April birthdays rock: Happy birthday Dad!

I was born a week before my dad's birthday. I like to call myself his birthday present. I'm trying to remember a year where we haven't been close in proximity during this time. It's cool, though. He and my mom are coming to visit in a week.

In honor of my dad's birthday, here are a few things that remind me of him.

Swings

I don't remember how many times my sisters and I would beg him to give us "one more underdog!" I remember him hanging the swing from the tree in our backyard. When one of the strings broke, he replaced it with red rope.

Our duplex had an awesome front porch swing. And as toddlers we would swing so far we put holes in the stucco. If my dad really got mad about it, I don't remember. The holes were still there the last time I was at the house.

Bikes

My dad taught me how to ride a bike. He ran behind me in the alley holding the back of my bike seat. If I sit still long enough, I can hear his footsteps running behind me.

Once my dad's bike got stolen. It was a sweet old red Schwinn ten-speed. I think it may have broken his heart a little bit. It's for this reason that I always lock my bike. It was a lesson he learned for me. Thanks pops!

Games

"What will you give me if I make this shot?" Dad would ask as we stood in the back alley playing basketball. As usual, my sarcastic 12-year-old self would say something like, "My undying respect." Damn I was (am?) a firecracker!

Tennis. Basketball. Baseball. Waterskiing. Swimming. Softball. Broomball. Diving. Hell, he even got into hockey. If he could do it (or if you could), the man was probably interested.

Spaghetti

I'm not quite sure how the story goes, but once upon a time my father was courting my mother and offered to make her a nice meal. He made her spaghetti.

Then they had kids and he fed them spaghetti. It doesn't matter how many years it has been since my dad actually cooked me this meal, when I make spaghetti I think of him.

Drives

With my dad, a drive was always the answer. It's a beautiful day! Let's enjoy it on a drive. It's been a tough week, let's forget it with a drive. You're in trouble. Let's discuss it on a drive.

Imagine my dismay in moving to the city where "going on a drive" meant nothing more than increased blood pressure. Yet, when it was the most important, my dad made it work. When I told him about my divorce, he drove all the way to the cities to see me. And in the car he said one of the best things a daughter can hear from her father. He said: No matter what you do, I will always love you. So even if we couldn't quite get the drive right, it was the moment that mattered.

Dad, happy birthday. I hope you have an amazing day. And here's to a year better than any one you have ever had before!

Happy birthday to me!

It's my birthday week. Hell, it's my birthday month! I've always been a big fan of birthdays--it's like your own little holiday.

I'm not huge on gifts. That's not to say I won't accept them. I guess I just prefer the gift of someone's company to anything that can be purchased from a store. And I won't turn down a beer either.

But since it's my birthday week, I feel like I can get away with going down my wish list. I already have a few people committed to helping me with this; I hope you're in too.

I want:

• Success in whatever we all strive to do. Let's meet our goals. Let's be as awesome as possible.
• More friendly moments. Let's be nicer to store clerks, bank tellers, wait staff, people you pass on the street, census agents, and fellow drivers (even the morons).
• Honesty. If you can't make it, don't say you can. If you want to know if that outfit makes you look fat, be prepared to hear yes. Let's be real.
• Nuclear disarmament. Hey! It's my birthday wish list.
• More green moments. Let's walk to the store. Hold your nose, empty, wash and recycle that old plastic dish in the fridge.
• A few more questions. Remember when conventional wisdom said the earth was flat? There's gotta be more of that out there. Let's find it!
• Love. Embrace the love you have. Extend the love you give.

The more we want for everyone, the more we will all have. I know this is my birthday wish list, but I'd like to think it benefits many. If you're in, thanks for playing! If not, I hope to see you the next time the game comes around.

Every Friday should be Good Friday

It's Easter. Well, actually it's Easter tomorrow. Right now, JC is still kickin' around whether he wants to rise from the dead.

I really wish that Easter was like Christmas. Not in the whole buy-lotsa-gifts way, but in the permeate-my-life-for-months way. It'd be great if people decorated their houses, Easter songs were played on the radio non-stop and we all walked around saying "Happy holidays!"

Alas, that is not the case. But I did see this on a car today, and it made me smile. Happy holidays everybody!

Movie Clip Monday!

In keeping with the Easter theme, here is Will Ferrell's prayer to Tiny Baby Jesus.

Easter Jesus is a little more solemn than Baby Jesus, so I thought i would add a little laughter. Plus Easter Jesus would probably love this movie.

I like to picture my JC waxing poetic around a bonfire making s'mores. Wouldn't that be awesome? I'd toast my marshmallow all perfect and let him eat it because he burned his. He may have been patient with sinners, but he was never good at waiting for sweets.

God loves the Easter Bunny

I love Easter. Spring is here. Baseball season is starting. My birthday is always around that time. And lilacs smell amazing...

But really, let's not forget the most important part: Cadbury Eggs!! While I can say that I've grown up in a few ways, these will forever remind me of being a kid and eating them with my dad.

Delicious. And Sante bought me a 4 pack even though he can't eat any (damn that lactose)! Now that's a good man.

New Years' Blessings

To those who resolved to lose weight this year: may you get through the tough times, avoid temptation and foster a great love for all things vegetable (without the butter).

To those who resolved to spend more time with loved ones: may you develop a knack for time management, the ability to say 'no' more often and an unwillingness to stay past 5pm at work.

To those who resolved to quit smoking: may you meet people who dislike cigarette smoke as much as you like it, seek other alternatives and not kill anyone.

For those who resolved to take a trip: may your savings account grow by leaps and bounds, your passport arrive unharmed and your layovers be short (but not too short).

The Fairy Godmother of New Years' Resolutions blesses all of your resolutions, big or small. Here's to dreams coming true in 2010!

All I needed to know this year I learned in 2009

In the past few weeks my mailbox has been full of Christmas newsletters. My niece is having her first Christmas, my cousin shot three deer (mmm....venison) and another cousin is getting married (congrats Sarah and Dan!).


While some people find these a little self-important, (including myself when I let the cynic out of the basement), I think they serve a great purpose on keeping people up to date on life and also helping to reflect back on the year. It's with that in mind that I write my 2009 newsletter.


This year has been more about learning than any time I spent in college. I've stretched and grown in more ways than I thought were possible. Here are some highlights from what I've learned in 2009:

• You can wear the same pair of jeans to both coasts of the United States without washing them. A weekend roadtrip to Washington D.C. for no real reason and a plane ride to L.A. to visit an old friend a week later proved that.



• Be careful what you wish for. "I wish we could spend one more night in Dublin," I said to Jean sadly on our last night in Ireland. This led to the following lesson.



• Most planning is unnecessary, except when it comes to travel. Oops! Did we miss our trans-Atlantic flight home? That happens. Right?



• A lot of times, the right choice is the hardest choice. Saying goodbye to the comfort of my home, my city and my friends was one of the toughest things I've ever done. But I haven't regretted it for a second. Not even when I was really missing Wednesday girls night.



• Be confident. Don't question yourself. There were a few times when I worried I wouldn't find a job, wouldn't make friends or would end up in the street like a real crazy lady. But I kept my chin up and believed in myself. Job? Check! Friends? Yes! Crazy lady? Always have been, but I'm still sleeping in a bed!



• Make goals. Even if you don't accomplish them, you gain something in the process. My summer goal was to finagle a motorcycle ride. I didn't know anyone I wanted to sit behind on a bike, let alone trust with my life, but that was a minor detail. I ended up taking a great ride the weekend before Labor Day with a guy who would later end up being my unbelievably cool boyfriend. Bonus!



• Just Be. This isn't a new one, but it's one to remember every year. If it weren't for the time I spent Just Be-ing, I wouldn't have learned any of the other stuff.

I want to say thank you to those who have read, commented, and thought about commenting on my blog. I appreciate everyone who has invested their time into something I've created. It means a lot. Happy holidays!

Tomorrow is the Solstice! For a girl who grew up in the north country, this is something I looked forward to every year. And for an optimist, there are few better holidays.

Tomorrow marks the day with the least amount of light for the year. It's a tough time for many people. Going through day after day of waking up in darkness and leaving work in darkness is draining on even the toughest of psyches. I'm pretty sure that's why we have all of these holidays grouped around this time--to make it easier to handle. Whether that's the case is still up for debate.

While some might question the logic of celebrating the day with the shortest amount of light, it makes perfect sense to me. It can only get better. It can only be more light. Soon we'll rise with the sun again (a much more natural way to wake up) and play outside until we're thoroughly worn out.

It kind of reminds me of the ten of swords in the tarot. You can't get any more dead. The worst is over. You can't go anywhere but up. And while this may seem fatalistic to some, to me it's one of the best places to start. Because things just keep getting better.

Among other things, I'm thankful for my toothbrush

My girlfriend from Norway has been lamenting the fact that she isn't able to enjoy American Thanksgiving this year. My friend Iain from Wales said I am the first person he has ever wished a happy Thanksgiving to.

Eating dinner at our house are four people from California, two people from the East Coast and one sweet midwestern girl. (Guess who that is? Yes, I made casserole and lefse. I thought you would never ask.)

Although Thanksgiving is truly an American holiday, it brings up something that everyone can relate to, regardless of their background: Gratitude. What are we thankful for? I like to think that I spend every day giving thanks for what I have, but I'm sure there are things I take for granted.

In the newspaper industry, we were encouraged to think of new and different ways to cover the same things that happen year after year. And I have thought about writing something different, but really, isn't Thanksgiving about revisiting what you're grateful for? So without further ado, here is my list (in no real particular order):

Love, Sun, Luna, Earth, Dreams, Clean running water, Electricity, Fuel for cooking, Food in/and my refrigerator, Pilates, My room, My 6 senses, Moving to California, the Pacific, Trees, Books, Cooking, Wine and beer (Oh who are we kidding? Hard alcohol too.), Sex, The Universe, My blog, Traveling, Truth, Health, Floss, Indoor Plumbing, My bicycle, The beach, Rain, Shooting stars, Music, Internet, My closet, Margarita Meetings and My job

And while all of those things are great, they wouldn't mean too much without these people:

Sante, Johanna, Bryan, Iain, Kangbao, Nicole, Jennifer, Jean, Sophia, Okon, Justine, and Julie. Oh, and my mom. Duh.

Last year on Thanksgiving. I love these women!

Happy Thanksgiving! May your belly be full, your weekend seem long, and your football team win.

It's pretty obvious I'm Scandinavian

Saturday night was my last night in Trondheim. Of course, being the girls we are, we did it right and went out to the club. It was a perfect night of drinking, talking, dancing and the requisite kebab stand visit.

I have had a wonderful vacation so far in Norway. There are so many things that I love about this place. Here they are, in no particular order:

• My dear friend Johanna. We met in the laundry room of our building a little more than a year ago in Minneapolis. She has shown me what a good friend is, how to be a better friend, and a number of great places, from Billings, Montana to Trondheim, Norway.

• The food!!! Oh.My.God. These people know what they're doing. I've eaten venison meatballs with (freshly picked) mushrooms, salmon filets with lemon cream sauce and pan-fried flounder with butter sauce. And that was just one weekend! My friend assures me that not all Norwegians eat like them. Regardless, I have dined out twice in the two weeks I have been here, and although the sushi was some of the best I have ever had, those meals were probably my least favorite.


• Johanna's family. They are some of the most loving and welcoming people I have ever met. I feel like part of the family. I moved in with her cousin; he had never even met me. I spent a weekend with more of her cousins boating and relaxing on the water this summer. I am leaving after a week and a half of non-stop hospitality from her parents. They're the perfect hosts and wonderful to spend time with. It's so nice to have such great people in my life. And I haven't laughed this hard in years.


• All the water around me. Yes, I know I live by the ocean. But I walk out the door and cross the river Nidelva. The fish market and harbor are within walking distance. It just all feels so right. I think it's the Minnesotan in me.


• The age of the city. This is something that I miss every time I leave somewhere in Europe. The Nidarosdomen cathedral was built about 1000 years ago. Yup. The U.S. just celebrated its 200th birthday. It's just a different world, and I love it.

I have one more day in Oslo, and I am really looking forward to my time there. I am sure there will be more things to love and I am sad to leave, but as an old friend of mine once said: "How can I miss you if you don't go away?"

Reh Dogg asks: "Why must I cry?" I do not ... I love Friday the 13th!

On Friday the 13th I received the following things before 9 am:

• A carnation
• A Twix candy bar
• A bagel with cream cheese
• A loaf of bread
  

And I wore my Bon Jovi shirt. And one of my favorite bands is playing tonight...and I'm getting in for free. I have a three day weekend.

What I really want to know is what could make this day better? Oh I know! Watching Rey Dogg!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPIiOd3thu0

Ho! Ho! Hope your mortgage payments are current!

Those who know me know I'm not the biggest fan of the holidays, mostly because I can't stand the commercialization and pressure to spend with no thought to where we're actually going to come up with the money.

So instead of gifts this year, I spent my time feeding homeless and displaced families a holiday meal. This is the sixth year Rock Bottom (my former employer) has put on this event. Families sit down to a nice meal with linen tablecloths, kids get to hang out with Santa, and everyone gets shoes, jackets and toiletries. They also have a professional photo taken together.

Here is a link to some footage from that day:

http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-kare-3323-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=articleplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=playlist&maven_referralObject=976387878

It's a nice time. I did it for Easter this year as well. I encourage everyone to do something like this around the holidays. It's the best kind of gift.

The next day I had to return to work. While our corporate office got the day after Christmas off, we had to come in. We had some of our busiest days on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. What do I do for a living? I process mortgage foreclosures in Hennepin County. I suddenly understand the phrase There is no rest for the wicked.

I've always maintained that corporate responsibility is an oxymoron, but the juxtaposition between these two days was enough to show me that there is a lesser evil in the corporate world. And while I don't doubt that my employer has some charitable organization set up, I'm all about immediate gratification! I mean, c'mon! I'm an American, and it's Christmas after all!

Maybe Jesus drove a tow truck

I've been called a Scrooge on more occasions than I care to admit. I don't participate in the Secret Santa/Snowflake whatever-ness at work. I've never been into decorating trees. And I certainly don't condone the atmosphere of consumer spending and greed that accompanies the holidays.

This year things have changed. I have a Christmas station on my Pandora. I made lefse. The words "I love the holidays!" have actually come out of my mouth. There are a lot of reasons, but the one I would like to share seems to be the most unlikely: I celebrated the Solstice at the impound lot after a snow emergency.

A friend's out-of-town guest left his car on a snow emergency street and it was towed. My friend had no experience with this, but apparently the thought If anyone has had her car towed in this city, it would be Rebecca ran through her head. I agreed to go with them, and I knew what I was in for -- but hey! The City Pages said that it was the best people watching in town, and that's one of my favorite pastimes.

We spent three hours in line jumping up and down,

dancing and chatting with our fellow towees.

When it's -10 F, this is how you keep warm:

One dude kept his car running and we each took turns hanging out in it. It was a party.

Some other girls swapped boots every now and then to keep their feet warm.

This lady shared her towel with a dude without a hat.

(Apparently all of this was very newsworthy; my friend saw me dancing on the news.)

The thing that struck me most was how everyone there was in such a good mood! Not only were we all standing outside in the bitter cold to pay $140 to get our cars out of the lot, but we were standing outside in the bitter cold for THREE hours!

Our feeling of camaraderie was so strong that I was almost sad to say goodbye when it came time to get our cars. And that, my friends, is why I love the holidays! The most unlikely situations seem to be blessed.