An Interview with a Mugwump

I have this somewhat bad habit/compulsion that when I enter someone's home for the first time, I like to look at all of their stuff.  Well, not like digging through their undies or anything especially creepy, but I like to look at every travel souvenir, every family photo, each tchotchke on the shelf above the sink, every piece of art.  You can learn a lot about what people value and their tastes by looking at what they put in their home.  

Turns out, about two months ago I purchased the conversational equivalent of reading the spine of every book on someone's shelf.  A book of questions!  Which was a genius invention for people like me, who could did spend an hour 'interviewing' someone about their favorite foods and activities at the Minnesota State Fair.  We brought the book along on our trip to Florida and I learned some really neat things about people I have known for 10 years.  

So, because blogging seems more fun than packing right now and there isn't anyone here to interview, I figured you (I?) would enjoy an interview with a Mugwump.  Particularly because I know there are some new followers-- thanks!-- and I haven't done any 'About Me' list-like things in quite a while.  And because I don't want to pack.

What are things you once believed that more knowledge proved different?

I once believed my parents knew everything.  I mean, they could make a math problem out of a restaurant napkin!  They knew about all of these things that happened in the 1970s! Do you know how long ago that seemed for a Kindergartner in the early 90s?  Of course, things have changed since age 5 and  I don't believe that my parents know everything.  I know they know everything.

Are you good at answering trivia questions?

I cannot remember what I ate for breakfast, where my shoes/keys/cup of coffee went, or remember to accomplish many things without a list.  That's because my brain space is filled with trivia, particularly on current events, art, and pop culture history.  My trivia weakness is film history. I cannot identify famous people in a line up and I have seen an embarrassingly low number of films. 

Do you want an open seat next to you on an airplane? 

This question had me torn.  My first reaction was to answer as follows: An open seat?! I'd settle for more than 3 ounces of beverage and 2 peanuts, I'd be thrilled if the lady behind me would stop mining for precious gems in the seat back pocket, and I'd love if Mr. Snores-Too-Much in front of me did not lean his face back all the way into my lap.  

But that's really not a problem at all.  Would I like an open seat? Sure, it makes air travel a little more comfortable.  What I really want is for everyone on my flight to remain healthy. I want my plane to take off and land safely. In the event of an emergency, I want my chair cushion to actually float or for my oxygen mask be free of any kinks that prevent the flow of air. After that, an open seat is just a bonus.

Do you stand or walk on escalators?

Yes.  I rarely sit, squat, or dance a jig on the escalator.  I find that standing or walking, while a bit bland, is the most socially acceptable.  Also, imagine getting your bum caught between the joining stairs at the end of the ride! Ouch!

In what order do you put on your clothes? 

Undies last! (When I am feeling Superheroic)

What would you name your yacht?

This question came up in Florida, and I am still struggling.  If it were a river-traversing vessel, I would call it "Mudflat Mugwump" but this is not a very classy, elegant name.  A sea-faring vessel needs something a little more regal.  Perhaps I would name her "Lady Gray." I have no idea where that comes from, other than I am pretty sure it is a type of tea. . . Also, I would like "Yellow Submarine" but I imagine this is probably trademarked and I would prefer my hypothetical yacht not act like a submarine.  

Do you prefer summer or winter?

This question is being asked of a non-skiing Minnesotan who had their spring rudely interrupted by a rain/sleet/snow/ice-stravaganza that made traffic a nightmare and is contributing to the rampant flooding that is about to befall our beloved state.  As far as I am concerned blistering sunburns, swimsuits, fancy cocktails over ice, and rooftop or patio bars cannot happen soon enough.  Summer. 

I Don't Save the Animals (or Grocery Shop) but I Do Watch Professional Sports

I wish I could give you some sexy reason for why I have been so terribly MIA from blogging in the last 2 weeks.

Was I saving baby pandas in the bamboo forests of China?  No, I was not.

Was I huddled in a vividly colored tent at a base camp on my way to the peak of Mt. Everest? No, I was not.

Was I lost a sea for days, drifting under a harsh sun on a slowly deflating life raft after a diving trip gone wrong?  No, I was not.

Was I here, in Minneapolis, having several local adventures (of a less dangerous variety)? Why, yes I was.

Did I enjoy a beautifully crafted fancy cocktail at Prohibition, the bar atop the historic Foshay Tower?  Yes I did.

Did I know Minnesota still had a professional basketball team? No, not really... but did I have a wonderful time watching them lose (surprise surprise)?  Yes I did.

Did I start taking an art class with my mom and sister that has me a little psyched out (it's clay-3D.  I am a 2D kid, generally) but excited to have a concrete time set to release the creativity each week?  Yes I did.

Did I finally go to the Xcel Energy Center to see the Minnesota Wild hockey team play in the great State of Hockey?  Yes I did.  Did I have an awesome time? Most certainly.

Have I actually been sticking to my marathon training schedule?  Yes I have.  And I think I might have even had a bit of a breakthrough in the last week between a 5 mile long run last Sunday and a pair of short 3s this week.  I am certainly on track to personal best some 5Ks this spring, if nothing else.  Less than 4 months to the Buffalo Triathlon-- time to start working in some more swim time.

Have I been spending a fair amount of my spare time with a young man who shares my love for coffee (let us gloss over his preference for Starbucks...), has good taste in beer, makes interesting conversation, looks fantastic in a suit, and takes me to a hockey game even though he may rather be on the baselines at Target Field? Yes I have.  Gladly.

Have I gone grocery shopping since I last felt I was "out of food?"  No.  So meals lately have consisted of spaghetti or mac'n'cheese, peanut butter sandwiches, and coffee.  Milk has only been gone for 2 days, but apples for at least 4.  This is most distressing and somewhere between the treadmill miles, the professional sporting events, and drinks with fruit hanging off the edge of the cup, I will buy another 10 pounds of apples and restore peace to the refrigerator.  And maybe some cheese.

ALSO! In a completely unrelated topic, Reverb10 is back as Reverb11 and they are posting monthly prompts starting in February.  The current prompt is sitting unanswered in my inbox right now, but expect an update in that fashion shortly.

Reverb 10.2: Writing.

December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

A bit of a discouraging prompt for Day 2, maybe.  Only because I have never really identified myself as a writer and I feel like this prompt is geared towards those that do.  But I do write.   

If I am to answer this question honestly, most of my writing showcased here, save the analytical writing I do at work.  And here, the fuel for my writing is my life.  The things I am doing when I am not ticka-typing away do not take away from writing, but rather stoke the fire.  Things are funny at work? Write about it!  Feeling too chubby? Write about it!  Have a creative idea rolling around your head that just won't go away? Write about it!

I could probably write more often and I have noticed a decrease in my blog posts since finishing school (sorry), but I think part of that was a bit of a temporary identity crisis.  Until October 19, 2010 I had always been a student.  And I started this blog in the throes of a grueling graduate program.  Who was I now that I wasn't a student?  And would I still be who my readers were expecting?  

Well, I hope I am not always what you were expecting. That's no fun.  

And for the second part of the question, could I eliminate what keeps me from my writing?  Eliminate my life?  

Yeah, no thanks.

$0.02

That's about how much change I made.  But, I got in to futzing with it and it turns out I don't want the background of my blog to look like a giant watermelon.  I like to eat it, but I am not a watermelon-bloggin' kinda girl.  And I was afraid of being lame with black text on a white background, so you will notice the nice cool grey.

I can't promise this will last.  We'll see.  Old settings are saved and ready to be redeployed at a moment's notice.

But! You will notice, maybe right about -------------------- HERE! (Look down) that you can share my posts via email, Facebook, and stuff... if you wanted.

Do you have any spare change?

Change [cheynj]; (verb, used with object): to transform or convert

The witch changed the prince into a toad.*

I was going to make a list of things that were bad to change-- and then I couldn't really think of any.  It seemed that even what might be a "bad change" (changing your name) came out of a not-so-bad consequence (getting married).  Some changes we make every day are good- like changing our underoos**.  And sometimes we make changes we didn't really want to, but they're not a bad change.  Or the downside is only on one side of the change equation.  For example, I just moved from my Uptown apartment with the most lovely ladies (see image below) to my sister's new home because I didn't want to sign a year long lease in any city in which I was not guaranteed a year-long job.  You see, I am sometimes capable of not making foolish decisions.  So this is not a bad change.  I appreciate having a place to live in which I do not feel that I have to sell vital organs to afford, I like hanging out with my sister and her husband, I can tolerate a suburban neighborhood over the urban buzz I am used to***.  But, I do miss 'my girls.' Again, reference image below for visual representation of our awesomeness.  

Luckily, I am not someone who is adverse to change, I merely have a longer time than some getting settled in to it.  Interestingly, there are some things I like to change frequently, particularly my aesthetic surroundings.  I love to rearrange stuff, hang new art, mix it up.  Which is why moving should be so pleasant for people like me.  So, I have changed my living environment aesthetics and-- here's the punchline-- this whole post is to prepared you for the fact that now my e-environment aesthetics are changing.  So get ready, the blog is about to look different.  Which won't matter to most of you because you read it via email or some RSS Feed which turns it into boredom right before your eyes by ascribing to it some standard, universal format.  Meh. 

Okay, that is all.  And! I am going to blog more, maybe, I think (I hope).  I certainly mean to, but now I have noticed that you guys aren't coming back! Probably because there's nothing to read, so I don't blame you.  Fixing this by updating the look and considering the topics you might like to here me complain about/wax poetically on the most.  

* I used the second definition of change because the first was the length of a novella and because this is the most superior "use it in a sentence" example I have ever seen.  That witch is always changing them into toads...

**Not doing that everyday?! Start.  Today.  Change 'em twice today to catch yourself up.  

*** Guess what I don't miss?  Ambulance sirens and screaming drunk girls on the corner at 2:30 am.  Good riddance, you miserable girls with no concept of sleeping neighbors.  

By The Numbers, Worst Blogger Ever Edition

Um, I have no excuses for the way in which I have dropped off the face of the blogging planet.  I bet all my old followers are gone; even my parents.  Awesome.  Well, I will catch you up on the last month with everyone's favorite format: By the Numbers!

2: The number of triathlons I have now completed in my lifetime.  #3 (hopefully) happens Aug. 1, 2010 in Duluth, MN.

8: The number of ladies that traveled to the City of Lakes for a fabulous bachelorette party for a very dear college friend*. 

543:  The miles driven (round trip) to be in said college friend's beautiful  wedding.  It is truly a wonderful blessing and honor to be invited to be a member of anyone's wedding party and celebrate their love.  Plus, a free dance party in a fancy dress is ALWAYS on this mugwump's agenda. 

2,763: The number of words cut from my Masters Project to make it a manuscript.  Publishing? Maybe.  Maybe not. But it's a good experience nonetheless. 

10(ish): The number of weeks I have been in my internship at the City of Minneapolis.  Also, the number of weeks I have LOVED my job at the City of Minneapolis.

7:1: The odds I will place a $2 bet on a losing horse at the races. 

19: The number of days left on our lease in Uptown.  The move is bittersweet.  Excited to be moving in with my sister and brother-in-law, but terribly heartbroken to leave the fabulous women I have been living with for the last 14 months.  Although, as one roommate put it, a physical move at this point in our lives is simply a tangible manifestation of the real moves we are all making: moving towards careers and independence.  Forward motion is always positive, even if it occasionally results in the physical departure from things and people we have held very dear. 

1: The number of golden birthdays we each get. 

12: The number of days until my one and only golden birthday.

Bajillion: The amount of fun (on a scale of 1-10) I plan on having that day.**

* So weird to call people "college friends," as if I were really that far from the time I spent in college. 
** Good, clean, safe fun. 

This Could Be as Successful as Booger Flavored Jellybeans*

This is me, attempting some html coding Houdini-esque trickery to exclude myself from my Google Analytics stats.  Why? you might ask.  Because I visit my stinkin' blog all the time.  Because sometimes I think I am funny. So I reread my own stuff.  Vanity-- it's an issue I am trying to deal with.  This post is a part of the Google instructions for how to exclude my bad self from tipping the visitors scale.  Well, it's not all part of the instructions... some of it was of my own free will.  Google doesn't own me... yet.

*Any Harry Potter fans?  The every-flavor jellybeans?  Interesting in literature, awful in practice.  I mean, from personal experience I will tell you that the fart-flavored jellybean actually tasted like a fart.  And yet, kids bought them.  And ate them.  Myself included (although I feel this is something you only do once).  On the other hand, who can resist the temptation of such mouth watering flavors like: vomit, ear wax, and the ever-funny booger?

100. One Hundred. Hundo.

To celebrate my hundredth post I thought I would make a list for ya. I love lists and I love this website on the power of the "List of 100." Listing 100 things on any topic definitely makes you think really hard, dig deep, and get a little creative.

Since it's the holiday season, and I am getting over my Grad School Blues a bit, I think I will grace you with:

100 Things That Make Me Happy

It may seem a little lame, cliche', or tamer than the things I have been sharing lately, but I think it is such a good evaluation of life sometimes, to remind us that there are at least 100 things to be happy about. Enjoy!

1. Woolen socks on winter days.
2. Philosophical conversations over hot coffee.
3. Working for an organization that I truly believe in, and support their mission not only through my work but through my personal actions.
4. 4-legged friends.
5. My roommates. They are some of the most vibrant, dynamic young women I have ever had the pleasure to know.
6. Fast-forwarding though commercials.
7. A big beautiful, blank canvas and an afternoon.
8. Midday naps.
9. Christmas movies (especially when enjoyed in summer).
10. Picking apples off the tree and eating them in the orchard.
11. Doing the crossword in bed on a weekend morning.
12. Singing in the car.
13. Summer evening rainbows.
14. Purring cats.
15. Wearing summer dresses to local art fairs.
16. Talking to strangers in airports/on airplanes.
17. Black and white photos.
18. Being in triathlon shape.
19. Shivan's "Hangover French Toast."
20. Freshly washed, still warm from the dryer bed sheets.
21. 2 f0r 1's @ Stella's on a Saturday night in "the" upstairs corner booth.
22. Weddings. Wedding dances. Getting dressed up for weddings. Being so honored to be asked to be in a wedding. Celebrating love. Weddings are the best!
23. Tacos.
24. Free stuff.
25. When strangers buy coffee for each other.
26. Sun porches.
27. Early morning breakfasts.
28. Wii Tennis championships in the living room.
29. Surprises.
30. Emergency preparedness/planning.
31. Nightly roommate pow-wow in which the following topics nearly always come up: school (we hate it but we love it), funny things we did as undergrads, men (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and food.
32. Fresh snow on all environmental surfaces EXCEPT the roads.
33. Getting to the on ramp right as the idiot light turns green. Wahooo!
34. Getting lost and then found again.
35. Mittens.
36. Going barefoot anywhere it is acceptable.
37. Skipping.
38. Telling "college" stories. What a unique experience to have such a padded place to test your wings.
39. Birthday Week (one day does not have the capacity to contain all the fun I prefer to have for birthdays).
40. Yellow shoe laces.
41. Making Christmas cookies with the "Muehe" ladies. I do not remember a Christmas that we have not had an afternoon of rolling, cutting, baking, frosting, sprinkling, goofing up, "breaking" the cookie to eat it, and some hysterical laughter.
42. One woman dance parties. It is absolutely imperative to one's mental health to celebrate their own accomplishments.
43. The ocean.
44. Being able to consider my immediate family my best friends. It has been wonderful to have a collective 126 years of life experience to draw from!
45. The Spoonbridge and Cherry. Easily my favorite place on the planet. This makes me think that it is funny that no matter how well traveled I am (and I would consider myself moderately to fairly well-traveled for someone my age), it's still things close to home that make me happiest. This is a true testament to the fact that amongst all the other "rights" in my life, I am in the right geographical place too. What a lovely feeling.
46. Car rides. If the walls of cars could talk, they would tell the most intimate of secrets.
47. Driving a manual transmission car. Vrrooom Vrroooom!
48. House plants.
49. Custom Nikes. Love love love love love.
50. Being able to say I am halfway done with large tasks.
51. Realizing I have less to do on a large task than I have already accomplished.
52. Flirting.
53. Giving presentations. If you can't dazzle them with science, baffle them with bullshit.
54. Being respected for being intelligent and praised for being a hard worker. These are some of my favorite qualities of myself.
55. Getting my haircut.
56. Easy to open pistachios.
57. Getting mail.
58. Making faces.
59. Being able to tell your dreams and aspirations to someone and have them love and respect you for it rather than think you are crazy.
60. Sledding.
61. Sailboats.
62. Giving to charity; whether it is time, money, donated goods, or simple well wishes and a thank you.
63. Hot tea before bed.
64. People with an inherent calmness to them. This may be jealousy, as I am not inherently calm but rather a bit of a firecracker. Nonetheless, I enjoy being in the presence of calm.
65. Watching TV shows from my childhood: Captain Planet, Saved by the Bell, Full House.
66. Grammar and spelling. Not that mine are always perfect.
67. A solid "I am here for you" hug.
68. Surprising people.
69. Installing something--anything-- by myself. Like: internet service, shelving units, etc. It reasserts my power over complicated material things.
70. Buying select groceries from the local co-op. While it makes me feel a little poor, it simultaneously makes me feel hip and good for the planet. Plus, organic cheese is the cat's meow.
71. First dates. Even when they rarely become second dates, and almost never become a third, first dates are typically so fun.
72. Butterfly gardens.
73. The sound of running water.
74. People who acknowledge the need to extend human rights even when their own cultural or religious experiences has not.
75. Traveling.
76. Listening to people speak in languages other than English.
77. People watching.
78. Catching someone "people watching" me!
79. Wonderful and supportive classmates @ The School of Public Health. There will always be a unique bond with the people I have shared this crazy experience with.
80. Finishing things significantly before the deadline.
81. Finishing things right before the deadline and having that magical "Phew!" feeling.
82. Bubble baths and a bottle of wine.
83. IKEA furniture that lasts more than 6 months.
84. Completing things you never thought possible.
85. Making a mistake and discovering it was better than what you had intended in the first place.
86. The smell of freshly cut grass in the summer.
87. Balloon hats. And newspaper hats for that matter.
88. Driving with the windows down in the summer.
89. Happy dogs.
90. The absolutely massive variety of hamburgers at King's Cafe in Miesville. I would recommend The Slider.
91. LEGOs.
92. Picking up where I left off.
93. Starting over.
94. A little lesson I learned from my childhood dog: sometimes the only movement you really need to do throughout a lazy, relaxing day is to relocate yourself to the "sunny spots" throughout the house as the sun bounces from one horizon to the other.
95. Crunchy peanut butter (now in organic! My heart be still. . . )
96. People who are thoughtful. I am trying to take notes.
97. Ladybugs on windowsills.
98. Reading the newspaper in print form, rather than online at least once every two weeks.
99. Understanding that someday big milestones will feel little, maybe even become part of the background noise and that the little things may be what ends up defining part of my character. And being okay with whichever way things go.
100. Crossing the finish line.

New Layout

I wanted to make this easier to read by making the text space wider, as I can often talk at length and it was frustrating to be scrolling so far, only reading 3 inches of text. Sorry, if you were super attached to the old color scheme, it didn't all transfer perfectly with the new template. Don't get your panties in a bunch about switching the yellow to gold-orange. I did what I had to.

Also, I just realized that this is my 99th post, making the next one the BIG FAT 100!

There is a lot of pressure to provide you with something awesome, but my brain capacity is that of a slug. Dilemma-- I can't very well wait all the way until the semester is over to draft a really dreamy post, deserving of the third digit it is about to acquire, but I also don't want my 100th post to be me bitching about school. Huh. There is a lot to ponder.

I Am Typing You This Weblog From Inside a Lion

The title is a reference to the Shel Silverstein poem "It's Dark in Here."

My "lion" is a pile of homework, but I just wanted to share a little nugget with you. In grad school, you gotta rely on the little things to get you through or you will never make it. So, everyday I find something little to be thankful about, and its usually something funny because it makes my mood better to laugh at myself a bit. My 'get-thru-Thurs' thought today is:

"I bet Dr. Phil would find my life totally boring. Oh, thank god for that."

Ugh, Guys. . . Seriously Sorry

Dudes, you are on my to-do list. I promise to update photos and stories so soon. I really do. For sure on the weekend. Which I know is a long way (trust me, I know). But I want to do it sooner, so I will try.

On the plus side, the mood of the last week has been one of "At face value, it may seem as if there are too few hours in my week, too many calories in my meals, too many items on the to-do list, and too few priorities set. But it's actually quite perfect."

I know, this is going to be a hectic semester. I am prepping myself with positive attitude. I allow myself one meltdown per semester-- I am hoping to save this one for right around December 13*.


* There is no reason for the selection of this date, but it is sort of that halfway between the holidays, winter sucks already, school never ends period where EVERY assignment is due at the same time and none of the holiday shopping is done, you spill hot cocoa on your white shirt every day, and you can't seem to stop eating. I hate this period of the year (for only the listed reasons-- love the holiday stuffs) and I want to celebrate my hatred with one mega temper tantrum and a bottle (or two) of 3 Buck Chuck.

Good night loves, I have not forgotten you.

I Know I Said I Wouldn't

But I did.

I Googled medical symptoms-- again.

Search: what causes eye twitch

It's okay, I don't have the plague, or even H1N1. I do, however, have an inoperable brain tumor hidden somewhere in the depths of my brain that is only going to lead to more facial ticks until facial paralysis set in (read: drool monster) and eventual death (probably from drowning).

In reality, these are the possible causes:

1. Caffeine. I tested this theory-- it's not it. I cut caffeine, I increased it, I limited it, I weaned on and off. Still twitching.

2. Fatigue. It's summer break. Sleep is my #2 most frequent activity. Still twitching.

3. Irritation of the eye surface or inner lid. No, only irritation of the patient. Still twitching.

4. Physical exertion. Aaaaaaaaaaaaahahaha ahhaha ha ha, whoo, that's a good one. Read #2. Still twitching.

5. Smoking. Ick dude! Still twitching.

6. Stress. No more than normal (read #2 and #4). Still twitching.

So, that's the normal stuff. If it's not one of those, the Interwebs brings on some more:

7. Blepharitis (sounds like a bathtub fart). It is actually an oil gland dysfunction at the rims of the eyelids. However, in addition to twitching it causes swelling and pain and eye pus. Nope. Still twitching.

8. Dry eyes. Not really an issue. Still twitching.

9. Pink eye. I. Do. Not. Think. So. Pink eye is quite possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever experienced and I am FULLY aware of what that is like. This is not it, as my eyelids have not glued themselves shut from the stickiness of their own eye-juices*.

Here's the goodies:

Very rarely, an eye twitch may be the result of a more serious brain and/or nerve disorder.

You don't say?! Like what?

10. Bell's Palsy. More likely to result in half your face going suddenly Droopy Dogg for 3-6 months, and then righting itself. Still twitching.

11. Parkinson's. But probably not. Still twitching.

12. Dystonia. A disruptive contracting of muscles. Ding ding ding ding! There isn't much more disruptive than your eyelid going all 250 beats-per-minute. Affects less than 1% of the population, usually women. Going to get worse, although stay in the face (awesome, maybe no one will notice my singular face moving in 23 different directions).

13. Tourette's Syndrome. My swearing is purely behavioral. Still twitching.

14. Side effect of drugs, particularly those to treat psychosis. Treat psychosis?! I am about a wink, blink, and nod from saying a consistent eye twitch may bring on psychosis. Still twitching.

15. Tumors. All over. Everywhere, tumors. Putting pressure on muscular nerves or affecting dopamine levels. Certain death.



In other news, I joined Hypochondriac's Anonymous today, in which we all just sit around and say "There's no way you have that, because that's exactly what I have! And it is going to kill me!"



*Sorry, eye illness can get gross. I should have warned you at the beginning. But I chose to warn you at the end, once you've read at least half the post. Ha ha, sucker.

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.

Updating is So Hard to Do

I hope you haven't been checking back on the blog daily waiting for an update, and if you have I apologize 25 times-- once for each day that you were so harshly robbed of the insights from my corner of the world.

Wow, that sounds a little ego-centric, huh? To think that the happiness of your day would revolve around me sharing my slightly sub-significant musings about homework and soy lattes. . . let's check my big fat head at the door and start this over:

Hi! I've missed you, my faithful readers, even though I can't really tell if you are reading or not. I still missed you and the idea that you are enjoying these words while you have some coffee/tea/orange juice in the morning.

Okay, I promised after that one marathon post I would never do that again. So I won't update you on EVERYTHING that has happened in the last almost-month. Quickly, we'll do some highlights. Hopefully it will satiate you Katie craving.

Highlights:
1. Vacation to Half Moon Bay, Calif. was Aaaaaaah-mazing. Amazing. "Yay yay wonderful" is about the extent to which I can articulate how fantastic it really was. I was definitely ready to give up my "real life" and become and organic farmer/artist and grow pumpkins, artichokes and olallieberries. Trust me, you want to click that link to Wikipedia and check out the wicked pedigree chart of the olallieberry.

2. School is crazy ( I think I say this every time). 14 credits is about 5 too many for a grad school semester, but I would never admit that (and you didn't read it here). The CHE Ladies (my school group of friends) decided the other day that we only get 1 meltdown per semester and since I so foolishly wasted that in February, I have had no choice but to just bite the bullet and push through all of the work. In a more ethical school issue, I have a class that continues to reward me for bad behavior. I haven't been working hard in the class at all, but I keep getting some ridiculously good grades. I know I shouldn't complain, but I feel kind of guilty. However, I have gotten through this far without too much work and now that other things are picking up so dramatically I am not sure I can really dedicate any more time to the class anyway. But she literally gave me an A+ (which made me feel very much like I was in fourth grade, actually) for an assignment that I hardly remember writing.

3. Signed a lease on a new apartment in the Uptown area. This can be a quick update because the best thing about this is a handful of things: cute place, neat area, fun roommates, reasonably priced. All good.

4. This weekend I discovered the fine (and so delicious) line between a live fish and a dead raw fish. Live fish give me the absolute spine-tingling heebie-jeebies, but I tried sushi for the first time this weekend and I loved it. Now, I will admit that I was in excellent company and maybe that influenced my taste buds towards a preference for sushi, but raw fish is still raw fish. I am not sure that even being a little smitten for someone can overcome that if I really didn't like it.

5. And, finally, two things in life are certain: death and taxes. Brought the taxes home and had an excellent, and very well-priced, tax-preparer file my taxes for me this year (thanks, Dad) and was pleasantly surprised at my return. It pays to be poor. . . once a year. Especially since the tax-preparer's other employee makes a delicious chili (thanks, Mom).

Okay lovelies, Happy Monday and hopefully I will be back sooner rather than later. As long as something interesting happens to me.

A Month in Review-- Sorry!

Hmmm, the whole point of a blog is to actually update on a regular basis so I don't have to come here on the eve of a month of absence and try to pick out what have been the highlights of the month to share with you. For all of this time I think Wow, I don't really do anything that people will want to read about. And then it has been a month and I feel like there is so much to share! I will try to keep it concise (a skill I struggle with in academic and personal writing ALL the time).

Let's see, the last entry was the beginning of a minor and expected lapse in mental health-- it is grad school after all, this gets hard sometimes! And I surprised myself by realizing I had gotten homesick even though I live so much closer to the family than I have in the last 4 years. Regardless, I had to push through the stress and rewarded myself with an end-of-the-week mini-vacation in Lakeville. I needed that in a major way-- I reconnected with all my favorite people: Bridget, Mom and Dad, Kim and Erik, and even myself a little bit. I logged some serious hours in the basement working on a painting (more on that later) and I forgot how wonderful painting is for my mental health. Very few activities relax me and energize me with such calculated balance as putting on some loud music and mixing color.

When most jeans get the kiss of death due to an ill fit or massive hole, mine get labeled "PAINT" so I remember not to wear my nice pants to art in. Because they all end up looking like this:Things at Caribou have been going well and I am getting promoted to Shift Supervisor. Ha! This after I did a few choice things at work:

1. Brewed a full pot of coffee into an already full pot of coffee. All that does is create overflow-- and 1.5 gallons of coffee on the floor. Classy. . .
2. Spilled an entire bag of beans into a whole bunch of beans that have been measured to brew. Well, you can't have a mix so EVERYTHING has to be trashed and remeasured. Excellent. . .
3. I worked the bar for the first real time this morning. I miscreated 6 drinks. Okay, so I probably made 30-40 correctly, but I don't like doing things wrong.

So basically, I am pretty surprised that after less than a month of working there I am getting promoted, but at this rate I will own Caribou in about 14 months. I'll be sure to get you a discount when I get there. . .

This is already getting long, and there is definitely more coming. Seeing as we just discussed Caribou Coffee, why don't you go ahead and brew yourself a pot and come back to the blog after you get a cup. Don't worry, I'll wait.




That feels better, huh? Okay, let's continue through 28 Days of Katie:

Went to the water exhibit at the Science Museum with the family and I really liked it. It was interesting because Kim sure knows a lot about the science of water and the ooogie-booogies in it, and I am much more interest in the social aspect of water (wasting clean water, access to water, responsible use and storage, etc.) and it seemed to be a fun balance of those two things. We also saw the Goosebumps exhibit about fear and that was pretty cool. I was a 'fraidy-cat and wouldn't do some of the activities. I have never really considered someone who is scared of much, but a lot of these had to do with being surprised and I don't like creepy or scary surprises. Only good onces. Like cake. That's a good surprise.

My SPH friends and I finally had a much needed "girls night" after a crazy week of projects and we saw the movie He's Just Not That Into You. If you want a fairly comprehensive recap of the Katie dating train, sometimes going recklessly full speed ahead, whistle a-blowin' and sometimes painfully derailed, just watch that movie. It was interesting-- and the fun part of seeing it with a group of good friends is that we have watched each other go through a lot of the situations in the movie.

Went to a formal hosted by the School of Dentistry about mid-month (Shivan, one of the roommates, is a dental student) which was affectionately dubbed "Tooth Prom." A good friend from NDSU, Steve, came down for the event and we had a wonderful time. Steve and Shivan have been friends forever probably, and it is fun for me to spend time with them and have some cohesiveness between Fargo friends and Minneapolis friends. We had dinner at Palomino downtown, which is a little out of my price range for regular dining, but for a big event it was great fun. Remember the discussion about good surprises? Dinner here would fit well in that category.

Have another cup of coffee. Really, I am not done yet. I have a lot to share, and I try not to skip the finer details. They really make the story. So really, do a yoga pose or two. I'll be here when you get back. . .


I guess there are maybe just two more topics. . . and since one is about art (aren't all my posts about art in some way these days?) I can make it shortish. The painting I worked on at home? I sold it. Well, I made it specifically to be sold. It is going to habitate on the wall of a classmate who saw the sketches of my Spoonbridge and Cherry and wanted a big painting. So, here it is:


Don't get too attached (this means you, Katie Muehe) because she is, in fact, leaving. It's a major milestone though-- first painting I have ever sold. Feels kind of cool. Makes me a professional, sort of.

Last topic (I am going to save one for a later post in case this week is ultra-dull or something): The Spoonbridge and Cherry was disassembled this week so the cherry could be cleaned and repainted. Seeing as this is one of my favorite places (which should be obvious by the number of times it appears in some format in this blog), I went to take some pictures and enjoy another wintry afternoon at the Walker. I will leave you with these photos. By this time you might be on your second pot of coffee. . . or maybe you won't even make it this far in the blog entry, wishing I would have just said "The last month has been busy, love you!" Sorry, that's just not my style-- you know that.

The last month has been really busy. Love you all!

Modern Mugwump: Defined

According to Mr. Merriam and Mr. Webster, authors of one of the most oft-cited books:

mugwump (noun): 1. a bolter from the Republican party in 1884; 2. a person who is independent (as in politics) or who remains undecided or neutral.

According to, well, everyone on the planet via Wikipedia:

Mugwump: The Mugwumps were Republican political activists who supported Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland in the US presidential election of 1884. The Mugwumps made the difference for Cleveland in the state of New York, eventually resulting in his victory.

Dictionaries report "mugguomp" was an Algonquain word meaning person of importance or war leader. Editor of the New York Sun Charles Anderson Dana is credited with giving the Mugwumps their political moniker. Dana derided the Mugwumps as amateurs and public moralists.

The Mugwumps were portrayed as "fence-sitters" during the 1884 election (their "mug" on one side of the fence and their "wump" on the other).

See the complete Wikipedia entry here

So what is a Modern Mugwump? That would be a twenty-something young woman who has toted the nickname "Mugwump" since childhood, bestowed upon her by her dad before anyone could realize how fitting the nickname would be as she grew into a fiercely independent and politically-minded opinion bomb.

Here you can enjoy my adventures as a self-proclaimed Modern Mugwump, and more so I hope you enjoy the misadventures, because honestly, those are funnier.