This past Friday, July 30, I stumbled into the opportunity to see one of the Championship Chicago Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup at a local restaurant. As I was heading downstairs for lunch, a co-worker, Steve, was heading up stairs and asked if I wanted to meet Niklas Hjalmarsson and see the Cup. I didn't quite believe him or fully grasp what he was talking about. So I continued to the lunch room and talked with another co-worker, Ben, about this opportunity, neither of us really believing that it was happening. But, as we stood there, Steve called down and said that we were going, so Ben and I headed out to the waiting truck. When we arrived at Tre Kroner, sure enough, Niklas was sitting in the front of the restaurant being interviewed for the Hungry Hound and sitting in the next room was the Cup. (Niklas is in the Red shirt) As we stood there kind of gawking, a table for four opened so we decided to sit and eat lunch there. While we were waiting for the food to arrive, Steve pulled up some stats on Hjalmarsson so that if we actually had the chance to meet him, we wouldn't sound like complete idiots. He's 6'3" and 205lbs. Our food eventually came and then so did the Cup. The white gloved guardians of the Cup brought it out and set it on the table directly behind the interview so we got up and took some pictures (me, Ben, Steve, and Don).
Finally Hjalmarsson hoisted the Cup above his head and everyone applauded.
The Cup was placed in the awaiting Escalade, Hjalmarsson departed and we enjoyed our lunch (I had the broccoli and cheddar quiche). All around, not a bad Friday if I do say so myself.
J (photos, transportation, & catering courtesy of Don Meyer)
On my drive home today (yes, sometimes I drive and not walk), I thought about my day. Overall not as bad a day as I had originally thought that it was turning into. When I got to work, a co-worker had performed some system maintenance. This in turn caused a number of mini fires to crop up. Once we knew the cause and figured out the solution, things went better. But about three hours of my day were wasted in trouble shooting the situation. As it is a week before the Annual Meeting of the Covenant, I'm a little slammed for time and didn't really build a whole lot of margin into my schedule.
Once the stress level came down and I was able to start working on my projects, things went better. I'm trying to be better about time management but it's days like these that don't really help that. I've got nine computers to prep for the event and only three and a half days to prep them. I really do want to believe time management is a possibility but when my schedule is dictated by outside forces, it's hard.
Lots of people have heard of Better Than Sex Chocolate Cake. Christin and I have been experimenting with quickies...of chocolate cake that is. A little while ago, we came across/were emailed instructions on how to make a mini chocolate cake in the microwave using a coffee mug. We were extremely skeptical, but gave it a whirl. Low and behold it works. Really well. We love it. We love it so much that we wanted to share it with the rest of you. I am pretty sure that we have emailed it to some, but we wanted to add some pics and some variations that we have tried. Yes, we have made it enough that we started trying variations. The basic recipe is simple:
4Tbsp of flour (regular bleached, not cake)
4Tbsp of sugar (again, regular bleached, not confectioners or anything)
2Tbsp of cocoa powder
1 egg
3Tbsp milk
3Tbsp vegetable oil
splash of vanilla
2Tbsp of semi sweet chocolate chips (optional, but we like them)
Mix first three dry ingredients in good sized coffee mug. Mix in the wet ingredients and stir till well blended and smooth. Add choco chips and stir lightly. Place in microwave for 3 minutes. The cake may rise above top of mug while cooking, DON'T PANIC. This is okay and normal. Once timer is done, remove from microwave, let cool for a minute or so and then tip onto plate or into a bowl. Caution, this will be hot! We like to sprinkle with some powdered sugar and split it, enjoying a glass of milk with it.
Some of the variations that we have started trying is to add coconut, white chocolate chips instead of semisweet, and topping with frozen raspberries (the cake is soo hot that the berries thaw quickly).
I did it. I couldn't wait any longer. I am currently, as I type this very post, listening to Christmas music. Now, most of you who know me aren't the least bit surprised by this. But let me explain my personal approach to the holiday season...
1) I'm not a big fan of Halloween and it's not a part of the holiday season for me as it is for some people I know. It can be fun to dress up and it was certainly a great time trick-or-treating as a kid. But I don't really get into it.
2) I'm a big fan of Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I think stores should wait to decorate and put up Christmas decor out until closer to Thanksgiving - not the day after Halloween or even before Halloween like this year!
3) Christmas is a really special season for me. Maybe because Sankta Lucia (those of you non-Swedes check here for Wikipedia's explanation of Lucia) falls in December along with my birthday. Decorating too early takes away the specialness of the season. We have fall decor out now and will switch over to Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving. This is the same for the radio going All Christmas 24/7 too early. While I love listening to Christmas music now, lots of people don't. Stick with the month of December, or at the earliest the week of Thanksgiving. I know that may seem contradictory to the fact that I am currently listening to Christmas music and it's November 6th - but what can I say? It's the wonder that is me.
One of the reasons I'm so excited to listen to Christmas music now is because of the most fabulous of inventions - Pandora. Thanks to Pandora I no longer have to listen to music I don't like. Such as the local radio station that goes All Christmas (probably pretty soon) playing songs like Dominick the Donkey. What gives with that? (My apologies to anyone who likes that song). Or, the Hippo song. It's cute, it's fun - once or twice. But hearing it every 30 minutes is a little much. There are so many good artists who perform quality Christmas music - why limit it to 3 versions of one song over, and over, and over again? So, now thanks to Pandora, I get to choose what artists I hear and what versions of songs. Of course I have many Christmas CDs and a play list on my iPod. This is just yet one more way for me to revel in all that is Christmas and the holiday season! No commercials and no bad music. Thank you Pandora! (And just to play this safe, Pandora didn't pay me to say great things about them - I just think they are great!)
Of course I also have some favorite songs such as:
Let It Snow - by Vaughn Monroe
White Christmas - by Bing Crosby
Christmas Waltz - Harry Connick Jr.
Sleigh Ride - Boston Pops
12 Days of Christmas - John Denver & The Muppets (that's right, the Muppets, what up?)
Blue Christmas - Harry Connick Jr.
Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant
Basically the entirety of Handel's Messiah
Then there are some of my favorite Christmas hymns:
Come O Come Emmanuel
O Holy Night
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
Good Christian Men Rejoice
O Come All Ye Faithful
What are your favorites? Do you listen to Christmas music year-round? Only after the last bite of turkey on Thanksgiving - or Thanksgiving leftovers for that matter? Only the week of Christmas? When do you start ringing in the season? Do tell.
This coming weekend, Christin and I will be attending the Swedish Covenant Hospital Gala. This is a fancy shmancy event and I will be wearing my kilt and accompanying waist coat, tux shirt and bow tie. This is the same outfit that I wore for our wedding 2 1/2 years ago. Prior to our wedding, the only bow ties I had worn were clip-ons that came with the rented tux that I was wearing. Well, for our wedding, I had to have a real bow tie, don't ask me why. But I did and so I got one (this was my requirement). Now, did I learn how to tie this tie before the day of the wedding? No. Did I spend a few minutes for a few days perfecting the tieing and retieing of the bow tie? No. Why? Because I procrastinate, alot. Not as much now as I did then, but still.
Okay, so I waited till the day of my wedding to learn to tie this tie, no big deal, right? Wrong. The Tuesday before our wedding I decided to try my stuntman routine and flip over the handle bars of my bike onto the sidewalk. I was curious if I'd bounce. I didn't. What I did do was land on my left pinky. All of me. 240 pound man verse a 3 inch pinky, guess which broke first! Yup, cracked my left pinky and was actually in a splint with stitches and a swollen left hand for my wedding. Christin could barely get the ring on my finger during the ceremony. Oh, and the tie? Yea, I ended up having my best man tie the tie for me. Lucky for me, he had actually done it once. Once. Seriously we probably looked ridiculous in the bathroom at church, both in kilts and jackets and me having my bow tie tied for me by my best man. He rocked.
What does this have to do with the Gala this weekend? Nothing. Just thought that it was an interesting story to share. Just kidding. It is actually to explain why I had a bow tie, but didn't know how to tie it until now. With the upcoming event, I decided that I was absolutely going to learn this time and practice. So I have. Christin can attest to it. But, I have finally figured it out. With the help of the video at the end of this post, and this document, I finally learned. At one point during my practice sessions, Christin asked me why I wanted to learn to do this. She asked, "Is this one of those things that every man should know?" Yes. I do believe that being able to tie your own bow tie is just one of those things that a guy should know.
And this got me thinkin, what are some other things that guys should know? I have 6 nephews and 1 niece and I would love to share certain bits of knowledge with them. Well, my big sister introduced me to an amazing book that has many many wonderful things in it; The Dangerous Book for Boys. There is a similar book for girls with a similar title, The Daring Book for Girls. Anywho, these books cover a wide range of subjects like the Gettysburg Address to how to fold the perfect paper airplane. Tons of bits of trivia and knowledge that helps make a more balanced, well rounded individual. But there are somethings that it doesn't cover, like how to start a fire with gasoline AND keep all your body hair at the same time (and important part of the equation, believe me). Or, whats the best way to cook bacon. I believe that it does cover tieing a bow tie, but I am not positive. I would love to hear from some of you in the comments section about what are some things that every guy or girl should know.
We figured it's about time we introduce the rest of our family to all y'all out there on the internets (all of them).
Meet Anubis and Ra.
Ra - the Sun god (AKA Ramalamadingdong, Buddy, Lunch Box and Fatty) aptly named for his beautiful orange coat. He is almost your typical cat in that he is fickle in deciding if he wants attention or not. He'll prance around you sitting in a chair - so you can pet him as he dances by. But don't you dare try to pick him up! He'll have none of that. He's a scaredy cat.
Anubis - the god of dogs (AKA Nub, Nubs, Nub Nub (say it like an Ewok), Nubalubadingdong, Crack Monkey, Attention Hog, Stinky and Dumb Ass) he isn't named because he intimidates dogs. In fact I'm pretty sure if he ever encountered a dog he'd run and hide. He's not a scaredy cat like his brother, but still. Nub is not your typical cat. He is not fickle about when he wants attention because he wants it ALL THE TIME. You may think that I'm exaggerating, but you would be wrong. The cat constantly wants attention. Pick him up and he's an instance purr-machine.
Ra and Nub are brothers. For real blood brothers. They were born between midnight thirty and one thirty am on May 25, 2005. They are two of a litter of five. There are three boys and two girls. The other boy from the litter is orange like Ra. One of the girls is colored like Nub but with an orange triangle on her forehead (second pic down, lower right). The other girl is colored like a melted Snickers bar, kinda like their mother. Here they are when they were only a few days old. (Even non-cat-people have to admit the pure adorable-ness of these kitties! Too cute!)
<---Ra is the lower one
Baby Nub ---->
(Jon has had them since birth, so I knew when I married him that he came with 2 cats. Good thing I like cats. - Christin)
Sure, they drive us crazy. Nub with his constantly jumping up on us when we're sitting down in the living room, and his crawling all over either of us looking for hands and staring at us with the "I know you have 2 hands and you're only touching me with one" look on his face. Ra with his constant "gimme attention, no don't, gimme attention, no don't" indecisiveness. But, we love them dearly. They are our boys and our home would have less laughter without them around because we're telling you - they are hysterical; pure entertainment.
Continuing my one-class-at-a-time grad school program, I'm taking New Testament 1 (NTI). Class started August 24th and so far it's going well. I've handed in 1 assignment and taken 1 quiz, but I haven't received them back yet. Paper #2 and quiz #2 are coming up next Monday.
NTI is an introductory course to New Testament studies that focuses on the 4 Gospels. The rest of the New Testament is covered in (you guessed it) NT2. I was fully prepared to be shaken up by this course, but one can only prepare so much. I knew it'd be tough because 1) it's grad school people, undergrad is sooo yesterday. 2) my professor is one of the top scholars in NT studies and knowing several people who've taken his courses let me know how tough he is. 3) the only Biblical studies background I have is attending church my entire life and participating in some small group Bible studies (which one quickly learns in seminary that those actually don't count as background in Biblical Studies).
Other than those 3 reasons, I'm finding this class very challenging in my faith. I'm not questioning my faith per say. I still love Jesus, and if anything this class is igniting the desire to study even more; to learn about Jesus more. But for every answer that I find or learn about, for instance the canon of the OT and NT, the more questions I have. I feel that instead of finding all the answers, I'm simply finding more questions. One the one hand, it's frustrating because I just want a simple answer. But, as anyone of faith knows - there are no simple answers. I know this of course and I certainly did NOT think that seminary would give me all the answers or that it would be simple. But I don't think I was prepared for this struggle. I honestly don't think I can explain all of my questions. Sometimes it's not so much questions, but just grasping to understand the true depth of this study and not knowing where to begin. I'm not the first person to have these questions. Scholars who have spent their lives studying the Bible still debate about things and don't know all the answers - so I certainly can't expect to find them in few weeks of seminary.
I mentioned above that I have paper #2 due on Monday. It's a 5 page paper on the book of John and self-centeredness. I was talking with a friend about it just yesterday and she asked me a question that made me think. She asked, what do I want to get out of John. I realized after thinking for a minute, that I want anything. I want to see something new. Sure I've read the Gospels. I've read a lot of books in the bible (thought not the entire thing as of yet). And I'm not naieve to think that I don't have to re-read anything that I've read because I've got it all figured out. I know that I don't know much, if anything. I've interpreted verses wrong and I've read with a self-centered hermeneutic. I know that there is forever so much to learn from scripture. But it's hard to approach a text that I've read so many times before and not think "been there, done that" and move on to something else. I want God to show me something more; something new. I realize that I have no control over this. It's up to God to do that and up to me to be open to it.
Do any of you out there ever crave to see something new from God? Something different? I want to read the Bible again and see it in a fresh new way. To approach the scriptures and not have that "I've heard this parable a thousand times" feeling in the back of my head. I explained this to my friend who had asked me the question and she said something very encouraging. She said that all of this sounds like a very beautiful prayer. A prayer for God to show himself to me. A prayer for how I can know Him more. I don't know when He'll answer this prayer or how... but I'll keep praying until He does and then some.
