Our view was just about perfect.

This is a photo of my best friend LeAnn (left) and I from our seats for the men’s free skate competition. I was giddy the entire afternoon. The fact that Lysacek won made it even better.

I think my bones are frozen.

Normally I wouldn’t complain about the cold. We live in Minnesota. We get it. It’s cold. If you don’t like the cold, move. It is Minnesota after all. But today? It was a bit much. I know how to layer up. For example, today I had long underwear, leg warmers, thick socks and heavy boots in addition to my heavy coat. But the chill still got through. Thankfully the office I was working in today actually had the heat turned on. (I have been reconciling in that office for well over a year now and it has never been this warm.) When I dressed this morning, I thought of that room and how cold it is normally. Do you want to know just how cold it is? Our windows have acquired a layer of frost on them. Plus, on the news today Belinda Jensen, the chief meteorologist of the the news station that matters, Kare 11, did a small experiment to prove that it is FREEZING. When you throw hot boiling water into the air outside, it immediately turns to steam/snow. It also didn’t help any when yesterday it decided to be 40 degrees outside and now it is -10.

Oh, and speaking of Minnesota, the Twins (finally) traded Johan Santana. He is now going to the New York Mets. Now, my first choice in the situation would have been to keep him and just give him the 6 year 150 million dollar contract, but Mr. Pohlad seems to think that he isn’t worth the investment. Okay. Whatever. But of all the teams that were pursuing the guy? I am glad to see him in the National League. This way, we won’t have to face him on a regular basis and he’ll get the chance to bat. He can actually do it, unlike most AL pitchers. And Boston didn’t acquire yet another former Minnesota athlete. Take that Boston! On a scale of 1 to10 how much does the Boston area annoy me? 26. But we can save the entire list of things that contribute to that for another day.

We’ve been having a lot of weather lately…

I live in Minnesota. I get it–it’s cold here. But in the summer, I hate it because it is too hot! Well, the first week back over here it was freezing. And by freezing I mean in the negatives. Fahrenheit. (Well, duh.) This weekend? When it got up to a balmy 22 degrees on Friday? Beautiful! (In comparison with a -20 wind chill that is.) It only got better by reaching the 30s on Saturday and Sunday and (WOW!) 40 today. But tomorrow? The high is about 10. With the wind chills? Back to “traditional” winter weather. And all the snow and ice that melted today and formed huge puddles? Let’s hope I don’t fall and break my tail-bone or anything. (Knock on wood.)

Also: I had my first Intermediate Fiction Writing class this evening. The instructor praised me for using the word “regardless” correctly. Of course I did. It irritates me to NO end when people say “irregardless.” That isn’t a word. It makes absolutely no sense. Think about it. Do you really need the extra ir-? No. No, you don’t.

Also also: I started working again for the regional accountants today. Jane had a large pile o’ filing for me. Apparently the past six weeks were fine without me because she left me all the work I normally do. I am glad to see my job is vital and if I am gone I can’t be missed…or not. Whatever.

2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

When I gave my mother my Christmas list and she asked me if there was one thing I wanted above all the rest, my decision wasn’t very difficult.  Two tickets to the men’s free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Paul.  We went to Florida for Christmas and the night before we left we opened a few gifts (because there was no way we would be able to fit all our gifts in the car with us) and lo and behold, there they were!  The competition was this afternoon and I went with my best friend LeAnn, who used to figure skate with me back in the day at the good ol’ Southern Valley Figure Skating Club in Wahpeton, North Dakota.  I have followed figure skating loosely throughout my short twenty one years of existence.  Obviously I watched a lot of it when I was skating, but it wasn’t until 2002 when I really started to pay close attention again.  When Alexei Yagudin captured the gold medal at the Salt Lake City Olympics that year, I was re-awakened to the world of competitive figure skating.  Shortly after his win, he sadly was forced into early retirement because of a recurring injury.  Along with his retirement went my close eye on the sport.  Again, in 2006 this time I was brought back into it with the Olympics.  This time however, the American skater Evan Lysacek captured my attention.  Ever since I have been a fan.  My favorite part of a skater’s program is the straight-line footwork down the center of the ice which happens at the height of the music.  And Lysacek?  He has that down pat.  (It also doesn’t hurt that he is very easy on the eyes.)  When I found out that St. Paul was hosting this year’s competition well over a year ago I knew I HAD to attend.  And finally, it came.

It began at 1:30 and wrapped up a little before 6 o’clock this evening.  There were 3 groups of 6 skaters each, and they worked up to the final group which held the top 6 skaters after the short program.   I was happy to discover that I have heard of all six of those guys.  I suppose the men’s competition is the only one I follow closely.  There are a few in the ladies, pairs, and ice dancing competitions that I know, but overall it is a young crowd.  The girl who won the ladies competition last night was only 13 or something and can’t even go on to the Worlds in March.  The last 6 skaters gave it their all and really brought it!!  I especially enjoy watching Ryan Bradley who is just adorable and really gets into the theatrics of his performances and gets the audience into his skating.  And of course Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek were at the top and fought to the very end to determine the champion.  It turned out that their combined scores were exactly the same–244.77–which is extremely rare.  (Scott Hamilton compared it to the coin toss in football and the chances of the coin landing neither heads nor tails, but on its side.)  But, since Lysacek edged Weir by just over a point to win the Free Skate, he was dubbed the champion for the second year in a row.  (Weir has previously been U.S. Champ 3 times.)  Our seats were perfect and it was so much fun to watch skating for an entire afternoon.  I have been to ice shows in the past, like Champions on Ice and Stars on Ice but never a REAL competition, so it was very exciting for me to attend.  I am sure people scratch their heads and wonder what the fascination is with this sport, but I love it.  (Maybe even more than baseball.)  I am happy that my little cousin is involved in skating because I know how fun it is to dress in the cute skating outfits and wear makeup and get your hair done just right.  (I told her if she keeps it up I will go to Russia in 2014 to watch her compete.)  This competition only makes me all the more excited for the World Championships.  But alas, we’ll have to wait for March.  Here is my prediction:  Japan.  They are the new Russia in my opinion, meaning they are a dominant force in the sport.  Just watch.  You can’t beat commentary by Scott Hamilton.  His enthusiasm is catching.

If my personality were a painting, what would it look like?

Click here to create your own painting.

Thursday Thirteen

1.  I washed my comforter today.  I should really wash it on more of a regular basis rather than once every two and a half years.

2.  Tomorrow a heat wave is expected to hit, raising the temps to a balmy 22 degrees!

3.  I completed my first week of class.  It wasn’t too harsh because we started on Tuesday and I don’t have any classes on Fridays.  Not to mention the fact that I don’t have class scheduled before noon.  (But I start working in the mornings next week.)

4.  I got Douglas addicted to Heroes.

5.  I read my first story by Chekhov last night/this morning and I am really looking forward to the reading for the class for the remainder of the semester.

6.  The above stated class is held in the evening and there are only 16 or 17 people in it.  And about 10 of them speak Russian fluently.  Which is awesome to hear, but makes me a tad jealous that I haven’t learned yet.  I am sure this will inspire me more to take Russian 1001 next year.

7.  We have to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for my American Literature II class next week.  It is almost 200 pages in the anthology.  I am going to start it tomorrow already because I really want to keep up with my reading this semester.  And I am hoping that the discussion in this class is better than the stuff we talked about during junior year of high school when I despised it.

8.  When I went to the eye doctor last week while at home, I found out that my prescription did not change one bit.  And it has been a year and a half since my last appointment.  Because it didn’t change, I didn’t need new lenses in my glasses and they offered to fix the right lens for free, which was cracking toward the top for no apparent reason.  With the insurance I have under my dad, I was able to get a year’s supply of contacts.  Plus, the people who work there gave us a rebate coupon.  If we pay 20 dollars up front and send in the rebate, we’ll get 30 back.  So, just for going to get my eyes checked, we are 10 dollars richer.  Good deal.

9.  I really like the Target brand cereal called “Apple Crunchies.”  They are emulating Apple Jacks, of course, only they are half the price and double the taste.

10.  On Sunday I am attending the men’s free skate competition at the Xcel Center in St. Paul as part of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.  I am starting to get very excited for it!!

11.  (I used to figure skate, so it isn’t at all strange that I am into the sport.)

12.  Speaking of sports, now that football season is over (no thanks to the Packers) I am starting to get very pumped for baseball season to begin again.  With Twins Fest this weekend, I am sure it will only grow!

13.  Is it strange that I am currently loving the new Miley Cyrus song?  I am kind of embarrassed to admit this.

After this semester, I’ll be a senior.

Today is the first day of classes for the spring semester.  It is a little after one in the afternoon, but I have yet to attend my first class of the day.  That would be at 2:30, which is my Psych 1001 class.  I know it isn’t fulfilling any requirements and I really don’t need to take it, but I have always wanted to take a psychology course and I have more than enough time for random classes, so I figured why not?  I start working again next week, which will fill my days a bit more.

Yesterday Doug and I drove to the bookstore to get our books.  When I went up to him with my gigantic stack o’ books, he laughed.  I only had 6 actual books to purchase, yet the entire stack was nearly 2 feet tall.  I am kind of looking forward to reading them.  Last week while I was at work for my Dad, I realized I was excited to get back to the cities, buy my new books, go to my new classes, and even take notes…but homework?  Not so much.  But now I know that most of my homework will consist of reading and I vow to keep up with it all this time.  There were a couple books for Russian History last semester that I didn’t even read at all.  (That was because we didn’t have a clear reading schedule and I kept putting it off until 3 days before the final.  But I did fine.)   I have nothing scheduled on Fridays this semester, so I am hoping to use that day to catch up in work for the week so I don’t put it all off until Sunday afternoons.  The one good thing that is coming out of this writer’s strike?  I am not tempted by any new episodes of the shows I watch.  On the other hand, there won’t be any new ones any time soon.

So…the Packers lost on Sunday night.  I was extremely nervous the entire game and could barely watch the field goal that lost us the game.  But I figure, this way…Favre won’t retire.  Why?  Who would when their final pass was an interception?   To lose a trip to the Super Bowl?  Dare I say…go Giants then?  I cannot stand the Patriots with their cheating coach, cocky superficial quarterback, and Randy Moss who is a disease to every team he plays for with all his extra baggage.  Here’s to next season, when all our rookie phenoms will be a year older, a year wiser, and ready to prove themselves once again.

I never have time to post anymore.

“The cure for writer’s cramp is writer’s block.”
-Inigo DeLeon

Thursday 13

1.  I lived through the multiple stresses of finals week and emerged with straight B’s.  I was pleasantly surprised to get a B in my Russian History class for although it was my favorite course, that final gave me the most trouble.

2.  Nick Swisher, formerly of the Oakland A’s, has been traded to the White Sox.  This means I will be able to follow him versus the Twins 19 times a year.  He’s one of my favorite non-Twin baseball players.

3.  I am working for my Dad and the accounting department again for the few weeks remaining of break.  I haven’t worked here for almost a year and a half now.  It is nice to know that everyone still remembers who I am!  They have been keeping me pretty busy lately, which is great because it means the days go by faster.  I will be able to make more in 2 and a half weeks here than I can in 2 and a half months with my job at school.

4.  I went to Florida for the week between Christmas and New Years to visit my Grandpa and Grandma with my entire family.  It was beautiful down there, with temperatures ranging from the 60’s to the 80’s.  I especially loved the days in which the highs were around 68 degrees, which is my perfect temperature.  80 is a bit much for me!  We toured a winery where we tasted some wine and bought a ton of wine.  The winery was called Lakeridge, my favorite wine was called Chablis.  Which I have 2 bottles of my own now for when I get back to school and we have people over to share wine some nights.  We also went to Cypress Gardens, which is a lamer, tamer version of Busch Gardens.  But it was fun and a beautiful day and the gardens were very pretty.  It was worth it to see them.  We drove down rather than flying.  I don’t mind it anymore because we’ve driven everywhere my entire life, so I am used to it.  Plus, this is the fourth time we’ve gone that route, so it is familiar.

5.  In less than 2 months…players report to Spring Training.  I am thrilled that the season is coming up so quickly!

6.  It is 2008, which means it is an election year, and it is the first one I am really paying attention to because I was 13 days too young to vote 4 years ago.  I am watching CNN’s coverage of the Iowa caucuses right now, and I never really understood how these really worked until now.

7.  My recent television addiction is Heroes, which is on NBC.  I haven’t ever really been a comic book fan, but this show is so interesting!  My only regret is the writers strike is still active, which means there aren’t going to be any new episodes anytime soon.  I hear there is a threat that all the television show seasons will be canceled for the rest of the year.

8.  I received tickets to see the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Paul at the end of this month.  Specifically the men’s free skate competition.  My favorite is Evan Lysacek, so hopefully I can see him win a gold medal!  (I used to figure skate way back in the day by the way, so it isn’t at all strange that I am going to this sporting event.)

9.  My favorite Christmas gift this year was a book.  (Is that any surprise?)  It is Jane Austen’s complete works, hardcover.  I put a bunch of the books of hers I have yet to read on my list this year and much to my surprise I opened the entire works.

10.  I bought a word of the day boxed calendar on clearance last night, which means I may have posts from time to time bearing the day’s specific word.  (Of course that is the type of calendar an English major would choose.)

11.  I love Nutella.

12.  I threw my upper back and neck out on New Years’ Day.  I don’t know what the exact cause was, but it probably has something to do with sleeping on the floor the night before.  All I did was turn my head to look at my mother shortly after waking up and the muscles tensed up and I couldn’t turn my head from side to side without tearing up.  I was on the verge of tears for the remainder of the day then, which didn’t help things when everyone in the room starting ripping on me for going to Minnesota.  Some of my immediate and extended family members don’t seem to understand my reasoning for choosing Minnesota.  I did NOT go there because of the Gophers.  Sports has NOTHING to do with my education.  I am disheartened to see that the only thing that matters to some people with universities are the sports teams and how well they do in certain areas.  If I was going to choose a school based on sports, Minnesota would not have been it.  I am going there because I love Minneapolis and that is where I wanted to live.  I also heard good things about the journalism department, which is what I was going for during my senior year of high school.  Wow, imagine that.  Choosing a school that is right for my education.  THERE IS LIFE BEYOND FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL!!!  Because of the relentless teasing by a few that day, I was happy to see the Badgers lose.  That would have increased the harassment if they were to win.

13.  We are getting a new refrigerator tomorrow.  I am kind of excited.