oh, the places you'll go...

*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...

"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...

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.

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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?

“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...

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...

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

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

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

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:

1. (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?
   
2. (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.
   
3. (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.
4. (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!
5. (iChat) - When is this program on? Again, can people see me? Can they hear me? Will my vocal stylings soon be infamous? Seriously, help.
6. (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...

Some background info helpful for understanding this post:

1. I park in an underground garage at our condo (which is good, because it gets downright frigid in the MN winters).
2. The parking in the underground garage is assigned.
3. 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

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…

…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.

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...

… 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

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

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?

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...

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...

... 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...

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...

... 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...

... 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...

... 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...

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...

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...

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!!!!

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...

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...

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...

...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

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.

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...

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?

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

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...

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...

...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...

... 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.

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?

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

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...

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...

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?

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...

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...

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…

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...

i miss her

Olive "Nana" Irene Kratzer

Sept. 15, 1922 - June 15, 2008

pray for Nana

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

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!!!

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?

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...

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...

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...

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...

... 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

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

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.

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

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.

what I said to Ryan in my sleep...

(Apparently) these are the words I muttered, clear as day, in my sleep last night.

"Shhh.... We need to have a meeting about the salad bar. We have to discuss the state of the cous cous."

I do not remember this. I do not understand this.

Thoughts? Explanations?

spring.

I’ve been lax in my postings again. Ah, imperfections. What can I say?

I have several topics to blog about, but just can’t seem to get them written. I’ve had several long weeks at work, and when I get home after those long days of communicating, the last thing I want to do is communicate more… thus the long periods in between my last post and this one.

I’m going to limit this blog to the loveliness that is spring. I went riding again last night, and saw the evidence of spring everywhere. My favorite confirmations that spring is here are the new babies! The mares are birthing foals quite often, and there was one newbie yesterday. This little guy can’t be more than 24 hours old. He was so wobbly and cute!



A new batch of kittens has also made its way into my heart. These little ones are so sweet! They’re just tiny, but very friendly. It was fun to watch them play, even though they too are very wobbly. Too bad they grow up to be full-grown cats. If they didn’t, I’d bring them all home.







Hope you enjoy the pictures. Stay tuned for an upcoming post about fame, Miley Cyrus and me.

efficiency is overrated.

My plan to get a lot done last Friday didn't work. Blocking off time didn't work. Too many things required immediate attention, or else things took much longer than expected. I may work on refining my methods of scheduling, but we'll see. Efficiency is overrated, right? :)

In other news... it snowed this weekend. But today is bright and sunny. I got in to work at 7 this morning, and am looking forward to a productive day. I've been successful at being productive so far. Three things are checked off my list. Count the other three things I checked off the list by working on Saturday, and I'm well on my way to completing my whole list.Maybe not well on my way -- but definitely on my way. I'm excited to go riding tonight, especially since the weather is looking beautiful!

Off to get more completed...

new tactic = increased productivity?

I’m trying something new at work today. I’ve got a few meetings scheduled, but outside of that, I’m going to actually schedule time to work on projects. (I’m usually in more of a reactionary mode because there’s so much going on.) And I’m going to follow that schedule quite rigidly. I think the first thing on my schedule (beside a brief five minute window for blogging) will be a half an hour to clean my desk. It’s a mess; it’s a royal mess. Post-it Notes are helpful, but they’ve left my desk looking like a desk at 3M hit by a tornado. Not good. I’m actually going to try and take before and after pictures. I’ll post them.





Side note: It’s only 8:30 in the morning and I’ve already had a grande coffee and could use another three or four.

grr....

I am frustrated. And I did not see this frustration coming when I woke up this morning.

I went to work as I always do. I have a lot of big projects going on right now that require some of my undivided attention. I worked for about three hours and realized that I was getting consistently interrupted; since I (miraculously) didn’t have any meetings, I decided to pack it in and work from home. This also worked out well since the weather is getting bad and it’s supposed to snow today. (BIG BLAH!!!)

When I got home, I walked into the hallway of the apartment complex to find my old dishwasher sitting there to greet me. “Hmm,” I thought. The manager had mentioned something about replacing our old dishwasher (finally – it hasn’t been getting dishes clean in over two years), but they hadn’t called to let us know they’d be coming. I walked inside and saw another dishwasher sitting in the living room.

“Knock, knock,” said I.

“Hello,” said a muffled voice.

“Great,” I thought.

"We’re just installing the dishwasher; it should be another 10 to 15 minutes,” said the man under the sink.

That was an hour and a half ago. I can hear my cat Rory meowing. He originally locked her in our bedroom, where she promptly tore up the carpet. I took her out and put her in her cage.

This is ridiculous.

it happened...

I can't remember if I blogged about this or not, but I know I've commented about it on my friend Beth's blog. (check it out here; also note my comment to her post.)

Yesterday, my friend Rebecca and I were enjoying our almost-daily jaunt through the skyways. We've passed Larry the singing man so often that I've started to expect him, and thus don't pay as much attention to him. (Though his lyrics still sometimes catch my attention.) Anyway, we were just past him, and I heard him stop his song and start singing, "Power walk, power walk; Ladies on a power walk," which is what we were doing -- power walking.

I turned around and looked at him, and he was smiling at us! Hooray! We're nearly famous! :)

I should also take this time to explain what we look like while on a powerwalk. Picture two professionally-dressed women, walking as fast as they can, dodging in and around other slow-moving people, wearing tennis shoes with their skirts and suits, and glistening. (We try not to induce a full-out sweat; that would be gross.) If you want to know what we sound like, it's usually a rant of some sort, broken up by gasps for air. Talking and speed walking isn't easy.

So, yep. Inspiring a song... Looking like a fool... these are all things that happen in a day in the life of me.

busyness…

I’ve been in an argument with myself lately about how much “busy” is the right amount of “busy”. I’ve always been someone who likes to have things going on. The past couple of years, I’ve gotten to be less of scheduled and more spontaneous. But sometimes there are still things that need to be scheduled!

So, I’m nearing the end of a couple of months that have been a dead sprint. Actually, it seems like the time from Christmas forward has been a dead sprint. It’s been work trips on weekends, changes with churches, volunteering with a non-profit, starting to ride horses again after the winter break, preparing to move in May, going to Montana for my sister’s wedding in May, making exercise a priority (which really takes a lot of time!), and having family visitors (which we LOVE!!!). Not only that, but there has been lots of new stuff going on at work – which brings great opportunities, but also a lot of work.

I’m feeling exhausted. I feel like I’m drawing the line with my work/life balance, but sometimes I feel guilty for actually drawing that line! (That’s a pressure I put on myself, I know.) When I feel guilty, it ruins my good night’s sleep. It makes me cranky with Ryan. It makes me lazy.

It’s all very confusing…. How much busy is too busy? How much busy is excitement, and how much busy is stress? What’s the right balance? Anybody have some good advice?

In other news – we’ve switched churches again. I know, I know. Please don’t lecture. But, we’re very happy about our new church. It’s called Grace Nazarene, and is in Inver Grove Heights. We learned about it through my mom-in-law and dad-in-law – it’s where they attend. The church is pretty small, which I think both Ry and I are ready for. The pastor and his family are young and vibrant, which is also good. And it feels like home. You can’t beat that. We’ve enjoyed the Bible study on Wed. nights and Sunday School and the service on Sunday mornings.

stuff to look forward to...

Yesterday was a crazy day at work. Lots of meetings, lots to do, and when I left work, I got stuck in the parking garage for a good 15 minutes without moving. All in all, it was very frustrating.

The good news is that today is starting out to be a fantastically wonderful day. Ryan and I got up early, ran to Starbucks and then headed on our separate ways to work. The weather looks decent, and I'm going out for a long-awaited horseback ride. It's been a couple of weeks, and I'm going through withdrawls.

I'm wearing a vest that I haven't been able to fit into for a good two years.

I've got a long list of things to do today, and I think I have enough free time to get most of it done.

It's Thursday; tomorrow's Friday -- jeans day. Sweet.

Hope you all have a good Thursday!