Feeling Minnesota

I am back from a week in Minneapolis and what a week it was!  I was there to attend a training seminar for our Model Workplace program at work.  What it turned into was one day of Model Workplace, and four days of “How to Facilitate Workgroups”.  What I learned was that which I have always known…I have a phobia about speaking in front of groups.  Strangers anyway.  God bless ‘em, they tried to get me through it, and I didn’t faint or pee my pants or anything.  But I was definitely miles and miles from my comfort zone. 

That’s not to say that the trip was all bad.  Our hotel not only had an indoor water park, but we were only blocks away from the Mall of America.  If you’ve ever heard of the the Mall of America, you don’t even have to ask what is so great or unique about this mall.  It is the largest mall in the world.  Period.  Four stories high, 77 football fields big, and over 3 miles of walkways.  Not to mention the Nickelodeon theme park located indoors and in the center of it all.  It has 3 roller coasters (yes 3!), a ferris wheel, a log ride, and countless other rides for kids and adults alike.  I spent 3 afternoons there and I don’t even like malls.  I visited this one store I’d never heard of before called Nordstrom’s.  After viewing a selection of their very fine merchandise (they had some beautiful neckties), I soon realized that Nordstrom’s was Swedish, meaning ”Rich People”.  Didn’t get anything there.  Having walked and walked…my daughter was the big winner from this little adventure as Dad found lots of stuff to bring home to her.  She provided quite the wish list and I actually found most of the stuff on it.  Did I mention that I’m pretty much broke now?  Despite having 3 days to explore, I dare say I saw it all…not even close really. 

The one day that we didn’t go to the Mall of America, we hopped onto the mass transit system and headed to downtown Minneapolis featuring the historic warehouse district.  There we spent some time at the Hard Rock Cafe…and then more shopping.  I did get a cap from the Hard Rock and they had some pretty cool displays including memorabilia from Prince and Jimi Hendrix.  Such a tourist….I know.

All in all, I was pretty impressed with Minneapolis.  And this is pretty hard to say for a hard core southern boy!  I didn’t get to explore as much as I would have liked, but they tell me that the area lakes and parks are beautiful.  That so would have beat one of those mall days!  I was there during a great time of year also.  It was still cool (cold to me), but snow was nowhere to be found.  The locals invited us back to experience the winter months with them.  I asked if it was really as bad as I had heard?  They explained that the wind chill hit 70 below on many occasions this past winter.  Not to mention the snow.  I told them I would get back to them on that little invitation…

I’m Off To Minnesota!!

Beyond anything I could have ever imagined, this southern country boy is off to Minneapolis, Minnesota next week.  Headed up for some “learning to behave” training.  It is actually Model Workplace, but I like my title better.   I’ll be staying at the Raddison at the Mall of Americas, so I should have something to do in the afternoons anyway.  My daughter has put in her laundry list of souvenirs that she wants me to bring her.  Don’t have any idea how I’m supposed to buy make up.  Why couldn’t she just want a t-shirt? 

Hope everyone has a great week and we’ll talk on the backside of this little trip to yankee land.

I’m out.

Outwit, Outlast, and Outplay!

Survivor Micronesia ended last night and this was by far one of the best years of the show.  It was a Fans (of the show) versus the Favorites (from past seasons) format this time, and that made for a really interesting dynamic that had been missing on some past seasons.  Those people were beat down by constant thunderstorms, severe and dangerous challenges, and one twist after another.  I have never seen one where so many people got injured while playing.  The women were spectacular this season too.  Not only were they all pretty cute, but the guys on the show were so so so dumb, that the ladies easily walked over, around and through their dead carcasses.   The final four were all women.  All of the big tough guys had all been outwitted and were having a major pity party while sitting their dumb butts on the jury.  All in all…a pretty good watch when not much else has been on.  And although Parvati won the million bucks, I’ll be missing you Alexis…

And Ami…

and Amanda…

Reruns of “Law And Order”, here I come….

I Am Legend

Apologies for being away so long.  Been a strange week.  Just haven’t felt at ease with much of anything for the entire week.  And the weekend didn’t really help.  I’m still getting used to rising before the roosters and so I spent most of my first off day sleeping, and the second one catching up all the things I should have done on the first one.  Oddly enough, going back to work seems to help and it did today too. 

I spent the afternoon folding clothes (exciting I know), and watching my latest purchase from the Columbia House Movie Club.  I didn’t really buy this movie on purpose…I just keep forgetting to turn down the latest offer.  You don’t even have to mail in those stupid little cards anymore, you just go online and cancel the order.  Still forgot.  It worked out okay this time.  They sent me the Will Smith pic, “I Am Legend”.  I wasn’t really expecting a lot.  I had it set in my mind that this was another zombie movie.  And while it had some of those elements of horror and suspense, it was more of a study into the human psyche and the will to survive.  The special effects were awesome.  It was really cool seeing what New York might look like if it had been deserted for years.  I won’t give away too much of the plot here, but it is definitely worth the rental and you might even consider buying if you are a collector.  Or an accidental collector like me. 

Today is Mother’s Day and I hope it is a happy one for all the Moms out there.  Especially my own.  I couldn’t be with her today (she lives in North Alabama and me in Mobile), but my thoughts were there.  I am sure she was more than entertained as the rest of my family came to see her.  Wish I could have been there, Mom.  I love ya.  Happy Mother’s Day.

Slippery Slopes

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry about the recent Barack Obama mess with his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  I am not for Obama or Clinton (or McCain for that matter), but I find it incredulous how the Democratic party took one of the most spirited political races in decades and once again divided their own party and started the mud slinging.  The first (legitimate) african american candidate for the presidency against the first (legitimate) female candidate.  I know about Rev. Jesse Jackson and I know about Geraldine Ferraro and neither were legitimate candidates.  But this could have been a commentary on how far we all have come as a people and as a nation.  Instead, the nomination will probably be decided by people who aren’t even running, and rhetoric that is more befitting the WWE than one of the great political parties of this country.   Maybe that’s the true commentary.

The saddest part of the whole Jeremiah Wright situation is that religion (namely Christianity) once again takes one on the chin.  By the way, when exactly did religion become politically incorrect?  I understand that there have been some improprieties, but that is not God’s fault.  I understand that there have been some nuts in the flock (Swaggart, the Bakers, and misguided Catholic Priests come to mind), but I blame the church leadership more than anyone.  In their eagerness to replenish the churches, they may have turned a blind eye to some telling signs.  I hope they believed that Christ would fill those less than moral and show them a better way.  What they got were a handful of unscrupulous people who would pass around the name of Christ and use that favor for evil purposes.  Now as a nation, it seems we are turning away from religion.  More and more hatemongers like Bill Maher (HBO) are gaining a voice and a following.  He PREACHES!!  He preaches about how bad religion is and how people who believe in God are stupid and pitiful.  And it scares me.  Not only for me, but for what it might hold for my daughter as she grows up.  Religion is dead in Europe, and we are quickly following suit.  Our forfathers came to this country to avoid religious persecution…now we persecute ourselves.  We all need something to believe in.  “Freedom of Religion…Not Freedom From It”.  Forgiveness.  I need to get back in church.