Things in my life really have changed.

OK, so we are in I O W A... Yesterday (09-08-07) was game day.  The first one of the football season.  Now it is 2:30 am (09-09-07) after game day. The SAME people that were outside tailgating BEFORE the game at about 12:00pm (09-08-07) are STILL tailgating!  That's right…14.5 hours and counting. Outside are males and females ranging from 12-70 living life.  Each with there can of cheap brew.  I can readily admit I am not a sports fan.

Around these parts, mosquitoes are not bad enough, it is a mid 60's clear night, and the team won resoundingly.

I guess I need to get a life.  I cooked, cleaned, installed countertop and bookshelves, worked on school stuff, and went shopping.

Now I will fall asleep to the sounds of late night ‘animals’ doing what they do....back home where I normally live, those sounds are usually coyotes after a kill...here it  is H a w k e y e s after a killer win.

I now head to bed to sleep besides my wonderful wife.

Things in my life really have changed.

Llamas, Turkeys, and Men Dressed As Nuns

Matthew and I had the opportunity to road trip a little this past weekend. He made the horrible mistake of putting me in charge of the itinerary!!! Although, the vows do say "until death do us part". The vows mention nothing about crazy roadtrips and my inability to tell left from right or east from west.

But, seriously folks - I think I planned an awesome trip! Within a 2 hour distance from our home there is so much fun to be had. First stop - a llama farm!

Matthew had no clue where he was going or what the plans were. The only information he received were the directions to the next destination.

We had pulled off onto a rather desolate area. All farmland, of course, with dusty dirt roads. We made our turn and at the end of the road there were four-legged creatures staring at us as if to say, "Hmmmm...what curious creatures have stumbled on our neck of the woods?"

62 llamas. 18 of them pregnant. One spotted chicken. A couple dogs. A couple cats. Matt and Eve.

Next stop - wine!!!

This one I think he was somewhat prepared for as we were in Southwestern Michigan Wine Country and had passed several vinyards so far on our trip.

Dinner was costly but nice, and the wine was tasty!

We wandered to our final destination - a friend's summer home on a lake. Spectacular views and a great place to rest.

But the next morning's waking happened quickly - on the road! Arrangements for the next events had to happen fast. Bad directions aside, we arrive at our destination 10 minutes before the curtain rises on an all male cast of "NunSense!"

The dinner theater atmosphere was packed with little old ladies and little old men from the local Baptist churches, as the men dressed in Nun-drag sang - "I'm Holier than Thou!"

A-men.

And then there were turkeys and a calf...which was not too exciting but we have great pictures.

No air conditioning on the Caddy - driving to nowhere in particular was a hot scenario.... Landed us in Kalamazoo where we proceded to do what?

Drink wine of course!!!

There must have been 100 + girls running through downtown Kalamazoo for some kind of benefit. We watched and took pictures as we wandered through historic downtown Kalamazoo. We found ourselves feeling like a happy gal and fella when we went to a restaurant that served great Paella!

Then - a quick stop at the grocery store and off to our resting spot on the lake. At dusk we sat together on the dock...

Off we went on the road to Saugatuck to a friend's wedding. Gorgeous blue skies anointed the day. Wildflowers bloomed brightly and the bride wore a skarf not a veil. Guys in suits, not tuxes.

Prior to arrival, we had a car full! Rummage sailing through the backroads of Michigan - greeted by interesting stories and stuff to buy. "One person's trash is another person's treasure." A $10 table, a $2 modern lamp and shade, a $15 leaf blower + vacuum, and a River Boat that played "Moon River" were just a few of the noted garage-sale finds found on our (long) way to Saugatuck. A wrong turn, turned into a quick visit to the beach and a great view of the coastline.

Dancing, dancing, singing, and reminiscing the night away! Then home to the sounds of John Williams and the music of Star Wars: Episode I (tape cassette).

Musings on Christmastime

"It's the most wonderful time of the year..."


So...it is just a few days before the day where we all get together at our place, eat, drink, be merry, and exchange boxes, bags, or stockings full of stuff.


But what is the sum total effect of all this "stuff" that we exchange? Surely, those tube socks bought for little Timmy cannot truly represent the sum total of the love and affection felt for those we love, but it certainly does say something like,


"I was thinking of you and I remembered that all your socks have holes, so I bought you this bag of tube socks. Love ya!"


I'm only thinking of this so much because I have 2 days 10 hours and 49 minutes to find a Christmas gift for my husband on our first Christmas together as married couple.


...and tube socks are not the way I want to say, "Happy Holidays! Your socks have holes."


In fact, I'd like to stay away from socks altogether. But they are pretty useful...after all, who couldn't use a pair of socks?


Socks or no socks, wish me luck and happy holidays. I have a few good ideas dancing around my noggin'...


'Twas the night before Christmas


and all through the land


last-minute shoppers


complete their holiday plans


Me, I just hope I find something that rocks


and is much more useful than holiday socks!

"Dan Ryan" [mis] adventures

From Wikipedia.com:

"Daniel B. Ryan, Jr (1894-1961) was a Chicago insurance broker and served as President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 1954 to his death. The Dan Ryan Expressway was named in his honor."

From my car:

"F$#@%*)%)(!)(%_!%*$!(^*$!&^(*$)^*! ....


... D$*%($*%!*(%*!)(%*((!%MIT$#*()"

Needless to say, this is not a good place to come home from.

...Let alone come home to another living, breathing human being who might otherwise be having just a peachy, sun-shiney kind of day.

It's all gum drops and jelly beans and the next thing you know -

ROAD RAGE GIRL HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING!!!!!!!
5 wrong turns later, I guess I'm just not in a very warm and fuzzy mood....


(Much thanks to underscorebleach.net for this version of the "Avoid the Ryan" map)

Love keeps this whole world together

I returned from an 8-day trip to Caracas, Venezuela with Global Exchange to an empty house. Well, it's not really empty. There's stuff all over the place actually.

Traveling without newlywed spouse is tough, but useful! I always had wonderful stories to tell people about homelife. "Where is your husband?" "In Seattle learning about oceans." "Oh."

Needless to say, our group had an incredible amount of information and experiences to process when we came back. If I will say anything about my trip and the education I received from having an on-the-ground experience it is this: Venezuela is a democracy. Venezuela is definately not a dictatorship.

Good. I've said it. If you have any further questions feel free to ask. All other information will be found at radiohumanity.org.

Returning to each other was the most wonderful return a couple can have. It makes us grow stronger. But, of course, remember the first part of the cliche - "That which does not kill us..."

We both returned in the a.m. (not on purpose), with just enough energy to say "I love you." And fall completely and utterly asleep.

Absence does make the heart grow fonder...

Seattle, Washington

The day finds me ready to depart Seattle Washington after seven days . I have spent the last week mostly at the U n i v e r s i t y of W a s h i n g t o n and N O A A facilities studying all about the vast and mostly unexplored oceans.

This has also been a time to look back and reflect from the last posting I made. Today finds me in day 16 not having seen my beautiful bride. The joys and delights of married life have been tempered by distance. We have both been busy doing our "own" thing. During that time we have shared many stories and issues from each of our own adventures. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. I do miss her physical presence.

If you have never done it, try having good phone conversation with a significant other about any important topic you can think of. Then as a part of this conversation make meaningful and lasting decisions from it. In this process you will learn to communicate more cleanly and precisely. Not seeing body language and/or other nonverbal cues causes one to more effectively communicate through language.

Seattle is a wonderful place! Flying in I saw Mt Rainier and a glacier-like flow or two. The company has been good. I have been working with about 28 other college professors learning about the oceans.

The presentation I did using W E B c t went very well. Many I suspect will call or e-mail with additional questions. We have been busy from about 8am to 6pm each day doing something related to ocean studies. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner socials have also provided us with good experiences for interaction and awareness of what other jobs and programs across the 50 states are like.

While here in Seattle I have shopped in two recycled clothing shops for my Bride, eaten at fair trade, Indian, university, and Fremont area restaurants. Food has been good!

We stayed at the W a t e r T o w n on Roosevelt. A delightful ultra-modern hotel. We were about a 15 minute walk from the Ocean S c i e n c e Building at the University.

Later this evening my flight get in about 21:00. I look forward to the very simple pleasure of seeing the smile on my beautiful bride's face and hugging her so closely.

I also look forward (I don’t mind doing work...) to plowing through all those unfinished projects and planning for the future. My return docket for Monday includes grading, sweating, sewage, mentoring, unpacking, burying, and resurrection issues!

I have before me SO many wonderful gifts!

MJB

Washington D.C. - CUA

So this day finds me in the city of Washington D.C.

By day I am a conference attendee by night I am a traveler.
I landed in the Nation’s Capitol late this afternoon. I quickly got accustomed to the Metro. Purchased a day pass and headed off by rail. The most amazing part of that whole experience was the approximate 15-story escalator. It is not as big as the Wheaton exit in DC but still amazing.



Got to the hotel and checked in. Had some beef and potatoes and was the first to register for the conference. Took the Metro to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception http://www.nationalshrine.com/ Walked all around the place…it’s one of my favorite places to re-visit. I have been there about four different times over the last 20 years. 5:30pm Mass was the "Mass for the Blessing of Human Labor" His Eminence Theodore Cardinal McCarrick (Archbishop of Washington) presided. He spoke on how each of us is called not to work but rather to serve. (There is a significant difference.) It was nice to just sit in the pew and attend mass.




It was nice to just sit in the pew and attend mass.Walked around the campus of Catholic University of America then to the Metro stop. Ate at one restaurant near the hotel. There is almost any ethnic-type of food here around the hotel. Talked with my bride-to-be about our day and exchanged warm and pleasant conversation.

Graded papers and then fell asleep. MJB