... My So-Called Life ...

HEY! It's me!!

2008-09-03T19:50:00.003-05:00

So much for the resolution to blog daily.. DOH! Oh yeah, I traded that in to resolve to "doin' it" with Donnie instead. Anyway, AppleSass Studio is up and running and has actually been a fairly successful venture! I love product design and am so happy with my new-found freedom from living life under the iron fist of THE MAN! Business was a little slow for a good portion of the summer but, hey, it was summer. I really can't complain!

I have spent the bulk of my spring/summer fund raising and doing training walks in preparation for the upcoming 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer. I am so grateful to everyone who has donated their time, money and support. It's been pretty awesome! Walking for hours upon hours a day has recently started to wear on me. My attitude had begun to turn sour. However, my rejuvenated love for NKOTB led me to Danny Wood's tribute to his mom, Betty, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1999 (www.rememberbetty.org). After reading the site with tears in my eyes I feel freshly motivated to get back out there and finish what I've started. It couldn't have come at a better time with an 18-mile training walk scheduled for this weekend. The 3-Day is just 2 weeks from this Friday. I am really pretty excited for it! 60 miles in 3 days... It will be a great bond for me and my cousin, Jennie. I anticipate a pretty emotional journey.

The aforementioned rejuvenated love for NKOTB has been super fun!! My junior high b/f/f and I went to check them out at Mall of America a couple weeks ago. I was amazed at how quickly all those feelings came back - "Oh my gosh! There they are! They are so hot!!!" It was a blast. I've been recording their interviews and performances and picked up the new CD "The Block" yesterday. The funny thing is, this time around I am taking their pictures with my digital camera, recording the shows with my DVR, reading blog entries on My Space and driving myself in my own car to see them perform. Oh, and I have WAY better hair now. The most noticeable difference between me the Blockhead then and me the Blockhead now is that this time I am attending The Kids concert with friends who are pregnant with their 2nd and 3rd children! My how we've grown up. It's so much fun to experience this all over again.

Oktoberfest is fast approaching. Crystal and I are taking our guys to brew beer for the party as part of their birthday present this year! Should be a great time!! We are also planning a coaster invitation craft-a-thon for this Friday. Invites should be in the mail soon!

Linden Hills is Minneapolis' pilot neighborhood for organics recycling (aka commercial composting). Do-do-do-doo-do-dooooo... I am our block's Compost Captain! Unfortunately, this honor does not come with a cape. DRAT! We should have our compost bins next week which will be pretty awesome. I am hoping this year's Oktoberfest party will be a near Zero Waste event! That is, if all you drunken foolios can figure out which bins to use to dispose of your trash. ;)

I suppose that's enough blogging for now. I'll try to be better at keeping it up.

I'm off to draw some Martians while watching Project Runway! GO KENLEY!!

Hello Kitty

2008-05-09T11:06:00.002-05:00

Has anyone else noticed that you can get ANY product imaginable with Hello Kitty's face on it? Since I've been freelancing, I've been using Google Images a lot to look at what different things look like when I'm drawing them. So far, I think every single thing I've Googled has had a Hello Kitty image somewhere in the mix...

Car floor mats? YEP!
Face mask (can't actually remember what I was Googling here)? You betcha.
Guitar? OF COURSE!!

Weird.

Twinkle, twinkle...

2008-04-05T21:56:00.002-05:00

...52 little F-ing stars. The people who lived in our house before us stuck 52 glow-in-the-dark stars to the ceiling of their daughter's bedroom. They didn't use poster putty. They didn't take them down before they moved out. Oh no. They put them up with double-stick foam squares. Jerks.

Screw this AND that!

2008-04-02T20:21:00.003-05:00

NKOTB's first photo together in 15 years! I decided I'm trading in my resolution to blog this year. My new resolution for '08 is to have sex with Donnie Wahlberg. Yep, that's right. My new goal is to become Donnie's baby mama. HA! WATCH ME!! ;)

Sew Buttons on your Underwear...

2008-03-17T20:38:00.004-05:00

...and watch them pop off! Hehe.. My mom used to say that. What a "mom" thing to say. Anyway, here's my new pattern. All finished! Constructive feedback is appreciated.

What tha?!

2008-03-12T21:30:00.008-05:00

Okay, so my lips have been sealed for WAY too long. Oops! Well, I'm back. I left my job and am feeling quite liberated. Keeping busy with freelance work, resume/portfolio updates and a new pattern design I've been rockin' tonight (I'll post it when it's done). Massive quantities of bubble tea and silver needles iced tea have been consumed. I spend my days working on my laptop at the Tea Garden while listening to my jams on iTunes. It's a good life if you don't mind microscopic pay checks.

As an ode to my blog title, I am also spending a lot of my time watching the complete series of "My So Called Life." I'm currently as in love with Jordan Catalano as I could possibly be. He is seriously the hottest thing alive (sorry Josh). Speaking of Josh, ScarJo and I seem to have the same taste in men. She dated Jared Leto pre-Hartnett phase and now the adorable Ryan Reynolds?! Share the wealth, bitch! Whatever.

*sigh* So dreamy.

A New You (Me) at 32.

2008-02-12T14:49:00.000-06:00

I turned 32 yesterday. Ancient? P-shaw! :)

However, I have decided it is high time I address my "medical condition". I have severe pains/gas/bloating/constipation - you name it - pretty much every time I eat anything. It is embarassing and super uncomfortable. I have started to think about correcting/diagnosing the problem for years without much patience for it all. Now that I've reached a mature 32 I think it's time to get to the bottom of this and knock it off. This transition should help in my quest for a more organic lifestyle and better physique, as well.

I've known I am lactose intolerant for awhile now, but haven't done much about it. What can I say? I love pizza and pretty much anything with cheese. Who doesn't?! In addition to the LI, I've suspected for quite some time that I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Prompted by a sketch on an SNL rerun the other night, I Googled IBS symptoms and concluded that is likely what is ailing me. So, I'm keeping a food diary (starting this morning) and am trying to avoid the foods associated with both LI and IBS. Here's what NOT to consume...

Chocolate
Milk
Alcohol
Carbonated beverages
Caffeine
Artifical sweeteners (this includes gum, diet pop, sugar-free candy, etc.)
Too many salads/fruits/vegetables
Dairy products (except yogurt)
Beans
Fatty foods
Red meat
Beverages through a straw
Heavy meals

If you see me eating these things, shoot me a "tisk! tisk!" Thanks!!

Here's what I AM supposed to do...

Drink lots of water
Eat several small meals, rather than three large
Track everything I eat (what, when, how much, where I am when I eat it, who I'm with, what I'm doing, my mood and how I feel during/after)
Exercise
Yoga/meditation/massage (in addition to food, IBS can also be triggered by stress)
Some people get acupuncture and take herbs

Seems like a lot of work, but will probably come more naturally after I've done it for awhile. It will be so worth it to get past all the pain I have. Today is the first day I've followed the diet to a T (including food diary), but it is the third day of no chocolate, artifical sweeteners, carbonated beverages, red meat & dairy. That's a pretty big deal for me. I've been drinking a ton of water to make up for the lack of other beverages.

Besides putting a stop to my discomfort, my reward if I stick to my plan is this dress:

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=13658&pid=570619

TAG...You're it!

2008-02-06T23:14:00.000-06:00

I've received a couple of comments on this here bloggy blog from people I've never met... which is SUPER cool! Just for fun, let's take a survey. If you are following along with "My So-Called Life" leave me a comment and let me know. If you don't know me personally, let me know how you found me. Okay? Okay. Awesome! GO!

Thanks for reading! :)

God Bless the Wicked Awesome USA

2008-02-04T21:00:00.000-06:00

A couple of exciting things happening in this lovely country of ours...

1) New Kids on the Block are reuniting for a new single and a reunion tour. What could make me happier than that?! Only being chosen as Donnie's Cover Girl on stage during the concert. *sigh*

2) Tomorrow is Super Tuesday - 22 states are Caucusing in one of the most exciting Presidential elections in US history. How exciting is it to be a part of that?! We, as voters, have the opportunity to be a part of the DFL ticket going to either a woman or an African American for the first time ever. Pretty neat! I will be attending my first Caucus tomorrow here in Linden Hills.

If you're interested in selecting a particular candidate in tomorrow's caucus, it's easy! First, decide which party caucus you would like to attend (democrat, republican, independent). Green party caucus isn't until March 4. Find your MN caucus location here: http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

Democratic voting runs from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Republican and Independence Parties begin at 7:00 p.m. You do not have to be registered to vote - just eligible to vote in November. For a quick in-and-out, just cast your vote and leave. Or, you can stay for the actual caucus discussions. EZ Cheesy! :)

Now, go make history, bitches!

Cold enough for ya?

2008-01-30T20:01:00.000-06:00

With a wind chill of 35 below today, many of us find ourselves asking "Why do I live here?!" I thought I'd make a list of reasons I love living in Minneapolis as a reminder not to hire a realtor and move to Florida tomorrow.

1. In the Land of 10,000 Lakes you gotta love the water even if it is frozen over 2/3 of the year! The Chain of Lakes are so lovely for running, walks, biking, kayaking, picnics. And, it's just a hop and a skip to Prior for boating and wakeboarding!

2. Lots of tasty restaurants - from cheap eats like Broders Cucina & Punch (yes, I like pizza) to a nice dinner out at Chino Latino, Cafe 28 or JP American Bistro.

3. We're no NYC, but I think there is some pretty good shopping to be had in Minneapolis. I think it goes without saying that we have the largest mall in the country. And, if that doesn't have what I'm looking for (it usually doesn't) there are lots of cute boutiques to help spend my money: Ensemble, Patina, Lava Lounge, Heavenly Soles, Rick Rack, Design Collective... I could go on, but I'm depleting my bank account just thinking about it!

4. Minneapolis is often recognized as a home to the arts. Walker, MIA, Weisman, MCAD, Guthrie, Pantages, Ordway, Orpheum, The Children's Theater, etc.

5. People from out of town often comment on how clean it is here. I've started to notice it more the more I travel.

6. The Twin Cities are just the right size - not too big, not too small. Lots to do, easy to navigate, tall buildings and lots of nature.

7. Seasons. Much as 35 below sucks butt, it's really nice to have four distinct seasons. We have snow for Christmas (usually), we are SO excited when spring has sprung, the summer is gorgeous, and the fall is a welcome transition back to deep freeze.

8. Minnesota nice. Yes, Ms. I-hate-people here! Really, though, people tend to be fairly friendly in this town, I must admit.

9. Music to my ears. First Ave has provided some of the best times of my life. And, Mpls is home to a ton of respected musicians, including Prince, Bob Dylan, Paul Westerberg/The Replacements, Bob Mould/Husker Du and my faves Soul Asylum.

10. Obviously, this list would not be complete without my guy - Josh Hartnett.

The End (of course, there are a bazillion other great things about this city, but that's the end of this list).

It's pay back time!

2008-01-30T19:41:00.000-06:00

I haven't posted in a week. DOH! I'm going to make up for it tonight with Post-o-rama 2008. Here goes...

Since I last posted, I skipped out of work early on Friday to see the movie "How She Move." What they say it's about: A smart girl from a rough part of town who needs to raise money to get back into private school after her sister spends the family's money, then dies from an overdose. What it's really about: Steppin' to tha funky beats, yo! Picture 85% dance, 15% plot... the perfect ratio. Good stuff.

Stopped in at Rick Rack on my way to see "27 Dresses" (cute chick flick) on Saturday and they asked me to make them a dozen Valentine's Day cards! Wha?! Where did that come from? Awesome! They just wanted a simple card with a heart. I decided it was time to learn to use my Gocco Printer. After a few flubs, I figured it out and whipped out 20 Valentines. Rick Rack is now selling them! Stop in and buy one for your sweetie! It looks like this.

Talk Dirty To Me.

2008-01-23T22:32:00.000-06:00

Today's blog entry is brought to you by Vantagio.com...

I got a flyer on my front door last week for "dry cleaning with a conscience." It's a Chanhassen-based eco-friendly, online dry cleaning service called Vantagio.com.

Vantagio is the SimonDelivers of dry cleaning - they will pick up and drop off at your house and you do not have to be home.

Vantagio claims that 98% of existing dry cleaners are possibly the biggest source of pollution and health risk in your nieghborhood. They use perchloroethylene, which is being phased out (banned) in California, is considered a "probable carcinogen" by the EPA, and is responsible for polluting 75% of nationwide Superfund sites.

Vantagio pioneers the use of an eco, and skin-friendly cleaning process.

Prices are competitive with other non-eco-cleaners and offer unlimited $20 referral credits so try it out and, if you are happy with the service, recommend it to friends!

Sample pricing:

Laundered dress shirts - $2.55
Hand pressed shirts & blouses - $6.50
Pants - $6.50
Sport coats - $7.00
Pick up & delivery - FREE!

I haven't tried it yet, but plan to give it a whirl. If you're interested in trying it or learning more, check 'em out at www.vantagio.com. Let me know how it works out!

10 Things We Loved About You, Heath :(

2008-01-22T23:02:00.000-06:00

1. Real name is Heathcliff, like the cat and Dr. Huxtable
2. Was from Australia
3. Sweet accent
4. Was a total hotty
5. Was engaged to Jen of Dawson's Creek
6. Named their daughter Matilda (so cute!)
7. Matilda's godparents are Jake Gyllenhaal (my lunch buddy) and Busy Philips (Audrey - Joey's roommate at Worthington College in Dawson's Creek)!
8. Love interest in A Knight's Tale is Shannyn Sossamon, who is Josh Hartnett's love interest in "40 Days and 40 Nights"
9. Wasn't afraid to kiss Jake in "Brokeback Mountain" & tell an important story
10. Song & dance scene in "10 Things I Hate About You"

We will miss you, Heath.

I said "BRR! It's Cold in here!"

2008-01-21T10:04:00.000-06:00

"...There must be some Toros in the atmosphere!"

That is my tribute to:

a) Yesterday's Bring It On marathon
b) The frigid weekend we had and an even more frigid week ahead of us

It is so cold in my office there are little penguins running around wearing berets in the art department. Chilly Willy indeed!!

I decided over the weekend that I'm becoming a real pessimist and it has got to stop. I used to be super perky and positive about life, but now I'm becoming old and jaded and I really just spend way too much of my energy bitching about people and situations. I've decided to try to turn that frown upside-down (*gag*). For starters, here's another cheer Bring It On style...

I'm sexy, I'm cute! I'm popular to boot!
I'm bitchin'. Great hair! The boys all love to stare!

Sexy? Hmmm... never been one to feel sexy.
Cute? I guess so. I mean, I dress like a 5-year old a lot of the time and 5-year olds are cute, right?
Popular? Somewhat. I'm not the most popular girl in my dept at work, but I do have a lot of friends in life.
Bitchin'? DEFINITELY!!
Great hair? Yes, I do like my hair. And, I got a lovely hair cut on Saturday.
As far as the staring boys go... how could they not?! ;)

Okay, seriously, I think I will start a list of things I'm thankful for. My friend, Ryan, does this and I think it's a pretty sweet idea. Since this is my first, I'll have to start with the big ones...

1. I think it goes without saying, but I'm very thankful for Brian. He understands me and knows me better than anybody. He really cares about me and our dog. He's dedicated and successful in his career. He's pretty laid back in life, but is so silly. I just love him!

2. I'm thankful for my dog, Ernie. He is the cutest and sweetest, squishy-faced little guy. Nobody is ever as excited to see me each and every day as Ernie is. He is a total wiggle worm when I come home at the end of the day and just wants me to hold him like a baby if I've been gone several days. He adores me (in particular, my arm - got a little Mississippi Leg Hound in him) and I adore him.

3. While families tend to be on the crazy side (and mine is no exception), I am grateful for my family and Brian's. They all mean well and really care about us. I don't make an effort to see them often enough, but they really do mean the world to me.

4. What with being so popular and all, of course my friends are a super important part of my life. There are certain things that I share with my girl friends that Brian just can't appreciate. A lot of my friends have been around me for half of my life or more, so they must be pretty amazing!

5. Finally, while I hate SO many things about working here, I really do love my job. I feel so lucky that I get to work in a super creative environment researching trends, sifting through stacks of cute art, communicating with tons of talented artists, making decisions, drawing pictures, and seeing my ideas become actual products and selling in stores across the country. How cool is that?!

Okay, so that should help me kick off my day with a positive spin. Here's to being a smiley-faced girl!!

Curses!

2008-01-17T22:30:00.000-06:00

The Daily 3 numbers are 666 tonight. WHA?! Reminds me of the guy who cut his hand off with a circular saw, then microwaved it last week because he bore the "mark of the beast". Yikes.

So, my company can't afford toilet paper. On Monday, half the stalls had "No T.P." signs on the doors. By the end of the day, one stall had TP. Tuesday, someone had picked up a few rolls at the grocery store (or wherever). I was trend shopping yesterday so I never made it in to the office, but I did hear that the TP was out and that HR was "aware of the situation and [was] working on it". Again... WHA?! So, I'd forgotten about it today when I walked in, sat down, reached for a strip o'papier only to find my stall was reduced to nothing but a scrumpled up paper towel sitting on the tank. DAMMIT! I didn't know where that pile of crust had been! Beggers can't be choosers, so I tore off a small piece and went about my business. I checked on the status of the rest of the room - there were 3 squares left on 1 roll in the last stall. Honestly! Does this seem like a bad sign? Should I be updating my portfolio and resume?! I should think so. If only my work weren't so enjoyable (management, salary, benefits, and long hours aside) I would be much more motivated to start pounding the pavement. Poo.

Speaking of poo... Biodegradable doggy doo-doo bags are available at Pet Smart. They're called Pooch Pick-up Biodegradable Cornstarch Pet Waste Clean-up Bags. They cost $6.99 for 100 bags (1 per day would last for 2 years). We just started using them.

Ernie wanted to make sure he was doing his part. ;)

Buy them at Pet Smart or here -
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752869&cp=2767032.2767115&fbx=0&fbn=Taxonomy%7CScoopers+%26+Bags&f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2767115&fbc=1&parentPage=family&keepsr=1

Angry Girl

2008-01-15T16:59:00.000-06:00

I was doing a bit o' shopping at Patina over my lunch break and came across these bags that are really me in a nutshell. When did I become so pissed off?! ARG!! <--Me as a crabby pirate.

I've been slacking on my eco tips. I hardly think the one tip I posted counts as regular postings. So, here is a bunch of info on bottled water...

Save some plastic: drink tap water, versus bottled. 40 to 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown in the trash EVERY DAY! Just like plastic bags, they will sit in a landfill for up to 1000 years before they've decomposed. Additionally, 1.5 million barrels of crude oil are burned annually producing those plastic bottles. That is enough oil to keep 100,000 cars running for a year! Recycling definitely lowers the impact, but only about 12-15% of water bottles are being recycled. Most end up in the trash - largely due to the lack of plastic recycling containers found in places where bottled water is commonly consumed: the office, the car, the gym, parks, etc.

What to do?

One option... Cargill Dow has developed a corn-based plastic (PLA or polylactic acid) that is used to make the biodegradable water bottles used for BIOTA Spring Water, based in Colorado. Unlike the oil used to make PET water bottles (the standard plastic used to make water bottles), corn is a 100% renewable resource! The PLA plastic bottle will biodegrade in just 80 days in composting conditions (high heat, micro-organisms and high humidity). There is a listing, by state, of stores that carry BIOTA water on their web site. Here in Minnesota, it can be purchased at Surdyk's in NE Mpls, the Wedge Co-op in SW Mpls, Lakewinds Co-ops in Anoka, Chanhassen & Minnetonka, and Fresh Season's Market in Minnetonka.
(See note below regarding recycling/composting of PLA plastic.)

Alternatively... Using a dishwasher-safe, stainless steel bottle refilled with tap water and washed between uses is a great idea! Added benefits: bottled water costs about 500 times more than tap water and tap water has more fluoride than bottled, so it is better for your pearly whites!

(Sources: Yahoo! News, MSNBC.com, BIOTAspringwater.com)

There is some concern about mixing PET and PLA plastic when recycling, as explained here by the BIOTA web site:

"Studies have shown that there is no effect on the quality of recycled product when PLA makes up to 1% of the plastic mix. That's a lot of bottles! BIOTA is dedicated to working with municipalities to explore options for separating, recycling and composting PLA bottles. BIOTA is working with Recycle America/Waste Management to create and promote recycling infrastructures that will accept PLA products. The technology already exists to separate PLA from PET. This exciting development will create strong markets for recycled PLA products. BIOTA supports increasing community composting efforts throughout the US as an additional method of creating a resource from a waste!"

Screw bottled water! Go tap, yo!!

Atlanta Anthill

2008-01-12T18:25:00.000-06:00

I returned from Atlanta last night.

There are these creepy ant sculptures on the ceiling in baggage claim at the Atlanta airport. I was curious as to why they would settle on such yucky "art" so I Googled and I Googled and I Googled... and then I discovered the ants are a metaphor for the anthill-like flurry of airport activity. Curious. I felt like my entire three-day trip was filled with anthill-like flurry.

Hotla...err...The Dirty South

2008-01-08T20:59:00.001-06:00

According to the Urban Dictionary...

Hotlanta

The name that idiots who don't even live in Georgia call the city of Atlanta.

Nobody that actually lives in Atlanta says this. Ever.

JohnO: So yea, I live in Norcross, right outside of Atlanta.
Idiot: Dam fool! You live in Hotlanta?!
JohnO: Please go die. Right away.

I'm headed to ATL for work at the crack tomorrow morning. I have to get up at 4:00 in the mornin'. BARF! I guess I know to steer clear of the Hotlanta refs while I'm there if I don't want to be labeled a jackass. I'll stick with The Dirty South, yo.

I did discover that Hotlanta is in reference to Atlanta's sexy night life. Didn't know about that. Maybe I should repack.

That's all for tonight. Can't waste precious sleep and Coyote Ugly viewing hours blogging my night away.

I'm out, bitches. Werd.

Blog Schmog

2008-01-07T23:31:00.000-06:00

Not into it today.

Lots to do before 3 days in Hotlanta.

Tanya need sleepy. Zzzzzzzzzzzz....

In lieu of some fascinating story about my day, I am posting this news story. It can't be beat.

Boy glue hand to bed to avoid school

MEXICO CITY - A 10-year-old Mexican boy dreaded returning to school after Christmas break so much that he glued his hand to his bed. Sandra Palacios spent nearly two hours Monday morning trying to free her son Diego's hand with water, oil and nail polish remover before calling authorities, police chief Jorge Camacho told The Associated Press from outside the northern city of Monterrey.

"I didn't want to go to school because vacation was so much fun," Reforma newspaper quoted the boy as saying.

Palacios said Diego sneaked into the kitchen in the early morning to get the industrial glue, which he then slathered on his right hand. She didn't hear him get up, but later awoke and found him watching TV with his hand stuck to the bed, she told Mexican newspaper El Universal.

"I don't know why he did it," she told Reforma. "He's a good boy, but mischievous like all kids."

Diego's hand was fine, and paramedics managed to unstick him in time for class.

SOURCE http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080108/ap_on_fe_st/mexico_hand_glued;_ylt=AjHZ_YBifcGE9V9GlT6qtrGs0NUE"

Snoop Bloggy Blogg

2008-01-06T23:27:00.000-06:00

Chooch.

Been watching Snoop Dogg's Father Hood tonight. He's in Munich. How bizarre to be out to dinner in Germany and run into Snoop Dogg and fam! Anyway, "chooch" was Snoop's word of the day. It's some sort of a gangsta greeting.

Didn't do much today...

Missed out on the last day of Pompeii at the Science Museum today because the tickets were sold out for the day. DAMMIT!

Brian, Ernie and I ended up taking a giant nap and going sledding in the neighborhood instead. It was wicked awesome. Brian took this huge jump and flew like a rag doll. I held my breath and peaked out of one eye to ask if he was okay after he hit the ground with a giant thud. He came a laughing. Phew! We're too old for this, but it was great fun anyway!

Ernie's an old man. I think his hip displasia has begun. RATS! He's limping around when he gets up from naps and looks all sad and pathetic like Tiny Tim. MY POOR BABY!!! :( I'll try to track down some dog dietary supplements tomorrow to help him out.

Went on my online quest for degradable freezer bags for Sociale Gourmet last night. You can get them in the UK, but they don't seem to sell them here. The best I could find was bags free of PVCs and Plasticizers that are packaged in 100% recycled material. I am unsure as to what the PVCs and Plasticizers relation is to the degradability or if it is unrelated. I am going to have to continue researching.

Maybe I will start an eco fact/tip a day in my blog. I've really been getting into that. It's amazing how easy it is for one person to impact our world. Here's a starting place...

Plastic bags take up to 1000 years to decompose. If you spend one week or even one day tracking the number of plastic bags you receive from the stores, it's sickening to think about that number times 6 billion people in the world (obviously, this is going to be a little high as not everyone is getting plastic bags at stores regularly or at all). That is the number of plastic bags that will be piling up on Earth EVERY WEEK and sitting there for 1000 years. I've discovered that paper bags are not a great alternative, either. Plastic bags consume 40% less energy to produce and generate 80% less solid waste than paper bags.

More info here on paper bags...
http://www.cleangreenbags.com/
http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=7

We have made the switch to reusable/recyclable grocery bags and try to remember them whenever we're headed to the store (I usually keep them in the car as I'm kind of forgetful). I also use 3 nylon shopping bags that fold up into a tiny carrier (smaller than a deck of cards) that I carry in my purse and use as shopping bags whenever I make a purchase. We stopped at 3 stores tonight and saved 5 bags using our reusable bags/totes! Hooray! It's a tiny step, but it feels like the right thing to do. I encourage anyone who is not using reusable totes to give them a try!

I'll research and share these facts and tips to be informative, not to be preachy. Hopefully, it will be fun and interesting!

The Big Blogger

2008-01-05T22:59:00.001-06:00

We just watched The Buddy Holly Story. A couple of notes...

Gary Busy is a crazy dude! It is hard for me to get past the Gary Busey who was on Celebrity Fit Club, although he did a lovely job as Holly.

Buddy Holly was only 22 years old when he died! After some Googling, I discovered that Richie Valens was only 17 and the Big Bopper was 28. Damn. I could barely tie my shoes by the time I was 22.

The musicians had just performed in Duluth, MN two nights before they died. Their last show was in Clear Lake, Iowa (which I knew) and they were headed up to the Fargo, ND airport for a show in Moorhead, MN. I did NOT know about all the ties to the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Nor did I know that American Airlines flight 320 had crashed the same day, killing 65 people and initially overshadowing the news that the music had died.

Aside from hours of Buddy Holly, my Saturday consisted of wedding invite design for a friend, baby shower designs for another friend, napping, and preparing 9 meals at Sociale Gourment for some "make & take" dinners we got from Brian's dad and his wife for Christmas. It's a pretty sweet deal, although I kept cringing at the amount of plastic bags and containers used for each meal. "Instructions: This meal will require a plastic container, 2 large and 2 small Ziploc freezer bags." Well, what are you going to do? Maybe I'll research some alternatives and email suggestions to the company. It can't hurt to try, right? Right. Okay then.

Hungry. Must. Eat. Snack. G'night.

I (PROBABLY) HATE YOU!

2008-01-04T23:43:00.000-06:00

If you're reading this, you're likely a friend of mine so that's not actually true. I have pretty carefully selected who I surround myself with and truly do love my friends. HOWEVER, I tend to have a distaste for the general population. My patience is so easily worn thin! If everyone would just take responsibility for themselves and their roles - both in the work place and in their community - my life would be much more tolerable. Whatever you do, just show a little pride and do it well. It's really not that hard!

Okay, so speaking of responsible. WTF, Britney?! In many ways I feel super sorry for her. It seemed like she'd hit rock bottom months ago but, apparently, she was able to drill a Britney-sized hole through the Earth and hit even lower. Zoinks! When will she bounce back?! Now, I fully believe she's F-ing herself, her career and her children in every possible way. But, she obviously needs help and I don't mean the kind of help that includes shoving 50 million cameras in the window of her ambulance as she has a meltdown inside. How'd you like to be the a-hole whose purpose in life is to hop into a helicopter in the middle of the night and hover above Britney Spears' house amongst a half dozen other hovering a-holes shining a spotlight down on an onslaught of emergency vehicles hoping to get some crappy footage of a strung out mother losing custody of her children? Thank God she's got that sweet house to sell to pay for all the therapy those two are going to need. Yeah! Anyway... Sadly, I will be surprised if Britney lives to see this summer.

I watched a few minutes of Conan before bed on Wednesday night when he first came back on the air after an 8 week break due to the writers strike. He had a beard. I watched an online video of Ellen Page's interview on Letterman today and he also had a beard. I Googled "bearded late night talk show hosts" and, it turns out, they are growing beards in recognition of the WGA strike. They will continue to grow their beards until the strike ends, which is kind of fun, so I will follow along with periodic beard progress shots. Here's the first...

Obviously, my Friday night has been action-packed as I've spent it napping and reading celebrity gossip online. WOO! TGIF, yo. Have a good one.

2:30

2008-01-03T22:41:00.000-06:00

Time to go to the dentist! Actually, my appointment was at 11:00. Whatever... As I lay in bed this morning I had a moment of clarity - with the 35W bridge out it's going to take me forever to get to my dentist all the way down in Burnsville. Since I am far from the first to arrive at the office each fine morning, I'd only be at work for an hour before shoving off again, so I opted for catching another 5 or 10 winks instead. A well thought out decision, in my opinion. Ernie agreed. And great news, folks! No cavities. WOO HOO! I do think a third resolution should be added for 08 - Operation: Oral Health. I am the worst when it comes to flossing.

Operation: Healthy Eating is going well. The best parts, so far, are sweet potatoes and Luna bars. Both are jam packed with vitamins and are delicious to boot!

Caught the first episode of Celebrity Apprentice tonight. Gene Simmons is a fun dude to have on there. And, I realize Omarosa is there because she makes for good TV but give me a break. 1) It's lame that she's considered a celebrity and, 2) She is such a B she makes me feel violent. I'd like to challenge her to a Grudge Match, yo!

I think blogging is making me feel inadequate. I mean seriously... 24 hours in a day and all I've got to talk about is my dentist appointment, sweet potatoes, and Omarosa? Weak. Well, what're you gonna do? Maybe I'll start making some things up one of these days. Or, maybe I'll have to get some more interesting hobbies.

Mushaboom

2008-01-02T23:04:00.000-06:00

Why in the hell does anyone live here?! It was around 4 degrees most of today (4 degrees fehrenheit, not celcius! BALLS!!), with a windchill of 10 to 20 below! WTF?! BRRR!

Onward... I'm sort of obsessed with Feist's "Mushaboom" and "Holiday Road", which I recently discovered was covered by Matt Pond PA, thus prompting a swift iTunes download. I've been alternating playing both tunes in my head all day every day for the past week. I want to keep listening to them on ye ol' Pod, but I'm going to shove a piece of rebar in my ear if I repeat "Holiday Rooo-oooo-o-ooo-oooo-o-ooo-oooo-o-oooad, Holiday Rooo-oooo-o-ooo-oooo-o-ooo-ooad" too many more times. Arrrrg!

The return to work this morning sucked the big one. I'm back into the swing now, I think, but I was a total B the majority of the work day. Stupid job!

My second 2008 resolution (after blogging my day away) is to eat healthier and drop some of the extra pounds I've been packing on. Very original, right? Whatever. It needs to happen, so I'll just have to deal with being cliche. Fat December, as it came to be known, basically consisted of Christmas cookies and Diet Coke as I sat sedentary at my desk for 12 hours a day. As a result, my pants don't fit and my belly is brushing past my knees when I walk (okay, maybe it's not THAT bad). Anyway, I kicked off the resolve by stocking up on lots of fresh foods at Kowalski's last night. I ate very well today. Yay me! Spent much of the evening chopping fruits and veggies and prepping fajitas for the week. Delish.

Dentist tomorrow. Gee, I wonder if they'll find out about Fat December?!

Good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-01T23:23:00.000-06:00

I've had this blog for over a year now and have only posted to it 16 times prior to right now. A few posts chronicled my trip to Europe last March and the rest are a few of the designs I've worked on over the past couple years. I really enjoyed blogging from Europe so I made it my 2008 resolution to keep up my blog daily (or, perhaps more realistically, I'll update it "regularly"). I aspire to pump out more designs in 2008, as well, so I will continue to post some of them here.

NYE was fun! A dozen of us rocked the FUN-due at The Melting Pot in downtown Minneapolis. It was my first time there, although I'm sort of a fondue queen generally speaking. Brian and I were living on the edge last night and sampled the seafood - not normally our cup o' tea. We were surprised that the cajun swordfish was decent. The shrimp and lobster tail, however, were not for us.

Started 2008 with a viewing of Sweeney Todd with Andrea and Chris. It was great! So dark, my eyes were watering about halfway through the film. And, I don't know why I wasn't prepared for the gore considering the story is about a pissed off, homicidal barber who lends his "patrons" to the street level shop owner below to grind into meat pies. Still, I was shocked at the amount of blood. Anyway, I heart Tim Burton!! He never lets me down. Andrea pretty much read my mind when she leaned over about 10 minutes in and asked if I'm going to be Mrs. Lovett for Halloween this year. :) I have a Halloween love affair with Tim Burton's leading ladies. Since Mrs. Lovett's hair and make-up were so lovely in this version of ST, I'm not sure how I could pass up the opportunity to attempt replicating her in '08.

Back to work tomorrow, so I guess it's past my bed time. Good night! Sleep tight!

Fruity fruit pattern

2007-08-22T21:08:00.000-05:00

Hello Sweetie Dessert Recipes -Fruit Pizza Illustration

2007-08-21T12:04:00.000-05:00

How 'bout them apples?

2007-07-09T22:34:00.000-05:00

More new patterns for Paper Bicycle!

2007-07-08T22:21:00.000-05:00

My first Paper Bicycle Pattern - DONE!

2007-06-22T09:23:00.000-05:00

PATTERNS: I'M BACK!

2007-05-06T22:51:00.000-05:00

Haven't posted anything since Europe. Starting to get back into life in Patternland again, so I thought I'd post some of my work...

Eurotrek07 - Arrivederci!

2007-03-09T12:53:00.000-06:00

Friday 3/9 -

8:30 a.m. Aaaah...breakfast in bed and then back to sleep. This is the life.

12:30 p.m. We begin our final day in Rome with an amazing guided tour of the Roman Forum. Our guide is clearly very passionate about archaeology and is eager to share the history of the ancient ruins. It's so interesting to see layer upon layer of cities that have been built, demolished and rebuilt over thousands of years! We are surprised to learn that the excavation of the ruins began just over 100 years ago in the late 1800's. We are certain if we dug a hole in our yard we'd find nothing but dirt.

2:15 p.m. Pasta and Fanta. This has become my staple diet. Very healthy.

3:30 p.m. Stroll through Parco Traiano (a park) and take a look at the above ground portion of Domus Aurea (Nero's "Golden House"). At one time, it had 250 rooms, most of which were below ground. 30 rooms remain in tact but are undergoing renovation so it is not open for tours. Nero also displayed a 150-foot nude statue of himself in front of the house. The statue is no longer there - probably for the best. Seems like a statue of that size might block out the sun! Nero is alleged to have started the fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64 A.D. in an attempt to take over more land. He is said to have played his fiddle as he watched the city burn. What a crazy dude!

4:30 p.m. We are back at Caesar House for some rest. We're pretty tired by now as we've seen an awful lot in the past two weeks.

8:00 p.m. Just about to head out for our last dinner in Roma (to Ivo again for another amazing Buffalo Bill pizza - we're regulars!) before we return to the hotel to pack our bags.

Saturday 3/10 -

We are planning to leave our hotel for a walk to Roma Termini (train station) at 7:15 a.m. From Termini, we will take the 7:52 a.m. express Metro to Leonardo da Vinci airport. Our flight departs Rome at 10:25 a.m. and arrives in Amsterdam at 1:00 p.m. We will then depart Amsterdam at 3:35 p.m. on a nine hour and ten minute flight back in time, landing in Minneapolis at 5:45 p.m.

What an amazing trip it has been! We really have had the time of our lives!! See you all on the other side of the big pond.

Arrivederci! Auf Weidersehn! Au Revoir! Good Bye Europa!

We will miss you... Tanya & Brian

Eurotrek07 - Here's a-more!

2007-03-08T14:22:00.000-06:00

Wednesday 3/7 -

9:30 p.m. We have just taken ourselves on a small tour of Rome - walked along the river, almost got a VERY small car wedged up my rear (I swear, they come out of nowhere!), and now we've made it to Ivo. They say this is, arguably, the best pizza in Rome. Well, they are right! And, I'd have to hear quite a case for another pizza to even consider an argument. Our pizza is called Buffalo Bill (very authentic Italian, right?) and is topped with buffalo mozzarella, parmesan, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. We're seriously in pizza heaven. Oh, and our waiter's name is Stefano. He is a total rockstar waiter. We agree we'd definitely hire him if we were running a restaurant.

Thursday 3/8 -

8:00 a.m. There's a knock at the door. Mmm...it's breakfast! We enjoy room service in the morning and consider hiring a butler.

10:00 a.m. We've just arrived at the Vatican City, appropriately dressed with our legs and shoulders covered. Today, we are going to take Rome by storm because we are running out of time!

10:30 a.m. Our guided tour of the Vatican Museum is beginning. The tour guide is nice to have onhand - letting us know what we're staring at, pointing out countless remnants of sculptures salvaged from the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum, and preparing us for our viewing of the Sistine Chapel.

12:15 p.m. We are entering the Sistine Chapel. I am really looking forward to the art and the peace as we enter a room where photography is "forbidden" and silence is "strictly observed." The room is packed and everybody is talking. Cameras are flashing wildly about the room. The guard is continuously shooshing people and shouting "No photos!" Flashes continue one after the next until I am so disappointed by the human race that I have to leave just to cool down. Lame-o's!!! On a much brighter note, it was quite a sight to see. Michelangelo has continued to wow us from Florence to Rome. He was overwhelmingly talented and, it seems, quite a character!

12:45 p.m. Enter St. Peter's Basilica, created in the 1500's of the marble stripped from the Colosseum and filled with priceless Florentine works of Michelangelo and Botticelli, among others. The Basilica is huge. It's dome is beautiful and was designed by Michelangelo. It was his final design at age 90! He never saw it completed.

1:30 p.m. Hanging out in the Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter's Square) in the Vatican City planning our next move.

2:50 p.m. Just sat down on the patio at the Maccheroni for lunch. Turns out, Roman lunch time is from 1-3:00 p.m. and Maccheroni is about to close. Oops! We quickly order too much pasta, gobble up our meal as they are closing around us and continue on our way.

3:40 p.m. "Hey! Is that the Pantheon?" Sure enough, it is. It is funny what you'll stumble across while passing a McDonald's in Rome! The Pantheon was built in 27 A.D. and has walls 25 feet thick!

4:10 p.m. We continue from the Pantheon to Piazza Nuova, which is home to three fountains lined up within an elliptical walkway. Deep below the current Piazza Nuova in Old Rome, there was once an elliptical track used for chariot races. Super cool! Well, sort of. We have come to find out the winning horse's head was lopped off and the chariot racer would parade around the arena carring his "trophy." Gross!!!

5:00 p.m. We have reservations to tour the Borghese Gallery. Again, loads of lovely art. We are especially impressed by Bernini's beautiful marble sculptures and are excited because we are starting to recognize artists and art styles from all the art we've seen (yes, Brian too!).

6:30 p.m. Spanish Steps - pretty much just a bunch of steps amongst expensive boutiques and hotels. Nice area, though.

7:00 p.m. And, we're on to the Trevi Fountain. It is a really, really big fountain (seems like everything is really, really big here - except the cars). It was made famous by the movie "Three Coins in a Fountain", which we haven't seen. The story goes: throw 3 coins over your shoulder into the fountain to guarantee your eventual return to Rome. We took a few pictures and saved our coins for gelato instead.

8:45 p.m. We have walked clear across town today and our dogs are barkin'. Brian's not feeling great so he's taking a load off. I am sitting in the hotel living room writing. They brought me wine and cheese to enjoy while I write. Tomorrow is loose-ends day. We'll head out at the Forum for awhile and see what else we've missed. Then, we're going to pack our things! Our stay in Italy is almost over.

Eurotrek07 - More from Italia

2007-03-07T11:00:00.000-06:00

Monday 3/5 -

8:30 p.m. Dinner at the Trattoria Marione (recommended by our friends at Rick Steve’s Italy 2007 guidebook). We spend a good 20 minutes using our Italian-English dictionary to decipher the menu (thanks Tom and Heidi!) and finally decide to split a half bottle of Chianti and a 3-course meal of Caprese Insalata (I’ve vowed to eat this at least once daily for the duration of our tour of Italy), Tortellini Ragu (tortellini with meat sauce) and Spezzatino di Manzo con Spinaci (Beef Stew with Spinach). This was, by far, the most delizioso meal we’ve eaten during our stay in Europe.

10:15 p.m. Meandering through the streets of Forence, we come across Piazza della Republica and its awesome carousel! All lit up in the night, it is calling to me “Tanya! Come for a ride on my pretty ponies!” I’ve coerced Brian onto the carousel (by paying our fare and hopping on). We are the only ones on the ride!! I am pretty much as happy as I can be. “Giddy-up pretty pony! Yee haw!”

10:25 p.m. Since Florence is the birthplace of gelato, we find it necessary to stop by a gelato stand for a scoop of cioccolato gelati for dessert after the pony ride. Next, we have wandered into Piazza della Signoria, which is about 4 seconds from our hotel. The famous Uffizi Museum is here, along with an open-air museum containing massive, gorgeous sculptures. Amongst the sculptures is a replica of Michelangelo’s David. This is where the original David once stood (he is now in the Galleria dell’Accademia which we will tour tomorrow). In the corner of this plaza, there are two musicians singing and playing guitar - songs from Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, Elton John. It is the perfect scene... eating a gelato and listening to acoustical mood music while enjoying a backdrop of hundreds of years of art and architecture illuminated in the dark in Florence, Italy. Seriously, am I the luckiest person alive? Today, I really feel like I am. NOW, I am as happy as I can be.

Tuesday 3/6 -

10:00 a.m. We have a little time to kill before our reservation at the world-famous Uffizi Museum, so we decide to start our day with a stroll down to the River Arno. We have a great view of the Ponte Vecchio, which is a covered bridge that used to house a meat market (a real meat market, not like The Loan Tree), but was closed down because it was too stinky. Now, it's popular for vending silver and gold.

10:45 a.m. Reservation time at the Galleria degli Uffizi. This place is gi-normous! The highlights are Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera", and Leonardo da Vinci's "Adoration of the Magi" (pretty cool because it was unfinished so we were able to see all the different layers that go into a finished work, from sketching to the layering of colors). All of the paintings are displayed in chronological order, so we are able to see how art styles evolved and changed over time. The downfall of the visit is a stupid American who infuriates me by standing in front of "The Birth of Venus" spewing a bunch of garbage to her note-scribbling students for a good 30 minutes. Oh well.

2:00 p.m. Today is super dooper art day. So, with the Uffizi and lunch already under our belts, we are off to our second museum tour for the day. We are about to tour the Bargello, which features a bunch of sculptures and is housed in a former prison.

3:00 p.m. Next stop is the Duomo (cathedral) for a look inside. The Duomo is humongous and the exterior is like nothing I've ever seen. It's just beautiful. The inside is slightly less impressive, although still beautiful. When the Duomo was built, the technology to build a domed cathedral didn't exist. Since they insisted on a dome, a giant hole was left in the roof for years until it became a possibility. Once the dome was constructed, Michelangelo was commissioned to paint it's interior.

4:30 p.m. Our final tour for the day is Accademia Gallerie, which houses Michelangelo's sculpture of David. The museum itself is pretty unassuming and has few pieces of art aside from David. We would never have stumbled into it if we hadn't been looking for it. David stands 17 feet tall and is mighty impressive!

5:00 p.m. By this time, we have seen a contribution from each of the Ninja Turtles. And, in the words of Kevin Macalaster "No clothes on anybody! Yech!!" Time for a rest stop at the hotel.

7:00 p.m. We spend an hour or so searching for different restaurants recommended by Rick Steve's. One is closed. One is invisible (seems tough for business). Finally, we end up at Trattoria Nella and are not disappointed.

10:00 p.m. Swing past our favorite Florence-based Irish pub "The Old Stove" to attempt to get online. There is a soccer tournament televised there, so no room for the two internet geeks. Oh well. Back to the hotel...

Wednesday 3/7 -

8:30 a.m. We are early risers today! It is time for breakfast - our last meal in Florence.

9:53 a.m. All aboard! We are headed for Rome, which is the last stop on Eurotrek07.

11:30 a.m. Roma!

12:00 (noon) We have just arrived at Caesar House and it seems like a great hotel! The stuff in the mini bar is complimentary and we will be served breakfast in bed each morning. SWEETNESS!

1:00 p.m. La Taverna Romano is the real deal!! We are here for lunch and I'm sure the owners are named Mama and Luigi because they are just exactly who you expect to see running a restaurante in Rome. They are too cute. "Mama" keeps running across the alley in her apron to a produce stand for more fresh goodies. We enjoy a rigatoni pasta dish with meatballs. It is fantastico! The best part is that I get to say "It's a tasty-a meat-a-ball!"

2:00 p.m. Time for a tour of the Colosseum. It is quite amazing that something SO incredibly old is still standing and is quite elaborate! After the Colosseum, we head to the nearby Palatino for a long walk through the ruins of ancient Rome. We are intrigued by "crazy cat lady" as she feeds a can of food to about 10 stray cats. The cats seem to love "crazy cat lady" and rightfully so!

5:00 p.m. We have just been kicked out of the Palatino because it is closing time. Back to the hotel for the next game plan.

Eurotrek07 - I'm finally back online!

2007-03-05T12:49:00.000-06:00

Thursday 3/01 -

8:00 a.m. Brian is back from Titisee to take me for a quick breakfast before heading back to SICK Headquarters for some training. He hopes to be back between 1-2:00 p.m. I slept fairly little last night and it’s raining... again... so I’m headed back to bed for a few hours.

2:45 p.m. Brian is a little later than planned due to unexpected traffic. The good news is that we are on the road. Next stop: Schwangau, Germany! Unfortunately, directions are rough and streets are poorly marked so we get off course a few times along the way. Just when we think (hope) we’re within 30 minutes of Schwangau, we start our ascent up the side of a mountain (we believe it was the Austrian Alps but have affectionately referred to it as Suicide Mountain). It’s a white-knuckled ascent and eventual descent down the other side as we are making hairpin turns in the dark during a pouring rain with a thick fog sitting over us like a blindfold. In hindsight, it’s probably best that we couldn’t see the drop-off next to us as we’re both kinda chicken when it comes to heights. Now that we’ve passed through the mountain to the other side we decide to stop and ask for directions... We are on the wrong side of the mountain!! DOH! One "coulda-done-without-that" mountain pass later we are back on course.

8:30 p.m. Hark! I spy castles illuminated in yonder foothills!! We’re here!

9:00 p.m. Dine and hit the hay.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Friday 3/2 -

10:00 a.m. Begin our 10-minute hike uphill to the first castle tour at Hohenschwangau Castle. Bonus! Our tour is in English so we actually know what we’re looking at! Unlike the Koenigsburg Castle we toured in France, Hohenschwangau was home to royalty in its day and, therefore, is filled with elaborate art and treasures. It’s amazing what ridiculous gifts a person receives when they are royalty!

11:45 a.m. Begin our 30-minute hike up another hill to our second castle tour at Neuschwanstein Castle - a fantasy land built by King Ludwig II only 120 years ago. This castle really is straight out of a fairy tale sitting in the foothills of the Austrian Alps, which serve as an indescribably gorgeous backdrop. Ludwig has even included a cave themed hideaway in his living quarters, complete with plaster stalactites, sand floors and 80’s looking colored lighting (yes, this is original!). Bizarre-o.

1:45 p.m. Our castle tours are behind us and it’s still early so we decide to hike a bit further to the Marienbrucke, which is a scary bridge high up in the hills with a totally-worth-it view of Neuschwanstein. Clinging to each other, we tip-toe onto the bridge, snap the necessary photos and narrowly escape plummeting to our deaths... okay, not really. But, it is REALLY HIGH!!

2:45 p.m. We have seen what we came to see in Schwangau and really enjoyed ourselves. Next, we are headed to the neighboring town of Fuessen for some lunch.

5:00 p.m. Depart Fuessen...Munich-bound!

7:15 p.m. Arrive in Munchen (Munich). It’s a MUCH bigger and more modern city than any other we’ve visited on this trip. We drive around for what seems like a lifetime on a quest for the BahnHof (train station) and rental car return.

9:00 p.m. The Mercedes has been returned and we have two hours to kill at the train station while we await our train to Venice.

11:20 p.m. All aboard! We have boarded the train from Munich to Venice and have found our way to the first class (2-person) sleeper car. It is the size of a walk-in closet, has tiny bunk beds and is totally awesome!!

11:45 p.m. Auf Weidersehn Deutschland!! Our train pulls out of the station and we are on our way to Italia! Riding in the sleeper car is like a slumber party as we watch a movie and drink champagne (Brian won at his meeting because he’s a smarty pants) until sleepy time.

Saturday 3/3 -

6:15 a.m. The conductor is at our door with coffee, tea and croissants. He returns our passports that he was holding until we arrived in Italy.

7:35 a.m. The train rolls into the Venezia San Lucia station. Ciao! We have arrived in Venice! I am feeling a bit irritable after a rough night’s sleep, but am excited to be in yet another country! We store our suitcases at the train station so we don’t have to haul them onto the boat and all around the streets of Venice.

8:14 a.m. Board the water bus and ride along the Grand Canal to Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square). The ride is surreal. It’s such an unusual city that it’s almost more like a theme park than an actual city! It really does look just like the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas! Funny!

8:45 a.m. We find our hotel Ca’ Dei Dogi, almost by accident. It couldn’t be more hidden - tucked away off of a street that’s maybe four feet wide. We are very glad we’re not hauling our giant suitcases! The hotel is only a couple years old and is surprisingly nice with a larger-than-expected room and a terrace! We even have a view of the back of Saint Mark’s Square. Really cool! Oh yeah, and our bathroom is complete with a bidet. Just what we need. Hehe.

9:15 a.m. Nap time so I don’t bite Brian’s head off!

12:00 (noon) We are refreshed and ready to take on Venice! We start with lunch... Italian food, of course. The Italians happen to be quite good at it! Next, we are headed into Piazza San Marco for a look around and a couple of tours. We decide to start our tour with a walk through the Basilica di San Marco. The Basilica is in a different style architecture than the Notre-Dame we saw in France and the Munster we saw in Germany, but is very beautiful. Next, we venture to the top of the Compasile di San Marco (St. Mark’s Bell Tower) for an unbelievable view of Venice. Finally, we are headed to the Palazzo Ducale and Ponte dei Sospiri (Ducale Palace and Bridge of Sighs). The palace dates back to 1309, although it was destroyed by fire in 1577 and was reconstructed shortly thereafter. There are three main portions of the palace: the Doge’s apartment (the Doge was a Venetian head-of-state with no political decision-making authority), the Senate Chambers and a prison. It is filled with super huge rooms and is very impressive!

5:00 p.m. It is closing time at the Palazzo Ducale and we are the last to leave. We know how to party into the night! We decide to walk around exploring the city for the next two hours until we make our way back to the Ca’ Dei Dogi to regroup.

8:20 p.m. On the road again.. this time, looking for a good place for dinner. This goes hand-in-hand with more Venice exploration.

9:30 p.m. Mangia! We settle on a waterfront restaurante on the opposite side of the Grand Canal from our hotel. The weather has been pretty nice in Venice so we are able to sit on the sidewalk and enjoy the March air. After dinner, we stroll around a bit more and head back to the Dogi for some sleep. We are exhausted!!

Sunday 3/4 -

8:30 a.m. Buon giorno! Today will be our last tour of Venice. Our hotel has a delicious breakfast waiting for us before we head out for our next adventure.

10:20 a.m. Our hotel concierge has given us a map to help us find our way across town to the nearest water bus stop to the island of Murano (like my car!). Murano is known for it’s beautiful handmade Italian glass. Today is a beautiful day! The sun is shining and the temperature is mid-50’s. We are loving it! My hair, however, is not. It has turned into a giant frizzball and I will not be appearing in any photos today. Apparently, in a city surrounded by water, there is quite a bit of humidity in the air! Anyway, the walk to the water bus stop takes us about 30 minutes (only because I have to stop to snap a photo at least every other minute). We have not yet explored this part of Venice and it’s lovely! It seems to be more of a residential area, with far fewer tourists.

11:30 a.m. We arrive at Murano and find our way to a glass blowing demonstration. The dude whips out a bud vase and a fish in about 10 minutes. Super cool! We are quite impressed. The majority of Murano seems to be residential as well as a bazillion glass factories and glass shops.

12:14 p.m. Hop aboard the water bus again and head on back to Venice for more exploring and some lunch.

4:15 p.m. We are fortunate enough to be sitting directly in front of Mr. and Mrs. Slurpy McKisseeface on the water bus as we make our way back to the train station. Our tour of Venice is now complete!

6:32 p.m. The train is departing Venice and is headed for Firenze (Florence) so we’ve got about 3 hours to kill while we await our next stop.

9:23 p.m. We’re in Florence! It’s kind of far with luggage but we have decided we’d like to walk to our hotel and catch our first glimpses of the city. I am already in love with Firenze! Traffic aside, it seems slower-paced than Venice and less touristy, but still has beautiful architecture and great shopping.

Monday 3/5 -

11:15 a.m. We are already back at the train station. Most of the museums are closed on Mondays so we have planned a day trip to Pisa, which I’m very excited about!

12:30 p.m. We’re in Pisa! It’s a gorgeous day - slightly over cast, but the temperature feels like somewhere in the upper 50’s. We are NOT looking forward to returning to a thousand feet of snow!!

1:00 p.m. After about a 30-minute walk across Pisa, we arrive at Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), which is Pisa’s religious center. It is home to the cathedral (Duomo), its bell tower (the Leaning Tower), the Baptistery and Camposanto Cemetary. All four are pretty white marble Pisan Romanesque architecture. The Leaning Tower is quite a sight! No joke... it really does lean!! It is leaning at a 5-degree angle - about 15 feet off center (6 feet less than it was before it was somewhat corrected by engineers in 1990). It is hard to believe it has been standing (and leaning) for almost 900 years!!!

2:00 p.m. We are not thrilled with the idea of climbing to the top of the crooked structure so we opt for a tour of the Duomo instead. We are not disappointed! As with all the churches we’ve toured, it is breathtaking with careful attention given to every detail.

3:30 p.m. Lunch time!

4:30 p.m. We are back on the train returning to Florence.

6:00 p.m. We have returned to our hotel, Relais Uffizi, to regroup before heading back out.

8:00 p.m. I am updating my travel blog as we sit at an Irish Pub with free WiFi. We have been without internet access since Freiburg. Brian has been patiently sipping his Guinness as I type. It is going to take forever to update my photo gallery so that will have to wait. We're headed out on mission: dinner...

Eurotrek07 - Finishing up in Freiburg

2007-02-28T11:08:00.000-06:00

Tuesday 2/27 -

4:45 p.m. Duck into the Freiburg Office of Tourism and speak with a woman there about things to do on Wednesday... besides shopping. She gives me a brochure (in German, of course) which describes all the museums in town. I jot down a few notes in English as she describes each museum to me. I purchase a map IN ENGLISH (yes!) for 1 Euro. The woman is very cute as she struggles with her English. She says "there is a 'chez' performance on the other side of town tonight. You can get there on foot and on the light rail, but it will be difficult by car." I tell her repeatedly that I do not have a car. She continues "...the road where the 'chez' and blues (get it now?) is playing has been shut down because the 'tods' are hiking there." Huh? Is that some sort of a competitive hiking team passing through town? Who are The Todds? We go back and forth a couple of times trying to figure out what a 'tod' is because she really seems to want me to know (I'm glad she did!). Turns out the word she was looking for was "toads." The street is shut down because toads are hiking. The picture in my head, of course, is priceless. I'm almost curious enough to venture out to the "chez" fest just to check out these hiking toads. Alas, I am sure the image in my brain is much more exciting so I leave it at that.

5:15 p.m. I settle on La Piazza for another Italian dinner. It is much easier to order than German because of words like: pizze, caprese, penne & mozzarella. My waiter clearly speaks little to no English so I all but become a mute quietly mumbling my requests in English as I point to them on the menu. I even manage to ask for a box for my leftovers using hand gestures. On the way out, the waiter asks if I am American. I tell him "yes." He asks "From Minnesota?" (I am wearing a Minnesota sweatshirt). I get kind of excited and say "Yep!" He seems to be done with me, so I'm on my way.

11:15 p.m. Brian calls from up in the mountains of the Black Forest! He has just finished his post-meeting team building activity for the day and is VERY glad it's over. They built a big tent and then built a fire inside of it, cooked their food outside and ate in the tent. The tent was all smokey from the fire inside and it was pouring rain outside. Better to be in the tent or out? Tough call. BO decided early on to change out of any clothes he wanted to have a prayer of wearing again the next 10 days. Sounds like a blast. Sorry I missed it!

Wednesday 2/28 -

3:15 a.m. So, apparently, I haven't really adjusted to the time change. Maybe it's these long afternoon naps I'm taking because it's 3:15 a.m. and I'm still awake! I put another movie in and "watch" through my eyelids for about 4 seconds. That does the trick!

9:56 a.m. I just woke up. Rats! The hotel breakfast ends in 4 minutes!! I quickly throw on some clothes and slippers and run down 3 flights of stairs just in time to fill my plate.

10:30 a.m. I'm back in my room. It's pouring rain and I'm still tired so I think I'll go with another 30 minutes of sleep. Lazy bones!!

12:00 (noon) I'm on my way to conquer Freiburg. Turns out Colombischlossle Museum Fur Ur- und Fruhgeschichte (Museum for Early and Prehistoric History) is right across the street from my hotel so I'll start there today. All the plaques on the exhibits are in German and there are only two rooms that I can find so I'm in and out in under 15 minutes. DOH! Now what?

1:00 p.m. Freiburg Munster (church) for a daytime viewing. There is a street market in the Munsterplatz (cathedral square)... lots of vendors selling flowers, produce, bratwurst, etc. As I'm snapping photos a woman grabs her (3-year old?) daughter right next to me, pulls down her pants and holds her over the bachle (street "gutters") to use as a toilet. Gross! Anyway, the Munster is totally amazing inside and out. I will have to let the pictures do the talking, even though they don't begin to do it justice. I'm really glad I went back!

1:30 p.m. The other museum on my agenda for the day is the Wentzingerhaus Museum fur Stadtgeschichte (this is the history of the Freiburg area) and, since it's right next to the Munster, that's where I'm headed next. Again, all signage is in German so I really have no idea what I'm looking at until I get to models of the construction of the Munster. They're super interesting! I snap some top secret undercover spy photos of the models so Brian can see them when he gets back tonight. This museum is also pretty small so I am done in about 30 minutes. Stroll and shop some more - try a yummy "banane" gelato. Mmm!!

3:00 p.m. I suppose I should eat some lunch... mostly because I want to sit down and people watch for awhile. I settle on Subway for today's escape. Surprise! The menu is in English. What a sight for sore eyes! Sadly, it is the worst sub I've ever eaten with a 3 to 1 ratio of mayo to chicken. Bleh! Oh well, it's relaxing just to sit next to the window watching Germany happen. It's kind of refreshing to see that this many pedestrians, bicyclists, cars and the light rail all manage to share the road without incident and with very few traffic control devices! It seems we just aren't capable of that in the US for some reason.

4:00 p.m. Back to the hotel. I'm awaiting a call from Brian to find out what time he plans to be back. I'm excited to see him again!

6:00 p.m. I just woke up. Apparently, it was nap time! I guess I should head out to dinner as it's getting dark.

7:00 p.m. Back to the Casanova for yet another Pizze Margherita and a Pepsi Light. Maybe next week I'll find healthier food.. oh wait.. nope. Next week is Italy. That can only mean more pizza and pasta! Brush up on some fashion trends while dining alone and reading People's StyleWatch. Fun!!

10:45 p.m. Just heard from Brian. They have just now finished a 3-hour marathon dinner. We decided it was best if he stayed in the mountains one more night. He will be back to get me for breakfast at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Guess I'll pop in a movie and try to get some sleep. Good night!

Eurotrek07 - Part 1

2007-02-27T08:05:00.000-06:00

Writing from lovely Freiburg, Germany!!

Here's what's gone down so far...

Saturday 2/24 -

11:30 a.m. Gwen picks us up and drives us to the MSP airport. It is wet outside but the weather seems to be hanging in there for us.

1:00 p.m. Board flight to Detroit (scheduled to leave at 1:14 p.m., arriving in Detroit at 4:10 p.m. with a connecting flight headed to Frankfurt at 5:07 p.m.)

1:45 p.m. Deboard flight to Detroit (still at MSP) because the weather has caused them to shut down two runways at the airport and there is a giant pile of planes awaiting de-icing ahead of us. The flight is not cancelled, but we are definitely going to miss our connecting flight to Frankfurt!

2:30 p.m. We are rebooked on the 3:20 p.m. flight from MSP to Amsterdam, although our luggage is still headed to Detroit and will not get on the flight to Frankfurt until Sunday morning so it will be travelling about a day behind us.

3:00 p.m. Board the flight to Amsterdam and wait while the runways are plowed and the plane is de-iced.

4:15 p.m. Success!! Our flight departs for Amsterdam!

Sunday 2/25 -

12:00 a.m. (CST)/7:00 a.m. (Amsterdam) Touchdown! We land in Amsterdam... weary, but happy to be on foreign ground.

9:55 a.m. Our flight from Amsterdam to Frankfurt was scheduled to depart at 8:40 a.m. but was delayed over an hour. We are now on our way to Deutschland (Germany)!

4:00 a.m. (CST)/11:00 a.m. (Germany) Guten Tag! 16.5 hours after we left our house in Minneapolis, we have arrived safely in Frankfurt, Germany!!

12:15 p.m. Depart Frankfurt in our sweet Mercedes wagon rental car, hop on the Autobahn and start cruising down to Freiburg (pronounced Fry-burg), our first destination in Germany.

1:15 p.m. We are soooooo tired so we pull off to a rest stop along side the Autobahn for an hour long nap. Once that is out of the way, it's smooth sailing the rest of the way to Freiburg. We stop at a gas station along the way where we have to pay 0,50 euro for a ticket to use the WC (toilet). Funny!

4:00 p.m. Our 2.5 hour drive has taken us nearly 4 hours due to our nap and WC/snack stop, but we have finally arrived in Freiburg. It's difficult to tell the difference between cobblestone streets and walkways so we nearly ran down a few folks, but we made it to Hotel Victoria. Nap time!

7:00 p.m. Walk to the Casanova for (what else?) Italian food. Oddly, the Germans are pretty into their Italian food. Dinner is followed by a stroll around town, including a brief tour of the Freiburg Munster (church). It's ornate architecture and beauty is breathtaking!

Monday 2/26 -

7:30 a.m.Guten Morgen! What to wear today? Oh yeah.. same thing I wore the last two days. Nice.

8:15 a.m. Air France calls. Our luggage has arrived in Frankfurt! They hope to get it delivered to us tonight!

10:00 a.m. We are on the road headed for France. Au revoir!

11:30 a.m. Bonjour Francais! After a slight detour, we just crossed the Rhein river into France.

12:30 p.m. "Deux s'il vous plait!" We purchase two tickets to tour the 1000+ year old castle Le Chateau Haut-Konigsbourg. It sits high upon a hill overlooking the town of Saint Hippolyte. The castle has been attacked and rebuilt many times. The castle pre-dates photography so renovations have been implemented based on illustrations that have been preserved for hundreds of years.

3:00 p.m. Arrive in Strasbourg, France. Stop a pattisserie (pastry shop) where I manage to order "une PP Chocolat" en Francais. I am so very proud of myself! Next is a tour of l'Oeuvre Notre-Dome (a massive, old church). The first stone of the Notre-Dame was laid in 1015; it was eventually destroyed by fire and was rebuilt circa 1400. That is one old church! We continue to walk all around town, although it is pouring rain and my only pair of pants are drenched and have stretched to about 40 feet long by this time. Anyway, there are many shops and very few English speakers. Strasbourg is a circular town surrounded by water with bunches of swans-a-swimming! Pretty sweet!!

7:00 p.m. Back in Freiburg and my suitcase is waiting for me. Hooray! I promptly change out of my drenched and dirty clothes and feel 100 times better.

8:00 p.m. Decide to try German food for dinner tonight (or, as they call it here "original" food) at Hausbrauerei Feierling. I order a Brauerbrot (bread with melted cheese, ham, onions and tomatoes). It is not great. The highlight of dinner is a fire in the kitchen of the Feierling Biergarten across the street. We are sitting by the window so we are able to watch the "feuerwehr" as they tackle it. Cool!

10:00 p.m. Brian is off to the mountains for meetings for the next two days so I will be going it alone. Guten abend! I am off to watch some movies on my laptop and get a little shut eye.

Tuesday 2/27 -

10:00 a.m. I slept in and am feeling great! Walked and shopped around Freiburg all afternoon. The language barrier is far more intimidating when going it along. Shopping ended up being the easiest thing to do.. I happen to be very good at it and all I have to understand is money. No problemo!

2:00 p.m. There are menus posted outside of every restaurant and they look like this...
Vorspeisen: Aufschnittplatte, Fleischpastete, Gemischter Salat, Ganseleberpastete...
Um, yeah. I opt for McDonald's and order a Cheeseburger, Small Pommes Frites (fries) and Fanta. Phew! They are playing Roxette on the radio (as Brian says "Germany is where bad American music goes to die"). Yes, I realize Roxette is actually Swedish, but they sing in English and were popular in America 15 years ago, so there!

3:15 p.m. I am in my room and have discovered the wireless connection. Thus, all my awesome friends get the pleasure of this update.

4:15 p.m. Head back out into Freiburg to see what I can see.

I will post some pics on Kodak Gallery later today...

Crisis Nursery Holiday Designs - 3 & 4

2006-10-17T22:21:00.000-05:00

They like the first one (the light blue collage Happy Holidays design). They thought the second (the present with button) looked too much like a retailer gift card envelope and wanted it to be less "stark" and "corporate." So, I did an Illustrator version of the gift. I think the bow is a little weird but it's bedtime so I'm calling it done.

I also did a snowman who I'm pretty happy with. He looks happy so I'm happy. :)

Crisis Nursery Holiday Design 2

2006-10-16T22:48:00.000-05:00

Crisis Nursery Holiday Card - Design 1

2006-10-09T00:43:00.000-05:00

I've been designing fundraiser Mother's/Father's Day and Holiday greeting cards for the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery for the past 3 years. It's that time of year again and my designs are to be submitted and approved by next week. Just finished the first design. I hope they like it! It's sort of a "digital collage" which is something I've been wanting to try. Anyway, here it is!