Still recovering from my stupid illness - and going a little stir crazy - but the internet provides. Last night it provided a steady stream of Double Rainbow photos from locals via various social media outlets. I missed out on that but did witness a gorgeous sunset from my sick bed.
Five decent distractions for today:
I really try to live in the now but my “now” is full of mucus and body aches so it’s easy to let my mind wander and drift ahead. Particularly to September. A month already jam-packed with amazing shows like Swans and The Jesus & Mary Chain and…now…The Dirty Three. Definitely squee-worthy.
Weather in Minnesota is predictably unpredictable but especially so in June. I sure do love a good storm and we had one helluva one on Monday night, which I enjoyed. But now I feel guilty-ish. It knocked the power out in a lot of homes around the metro but even that is nothing like the ferocity of what hit Duluth last night. Strange to think everything was just fine when we were there last week and today the town is looking post-apocalyptic, with crazy flooding and destruction. The parking ramp at the co-op collapsed. And zoo exhibits were obliterated to the point that some animals got loose. Well, the lucky ones. Some barnyard animals drowned. Sad. The polar bear just waltzed out of its exhibit before being darted by the vet and a seal was recovered near downtown. Unfortunately it looks like Duluth is getting even more rain before this is over and one of the big state parks is being evacuated. Oof.
How about five good things?
In other news, my life is a mixed bag, as always. I got my car back from the mechanic last night and left White Bear Lake with unexpected Thai food. But I also came down with a stupid freaking cold. I’ve got too damned much to do to be sick! And my stupidly hot apartment isn’t helping.
We enjoyed a lovely North Woods detour last week. And part of it wound up on the Duluth news!
The weekend was a mixed bag. Heavy on the overwhelmingly stressful and frustrating part of the mix, unfortunately. I came home from a wedding Friday night to find a swarm of hundreds of flying ants IN MY BEDROOM. And thousands more were out back, behind the house. I slept on the couch that night but not well. Saturday morning I woke up feeling not at all refreshed and then spent seven hours shooting an outdoor wedding. After which I was looking forward to going home to rest but my car had other ideas. I drove away and the clutch went out. Le sigh.
Five weird things for this Monday (that I intended to post last week):
The boy was super stoked this morning, for the first day of summer camp. I dropped him off (using a borrowed car). Always happy times for him there and I’m happy when he’s happy. And I’m trying to keep myself happy-ish with the liberal application of ridiculous summertime jams. Everything from old B-52s to Young MC and Technotronic to King Tuff. I’m determined to power through. Maybe not always with a smile on my face but at least with my will unbroken and my spirit undefeated.
The celebration of my birth month continues. But I also realized that this month marks the 20th anniversary of my IT career. Whoa. If that didn’t make me feel old my son’s graduation from 6th grade last week sure helped things along.
We began the boy’s summer break with a bang! Actually, with dental work (oh, and we have dental insurance again for the first time in a long while. I must be old if I’m so stoked about that). But the little man has come such a long way. He was diagnosed with “situational anxiety” when he was younger. There was a time he would have been put under or heavily sedated and immobilized for dental work. But yesterday? He was completely calm and cooperative not just for his cleaning, but for THREE FILLINGS. What? Is this the same child I gave birth to? So confused. But so very relieved. My young man is growing up. And this parenting thing, for the most part, gets easier and easier.
Five other good things:
- The Heavy Table profiles the Cup and Cone, which was the ice cream joint down the street from my childhood home. I will always have a soft spot for that place (and their soft serve - har) despite their refusal to hire teenage me because of my purple hair.
- Yesterday I picked up my first half bushel box from Belle Creek Gardens. And made a strawberry-rhubarb pie. Yum!
- Also lovely, and handy, these produce calendars indicating when local fruits, veg and herbs are in season.
- Whoa, speaking of food DINNER IN THE SKY. What? I’m not sure how I’d feel about dining while dangling from a crane 160 feet in the air. I think I’d prefer a unique dining experience on the L Train, or somewhere else closer to the ground.
- I am no longer a home owner. Yes, it’s been several months now but I’m often reminded of how much this rules. Like yesterday. We were home when the lawn service came by to mow the lawn. A thing I no longer have to do.
I stayed out way too late, both Friday and Saturday nights. And beat the heat with happy fun beach times. But the main feature of the weekend? Northern Spark. It’s such a tricky event to maneuver, with everything happening simultaneously at various sites. And in hindsight I can see how I could have plotted my course more effectively. But still. Good times. The highlight was definitely the Marching Band Parade over the Stone Arch Bridge. But seeing the sunrise from the Foshay Tower’s Observation Deck was a close runner-up.
I started drafting this post on June 1st, to indicate it is time to celebrate my birthday ALL MONTH LONG. And I made a good start of it. Friday night we attended a friend’s art opening, enjoyed dinner with more friends and hung out with yet more friends after. Saturday we stopped by a friend’s record/yard sale. In the afternoon I had a paid photo shoot at the rose gardens (on a gorgeous day). And that night the boyfriend was in a marching band parade on the West Bank as part of Bedlam’s 11th Annual Community Ten Minute Play Festival at Mixed Blood Theatre. Afterward we went to Hell’s Kitchen for the final New Labor show. Where I took NO PHOTOS. What? Yesterday I subjected myself to the bro-tastic Grand Old Day event for the first time since the 90s. But from our new apartment I was able to take a free shuttle down Summit Ave to the Dixie’s Stage to hang out with friends and see the bands I wanted to see (Blind Shake and The Soviettes). Sadly I was too worn out from my day in the sun to make it to Jonathan Richman at The Cedar. But I thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of a quiet evening at home. And even read in bed after I was done editing photos.
Five more good things:
Somehow this is the lad’s last week of school! Which is especially significant as it marks the end of his time at his current school and in elementary school altogether. In the Fall he will make the great leap to junior high. Eep. Before then we have many summer plans. We have all of next week to spend together before summer camp begins. In between the mundane (like dental check-ups) we’ll hit up the brand new Como Pool, take a day trip to Duluth, probably go to the Drive-In and who knows what else.
Tuesday night we had the most subdued - and briefest - of my Pizza Farm Adventures. But the boy was with me and it was a school night. And the boyfriend wanted to get to some house shows after (which I lamed out on). Still, a pleasant evening with mild weather and almost no wait for the pizza. Too bad the farm animals were mysteriously absent though. Thankfully we’d seen some animals at another farm the day before.
Five good things for Thursday:
Ahh, it’s the last day of May. I’ve posted a round-up of my Heliotrope photos, favorites from each of the three days, over at the photography blog here. June is bringing with it some weddings and a wedding anniversary photo shoot. July will be a hazy blur of heat and summer camp while August is all kinds of hectic travel for the lad and I. We’ll be in the thick of it before you know.
The boy is back at school today and I’m back at work. Though I arrived this morning only to realize I’d forgotten my laptop and had to double back for it. And my ex who usually takes the lad after school on Tuesdays is out of town. I’m taking advantage of this and dragging the boy out to pizza farm with me tonight. Five good things for this slightly off-kilter Tuesday:
- I’m excited about the new Swans album, The Seer. And they are allegedly touring. The Minneapolis date I’ve seen is Friday, September 21st. Sadly at the Fine Line…not my favorite venue, but I’ll go.
- Three things I love combined in a funny way. Portland Cello Project and Alan Sparhawk of Low covering Suicidal Tendencies.
- Heliotrope was an amazing experience, as always. And I finished editing my photos from Day Two and Day Three. Still a little blissed out from it all.
- Sunday night we pulled off a surprise party for a friend’s 30th birthday. He hadn’t the slightest inkling it was gonna happen.
- We were invited to several gatherings for Memorial Day but opted to head West, to spend the day with the boyfriend’s family on their farm. I like farms. The highlight was zipping around their woods in a souped up off-road golf-cart looking thing. My son loved it.
Overall it was an excellent weekend but touched by sadness. I’ve been going to the Walker Community Church for years and years, for social justice related events (particularly the “Pancakes Not Prisons!” breakfasts). I only recently went upstairs, to enjoy a musical performance. Sunday night the church was struck by lightning and gutted by fire. The hollow shell of the building has already been torn down. Hard to believe it’s gone.
My little heart is singing after last night. It was the first evening of Heliotrope 9 at The Lab Theater. Heliotrope is the most magical Minneapolis music happening of the year, for me. And bonus? The Anchor Fish and Chips food truck was there. Maaan their chips with curry are so yum. I got up early this morning to finish editing photos so I don’t get backlogged this weekend. Two more divine evenings to go!
Five good things for this fine Friday:
Disclaimer: The lovely Jessie of The Shakin Babies, seen below, is not actually orange. It is only the lighting. She is not at all like this woman.
Last night my son surprised me. He asked for something “new” for dinner. This is huge. Kids on the autism spectrum are generally not too hip to new anything - especially at mealtimes. In this case the new to him food was just spaghetti, with sauce (he’s always consumed his noodles completely plain). Last night he asked for sauce, and for a giant side salad of spinach, piled high with fresh vegetables - but no dressing - and he ate it ALL. Go figure.
Five other good things:
This coming weekend is the most magical weekend of the year. Memorial Day weekend yes but more importantly HELIOTROPE 9! This year at yet another location, in the Warehouse District, with food trucks. I was just interviewed for MPLS.TV’s “Players Without Instruments” series and made sure to rep Heliotrope as much as possible. I think even more folks should come experience the awesomeness of it (and not *just* those of us involved in the oddball music community).
Somehow I was allowed a splendid weekend before descending into seasonal allergy hell. Raw-throated now, in full on been-gargling-broken-glass mode. This too shall pass.
The full weekend of fun began early with Thursday night’s “Save or Shave?” benefit show. And continued with the boyfriend’s birthday on Friday. On a whim I got us a hotel room downtown Minneapolis. Dinner was had at Haute Dish before an evening of nerd rock with energetic front man Dick Valentine and Electric Six. I failed to take a single photograph on this day. Saturday morning we attempted to brunch at Hell’s Kitchen but I’d forgotten they are notoriously busy. Waiting one to two hours for a table is never in my plan so we doubled back to the hotel for a quick bite. Then it was time to retrieve my offspring. And take him to see Yellow Submarine on the big screen. Though I’ve seen it many times this was, by far, the most enjoyable viewing. Saturday evening I met the parents (eep) and Saturday night we returned to Hell’s Kitchen under different circumstances, to see a local band showcase. Had a good time despite my utter exhaustion.
Mother’s Day morning I awoke to this angry looking squid “card” from my son. And then I dragged him to a friend’s front porch for the May Day Parade. That afternoon I squeezed in a maternity shoot for friends (so many lovely photos to edit). Managed a little bit of downtime before dashing off to the 331 Club for legendary Japanese band The 5.6.7.8s. It was the only show I made it to of the Girls Got Rhythm Fest (which I hope they have again). They were AHHH-MAZING but I was too tired and sober to fully enjoy the packed-like-sardines venue.
I haven’t had Photoshop on any of my machines for a while, because hey, it’s crazy expensive. I’ve been using Canon’s crappy Digital Photo Professional software for photo editing but I’m not satisfied with it. So I’d toyed with the idea of the monthly subscription to “rent” it vs. buying it and it is cheaper. But then I realized there’s the discounted student rate, DUH! I’m not a student but I HAVE ONE. And he is most likely going to be taking Photoshop classes at school in the Fall. Score!
Speaking of scoring…sort of. Folks, Rusty Quarters Retro Arcade is floundering. They’ve really seen a drop off in business lately (the glorious weather? other factors? who knows). I know we haven’t been stopping in as often as we did over the winter. But I’ll rectify that. And you should too. Stop in and often! Just a few more quarters from you on a semi-regular basis will make a HUGE difference. Bring a friend. Have fun. /End PSA
