READ THIS!

Hey team. Not much for today, just a really good article I'd like you to read. This is a reality I face everyday, and it feels good to know some people are not afraid to be who they are.

Enjoy!  Being a teacher means teaching more than just Social Studies

Happy Friday

Hey team. I'm happy to announce that I officially had my first day of teaching this week. And you know what, it went really really well! I am feeling better and better about school, even though it is really kicking my ass right now.

But enough about school...I have a great weekend lined up. To begin with, my Dad and Laurie are going to be in town. And you know what, it is always a blast when they are in town.

I think we are going to go to Minnehaha Falls and eat dinner at Sea Salt. Tomorrow I plan on bringing them to Victor for breakfast, do a little antiquing in the afternoon, and then we are going to BBQ with some friends and the parents. I'm sure we will end up doing other fun stuff (they asked if we would take them to IKEA...should be okay) but this is what we have planned so far. 

And to get the weekend off going right, I'm going to give you a little video if a song I can't stop listening to. Enjoy! (Raphael Saddiq-Good Man)

Fall Jams

Another song that screams fall to me. Probably because I first heard the album on a late September evening, many years ago. I was at a friends house (thanks Sara!) and had been listening to Funeral (Arcade Fire) for the entire summer. I was on my bike, gearing up for a late night ride around lake of the isles and needed something else to throw in my discman. So my friend gave me an extra burned copy of Vespertine by Bjork. That day changed my life (maybe I'm being dramatic, but it really was the first time I listened to Bjork in depth and from a different perspective.)
Anyhow, I love this album, I love Bjork and her craziness and I hope you enjoy this little bit of awesome on a WINDY (seriously, it's crazy out there) day in Minneapolis, or where ever you may be.

Pedal Pub

Have any of you been on a pedal pub? DO you know what a pedal pub is? Well to begin with, it is a large mode of transportation that includes 10 "saddles" and set of pedals, and a bench all wrapped around a bar. (see picture below.) Most people rents these for events like birthdays, bachelor parties, you know. Well last week my friend turned 29 and rented one. Basically, you and a handful of friends get on one of these things (which has an employee sit as captain-steering and braking) and pedal from bar to bar. You can drink WHILE ON THE VEHICLE, making it a blast. However, you have to actually pedal in order to move, so it takes some getting used to.

Anyhow, we hit up a handful of nordeast bars and had a blast. in fact, I had so much fun that I lost my wallet on my bike ride home that night :( total rookie move-had my wallet in my back pocket while riding. never again. Anyhow, I've spent the last few days replacing things and canceling cards and the likes. It makes me want to make sure that my wallet is WAY simplified this time around. I hate that there were numbers and such in there that I will never see again. Is there anything worse that losing a wallet? I questioned whether or not losing my phone would have made me more sad. I think my wallet wins.

On that note, try a pedal pub, don't ever have your wallet in your back pocket while riding a bike, and sometimes important stuff should stay on your night stand.
Happy Tuesday everyone.

something for the FALL!

I love this song. it is one of my favorite songs to listen to when the seasons start changing. I hope you enjoy it.  Happy Fall!

Some pictures from the summer

 My brother and soon to be sister-in-law at the RW24

 Rehearsal Dinner for Brittany and Joel's lovefest wedding

 A and I looking good for the wedding. We were both in the wedding party.

I was on my bike a lot this summer, which was pretty amazing.

been a long time.

Hey team. I know I have been MIA for almost a month.  I will again blame that on Grad School.  Ive been so busy and can honestly say that I worked harder this summer than during most of my undergrad put together. But that is the nature of the game.

Last weekend I was in Milwaukee doing the Riverwest 24, a 24 hour bike race in the Riverwest neighborhood, where my brother and his fiance live.  It was a ton of fun (pics soon to come.)  And while I didn't ride as much as I would have liked, I got in about 65 miles, my fasted lap (4.5 miles) was about 16 minutes and 16 seconds. Pretty proud of that.

Also, yesterday was my 28th birthday. It was a lovely day, and while I was in class, my cohort/classmates are pretty great, which make it not so bad. I also had to work, but my skills group (made up of 4th-6th graders) we a joy as always and even gave me a HUGE Group bear hug. It was heart warming.  AND my night got finished up with a DELICIOUS taco bar. holy cow, it was so good. You know I love me some tacos! And tonight, my lovely lady organized a gathering to celebrate life with me. I am beyond grateful for her (and all of my friends. I got about a million fb birthday messages from all kinds of great people. it made my day!)

So that is where I am at for the moment. I have one week left of the semester, and one week left at my job (I've been at Fraser for 6.5 years....it is going to be a bittersweet end.)

Let's move forward with out list. #16 is a song you used to love but now you hate. Now, there are a lot of songs I hate, and a handful of song I loved but no longer do. But it is rare that there are songs I loved but now hate.  So I will give you a song I used to really like by it got old and I no longer appreciate it.

                                                    #16-Cotton Eyed Joe-Rednex

I used to dance the shit out of this song at weddings. back when I was 10. Now, I find it a little annoying.