Camp!

I got back from my annual camp experience on Wednesday. A little background information. Every year my Catholic church has a camp for kids in 7-9th grade. I've been going as a leader in various capacities since my senior year of high school....8 years ago.


It is always a blast. Oddly, I think I appreciate going more every year. As I get older I understand the lack of chances to do things like this, times just to be ridiculious, be outside, hang with kids, play frisbee and, of course, blob. I found myself smiling more this year while I was there more then any other year...just because it is so different from what every other day is like. Yelling at the top of my lungs is not only allowed, it is appreciated. Fiddling with a sound board and playing drums is part of my job. I get to teach kids how to play Ultimate.


Sadly, every year it also gets harder for me to come. I'm not getting any younger and the logistics of me going are not easy either. I almost didn't get to go this year because of work. Isn't that dumb.


I came back Wednesday in an unbelievable mood. I was so relaxed. It was exactly what I needed to do. I'm centered and ready to go. It is amazing what a little time in the boonies of Wisconsin can do.


As far as the blob goes...this is what I am talking about!

I think that about sums up my 5 days. I'm there for the kids, but it is nice to know I get a little something out of going to. It maintains whatever sanity I can muster.

Thank God. Literally.

They Took My Trees!

When I am at work I take all the good little things I can. Most of what I do is boring and numbing so I take all the little things that are positive and go with them. These "little things", for lack of a better word or phrase (I blame the numbing) can be just about anything that can appear through my work day. A conversation with a friend over e-mail or chat. A fun website or article. An actual exciting, meaingful project at work (they happen occasionally), a look out the window or a brief break to go outside and walk.

Of course, if these "little things" go wrong, it can have a horrible affect on the rest of the work day. It isn't good, because then I have to rely on work to provide me substance to get me through the rest of the day, and that could go terribly!

Today I had one of those "little things" go wrong. I got to work this morning and to my horror they were cutting down trees from the lot that has been vacant across the street from our building. No one has ever built on the lot since the trees they were cutting down were huge. I watched in silent mourning as each tree fell one by one this morning and into the early afternoon. I went to lunch with the family (Happy Birthday Dad!) and came back and the job was finished. All the trees were completely gone. Now, when I look out the window all I see is the blank concrete and cars rushing by on Highway 55 instead of old oak trees swaying in the wind. Oh, and I'm sure it will look slightly better once the building is built and the landscaping is done...but then I just get to look at another bland office building with its rigorous landscaping.

I've always been vanilla on deforestation, and I realize that this is not an adequate example, but I've never really had first hand experience with it. I've never had a nice area that I enjoyed ripped away from me, without consultation, and built into an office park. I was silently upset about this all day at work and wasn't really sure how to bring it up to my co-workers. Just a few minutes ago, my boss, who always seems to have something profound to say, came and leaned against my desk. He nodded across the street and said "I wish I had bought that land, just so I could always see the woods. It's sad." He shook his head, and without even awaiting a response from me, he left.

Somehow it made me feel better that he felt the same way.

I guess I never realized that I 'sweated' the small stuff. I think, in a lot of ways I don't, but at work they become bigger, just because everything becomes micro here. Maybe I should read that book "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" sometime.

I wonder if they have a corporate version.

R.I.P Woods Across the Street. You will be missed.

={+}=

Business and IT Jargon Galore

I was given this to edit. I don't even know where to start. I don't think I even know what it means! How can someone take something like "E-Business" and make it so needlessly complex and frustrating?

Here is the beautiful tidbit. It is supposed to be website content. If I have my way (I won't) it will never see the light of day...


E-Business

E-BIZ Services has opened a completely new vista of opportunities for organizations to leverage the capabilities of doing things online. The challenge of serving geographically dispersed customers, suppliers and employees efficiently was solved through the integrated web-based solutions of e-commerce. At [company name] we give you the entire spectrum of e-business solutions encompassing the entire gamut of B2B and B2C solutions. Collaborating with IT majors like BEA Systems, IBM, Microsoft and Interwoven, we have been able to provide you with quality, cost-effective and value-oriented e-business solutions across a wide range of vertical markets including Banking & Financial Services, Telecom, Manufacturing and Retail.


Wow. Not only is it poorly written ("capability of doing things online"? What?) ...but I have no idea what it is trying to say.

The joys of doing corporate communications. *SIGH*

={+}=

Giving up on Cable?!

I have a lot I could write about, but we are in AMERICA. Do you know what we love in America? Television. I know, only because everyone else talks about it so much, and I feel silly when people mention things from TV that I know nothing about. I like some TV, but apparently not nearly as much as some do (especially those I work with.). Even so, my lovely, talented and not available (sorry ladies, he is taken) roommate Brent came to me with an ever tough decision. He wants to drop Cable TV. Gone. Kaput. Nada.

Part of it is to stick it to The Man*, who in this case is Charter. They suck. They literally have a monopoly over our area of Eagan. There is no one we can use. I think they could care less about us, but we will feel better to give them less business. They have overcharged us ever since our "trial period" ended. It is frustrating Brent to no end. I don't like it when he is upset. It means less cuddle time. Bad joke. Moving on...

This should all be fine. I don't watch much TV. However, there is one gigantic problem with this. The Twins. I'm what you might call "a fan". Some might call me "crazy". Some others might call me "obsessed". Whatever adjective you use...I like to watch the Twins, and honestly they are the one thing standing in the way of us (really just me) and getting rid of everything but the most basic TV package they have (10 dollars! What a steal!). Sadly, I'm not sure I can do it. I guess it goes to show how much a silly team can mean to someone.

I thought that I could be okay with it. I could always figure something out. Use the internet. Go to my parents or friends places to watch when I want to. Go to a bar. There a lot of options. However, I just can't get 2005 out of my head. At the beginning of the season the Twins were starting their own cable company, called "Victory Sports" and I didn't get that channel in Mankato...and it sucked. I didn't like not being able to watch. I don't want that.

So, the dilemma begins. We need YOUR help! We are powerless against The Man*. We don't want to pay the ridiculous prices anymore.

={+}=