waiting began.

Mom and Griff were really sick. All the gore of the flu, and the extra long recovery time because of everything it "takes out of you." (Ewww.)

But, 72 hours came and went, and no one else seemed to catch it.

Cue Monday morning, a week later. The first Monday of the new year. I wake up to Olive puking. She continued all day long -- I lost count at 10 times. She didn't feel great, but still seemed to have some energy when she wasn't getting sick, which made it even tougher to take care of her. I thought the silver lining of sick children was that they slept all day and wanted to cuddle? She did wants lots of kisses from Mommy, and because she was sick, I couldn't deny her. I figured getting sick was inevitable anyway, and smooched away with her. (I'd welcome a little weight loss anyway. Ha!)

On Monday night, Ryan announced he wasn't "feeling too great" and was going to sleep on the couch downstairs. Apparently the flu hit him at about 11 p.m. and he too was physically wiped out for the rest of the week.

So, if you're keeping count -- four out of eight have been sick at this point. My dad, sister and I were still holding out.

Cue this past Monday. Mom calls and tells me Dad has the flu. Same story, just different character. Because Monday was Griff's last day before flying home to Oregon, we went over that evening to spend time with them.

On Tuesday morning at about 3 a.m., I received a call from my Mom. "Candra is sick now. Can you go with us to take Griff to the airport?" I certainly and without any angst at all obliged. :) (Read: sarcasm.) But honestly, I didn't mind going. It was good to have one more chance to see Griff, even if it was at 3 a.m.

So, now. Present day. I'm still convinced I'm going to get sick, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm the only one left standing. I'm not sure how long it will last, but if I do end up escaping this thing, I'm going to claim the effects of prayer and copious amounts of Diet Coke.

being present...

2011-01-03T09:56:00.002-06:00

2010 was a good year -- don't get me wrong -- but it came with its share of turmoil and stress. Adjusting to life as a working mommy wasn't easy (I'm still figuring it out on a daily basis, it seems) and having a non-traditional set-up for both Ryan and I working from our home offices can be a challenge. Overall, parenthood has proved to bless us beyond what we could have imagined, but sometimes it feels as if the number of blessing directly correlate to lack of sleep.

So, as I reflect on 2010 and think about what I want to do differently in 2011, I've come to this conclusion: I want to be present. It's so easy to live life thinking about what we don't have -- the perfect figure, all our debt paid off, a clear direction for what the future holds, easy 9-to-5 jobs, 8 hours of sleep a night, all the storage space in the world, disposable income, etc.

For 2011, I don't want to always be looking to the future trying to get to a time when "life is exactly as I pictured it". I don't think that will ever exist. Instead, I want to focus on each day, each hour, each minute, each second -- and live each one fully. It sounds like a cliche, but it's true. I'm going to be defined by who God says I am, and not by where I live, what I look like, how I parent, where I work or how any of those scenarios "say" I should act.

I will be kind, always. Even when I don't feel like it and even if I've been wronged. I want to live a life of humility. I don't always have to be great in the eyes of others. I only have to be great in the eyes of those who matter -- and their criteria is often far different from the eyes of "others".

a blog updated more often than my own...

2010-09-10T11:59:00.003-05:00

I have really been bad about blogging lately. Not sure why. I blame someone or something other than myself, but truth be told, I know all the blame lies with my laziness.

All that to say, my sweetie has recently started blogging, and, though they can be lengthy, his posts are funny, nostalgic, real, and in my humble opinion, overall fantastic.

Check it out: www.minnesotabert.blogspot.com.

Also, shout out to my dear friend Beth for reminding me that I actually have a blog. :)

strengths vs. weaknesses...

2010-07-15T08:53:00.001-05:00

Our leadership team recently completed StrengthsFinder assessments, and I found mine to be interesting and a reminder of who I am. My top five strengths:

Strategy
Woo
Communication
Ideation
Competition

A point of the book is that by applying a little effort, we can make our strengths even better, because they are natural for us. However, we often make the mistake of focusing on our weakness and trying to make those better, which really can just lead to mediocrity.

In an effort to blog more, I'm going to tackle my five strengths in upcoming blog posts and talk about the good, the bad and the ugly that goes along with each.

the house that built me...

2010-03-03T08:49:00.002-06:00

I heard this song on the radio while driving home from work yesterday. I can't even find the words to describe the feelings this song brought to the surface. Being a girl who grew up in the same house for the first 18 years of her life, this song hit home. No pun intended.

Here are the lyrics; go find someplace to listen to it. (I can't find it in the online media system that I use.)

I know they say you can’t go home again
I just had to come back one last time
Ma’am I know you don’t know me from Adam
But these handprints on the front steps are mine

Up those stairs in that little back bedroom
Is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar
I bet you didn’t know under that live oak
My favorite dog is buried in the yard

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself
If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

Mama cut out pictures of houses for years
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine
Plans were drawn and concrete poured
Nail by nail and board by board
Daddy gave life to mama’s dream

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself
If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

You leave home and you move on and you do the best you can
I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am
I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself
If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

toes...

2010-02-16T19:42:00.002-06:00

Livi loves her toes. She can't go long without sucking on them. (She didn't learn that from me. Ryan, maybe?) She's constantly trying to take of her socks to get to her toes. They are pretty much the cutest little toes I've ever seen.

Ryan's been working 60 hrs a week at a contract job. (Leaves at 6 a.m. and gets home at 8 p.m., MTWTFS.) Livi gets so excited when she sees him. She has the biggest grin on her face, starts drooling, and gives the occassional squeal of delight. Sweeter greetings I have never seen.

there's s'no days like snow days...

2010-02-09T11:36:00.003-06:00

We're snowed in. Well, not currently, but we were snowed in from Friday until Monday and will be again beginning later today until at least Thursday. I must admit, it's kind of nice. We packed up on Friday morning and made the trek to my parents'. They have a generator* (and a big house) so we figured we'd stay here during the Great Snow of 2010 -- just in case. Plus, it's nice to have other people to take care of Livi. And my parents have vehicles with four-wheel drive, too -- again, just in case.

So, I've relaxed, eaten too much, took some naps while Gramma watches the baby; this is the life! And now, I'm sitting in the office working while my mom plays The Man at Mahjong tiles -- if she wins, it's her way of sticking it to The Man. If she loses, she says The Man beat her down again. She suffered a bad beat-down today and is retreating to work on her Christmas letter. See how entertaining this is?

And you wonder why I don't stay at my own place...

*My mom just informed me they don't have a generator, they have a propane heater. Crap. Ignorance was bliss.

normal is just a setting on a dryer...

2010-02-01T14:18:00.002-06:00

I remember reading that book title once. I didn't read the book -- just the title. Because at that time, my life was normal by all accounts. My daily activities were set, and I could be as gluttonous with my time as I wanted to be.

But now... Now is a whole different story. When I wake up in the morning, I have a list of things in my mind that I want to get done during the day. Work trumps them all, of course. Well, Livi trumps them all, actually. But work is a close second. I usually get 100% of the things Livi needs completed. Bath time, play time, nap time, diaper changes, feedings, etc. Work -- I get about 85% of those things done. Everything else -- cooking, cleaning, getting dressed, combing my hair, etc., etc., etc.... well, I'm lucky if I get 5% of that done. Thankfully I've got a pretty laid-back husband who doesn't care if I cook, clean or get out of my pajamas. I'm still waiting to get surprised by the What Not to Wear team from TLC when I make a quick run to the grocery store in my glasses, sweat pants, carhart coat and old tennis shoes.

I'm learning to not get stressed out by this. I'm sure there will be plenty of time later in life to 'have it all together'. In the meantime, I enjoy my time with my baby and am grateful that I get to work from home. I listen to music and pretend I'm the put-together gal I used to be, and I sometimes look at cookbooks and convince myself I'll try that recipe one of these days.

Maybe in 20 years.

word of the year...

2010-01-28T23:03:00.003-06:00

Since it's nearly February, I figure I better get my New Year's Resolution up here. In 2010, I resolve to be austere -- Having no adornment or ornamentation. As I'm tweaking to make it my own definition, I'm going to try to spend as little $$$ as possible.

I don't expect it to be easy. My biggest downfalls are eating out and buying new clothes (frankly because my pre-pregnancy clothes don't fit). So, I figure by practicing some Callie-defined austerity, I'll save money, lose weight (eating out is apparently unhealthy) and fit into my old clothes (which will feel new), thus eliminating my need to buy new pieces of attire.

I think I could be on to something here.

c + r = o

2009-11-11T16:04:00.005-06:00

a comparison: this year to last

2009-11-09T10:24:00.003-06:00

2008:
Location: Minneapolis

Home: Renting a fun 'city' condo on the lightrail

Average number of hours of sleep a night: 8 solid, glorious hours

Evenings: spent horseback riding, dining out with friends at nice restaurants, a quiet evening at home with a glass of wine and a good book.

Average pant size: Much smaller

Site checked most often: Facebook

Job: Communications specialist, corporate headquarters

Children: 0

2009:
Location: Virginia

Home: Owned townhome

Average number of hours of sleep a night: 6, broken into intervals

Evenings: first spent puking, now spent wondering where the day went after doing nothing but sitting around in sweatpants feeding a baby.

Average pant size: Much larger

Site checked most often: Olive's diaper

Job: Mommy; regional marketing manager, home office

Children: 1

Wow, life has changed!

what's in a name?

2009-11-04T22:28:00.000-06:00

In June of 2008, my Nana (Olive) had an unexpected stroke and after nine days in the hospital, she passed away. During the days in the hospital with her, it became so blatantly real to me that the only thing that matters in life are those that love you. With that truth in mind, Ryan and I decided to start trying to have a baby – instead of waiting for the ‘perfect’ time when we were where we wanted to be in our careers, when we had the right ‘family’ house, and when we were just more settled.

We tried for several months with no results. In December of 2008, I accepted a job out in DC, so we decided to put having a baby on hold. Then, low-and-behold on New Years Eve, we found out we were going to have a baby. It somehow seemed symbolic to find out about this new addition to our family in the same year we lost such an important member – Nana. When we did the math and learned our expected due date was September 11, I eagerly hoped that this little one would arrive on September 15 – Nana’s birthday, and the first possible birthday that we could have a child on since she left.

From the beginning, I felt like this baby would be a little girl. I don’t know why, but when I saw the two pink lines, the baby just seemed like a girl (and I was a minority!).

Baby Girl Briese was born at 8:45 p.m. on September 15. Ryan and I had talked about the name Olive Jaymes. (My grandpa’s – Nana’s husband’s – name was James.) It was a surreal experience to name my daughter after my grandma on her birthday.

Back in June of 2008, when Nana was in the hospital and not able to speak anymore, Ryan and I were able to share with her that we were going to try to have a baby and that if it was a little girl, we were going to name her Olive after her. I never would have imagined that God would bless us by also allowing my Olive to share her great-grandmother’s name and birthday.

bob wehadababy itsaboy...

2009-10-02T10:44:00.002-05:00

Remember that funny commercial about calling collect? And the guy calls his parents from the hospital to tell them, but he calls collect and states that his name is "Bob Wehadababy Itsaboy"? A very funny and memorable commercial, in my opinion.

Anyway, my announcement is much, much more exciting and important. Wehadababy Itsagirl. :) That's right; Olive Jaymes entered the world at 8:45 p.m. on September 15, weighing 9 lbs, 4 oz and measuring 21 inches long. We are so blessed to have her in our lives. We're still struggling through the sleep-deprived days and nights, but I think they're getting easier, and I can actually keep my eyes open for a few hours now without toothpicks.

There are many miraculous things about new life, and I will share them in another post, hopefully later today. Right now, I must go change and feed my little Livi...

top reasons not to attend your dream concert when 8 months pregnant...

2009-08-14T16:09:00.002-05:00

Most of the evening is spent running to the bathroom -- and those bathrooms are pretty nasty.
It's very difficult to achieve the level of cuteness you've come to expect of yourself when attending concerts.
A cold beer looks even more delicious in the heat and humidity -- but is very off-limits.
Swollen ankles make it impossible to stand up for the entire concert, but everyone else will.
It's a long hike from the parking lot to the concert venue.
You'll be exhausted before the main act even hits the stage.
You will wonder with some concern if your baby's hearing is being impacted by the volume of the music, even though the doctor assured you it's not.

My mom and I attended a Brad Paisley/Dierks Bentley concert on July 26. It was fun, but I definitely learned my lesson -- I'll go see them again when I'm NOT pregnant.

are you ready for this?

2009-08-12T11:31:00.001-05:00

We bought a townhome in the end of June. Ryan went back to Minnesota and picked up all of our stuff in the end of July. We’re slowly getting moved into our place. It’s new construction, which is nice – and we spend a couple of weekends painting and hanging curtains before Ryan brought out stuff out. (Thanks for the help, Mom and Dad.) So far, no real buyer’s remorse. I’m hoping we never experience that.
Yesterday was officially one month until my due date: September 11. (I’m aiming for September 15, which was Nana’s birthday.) I’m ready to not be pregnant anymore, especially since the nausea/puking has returned and the heartburn is now at almost an unbearable level – BUT there is still so much to do at home and at work that I am probably one of the few women out there hoping that Little Poopsie (our affectionate name for her) stays put for the next month.
Work is going well. It’s very busy, but I think making the decision to move out here was a good one. I enjoy the people I work with and find the work fulfilling. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Ryan found a job very quickly. He was only out here for about two weeks until he had a position as an attorney. This reassures us in our decision to head east, and let’s us know that God really does have a plan for our lives.
Rory the cat is adjusting. She was probably more excited than anyone else to leave the confines of my parents garage and enter her new domain (complete with stairs – a new anomaly for her). She practically jumped for joy – in fact, she literally did jump on everything – when all of our stuff finally arrived and got unpacked. Oh, quick note on the stairs: for the first several days, Rory would sprint as fast as she possible could up and down the stairs. It was as though she thought they’d attack her if she didn’t move fast enough. It was quite humorous to observe.
I don’t think I’ve gone this long without a vacation in the history of my work career. I’m saving all of my PTO for maternity leave, but can hardly wait to have a break from work. Soon.

i'm finding and assembling my wireless router this weekend...

2009-07-31T14:19:00.002-05:00

... and it will be the start of my blogs once again. I will probably only have to go through about 25 boxes to find it. I can pretty much guarantee it will be in the last one.

remembering someone very special...

2009-06-15T10:12:00.000-05:00

Nana.

sometimes i wish i could go back to just this...

2009-04-20T10:30:00.002-05:00

guest columnist: rory the cat

2009-04-13T14:37:00.003-05:00

*Editor’s note: Rory has been a cat on the move since her family, Ryan and Callie, moved out of their condo on March 14. Ryan has noted that she has been exceptionally loving and well behaved, which bodes well for this little cat.

Good afternoon. I’m not quite sure what’s going on here. The woman named Callie left approximately two and a half months ago. She came back for a week (during which all she did was lay on the couch, throw up and cry) and then left again. I have not seen her. A couple of weeks later, the man named Ryan hauled all of my stuff out of our condo. He put me in a car and drove me to a place he called “Ric and Pat’s”. I had not been to this place before.

I stayed in a room with two big white machines for about two weeks. At one point I found a rafter I could jump up to and look out into the living room, but the man named Ryan made it impossible for me to leap up there. The woman named Callie called all the time and the man named Ryan would hold the phone up to my face while she said hi. I pretended to enjoy this. I wonder where she is?

About a week and a half ago, the man moved me out to a contraption called a car. While it was smaller than the other room, this so-called car provided much more sunlight for me to stretch out in. Apparently this thing called a car can travel at high speeds – and every day the man named Ryan would drive to a place he called Mankato to do something known to humans as ‘work’. I enjoyed these trips tremendously. The man named Ryan gave me a lot of attention, and I would sit on his lap and sleep. When I wasn’t sleeping, I would either sit on the passenger seat or lay in the back window. For some reason, people would laugh when then passed us. I don’t know what’s so funny about a cat in the car.

Last weekend was some sort of celebration, and a very small human named Truman discovered me in the car. He and his compatriots (Ellie, Cameron and Santiago) came over to pet me. I enjoyed these small humans tremendously. They were sweet.

I should note that the man called Ryan would take me out of the car occasionally. I didn’t mind walking on the hard, gray surface outside, but there is the spiky, green stuff covering vast amounts of space – and it scares the living daylights out of me. I refuse to touch it.

This morning we left very early for a long “car trip” – at least that’s what the man named Ryan called it. We haven’t quit driving for about six hours. I’ve been sleeping and wandering. He says we’re going to see the woman called Callie and that she’s going to have a baby (whatever that is) so I have to be good.

“I’m always good,” I told him. And we drove on.

random thursday thoughts...

2009-04-02T16:13:00.002-05:00

1. Did you know you can buy pills that will give you a good day? Apparently they're called 'Good Days' or something like that. I heard it advertised on the radio, shook my head and chuckled, and then forgot the website. But it does strike me as odd -- there's a lot more that goes into a good day for me.

2. I have not thrown up for eight days in a row. (Knock on wood.)

3. I felt good this morning, and my boss mentioned that I finally looked like I was starting to feel better. I believe her exact words were, "I almost didn't recognize you!" which gives credence to my thoughts of looking like hell warmed over (what does that really look like?) the past three months. Sweet.

4. I've found about seven more gray hairs. Lame. I'd best make an appointment with a new salon out here in the DC area.

5. Most of all -- I miss Ryan. I can't wait for him to get out here to DC so we can begin our new adventure together.

reflecting...

2009-03-27T13:26:00.002-05:00

Have you ever just sat back and wondered how you got to where you are today? For some reason today has been a day of reflection for me, and it's pretty mind-boggling to think of the changes the past 12 months have held -- changes I would have never dreamed of.

A year ago, the biggest change on the horizon was my little sister's upcoming May wedding. And now, the loss of a grandparent-new apartment-new job-sick pregnancy-move across the country-husband looking for a job year later, I wonder how I've changed as a person. I think the past 12 months have been the most defining of my life so far, though I'm sure there will be many more defining months to come. Have I used these changes to define me as a better person, or have I become a little sadder and a little more skeptical?

All deep questions for a Friday afternoon, but all things I'm wondering. Change is always imminent I suppose, and the changes that impact us the most, for good are bad, are the ones we never see coming. And I guess that's the blessing and the curse.

wonder if my baby will make funny faces like this...

2009-03-13T15:07:00.002-05:00

(I can still make this face, by the way...)

yay. boo. yay. friday edition.

2009-03-13T09:09:00.003-05:00

Yay! I think there's a barista at my new Starbucks that shares my quirk for having perfect alignment with lid, logo, and sleeve. This means I can now drink my coffee as soon as it's inhand from the drive-thru window! This is a big win for me.

Boo! It's cold (relatively speaking) here today, and I think it's supposed to be cold this weekend. Plus, it was snowing this morning. Blah.

Yay! My Aunt Cheryl is here visiting from Helena, and tomorrow aunts, cousins, siblings and parents are heading into the District to go to the Capitol, to lunch at a great bakery, and to Filene's Basement (some of THE best shopping ever). I'm hoping to get a pedicure this weekend, too.

this child is giving me gray hair...

2009-03-11T10:20:00.002-05:00

Only once before in my life have I found a gray hair on my head. And I think I blogged about it, but I'm not going to take the time to find that blog and link to it. If I didn't blog about it, I considered blogging about it.

Anyway, this morning I was getting ready for work and while fixing my hair, happened to catch an odd-colored hair in the mix. Bother. This isn't helpful. It's difficult to go through all the physical pregnancy changes -- the expanding waistline, the dim, sick look in my eyes, the tired look on my face -- let's face it, pregnancy is taking it's toll on me. BUT -- a gray hair? Is that really necessary?

I also blame the gray hair on the stress of moving to DC, being away from Ryan, starting a new job, etc., etc., etc. Now I'm adding another stressor to the list -- getting gray hair. Can stressing about gray hair give you more gray hair? I suppose I could always dye it -- and believe me, I should diet! :)

As a follow-up to the post about the GPS, I kept driving. Though I was scared spitless, there was this part of me that was strangely mesmerized by where this little black box of directions would take me. And it did get me home safely...

names that just won't do...

2009-03-06T11:58:00.000-06:00

As we talk about baby names, we've run across several that don't work with a last name pronounced "breeze". Here are a few: (Note: It's not that we necessarily like or dislike names on the list, but they're names we've heard.)

Chase -- Chasing the breeze is like trying to rope the wind.
Autumn
Summer
Spring
Arie

i'm back...

2009-03-04T15:01:00.002-06:00

... and I nearly forgot my password to get into my blog! How lame is that?

I apologize for my absence. There's been a bit of change going on in the lives of Ryan and Callie. I don't think I've actually blogger this yet -- but we're going to have a baby. How scary/crazy/exciting/mind-blowing is that? That's not the only change we're in the midst of, but I'll blog more about that later.

Things to look forward to in future blogs:
- More changes for the Briese fam.
- Names we can't use because of a last name pronounced "Breeze".
- The joys of morning sickness.
- Other happenings/musings.

In the meantime, let me share this little story for your enjoyment. Imagine you're on a trip for work to the suburbs of Baltimore, MD. And imagine your mother has spent a small number of hours warning you about the "bad neighborhoods" of Baltimore and how they just seem to come out of nowhere. Then imagine that you're using a GPS to find your way back to the hotel. And you accidentally turn the wrong way. Instead of telling you to turn around, the GPS instructs you to turn down a little one-lane road. And you assume that it's going to tell you to quickly turn around again and send you on your merry way, but instead it sends you down this road for two miles... through what looks like something from Deliverance.

What would you do?

the woman at the well...

2009-01-27T09:19:00.001-06:00

view from my mom's office

2009-01-18T19:36:00.002-06:00

Thought this was interesting. These porta-potties are set up for the inauguration ceremony and other celebrations that are planned.

It will be interesting to see how the next four years unfold for our country.

It's a different world from Montana.

my favorite word that isn’t a word

2009-01-15T14:25:00.000-06:00

Am not. Have you ever thought about how nice it would be to have an easier word to say instead of the words “am not”? You know, something along the lines of a “didn’t” instead of a “did not” or “couldn’t” instead of “could not”. Well, have I got a word for you: amn’t. [pronounced em’nt].

When to use:
Say a coworker is asking you if you’re staying around for the holidays. You can respond with, “No, I amn’t.” (Unfortunately -- and I know this to be true from experience-- the coworker will look at you like you’re a five year old child. “Amn’t” isn’t a widely-accepted word. Yet.)

Apparently our parents thought our made-up word was so cute growing up, they didn’t bother to tell us it wasn’t real. And because of that, we proceeded to use the word in everyday conversation.

E.g. “Callie, are you going to share your toys?” “No, I amn’t.”

Sometimes when the word slips out of my mouth during conversations with intelligent people, I feel silly. Other times, I feel a pang of nostalgia and remember the good ol’ days when my parents thought our made up words were so cute, they didn’t correct us.

That would not happen today.

the time my husband tried to convince the airlines I was a threat…

2009-01-09T09:48:00.002-06:00

In honor of my brother and sister’s traveling woes (a missed flight, a cancelled flight, and visits to six different cities on their quests to get to their homes), I’m going to share my most recent airport experience with you. Because it was a doosey.

Date: Saturday, January 3, 2009.
Time: Saga begins at 4:00 a.m.
Location: Bristow, VA and Ronald Reagan National Aiport, DC

The alarm went off at 4:00 a.m. This was my first inclination that the day might not be a great one. We packed our things and headed out to the Suburban. Mom and Dad drove us to the airport.

We arrive at the airport around 5:15. And it's already busy. Lovely.

We make our way through the AirTran line. We get up to the agent. I try to hand him our drivers licenses, and he won’t take them. “You have to use the screen in front of you,” he says. I respond, “But I don’t know my A+ number and I don’t have the credit card I used to make the reservations.” “It doesn’t matter. Do you have any credit card? Use that,” says the rigid agent. So, I dig through my purse to try and find my debit card. Mind you, he could have pulled up our tickets quite easily in the amount of time this whole ordeal took. We find the card and pull up our tickets.

Next it’s time to check luggage. Ryan goes first. He thinks his bag might be a few pounds over the 50 pound limit. It’s four pounds over. So we put my bag up. It’s one pound underweight. We transfer a sweatshirt from Ryan’s bag to my bag, and then put his two pairs of shoes in my small carry-on bag. Meanwhile, the agent, who I’ve grown to dislike, says, “Ma’am, you’re bag is oversized.” “Huh?” I say. “Well, 62 inches is regular size. Your bag is 63 inches,” he says, with (I kid you not) tape measure in hand. I say, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” “That will be $39.” I mutter some not-so-nice words under my breath and ask for a comment card. After paying $39. It really was ridiculous. Don’t fly AirTran.

So, once we’re checked in and our bags are gone, we head to security. Which was another mess. We finally get everything up on the belt and walk through the metal detectors. I clear with no problem. Then a TSA agent says, “Ma’am, is this your bag?” It was my bag, and he informs me they need to check it. I couldn’t think of anything that I would have packed that could be a weapon and am confused, but we move over to the screening area. He opens the bag and digs around a little bit. He then pulls out one of Ryan’s boots. (You know, the ones we had to put in my carry-on because his bag was four pounds overweight?) And out of Ryan’s boot he pulls a big old knife that my dad gave Ryan as a Christmas present.

Crap.

So, long story short, they didn’t arrest me and we FedEx’ed the knife to ourselves. (We still haven’t received it, now that I think about it.) We arrived to our home in Mpls a mere nine hours later, and I think I’ve nearly recovered from the emotional trauma. Nearly.

I still ask Ryan why he tried to frame me, though.

it's happened before...

2009-01-07T19:19:00.002-06:00

I love Brian Regan. The man is hilarious.

And who hasn't had this happen to them?

when you just want to say what's on your mind...

2009-01-04T12:38:00.003-06:00

I'm sassy. It's true. Ask anyone. Get me fired up about something, and I will give you retort after retort until the cows come home.

But when I'm at work, I bite my tongue. Actually, I bite my tongue most of the time. I try to keep my sass in the can -- most people don't react favorably to it. It tends to make them defensive. In the song "Portions of Foxes" by Rilo Kiley, she says, "There's blood on my mouth 'cause I've been biting my tongue all week..." and I can certainly identify.

While in the Atlanta airport, however, the sassy gate attendant said something I could never say (while on the job!).

Here's the scenario:

A plane arrives and it's late. The gate attendant is busy trying to get travelers where they need to go. A frantic young man gets off the plane, looks around bewilderedly, and then approaches the gate attendant. "Um, I'm just wondering if I'm going to be able to make it to concourse E to catch my flight in 15 minutes," he says.

And the gate attendant, who's always supposed to be the calming, directive, helpful sort, replies with, "I don't know, but you sure ain't gonna get there any quicker by standing here talkin' to me!"

The look on the young man's face was really quite indescribable, but I'll do my best. He sort of smiled, looked quickly again for help, realized she was serious, and then took off at a sprint to try and catch his plane.

I felt bad for him, but thanked the gate attendant for a good laugh.

** John, this wasn't nearly as funny as the finish I gave it yesterday. I just can't for the life of me remember what it was.

oh, the places you'll go...

2008-12-31T16:06:00.002-06:00

*This post was written on 12/23/08. Because of lack of wireless internet (until now, thanks to my parents unsuspecting neighbors and a few well-placed windows), I was unable to post it.

Ryan and I flew to D.C. today, via Atlanta. Whenever I'm in an airport flying somewhere, it's inevitable that I remember when I applied to be a stewardess.

I know what you're thinking. "Callie, you're much too [insert your own descriptor here] to be a stewardess." Or perhaps you're thinking, "Callie, you'd be a perfect stewardess!" Regardless, I for a fleeting moment thought it would be fun. (And I was working at Starbucks at the time -- I was a bit flighty. No pun intended.)

I had been searching for jobs in the PR world for about four months, and stumbled across an ad in the Star Tribune about a company looking for flight attendants. If you were interested, you had to go to this hotel for an interview. So I seized the bull by the horns and went. Wearing a business suite. I was dressed for success.

The first round was a big group listening to recruiters talk about the airline. Then they broke us into four or five groups, where we studied some things (I think for a test, but I can't remember). They'd slowly narrow the group down. The final step was a 1:3 (one of me, three of them) interview, which consisted of me standing in front of them and reading a script.

At the end they posted the list for those who were selected to go on in the process, which included a three-week training in Phoenix. I made the list.

I seriously considered going, but about four days after the interview, I met Ryan. He and my dear roommate Kasea tried their best to persuade me to stay. I decided to stay. A few months later I found and job in PR and Ryan and I started dating. I suppose the rest is history...

Sometimes, though, when I'm on a flight asking for a Diet Coke and see the man in front of me flirt with the flight attendant, I wonder where I'd be today if I'd taken a different career... but I'm glad I took the route I did.

i heard the bells...

2008-12-22T09:17:00.002-06:00

"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is not a carol I would have classified as one of my favorites in the past, but for some reason I can't get it out of my head this year. And it really is beautiful. It has an interesting history, too. So, enjoy the words from the poem that later became the carol we sing today.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep;
God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!

an interesting observation...

2008-12-20T20:59:00.002-06:00

I'm thinking it's about time for a new blog... it's been a busy week. And what better time to post a new blog than after returning from Christmas with the Briese fam and sitting down to watch the second half of the Cowboys vs. Ravens game in my new Marion (the Barbarian) Barber jersey (courtesy of my wonderful brother-in-law, Troy).

So, while sitting around this afternoon and reading the humorous, tongue-in-cheek book "Stuff White People Like", we discovered that all of my husband's siblings and their spouses work for nonprofit organizations. (Two of them are moms who are busy staying at home and taking care of the kids -- I'm not sure if that qualifies as nonprofit or not -- but it certainly is a full-time job.)

What's even odder to me is we're a bizarre mix of accountant, teacher, maintenance, development officer, attorney and marketing communications. Put us all together and we could pretty much start our own company. Wonder what it would be?

Does this percentage seem high to anyone else? Are we a bunch of idealists marrying other idealists? Should we start our own company?

As a sidenote, the Cowboys are really stinking it up. As a long-time fan, I can admit that. Bring back Troy Aikman, please.

yay. boo. yay. friday edition.

2008-12-12T13:46:00.001-06:00

I love this game.

Yay: It’s Friday and I fly out to D.C. tomorrow morning. I spend the weekend with my folks and sister, and then will spend Monday in meetings with my company’s local contingent.

Boo: It’s cold, and I’m concerned about the weather wreaking havoc on all of my travel plans.

Yay: for Baja Sol lunches with co-workers on Fridays. And for caffeine-free Diet Coke.

trading one obnoxious smell for another...

2008-12-11T09:45:00.000-06:00

They added/changed the air freshener in the women’s restroom. It seems of orange dreamsicles. And I want to ask, “Why orange dreamsicles? What about a bathroom cries out for orange dreamsicles?”

As you may have guessed, this is not a smell I enjoy in the bathroom. There are other smells I also don’t enjoy in a bathroom, and I suppose the orange dreamsicle-ness is better than those, but come on – whatever happened to a neutralizing air freshener?

I love to eat orange dreamsicles in the summertime [insert Mungo Jerry song here], and I’m getting concerned that this whole restroom experience may taint my dreamsicle experience.

I think I’m going to have to travel to other floors in search of a neutral-smelling latrine. Or become the CEO so I can have my own personal bathroom.

This blog is a wonderful illustration of the poster in my previous blog. Mission accomplished.

in true grumpy monday fashion.

2008-12-08T09:55:00.003-06:00

This site has given me many moments of laughter this morning.

I've thoroughly enjoyed my evenings watching the NFR these past few nights. It's one of the reasons I love December.

picks for a sunday afternoon...

2008-12-07T14:11:00.002-06:00

Chicago
Minnesota
Green Bay
Tennessee
Indianapolis
Atlanta
New York (NYG)
Miami
Denver
New York (NYJ)
New England
Arizona
Dallas
Baltimore
Tampa Bay

i brought it on myself...

2008-12-05T10:54:00.001-06:00

I really did.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights of this week, I was in charge of three photo shoots for work (one per night). It was a last minute project and the time to line them up was short. We worked with a FABULOUS photographer from Appleton, and though stressful, the shoots on Tuesday and Wednesday went well. At the end of the evening on Wednesday, I said to the photographer’s assistant, “You know, I was really worried about the first two shoots. The one tomorrow night should be a piece of cake.” As the words were coming out of my mouth I was thinking, “What am I saying?!?! I’m jinxing us! Stop talking. Be quiet, Callie.” But the damage was done. I’d uttered the words.

So, we show up at 4:30 for the final photo shoot, which was a member event at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Members were going to start showing up at 5. At 4:45 p.m., the caterer showed up (15 minutes later than the absolute latest they were supposed to show up) and dropped off the food. As he’s dropping it off, I realize something dreadful: I forgot the plates and the utensils.

Sidenote: It was cold yesterday. 10 degrees.

So, it’s now 4:50 and we need plates. I grabbed my credit card and decided to sprint to Target. Yes. Sprint to Target. 3 blocks. In my dress shoes. In 10 degree weather. With people gathering for Holidazzle.

I made it there, ran through the store, found the plates and silverware, and then began my sprint back. It’s around 5 at this point. As I’m running, I see a small group of people gathered outside the window the WCCO evening news team. So if you saw a blue flash in the crowd while watching the news, it was me. I’m that fast.

I made it back, cold and sweaty, but with plates in tow. The bartender helped me out by setting up.

All in all, it went well. I got to stand backstage with the concert master and the conductor as they waited to go onstage. (Even helped the conductor out with some minor fashion advice – not that I’m all that fashionable.) We got the great shots that we needed. And I survived the three nights of fabulous photo fun.

I’ll be careful with my words from now on, though. Piece of cake, my foot.

me being real...

2008-12-04T12:35:00.000-06:00

Grief is a funny thing.

Well, it’s not really funny – maybe interesting is a better word choice? Confounding? Confusing? Treacherous?

It really is, though. Almost six months have gone by since Nana passed away. For awhile all of my posts were pretty much consumed with the process of dealing with losing her. I’ve never lost anyone close to me before – and arguably, losing her was like losing a parent because she was so much a part of my life.

And it is still difficult on a daily basis. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her or want to call her and tell her something. I want to ask her what she thinks about certain things. I miss the way she would calm me down – because I can definitely get worked up.

I think – and this is just a theory (a hypothesis, even) – that until you lose someone close to you, you think you can always go back. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought we’d all (Mom, Dad, Griff, Laine/Clay, Candra) end up back in Helena and Nana would move back in with Mom and Dad. It wasn’t a conscious thought, really, because when I actually stop and think about how I had it pictured in my mind, we were back at the house on Ranchview and were all living there together. Obviously that wasn’t realistic. But there was still this notion in my head that I could go back and have things be the way they once were – similar to time travel. As long as everyone was alive, we could always go back. So really, I’m not missing the past, but my vision of what the future looked like changed when Nana passed away. It can never be the same again. We’ll never have another Thanksgiving or Christmas with ‘everyone’ again.

So anyway… back to grief. It’s odd to me how I can think about some random thing and think of Nana. And how when that happens, I miss her and grief just overcomes me. The occurrences have lessened, definitely, from a couple of months ago. But I just miss her. It’s indescribable and unfathomable.

The holidays make me think of her. They remind me of her.

This blog sounds depressing – it’s not meant to be. I don’t feel depressed. I just feel sad – and that’s part of life on earth. If we didn’t experience grief how would we appreciate joy?

who are you?

2008-12-03T11:22:00.001-06:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

--Marianne Williamson

guess he's not immature anymore...

2008-12-01T19:11:00.003-06:00

This made me laugh for a good five minutes. Wonder how they got his name?

Could it be his Forbes magazine subscription? His impending membership at the Rod and Gun Club? Perhaps his affinity for old man hats? Or baggy britches? The fact that he gets his hair cut at Great Clips? Too many police officers have clocked him going under the speed limit with his left turn signal flashing for miles at a time? His poor eyesight? His old lady (me)?

He says it arose from cruising for old ladies online.

I really have no idea where this came from. But I find it funny.

it's time...

2008-11-28T11:02:00.002-06:00

When I asked my mom the inevitable question at the age of five, this is what she read to me.

From the New York Sun, 1897:
We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

a thanksgiving adventure

2008-11-27T09:17:00.004-06:00

Ryan and I started dating in June of '05 and got married in June of '06. I spent Thanksgiving of '05 with my Aunt Bonnie and cousins Mercedes and Sean in the Bahamas at Paradise Island. (Which, I may add, was a fantastic way to spend a Thanksgiving.) The first Thanksgiving that I spent with Ryan's family was Thanksgiving '06.

My family does Thanksgiving up big, and Ryan's family does, too. Some of the traditions are different, but for the most part the concept is the same: lots of family and lots of food. I asked Ryan's mom if I could bring anything, and she said, "Sure! You can bring anything you want. Maybe something your family usually has?" So I told her I'd bring greenbean casserole.

Now, I don't know what I was thinking when it comes to the next part of the story, but I guarantee it's all true. I waited until Thanksgiving Day to go shopping for all of the ingredients. For some reason I thought the stores would be open.

But they weren't.

I wasn't going to give up, though. Ryan and I hopped in the car and began to drive around looking for any open store. We went to Walgreens (two different locations) where at one we found Velveeta cheese and at the other we found cans of Cream of Mushroom soup. We went to three gas stations, where at the third one we found the green beans. But then the hard part came -- I still didn't have the crispy dried onions for the top. Those are my favorite part of the dish. We drove around a little more and I saw this very... um... sketchy store. I think it was called the 7/8 Store.

I decided I was brave enough (mainly desperate enough) to go in and search of the onions. I made Ryan come with me. It was that sketchy. We walked through the door and immediately were confronted with some gentlemen's magazines and some adult toys. I'm not kidding; you can't make this stuff up. I took a hard left and made a beeline for the "food" section. (The whole place was dimly lit, so I was hoping I was heading for the food section.) Thankfully I was headed in right direction. Amid the expired cans of soup and stale chips and crackers I found what I was looking for. And I bought two cans of them. Even though they were expired. I paid a pretty penny for them, too.

We went home and made the dish, and I think it tasted good. No one died that I'm aware of, and no one got sick, either. It certainly made our first Thanksgiving together an exciting one.

Happy Thanksgiving!

quirks

2008-11-26T10:44:00.002-06:00

I’m quirky. I know this about myself. I'm alright with it. For the record, Julia Roberts was cited as quirky in Runaway Bride. I’m in good company.

Here’s the thing. For those of you who have had the opportunity to live with me or near me, you know that I’m not always the most organized person in the world. I think it’s my artistic nature to be scattered. I live better that way. I can’t really explain it. But, I am very obsessive about certain things. I organize the candies that I eat by number and color. This is odd. If I set a table, I need the silverware to be uniform in how it's set around the plates. I’ve been project manager for a couple of events at work, and at those events we’ve had three or four items to give away. I was perfectly obsessive about the way they were placed on the chairs. The position and angle had to be just so and also had to be uniform throughout the auditorium. You wouldn’t expect this from me, would you? I surprise myself sometimes.

So, my latest discovery is this: I need my to-go coffee cup to be perfectly aligned before I can drink from it.
*A siren is the creature in the Starbucks logo

I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I have issues. We all do. Love me anyway.

i'm a pc... and i'm a mac

2008-11-24T16:26:00.003-06:00

It's true. I've got multiple personalities now. I really do feel conflicted.

So, Ryan's computer caught a virus (or multiple viruses, which he blamed on me and my need to play computer games), and the fan in my old desktop fanned its last flame. "Hey!" we said to ourselves. "We've got money burning a hole in our pockets. Let's go blow some of it on a new computer!" (That's not exactly how the conversation went.)

Anyway, we headed to BestBuy, or as my father-in-law calls it, WorstBuy, and started to talking to the salesman about laptops. He said he is a PC guy, but for what we wanted a computer for (downloading songs, surfin' the 'Net -- basically nothing of signficance), he highly recommended a Mac. What sold us was the lack of viruses for a Mac. That and the fact that apparently Macs come with most of the software, where a PC requires purchasing additional software to even get it to run.

And so here I am. Posting my blog on a Mac. I must say, it's quite enjoyable. The screen is so clear -- love that. But, here are some of my issues:

(Delete Key) - You know, the one that allows you to place the cursor in front of the letters or words you want to delete instead of backspacing? I miss that little key. Is there anything that compares to it on a Mac?
(Right-clicking) - I keep right-clicking EVERYTHING to get details about it -- and it's not working. Blast. This could be harder to get used to than I thought.
(Microsoft Word) - Microsoft has convinced me that there is no program comparable to Word. When I need to write something, I keep opening Finder and looking for Word. Where are you, Word? I miss you. Please return to me.
(Built-in Camera) - Is it on now? Is it always on? Can you all see me right now? Worse, can you see the wretched picture I was forced to take of myself in the set-up process? Help!
(iChat) - When is this program on? Again, can people see me? Can they hear me? Will my vocal stylings soon be infamous? Seriously, help.
(Control + v,p,c,x, etc.) - Is the 'control + whatever' function no longer valid?

I'm sure all of these questions are answered in a manual somewhere, but I'm much more of a try-it-til-you-get-it-right kind of girl. The only thing that would make me pull out a manual or two would be know you all could see or hear me. Right now.

You can't, can you?

subtle hints...

2008-11-20T08:42:00.003-06:00

Some background info helpful for understanding this post:

I park in an underground garage at our condo (which is good, because it gets downright frigid in the MN winters).
The parking in the underground garage is assigned.
The person(s) assigned to the spot to the left of me likes to park on the line (as evidenced in this picture).

So, about two weeks ago, I pulled into my parking spot and noticed they were missing a hubcap. The next day Ryan happened to be with me and he also commented on the missing hubcap. Last week, I observed that a second hubcap was missing on the same side of the car, just a different tire. It makes me wonder where these people are driving/parking to lose hubcaps. Thankfully, I still have all of mine.

So, my dilemma – I’m debating leaving a note on this person’s windshield that reads, “Dearest neighbor: I appreciate your peace bumper sticker. I’m sure you’re a very nice person, and I’ve noticed your car is always impeccably clean. I’ll quit stealing your hubcaps if you quit parking over the line. Love, your neighbor.”

confessions

2008-11-19T10:49:00.001-06:00

Quick, someone turn on Usher.

Here's the truth: I am afraid of being outside in the country in the dark. I know, I know. I’m 27 years old. I shouldn’t be afraid of such trivial things. But I am. And now that the time has fallen back an hour, I’m daily confronted with my fear of the dark when going out riding. The horses are in a big pasture, requiring me to walk around, getting close enough to each horse to see if it’s my horse – in the pitch black darkness. Sometimes Baron helps out and meets me halfway… but most of the time he doesn’t.

So, what am I afraid of in the dark? (This is where it gets a little weird. Don’t think less of me, please.)

I’m afraid of skunks, foxes, coyotes, bears and slipping and getting trampled by all the horses. Obviously some of these fears are irrational. Most of them are irrational. (I’m hoping that my public confession will help me overcome them.)

Many of these can be related to my childhood in Deer Lodge. Skunks and foxes were always getting into the chicken coop and destroying all of the chickens (a regular bloodbath). If they did that to a chicken, what would they do to me? There was a rabid coyote that got too close for comfort one day in Deer Lodge, too. The bear fear comes from watching Night of the Grizzly at a young age – an age when I couldn’t tell the difference between poorly constructed mechanical grizzlies and the real thing. And the whole slipping and getting trampled must have something to do with an icy slope and resulting broken collarbone in kindergarten.

The silver lining? Once I’ve actually retrieved Baron and made it safely back to the light of the barn, the adrenaline high lasts for a good 10 minutes.

I know; it’s a dangerous life I lead.

a little taste of mt…

2008-11-17T17:53:00.005-06:00

…right here in MN. That’s right – The Clintons - or maybe I should say the Heartless Wench Tour version of The Clintons (John and Josh) – brought Montana to Minnesota on Saturday evening at Blarneys in Dinkytown.

Ry and I enjoyed the live show tremendously. Good music – a rock/country hybrid – combined with funny, clever lyrics. Think Brad Paisley on Grain Belt Premium. They played my favorites like Little Miss Perfect, I Make My Own Money, Alright Tonight and Hit Me Baby One Mor--wait a minute. That's not a favorite, but it was funny to hear them play it. I'm wondering if I Make My Own Money can stretch as far as buying a horse? I think it can.

Can it get any better?

Actually, it can get better – we got there early and I was happy to find John at the bar, chatting it up with a couple of other Montanans. So I marched myself over and said hey. It is so nice to talk to people from Montana. Seriously. Just talking to them made me feel closer to home. And Montana will always be home.

The only downfall of the evening – and I do mean downfall – was walking up to make a request and slipping on the way back to my seat. Ugh. Who does that? Me, that’s who. Some kind folks assured me no one saw. It’s funny to look around at the faces of those around you when you’re falling – it’s this sort of ‘oh my gosh, she’s falling’ look combined with a ‘glad it’s not me’ look and finished off with a chuckle. My ankle does feel better today – the swelling has gone down, and it’s not quite as bruised.

So, my parting thoughts:

Check out The Clintons.
Watch your step.
Hug a Montanan.

decisions, decisions.

2008-11-13T08:39:00.000-06:00

Do you ever have a moment when you realize you could completely change your life with certain decisions? I had one of those defining moments when I moved to Minneapolis. I was fresh out of college with no job and no Minnesota connections. I’d never been to the state before (except for a quick layover on a Virginia trip with my Nana in 6th grade) and the thought of moving someplace completely unknown to me was exhilarating and terrifying, all at the same time. I remember when I pulled over a hill on 35N where you first get a view of the Twin Cities. It was about 5 p.m. on a beautiful August day. And I thought to myself… ‘Self, this is the start of your adult life. What are you going to make of it?’ I remember wanting to call several people to share in my excitement and fear as I coasted into town, but I turned up the country music and pressed on with my thoughts.

It was such a freeing time. I didn’t have a care in the world – everything was a possibility. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

And now I look at my life and some of opportunities and decisions coming up and wonder what I’ll decide. Some require money, some require time, some require confidence, all require humility – and all of them require change. What happened to the girl who moved to Minneapolis over four years ago? She grew up. She faced her adult life and all its responsibilities. She made a living and got married. She found some things that could be lost. She experienced loss. And that changes every decision.

tonight's the night...

2008-11-12T12:59:00.000-06:00

… I’ve been looking forward to for about a month now. The CMA Awards, with our host, Brad Paisley. Yowsa. Can life get any better? (I should note that Carrie Underwood is also hosting, but in my mind, she’s not that important – even though I did pick her to win American Idol back when she first auditioned.)

I have to run out to the barn tonight to see Baron, but you can bet my DVR is set to record and I will be tuning in as soon as I get home.

retired and renamed

2008-11-10T12:07:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was a sad day in the world of bullriding. Justin McBride, arguably one of the best bullriders ever, retired at the age of 29. Additionally, bullriding-great Adriano Moraes also retired – he is 38.

Justin McBride was one of my favorite bullriders to watch. He was consistently good, with a good attitude. Seemed like a genuinely nice guy. I’ll miss watching him.

Here's Justin riding a bull named Chicken on a Chain.

In other news, I’ve renamed our cat. Formerly known as Rory, her new name is Troubadour Chicken on a Chain, in honor of two bulls – Troubadour and Chicken on a Chain.

green sprees

2008-11-06T12:29:00.000-06:00

When did green Sprees start tasting like green apples instead of lime? Green apple is a gross flavoring that leaves a bitter, icky aftertaste and makes a person’s breath smell bad.

Lime, on the other hand, is sublime. It’s refreshing and enjoyable.

These are just some thoughts running through my head today.

vote for… Ross Perot?

2008-11-04T14:33:00.001-06:00

I went and voted today. I exercised my right as an American citizen. I was torn about voting today. I didn’t really care for either candidate… and thus I was concerned that I wouldn’t have the motivation to go stand in line and go through all of the rigmarole. Because, my friends, I haven’t changed the address on my driver’s license from our move in May – and I pay all of my bills online, so no electric bill to show proof of address.

So, at 7 a.m. this morning I decide I’m going to go vote. I go to the old precinct where I used to be registered to vote (and that corresponds to the address on my driver’s license) to place my tally next to one of the candidates – only I find out that I’m not registered there anymore. Stupid post office change of address forms. After waiting in line for 45 minutes, I tell the registration people that I’ll have to vote later, because I’m not going to lie to them and tell them that I currently live at the address on my license. And I’m not going to commit voter fraud.

I hop in my car, drive to the DMV, and get my license updated. Then I drive to the polling place that corresponds with my NEW address, and get in line to vote. Thankfully the line was short, and a mere 15 minutes later I was on my merry way.

While voting, I had a couple of observations:

Observation 1: It would be very easy to commit voter fraud and vote twice. I thought of several ways I could have done that today. But I didn’t. I hope no one else did, either. WE EACH GET ONE VOTE! :)

Observation 2: While waiting in line at the first voting place, I overheard three loud young men discussing their dislike of both candidates. Then one said, “Dude, I wish Ross Perot was running.” To which his friend said, “Yeah, he’s definitely who we need. The only problem is that he was rich and was all concerned about his oil. But he could dig our economy out.” I wanted to respond with, “Seriously? Ross Perot? That’s so 1992.” But I bit my tongue.

Observation 3: Voting for state supreme court justices takes a really long time. And I have no idea who I voted for. Is this really a good use of our democratic process? I was tempted to write in Ryan's name. Maybe in 2012.

Observation 4: Voting facilities for the rich are a lot more pleasant than those for the poor.

it's been 23 days since my mom left...

2008-11-03T09:36:00.001-06:00

I’m back. For some reason I needed a break from blogging. It was too much pressure to try and come up with something interesting and zippy to say on a daily or bi-daily basis. (Is bi-daily a real measurement of time?)

So, quick updates:

1) Had a great time with my mom. We shopped, ate, shopped, giggled, shopped, saw Baron, and shopped some more. The weekend came to an end though, when she had to fly home on my birthday and I got sick.
2) My old roommate, Kasea, came to visit the following weekend, and it was great to spend some time with her and my friend Rachael Ramy. We went to an apple orchard where they tried to rip us off by charging $35 (yes – thirty-five dollars) for a normal-sized bag of apples. Ridiculous. Rachael and Kasea also go to meet Baron, which was fun.
3) I’ve been avoiding the political scene as much as possible. Is it just me or is this election worse than previous year’s? Wish there was a candidate that I liked; sadly, I’m not fond of either.

The rest of my time has been spent with the new love of my life, Baron. (He’s a close-second to the first love of my life, Ryan.)

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I’m looking forward to the holidays, but am also a little melancholic when I remember that Nana won’t be there this year. Can’t wait for the time when we’re all reunited.

Look for more regular posts coming soon... :)

four days until...

2008-10-06T07:23:00.002-05:00

... my mom arrives! I'm so very excited. On Saturday I did a little bargain shopping at T.J. Maxx for a new bedspread for the spare bedroom. I found a great one on sale for $30! It's black and white, which actually inspired me to hang up lots of black and white pictures as well. Love the new look.

And, I'll now make a quick confession to this brief little blog post: I really like Taylor Swift's new song. I'm not a big Taylor Swift fan... but I LOVE her song Love Story.

time for an update...

2008-10-02T08:13:00.002-05:00

I've been spending all of my time with the new love of my live, Barron. Yes, Ryan is aware of him. My new love is a beautiful 6-year-old quarter horse gelding. I've been working with him quite a bit, and he's definitely turning into quite the horse. And I'm going to blame my lack of blogging on him... though that's probably not really fair.

Here's a lovely pic...

In other news, my mom arrives for a long weekend a week from today. I'm so very excited!

My three main projects at work finished up around the same time. There's still lots to do, but it's nice to have a small break. I'm sure it will ramp back up again before I know it.

i drink when i think...

2008-09-18T12:03:00.002-05:00

... and vice versa. But not what you're thinking. At least not usually.

What I'm trying to say is -- I can't think unless I've got a drink in my hands. Preferably water or a decaf coffee substance. I realized this yesterday as I was getting ready to tackle a big, thinking project at work and suddenly had to run get a latte before I could continue. This is strange, isn't it?

Nonetheless, it's still something that I'm recognizing as a pattern. And really, of all the habits to have, this isn't a bad one, is it? At least I didn't blog and say, "In order to think a project/issue through, I need a shot of tequila and a beer chaser."

That would explain a lot, though.

in response...

2008-09-12T14:20:00.002-05:00

... to a comment from my dear friend Beth on my previous post: What is the point of spending nearly $4 for coffee if all you get is decaf?

This question also came from my husband when I ordered a 'decaf triple sugar-free vanilla non-fat latte' at Starbucks. "Why did you get an extra shot if you ordered decaf?" he asked as we shelled out the extra fifty cents for my seemingly ridiculous -- and worthless -- extra shot of coffee.

Well, my friends -- this is the answer. Unlike many people in the world today who consume coffee and shots of espresso to keep their eyelids open, I drink coffee because I like the way it tastes. And even if there is no decaf in it, it still tastes marvelously, wonderously delicious. I get the extra shot of decaf coffee because I love the added coffee flavor. Yummy.

I've been off caffeine for several months now. I got tired of those caffeine headaches if I couldn't get a bit of caffeine in my system. Plus, if I'm not drinking pop, it's a good excuse to give up caffeine too.

And that, my friends, is the answer to why I spend lots of money just to buy decaf lattes.

dangling my feet off the edge of the wagon...

2008-09-11T12:45:00.001-05:00

... looking longingly at pop. It's true. After a solid six months of being pop-free, I've found myself thirsting for its crisp, fizzy, sweet goodness. I'll be honest and say that I've even succombed to the pressure to drink a can recently. Sad, but true. In fact, at this moment right now, I will openly admit that I am enjoying a 20 oz. bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper. For me, Diet Dr. Pepper is the perfect pop, with the exception of a can of Mountain Dew after a day of horseback riding. For some reason, that combination is unbeatable. But, if no horses are present, I'll take me a Diet Dr. Pepper, please.

I'm not ready to say that I've fallen off the wagon for good yet, but I will say that I'm dangling my feet of the wagon. I did jump off the wagon and am walking beside it right now as I drink my Diet Dr. Pepper. I'll jump back up on the wagon as soon as I finished it. Ah, self-discipline. You've escaped me yet again.

On another note, I realized something depressing today as I was paying for my lunch. I paid $3.92 the morning for a medium decaf, sugar free vanilla, skim latte this morning from Caribou. I paid $3.76 for a delicious lunch of a huge ham and cheese omelette, hashbrowns and a big bowl of fruit. I'm right to be disturbed at the price of the coffee, right? Especially in comparison to the price of my lunch. I feel kinda sheepish for actually buying lattes.

Drip coffee it is. I'll hop on that wagon, too.

five minutes...

2008-09-10T11:58:00.002-05:00

I'm waiting to begin a meeting and have five minutes before it starts. That gives me five minutes to blog. Which means my blog won't be about anything of importance.

I think I'll just blog about how quickly the week is going... and how quickly time is going. September 15 would have been Nana's 86th birthday. It also will be three months from the day she went home. I can't believe it's been that long. I feel like it's been forever since I've talked to her, but it still hurts so much to think about losing her. At least I know I'll see her again, and that thought is so very comforting.

I love the fall -- I just remember telling Nana the last time she was here (in Feb, when it was REALLY cold) that she'd have to come out in the fall when the leaves start to change because it's so beautiful. She thought that sounded like a wonderful idea... and now here I am. Fall without Nana. It's kinda sad.

But I suppose that's life. If there wasn't heartache there wouldn't be joy. And if their wasn't pain we wouldn't have to hope for the future.

Wow... those are deep thoughts for a three minute post. My meeting is about to start.

a night i didn't expect...

2008-09-05T18:05:00.002-05:00

So, the evening began a little different. I had two tickets to go to a reception at the Science Museum with Congressional elected leaders. Figured it was a once-(or maybe twice-)in-a-lifetime opportunity, so Ry and I braved the traffic and go to our parking spot around 4:15 p.m. (By the way, we had to pay $25 to park -- but we did it, because we didn't feel like driving through the police lockdown known as St. Paul.

We tried to get through into the convention area, but weren't able to because we didn't have credentials. SO, we walked. A long way. As in, a VERY long way. I was in 4-inch heels; but I survived. Anyway, when we finally got close, we saw Rudy Giuliani being interviewed by Chris Matthews. It was pretty sweet.

We finally made it through the crowd to the Science Museum and were walked to the front doors by the secret service. We were hanging out, having free drinks and food, and basically just enjoying ourselves. The Star Wars exhibit was open for us, so we went down to check it out. It was alright. I'm sure for real Star Wars fans it would have been amazing. But I'm not a real Star Wars fan, so it was lost on me.

Anyway, we went back upstairs and were standing at a table when two guys came over to chat with us. One of them was from Germany, and the other lives in D.C. BUT, he's from Belgrade, Montana. Small world, huh? He asked if we were going over to the convention later, and I said that we didn't have tickets. He said he had two extra for his suite. At that point, I wanted to do a happy dance, but I just maintained my cool.

So, we went through the serious security and made our way into the suite. Which just happened to be right next to Tom Brokaw. I could see him on air; he was on the air with someone else, but I don't remember who. We also saw Joe Gibbs (love him), Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, Shephard Smith, Mike Huckabee, Bill Frist, Tom Ridge, Cindy McCain, Sarah Palin, and of course, John McCain. We also saw two Code Pink women get arrested.

It was neat to be there to hear McCain's nomination acceptance speech. I still don't know who I'm voting for, but being there was an experience I won't forget, and it was also one I found valuable.

The moral of this story is always -- I repeat, ALWAYS -- wear a nice suit if you're in doubt about what to wear. Always. You'll never be sorry.

i found this funny...

2008-09-04T11:17:00.002-05:00

It's RNC time in the land of the lakes, and because we live in Bloomington, we've seen a lot of action!

But this billboard takes the cake for sure!

happy birthday!!!!

2008-09-03T08:02:00.002-05:00

Today is my lovely husband's 26th birthday. Yes, I am older than Ryan. Yes, Ryan is younger than me. Yes, I look younger than Ryan. Yes, Ryan looks older than me.

From Sept. 3 - Oct. 14, though, we're the same age. That's refreshing. :)

Anyway, just wanted to say publicly say 'Happy Birthday' to the love of my life. Hope you have a good year, Ryan!

i've been too busy to blog...

2008-08-28T11:24:00.002-05:00

It's true. I have been too busy to blog. Too busy at work... to busy at home... just too busy!

I'm putting that out there so you all don't judge me and call me an 'inconsistent blogger'. Curses. :)

So, anyway. All I'm going to say about today is that I'm eating my favorite soup for lunch. Or at least it's one of my favorites. Vegetarian Black Bean.

Yummy. Healthy. Delicious.

love this song...

2008-08-21T10:13:00.001-05:00

Love is Never-ending
Brad Paisley

Seasons come and seasons go;
One day sun, the next day snow.
Flowers die and flowers grow,
But love is never-ending.

You can't kill it with goodbye.
It always finds a place to hide.
Inside your heart for your whole life,
Love is never-ending.

When the lights have all gone down
It'll still be hangin' 'round.
Even when you think it's lost, it can still be found.
When every memory has been made,
And the pages start to fade,
And every prayer you ever prayed is heaven bound,
When you think the ride is over,
You're back at the beginning,
Love is never-ending.

When a man and woman start growin' old
The fire of passion may grow cold.
But what they got still warms their soul -
Love is never-ending.

It keeps goin' on and on,
Long after we're all gone away.

Time may change what you believe,
But one day the truth will set you free.
Just have faith and you will see -
Love is never-ending.

today i am...

2008-08-20T10:56:00.002-05:00

...Little Miss Bossy. If any of you have anything you need to be bossed around on, let me know. I'm happy to oblige.

I wish there were a Little Miss Motivated. I think just having that up would help motivate me. Almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I'll end my post with one of my favorite quotes. It seems so very true.

Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It
will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to
leave without regret. ~Robert E. Lee

dreams

2008-08-19T11:31:00.003-05:00

I had a dream last night that I was at a Dallas Cowboys football game sitting next to Tom Landry. In my dream, I was thinking that I needed to make sure to get his autograph for my mom, but I didn't want to seem like one of 'those people' who clamored to get his attention. So, we just sat and talked about football. It was very exciting. Then, my dream continued on and I was standing on the sidelines with Joe Namath, who was holding a baby. The ball (which, now that I think about it, was a soccer ball, not a football) came flying towards us, and I said, "Don't worry, Joe. I'll get the ball; you hold the baby." Then, after kicking the soccerball back into the football game, I walked back over to Joe. I was laughing a lot and said, "Boy, that's one sentence I never thought I'd say." And I remember thinking I was clever. Isn't that strange? What could this dream possible mean?

On another note, remember these books? Little Miss Naughty, Mr. Messy, Mr. Happy, Little Miss Splendid.... There were tons of them. Anyway, I picked up a magnetic 'Mr. Men and Little Miss' mood identifier at Target. Today I am Little Miss Fickle. And believe me... I am fickle.

wishing it was rainy... or friday.

2008-08-18T10:07:00.003-05:00

I'm at work. I don't want to be at work. Why can't the weekends last longer? If it was raining, I'd feel motivated. I'd feel determined to get stuff done to enjoy the next sunny day. But it's not raining.

If it was Friday, I'd work really, really, really hard to get everything that needs to be done in teh office done, and then would go work from home for the rest of the day (no meetings on Fridays) in front of my beautiful floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows.

But it's not raining, and it's not Friday. It's sunny and Monday.

The weekend was spectacular (and relaxing). I stretched my cooking skills on a couple of evenings. (On the menu: Barbecue-baked chicken, corn of the cob and biscuits; barbecue salmon, garlic potatoes and fruit; a delicious shredded chicken taco-type thing. Very good.) Saturday was spent at a farmer's market, and then a nice walk over the Stone Arch Bridge and through St. Anthony Main. Perhaps pictures will be updated soon. :)

All in all, it was a good weekend (love it) that has turned into a Monday (hate it).

it was a good night...

2008-08-14T15:27:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm a horrible photographer using my camera phone, but I'll post these pictures anyway. I had a marvelous ride on Pippy and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful sunset. It was a evening that dreams are made of...

why is a rainy day more inspiring than a sunny day?

2008-08-13T09:06:00.000-05:00

Rainy days:

are cold.
are wet.
are not fun to be out in.
inspire me to work hard.
bring out the nostalgic person in me.
remind me of Seattle.

Sunny days:

are warm.
are bright.
are fun to be out in.
inspire me to play.
bring out the mischievous person in me.
remind me of the Bahamas.

This is a relatively new discovery for me. Rainy days have suddenly made me very productive. I feel like I don't want to do anything except work and get things done. Maybe in anticipation and hope for upcoming sunny days when I'll want to be outside? Not really sure.

Anyway, I got so much done yesterday -- a rainy day. I love days like that. Today, however, may be a bit of a different story. I keep looking outside thinking that I want to go lay out by a pool somewhere. BUT, I'm going to inspire myself with thoughts of riding tonight. We're going to trailer the horses to a new area. I'm sure it will be a beautiful evening. Thus, I must get back to work so I can ride with a clear conscience.

happy/sad

2008-08-11T16:26:00.003-05:00

My Dad's side of the family got together this past weekend in Montana for my Papa's 80th birthday party. I got this picture of the event, and it made me miss home so badly! I remember going out to my aunt and uncle's ranch for birthday parties. Sometimes they'd all come to our house. We always had so much fun. Everyone would be there. We'd eat cake, snack on appetizers, get the annual birthday spanking, open presents and play, play, play! I wish I could accurately describe how wonderful these birthday parties were. There was never a theme, never a time to leave, never a frown. Everyone was always smiling, laughing, teasing, and playing. We'd play 500 outside, hide and seek in the dark, chasing calves, holding kittens, ice skating in a flooded hayfield, freeze tag and football.

Looking at this picture takes me back to those days -- makes me long for those days. What a happy childhood I had. I would love to go back. Not that life isn't great now, but there's just something about the carefree days of youth.

a really good weekend...

2008-08-10T19:37:00.003-05:00

After weeks and months of constant activity, I can happily say that I spent almost the entire weekend completely relaxed. I can't believe it's Sunday evening already, but it is. So, what did I do this weekend to relax? I:

slept in until 9 on Saturday, and then took a three hour nap on Saturday afternoon.
made fruit pizza.
did a little laundry.
took an impromptu trip to the theater to see 'The Dark Knight'. Best. Movie. All. Year.
went to church this morning.
had lunch today with my mom- and dad-in-law.
watched Into the Wild this afternoon.
polished my fingernails.

The rest of my evening plans include boneless buffalo wings from Applebee's and the Olympics, with a little Family Guy thrown in.

On a side note, I've been fighting a headache since Tuesday. I'm wondering if it's allergies? Do allergies strike this time of year? None the less, I purchased Claritin from WalMart today. We'll see how that works out.

the pressure is on...

2008-08-08T12:47:00.000-05:00

...for a really good post. I'm feeling scattered, so am choosing to post in bullet points. :) This will be nothing more than an update on my life -- probably not the 'really good post' you all are looking for.

First things first. On June 10, Ryan and I celebrated two years of marriage. We were apart for it, and it was during Nana's stroke; needless to say, it wasn't very romantic. Or happy. It just sort of was. But, that doesn't reflect how much I love my husband. It's amazing to me how there can be someone so absolutely perfect for me. I feel blessed to have him in my life. On top of that, it was so nice to have him during the time of loss with Nana. He stepped into a role that wasn't fun to fill, but was comforting to my family. I think I can pretty much sum it up with two words -- he's wonderful.
Okay. Next thing. Work has been insanely busy. But, I feel like I'm growing in my job and learning new things. It can be tiring, but all in all, it's a great job with a good company.
We've been spending lots of time out at Canterbury Park. I love that place. It's so nice to go sit out on the deck, take a book and read, do some people watching, listen to live music and just r-e-l-a-x. Sigh. I wish I were there right now. I highly recommend it to you all.
Church has been busy. Ryan has been teaching the Wednesday night Bible study, and also Sunday School on Sunday morning. He's doing a good job -- his points are always thought-provoking and challenging. Reevaluating what life should look like through the lense of faith is never easy, but makes us grow.
Birthday season has arrived for the Briese clan, so I feel like we've been celebrating up a storm. I love spending time with Ry's family and the kids.
Finally, happy birthday to my Papa. He'll be 80! Wow! And, Papa and Grandma Bonnie are celebrating their 57th wedding anniversary this weekend. Very impressive. I love them so much!

i know it's time to post something...

2008-08-01T18:02:00.001-05:00

... but I don't want to depress you all. I can seem to sit down to write something without it becoming sad... :(,

yay. boo. yay.

2008-07-25T08:43:00.003-05:00

Have I introduced you all to the 'yay... boo... yay' game yet? It's a little game invented by the Berg fam, and I think its overall purpose it to keep us focused on the yays in life and not the boos. Or the booze. Take your pick. Ha.

We seem to play this game on Fridays. It's quite fun, actually, to hear what my family members are excited about and a little bit about what they're upset about. So, here's my 'yay... boo... yay' for today:

Yay! It's Friday and I have two days off, with only ONE thing scheduled all weekend!
Boo... I have a ton of stuff to do before I can get to the weekend.
Yay! It's a dreary day which is, for some odd reason, motivating me to be really productive.

On another note, I learned how to give horses a shot the other day. A sad situation to learn in, but overall, I feel like I've accomplished something, and learned something new. Let me just say this -- I hope I never need to have a shot from one of those needles they use on a horse. Ouch

blueberries, anyone?

2008-07-21T17:43:00.001-05:00

I don't know what got into me, but I decided to make my first attempt at a blueberry pie last night. And let me tell you -- it is delicious. Wish anyone who wanted to could come over for a piece. Yum.

my brother, pt. 2

2008-07-18T13:43:00.004-05:00

Remember awhile ago when I blogged about my brother? Well, I'm gonna write another one. Because I just rewatched the video of my brother performing 'Bergalicious' (think masculine version of 'Fergulicious') and laughed. A lot. For those of you who don't know my brother, the thing that makes the video hilarious is that he's about as straight-laced as they come (see the forest service pics below). But I should note that this does not mean he's boring. I dare say he's just a all-American boy -- but so much more.

So, without further ado... my brother, Griff Berg, performing Bergalicious. Video followed by some pics of him at his job in Medford, Oregon. (He's an engineer for the Forest Service.)

Gangsta Griff

Environmental/Civil Engineer Griff

And ladies... he's available! :)

i like soup...

2008-07-17T11:39:00.003-05:00

This may be silly cause for a blog, but I'm writing one anyway. Someone has to recognize the amazingness (word?) that is soup. I love soup. I could eat it everyday, I think. My favorites usually come from Au Bon Pain.

On another random note, I was listening to a little bit of Scarlett Johannson's new album on iTunes, and she sounds a heck of a whole lot like Amy Whinehouse.

it's the bulls and blood, it's the dust and mud...

2008-07-14T13:12:00.002-05:00

It seems that one minute I'm thinking, "Sweet! It's Friday," and the next minute I'm thinking, "Crap, it's Sunday night already."

This is not a fun way to live. There is so much busyness going on. Some of it is good. I think it means we're developing relationships and not just secluding ourselves to live somewhat selfish lives. But some of it is bad -- not knowing when to take a break.

We did go to one of my favorite annual events this weeend - the Hamel Rodeo. It's the biggest rodeo in Minnesota, and they give away quite a bit of money. We went with our friends Joe and Nancy.

All in all, it was a good weekend. Now back to work!

how much do I love my new condo?

2008-07-09T15:41:00.002-05:00

A lot. So much that I want to stay home and never leave it. So much that when I do leave, I'm sad; when I come home, I'm happy. So much that I almost become a domestic goddess. Almost.

It's beautiful. It's bright. It's beginning to feel like home.

Sigh. Life will be okay.

treasures...

2008-07-08T14:56:00.003-05:00

My Nana was the sweetest, most loving person I know. I've made an effort to keep her letters and notes that she's sent over the past several years. While saving them, I knew someday I would look back and be so glad that I had them; I never would have imagined or chosen that the day would come so soon.

I went through a lot of stuff last night trying to find all of the scattered pieces of communication. After I found about 70 of them, I sat down and started reading. It was as though I could feel her arms giving me a big hug as she relayed her feelings of love for me through these letters. I miss her every minute of every day, but these letters seemed to bring her closer. It was beautiful.

It was hard to tear myself away from reading them, but I know life goes on. She left a legacy of love with her children and grandchildren, and I want that legacy to live on through my actions and attitude to others. I plan to put the letters in a scrapbook to read and remember my special Nana.

wedding rings...

2008-07-01T09:03:00.000-05:00

I'm going to take my time on the train to write a much-overdue blog. I'm going to try to make it a little less sad than my couple of posts.

I can't believe it's July 1 already. (Happy anniversary, Beth and Anthony!)

Speaking of marriage, I will use this blog to tell you of a little disease I consistently suffer from. It's called 'forget-your-wedding-ringitis'. This disease often occurs after doing household tasks, like doing the dishes or cleaning the bathroom; it's also common after polishing fingernails or lotioning hands. Like I said, this isn't a rare occurrence for me. I usually realize i've forgotten them just at the moment it would be impossible to go get them. All moments leading up to that impossible moment would have proved possible, however. Anyway, when I forget my ring, the men come out of the woodwork. I don't say that in arrogance; I believe it's simply some rule of the universe that when your're single, good men are hard to find. When you're married (ring or no ring), men abound. Blah.

Anyway, all this to say that I forgot my ring today. I know what Ryan will say when I tell him. "Does my ring hurt your finger when you go out at night?" (Itls an old Charley Pride song...)

trivial…

2008-06-25T15:58:00.001-05:00

It all seems so trivial. After the family dispersed to their relative locations, coming back to work seems so trivial. It’s as though I’ve been given a new pair of glasses that put everything into perspective. Who cares how much money I make? Who cares what my job title is? What’s more important than having people in life who love you for who you are, and not for other fickle reasons? It seems that with the loss of someone who does love you truly, you suddenly take count of those who don’t. Or maybe take count of those who you don’t.

Really, the question is this: what can I do to care about those I truly love? How do I love them? What actions result as a result of my love for others?

Everything else outside of finding these answers seems trivial.

pieces...

2008-06-24T10:52:00.004-05:00

i miss her

2008-06-23T10:32:00.001-05:00

Olive "Nana" Irene Kratzer

Sept. 15, 1922 - June 15, 2008

pray for Nana

2008-06-09T14:39:00.002-05:00

My grandma Nana had a stroke this week. She's not doing too well. Words can't describe the fear, comfort, pain and hope that I feel. I feel like I'm a big, endless pit of emotion.

I know Jesus is in control. I think that says it all.

But please pray for her. She is one of the dearest people in the world to me.

pop saga

2008-06-03T13:15:00.002-05:00

So, I feel I can victoriously say that I've conquered pop. It's been a generous three months, and I don't really even crave a Diet Coke anymore. It's amazing. I've also tried to give up anything with artificial sweetners. If it's not real sugar, it's not for me.

The purpose of the previous paragraph was to let you know that I have a new addiction. I don't really know if it's a true addiction -- I'm sure I could give it up in a moment's notice if I needed to. But, my new love is...

It's delicious. I could drink it all day long. Till the cows come home. Mmmm... mmm.... good.

whew!!!

2008-06-02T20:37:00.002-05:00

We're all moved in. We're signed out of the old place. We're really here. Finally.

I love our new place. I love taking the train. I love looking out the windows. I love the deep soaker tub. I love two BIG bathrooms. I love doors to lock the cat out so she won't scratch up the carpet. I love the granite countertops. I love the new appliances. I love a washer and dryer IN our unit. I love being 10 floors up.

One unfortunate problem: the people with the parking spot next to us park over the line. In our spot. Booooo... I don't like this. Anyway, it's a small con for all the pros.

In other news, I had a couple of cavities filled tonight. It wasn't fun. FLOSS YOUR TEETH!!! ALL THE TIME!!! BRUSHING ISN'T ENOUGH!!! That's what the dentist kept saying. I kept saying, "DON'T JUDGE ME! I DIDN'T KNOW!!! IT HURTS WHEN I FLOSS!!!

And then when I got home from the dentist judging me (and filling my cavities), the people next to me were parked over their line.

to run or not to run?

2008-05-29T08:40:00.000-05:00

I should be fired from blogging. I have my excuses yet gain, and I think they're good. They consist of internet issues at the new condo (we finally got our wireless router set up, so that should be taken care of), moving (stuff's getting close to unpacked - we just have lots and lots of laundry to put away and we have to clean/paint the old place), coming back from vacation; the list really could go on, but I won't bore you.

Anyway, one purpose of this blog today is to let you all know that 'good seats' and 'bad seats' exist on the Minneapolis light rail. Usually I sit towards the back of the car in the elevated seats. Today I sat by the expandy-thingy that helps the train turn. (At least I'm assuming that's its purpose. If I'm incorrect, would someone please tell me?) It's very squeaky/creaky/noisy. It's making it difficult to listen to and enjoy Keith Urban on my iPod.

Next time I shall use more discretion when choosing my seat now that I have the new knowledge. Keith can not be ruined.

In other train notes, I’m working out my ‘train mojo’. Is a correct use of the word mojo? Not sure; but I can’t think of a better one, so I’m using it. Anyway, I’m discovering that it’s hard to make it to the train at just the right time. I’ve only been riding for three day, and I’ve had many awkward moments of deciding whether I should awkwardly run in heels (giving myself blisters and risking a nose-dive) to catch the train or if I should nonchalantly stroll along as if I haven’t a care in the world and can just as well take the next train (which isn’t true at all). This is all fueled by the people on the train looking at me (which they’re probably not actually doing). I will say, though, that when I see people running to catch the train, I feel very, very sorry for them. I don’t know why, but I do.

I may have to ditch my heels altogether and wear tennis shoes. But I’m not ready to commit to that quite yet.

my couz...

2008-05-22T10:27:00.002-05:00

I love my cousins. All of them. for some reason we've always gotten along really well. Here's a picture of my cousin Rachael and I. She lives much too far away.

today may not be my day...

2008-05-21T09:04:00.001-05:00

I'm a little worried. I woke up with a kink in my neck, lost one of my new shoes (I'm sure it will turn up somewhere), wore jeans thinking it was a casual day (only to find out that it's not), and finally, I opened my bottle of sparkling water to have it explode all over me and my computer.

I need another vacation. And soon.

In other news, we moved Rory the Kitty-Cat over to her new place of residence (our 10th floor condo) last night. I think it's going to take awhile to for her to adjust. She kept bristling her tail and growling -- yes, growling -- at various things, including cars and airplanes. Poor kitty. I halfway expect to come home tonight to find the place torn apart. Fingers crossed that it won't end up that way... though with the way the day is going, it very well could.

the fastest ten days of my life...

2008-05-19T13:42:00.000-05:00

We’re back from Montana. It’s substantially cooler here in Minnesota. It was a nice 85 to 90 degrees in Montana on Saturday and Sunday.

The trip went by so fast. It’s hard to believe that only two Berg children remain (Griff and Candra) – the other two are now Brieses and Campers…. Laine Camper. I can hardly fathom it. The wedding was nice, though it was also stressful. Family dynamics are an interesting thing, and they proved to be ever entertaining over this trip. We’re certainly not the same four Berglets we once were.

Things I’ll remember from the trip:

Montana will always feel like home, and the Deer Lodge valley will always be the most beautiful valley in the world.
Driving in the rain through South Dakota after dark is not fun. I think deer are kamikazes… the antelope, not so much.
I’ll always be a cowgirl at heart. Rodeos rock.
My extended family is awesome. They’re all so different, but all so much fun. I will make sure that my children are close to their cousins – they’re relationships worth keeping.
There are lots of bugs in Montana. True story: I’m at Starbucks right now, and there are two birds looking at the front of my car like it’s a smorgasbord. They’re performing a weird maneuver to try and peck the splattered bugs of the front of it. Those poor Minnesota birds should take a vacation to Montana… they’d eat well!

I’m sure there are more things I’ll remember later, but for right now I need to get back to the 400 emails in my inbox from last week. This week is going to fly by!

montana, montana... glory of the west...

2008-05-08T09:26:00.002-05:00

... of all the states from coast to coast,
you're easily the best.

Montana, Montana,
where skies are always blue.

M-O-N-T-A-N-A

Montana, I love you.

In less than 24 hours, I'll be in Montana. And I can't wait.

wow... what a weekend

2008-05-06T15:27:00.002-05:00

Is it really Tuesday afternoon already? How is this even possible? I think I've invented future time travel. Somehow this doesn't all seem possible!

Some random thoughts:

- The weekend was full of emotion, from the joy of celebrating a friend's upcoming marriage to the sadness of Eight Belles tragic end at the Kentucky Derby. We spent lots of time painting and getting our kitchen moved over to the new place.

- Now I'm trying to wrap up things at work so that I can go on a 'worry-free vacation' to Montana for my sister's wedding. Unfortunately, wrapping things up at work is turning into much bigger projects and expanding what we're already doing. I shouldn't complain -- I guess it's just job security.

- I should also note that it's been 2.5 months since I gave up pop, and I haven't broken down once. This wagon ride is pretty smooth!

- I've been mulling over the issue of rest, and think I'll get much further on that issue when I'm actually resting. It just boggs my mind down now.

Here's a picture of our new kitchen!

the most exciting two minutes in sports

2008-05-02T11:50:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby. I love the Kentucky Derby. Well, I love the Triple Crown, actually. My picks for the Derby are Cowboy Cal (because of the name, and because I want to see if Todd Pletcher can do anything) and Visionare. My favorite is Visionare because of Michael Matz, the trainer (also Barbaro's trainer), is an amazing horseman who's not just in racing for the money -- he's in it because he's a horseman.

I keep thinking back to the 2006 Kentucky Derby and Barbaro's incredible win. It was heartbreaking to see such a talented, athletic horse suffer such a tragic end at the Preakness, but it's worth looking back on and remembering his talent. Noteably, he has two brothers, one of which is Nicanor. I'm excited to see how they run. Next year... :)

we'll have the awesome blossom. extra awesome.

2008-04-29T22:04:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is Wednesday. I have high expectations for an awesome day. Getting to work early has its advantages, and I intend to make full use of them tomorrow.

My goal? To get three things done by 8 a.m. We'll see how it goes. Update to come tomorrow afternoon.

Also, only seven work days remain until we leave for Montana. That's not a lot of time; I have quite a bit to accomplish. I am excited to get to Montana, however. It's been far too long, and I have lots of people to see. Something about Montana will always make it home for me.

One more update: it looks as though a bomb has gone off in our apartment. I'm packing in an orderly fashion, which involves taking everything out of boxes to make sure it's organized correctly. Poor Ryan. I don't know how he puts up with me. Good thing we're both excited to move to our new place.

callie/miley... miley/callie

2008-04-28T12:19:00.003-05:00

I've been putting off this post for awhile now, mainly because I wanted a current picture to post of myself. Sounds vain, doesn't it? I just wanted it to see if you guys agree with the comparison that has been made in the past couple of weeks.

Several weeks ago, my friend Beth and l exchanged text messages that read like this:

Beth's phone: ok... So has anyone ever told u that u sorta look like Miley Cyrus? :-)
Callie's phone: You, my dear, are the first. I did want to marry billy ray when I was younger... :o)

I chuckled, relayed the comparison to Ryan, and went on my merry way.

Fast forward two weeks. I walked into the gift shop at work and this gal working behind the counter just stared at me. It was a little awkward. Finally, she spoke, and our conversation when like this:

Girl behind the counter: Oh my gosh, has anyone ever told you that you look like that Hannah Montana person?
Me: (laughing) It's funny that you say that because no one ever had until a couple of weeks ago when one my friends said that I looked like her.
Girl behind the counter: It's crazy! You look just like her. You could make some extra money going around and impersonating her.
Me: (still laughing, and also getting concerned because it appears the girl behind the counter still thinks I may be Miley Cyrus)
Girl behind the counter: What's your name (inquisitively, because again, I think she still thinks I may be Miley)?
Me: Callie
Girl behind the counter: Oh, weird. Her name is Mi-ley (she emphasized the 'ley' aspect of her name) and yours is Cal-lie. Very similar.
Me: Yup, sure is. Well, thanks!

And I exited the store.

So, it's now up to you, dear readers. Am I Miley Cyrus? Should I make some extra cash on the weekends parading around 'tween girls' birthday parties, singing Hannah Montana songs? Should I start calling Ryan "Billy Ray"? The possibilities really are endless.... Watch for a 'comparison' picture of me, hopefully to arrive shortly.