We are going to a family wedding this weekend back home and my wife assured me that it will be very, very informal. So informal that a pair of khaki pants and a polo shirt would suffice for attire. If you're going to go that route, what's to stop me from wearing shorts and a tee shirt, right? Despite her efforts to change my mind, I am dressing up.
I have always been under the impression that there are two occasions to get dressed up for all the time: weddings and funerals. They are both intended to honor people and you should show up looking your best to honor them. The saying goes 'look good, feel good' and everyone should abide by that. I don't understand why there is this disconnect with society today where it's okay not to get dressed up.
Dressing up my not reflect on others, but it reflects on you. Your appearance gives others an impression of you. If you want to look like you don't care what you look like at formal events, guess what, others will think that of you. At least I would. If you don't take the time to dress to impress, when it comes time for your wedding or funeral (not that you would care about that) if someone doesn't dress up, you can't complain about it. Don't send out black tie wedding invitations if you wore khakis and a polo shirt to others' weddings...ever. That's just a dick move.
20 July 2012
16 July 2012
Pop a Cap in That Pop
A few nights ago I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep and came to a realization: I don't really like pop all that much anymore. It's just meh to me anymore. That's not to say I'm going to stop drinking pop all together, I just don't think I like it much anymore. The last twelve packs that I have bought are in the pantry. I bought two of them when they were on sale for cheap. There is maybe eighteen left and bought them close to two months ago.
In high school, college, and even my early adult life, pop was great. In high school, Mt. Dew was the drink of choice. It was the greatest thing ever! I don't really recall drinking a lot of pop in college, but I'm sure that I did. Mixed in there was some beer of course, but I wasn't a huge party animal. I drank quite a bit of pop at work for lunches or breaks for several years but that has been replaced by coffee (which is healthier for me anyway). It's not some crazy health kick that I'm on, I just don't want to drink it as much as I use to.
The one thing that I can relate this to is the two summers I worked on Mackinac Island. While working on the Island, there were times when I was just craving fast food. It didn't matter what kind, I would just have a hankering for it. McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell. All of it sounded good because there weren't any of those restaurants on the Island. So the times I made it to the mainland, I tried to get to the fast food chains. Thing was, after eating there I felt really shitty. It sat like a lead weight in my stomach. It tasted good for just a split second, but afterwards I regretted it. I only made that mistake a few times in the two summers I worked over there. Ever since, I find myself not eating at fast food all that often.
With my love of coffee, I can never really see myself getting away from caffeine all together, but having just one form of it that I drink is better than two or three. For some reason, I feel good about not drinking a lot of pop right now. It's like a badge of honor. I have lost some weight recently and would like to think that cutting back on the pop has attributed to that a bit. If I were to add some exercise to this cut back in pop, it would be great, but it's working out. I have never been a fan of it. But baby steps I suppose.
In high school, college, and even my early adult life, pop was great. In high school, Mt. Dew was the drink of choice. It was the greatest thing ever! I don't really recall drinking a lot of pop in college, but I'm sure that I did. Mixed in there was some beer of course, but I wasn't a huge party animal. I drank quite a bit of pop at work for lunches or breaks for several years but that has been replaced by coffee (which is healthier for me anyway). It's not some crazy health kick that I'm on, I just don't want to drink it as much as I use to.
The one thing that I can relate this to is the two summers I worked on Mackinac Island. While working on the Island, there were times when I was just craving fast food. It didn't matter what kind, I would just have a hankering for it. McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell. All of it sounded good because there weren't any of those restaurants on the Island. So the times I made it to the mainland, I tried to get to the fast food chains. Thing was, after eating there I felt really shitty. It sat like a lead weight in my stomach. It tasted good for just a split second, but afterwards I regretted it. I only made that mistake a few times in the two summers I worked over there. Ever since, I find myself not eating at fast food all that often.
With my love of coffee, I can never really see myself getting away from caffeine all together, but having just one form of it that I drink is better than two or three. For some reason, I feel good about not drinking a lot of pop right now. It's like a badge of honor. I have lost some weight recently and would like to think that cutting back on the pop has attributed to that a bit. If I were to add some exercise to this cut back in pop, it would be great, but it's working out. I have never been a fan of it. But baby steps I suppose.
11 July 2012
A true Minnesotan
Today I have fully become a Minnesotan. I got Minnesota license plates for the jeep. It's true, there is no turning back now. I wrote last year that after getting a permanent residency and driver's license, this was the last thing to be truly in the state.
Obviously it was inevitable because plates expire on a yearly basis. My Kansas plates expire at the end of the month, so it was time. One thing that Minnesota has over Kansas is no property tax on cars! So it didn't cost me close to one hundred dollars to get them.
The only downside? Minnesota requires front and back license plates. Doesn't sound like a big deal until you realize that the jeep doesn't have a spot on the front bumper for a plate. Nothing a drill and drill bit can't fix, right?
Obviously it was inevitable because plates expire on a yearly basis. My Kansas plates expire at the end of the month, so it was time. One thing that Minnesota has over Kansas is no property tax on cars! So it didn't cost me close to one hundred dollars to get them.
The only downside? Minnesota requires front and back license plates. Doesn't sound like a big deal until you realize that the jeep doesn't have a spot on the front bumper for a plate. Nothing a drill and drill bit can't fix, right?
06 July 2012
4/6, or 2/3, or whatever.
FINALLY made it through my fourth book of the year. Ward Churchill's 'A Little Matter of Genocide' is an in depth look at genocide of the Native American populations since Europeans started their continental infestation in 1492. More importantly, he argues that genocide isn't a singular occurrence which happened during World War II. As we all know, the most well known case of genocide was perpetrated by the Nazis against Jewish, homosexual, and physically handicapped amongst others. Churchill doesn't argue that it didn't happen, he just points out that it has happened throughout time and across all around the globe.
It was an interesting read, but I found myself getting a little bored with it at times. There are several parts of the books where he goes into details about historical events that I have read about. He wrote about it to make his points, but I found myself wondering when he was going to make his point. In the end, it's a great 'Angry Red Man Book' as I hear my wife saying that, but it shows that the term 'genocide' can be used in more than just reference to World War II. That's not a shot at what happened then, it's just that people shouldn't get angry when others use the term.
So I'm almost done with my small list for the year. Six books doesn't seem like a lot, but I would have hated myself if I set a goal of reading something like ten books and not reach it. This way, I can say that I exceeded the goal. So I feel better about myself.
It was an interesting read, but I found myself getting a little bored with it at times. There are several parts of the books where he goes into details about historical events that I have read about. He wrote about it to make his points, but I found myself wondering when he was going to make his point. In the end, it's a great 'Angry Red Man Book' as I hear my wife saying that, but it shows that the term 'genocide' can be used in more than just reference to World War II. That's not a shot at what happened then, it's just that people shouldn't get angry when others use the term.
So I'm almost done with my small list for the year. Six books doesn't seem like a lot, but I would have hated myself if I set a goal of reading something like ten books and not reach it. This way, I can say that I exceeded the goal. So I feel better about myself.
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human SocietiesTell All- Damned
A Little Matter of Genocide: Holocaust and Denial in the Americas from 1492 to Present- Suttree
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
02 July 2012
Scorched Earth
Just going to say what's on everyone's mind: it's fucking hot out there. I know that it is summer time and the weather always gets warm this time of year, but it is way too early to be seeing heat advisories. Especially in Minnesota. Kansas, I understand. And I accepted that fact. That was one reason why leaving that state was such a great move, so we didn't have to deal with the heat.
I checked my the weather on my phone yesterday while on lunch and a heat advisory was in effect from Sunday afternoon until Monday night. Now, I remember last year that there was a heat advisory in Wichita that was somewhere in the range of seventy two hours, but that was in August. August is a miserable month. Everyone wants it to be fall because they are sick of being so hot. The weather can't make it's mind up, it'll be hot and sunny then cold and cloudy. It's just a shitty month.
I didn't necessarily forget about humidity while dealing with one hundred degree days in Kansas, it just wasn't high on the priority list of things to think about. There was a little humidity in the air, but not like it is up here. It was eighty degrees when I left work last night at ten o'clock, but with the humidity, it just sucked the life right out of you. I came home and took a shower just to cool down and wash the sweat off.
It doesn't look like it will be a fun summer unless the weather starts to cooperate. When it gets this hot outside, it takes away one thing that is great about living in a bigger city. Being outside. There are so many parks and outdoor activities to be taken in, but who wants to do that when it is so hot and humid out that it is much better and more comfortable to sit inside?
I checked my the weather on my phone yesterday while on lunch and a heat advisory was in effect from Sunday afternoon until Monday night. Now, I remember last year that there was a heat advisory in Wichita that was somewhere in the range of seventy two hours, but that was in August. August is a miserable month. Everyone wants it to be fall because they are sick of being so hot. The weather can't make it's mind up, it'll be hot and sunny then cold and cloudy. It's just a shitty month.
I didn't necessarily forget about humidity while dealing with one hundred degree days in Kansas, it just wasn't high on the priority list of things to think about. There was a little humidity in the air, but not like it is up here. It was eighty degrees when I left work last night at ten o'clock, but with the humidity, it just sucked the life right out of you. I came home and took a shower just to cool down and wash the sweat off.
It doesn't look like it will be a fun summer unless the weather starts to cooperate. When it gets this hot outside, it takes away one thing that is great about living in a bigger city. Being outside. There are so many parks and outdoor activities to be taken in, but who wants to do that when it is so hot and humid out that it is much better and more comfortable to sit inside?
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