Day 5 of the MN State Fair

Not as much from the fair, more from the station due to Hurricain Katrina. So during Midday some of the blocks were totally from the station, we were trying to entertain our crowd by throwing water bottles for them. I ended up beaming an old lady in the head. My new nickname is Ladykiller. We had a old school country band as our Midday musical guest. They were pretty good. At least we didn't Wright Brothers them.

I did go back to the station for lunch, but I took an earlier shuttle back with a wood staircase. Swifty picked me up in a cart and we took the long way back, driving all over the fair. We had to stop about 3 times for the same parade.

Good Day

Everything fell into place quite well, today, inspite of finding out two days ago that I work this evening even though the schedule says I'm not.

I got to sleep in
had a great breakfast
played LIFE with Leesha and Cara
not too hot at the MN Sate Fair
5pm went well
6pm went amazingly well
got home and watched new DVD.

very good day.

Great Minnesota Get Together's Eve
Today was all about getting ready for the MN Sate Fair. Me 'n Zach had the job of first making enough room on the deck to light a new chroma key wall in and among the engineers.

This whole key wall thing was Dave Dahl's idea, I've heard. He won't even be there for it. He fell off his Harley and broke his collerbone and scraped off his new tattoo! (I made up the part about scraping off his tattoo. He really does have a new one from Stirgess, but I made up the part about scraping it off)

I had to leave our stuff out for them to put away for me because I was also scheduled to work on the 5pm Newscast. Little overbooked. Lot of work today, won't have any difficulty sleeping tonight.

song - Summer Breeze - Seales and Croft or Type-O-Negative

Retro-Updating My Blog.
Here's what that means:
I've had a total of three web logs. The first was an MSN community page that I kind of loosley made myself. While that site was cranking along, James Touchi Peters created conk.com which was a competitor of the MSN communities and included a web log feature. So I ceased using the non-existant blog tools at MSN for the conk site only to find that I didn't really care for it. But that initiated a search for a real blog server that I would like. That lead to the creation of this site. So in the end, my web log was spread out over three different sites. Today I started to cut n paste the old entries into this blog so they'd all be in one web location.

This has also inspired me to try to write something here every day- no matter how boring.

Paint the Weather Wall
My first mission today was to paint the new chroma key wall out at the Fair. I was to put the first layer of primer and than go on in to work. So thats what I did. To my suprise, the primer was already on as well as the first coat of chroma key green! So I applied the 2nd coat and then went on in to work to help out with the midday show.

After lunch, Ahmed and I went back out to apply a 2nd coat. We took Schmitty out with us and brought Kevin Knapp back with us. Kevin was very pissed, because with some communication snafu he had been stuck out at the fair for something like 2 hours longer than he planned. I sinfully took joy in his anger.

Daniel chapter 5, oh wait, Bocce!
for small group, tonight, we had a social night instead of studying the book of Daniel (which is what I emailed as the agenda ^_^). We played bocce ball. Leesha got to stay up (which isn't always a great idea) and she was on my team. Eric and Laura Beth beat us all out. Leesha had a meltdown at about 8:30 which was, as Cara pointed out to me, about the time she usually does when she gets to stay up later.

song - I had a song from Sunday's worship service in my head all day, but I don't recall it now!

did you know that you will NOT hear any promo for KSTP speak the word "channel" as in "Channel 5". It is strictly "5 Eyewitness News!"

we had a garage sale today

Bobo and Laura got married today

A Path of Geekdom Observed

I started a series called Honor Harrington. Its an interesting chain back to how I got into this book.

It all started back in High School when I bought a box of the original edition of GDW's Twilight 2000 rpg from Pegasus Games in Madison Wisconsin with Terry Treleven. This formed an appreciation for quality games with more realistic rules. After playing a couple of games in study hall, the game kind of petered out and remained on my shelf for several years.

Fast forward a decade...

In 2003, T2K resurfaces due to reprints of GDW's catalog. Last year I scored a copy of the reprints and read it often at work (during the Midday newscast). Living with Lord Bobo, I had access to many different rpg books- including the reprints of another GDW game called TRAVELLER.

Having recently submerged myself deep into the world of Firefly, I've checked out alot of web sites and there has been a lot of speculation that Joss Wedon was a fan of Traveller because the 'Verse of Firefly has a similar feel to it. Dreaming about a Firefly rpg (which does happen to be in the works, officially) and being familiar with GDW I made the plunge in to Traveller with Bobo's copy of the reprints.

There is a lot of similarity, naturally, between the writing of T2K and Traveller. It was easy to get into it. The premise of Traveller is a hard science space opera. Your characters usually are retired military types out trying to make a living. Getting into this game, I lurked some of the forums and found a lot of people talking about Honor Harrington. That sent me on a search for what it was all about. Everyone who has read these books say how wonderful they are, so I thought I'd check it out for myself.

and now I find my self fast approaching the middle of the first book- Honor Harrington: On Basilisk Station and here I am, writing about how good it is. Full circle.

music - Seven Nation Army - White Stripes nothing to do with Honor Harrington. Just really enjoying the Stripes right now.

It was so hot today that my rearview mirror fell off!

Leesha and I saved a frog's life today. We named him Ferdinand.

I got my internet access!

London

I didn't see any news untill I came in to work. Thats when I heard about the London Bombing. The first thing about it was how familiar it seemed to me. I thought I had just seen this or read this somewhere or something.

Actually, what it was, was this was almost exactly how the Queen & Country novel started which I finished two days ago. Kind of freaked me out.

got a speeding ticket

watched Superfly at work for work

dropped my new mom and dad off at airport.
Leesha was unbelievably difficult- tired and emotional.
met Leesha's dad at BestBuy in Bloomington to drop her off.
Got home and napped.
Got up, went to church.
Went to Batman Begins
Went to Big V's to see BJ
went home. to bed

Howl's Moving Castle

I hadn't seen Jutton for almost a year other than at our wedding. He's been on and of the boards, but hanging out with him wasn't happening. I guess the last time we saw each other was last fall when I'd be at the MOA working on Vikings Game Day and he'd be working at there as well.

Well, the latest film from one of our mutual favorite anime film makers, Hayao Miyazaki, is out in theaters and what a perfect way for us to reconnect- Ruby Tuesday's and anime.

We went to see Howl's Moving Castle. Very cool movie, we both agreed. However, we felt the ending was a bit too cliche. Still worthy of a purchase, perhaps. Miyazaki's other films include: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Nausicaa- of the Valley of Wind, etc.

Back Home (for the first time)

Today we came home from our honeymoon. But this is the very first time its home for me. Since 2003, I've moved every year and it looks like it won't end in the near future.

I have boxes full of stuff everywhere still.

Our honeymoon was so relaxing. We stayed at Cara's (and I guess mine, too, now) Uncle and Aunt's cabin in Wisconsin. The idea was to stay somewhere where we wouldn't feel like we'd want to do all the touristy things instead of spend time with each other. Mission accomplished! There is absolutly nothing touristy about Grantsburg, Weber, or Siren WI!

Leesha and the Mackys (Cara's sister's family- Caryn, Cameron, Caspian and Calyn) came up to join us Thursday and Today. It was nice to have time with just them.

music - Alison Krauss and the Union Station

Married!

All my life I've been worried that I wouldn't sleep at all the night before my wedding. I got more sleep than I usually do! I snuck out to get some Burgerking breakfast and ate it before Bobo came home. There was nothing left in my room except for the clothes I was to be married in and my bed.

First thing that happens after I get ready to go is Greg and Mandy pick me up with Mom and Dad in tow in the their car. We then head down to Como Park and meet Chloe for photos. Once there it is discovered that we were supposed to pick Cara up! She got a ride with her folks (and that made for some really nice and more real photos- the ones where I first see my bride that day).

We took all sorts of combos with different family members. Chloe was great. She took color photos and her assistant took black and white. Overcast lighting was perfect. We took some photos down at the docks when it started to rain. We made our way to the church while it rained pretty hard.

Bobo and Eric were setting up tables in the church basement when we arrived. I told them not set up too much because I had faith that we were going to be at the park for the reception. They'd be glad to stop, but the wedding coordinator cracked her whip at them.

Before we knew it, we were in the middle of the ceremony. For the last few weeks I was in a lets-get-this-over-with mode, but I realized somewhere in the middle of the ceremony that this was really fun, and everyone there seemed to be having a good time as well. I didn't expect that the wedding would be fun. Don't know why not, just thought it was a major hassle.

And then the ceremony was over! My dad had the idea that we should give everyone some time to arrive at the reception. So Greg and Mandy took us to Maplewood to let Eddie and Cogswell out for a bit. My aunt Cele went with us (because she is a dog lover- Cogs and Eddie are Boston Terriers, btw).

When we finally did arrive, everyone was very suspicious of where we went. Nasty rumors had spread. Oh well. The reception was a lot of fun. Its strange having co-workers in line for pot-luck along side with family I haven't seen for quite some time. Worlds were colliding.
Eric and others convinced us we should dance. We finished off the already playing Promise from When in Rome immediately followed by Depeche Mode's Somebody (which I've always thought would be a good song at a wedding). We were quite aware that everyone was watching us dance. Just like at the FOCUS Gala. Then my mom and I danced to Forever Young by Alphaville (which goes way back for us Willis'. My mom has burned copies of Alphaville disks. Probably not many moms in the US with those, huh).

Things wrapped up rather quickly. We got to our hotel before sundown and checked in as Mr. and Mrs. Willis.



music - Pachebel's Canon in D, The Promise by When in Rome, Somebody by Depeche Mode, Forever Young by Alphaville pretty much sums up the wedding festivities.

Wedding Rehearsal

We had to move our rehearsal to the morning because the pastor that was marrying us had his daughter's graduation party that evening. Everyone gathered for a late breakfast first at IHOP. Thank God they had a separated room, because our clan was quite loud.

From there and it was pretty strait forward. Everyone made their way to the church. We met Kevin, the pastor, and went through the ceremony. Tweaked out some of the music details. This was the first time I met our musician in person- tangent:

We had two people commit to doing the music for our wedding and then back out. I was ready to make a mix CD and go with that. But then I felt we really should have a live person playing. So Cara gave me a woman's name from her old church. I contacted her a week and a half ago and have been contacting through email ever since. Awesome lady.

After the rehearsal, I went home and packed the last of my stuff and ran it over to Cara's house and it was torrential rain. Once that was finished, me and a keg of rootbeer went to the park where we where having our family and out-of-town people pizza gathering. We had a good evening of getting to know all these new people. At one point, Aaron, who is just over two years old, was playing with the keg just as a police officer rolls into the parking lot to check things out. I'm sure he was wondering what that was all about. His dad went down to explain that it was just rootbeer.

Not long after dark everyone went their own way and I took Cara home. We took a walk down to the lake and sat on the dock. These were our last moments together not wed to each other.

Stag Party!

here's how it went down:

• 1pm Uptown Bar & Cafe for gyro omelets

We all met at the Uptown. Bobo and I arrived to see Schneidy waiting outside. Schepp and Greg and Eric arrived not long after that. I think we all ordered gyro omelets.

• 2:30 Bobo's house for Settlers of Catan

Curtis Mayrand was going to join us at Bobo's so as we waited, we went through the entire catalog of GI Joe PSAs from FenslerFilms. Its definitely better to watch those in a group. They seem to never get old. As soon as Curtis arrived, we watched a fan made Star Wars movie.

We then started up a game of Settlers of Catan. 6 player game at max and we had 7, so Bobo bowed out and did email things while we played. After he got bored he started to help Schepp and in the end they won.

• 9:pm Jutton's house

We stopped at the gas station for food and headed off to Jutton's house. Greg and I played Halo with a bunch of people online, which was fun. We sat around and shot the shyte.

Curtis and I got into a debate about why the new Star Wars movies were so bad and how Lucas ruined the whole thing. Somewhere in the middle of it, Curtis, in his drunken logic, was arguing that Lando Calrissian wasn't a black guy, but a Hispanic!

We finished the night with the Chappell show DVD. I wasn't all that impressed, but I did enjoy the Charlie Murphy stories. "Darkness!"

• 3am back home

We got back to Bobo's and everyone left dispersed in their respective cars. I wasn't comfortable letting Curtis drive home. So I offered to drive him home and have Bobo follow in his truck. So, thats what we did.

Renade was still up when we got there. We got a small tour of the house and even looked at the back yard. Curtis felt bad for us giving him a ride and wanted to make it up to us by offering us a beer or a piece of cake. We settled for juice boxes. As we were saying goodbye near the front door I felt something on my neck. Picked it off and flung it down in front of the fish tank. It was an inch worm! Curtis instantly picked it up and dropped it into the tank and all four of us gathered around to see the fate of this worm. The worm was freaking out and the fish were circling the worm. It looked like the fish were about to strike when all of a sudden the fishtank lights went out because of a set timer! It was perfect and hilarious!

music - Where is My Mind? - Pixies on the way to Curtis's house just after 3am, reminiscent of our Comicbook convention trip.

Glorybound

Tonight, Cara and I went to a concert. The music was from our friend, Greg Wollan. He is one of the cornerstones to our church's worship team and an amazing musician, at that. The show was at the Roseville Northwestern book store, kind of jammed in around one of the entrances. We snuck in not long after they started playing and eventually he noticed us, because he dedicated a song to Cara and I being married next month. The song he dedicated to us is called Glorybound and its the song that kind of initiated Greg and I talking as friends.

I first heard the song at a small group leadership retreat, last year. After the service that he played it in I went up to him to tell him how much I liked that song. We kind of started talking after that. Found out he is a 10cc fan! He has a show at the Church of the Open Door on June 17th and Cara and I will probably be going to that one.

music - obviously its Greg Wollan, but, I've found another song of his that I just love- Why So Downcast? Awesome song!

Covenant Relationships

I became a member of Woodland Hills today. Probably about a year ago, I took a class at church called Discovering Woodland Hills with the intention of becoming a member of the church. That class was designed for people who were new to the church (which I wasn't then). The next step was to take a class called Discovering Covenant Relationships. Very cool class, btw.

Tonight, there was a membership meeting (my first) where we got to hear about the annual finances of the church. The meeting was done with videos, mainly, which were very very well done.

After the meeting, Cara, Eric and I went to Applebees for dinner. Good times.

After four years of attending Woodland Hills, I'm finally a member.

Called in sick today

I've fallen into a strange pattern. I think that Monday nights often are restless for me. This one in particular was bad. Robert took me out for dinner, but we went too late and I ordered a greasy breakfast. So, after going to bed, I actually just laid in bed and worried about wedding plans and the Bible study till about 5am when the breakfast finally decided to come up and out. I called in sick and slept most of the day.