The Myth & The Majesty

I've been thinking about this for awhile. I apologize for the schizophrenic tendencies it has. I'm just hoping I can get most of it out before my brain starts to empty. It's raining pretty hard outside. Now, I love the rain -- I spent a large chunk of the day out and about in it -- but I'm rather glad to be inside with my tea and a CD playing now that it's dark and cold. Ha! Look at that. Already I'm avoiding the topic I really intended to write about. If I were to be perfectly honest with you, I would tell you that I'm rarely perfectly honest with you. See, I'm not an openly serious person. I crack jokes because it's easier for me if I can keep things light, even at the risk of making things awkward. Awkwardness is easier for me to deal with than the possibility of exposing what I really think about things. I suppose that's why this post from a couple weeks ago was such a big step for me -- I mean, there's some potentially damaging exposure...

Two months ago (plus a week) I had a conversation with a friend in a coffee shop in Sioux Falls. While there were a lot of topics covered that night – and a large chunk of them have stuck with me – there’s one in particular that has seemed relevant the last few weeks. When my parents were my age, or at least in my general position – recently graduated, moving away from friends and relatives – they were limited in the ways and extent to which they could stay in contact with people. Long distance phone calls were expensive, mail took awhile … It was hard to stay in touch, and it wasn’t done if there wasn’t a strong desire to make sure it happened. We live now in a world where falling out of touch is strictly a matter of laziness. Personally, I haven’t made a conventional long-distance phone call in almost six years – since I’ve gotten a cell phone and made that worry obsolete. While I send a fair number of letters (shouldn’t surprise people that I like to write), email and instant messag...

I live in a middle-upper-class section of town, complete with an elementary school, church, restaurant, and easy access to the main shopping area. It's a very nice area, clean, well-kept, etc. etc. Following the (awesome) thunderstorm two nights ago (and the dreary day that came before it, which taught me an important lesson: don't take an alternate route home from an unfamiliar area in foggy weather ... oops ... I think I made it halfway to Minnesota before I changed my direction), the weather brightened up considerably, hitting at least sixty today. I took a nice long walk in my new suburban wonderland today and was very happy with what I found. First, there actually IS some variety in this moderately new neighborhood, as far as the houses go. I'm pretty used to Sioux Falls' serially built suburban hell (okay, okay, I'm not a big fan of that aspect of SF); the houses here differ by more than just color, and I was thrilled by that discovery. I also noticed that hou...

While I'm at work it seems that I have a hundred different topics to blog about. By the time I'm at my computer at home, they've all escaped me. Today I even started a list, but by the second time around they simply didn't inspire any words. How irritating! With that, here I sit, trying to think of a good way to update everybody. Wausau is still as it was, although it's possible I like it better than I did when I last wrote. One of my awesome coworkers showed me around a little bit on St. Patrick's Day, which was great because a) I finally got out, and b) I actually met some people. The next day, I found a church that I may actually start going to regularly. Even better, I ended up going to lunch with a couple from said church ... By Monday I felt like a normal human being again. Yay for social contact. Last night it rained, complete with thunder and lightning. I was thrilled -- it's been awhile since I've seen a decent light show, and this one s...

When I was younger, Daylight Savings was magical to me. Anybody else out there who had that odd delusion? Perhaps I should explain. Way back when I had a bedtime, it was moderately early. In the winter, it didn't matter -- the sun set hours before, and I got too cold when I was outside anyway. But in the spring, all I wanted was to stay outside ... but the sun would set and I'd have to find other ways to amuse myself. (It just wasn't as fun when there wasn't dirt involved.) When Daylight Savings hit, it meant I had a whole extra hour I could be outside. In the summer, it carried all the way TO my bedtime, and I could watch the sun set from my bedroom. It was the best time of year. In my older and wiser years, I love Daylight Savings ... in the fall. When I can get an extra hour of sleep. However, driving to work on Monday I realized there was something pretty cool about the spring end of things. For the first time in ... awhile, I got to see the sun come up. During scho...

because you take life in your stride(instead of scheming how to beat the noblest game a man can proudly lose,or playing dead and hoping death himself will do the same I've been working on this blog for awhile, and I wasn't sure how to approach it. That sounds odd -- after all, if I've been working on it, then obviously I found an approach. In any case, it didn't sound right to me. because you aren't afraid to kiss the dirt (and consequently dare to climb the sky) because a mind no other mind should try to fool has always failed to fool your heart Just recently, however, I started reading some e. e. cummings , and I happened across this poem. Just like that, I had an approach. You see, what I am about to tell you involves a person that I have a certain admiration for. That's right kid -- I admire you. I've seen what he's gone through in the last year plus and I've been privileged with being fairly close to the action. But one thing I've never had ...

I'm still working on something with genuine substance (it makes me a little nervous), but I thought for now I'd show you the view from my apartment building. Technically not from my own apartment (I face the opposite direction), but perhaps it'll show you why I'm so enthusiastic about where I live. Well, I suppose that depends on who you are. Matt probably won't find it as awesome as I do. When I say I live on the edge of town, I mean it. That's a farmhouse just this side of the hill. Part of the awesomeness is the nearness of some topography (moving east scared me because I knew I was headed away from the areas of altitude), even if it's only a little bit. With any luck, I'll remember to bring my camera with me one of these times and then I can show you a little bit of Wausau from a newbie's point of view. On that note, I should get back to what I was doing (blah stuff, but oh well). Talk to you all soon!

"Due to the inclement weather, Jerry said you can all leave now." There are a lot of things I'm thankful for today. Traction. Garage spots. ATM deposits. 25,000 slow and careful drivers. Hot chocolate mix that reminds me of backpacking. And awesome (and funny) intercom messages. That's right, we got sent home today. Well, sort of -- I only actually left about 20 minutes early anyway, and it was nearing quitting time for a majority of the office. Heck, the early risers had already been gone for an hour. I've missed winter. Rapid City (aka "The Tropics") has an odd seasonal deal. It'll snow in July -- and does on a somewhat regular basis -- but you can go from October through March practically dry. Of course, Spearfish (an hour west) gets hammered, but somehow RC stays protected. Some atmospheric science guy could probably answer that for me, but I kind of like being able to wonder about it. This particular storm has also closed the U of M in Minneapol...