Sep 22, 2006

White and Nerdy

I believe Weird Al has redeemed himself for Poodle Hat with this new song and video.

Sep 13, 2006

Yes, I'm still alive

Zoo Station is no more. Long live Stu Station.

Sorry that I haven't been posting in a while. Life has been getting pretty busy, which I guess is a good thing. Been working more at the bakery, learning new "skills" (although "new" should really be in quotes), watching Lost Season Two on dvd (such an amazing show), and slowly destroying my social life by going to bed early afternoon and waking up mid early morning.

Life ain't fun at times, is it? While I'm glad I'm keeping busy, and definitely glad I'm earning some money now...I've been on such a "me" schedule for over a year that I'm definitely feeling the withdrawals now. I miss having time for doing things. I miss being able to be up late at night and spend time with friends. I miss being able to set my own schedule and not really have to be anywhere at a set time. I miss sleeping.

This past summer has been an eye opener in many different respects. Summit was the kickoff, of course. Lots of things happened there, friends were made, ideas were planted, and inspirations were...inspired. Then came reality and the return to Minnesota. I've definitely gone through some different things in the past few months; many good, a few, not so. I'd count the surgery as a good/bad thing, since it all depends on your point of view on it (don't ask).

This summer has also marked my first experience, first real experience at least, with the local party scene. (I'm going to be fairly open on this blog, since most of the people I know who are my age don't know how to read yet...or like tomatoes) I could make a living just by being a designated driver, I've figured out. It saddens me to see people my own age just slowly poisoning and destroying their lives, all in the pursuit of fun. I've made several "friends" (friends in a familiar sense) at these parties, and I alternately pity them and pray for them.

I found myself driving home from one of these parties late one night feeling very heavy in the soul. Driving on the freeway, I just started praying for each and every one of them that I had just been with that night. Praying for not only their souls/salvation, but also just for their safety getting home that night. I also had this feeling that I needed to be there for them, either physically or just in spirit.

The Bible says we are in this world but not of this world. Is it even possible to be in this party scene, walk through it, shakes hands with people, maybe play some pool, share a drink, and still be a witness or a positive impact in their lives? To truly make a difference in someone's life? The easy way out is to avoid the parties; the easy way out is to sit in judgement and condemnation on them.

I'm not that easy it seems.

The saddest event was when, at one party, we (our heroes in this story) came across a mutual friend of all of ours. Someone we had poured our life into, and thought we were getting a beneficial return from. Seeing this person in their original, native environment was hard for me. I still love my friend, and will do anything whenever for them. But it still hurt, and the hurt will continue in my prayers.

Ask you can see, despite my work schedule and busyness...my mind is still everywhere.

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One moment of fun that I've had recently came two weekends ago when my friend David and I went to Green Bay to see the Packers game. While something this monumental probably deserves its own blog post, what you see is what you will get. Maybe some pictures later, once I sneak off to NorthHenn and "borrow" the computers to do some cropping and resizing of said pics. Heck, they owe ME money...I think the least they can do is let me use the PCs free of charge.

Trip went smoothly. Surprisingly, we got down there in about 4 to 4.5 hours. I don't think thats a new landspeed record or anything, but with just one stop for gas and
"refreshment," it felt like we had just left by the time we arrived. And despite the accusations that we "sped all the way down," I was driving, and I purposedly kept the speedometer a mere 5 mph over the speed limit. Minnesota plates in Wisconsin - I Ain't Stupid.

Events up to the game were few yet memorable. Got to stop at Take 2, the greatest store on the earth. Basically, Take 2 is the ideal for places like Disc Go Round, EB Games, GameStop, etc. A store where you do not get ripped off for selling things to them ($2 for a $35 game? No Thank You!!). Take 2 - a haven of used VHS, DVD, video games, computer games, tv shows, electronic parts, strategy guides, CDs, you name it! I love that store, but it's lost a little bit of its awesomeness since I moved away from GB: they no longer carry racks and racks of used computer games. Bummer.

Decided to go into Lambeau early and get some lunch. We stopped at the Lambeau Grill or something inside. $15 for buffet. BEST FOOD EVER. Grab one of the ribs by the bone, and you could pull it out, the meat was that tender. Oh, we were dying. Awesome stone baked pizza too.

The game was fun too. I saw Favre. I love Favre. I hate Favre. See Favre score touchdown. Favre a big man. Rest of team suck. Backup quarterback suck. Third String better than Second String. Beer and popcorn: official food of Lambeau. My writing is getting worse and worse.



  


The oddest thing about Lambeau Field was the size of it. While I know there was close to 80,000 people inside (with probably as many people walking around outside), I just got the sense that it was really small. And this is the improved and renovated Lambeau. I just got this sense that places like the Target Center or the United Center in Chicago were bigger. Lambeau was just spread out more.

It was nice to see that Reggie White's number had been retired up on the boards. I never really knew the guy, although I did know his family. I hadn't heard that they had retired his number, but it still was a little sad to see the great 92 hung up there.

The game itself kinda sucked. Very little excitement. And Favre only played 2 plays, scoring a touchdown, before he sat down.

The rest of the night was uneventful. Swimming in the pool at the hotel, ordering some local pizza, watching Stargate SG-1 on tv (an episode I've seen like 12 times, and still love, Seasons 4's "Window of Opportunity"), 12 hours of sleep almost, and the eventual drive back home to Minnesota, but only after an hour or two of Guitar Hero at the local Best Buy.

The most important lesson learned from the trip though was: What Happens At Lambeau...Stays At Lambeau.