The Rebellious Years

Drinking diet coke after 10pm? Getting crazy up in here! After several unsuccessful attempts at coming up with a new blog name (can you believe 25andstillalive.blogspot and 25tolife.blogspot are both taken already?! Pah!) A new name has been chosen! You can now find me during the 25th (ok 26th) year of my life at....

(Drum roll please) 

http://25andunwise.blogspot.com 

Adventures will continue, and I will make it my solemn duty in my 25th year to try as many new things as I can. At least one big new thing each week. Stay tuned for updates there. Thanks for following and catch you on the flipside!

Bees

Sometimes it's (very briefly) comforting to be reminded that ours is not the only ineffectual government. Also, I've re-discovered how much I enjoy reading George Monbiot occasionally. 

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/aug/05/neonicotinoids-ddt-pesticides-nature  (Britain, Bees, and Neonicotinoids!)

In other news, TICKETS TO DC ACQUIRED. September 3rd, roll out!

In other other news, happy early birthday to meee!

A quarter of a century? Whoof. 

How I feel about blueberries right about now. 

Pinch n a Punch 9 Days in this Month

25 in nine days?! EEEP!

After chatting with Will and looking at apartments all morning, It's just about time I got a job. And then go golfing. But in the meantime, here are some of the coolest bridges in the world, all located in India!

Grown from the roots of ficus trees (yay figs!), the bridges are probably the only ones in the world that get stronger over time rather than weaker. Pics and info shamelessly stolen mostly from http://rootbridges.blogspot.com/

Double Decker Root bridge in Cherrapunji, India 

DC

Imma go there. And it's going to be awesome. Just in case you were wondering.

Also, not that I was great at updating this at the end, but I think for 25 I'm going to try one (bigger) new thing each week and update it here. Err, on a new incarnation of it. 25andstillalive.blogspot.com? Will get back to you on the title. For now I've been thinking seriously about that online diabetes store. Time to get that off the ground!

-Matt Out!

Did you know..

That 47.7 million Americans received SNAP benefits (food stamps) last year?

In other fun news, the House is probably going to split the farm bill into an Ag bill and a food/nutrition assistance bill. And then mostly not fund the second one, because, well, that's how we roll when we elect the most incompetent congress ever into office. Yay USA!

Also, Bayfield tomorrow! HUZZAH!


P.s. Vineyard names - Glacial Grapes. For it? Against it? Thoughts?

SP(iced) (h)AM

...still blowing my mind!

The Mentalist

New show. Jen has me hooked.

Oh lord

140 person wedding?! EEGADS.

Buses with wifi!?

The future is here.

Stolen shamelessly from http://robertjhastings.net/

The True Joy of Life is the Trip

THE STATION By Robert J. Hastings    TUCKED AWAY in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision.  We see ourselves on a long, long trip that almost spans the continent.  We're traveling by passenger train, and out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village halls, of biting winter and blazing summer and cavorting spring and docile fall.      But uppermost in our minds is the final destination.  On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station.  There will be bands playing and flags waving.  And once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true.  So many wishes will be fulfilled and so many pieces of our lives finally will be neatly fitted together like a completed jigsaw puzzle.  How restlessly we pace the aisles, damming the minutes for loitering, waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.      However, sooner or later we must realize there is no one station, no one place to arrive at once and for all.  The true joy of life is the trip.  The station is only a dream.  It constantly outdistances us.      When we get to the station that will be it!" we cry.  Translated it means, "When I'm 18 that will be it!  When I buy a new 450 SL Mercedes Benz, that will be it!  When I put the last kid through college that will be it!  When I have paid off the mortgage that will be it!  When I win a promotion that will be it!  When I reach the age of retirement that will be it!  I shall live happily ever after!"       Unfortunately, once we get "it," then "it" disappears.  The station somehow hides itself at the end of an endless track.       "Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it."  It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad.  Rather, it is regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow.  Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.       So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles.  Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less.  Life must be lived as we go along.  The station will come soon enough.

Weddings are coming

But frisbee is here now. And SPUFA is the bees knees. Man I missed playing! Three cheers for summer!

And while we're at it, let's do a little dance.

Tomorrow down to Madison to see Jen and Matt's 

bachelor party, woooooo!

Chuck Testa!

Stuck in Atlanta

Welp, that about sums it up! Delays across the board, low staffed ATC (curse you budget cuts!), a missing flight crew (how does one lose a flight crew?), and bad weather combined into a perfect storm (if you will ;) ) that first delayed our flight 6 hours and then canceled it at 12 last night.



Ok, we're not actually in the big one, but cool skyline - no?

On the upside, we're in the Hilton Towers in downtown Atlanta right now. On the downside checkout is 2 and our flight doesn't leave until 7 (25 hours later... oofda, Delta!) Now on to the bigger question... what is in Atlanta?

...To Be Continued

Ooooo Ipad Updates

Aha! Almost a month sans update but I made it back. Travelling has been afoot, sorry about the lapse! Pictures of canal boat adventures in England to follow. For now, exploring the town of Sauve, jumping off one of the oldest bridges in France and the daily diet of baguettes. Hoi hoi, wee wee! This is ze life!

P.s. I went to Pitchfork festival today. There was music. (ok, well a band). It was awesome.

Fact a Day

I try to learn a(n awesome) fact a day at Jungs.

Today's fun fact is about apple root stock.

Did you know all those apples you eat in the store weren't grown on trees that are grown from seeds? That's right kids, to keep lines pure (so a "Honeycrisp" refers to only one specific variety of apple across time and space)  and save time in growing, grafting is used to propagate new apple trees!

Grafting is basically the bees' knees and is essentially connecting the cambium layers of two small trees (a 'rootstock' on the bottom and 'scion' on the top) to form one super awesome tree. So to learn a little bit more about that, here are the root stock we use at Jungs to maintain our kickin' apple lines in a northern climate.



Dwarf trees - Bud 9 (or M26 for Liberty and Enterprise)
Semi-dwarf trees - M7/Emla 7 (or Drop 13 for Snowsweet and Lodi)
Standard - Bud 118



Grafting is cool!

High of 68

Frisbee season is finally back!

(created by the internets at large. I may actually be in this picture)

I've been slacking on my blogs

Sorry samantha.
I'll jump on that.
Happy break day!

May 26th, 2013

15 new episodes, one magical day of Bluth.

CAN'T COME FAST ENOUGH.

Look out (pallet) world

Today I became (kind of not really) fork lift approved for driving around at work. Mwahahahahah. This summer is going to be fun.

BS

Today was a day of blood sugars and blizzards (whatchu doing Wisconsin weather?!), neither of which are particularly doing what I want them to. Pah. Also, bell performance, the plover UMC is pretty darn cool.

Taxes

Yeah, that's right. Suck it 1098-T.

And for my first trick

I run the bare root room by myself for three hours and see how that turns out. A week or so on the job should be enough to have absorbed every bit of botany knowledge ever, right? Right. I got this.

Grapes

Fun fact = When growing grapes, you want no more than 12 leaves per cluster of grapes on a tendril and should actively prune the shoot at that point to prevent shading (shaded leaves function at only 6% of their capacity) from more leaves to channel growth into grapes themselves, rather than the foliage.

Summary: 12 leaves per grape cluster, any more and you give the ol' choppy choppy.


Oh, and Happy Easter ya'll!

The 'beetus

What a weird thing to have an EAT RIGHT NOW OR DIE response activated in your body on the regular. And then not be able to sleep again because aforementioned body is too dumb to recognize that there is actually food in the system for about 20 minutes. Yay 'beetus.

Hydrangeas are in.

120 Gallons of sap collected and going strong. Starting up the boiler tomorrow, PUDGY PIES AND S'MORES, HERE WE COME!

In other news, Haskap (blue honeysuckle) are pretty much the coolest. And apparently taste delicious! (not to mention loaded in vitamin C and antioxidants!) Now available at your local Jungs Garden Center!

Flash of Brilliance

Epileptic... Diabetics... EPIBETICS!

Quite proud of that one.
#justplainsmart

Shhhhpring!

Has arrived! And with it, the torrential sap downpour! An hour and 35 gallons of sap later, large can number 1 filled! (Dear mom, dad, and Wellings, we're installing sap line tubes down the hill to do our dirty work for us before next year. Just an fyi. xoxo, Matt)

Minions are arranged to do some work (shout out to Nico) tomorrow and with Ariel home, this week should be rocking!

The doldrums of winter have passed, the snow is melting; BRING ON THE SPRING.

PIMPED OUT!

TO THE RIGHT, TO THE RIGHT, EVERYTHING THAT'S COOL IN THE BOX TO THE RIGHT!

But really, you can subscribe by email now, so you can be given LIVE UPDATES on the happenings of my life. Just in case you don't actually want to have to remember to type in this url. God knows I forget to come here often enough.

There was also the option of putting up rotating pictures of cute puppies, but I don't think my blog could handle all that awesome in one go. Mayhaps sometime soon. For now, orchids!

And in lieu of a lame side bar pic, here's a cute Husky(ish) pup.  

Midweek Vacation!

It's no Trinedad and Tobago, but a Wednesday off! Time to catch up on my 'Wherever You Go There You Are', hopefully get some sap going (if it starts flowing!?) and maybe even do those pesky taxes. And hey, let's shoot high - clean my room, finish memorizing Canon in D, and apply for at least two more jobs while I'm at it. Right? Right. I'll get back to you tomorrow on those ones!

In other news, (more recent) perks of Jungs employment, I now have ~150 of Verbena Blue Lagoon/Apricot Sprite Sweet Peas/Impatiens flowers that are "expired" (ok, I'll take a slightly lower germination rate.. but expired? Oh please!) Don't worry mom, I'll have the garden looking like this <---- in no time!) and a free orchid, courtesy of a temperamental child who ran around taking all the tags off.

This is going to develop into a bad habit, I can tell already. (Samantha, go go gadget guerilla gardening campaign?!)


In OTHER news, what you SHOULD be doing right now is googling "Axel Erlandson" Basically, he's the coolest. horticulturalist ever. He grew trees into chairs, ladders, all sorts of ridiculous shapes. Check out his wikipedia page and do a google image search for his name and you can see a lot of his work. (Or shoot me an email, I'll be jumping ship for Gilroy Gardens, CA shortly!) Trees. So cool right now.

Grown, grafted, and LOVED.
Axel was the bees' knees.
Also, swedish/american.

Sap's a risin'!

Add two feet of snow and it's a scene straight from our woods.

VACATION! Why not go to Trinedad and Tobego in the middle of sap season, right? (ahem mom and dad, I'm looking at you here!) Hunkered down with the house to myself (and the ocassional wifi stealer.. err, I mean sister ;) ) and some gorgeous temperatures to look forward to, bring on the sap! Ran the lines once today and got 10-12 gallons and I think it barely broke 34 all day! Hopefully we can make up for last season! 

Go go gadget, boil-down! 

Maple Sap Season

Spring is coming, winter goes
Melting February snows.

Warm March days, cold starry skies
Make the maple sap to rise.

Daytime thaw and nighttime freeze
Draw the sap up in the trees.

Morning sun will make it drop;
Evening cold will make it stop.

Dump the silver buckets gleaming.
Boil the sap and watch it steaming.

Cool it now and stir it quick,

It’s maple syrup, brown and thick.

Boil it more, the syrup’s thicker
Cool it, stir it, beat it quicker.

It’s maple sugar, sweet and good,
Best of all the Indians’ food.

–Marie Curtis

Workin' Man

So I work here now..     http://www.jungseed.com/

and it's kind of awesome! I am/will be learning so much about plants, it's ridiculous. Thus far every customer that has gone through has had a question and it's hard not to talk to them for extended periods of time. I can now tell you 3 different ways to take care of tomato blight (and here, let me direct you to our new grafted tomatoes section!) and can only imagine what I'll continue to learn.

Time to start the fun work in the bare root/back room actually playing with plants Wednesday. I'll get back to you on that one!

In other news Jen (and that Tom kid) visited this weekend and it was fantastic!

Livin' the good life,

Reverend M. Anderson

Let Sleeping Eggs Lay

Yay, time to go measure the sleeping brain of Messir Anderson again tomorrow.

Hopefully it'll be all sorts of awesome and there will be no Delta Wave Derping around (they're the dumb ones that don't quite do what they're told) this time. For now, time to make myself oh so sleepy!

Spiiiiindle.

Pretty much like this. But even less cool looking.

In lieu of a poem ( I was going to put a poem about epilepsy here in honor of the EEG  but as it turns out they're all kinda debbie downers!) I will leave with you a silly diabetic pickup line I found on the internet today:

"Hey girl can you check your blood sugar? Cuz I would love to know your number."  ;)

Vidjas N' Stuff

Video 2 from Anderson Productions, to be released to Julie Lassa (and other senators!) in the near future!
Help me feel popular, take a gander! TWENTY FIVE VIEWS OR BUST!

"Play on Words" 

He took all day to make the play 
and use all seven letters 
would not have taken near so long 
if not among his betters 

Play by play he lost each game 
and needed to save face 
Just this once he would strive 
to not be second place 

What was the word that he used 
to stymie his opponents? 
"ZOOLOGY" on triple word 
played in final moments 

Triumph made him jubilant 
with feelings so divine 
He trounced his college brothers, 
this little boy of nine 

-From someone named Steven on a weird dating site on the interblogs

Cribbage

Sometimes, when my mom is whomping me at cribbage and I'm sure to be skunked, she'll mockingly recite poetry at me.

 "To fight and to fight when hope's out of site, that's the best game of all! Mwahahahah!" - Sue Anderson



Here's the rest of the poem for your enjoyment. Happy Saturn, hope you folks in Madison enjoyed that fake tornado warning (snownado?!). I'll be down there soooon!

The Quitter When you're lost in the Wild, and you're scared as a child     And Death looks you bang in the eye, And you're sore as a boil, it’s according to Hoyle     To cock your revolver and . . . die. But the Code of a Man says: "Fight all you can,"     And self-dissolution is barred. In hunger and woe, oh, it’s easy to blow . . .     It’s the hell-served-for-breakfast that’s hard. "You're sick of the game!" Well, now that’s a shame.      You're young and you're brave and you're bright. "You've had a raw deal!" I know — but don't squeal,      Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight. It’s the plugging away that will win you the day,      So don't be a piker, old pard! Just draw on your grit, it’s so easy to quit.      It’s the keeping-your chin-up that’s hard. It’s easy to cry that you're beaten — and die;      It’s easy to crawfish and crawl; But to fight and to fight when hope’s out of sight —     Why that’s the best game of them all! And though you come out of each gruelling bout,     All broken and battered and scarred, Just have one more try — it’s dead easy to die,     It’s the keeping-on-living that’s hard. -Robert Service, Rhymes of a Rolling Stone

Quartermaster

February I was going to do one everyday.. got to 8. With this, I'm already at 2 for March, 1/4 of the way to A BRAND NEW 2013 BLOGGING PR.

Go team!

Here's a motivational picture for your day. If you're not starting your day off as awesome as this lil' guy, clearly you're doing something wrong.

Cowboy up!

Happy Birthday Mr. Geisel!

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. 
There is no one alive who is Youer than You!” 
― Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!



And some other inspirational words from the man himself:

“Poor empty pants
With nobody inside them.” 
― Dr. Seuss

Thanks Theodor, youda man!

Sometimes I run out of titles

So the Harlem Shake video craze has been making the rounds

This is probably my favorite so far.

Harlem Shake: Washer Edition

In other news, I often ruminate on what I would do if I came into

copious amounts of money suddenly, and today I think I solved that problem.

http://i.imgur.com/HaZF55S.gif

(Now on to the getting rich quick part...)

P.s. Aquaponics is (are?) going to happen. 

Basically, it's the coolest. Tomorrow, a job application (or three), moar F2S 

videos, painting plans and some bookz. And making some plans 

to return to Madison. Mmmmm. For now, le sleeps.

I found a tiny starfish
In a tide pool by the sand.
I found a tiny starfish
And I put him in my hand.

An itty-bitty starfish
No bigger than my thumb,
A wet and golden starfish
Belonging to no one.

I thought that I would take him
From the tidepool by the sea,
And bring him home to give you
A loving gift from me.

But as I held my starfish,
His skin began to dry.
Without his special seaside home,
My gift for you would die.I found a tiny starfish
In a tide pool by the sea.
I hope whoever finds him next
Will leave him there, like me!

And the gift I've saved for you?
The best that I can give:
I found a tiny starfish,
And for you, I let him live.

-Dayle Ann Dodds

(SO Jen for the poem!)

Thank you Madison!

Now it's time for a nap.

Superhero

Went to Samanthas (car stuck in her driveway in the snow, lololol), dug out 6 pups and Kia from their snowed in kennel, made me feel like a superhero. Other than that, the weather absolutely sucks. I hope my indiscretion in not voting can be forgiven. 

Kia, le mom

Fierce? Someday.

Kennel had snow over the top. No dogs or holes to the surface when
we walked up until Kia heard us and popped her head through the snow, (w)oof!

Shoulda tried out for Milo and Otis.

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH

Feelin' pretty patriotic after finding this picture while in search of some schnazzy farm to school pictures. I am going to fill in that outline at some point, hrrrrm... Viva Wisconsin!

Reacclimating

To a normal sleep schedule. But none too soon. In other news, doing stuff starts... tomorrow! (Get ready world, another F2S video is comin' yo way!)

Also, trying to think up a witty name for diabetes clothing/shop. Unfortunately, the perfectly named diabeetus.com has been taken until May, so I'm working on derivations of BTUS.com or something of the sort. Thoughts?

Now for some dreams and a new day so I can go paint up my "Get Matt to DC" fund!



Keep me from going to sleep too soon
Or if I go to sleep too soon
Come wake me up. Come any hour
Of night. Come whistling up the road.
Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door.
Make me get out of bed and come
And let you in and light a light.
Tell me the northern lights are on
And make me look. Or tell me clouds
Are doing something to the moon
They never did before, and show me.
See that I see. Talk to me till
I'm half as wide awake as you
And start to dress wondering why
I ever went to bed at all.
Tell me the walking is superb.
Not only tell me but persuade me.
You know I'm not too hard persuaded.
--Robert Francis 

Painting

Sometimes you just gotta dance.

Perks

"we accept the love we think we deserve." - Steven Chbosky

Watched Perks of Being a Wallflower a few days ago and this was one of the overarching themes of the movie. What a concept (it makes a lot more sense in context of the movie... go watch it now, great movie!). Slightly perturbing but uncannily applicable in a lot of situations. More thought required. Go watch the movie! Also, I think it would probably be good to get into meditation. I'll letcha know how that goes.

Unrelated note: I can drive again, whoop!

Bunkum

Every month I start out saying "this will be the month I get a post for every day!". Whoops, looks like I'm already 5 posts back! (don't worry, I can still make it up!)

Oofda, had one heckuva weekend in Madison/Milwaukee (Ping pong bar? Yes please!) In fact this was the best weekend I've had in a really long time. Got to see many friends old and new, the Bbites crew and a party bus tour of Milwaukee (complete with a ping pong bar!), a great movie (shout out to you, Jen!) and a new haircut (thanks Kelsey, if you ever read this. Wonky buzz on the side and all, it is great! ...you still suck for eating those pizza toppings though).

All in all it was a magical weekend. The longer I stay here the harder it is to want to leave, hrrrm. DC calls my heart strings though.

And a good book recommendation to boot. (DSO Jen)

On an unrelated note, the words hokum and bunkum are both legitimate words in the English language, and wonderful ones at that.

Hokum: a device used [as by showmen] to evoke a desired audience response; pretentious nonsense (e.g. His new film is yet another piece of Hollywood hokum.)

Bunkum: insincere or foolish talk (e.g. what a load of bunkum!)








And on a final note, HAPPY BIRTHDAY +WILL STOWE! 25 and rentin' cars like a bawwws. My brotha from anotha motha, glad to have known you for the last 5 years, here's to many more wild adventures!

It was all downhill from here. (Hardy HAR HAR)

 Don't Be Shy (by Cat Stevens)

Don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by

You know love is better than a song
Love is where all of us belong
So don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
You're there

Don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by, etc.

Ad hoc

In one of the greater mysteries of life, today I found a pair of Hello Kitty scrubs (Why is it called a pair? There is only one. Pants.) in my closet. Why do I own Hello Kitty scrubs? WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?

In other news, here are some kittens flying with capes to dubstep music. 

Just about as awesome as it sounds.

P.s. (I) read The Fault In Our Stars (on le parents recommendation) last night. Interesting book! More thoughts on that tomorrow.

Weather?

Blizzard Sunday, Thunderstorm Monday (the lightening was kinda crazy!) and 4-6 inches expected tonight... WHAT ARE YOU DOING WISCONSIN?!

In other news, if you have been sleeping in my life/don't already know about them, you should check out The Rye House, an intentional living community my good friend Emily Duma (among others- shout out to you Joey/Seth/Ruthie!) is a part of. They are good people.

http://www.theryehouse.org/




P.s. In 10 minutes I am leaving to go play with baby huskies. The good life.

So much...

So much time, so much to do, so little motivation. Oof.

Props to Elise(/reddit) for the video!

WHAT WILL BE YOUR SPACEJAM?!

P.s. We got a new cat. Chloe, although I'm lobbying for a change to (e.) Coli. 

Gettin' Thrifty

Oh no, longest (I think) record for slacking between posts yet, sorry folks! Shout out to Alyssa and Renee for reminding me of this awesome song. I've been told by more than a few people that this song immediately makes them think of me - I appreciate the compliment! ...Imma steal your grandpas style!

This guy (Macklemore) is an outstanding rapper and does some amazing songs about a host of different social justice issues, the song below being one of my favorites. If you have the time, check out his whole "Heist" cd on Youtube or Grooveshark - it's incredible.  

Cats -1 (ciao Oreo!)

Maybe a tad too far. But someday, the 'ol foot behind the head again? We'll see!

So I've decided at some point in the near future I am going to be opening an online diabetes swag shop, to promote education through laughification (see! fun with the language!), but more details on that as I suss them out.

In other news, 275 views! CARROT'S GETTIN' FAMOUS!

Also, I'm starting yoga. Kind of. I'll let you know how that one goes, faithful readers! Oof! (turns out I am not a stretchy person)

                                                                                           
                                         

                                           

Punctuation Marks

The period is a busy man.
A small round traffic cop.
He blocks the helter-skelter words
And brings them to a stop.

The question mark's a tiny girl,
She's small but very wise;
She asks too many questions
For a person of her size.

Of all the punctuation folk,
I like the comma best.
For when I'm getting out of breath
He lets me take a rest.

Quotation marks are curious.
When friendly talk begins
You'll always find these little marks
Are busy listening in.

The exclamation mark's an elf,
Who is easily excited.
When children laugh or cry or scream
It's then he's most delighted.

                           -Anonymous

                                                  

Be it never said that I am a grammar Nazi or even proficient in the use of all of the above, but sometimes (daily) I worry about about the demise of the English language among the youth, especially via text messaging.

Phrases such as, "im hur ware ru" or "LOL!!!  in an brgrkng plz dont tell mom im their" make me physically cringe every time I see them. When I text, I have to go to the THIRD PAGE of symbols to put an apostrophe in. The third page, as supposedly ranked by usage - having to scroll by £ and  ¥ on the second page to get there.

Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing with the English language as much as the next guy and will indulge myself in an occasional, "Imma come up there and kick yo' face, ya bum!", but only among friends that I know have a firm grasp on how to properly communicate in the real world and can enjoy such bending of the rules.

Old fogey? Maybe. Defender of freedom, America, and usage of the English language? Absolutely.









*none of these are real text messages, for the record.

Carrots! The Incredible Journey

After much ado (about something?) it has finally arrived - the Anderson masterpiece:

Carrots! The Incredible Journey

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8oQtMR-OfE) tell your friends! )
4 views, two likes and counting!

Ice Cream

7.7  A1C, suck it diabetes!

Walked into my appointment with 60+ year old, snow-white haired, fairly conservative doctor and got an out-of-the-blue lecture on how much our current (Well, 112th. Here's to 113!) congress blows and is pretty much giving the younger generation a roundhouse kick to the face.


Also how everyone involved is being dumb and both sides need to get their shit together and start working together to compromise and maybe even get something positive accomplished, as even peoples lifelong retirement accounts are not so solid anymore. Needless to say, he has been recruited for my kicking politicians in the shins campaign. More on that later.

113th congres! ladies ladies ladies! First Buddhist, first openly gay (go Tammy, go!),
first Hindu, first bisexual, and first time >100 ladies in the combined chambers! 

In other news, carrot video is done and will be up on the youtubez tomorrow, link coming shortly!

Wedding and a packer/vikings game in the forecast.

Yippity Yuck

2013! We made it! So happy to be in Madison, ringing in the new year surrounded by friends (and frigid temperatures).

In an unrelated note our political system absolutely disgusts me. In my search for a calling and life plan, I think "kicking idiots in the shins" might be a serious new way to go. Let's just default on a couple loans to teach that big bad other political party (because both sides, in this unfortunately two-sided game do it) a lesson. Not look out after the people or anything, that would be dumb.

Shin kicking. Coming soon to a senator near you!

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/02/us-usa-fiscal-idUSBRE8A80WV20130102

Oh that a Song would sing itself to me
Out of the heart of Nature, or the heart
Of man, the child of Nature, not of Art,
Fresh as the morning, salt as the salt sea,
With just enough of bitterness to be
A medicine to this sluggish mood, and start
The life-blood in my veins, and so impart
Healing and help in this dull lethargy!
Alas! not always doth the breath of song
Breathe on us. It is like the wind that bloweth
At its own will, not ours, nor tarrieth long;
We hear the sound thereof, but no man knoweth
From whence it comes, so sudden and swift and strong,
Nor whither in its wayward course it goeth. 

                                   -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

P.s. Shout out to Eric Martell (if you read this, UPDATE YOUR BLOG!) for letting me crash at his place!