Up north

A couple weekends ago, my friends Emily, Sam and Lisa came to visit from San Francisco, Denver and Chicago (respectively). We spent a little time in St. Paul, but spent most of our time up north at my aunt Jan and uncle Jim's cabin on Wabedo Lake near Longville, MN.

Here is one of Lisa's pics of us next to the cabin with Indy and her friend Buffer (the neighbor dog). I still need to post my pics online. But you can see Lisa's pics here. She knows a million and two people who live in the Twin Cities, so some of the pics are of her other friends, and some are from our night hanging out at the Happy Gnome (which is also Lisa's happy place). Please tell Lisa that she should move here -- it's a great place, and she knows more people here than she does in Chicago!

And here is a picture of Indy chillin' in the back seat with the Em and Lisa. Seriously....she could not be any cuter.

In the news

My uncle Jim was on the news last night! He is a professor of physical therapy at the University of Minnesota and has been leading research into how to use magnetic treatments to help stroke survivors. Watch the short video here: http://www.wcco.com/video/?id=47559@wcco.dayport.com. It's interesting!

Factcheck.org

Commentary: 2008 campaign attack ads hit an all-time low: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/15/west.negative/index.html

This article talks about how both sides have published inaccurate statements about the other candidate and encourages voters to search for the facts. They recommend www.factcheck.org.

Just thought it was cool that this was posted online right after I was writing about it on here.

Happy reading!

Never discuss politics with friends and family?

Well, some people say that you should never talk about politics, sex or money with friends and family. I guess I'm breaking that rule today, not to be offensive, but just because I think it's important to learn about the different candidates, because I like hearing different opinions and because I would like to continue reading, talking and learning about the candidates before the upcoming election.

Lately, I’ve been posting links to articles and blogs about Palin on my facebook account because they are things that I have found insightful. I know that other friends and family might have different opinions and might vote based on different issues that they find important, and I definitely respect that. I actually like hearing other opinions and learning what issues are important to other people. I love my friends and family and don’t want to disrespect anyone.

Since one of my family members recently asked what’s so bad about Palin, I’ll give you my opinion, which comes from reading articles and blogs, watching interviews, talking with others, trying to learn as much as possible and trying to find the facts and not just opinion pieces (just fyi, snopes.com has some good info about all the candidates—they list any rumors, etc. and then tell you whether they are actually fact or myth). Anyway, here is my opinion…

Before the candidates had announced their running mates, I figured I’d most likely vote for Obama; however, I didn’t think it’d be so bad if McCain ended up winning. After all, in the past, he has been more socially liberal and hadn’t always voted strictly on party lines. However, when he announced that his running mate would be Palin, McCain seemed to change—it seemed that he was bending more toward the conservative right and using Palin to appeal to those who might not have initially liked him. For me, it had the opposite effect.

What don’t I like about Palin?

• She doesn’t seem open to answering questions from reporters or the general public unless she is prepped/scripted.
• Her RNC speech seemed more attacking than actually stating what she would like to do.
• Her comment about community organizers was offensive. People who take on such roles really do a lot for communities, have to be leaders and do make positive changes in communities that need it.
• She has very limited experience. What executive experience she does have is for a town of about 5,000-7,000 (smaller than many mid-sized colleges) and for a state with a population of about 650,000. That experience has also been in a state that has a huge surplus. Our country has a huge deficit—so I question how easy the transition would be if she ended up having to take over the presidency and handle the budget. From what I read from a local Wasilla resident and active participant in the city council, Palin had an administrator doing most of her work. Additionally, she hired many high school friends to take on important jobs that were well above their actual experience.
• What she says and what she has actually done doesn’t seem to add up. For example, she claims that she is “anti-pork” regarding the earmarked spending, but she has asked for more earmarks per capita than any other governor. It seems that she spends a lot instead of investing.

Overall, the issues that are most important to me just don’t line up with what Palin stands for. So it wouldn’t make sense for me to support her. For example:

• I’m pro choice, she’s pro life
• I’m pro gay rights/marriage, she has supported same sex benefits in the work place but opposes other gay rights
• I am a fan of universal health care (or at least exploring options so that more people, specifically children, are able to have health care coverage), she is not
• I am for closer attention to the quality of public education and for extending it to preschool age, which is something Obama is for. Not sure exactly where Palin stands on this.
• I am also a bigger fan of exploring other types of energy and not just drilling in Alaska or off-shore, and Palin is all about drilling.

So there you have it. I continue to read as much as I can to learn more about the candidates because I would really like to be as informed as possible. If you have any comments, please feel free to leave them! I welcome intelligent discussions!

Some links within snopes that tells fact/fiction and explains all known info:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/palin/palin.asp

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/obama.asp

http://www.snopes.com/politics/mccain/mccain.asp

Boundary waters

Yay! We survived our boundary waters trip!

I put all of our pics online here.

The last day (when we had to leave), it was absolutely beautiful. The lake was calm and clear and just gorgeous. I think that was nature's way of making sure we come back again next year.

I would love to go on another trip next year and try out another route. This year's route was challenging, but it was fun. We did the following:

Day 1: Enter at Round Lake in our canoe with all our gear, paddled and did 8 portages (where you empty out your canoe, carry all your gear and the canoe through the woods on a hiking trail to the next lake, where you put all your stuff back in the canoe and paddle to the next portage). Arrived at camp at Gillis Lake around dinner time. Ate, set up tent, read and slept. Here are Eric and me at our first campsite.

Day 2: We stayed at this same campsite and fished, ate, read, explored any paths around the site, relaxed.

Day 3: We left our campsite on Gillis Lake and did 1 portage to Crooked Lake, and then carried our canoe and gear over a beaver dam to get to a kind of hidden campsite. Here is me on a portage walking through what Eric calls an enchanted forest. And here is Eric's senior portrait. :)

Day 4: We left our hidden little campsite and did 2 portages to Tuscarora Lake (a pretty big lake). This was the first day that the wind calmed down and the clouds finally left! It warmed up a lot..... and it was perfect timing cause we found a campsite with a sand beach! Here is a pic of us watching the sunset on our very own private beach campsite. Ahh.....this is what Minnesota summer is all about.

While watching the sunset, we were also lucky to see a group of 9 loons (the MN state bird, for those who don't know what a loon is). There were adult and baby loons, and they were all fishing together, flapping their wings and making loon calls. It went on for about 15 mins or so and was amazing. There are a bunch of pictures in the link above, but here is one of my favorites.

Day 5: Slept in because the previous night, it was so nice and clear that we thought it was a good idea to leave the rain fly off the tent so we could see the stars while laying inside the tent. Yeah, it ended up being so cold (apparently it was in the 30s!). So we slept in a bit, ate breakfast and then packed up and left our beautiful campsite. We did one portage that one mile long (longest one of the whole trip!) -- but we do double portages, which means you carry half the stuff on one trip and go back and get the rest for a second trip. So total, we walked 3 miles just for that one portage! Then we paddled a bit to our last portage of the trip, which was long, but not quite as crazy long as the first one. Then our trip was done! We drove back to Grand Marais, showered finally, and then went out for burgers, fries and cokes with Eric's mom.

Early start to a long weekend

I'm leaving work early to go to the Great Minnesota Get-together. Hollerrrrrrr!!!! (That's for Miss Eley.)

No one is here. I am listening to the fan blowing extremely cold air on me, which makes my precious little fingers cold, which in turn makes it a challenge to use my mouse and type on my keyboard. Thus, I must leave and escape this quiet, cold hallway that houses my little desk and half-cube that is my office (with no windows, mind you!).

So yeah.....I'm gonna have to go home early....I'll have to make up my hours next week....yeah....

Things I like to do at the fair:
- people watch
- eat
- walk through the International Bazaar
- walk through the fine arts building
- see the baby animals in the Miracle of Birth Center (or whatever it's called)
- see free music (like we're doing tonight!)

Have a good weekend! My goal this weekend is to post pics from the boundary waters. I also hope to provide any stories that I might obtain from my friend Ashlee, who works for a county jail that will probably become home to many a protester this coming week for the Republican National Convention. I told her to send me funny stories via text or email, but I have a feeling she might be busy, you know...working...booking people, etc.

If you're interested in reading about what some of these protesters do, click here: http://www.protestrnc2008.org/. It's interesting. I had absolutely no idea that there was such a thing as a "professional protester" or actual organized groups like this. I will keep you posted on any shenanigans that might take place in my city during the next week.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

Getting to know you...

My friend Sam sent this to me, and I have lots of time to kill today, so here you go. Happy reading. Fill it out and email it back or post it in a comment, if you'd like. Or just laugh and think "Oh Heidi, who has time for such nonsense?"

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:30 am. I'm still in Grand Marais at Eric's parents' place after getting back from the boundary waters last night. It was weird not being woken up by birds or the sun coming up or being freezing cold in the middle of the night cause we decided not to use the rain fly on the last night...

2. Diamonds or Pearls? I'm with Sam. Don't wear them except I do have pearls from Grandma that I can wear on special occasions. However, would gladly accept a diamond.

3. What two things do you always have with you? Chapstick and a water bottle and/or snacks (always have something to eat in my backpack on campus!).

4. What is your favorite TV show? The Office

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? At home, cereal. Camping, oatmeal and a nutrigrain bar and hot cider.

6. What is your middle name? Marie

7. What food do you dislike? Onions and olives

8. What is your favorite CD? Currently: either Wilco or Andrew Bird

9 . What type of car do you drive? I dont' drive my car much -- it spends a lot of time in the garage, but it's a 2004 chrysler sebring. I can't complain, it had no major probs -- just a minor issue with the fan only working on high....

10. Favorite sandwich? BLT

11. What characteristic do you despise? Liars and cocky people who can't admit when they're wrong or they made a mistake.

12. Favorite item of clothing? Depending on the occasion: my classic Heidi shirt (the black workout one I bought back in college and still wear all the time), comfy black yoga type pants from Target, my black cotton wrap dress and my black gauchos. Apparently I like black clothes.

13. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Greece, Italy, more places in Europe.

14. What color is your bathroom? Light blue

15. Favorite brand of clothing? Not sure.... anything that fits right and is affordable, I guess.

16. Where would you retire to? I would like to have a place in Northern MN for the warmer months of the year and a place in a warmer state (or another country) for the colder months of the year.

17. What was your most recent memorable birthday? Last year's costume party was fun (roller derby costume was so fun!), but super memorable was my little girls night out for my 25th bday and Em came down to Indy from Chicago to surprise me. We danced the night away at the Vogue and I even made it to work the next day (although I was a little late....and hung over....and had to have lunch with the new VP that day! I ordered the greasiest thing on the menu: a pork tenderloin sandwich and fries!)

18. Furthest place you are sending this? San Francisco (or maybe London, depending on who checks my blog)

19. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? from blog readers: Jason

20. Person you expect to send it back first? Lisa

21. Favorite saying? "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi

22. When is your birthday? October 27, 1980

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night

24. What is your shoe size? 7.5 or 8

25. Pets? Indy, the funniest, cutest dog with the most personality of any pet I've ever met.

26. What did you want to be when you were little? The first girl baseball player (I was 7 when this was my dream). Later, I wanted to be a singer.

27. How are you today? I am fantastic. Just got back from the boundary waters last night and don't have to go to work until tomorrow morning.

28. What is your favorite candy? Twix bar, hands down.

29. What is your favorite flower? Sunflowers and daisies

30. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Sept 5th - some friends are coming to visit, and we're going to spend some time up north and just catching up probably eating lots of ice cream and drinking wine, etc.

31. What is the last thing you ate? Raisin Bran

32. What are you listening to right now? The ticking of the clock here in the Grand Marais house. Eric is downstairs working and his mom is at work. So I'm just chillin in a big comfy chair looking out the window at lots of trees and Lake Superior in the background.

33. If you were a crayon what color would you be? Purple

34. How is the weather right now? A little cool (cause of the big lake, but sunny and blue skies).

35. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My mom last night to tell her I was out of the wilderness and alive. And I also listened to 3 (yes 3) voicemails from Sam (one of which included a song to the tune of "Frere Jacques" asking if I was back from the boundary waters yet. :) Loved it.)

36. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes, Sam makes me laugh.

37. Favorite soft drink? Cherry Coke Zero

38. Favorite restaurant? Cossetta's pizza and pasta place in downtown St. Paul or Mama Corolla's in Indianapolis (I like Italian food!). Ooohh.....I almost forgot Bistro Chopsticks in Indianapolis (awesome sushi happy hour!)

39. Hair color? Light brown with some highlights from the sun.

40. Siblings? 1 brother, 3 sisters, 2 brothers-in-law

41. Favorite day of the year ? The days surrounding Christmas

42. What was your favorite toy as a child? Baby Talk (it was a doll that talked and told me if it was hungry, etc. It also weighed like 60 pounds. I bet they have new and improved light-weight versions now-a-days. Kids today have it so easy!)

43. Summer or winter? Summer!

44. Hug or kisses? Hugs and kisses

45. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolat

46. Do you want your friends to email you back? Yes

47. When was the last time you cried? After watching "Into the Wild"

48. What is under your bed? Dust and dog hair probably

49. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Ashlee (since I was in kindergarten)

50. Favorite smell? Dryer sheets and anything cooking that I didn't have to cook or bake

51. What are you afraid of? Bad things happening to my friends or family. Lately, Eric has been talking to me about how sad it will be when Indy dies. He has never dealt with a pet dying before. So yeah, that will be sad and hard too, but she still has at least 10 years left in her!

52. Plain, butter or salted popcorn? Light butter and salt, please.

53. How many keys on your key ring? 5 on my regular chain and 4 on my one for work and clinic.

54. How many years at your current job? just over 1 year at my assistantship. Just three months into clinic and working with clients.

55. Favorite day of the week? Saturday

56. How many towns have you lived in? St. Paul, Woodbury, Indianapolis, Aix-en-Provence, Victorville, Minneapolis, so six.

57. Do you make friends easily? Yes

58. How many people will you be sending this to? Lisa P, Em, Sam and my blog readers

Mid-August update

The past few weeks have been busy, but things are finally slowing down as summer is coming to a close. I finished clinicals last week and was told that I did a good job. One of my supervisors told me that if I decide to work with kids some day that I would "rock." :) I'm looking forward to another semester with kids this fall, and then exploring the world of adult speech and language next spring. In the meantime, I'm taking advantage of these restful two weeks I have before classes start up again. Well, I'm still working 20 hours a week at my assistantship, but there are no clients to plan for, and I have some fun extracurricular activities going on.

Last weekend, Eric and I hosted a BBQ at the new house and had about 20 people or so here eating brats, hot dogs, pasta salad, beans, veggies, homemade cookies made by yours truly and a deeeeee-licious ice cream cake dessert made by my mom. It was amazing -- people were raving and comparing it to DQ (only better). I will get the recipe and post it for you all so you can make others as happy as Eric and I continue to be every time we eat the leftovers. (If I gained like 10 pounds this week, it was because I ate a lot of leftovers for all my meals.)

So my big treat for the end of the summer: we are heading to the boundary waters tomorrow! Well, we're driving up to Eric's parents' house in Grand Marais and staying over night tomorrow. Then we're getting up early Thursday morning to go buy fishing licenses and leeches (for fish bait), and then we're heading to our entry point: Brant Lake (special shout out to Alyse for that one :)). The boundary waters are basically a bunch of lakes that form the boundary between MN and Canada. We'll put our canoe in (along with all our camping gear) at Brant Lake and then paddle, portage and set up our camp sites each day. We'll also swim, fish, read, relax, take in all the wildlife and beautiful scenery and just be happy to be out of cell phone range and away from work and just being in the wilderness. I'm really looking forward to it, as it is something I've always wanted to do (since high school, I guess, which was when I first learned about it). Eric is a seasoned boundary waters camper/canoer/etc. so don't worry -- he'll be guiding us and helping me perfect my paddling skills.

We'll be back on Tuesday, 8/26, so I'll update again after that!

For now, I leave you with a picture: Indy wearing Eric's Twins t-shirt:

Flowers!

I got these beautful roses from my three-year-old client today (his last day with me this summer). How sweet!

Just checking...

Is it bad that I'm sitting at work editing photos and content for a new section about nutrition for the Taking Charge of Your Health website while also eating Fritos and drinking a Cherry Coke Zero?

Just checking...

Anyway, thank goodness for that Public Relations Design class I took at Butler -- the collages below are dedicated to you (and that nice adjunct professor who rarely showed up and took lots of smoke breaks). Really, I like working with PhotoShop. It's fun.

Okay, here's a game: guess what foods are in each collage below! I'll give you the categories for each. Who knew this blog was so educational?

#1: Whole grains

#2: Protein sources

#3: Good sources of fats