I'll write more later about our camping experience this past weekend at High Cliff Park. Just one question........ Why do we have to have to be completely quiet at 10:00 p.m. in the campgrounds but it's ok for the children to be loud, screaming, yelling and obnoxious at 6:00 a.m.? We were not loud, screaming or being obnoxious. We were playing card games but we had to keep it quiet. But at 6:00 a.m. we were woken up by kids riding their bikes and screaming past our campsite and children yelling at top of their lungs at the campsite next to us.
Just an annoying observation. My husband said, camping is for the kids. Why? Why is it just for the kids? Why can't the adults go and enjoy too?
Monday, August 28, 2006
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Beloit College Mindset List
This list always makes me feel old.
It's that time of year again. Each August since 1998 Beloit College in Wisconsin has released the Beloit College Mindset List. This list was started by Beloit's Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Public Affairs Director Ron Nief, it looks at the cultural touchstones that have shaped the lives of today's first-year college students and is meant to help teachers prepare for their school year and connect with their students
BELOIT COLLEGE'S MINDSET LIST®
FOR THE CLASS OF 2010
Members of the class of 2010, entering college this fall, were mostly born in 1988. For them: Billy Carter, Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Billy Martin, Andy Gibb, and Secretariat have always been dead.
1. The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.
2. They have known only two presidents.
3. For most of their lives, major U.S. airlines have been bankrupt.
4. Manuel Noriega has always been in jail in the U.S.
5. They have grown up getting lost in "big boxes."
6. There has always been only one Germany.
7.They have never heard anyone actually "ring it up" on a cash register.
8. They are wireless, yet always connected.
9. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents'.
10. Thanks to pervasive headphones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front.
11. A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake.
12. Smoking has never been permitted on U.S. airlines.
13. Faux fur has always been a necessary element of style.
14. The Moral Majority has never needed an organization.
15. They have never had to distinguish between the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams.
16. DNA fingerprinting has always been admissible evidence in court.
17. They grew up pushing their own miniature shopping carts in the supermarket.
18. They grew up with and have outgrown faxing as a means of communication.
19. "Google" has always been a verb.
20. Text messaging is their email.
21. Milli Vanilli has never had anything to say.
22. Mr. Rogers, not Walter Cronkite, has always been the most trusted man in America.
23. Bar codes have always been on everything, from library cards and snail mail to retail items.
24. Madden has always been a game, not a Superbowl-winning coach.
25. Phantom of the Opera has always been on Broadway.
26. "Boogers" candy has always been a favorite for grossing out parents.
27. There has never been a "skyhook" in the NBA.
28. Carbon copies are oddities found in their grandparents' attics.
29. Computerized player pianos have always been tinkling in the lobby.
30. Non-denominational mega-churches have always been the fastest growing religious organizations in the U.S.
31. They grew up in mini-vans.
32. Reality shows have always been on television.
33. They have no idea why we needed to ask "...can we all get along?"
34. They have always known that "In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups."
35. Young women's fashions have never been concerned with where the waist is.
36.They have rarely mailed anything using a stamp.
37. Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding.
38. Being techno-savvy has always been inversely proportional to age.
39. "So" as in "Sooooo New York," has always been a drawn-out adjective modifying a proper noun, which in turn modifies something else
40. Affluent troubled teens in Southern California have always been the subjects of television series.
41. They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.
42. Ken Burns has always been producing very long documentaries on PBS.
43. They are not aware that "flock of seagulls hair" has nothing to do with birds flying into it.
44. Retin-A has always made America look less wrinkled.
45. Green tea has always been marketed for health purposes.
46. Public school officials have always had the right to censor school newspapers.
47. Small white holiday lights have always been in style.
48. Most of them never had the chance to eat bad airline food.
49.They have always been searching for "Waldo."
50. The really rich have regularly expressed exuberance with outlandish birthday parties.
51. Michael Moore has always been showing up uninvited.
52. They never played the game of state license plates in the car.
53. They have always preferred going out in groups as opposed to dating.
54. There have always been live organ donors.
55. They have always had access to their own credit cards.
56. They have never put their money in a "Savings & Loan."
57. Sara Lee has always made underwear.
58. Bad behavior has always been getting captured on amateur videos.
59. Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia.
60. They never saw Bernard Shaw on CNN.
61. Beach volleyball has always been a recognized sport.
62. Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti have always been luxury cars of choice.
63. Television stations have never concluded the broadcast day with the national anthem.
64. LoJack transmitters have always been finding lost cars.
65. Diane Sawyer has always been live in Prime Time.
66. Dolphin-free canned tuna has always been on sale.
67. Disposable contact lenses have always been available.
68. "Outing" has always been a threat.
69. Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss has always been the perfect graduation gift.
70. They have always "dissed" what they don't like.
71. The U.S. has always been studying global warming to confirm its existence.
72. Richard M. Daley has always been the Mayor of Chicago.
73. They grew up with virtual pets to feed, water, and play games with, lest they die.
74. Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober.
75. Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics.
It's that time of year again. Each August since 1998 Beloit College in Wisconsin has released the Beloit College Mindset List. This list was started by Beloit's Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Public Affairs Director Ron Nief, it looks at the cultural touchstones that have shaped the lives of today's first-year college students and is meant to help teachers prepare for their school year and connect with their students
BELOIT COLLEGE'S MINDSET LIST®
FOR THE CLASS OF 2010
Members of the class of 2010, entering college this fall, were mostly born in 1988. For them: Billy Carter, Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Billy Martin, Andy Gibb, and Secretariat have always been dead.
1. The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.
2. They have known only two presidents.
3. For most of their lives, major U.S. airlines have been bankrupt.
4. Manuel Noriega has always been in jail in the U.S.
5. They have grown up getting lost in "big boxes."
6. There has always been only one Germany.
7.They have never heard anyone actually "ring it up" on a cash register.
8. They are wireless, yet always connected.
9. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents'.
10. Thanks to pervasive headphones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front.
11. A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake.
12. Smoking has never been permitted on U.S. airlines.
13. Faux fur has always been a necessary element of style.
14. The Moral Majority has never needed an organization.
15. They have never had to distinguish between the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams.
16. DNA fingerprinting has always been admissible evidence in court.
17. They grew up pushing their own miniature shopping carts in the supermarket.
18. They grew up with and have outgrown faxing as a means of communication.
19. "Google" has always been a verb.
20. Text messaging is their email.
21. Milli Vanilli has never had anything to say.
22. Mr. Rogers, not Walter Cronkite, has always been the most trusted man in America.
23. Bar codes have always been on everything, from library cards and snail mail to retail items.
24. Madden has always been a game, not a Superbowl-winning coach.
25. Phantom of the Opera has always been on Broadway.
26. "Boogers" candy has always been a favorite for grossing out parents.
27. There has never been a "skyhook" in the NBA.
28. Carbon copies are oddities found in their grandparents' attics.
29. Computerized player pianos have always been tinkling in the lobby.
30. Non-denominational mega-churches have always been the fastest growing religious organizations in the U.S.
31. They grew up in mini-vans.
32. Reality shows have always been on television.
33. They have no idea why we needed to ask "...can we all get along?"
34. They have always known that "In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups."
35. Young women's fashions have never been concerned with where the waist is.
36.They have rarely mailed anything using a stamp.
37. Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding.
38. Being techno-savvy has always been inversely proportional to age.
39. "So" as in "Sooooo New York," has always been a drawn-out adjective modifying a proper noun, which in turn modifies something else
40. Affluent troubled teens in Southern California have always been the subjects of television series.
41. They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.
42. Ken Burns has always been producing very long documentaries on PBS.
43. They are not aware that "flock of seagulls hair" has nothing to do with birds flying into it.
44. Retin-A has always made America look less wrinkled.
45. Green tea has always been marketed for health purposes.
46. Public school officials have always had the right to censor school newspapers.
47. Small white holiday lights have always been in style.
48. Most of them never had the chance to eat bad airline food.
49.They have always been searching for "Waldo."
50. The really rich have regularly expressed exuberance with outlandish birthday parties.
51. Michael Moore has always been showing up uninvited.
52. They never played the game of state license plates in the car.
53. They have always preferred going out in groups as opposed to dating.
54. There have always been live organ donors.
55. They have always had access to their own credit cards.
56. They have never put their money in a "Savings & Loan."
57. Sara Lee has always made underwear.
58. Bad behavior has always been getting captured on amateur videos.
59. Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia.
60. They never saw Bernard Shaw on CNN.
61. Beach volleyball has always been a recognized sport.
62. Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti have always been luxury cars of choice.
63. Television stations have never concluded the broadcast day with the national anthem.
64. LoJack transmitters have always been finding lost cars.
65. Diane Sawyer has always been live in Prime Time.
66. Dolphin-free canned tuna has always been on sale.
67. Disposable contact lenses have always been available.
68. "Outing" has always been a threat.
69. Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss has always been the perfect graduation gift.
70. They have always "dissed" what they don't like.
71. The U.S. has always been studying global warming to confirm its existence.
72. Richard M. Daley has always been the Mayor of Chicago.
73. They grew up with virtual pets to feed, water, and play games with, lest they die.
74. Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober.
75. Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Our Anniversary Dinner - Review of Sabor
It is not my intention to review restaurants but this one could not be passed up. I received a gift certificate from my co-workers for my birthday to a new restaurant in Milwaukee called Sabor. Sabor can be described as a steakhouse but what makes it different is that it is a Brazilian churrascaria type of restaurant that is found in New York and Miami. The people of Milwaukee should love this concept considering it is all-you-can-eat.
I made reservations for 7:30 and the gentleman taking my call asked if it was a special occasion. I told him it was our anniversary. When we arrived I was surprised to find the placed packed for a Monday evening. We were greeted by a hostess who took us to our table and said, "happy anniversary, enjoy your meal." I was impressed.
The decor was contemporary and beautiful. Very relaxing. We were welcomed to Sabor by a host who asked us if we preferred tap water, bottled water or sparkling water. He also gave us our extensive wine list. Sabor has a wine room filled with over 2000 bottles of wine. We watched our server go into the locked room to retrieve our bottle that we ordered. Our server, Alex, gave us the details on the unique dining experience we were about partake in.
Our first course began with a trip to the "salad bar" which is not your typical salad bar. It was filled with fresh vegetables prepared all different ways, scallops and couscous, salmon, cheese, fruit, stuffed artichokes, the best grilled and marinated portabella mushrooms I have every had and so much more. When we arrived back at our table we had cheese bread waiting for us. It looked like little balls of dough and was warm and melted in your mouth. So good. My husband was very antsy for the next course. He loved the salad bar but wanted meat.
Ready, set, go! When you are ready to partake in the second course you turn over your little stop and go card that is placed in front of you. We turned our cards to green and within minutes one person was clearing our salad plates, another was giving us fresh forks and these huge steak knives and yet another sever was bringing out mashed potatoes, black beans, rice, fried bananas and more cheese bread. Then came heaven - the Gauchos (Brazilian cowboys) came out of the kitchen with large skewers of meat, all kinds of meat. Pork, sirloin, lamb, tenderloin, chicken, filet. 12 different kinds of meat in all. My favorite was the Picanah which is a sirloin seasoned with garlic and sea salt. My second favorite was the Filet Mignon. Who am I kidding, everything was fabulous. We stuffed ourselves. It was the most incredible meat I have ever had.
It is a little on the pricey side ($42.50/person) but all the food in included. (There is a salad bar only option for vegetarians that runs $32.50.) I know some restaurants in town where you will pay $30+ for a steak and if you want a salad or potatoes you are up to $40+. In essence, it's a good price for the quality and quantity of food. Bottles of wine start at about $25 and run up to $300 or so.
I highly recommend this restaurant to people, especially if you like your meat. The food combined with the service and atmosphere made Sabor one of our favorite restaurants in town.
I made reservations for 7:30 and the gentleman taking my call asked if it was a special occasion. I told him it was our anniversary. When we arrived I was surprised to find the placed packed for a Monday evening. We were greeted by a hostess who took us to our table and said, "happy anniversary, enjoy your meal." I was impressed.
The decor was contemporary and beautiful. Very relaxing. We were welcomed to Sabor by a host who asked us if we preferred tap water, bottled water or sparkling water. He also gave us our extensive wine list. Sabor has a wine room filled with over 2000 bottles of wine. We watched our server go into the locked room to retrieve our bottle that we ordered. Our server, Alex, gave us the details on the unique dining experience we were about partake in.
Our first course began with a trip to the "salad bar" which is not your typical salad bar. It was filled with fresh vegetables prepared all different ways, scallops and couscous, salmon, cheese, fruit, stuffed artichokes, the best grilled and marinated portabella mushrooms I have every had and so much more. When we arrived back at our table we had cheese bread waiting for us. It looked like little balls of dough and was warm and melted in your mouth. So good. My husband was very antsy for the next course. He loved the salad bar but wanted meat.
Ready, set, go! When you are ready to partake in the second course you turn over your little stop and go card that is placed in front of you. We turned our cards to green and within minutes one person was clearing our salad plates, another was giving us fresh forks and these huge steak knives and yet another sever was bringing out mashed potatoes, black beans, rice, fried bananas and more cheese bread. Then came heaven - the Gauchos (Brazilian cowboys) came out of the kitchen with large skewers of meat, all kinds of meat. Pork, sirloin, lamb, tenderloin, chicken, filet. 12 different kinds of meat in all. My favorite was the Picanah which is a sirloin seasoned with garlic and sea salt. My second favorite was the Filet Mignon. Who am I kidding, everything was fabulous. We stuffed ourselves. It was the most incredible meat I have ever had.
It is a little on the pricey side ($42.50/person) but all the food in included. (There is a salad bar only option for vegetarians that runs $32.50.) I know some restaurants in town where you will pay $30+ for a steak and if you want a salad or potatoes you are up to $40+. In essence, it's a good price for the quality and quantity of food. Bottles of wine start at about $25 and run up to $300 or so.
I highly recommend this restaurant to people, especially if you like your meat. The food combined with the service and atmosphere made Sabor one of our favorite restaurants in town.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Spent too much money
Ouch, I spent too much money this weekend. My money and our money. My husband and I have our own personal accounts. We have set amount of money from paychecks that go into our personal savings accounts. Kind of like an allowance. This is nice because we don't have to report our splurges to the family budget and it means more when give each other gifts. Anyway, it doesn't matter, the money I spent this weekend came from our joint and my personal. Ouch.....Again.
We started the weekend with a nice dinner at Izumi's (a sushi restaurant in Milwaukee). Great sushi, great service and a fun atmosphere. I still can't believe I got my husband to like sushi.
Saturday I decided that I needed some new clothes. My current selection is old and boring. I headed over to Mayfair and wandered aimlessly through the stores. Too cheap, too expensive, too old-lady, too teen.... so frustrating. My final stop was to one of my favorite stores, The Buckle. I was not expecting to find anything because their clothes are usually pretty casual and I needed some clothes for work. Just as I was picking up a very stylish fall sweater, the cutest "sales" girl came up to me and suggested a tank top that would "go great" with the sweater in my hand. Instantly she gained my attention and my trust. I don't know what it was about her. I explained to her that while I love the style of The Buckle, my workplace was pretty conservative and I needed to keep that in mind while building new outfits. She was amazing. She kept bringing me different outfits, different options, all that were my style and appropriate for work. It was not my intention to buy six new pieces of clothing and two necklaces but somehow I did.
After many weeks of researching I finally decided that I was going to make the biggest electronic purchase I have ever made. (This does not include all the electronics and toys my husband has purchased for the house). Nike and Apple have decided to team up and make one of the coolest running gizmos ever. I least I think so. Nike calls the products Nike+. First you need a iPod nano made by Apple. They come in a 1GB, 2GB or 4GB. The 4GB holds 1000 songs and you can download your outlook calendar, add photos, videos etc. I decided that this would be my first purchase. Wow, this thing is so small. Its as thin as 2 credit cards and about 4 inches high. The iPod nano is very easy to use and Apple provides very user friendly directions on how to use every feature on the nano. I am having so much fun creating music list for work, running and just everyday use. I have even added photos and can customize a slide show.
My next purchase is the Nike+iPod sport kit. This includes a sensor for my Nike shoes that allows my shoes to talk to my iPod. Really, it does. The sensor will also send all my running statistics to a receiver that attaches to my nano. When I get done with my run I will be able to download all the data to my personal training log on nikerunning.com.
HOW COOL IS THIS!?
It was fun to spoil myself like this. It's not everyday that I spend this kind of money in a 48 hour period. And I don't like to brag about it. But at this point in our lives we can do these little extravagant weekends. And since we don't have any children we might as well as take advantage of these situations while we still can. Once the children come, no more iPod nanos! Oh, but I did spoil my cat too. She got new litter, a big bag of her favorite flavor of cat food and treats.
We started the weekend with a nice dinner at Izumi's (a sushi restaurant in Milwaukee). Great sushi, great service and a fun atmosphere. I still can't believe I got my husband to like sushi.
Saturday I decided that I needed some new clothes. My current selection is old and boring. I headed over to Mayfair and wandered aimlessly through the stores. Too cheap, too expensive, too old-lady, too teen.... so frustrating. My final stop was to one of my favorite stores, The Buckle. I was not expecting to find anything because their clothes are usually pretty casual and I needed some clothes for work. Just as I was picking up a very stylish fall sweater, the cutest "sales" girl came up to me and suggested a tank top that would "go great" with the sweater in my hand. Instantly she gained my attention and my trust. I don't know what it was about her. I explained to her that while I love the style of The Buckle, my workplace was pretty conservative and I needed to keep that in mind while building new outfits. She was amazing. She kept bringing me different outfits, different options, all that were my style and appropriate for work. It was not my intention to buy six new pieces of clothing and two necklaces but somehow I did.
After many weeks of researching I finally decided that I was going to make the biggest electronic purchase I have ever made. (This does not include all the electronics and toys my husband has purchased for the house). Nike and Apple have decided to team up and make one of the coolest running gizmos ever. I least I think so. Nike calls the products Nike+. First you need a iPod nano made by Apple. They come in a 1GB, 2GB or 4GB. The 4GB holds 1000 songs and you can download your outlook calendar, add photos, videos etc. I decided that this would be my first purchase. Wow, this thing is so small. Its as thin as 2 credit cards and about 4 inches high. The iPod nano is very easy to use and Apple provides very user friendly directions on how to use every feature on the nano. I am having so much fun creating music list for work, running and just everyday use. I have even added photos and can customize a slide show.
My next purchase is the Nike+iPod sport kit. This includes a sensor for my Nike shoes that allows my shoes to talk to my iPod. Really, it does. The sensor will also send all my running statistics to a receiver that attaches to my nano. When I get done with my run I will be able to download all the data to my personal training log on nikerunning.com.
HOW COOL IS THIS!?
It was fun to spoil myself like this. It's not everyday that I spend this kind of money in a 48 hour period. And I don't like to brag about it. But at this point in our lives we can do these little extravagant weekends. And since we don't have any children we might as well as take advantage of these situations while we still can. Once the children come, no more iPod nanos! Oh, but I did spoil my cat too. She got new litter, a big bag of her favorite flavor of cat food and treats.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
To tri or not to tri
That is the question.
My running is stale. I have been running for over 20 years. Grade school, high school, college and after college (whatever you call that). I have always set goals, achieved them, set higher goals and achieved those. I'm in a rut. I have no goals right now, no race ahead of me. It's that time of year where road racing is winding down and marathon season is picking up. I'm not/can't train for a marathon this fall, what's next? I could go run some collegiate cross country races and get my butt kicked by some 20 year old kids..... nah.
I've always wanted to try a triathlon. The Ironman has always fascinated me. I know that right now that is not a reasonable goal and I need to start small. So I think I am going to spend this fall and winter training for one. A "sprint" triathlon is a good start. I having the running down so I'll really need to work on my swim and bike. It will take a lot of time and dedication.
It is times like these that I can't imagine having kids. How do you train? I know there are women out there who have kids and accomplish such goals. How do they find the time? As much as I want to have children it is times like these that I don't. It takes a lot of time and dedication to do a triathlon. If I get pregnant, I will most likely have to stop my intense training. Then after the child is born, when do I have the time to actually start up again. Am I being selfish? So having children means I have to give up my goals and life? Or does your outlook on life really change once you have kids? Are there mothers out there who really miss their freedom and being able to do whatever they want? These are questions I have about motherhood.
My running is stale. I have been running for over 20 years. Grade school, high school, college and after college (whatever you call that). I have always set goals, achieved them, set higher goals and achieved those. I'm in a rut. I have no goals right now, no race ahead of me. It's that time of year where road racing is winding down and marathon season is picking up. I'm not/can't train for a marathon this fall, what's next? I could go run some collegiate cross country races and get my butt kicked by some 20 year old kids..... nah.
I've always wanted to try a triathlon. The Ironman has always fascinated me. I know that right now that is not a reasonable goal and I need to start small. So I think I am going to spend this fall and winter training for one. A "sprint" triathlon is a good start. I having the running down so I'll really need to work on my swim and bike. It will take a lot of time and dedication.
It is times like these that I can't imagine having kids. How do you train? I know there are women out there who have kids and accomplish such goals. How do they find the time? As much as I want to have children it is times like these that I don't. It takes a lot of time and dedication to do a triathlon. If I get pregnant, I will most likely have to stop my intense training. Then after the child is born, when do I have the time to actually start up again. Am I being selfish? So having children means I have to give up my goals and life? Or does your outlook on life really change once you have kids? Are there mothers out there who really miss their freedom and being able to do whatever they want? These are questions I have about motherhood.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
So my brother rocked last night
He took second. I personally think he should have won (of course). He gave everyone chills in the audience with "You Raise Me Up" and won some nice prizes. Here are some pics.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
My mom said
Ok, I have to make this post cause my mom said. She was reading my blog (uh oh, better keep it clean) and she said I don't have kids cause I'm having too much fun. Or something like that. She also mentioned that I should make sure I say that I'm not trying to put down people who have kids or that people who have kids don't have fun. Good point mom. There are some of us who are waiting to have kids, are trying to have kids or just can't have kids. We have more options to explore because of our freedom. (Is that a bad word to use? Freedom cause I don't have kids?) Whew, make sense?
Oh and mom is cool. We also talked about how it is annoying that some people think that because they have kids their life has to stop. Sure, your lifestyle has to change but you can still have fun and do enjoyable things. We also discussed how it's irritating when you have friends that automatically thing they can bring their kids when they are invited to dinner, showers, parties, weddings etc. Why? Why do people automatically assume that? And then when you try to explain to them it's an adult only situation they throw a fit.
Got some good stories? Share!
Oh and mom is cool. We also talked about how it is annoying that some people think that because they have kids their life has to stop. Sure, your lifestyle has to change but you can still have fun and do enjoyable things. We also discussed how it's irritating when you have friends that automatically thing they can bring their kids when they are invited to dinner, showers, parties, weddings etc. Why? Why do people automatically assume that? And then when you try to explain to them it's an adult only situation they throw a fit.
Got some good stories? Share!
Monday, July 31, 2006
A wonderful weekend because of no children
Hee!
Ok, if we had children we could not have enjoyed this past weekend like we did. Now for all you people out there who have children don't be offended and make comments like "oh, but if you had children you could have still had fun.......etc." Yeah, yeah, yeah I know. But guess what? We don't and so we enjoyed it like this:
Friday night after dinner my husband and I took a stroll down to the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee for Gallery Night. First we had to stop at this new clothes boutique called Fred. Ladies, if you haven't been there yet, go now. Cute, classy, trendy yet affordable clothes. Unique and fun. My husband even agreed to go in and was happy he did after they offered us a glass of wine to enjoy while we shopped.
Next we stopped at the Milwaukee Public Market to pick up a spice box from The Spice House for a gift for my mother in law. Note to all, mother-in-law's love gifts from The Spice House.
Our final stop was New World Wine Company. We really did have every intention of going into some galleries since it was Gallery Night but after this stop, that wasn't going to happen. First we sampled some great wine from Spain and New Zealand. The wine from Spain was very good and on sale for $9.99 so we decided to buy a bottle. Then my husband thought it would be a great idea to get a 6 pack of The Lakefront Brewery Cattail Ale and drink it down by the river. We found a nice grassy spot on the Riverwalk and each enjoyed a bottle of the hometown favorite beer. And another bottle and then another. We watched the boats go by, talked about the new condos going up, had fun people watching, talked about the new boat we were going to buy (this on our third beer) and just enjoyed the night. We then strolled home along the Riverwalk. By the time we got to our condo the Germanfest Fireworks began and we sat in the MSOE baseball bleachers and watched the beautiful display light up the sky. What a perfect way to end the night.
Saturday morning after my run we packed up our jeep and headed down to Bradford Beach for the AVP Bradford Beach Jam Volleyball Tournament. Volleyball, soccer, dodgeball, rugby, BMX bikes and windsurfing all going on. We went to watch volleyball tournament. Set up our chairs between the center courts, had some beers and watched some fantastic volleyball all day. I'll post pictures soon. I really got some great shots.
Our Sunday consisted of Church and a family visit followed by playing some volleyball ourselves. As stated in a early post, I need to practice!
We had a wonderful weekend and it was so nice to enjoy the freedom we have. Not there is anything wrong with children and I'm sure they are great but right now we are taking advantage of not having children and enjoy each other.
Ok, if we had children we could not have enjoyed this past weekend like we did. Now for all you people out there who have children don't be offended and make comments like "oh, but if you had children you could have still had fun.......etc." Yeah, yeah, yeah I know. But guess what? We don't and so we enjoyed it like this:
Friday night after dinner my husband and I took a stroll down to the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee for Gallery Night. First we had to stop at this new clothes boutique called Fred. Ladies, if you haven't been there yet, go now. Cute, classy, trendy yet affordable clothes. Unique and fun. My husband even agreed to go in and was happy he did after they offered us a glass of wine to enjoy while we shopped.
Next we stopped at the Milwaukee Public Market to pick up a spice box from The Spice House for a gift for my mother in law. Note to all, mother-in-law's love gifts from The Spice House.
Our final stop was New World Wine Company. We really did have every intention of going into some galleries since it was Gallery Night but after this stop, that wasn't going to happen. First we sampled some great wine from Spain and New Zealand. The wine from Spain was very good and on sale for $9.99 so we decided to buy a bottle. Then my husband thought it would be a great idea to get a 6 pack of The Lakefront Brewery Cattail Ale and drink it down by the river. We found a nice grassy spot on the Riverwalk and each enjoyed a bottle of the hometown favorite beer. And another bottle and then another. We watched the boats go by, talked about the new condos going up, had fun people watching, talked about the new boat we were going to buy (this on our third beer) and just enjoyed the night. We then strolled home along the Riverwalk. By the time we got to our condo the Germanfest Fireworks began and we sat in the MSOE baseball bleachers and watched the beautiful display light up the sky. What a perfect way to end the night.
Saturday morning after my run we packed up our jeep and headed down to Bradford Beach for the AVP Bradford Beach Jam Volleyball Tournament. Volleyball, soccer, dodgeball, rugby, BMX bikes and windsurfing all going on. We went to watch volleyball tournament. Set up our chairs between the center courts, had some beers and watched some fantastic volleyball all day. I'll post pictures soon. I really got some great shots.
Our Sunday consisted of Church and a family visit followed by playing some volleyball ourselves. As stated in a early post, I need to practice!
We had a wonderful weekend and it was so nice to enjoy the freedom we have. Not there is anything wrong with children and I'm sure they are great but right now we are taking advantage of not having children and enjoy each other.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Ozaukee Idol.......my little brother
Ok, sorry to use this as a plug for my brother. But I'm sorry, he rocks. Please check him out on this webite. Joshua Pope. He is amazing, please vote for him Thank you!!!
http://www.co.ozaukee.wi.us/idol/
http://www.co.ozaukee.wi.us/idol/
Thursday, July 27, 2006
This is my blood y'all
Um, yeah, me, my mom and my brother. ... I guess I haven't even blogged about my family.
Volleyball
I can't play it. I love it, can't play it.
I never played in grade school or high school. I was too involved with running, basketball, cheerleading, softball, band, choir, drama, art fair, science fair, and forensics so I had to give something up. I couldn't get a serve over the net so volleyball got dumped. I still loved watching it and I went to as many games as possible.
So I meet my husband and volleyball is one of his passions. He plays indoor and beach. I decide that I want to learn how to play again. My plate isn't full like it was in school so what the heck? I really love to watch the game. I search for the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments on TV every weekend. I love watching Misty May and Kerri Walsh. They are amazing women athletes and they make the game look so easy.
My patient husband teaches me the fundamentals again and works with me when we have time. After he is done playing on the beach he'll work with me and my skills. We decide to play indoor with our church league this past winter. That went ok. Not too competitive but enough for me to get use to a game situation again. We are asked to play in the summer league and I got very excited because I felt my skills were getting better and I love playing in the sand.
Last night was humiliating. I couldn't set the ball to save my life. My poor husband was all over trying to hit the ball. I couldn't pass and I couldn't hit. I knew what I was doing wrong but I couldn't correct it. I was so frustrated and I'm sure that made it worse. I left last night never wanting to play again. But my husband reminded me, "that is just sports." This is true. But in running I didn't have to work so hard. Yes, I would have to run 60 miles a week, but that came easy to me. Sure, running repeat miles under race pace in the heat is hard, but again, it was easy to me. I guess that is why I'm so frustrated. I want it to be as easy as running. I have to understand that I can't perfect something overnight.
Speaking of volleyball. There is an AVP tournament down at Bradford Beach this weekend. The Bradford Beach Jam starts at 8:00 a.m. and will end with a concert on the Beach by King Solomon at 7:00 p.m.
I never played in grade school or high school. I was too involved with running, basketball, cheerleading, softball, band, choir, drama, art fair, science fair, and forensics so I had to give something up. I couldn't get a serve over the net so volleyball got dumped. I still loved watching it and I went to as many games as possible.
So I meet my husband and volleyball is one of his passions. He plays indoor and beach. I decide that I want to learn how to play again. My plate isn't full like it was in school so what the heck? I really love to watch the game. I search for the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments on TV every weekend. I love watching Misty May and Kerri Walsh. They are amazing women athletes and they make the game look so easy.
My patient husband teaches me the fundamentals again and works with me when we have time. After he is done playing on the beach he'll work with me and my skills. We decide to play indoor with our church league this past winter. That went ok. Not too competitive but enough for me to get use to a game situation again. We are asked to play in the summer league and I got very excited because I felt my skills were getting better and I love playing in the sand.
Last night was humiliating. I couldn't set the ball to save my life. My poor husband was all over trying to hit the ball. I couldn't pass and I couldn't hit. I knew what I was doing wrong but I couldn't correct it. I was so frustrated and I'm sure that made it worse. I left last night never wanting to play again. But my husband reminded me, "that is just sports." This is true. But in running I didn't have to work so hard. Yes, I would have to run 60 miles a week, but that came easy to me. Sure, running repeat miles under race pace in the heat is hard, but again, it was easy to me. I guess that is why I'm so frustrated. I want it to be as easy as running. I have to understand that I can't perfect something overnight.
Speaking of volleyball. There is an AVP tournament down at Bradford Beach this weekend. The Bradford Beach Jam starts at 8:00 a.m. and will end with a concert on the Beach by King Solomon at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Next Project
The last couple of weeks I have been trying to think of a new project for myself. I need something to work towards, a goal, an activity of some sort. My whole life I have been working on something.........graduating from high school, being a competitive runner in college, graduating from college, running the Chicago Marathon, getting married, graduating from grad school....... so what's next. I get up, go to work, go home, run, eat dinner, watch reruns of Friends and go to bed. Hmmmmm. Do I want to take more classes? Do another marathon? How about a trithlon? Start my own business? So these are some things I will be seriously exploring the next couple days.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Morning Run
The nice thing about not having kids right now is my freedom. Like this morning for example. I woke up at 6:30 (an hour earlier than I need to) and I decided to just get up and go for my run. I didn't have to worry about anyone but myself. Well, my husband freaked out a little bit when he heard the door close and didn't see me in bed. It took him awhile to realize that I was out running.
It was beautiful this morning. The thing I love about Milwaukee is one minute you are running in the middle of the city. Cars, sirens, people and tall buildings. Then in a half mile I'm out by the lake and I feel like I am far away from the city life. There are trails I can take where I am greeted by bunnies, tons of birds, squirrels and chipmunks.
It's nice to start your morning with a 5 mile run. I feel like I have already accomplished a lot. And I don't feel guilty about the donut I just ate.
It was beautiful this morning. The thing I love about Milwaukee is one minute you are running in the middle of the city. Cars, sirens, people and tall buildings. Then in a half mile I'm out by the lake and I feel like I am far away from the city life. There are trails I can take where I am greeted by bunnies, tons of birds, squirrels and chipmunks.
It's nice to start your morning with a 5 mile run. I feel like I have already accomplished a lot. And I don't feel guilty about the donut I just ate.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Yes, this was me......
Yes, I was the Tracey in Mike Nichols column in the Journal Sentinel.
Thong wearers at the beach? Ewwwwwwwww
Come on, are you going to disagree with me?
Thong wearers at the beach? Ewwwwwwwww
Come on, are you going to disagree with me?
Would you give up your job to follow a dream?
I just got done reading "So you wanna be a bouncer" on mkeonline.com. Have you ever thought of leaving your 9-5 job for something else you would really enjoy even if it meant a significant pay cut? Would you consider going back to school for a completely different career path? Have you thought about starting your own business?
These are questions that run through my mind when I read about people in the above article. What are your thoughts?
These are questions that run through my mind when I read about people in the above article. What are your thoughts?
Monday, July 17, 2006
Afghan Women Soccer Players
An American woman in their 30's probably has never worried about women's rights. I know that I have gone through my life feeling pretty equal to men. Sure, we still have some things we need to fight but overall we are pretty lucky. We can vote, have a full-time career and participate in sports. Overall we have a good life in America. So good we probably forget about other countries.
Last night my husband and I enjoyed our relaxing Sunday evening by watching the ESPY's.
"The ESPY's gather the top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year's best sports stories by recognizing major achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances" hosted by ESPN. Yes, I love ESPN and look forward to the ESPY's every year.
At one point in the show they brought on Ashley Judd to present the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Within 1 minute my husband and I sat in silence and disbelief as they did a short documentary on Afghanistan and the Taliban's rule over the country and what it meant for women. I'm sure many of you know the history of Afghanistan and the Taliban's rule but if you need a reminder please see the Human Rights Website. Women had to cover themselves completely while out in public, they were not allowed to have jobs, go to school, teach their children, forced to marry, raped, beaten and executed if they did not follow these rules.
In November 2001 the U.S.-led alliance toppled the Taliban and women and girls in Afghanistan have gained some freedom to participate in public life and access to education, health care, and employment. While there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in regards to women's rights Ashley began speak of these new found freedoms including the Women's Soccer. Presently fifteen teams made up of girls ranging in age from 12 to 18 play soccer in Kabul, their country's capital. The leagues were formed after a handful of girls from Afghanistan traveled to the U.S. in the summer of 2004 to attend soccer clinics as part of a organization, the Afghan Youth Sports Exchange. When they returned home they wanted to share with other young women what they learned. Two of the girls who visited the U.S. that summer and still play soccer, 18-year old Shamila Kohestani and 16-year old Roia Ahmad accepted the award on stage at the ESPYS. They received a standing ovation and were dressed in beautiful traditional Afghanistann clothes.
2006 ESPY's Press Room
Not much to say after that. Lots of thoughts have been running through my head.
Last night my husband and I enjoyed our relaxing Sunday evening by watching the ESPY's.
"The ESPY's gather the top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year's best sports stories by recognizing major achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances" hosted by ESPN. Yes, I love ESPN and look forward to the ESPY's every year.
At one point in the show they brought on Ashley Judd to present the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Within 1 minute my husband and I sat in silence and disbelief as they did a short documentary on Afghanistan and the Taliban's rule over the country and what it meant for women. I'm sure many of you know the history of Afghanistan and the Taliban's rule but if you need a reminder please see the Human Rights Website. Women had to cover themselves completely while out in public, they were not allowed to have jobs, go to school, teach their children, forced to marry, raped, beaten and executed if they did not follow these rules.
In November 2001 the U.S.-led alliance toppled the Taliban and women and girls in Afghanistan have gained some freedom to participate in public life and access to education, health care, and employment. While there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in regards to women's rights Ashley began speak of these new found freedoms including the Women's Soccer. Presently fifteen teams made up of girls ranging in age from 12 to 18 play soccer in Kabul, their country's capital. The leagues were formed after a handful of girls from Afghanistan traveled to the U.S. in the summer of 2004 to attend soccer clinics as part of a organization, the Afghan Youth Sports Exchange. When they returned home they wanted to share with other young women what they learned. Two of the girls who visited the U.S. that summer and still play soccer, 18-year old Shamila Kohestani and 16-year old Roia Ahmad accepted the award on stage at the ESPYS. They received a standing ovation and were dressed in beautiful traditional Afghanistann clothes.
2006 ESPY's Press Room
Not much to say after that. Lots of thoughts have been running through my head.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
A highlight of the weekend - The Air Show
After spending a couple hours at Bradford Beach playing volleyball, we decided to head down to Veterans park to see the last day of the Air Show.
Wow.
I love those planes.
Wow.
I love those planes.
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