22/365

Failed.

I did not take a picture each day this week. After a serious discussion with Kim (as we are keeping each other accountable on this project) I decided to just continue on the day that it is supposed to be, because I want to have a year of photos, not just numerically 365. Maybe in the future I will post more than 1 per day to make up for the lack, perhaps today (I haven't yet looked at the photos). Either way, I have made a commitment to Kim and myself to be better about this. It is a good exercise in organization and time management, and I could certainly use more practice in that department.

Day 22: Sunday, August 30, 2009

Sunday Afternoon Sailors
August 30, 2009

Sitting At A Table in Caribou, Chatting with Strangers-- You Look Like Summer***

Craigslist. Bringing sellers and buyers together, in their own community (or not) without a fee-collecting middleman. Everyone knows about this. We have all thought, "Geez, I need a bike/dresser/Mickey Mouse Waffle Iron/geothermal heat pump/stained couch*, I'll check Craigslist." Some have even posted to sell things or put up a last hope "Stolen Bike" post. Basically, everyone knows Craig and his list.

But, I am surprised at how few people know about my favorite little Craigslist world: Missed Connections.

I knew you would ask.

There is the traditional definition of a plain ol' missed connection: boy sees girl but cannot (for whatever reason) get her contact information. This is not because she rejects him. That's not a missed connection, that's a connection severed, prevented, avoided-- it's not the same. A missed connection is seeing someone on the bus, in a crowded restaurant, at the lakes, someone you pass each day in the hustle of the day, but you either do not get or do not take the opportunity to say something like, "Hey, you're cute/fun/beautiful/fascinating, could we grab a coffee/beer/ice cream cone/tofu wafer**?"

So, a Craigslist Missed Connection, it's just exactly what is described above, really. Except, you can share your missed connection on Craigslist, in hopes of reconnecting, or maybe not. I guess I don't really know the motivation behind it, and perhaps I have just never been so compelled by a stranger to write them a Missed Connection or maybe it still seems kind of weird to me, or perhaps both.

Regardless of all of the above, I find Missed Connections to be the absolute most fascinating read on the internet. I check them, ashamedly, several times a day, and if I am not satisfied with the Minneapolis/St. Paul entries, I will start reading from other cities (most often Denver, DC, Seattle and San Francisco). Each entry has so much potential to be so different: a man seeking a woman, a woman seeking a man, man seeking man, woman seeking woman. Some are romantic, some are simply a "hey, I wanted to say thanks for a random act of kindness and couldn't." Some are to total strangers, some former lovers, current co-workers, best friends, lost friends, current lovers, wanna be lovers and wanna be strangers. I am so into these, sometimes I save them on my computer (Google Notebook-- learn it, love it) or I make sketches based on them.

It's okay, I can wait for you to stop laughing about what a dork I am. I am secure with it.





Okay, stop, seriously, or you will miss the rest of this post. It's not that dorky. . . c'mon now.





Yeah, catch your breath. Wipe the tears out of your eyes, glad you got a good laugh.

Continuing, with or without you. . . while I have loved Missed Connections for well over 2 years now, this post was spurred by an especially poignant one posted yesterday, which I will share, along with a handful of my other favorites.


"the truth is. . . " Posted August 26, 2009

the truth is: you are enough.
never has changed and never will.

you are enough.

Some of the fun of these, is you have no idea if they are directing this to someone in particular, just throwing it out there. . . we haven't the slightest.


"TO THE GIRL WHO LIVES IN THE BUILDING ACROSS FROM US" Posted July 28, 2008

Hi. You live in the apartment bulding across from us, on La Salle. I don't know if you know this, but we can see you VERY clearly through your air conditioner. We (my girlfriend and I) decided to post this, because we think it's adorable, that usually every night, we can catch you dancing around your apartment in your underwear... and usually you're blasting 80's music.

...don't worry, we're not creepy. We just like to sit on our porch and watch you. It's cute... ...but again, no creepy.

I wonder how many of my neighbors could have posted something very similar to this about me at some point in my history. . .


"I missed you, my love" (This is from Denver, but I didn't save the date)

Spent all night wanting to kiss you. Finally decided I would just do it, and you were gone.

Where did you go? I hope he didn't have the same idea. . .

This is just a little snippet, you should really go out and read some. If you are like me though, be sure to limit your time, because if you don't you will find yourself in blue gym shorts at a Caribou trying not to laugh out loud at some of the posts, coffee getting cold and legs getting stiff from not moving for over an hour. It has, however, quite possibly been a perfect afternoon here.


* All items currently being sold or sought in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Craigslist community.
** Just because they don't eat real food doesn't mean they don't deserve love.
*** The Missed Connection I imagine the men in this room are writing about me right now.

17/365

Day 17: Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Wok Star
August 25, 2009

Stir-fried a TON of veggies tonight because I miss them. A weekend of carbo-loading is not healthy. Right now, carbs are simply a vehicle to transport meat or veggies to my mouth.

On the plus side, today was the first day that I did not feel as if I was starving all day and did not eat all day. I also can finally travel down the stairs and walk for more than 3 blocks at a time without my legs stiffening up. Progress. Tomorrow I attempt my first post-race run (but probably only 1.5- 2 miles, at like a 10 minute mile pace). If this goes well, I would say recovery is complete.

16/365

Day 16: Monday, August 24, 2009

Penciled In
August 24, 2009

Sometimes there are not enough hours in the day. Sometimes there are too many. It's a bit like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, except if you lay in the wrong bed, the bears eat you. Details. . .

Ragnar Update

Results of the Ragnar Relay were posted today and the team said a collective "What?! How did that happen?!" because we did not finish last. we came in 3rd to last (214 out of 216) but not last. And granted, it was all about finishing and none of us would have been surprised or had hurt feelings if it had been last, it's kind of nice not to be last. We averaged 10:12 miles-- not too shabby for first-timers.

I don't know if I would do Ragnar again. I would like to, but it is a lot of work to organize a team and its a pretty serious time and financial commitment. We'll see.

New running goal: finish the Monster Dash 5K sub-30 minutes. So far my best 5K time is 32 minutes, so I feel that this is TOTALLY doable. Training starts. . . well, not today.

Ragnar: By the Numbers

This past Friday/Saturday I ran as a member of the Made in the 80's relay team for the Ragnar Great River Relay. What a rush! I can't even really describe how amazing it was in type, so if you want to hear the stories you may just have to call and/or take me out for a drink sometime and I can tell you about men in pink spandex, car alarms, hills, Ragnar 911, sunset and sunrise running, and some of the tiny towns we were in. But, as an overview at least, I present with with Ragnar Great River Relay, By the Numbers, 2009. Enjoy!

12: Number of people on my team.

1: Of my teammates that was male (Thanks, Steve!).

195: Miles to run between Winona, MN, and Minneapolis, MN following the river on the Wisconsin side and crossing over into Stillwater.

33: Hours to complete the race.

2: Hours of uninterrupted sleep I got in those 33 hours.

13.9: My total mileage for the weekend.

4: Loaves of bread Van 2 (my van) consumed.

3: Pairs of socks I muddied and bloodied.

There isn't a whole lot more to say, or maybe I am still just too tired to say it. Plus, it's kind of complicated and confusing I guess. Perhaps, later I will post a "frequently asked questions" entry about it. But I think I need to nap again. Oy, the muscles, they are hurtin'.

15/365

Day 15: Sunday, August 23, 2009

The Spoils
August 23, 2009

The tee, the finisher's medal (which is also a bottle opener!), and my race bib.

14/365

Day 14: Saturday, August 22, 2009

I Am Not Ashamed
August 22, 2009

Yes, I drank a beer out of a straw while I was in the shower. No, I am not slipping into the dark depths of alcoholism. I was, however, in so much pain that a full bottle of beer was too difficult to lift to my lips and it was the only way to celebrate/dull the pain after Ragnar. I did it. I drank a beer in the shower.

13/365

Day 13: Friday, August 21, 2009

He'll Fit Into Those by the End of the Race
August 21, 2009

Not only does this gentleman fill out those shorts and then some, he far exceeded our team expectations. We all thought Tubby McTight Pants here would be painfully slow and this would be a perfect opportunity for us to pass another team.

Turns out, they weren't even a 12 man team like we were. They were a 6 man Ultra team, but still running the same 195 miles. Not to mention, this guy really moves. I redubbed him Tubby McMarathoner.

P.S. His whole team either wore these pink lovelies, or a too small blue Speedo. And perhaps even more surprising, these were certainly not the most interesting or outrageous running get ups at Great River Ragnar.

12/365

Day 12: Thursday, August 20, 2009

Oh, the Miles
August 20, 2009

These shoes and I have seen some pavement. I took this commemorative photo on the eve of my biggest running race to date, on the off chance that they (or myself) did not survive.

I hate that I get emotionally attached to objects. I was thinking about replacing these running shoes, and am now having second thoughts because I make up images in my head of my shoes feeling left out whilst I jog about the lake with a new pair. Why do I do this to myself?

11/365

Day 11: Wednesday, August 19, 2009

INTRUDER!
August 19, 2009

Discovered this little friend in the kitchen, let my roommate's boyfriend chase him around the house for a bit while I Googled "How to get a bat out of your house NOW." Obviously this picture is really not great, as one does not get up and close and personal and spend a lot of time adjusting for minimal available light when your subject is a rabid bloodsucker.

10/365

Day 10: Tuesday, August 18, 2009

No Sugar, Please. Bit Just a Splash of Philosophy, Thanks.
August 18, 2009

9/365

Day 9: Monday, August 17, 2009

Running Cocktail
August 17, 2009

8/365

Day 8: Sunday, August 16, 2009

Started reading the Harry Potter series again-- from beginning to end. Hopefully. Sometimes grad school doesn't leave a lot of time for "reading for fun."

Summer Reading List
August 16, 2009

7/365

Day 7: Saturday, August 15, 2009

Catitude
August 15, 2009

Just an Experience Worth Sharing

I know. . . I am behind on photos. And on posting a bit for that matter. In all truthfulness, though, you have really missed very little. I eat, sleep, run, work, do homework, laze away with morning coffee or happy hours.

Today, though, I had an experience I thought was worth sharing briefly:

IcyHot. "Icy to dull the pain, hot to relax it away." That's bunk. Totally bogus. I used it after a run today for, I think, the first time in my life. My leg was all twisted, tight, and all kinds of uncomfortable and I thought "Wow, this would be good. I would like my pain to first be dulled, and then relaxed away. Sounds lovely."

Slather slather slather. And then it goes something like this:

Yup. It gets icy, and not uncomfortably so. It's just as one would expect. And it does indeed dull the pain. Kudos, IcyHot, so far that's a point in your column. Lovin' this.

And now comes the relaxing part, right? It's getting warmer. . . wow, that feels excellent. . . it really is relaxing away the pain. Mmm.

Wait, it's still getting hotter. It'll stop soon, right? It has to, the pain is thoroughly relaxed.

Okay, this is too hot. TOO HOT. I will just wash it off.

Hahaha, this is not ON the warning label: if you try to wash lava-temperatured IcyHot off your body, it instantaneously becomes the temperature of one's freezer, sending your skin through some sort of a schizophrenic hell as it tries to decide if it should be Icy and Dull, Hot and Relaxing, or perhaps should just all slough off and you could start again.

Now, no worries, my skin didn't slough off, although I thought about peeling it off at some point, and in the end, an hour later, I am fine.

IcyHot: Icy to dull the pain, hot to make you realize you didn't even know what pain was until you opened the bottle.

Being a Geek Pays Off Finally!

Let's get the exciting part out of the way, so the rest of the reading is, frankly, anticlimactic. Apologies. I am just not good at that suspense stuff.

Modern Mugwump is now Miss Modern American Red Cross Intern Mugwump, thank you very much. That is right, ladies and gentlemen, patience and geekdom has finally paid off and I am the new Marketing and Communications Intern at the American Red Cross-Twin Cities.

The happy dance was so frantic and long that I was sweaty. To the point of needing another shower. Although, the lack of A/C in the apartment may have something to do with that too.

It's kind of late right now, and I have had a long exciting day (interview and get dream job, although its not paid, and then close at paid job that is definitely NOT my dream job) so I probably won't make this as good of a story as it could be, but basically the woman that interviewed me said she could tell I was a geek about emergency preparedness when she read my resume and the interview apparently confirmed it, and I was hired.

And you know what, I am not the least bit offended about being called a geek for a few reasons:
1) Geeks research before an interview and know the ins and outs of an organization better than the organization's own employees.
2) Geeks already have ideas to move the organization forward and present those in the interview.
3) Geeks get the job.
4) Geeks won't go without the lovely and delicious Tortilla Soup in the case of an emergency because we secretly stockpile.

And, to be honest (as I always am). . . I would have probably laid down and died for this position if that's what it would have taken. Although I don't know that I would have been much of an asset then.

6/365

Day 6: Friday, August 14, 2009

I Spy, With My Little Eye. . . Someone in BIG Trouble
August 14, 2009

My neighborhood is typically very peaceful. The police presence on weekends is definitely noticed, but also appreciated with the number of bars in close proximity and we are no strangers to frequent traffic stops along this road, as it is a pretty busy one. I am pretty sure this is another routine stop, but they should check the trunk for a pink and purple bike, just in case.

Taken from my bedroom window.

5/365

Yeah, I told you I wouldn't get around to posting them each day.

Day 5: Thursday, August 13, 2009

Gnissapsert On
August 13, 2009

Posting one every day, they can't all be good. Sorry.

4/365

Day 4: Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Other Side? The Grass is Greener Right Here!
August 12, 2009

3/365

Day 3: Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Double Shot
August 11, 2009

One cannot really support preventative health without supporting vaccination, although I tried. In the end, if there is a vaccine that can prevent serious illness, not taking advantage of it is not really doing my own part to protect my health. So I let a stranger stick me twice today, leaving my arms fairly out of commission for most of the morning.

2/365

Day 2: Monday, August 10, 2009

Today's photo is brought to you by the part of every Mugwump that does not think things out beforehand and finds herself in minor pickles, set up for failure. Little failure, but still failure.

Dishonorable Discharge
August 10, 2009

Yep. It's the battery charger, because I goofed and went to grab my camera for its first day "out" during 365 and both of my camera batteries were dead. Way to be prepared, you preparedness guru, you. I goofed. But, I figure the project is not about finding the most amazing lighting or the most interesting subject matter. Sometimes it might be about doin' what you gotta do. So, by the time I had one charged, I had not had access to my camera for all the interesting parts of my day. Yeah, well, voila. . . here's number 2. Tomorrow will be better, promises.

365 Snapshots of My Life

Well, this could be horribly boring or SUPER interesting and fun. Or it could totally flop when I get busy this fall. I guess we'll see!

Lovely young woman I went to college with, Amelia, just got herself a Nikon camera not too long ago and has embarked on a Project 365 in which you take a photo and post it each day. Now, realistically I may not be able to post each day, but will certainly do my best to take a photo each day and batch post if I must. There are few rules, and seeing as it is the poster's own art and photos anyway, there really shouldn't be any rules. Other than 1 picture per day.

So Kim (modern, but not always so mugwumpish older sibling for those just joining after 23 years of our sisterhood) and I decided after attending the Uptown Art Fair that we would do this, and that it would be best to do it at the same time, as we could hold each other accountable. Very cool. She was better than I, and actually posted her first photo on day 1. Yeah, I didn't-- so far the score is: Large Artistic Projects-1, Katie-0. Luckily, I feel I can recover.

So here it goes. . .

Day 1: Sunday, August 9, 2009

A Morning Without Coffee is Like Sleep
August 9, 2009

Bought these loves at the Uptown Art Fair for only $10 a piece-- a steal!! Love them, and look forward to lazy Sunday mornings or crazy pre-exam nights with them.

And Then I Didn't Actually Post Anymore That Day. . . Because I Napped

So, I wrote an update about the pattern of future updates, and then did not follow through. Lame. Apologies. Starting over. . . NOW!

The Love Affair is Over. Over.

The Perks of Working at Caribou:
1. Somewhat flexible hours, often leaving half of the day open to do whatever Mugwumps enjoy doing in their half-days.
2. A half-pound of free coffee each week and a free fancy drink each shift. Unlimited drip brew during my shift (if they knew how much I had some days, they might think about altering this formula.)
3. Discounts on purchased items, including merchandise, beverages, bulk beans, and bakery.

This post will focus on the bakery items, of which I only pay 70% of retail value for, and particularly the French Toast Muffin.

Here's a funny sub-story: I was going to put a picture of the delicious French Toast Muffin here, but all of the photos I could find online of it were "unavailable" and the first thing I thought was, 'Of course, because even just looking at them makes you fat.')

French Toast Muffin specs: sugar and cinnamon swirls baked into a fluffy moist batter, with s beautiful slight crunch on top, over which maple drizzle zig zags gracefully. Ah-mazing. Amazing. Aaaaaand, with my employee discount this little gem was only $1.46, a little money for a lot of muffin.

So, I was buying one of these most shifts. I mean, I run and I am on my feet all day at work and I always work over some meal time, so this seemed not completely wrong. Until I perused the nutrition facts on the Caribou website. And you know what? If I ate 4 of these in one day, which no human has the gastrointestinal fortitude to do, I would not be recommended to eat another thing that day. "Why?" you ask. Because the French Toast Muffin of Wonder and All Things Sugary Delicious contains within its moist little self 490 calories. And thus has become the French Toast Muffin of Deceit and All Things Rottingly Fattening.

I am sorry, French Toast Muffin, it's not me, it IS you and we are breaking up. I know you didn't really do anything wrong, but I have to do what is right for me this time and I am walking away. Please don't be jealous when I spend mornings with the Banana Bread of Rebound Bakery Items.

It's over.

I Always Used to Think It Was Weird When People Loaded Several Updates in One Day

Barring special circumstances, such as multiple entries following an event that requires consistent updating (soccer matches, elections, etc.) or traveling in a manner in which Internet availability is limited, I used to think it was SUPER bizarre when people posted more than one blog update. But, I have had several ideas floating around the head lately but had not posted them. However, they really don't lend themselves to being one post. Which you will have already discovered by the time you get to this post because it will end up below the others for today and you probably will have thought "What on earth was she doing updating 600 times today? These don't even make sense."

Sorry, with a little more forethought I would have posted an explanation last, inevitably making it first for you. You know what, it's not your blog, all right? We will play by Mugwump rules, which I am pretty sure you all have been privy to at one point or another. Please do not get together and compare rules. . . you will only confuse the system. Just remember that fair does not always mean same. Especially if we've dated.

So, I will start with a generic update (and you will end with it-- them's the rules).

Uptown Art Fair was this weekend and that always brings about the most interesting thoughts and feelings in me:

• It is super exciting to be in the presence of great talent.
• What is THAT?!
• How do people get started in some of the more wacky visual arts? For instance, when I see an empty soup can, sometimes I see a makeshift planter for baby spider plants, or I see a cup for lost buttons. I never think, "Hey this would be a cool sculpture if I welded some forks, a pair of pliers, and a few metal springs too it. Then I will make faces on it out of the faces on playing cards. And then mount it to a fabric-covered piece of plywood, which I will decoratively accent with paint." The thought didn't even cross my mind after seeing this kind of art. I got home and said, "Hey, a soup can."
• Related to the last thought, looking at how talented and creative people are makes me feel a little like Ugg. Me like red and yellow. Katie paint pretty. I am not so foolish, and I know it isn't really like that, but it does humble me and remind me that I am still a novice and have lots to learn.
• Um, sometimes I can recognize that I am more talented than someone else (at art, not in general). Not going to lie, this gives me a warm fuzzy.
  
• Creating and buying art is expensive.
  
• I need to go home and paint. There are OODLES of goody-gumdrop ideas floating around in my brains. I will probably try combining them all in one piece and go mad.
  Let us not forget that all the greats were a little loopy.

In other weekend news, I went home on Friday night to see the family and visit with my Grandpa Jim, who was in town from Corpus Christi, Texas. It was nice to hang out with the family and eat a delicious meal.

I just attempted to add photos, but Blogger didn't love that. If I wasn't posting many things today, I might futz with it more. But not right now. I will add them later. Or never. I don't know yet.

Wedding Weekend: Starring Modern Mugwump as Bridesmaid Number 4

Almost exactly 5 years ago, I talked on the phone with this mild-mannered soft-spoken girl from a small town in Western Minnesota. She was captain of her cheerleading squad in a class of 56 students and her father was a buffalo farmer, amongst other things. She was the oldest of 5 girls in the family with a high school sweetheart that had gone to college a year before.

Pretty much the polar opposite of the less-modern but fairly mugwumpy young woman I was at 18-- growing up in two large suburbs of Minneapolis, attending a school that had more students than her town had people, the youngest daughter of two IT professionals.

And together, this small-town girl and I were about to become. . .



FRESHMAN ROOMMATES.


Yep. That person very few people forget, because they either loved 'em or hated 'em. And while our conversation on the phone that day went very well, I did not foresee the entire year continuing in the same manner. As far as I was concerned, we were way too different. From conversations we have had, I think she felt the same way. So imagine my surprise when we not only got along as roommates, we became great roommates and great friends. And then we lived together again the following year (after a I disassembled a disastrous roommate situation that temporarily mutilated a pretty good friendship). And imagine my surprise when we stayed friends even after I ended up in my own place, and again when she called to tell me she was marrying that goofy high school sweetheart of hers that I had grown to adore. And last year, she honored me by asking me if I would be in her wedding.

I would have never guessed that. Ever.

So this weekend I drove to a part of the state I had never been and almost missed her whole town when I sneezed. Luckily, the soybean plant is a large enough (and smelly enough) structure that I turned off in the right place. Before making a series of wrong turns trying to get to the home of one of my other greatest friends' parents.

Long story short (or maybe several good stories abridged and glommed together): I was ecstatic to watch Christine get married this weekend, and despite only knowing half of the wedding party before I arrived in Dawson, I quickly got to know quite a few lovely families and more of Kade and Christine's friends and I had the most fabulous time. I decided not to bring a date, which was a decision I had previously regretted until I actually got to the wedding/reception and had an absolute blast dancing with every member of the wedding party, the groom, at least 75% of the surviving grandparents, and anyone else with two feet and a little wiggle.

It seems to be getting to be about that time in my life-- a big surge of my friends getting married. I love it. There is nothing better than being invited to be a part of someone's love story. I find it so incredibly easy to be happy for these young couples-- there is something very powerful about deciding that you want to spend the rest of your life with someone and I am honored that Kade and Christine thought of me when they contemplated how they would celebrate this day. I would have not wanted to be anywhere else in the world.