My travels returned me to Brookings around 2 this afternoon. I would have gotten back into Brookings a little earlier in the day, but there was some business I wanted to attend to in Sioux Falls first. It's not that my business couldn't have waited, but I figured I might as well take care of it so long as Sioux Falls was on my way back to Brookings.
Last night, I made it as far as Albert Lea, Minnesota. So that means I traveled nearly 800 miles and spent about 13 hours on the road. I could have made it to the Twin Cities or all the way back to Brookings. But I began to get tired a few hours after the sun had sunk below the horizon and I thought it would be prudent to stop for the night. Stopping for the night turned out to be a good idea, but my lodging could have been better. Normally Super 8 hotels are decent places to stay, but the one in which I spent last night was kind of dumpy. The room was pretty small and messy, and the hotel had an overall old, kind of run-down look about it. Accommodations met my needs, but it's not the best Super 8 in which I've spent time.
I left Albert Lea before 9 this morning and only stopped a few times between the Minnesota town and Sioux Falls. Temps were in the high 30s and road conditions were good. Traffic on I-90 West was light, so I was able to make good time. Minnesota interstate highway speed limits are 70 mph, and I could cruise comfortably somewhat faster than that. In the meantime, I indulged myself in talk radio and some cool classic rock radio stations. One song I particularly enjoyed (and heard for the first time) was Triumph's "Fight the Good Fight."
Over the past few days, I've been surprised and pleased at the number of red-tailed hawks I've seen along the highway. I've seen more than a dozen over the past few days. And as with eagles, I understand that seeing such birds is a good sign.
I arrived in Sioux Falls around 11:30. My first thought was to have a bite to eat, get the car washed, and then stop by Billion Nissan to see if the tech who's going to work on my 350Z on Thursday knows how to do the clutch adjustment I want. But I changed my agenda somewhat. I went to the dealership first and wasn't able to find the tech with whom I wanted to speak. My friend Brad was there, however, and we visited for several minutes. We adjourned and I then went to the car wash and had a bite to eat at Taco John's.
My arrival back in Brookings came around 2. I first stopped by my place to unload my car and start a load of laundry. In the meantime, I sifted through my mail and saw I had a message on my answering machine. My bone marrow transplant specialist's office called and said there's a 24 year-old patient who just underwent an unrelated donor bone marrow transplant and who would like to talk to me. I haven't called the patient yet, but I will tomorrow.
I worked in the Office for Diversity Enhancement for a few hours after that. There really wasn't a need for me to go into the office today, but I thought it was prudent so the pile of work on my desk wouldn't be so large tomorrow. After work I walked up at the HPER Center for about 45 minutes and then visited Dad and had a sub sandwich with him. I've been home the rest of the night. My energy level is up quite a bit since I took that walk, but I'm about ready for bed. All the miles I've logged in the past week have taken their toll.
Being on the road is something I've always enjoyed, but it's good to be home, too. And in the meantime, I'll continue to reflect on the good times I've had this past trip and what I've learned in the process. And I'll also look forward to more adventures in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Hanging out at the house
The past couple of days have been nice and slow...at least for me. There's been a flurry of activity around me as Scott, Terri, Megan, and others in the family have been gearing up for Megan's and Nathan's wedding tomorrow. But things have been fairly quiet for me. I've helped out when I can, but there's not been much I've been asked to do. That may be different tomorrow, however. And I'll be happy to comply.
Most of the time over the past couple of days has been spent with Scott and Terri, and that's been great. They've taken me places around the city, and it's been fun to be able to run errands with them. I've also been able to indulge in a lot of great food like Massey's pizza and such. I have spent some time bombing around alone, and that's been fun, too. But most of my time has been spent with the family.
I didn't do a whole lot in the few hours I cruised around alone yesterday, but I did have fun. My first stop during my cruising time was Guitar Center on Morse Road. While there, I had a chance to play some Tama Starclassic Perform drums with birch and bubinga shells and some Pearl birch drums. There was also a Pacific drumkit that's similar to the one I have at home. Of all the drums I played, I liked the Pacific drums the best. But the birch Pearls were nice, too. I'm thinking about picking up a birch drumkit sometime in the near future, and I have a feeling it will be either a Tama, Pearl, or Yamaha.
While the drums I checked out held my interest, the most interesting aspect of my visit to the Guitar Center was my visit with the store's drum manager. We visited for perhaps a half hour. And during our visit he told me about the different bands he's played in over the years and all the factors he considered before he bought his Tama Artstar Custom drums back in 1996. I've always known about the sonic qualities of various woods and the response of different drums sizes. But the drum manager's comments about choosing different woods for different situations really opened my mind. He brought up subject and situations I had never conceived of before, and the information he passed along to me surely will color my future drum purchase decisions.
I lost track of time while I was in Guitar Center, so I found I had less time than I thought when I left the store. It was close to 1:30 when I left the store, and I wanted to get back to the house before Terri got home from work. At the same time, though, I felt kind of burned out on drums and decided to check out cars. There was only dealership I wanted to check out, and that was Lindsay Acura off I-270. My mission was to find a manual transmission TSX. But I failed in my mission as I have when I've visited other Acura dealerships. There were plenty of TSXs to be found, but none of them had manual transmissions. My visit to the dealership was brief, and I headed back to Scott's and Terri's place to watch TV and wait for both to return.
Today has been one mainly spent at home. Scott, Terri, and I ran some errands around town. But for the most part we've remained at the Thompson house. And during our time at home, we've done a fair bit of snacking and watched a few movies, too. The two movies we watched were 3:10 to Yuma and Mr. Woodcock. Of the two movies, I preferred the former. But I must admit that the latter had its funny moments.
The past few days have gone by quickly, and it's hard to believe tomorrow's the big day already. And I'll stick around through Saturday and will then head back to South Dakota on Sunday. It's been a whirlwind trip and I've enjoyed my time here as I always have. And I'm going to continue enjoy my time here until the end of my trip.
Most of the time over the past couple of days has been spent with Scott and Terri, and that's been great. They've taken me places around the city, and it's been fun to be able to run errands with them. I've also been able to indulge in a lot of great food like Massey's pizza and such. I have spent some time bombing around alone, and that's been fun, too. But most of my time has been spent with the family.
I didn't do a whole lot in the few hours I cruised around alone yesterday, but I did have fun. My first stop during my cruising time was Guitar Center on Morse Road. While there, I had a chance to play some Tama Starclassic Perform drums with birch and bubinga shells and some Pearl birch drums. There was also a Pacific drumkit that's similar to the one I have at home. Of all the drums I played, I liked the Pacific drums the best. But the birch Pearls were nice, too. I'm thinking about picking up a birch drumkit sometime in the near future, and I have a feeling it will be either a Tama, Pearl, or Yamaha.
While the drums I checked out held my interest, the most interesting aspect of my visit to the Guitar Center was my visit with the store's drum manager. We visited for perhaps a half hour. And during our visit he told me about the different bands he's played in over the years and all the factors he considered before he bought his Tama Artstar Custom drums back in 1996. I've always known about the sonic qualities of various woods and the response of different drums sizes. But the drum manager's comments about choosing different woods for different situations really opened my mind. He brought up subject and situations I had never conceived of before, and the information he passed along to me surely will color my future drum purchase decisions.
I lost track of time while I was in Guitar Center, so I found I had less time than I thought when I left the store. It was close to 1:30 when I left the store, and I wanted to get back to the house before Terri got home from work. At the same time, though, I felt kind of burned out on drums and decided to check out cars. There was only dealership I wanted to check out, and that was Lindsay Acura off I-270. My mission was to find a manual transmission TSX. But I failed in my mission as I have when I've visited other Acura dealerships. There were plenty of TSXs to be found, but none of them had manual transmissions. My visit to the dealership was brief, and I headed back to Scott's and Terri's place to watch TV and wait for both to return.
Today has been one mainly spent at home. Scott, Terri, and I ran some errands around town. But for the most part we've remained at the Thompson house. And during our time at home, we've done a fair bit of snacking and watched a few movies, too. The two movies we watched were 3:10 to Yuma and Mr. Woodcock. Of the two movies, I preferred the former. But I must admit that the latter had its funny moments.
The past few days have gone by quickly, and it's hard to believe tomorrow's the big day already. And I'll stick around through Saturday and will then head back to South Dakota on Sunday. It's been a whirlwind trip and I've enjoyed my time here as I always have. And I'm going to continue enjoy my time here until the end of my trip.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Easier travels than yesterday
After more than six hours on the road today, I finally pulled up to Scott and Terri's house around 5 Eastern Time today. The drive today was good for the most part, and the weather cooperated. The only obstacles that conspired to slow me down were tractor trailers that clogged the Interstate for most of the day. I don't know why, but it seems like I notice more transports along I-74 and I-70 than I do other interstate highways.
I didn't mean to wake up as early as I did, but I awoke in my East Peoria, Illinois, Super 8 room around 8:30. Hastily I cleaned up and repacked before having a quick breakfast and checking out. The Mazda3 was covered with snow and ice, so I allowed the car to run for about 15 minutes while I had a few servings of Froot Loops and a donut hole.
After leaving Peoria, I continued down I-74 east for maybe a half-hour before I stopped to get some drinks. This one BP gas station had one-liter bottles of Diet Mt. Dew on sale for two for $2.50, so I took advantage of that. Both bottles lasted me until well into the evening and after I arrived in Columbus.
I didn't listen to that much music during the drive today as I crossed from Illinois into Indiana and then from Indiana into Ohio. As is often the case, I listened to talk radio more than anything else. Most of the topics of discussion today related to the steep tumbles the Asia stock markets have taken in the past few days and the falling American market. The American market was down close to 500 points right after it opened this morning. But the it was able to cut a lot of its losses and finished about 140 points down. I hope things will get better in the coming days.
Apart from periodic bathroom breaks, the only time I paused for any length of time today was in Indianapolis. For some unknown reason I craved a Denny's All-American Slam breakfast, and that's what I had. And the Denny's in which I had my lunch was probably the nicest Denny's in which I've ever eaten.
Today was the first time I've seen the sun in a few days, and it was nice to see the star closest to the earth. The past several days have been cold and grey, and seeing the sun provided some relief. And the sun seemed to help raise temps as I worked my way south and east. Temps hovered around the freezing mark when I arrive in Columbus around nightfall. But the night was much colder when Scott, Terri, Megan, Nathan, and I left the Chipotle where we had supper.
Terri was home when I arrived in Columbus, and Scott came home from work about 45 minutes later. All three of us visited for a while before Terri took off to run some errands. Scott and I hung out, talked, and watched shows like Cash Cab while Terri was out and about. Terri returned about 7:45, and all three of us then went out to run an errand and have a bit to eat with Megan and Nathan. Scott needed to pick up his tuxedo for Friday's wedding.
We haven't done a whole lot since we returned from Chipotle a little while ago. Law and Order is on TV, and I think all of us are planning to crash once this episode is over. And crashing will be a good thing considering how tired I am.
The journey to Columbus has been a good one, and I'm sure I'll have lots of fun while I'm here. And it will be good to see family again; it always is.
I didn't mean to wake up as early as I did, but I awoke in my East Peoria, Illinois, Super 8 room around 8:30. Hastily I cleaned up and repacked before having a quick breakfast and checking out. The Mazda3 was covered with snow and ice, so I allowed the car to run for about 15 minutes while I had a few servings of Froot Loops and a donut hole.
After leaving Peoria, I continued down I-74 east for maybe a half-hour before I stopped to get some drinks. This one BP gas station had one-liter bottles of Diet Mt. Dew on sale for two for $2.50, so I took advantage of that. Both bottles lasted me until well into the evening and after I arrived in Columbus.
I didn't listen to that much music during the drive today as I crossed from Illinois into Indiana and then from Indiana into Ohio. As is often the case, I listened to talk radio more than anything else. Most of the topics of discussion today related to the steep tumbles the Asia stock markets have taken in the past few days and the falling American market. The American market was down close to 500 points right after it opened this morning. But the it was able to cut a lot of its losses and finished about 140 points down. I hope things will get better in the coming days.
Apart from periodic bathroom breaks, the only time I paused for any length of time today was in Indianapolis. For some unknown reason I craved a Denny's All-American Slam breakfast, and that's what I had. And the Denny's in which I had my lunch was probably the nicest Denny's in which I've ever eaten.
Today was the first time I've seen the sun in a few days, and it was nice to see the star closest to the earth. The past several days have been cold and grey, and seeing the sun provided some relief. And the sun seemed to help raise temps as I worked my way south and east. Temps hovered around the freezing mark when I arrive in Columbus around nightfall. But the night was much colder when Scott, Terri, Megan, Nathan, and I left the Chipotle where we had supper.
Terri was home when I arrived in Columbus, and Scott came home from work about 45 minutes later. All three of us visited for a while before Terri took off to run some errands. Scott and I hung out, talked, and watched shows like Cash Cab while Terri was out and about. Terri returned about 7:45, and all three of us then went out to run an errand and have a bit to eat with Megan and Nathan. Scott needed to pick up his tuxedo for Friday's wedding.
We haven't done a whole lot since we returned from Chipotle a little while ago. Law and Order is on TV, and I think all of us are planning to crash once this episode is over. And crashing will be a good thing considering how tired I am.
The journey to Columbus has been a good one, and I'm sure I'll have lots of fun while I'm here. And it will be good to see family again; it always is.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Messy road conditions
The weather, particularly all the snow and low temperatures, has made driving interesting today to say the least. But in spite of having to take things slow, I made it about as far today as I wanted to go. I'm in a Super 8 in East Peoria, Illinois tonight. And I should reach Columbus sometime tomorrow afternoon. I've covered more than 600 miles today, and I've got nearly 400 more to go.
Dad and I had breakfast at Cook's this morning before I left, and I pulled onto I-29 around 8:30. And I stayed on that interstate until I reached I-680 north of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Road conditions really weren't that bad save for a slick stretch between Colman and Sioux Falls. There was a time near Dell Rapids when, about a half-mile up the road, an older couple driving a Jeep went off the road. I slowed down and pulled onto the shoulder to check and see if they were all right. Both seemed to be fine and said they had already called for a tow truck. I hope they're all right tonight, too, wherever they are.
Apart from the slickness before Sioux Falls, the only other time I ran into treacherous road conditions was on I-80 just west of Davenport, Iowa. I didn't see what the cause of the slowdown was, but traffic was backed up for miles and those of us on the highway sat motionless for several minutes. Eventually the police on the scene diverted those of us heading east onto I-74 east, and that's the stretch of interstate I traveled on for the last few hours of my travels today.
In spite of the intermittent bad weather and poor road conditions, the trip today has actually been serene. A lot of talk radio has accompanied me on this trip as it has on other trips. But apart from that I've cleared my mind and checked out the world around me. I've also noticed how quiet and controlled the 3's ride is. And it's that quietness that's contributed to my peace on the road today.
Driving is something I've always enjoyed, but it's good to be off the road, too. I probably could have made it farther today than I did. But I thought it prudent to get off the road around 7 this evening because of the dark and snowfall. Besides...that means that all my driving tomorrow should be in daylight. And Scott and Terri should both be home by the time I reach Columbus.
It's a little early for me to call it a night, but I think I'm going to crash here in a few minutes. I don't feel overly tired, but it will feel good to climb into bed soon. That way I'll have plenty of energy for the drive tomorrow and for all the fun times that lay ahead for me in Ohio.
Dad and I had breakfast at Cook's this morning before I left, and I pulled onto I-29 around 8:30. And I stayed on that interstate until I reached I-680 north of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Road conditions really weren't that bad save for a slick stretch between Colman and Sioux Falls. There was a time near Dell Rapids when, about a half-mile up the road, an older couple driving a Jeep went off the road. I slowed down and pulled onto the shoulder to check and see if they were all right. Both seemed to be fine and said they had already called for a tow truck. I hope they're all right tonight, too, wherever they are.
Apart from the slickness before Sioux Falls, the only other time I ran into treacherous road conditions was on I-80 just west of Davenport, Iowa. I didn't see what the cause of the slowdown was, but traffic was backed up for miles and those of us on the highway sat motionless for several minutes. Eventually the police on the scene diverted those of us heading east onto I-74 east, and that's the stretch of interstate I traveled on for the last few hours of my travels today.
In spite of the intermittent bad weather and poor road conditions, the trip today has actually been serene. A lot of talk radio has accompanied me on this trip as it has on other trips. But apart from that I've cleared my mind and checked out the world around me. I've also noticed how quiet and controlled the 3's ride is. And it's that quietness that's contributed to my peace on the road today.
Driving is something I've always enjoyed, but it's good to be off the road, too. I probably could have made it farther today than I did. But I thought it prudent to get off the road around 7 this evening because of the dark and snowfall. Besides...that means that all my driving tomorrow should be in daylight. And Scott and Terri should both be home by the time I reach Columbus.
It's a little early for me to call it a night, but I think I'm going to crash here in a few minutes. I don't feel overly tired, but it will feel good to climb into bed soon. That way I'll have plenty of energy for the drive tomorrow and for all the fun times that lay ahead for me in Ohio.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Bombing around Sioux Falls
My day began and ended in Brookings as it often does. But I spent most of the daylight hours in Sioux Falls today. I didn't mean to spend as much time in South Dakota's largest city as I did, but everything worked out well.
I originally thought it would be fun to run down to Sioux Falls to hang out with my friend Mike. Mike and I hadn't hung out for several weeks, and I reasoned it would be fun to catch up. I did hanging out with Mike for a few hours this afternoon, but other Sioux Falls missions cropped up in the meantime.
Just before I stepped into the shower to get cleaned up for the day, I decided to call my friend Steve at Billion Nissan-Hyundai to see if the dealership's service depeartment could put a license plate bracket on the front of the Z. Steve checked with the service department and found it could, so I headed south not long after the phone call.
Traffic on the interstate was fairly light and road conditions were good. It's been very, very cold lately, but we haven't seen much in the way of precipitation. We're supposed to get some light snow tomorrow. That remains to be seen.
I arrived at Billion not long after noon and met Steve and our friend Brad in the service department. One of the service techs attached the bracket to the front of my car within a few minutes and I was on my way not long after that. In the meantime, I visited with Steve and Brad about race tires and the Sports Car Club of Siouxland's plans for the upcoming season. Our friend Quincy also gave me a call and asked me to grab a cup of coffee with him at Starbucks and sign his copy of my book.
Quincy and I convened at Barnes & Noble around 1:15 and we visited in the store's Starbucks for about an hour. I signed his book right away and we spent the remainder of our visit talking about our cars. Most of our car talk centered around readying our cars for the upcoming racing season. When we finished our beverages, we headed out to the parking lot to check out our cars.
Though I was getting short on time and didn't want to keep Mike waiting at the Sanford Health library, I gave Quincy a quick ride in the Z. Even though he was only a passenger and didn't drive, Quincy spoke of how much he liked how my car rides and how he'd like to modify his BMW 335i so it has similar ride. And speaking of the 335i, Quincy took me for a ride in his car to demonstrate how his car perform since he reflashed his car's ECU.
Quincy and I parted around 3:30, and I then headed to the library to pick up Mike. Mike said he liked my car when he hopped in, and we talked a little about the buying process on the way to Olive Garden. Mike said he hadn't been to Olive Garden in a long time and said it would be a nice change. I agreed and we both enjoyed a great meal. It was rather dark inside the restaurant, but that was fine with me. I really don't enjoy being in places where it's excessively bright.
After our late lunch, Mike and I walked around the mall for a bit and then hit a few stores like Toys R Us and Barnes & Noble. Dad has talked about wanting to get an electronic chess set for Clark for his birthday. In spite of my efforts, though, I was unable to find one in stores. I'm sure one would be available online, but Dad said to not worry about that. Mike and I finished looking around and parted company for the day. I then fueled up the Z at the Flying J truck stop and headed back to Brookings.
When I returned to Brookings, I headed directly for Dad's place thinking I would swap cars again and then headed back to my place. But I hung out with Dad for a few hours. We discussed the events in the stock market of late and similar matters. And we also watched the '80s movie Wall Street for a few hours. Dad said he didn't really understand what was happening in the movie, but he understood the movie's thesis of caution against greed.
It's been another good day in spite of the cold, and the weekend overall has been good so far. As has been the case for some time now, I've been happy with how life has been going, and I expect these good times will continue. In the meantime, I'm filled with gratitude for everyone and everything I have in my life and am looking forward to the trip to Ohio Monday. Life is good, and I plan to enjoy it to the fullest.
I originally thought it would be fun to run down to Sioux Falls to hang out with my friend Mike. Mike and I hadn't hung out for several weeks, and I reasoned it would be fun to catch up. I did hanging out with Mike for a few hours this afternoon, but other Sioux Falls missions cropped up in the meantime.
Just before I stepped into the shower to get cleaned up for the day, I decided to call my friend Steve at Billion Nissan-Hyundai to see if the dealership's service depeartment could put a license plate bracket on the front of the Z. Steve checked with the service department and found it could, so I headed south not long after the phone call.
Traffic on the interstate was fairly light and road conditions were good. It's been very, very cold lately, but we haven't seen much in the way of precipitation. We're supposed to get some light snow tomorrow. That remains to be seen.
I arrived at Billion not long after noon and met Steve and our friend Brad in the service department. One of the service techs attached the bracket to the front of my car within a few minutes and I was on my way not long after that. In the meantime, I visited with Steve and Brad about race tires and the Sports Car Club of Siouxland's plans for the upcoming season. Our friend Quincy also gave me a call and asked me to grab a cup of coffee with him at Starbucks and sign his copy of my book.
Quincy and I convened at Barnes & Noble around 1:15 and we visited in the store's Starbucks for about an hour. I signed his book right away and we spent the remainder of our visit talking about our cars. Most of our car talk centered around readying our cars for the upcoming racing season. When we finished our beverages, we headed out to the parking lot to check out our cars.
Though I was getting short on time and didn't want to keep Mike waiting at the Sanford Health library, I gave Quincy a quick ride in the Z. Even though he was only a passenger and didn't drive, Quincy spoke of how much he liked how my car rides and how he'd like to modify his BMW 335i so it has similar ride. And speaking of the 335i, Quincy took me for a ride in his car to demonstrate how his car perform since he reflashed his car's ECU.
Quincy and I parted around 3:30, and I then headed to the library to pick up Mike. Mike said he liked my car when he hopped in, and we talked a little about the buying process on the way to Olive Garden. Mike said he hadn't been to Olive Garden in a long time and said it would be a nice change. I agreed and we both enjoyed a great meal. It was rather dark inside the restaurant, but that was fine with me. I really don't enjoy being in places where it's excessively bright.
After our late lunch, Mike and I walked around the mall for a bit and then hit a few stores like Toys R Us and Barnes & Noble. Dad has talked about wanting to get an electronic chess set for Clark for his birthday. In spite of my efforts, though, I was unable to find one in stores. I'm sure one would be available online, but Dad said to not worry about that. Mike and I finished looking around and parted company for the day. I then fueled up the Z at the Flying J truck stop and headed back to Brookings.
When I returned to Brookings, I headed directly for Dad's place thinking I would swap cars again and then headed back to my place. But I hung out with Dad for a few hours. We discussed the events in the stock market of late and similar matters. And we also watched the '80s movie Wall Street for a few hours. Dad said he didn't really understand what was happening in the movie, but he understood the movie's thesis of caution against greed.
It's been another good day in spite of the cold, and the weekend overall has been good so far. As has been the case for some time now, I've been happy with how life has been going, and I expect these good times will continue. In the meantime, I'm filled with gratitude for everyone and everything I have in my life and am looking forward to the trip to Ohio Monday. Life is good, and I plan to enjoy it to the fullest.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Busy times abound
Life's been pretty busy lately, and it's been busy in a good way. So long as I'm not overly busy, I'd much rather have my hands full than be sitting around not doing much of anything.
Since the Festival of Cultures is fewer than three months away now, I've been concentrating most of my work efforts on getting ready for that event. Our entertainment schedule is pretty well set, so now I'm focusing on finding plenty of food, display, and bazaar booths for the festival. We're shooting for at least 20 food booths and 40 display/bazaar booths. I've signed up a little more than half those figures so far. I'll be able to sign up quite a few more booths, though, once classes at SDSU start again tomorrow.
Apart from festival work and updating SDSU Web sites, I've been taking care of some personal business. Dad and I have been working on a few real estate projects together, and I was also able to rent a storage shed from South Main Rentals. I picked up another Nissan 350Z on Monday, and that purchase means that one of my vehicles would have to go without a garage if I didn't have the storage shed.
Having a vehicle, such as my 1993 Nissan NX2000, sit outside is no big deal. It's just kind of tricky when the snow flies. Vehicles parked on the street during snow alerts can be ticketed and towed. And I think the same penalties would apply to vehicles parked in public areas in the Garden Square complex. All that's a non-issue now, though. Thanks in part to my friend Dave, I was able to get a vehicle storage unit at a good price, and the NX2000 is sitting in it now. I'll probably move the Miata in there one of these days when the streets have less snow and ice on them.
That reminds me...I should take the 350Z down to my insurance agent sometime in the next couple of days to get it added to my policy.
Other than taking care of office stuff and helping Dad out with a few projects, I've been working on music with Dan and on my own. Dan and I worked on original material last night for about an hour. And I spent roughly a half-hour playing drums by myself in my house before I headed to the HPER Center to exercise. I haven't come up with a lot of new material on my own, but I have continued to work on developing and refining my playing style. I've also been working on some new drum tuning techniques.
The end of another day is upon me, and it finds me feeling good. I'm tired from all of the day's activity, but good feelings fill me. And I know all of the day's business will help me get to sleep quickly and will see me through a night of peaceful sleep.
Since the Festival of Cultures is fewer than three months away now, I've been concentrating most of my work efforts on getting ready for that event. Our entertainment schedule is pretty well set, so now I'm focusing on finding plenty of food, display, and bazaar booths for the festival. We're shooting for at least 20 food booths and 40 display/bazaar booths. I've signed up a little more than half those figures so far. I'll be able to sign up quite a few more booths, though, once classes at SDSU start again tomorrow.
Apart from festival work and updating SDSU Web sites, I've been taking care of some personal business. Dad and I have been working on a few real estate projects together, and I was also able to rent a storage shed from South Main Rentals. I picked up another Nissan 350Z on Monday, and that purchase means that one of my vehicles would have to go without a garage if I didn't have the storage shed.
Having a vehicle, such as my 1993 Nissan NX2000, sit outside is no big deal. It's just kind of tricky when the snow flies. Vehicles parked on the street during snow alerts can be ticketed and towed. And I think the same penalties would apply to vehicles parked in public areas in the Garden Square complex. All that's a non-issue now, though. Thanks in part to my friend Dave, I was able to get a vehicle storage unit at a good price, and the NX2000 is sitting in it now. I'll probably move the Miata in there one of these days when the streets have less snow and ice on them.
That reminds me...I should take the 350Z down to my insurance agent sometime in the next couple of days to get it added to my policy.
Other than taking care of office stuff and helping Dad out with a few projects, I've been working on music with Dan and on my own. Dan and I worked on original material last night for about an hour. And I spent roughly a half-hour playing drums by myself in my house before I headed to the HPER Center to exercise. I haven't come up with a lot of new material on my own, but I have continued to work on developing and refining my playing style. I've also been working on some new drum tuning techniques.
The end of another day is upon me, and it finds me feeling good. I'm tired from all of the day's activity, but good feelings fill me. And I know all of the day's business will help me get to sleep quickly and will see me through a night of peaceful sleep.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
A long-delayed purchase
It's taken me about 15 years, but I finally ordered a set of low-pitch Tama Octobans from Guitar Center yesterday. The fiberglass auxiliary melodic toms are something I've wanted for some time, especially after seeing them used creatively by drummers like Stewart Copeland of The Police, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, and Simon Phillips. But I've never purchased a set until now. It's not that I couldn't have ordered them before; I simply put off the purchase.
But today I finally decided to throw caution to the wind and order the drums I've wanted for so long. They should arrive at Guitar Center in Sioux Falls within two weeks. And I'm really looking forward to using them in a variety of musical contexts. Plus it'll be cool to have something that few other drummers have. In fact, In my 20+ years of drumming, I've never known anyone personally who has a set.
For those who aren't familiar with what Octobans look and sound like, you can check them out at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_do4dXXYZeI
Apart from ordering the Octobans this afternoon, I spent the morning and the early afternoon in the office working on the Festival of Cultures. I didn't get any additional booths signed up, but I did get some ideas for organizations to contact. I'll get in touch with them tomorrow. A few of them are in Sioux Falls, and there are others in Brookings. I'll probably have to wait until classes start again on the 17th to contact student organizations about booths.
My only real appointment today was to meet my friend Steve Ver Maas at Billion Nissan this afternoon. I saw on Billion's Web site a few days ago that the dealership still has four 2007 350Zs in stock, and there was a blue one in which I'm sort of interested. I actually arrived at the dealership a little before 2, and Steve and I took the car out not long after that.
We didn't take the Z on a long test run, but the drive was enough to give me some impressions. It reminds me very much of the 2005 350Z I once had, but this new one feels more refined. I was pleased with how it drove and how well the driveline responded to my commands. And noise, vibration, and harshness are well-controlled. Such a fine car will give me plenty of food for thought.
For comparison's sake, we also took a used 2006 Corvette for a drive. The Corvette was nice, but I much prefer the way the 350Z feels and drives. There was a time, particularly when I was a teenager, when I was very much into Corvettes. But I don't feel that way so much anymore. I guess it's true we all change some as we get older.
Steve and I visited back at the Nissan store for a few minutes more and we then parted company for the day. The '07 350Z certainly is tempting, and I'll have plenty to think about in the coming days.
After leaving the Billion Nissan lot, I headed east on 41st street hoping to give my Mazda3 a thorough cleaning inside and out. The line at the car wash was really long, however, so I decided to forgo the wash. I'll get the car cleaned up in the next few days.
I then stopped at Guitar Center, dittled around on some drums, and then placed my Octoban order. Even though the Octobans have to be ordered in, I was able to use my 15 percent discount on the fiberglass toms. Even with taxes, my discount allowed me to save about $60.
Following a quick bite to eat at the Wendy's next door, I headed back to Brookings. The drive was pleasant and traffic was light. I arrived in Brookings around 4:45, and I played drums for a bit before heading up to the HPER Center to climb stairs and walk. Band practice with Dan and our friend Travis followed at 6:30.
I had expected our friend and singer Jonathan to make practice, but Dan and Pam informed me he's in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. But it was good our friend Travis, whom I hadn't seen in some months and is a smokin' guitar player, was able to make it. We didn't work on any original music, but we did play through a variety of Jimi Hendrix and Aerosmith covers. And I was surprised how much of a workout those songs gave my wrists, ankles, and feet. There were times when I wasn't sure if I had the endurance to play those songs, especially the faster ones. But I was able to get through all of it, and it was fun to watch Dan and Travis play off each other and exchange solos over the foundation I laid for them. We played until about 8 this evening, and I headed over to Dad's place to visit around 8:30. I'm at home now and checking messages before heading for bed.
It seems that I'm still a bit tired from being on the road over the weekend. But for the most part I feel like I'm back up to speed and I feel revived and refreshed to do the work that lays ahead of me. Work is fun as of late, and it'll be a challenge to get everything ready for the Festival of Cultures and for my other projects. And it's a challenge I know I'll rise to meet.
But today I finally decided to throw caution to the wind and order the drums I've wanted for so long. They should arrive at Guitar Center in Sioux Falls within two weeks. And I'm really looking forward to using them in a variety of musical contexts. Plus it'll be cool to have something that few other drummers have. In fact, In my 20+ years of drumming, I've never known anyone personally who has a set.
For those who aren't familiar with what Octobans look and sound like, you can check them out at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_do4dXXYZeI
Apart from ordering the Octobans this afternoon, I spent the morning and the early afternoon in the office working on the Festival of Cultures. I didn't get any additional booths signed up, but I did get some ideas for organizations to contact. I'll get in touch with them tomorrow. A few of them are in Sioux Falls, and there are others in Brookings. I'll probably have to wait until classes start again on the 17th to contact student organizations about booths.
My only real appointment today was to meet my friend Steve Ver Maas at Billion Nissan this afternoon. I saw on Billion's Web site a few days ago that the dealership still has four 2007 350Zs in stock, and there was a blue one in which I'm sort of interested. I actually arrived at the dealership a little before 2, and Steve and I took the car out not long after that.
We didn't take the Z on a long test run, but the drive was enough to give me some impressions. It reminds me very much of the 2005 350Z I once had, but this new one feels more refined. I was pleased with how it drove and how well the driveline responded to my commands. And noise, vibration, and harshness are well-controlled. Such a fine car will give me plenty of food for thought.
For comparison's sake, we also took a used 2006 Corvette for a drive. The Corvette was nice, but I much prefer the way the 350Z feels and drives. There was a time, particularly when I was a teenager, when I was very much into Corvettes. But I don't feel that way so much anymore. I guess it's true we all change some as we get older.
Steve and I visited back at the Nissan store for a few minutes more and we then parted company for the day. The '07 350Z certainly is tempting, and I'll have plenty to think about in the coming days.
After leaving the Billion Nissan lot, I headed east on 41st street hoping to give my Mazda3 a thorough cleaning inside and out. The line at the car wash was really long, however, so I decided to forgo the wash. I'll get the car cleaned up in the next few days.
I then stopped at Guitar Center, dittled around on some drums, and then placed my Octoban order. Even though the Octobans have to be ordered in, I was able to use my 15 percent discount on the fiberglass toms. Even with taxes, my discount allowed me to save about $60.
Following a quick bite to eat at the Wendy's next door, I headed back to Brookings. The drive was pleasant and traffic was light. I arrived in Brookings around 4:45, and I played drums for a bit before heading up to the HPER Center to climb stairs and walk. Band practice with Dan and our friend Travis followed at 6:30.
I had expected our friend and singer Jonathan to make practice, but Dan and Pam informed me he's in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. But it was good our friend Travis, whom I hadn't seen in some months and is a smokin' guitar player, was able to make it. We didn't work on any original music, but we did play through a variety of Jimi Hendrix and Aerosmith covers. And I was surprised how much of a workout those songs gave my wrists, ankles, and feet. There were times when I wasn't sure if I had the endurance to play those songs, especially the faster ones. But I was able to get through all of it, and it was fun to watch Dan and Travis play off each other and exchange solos over the foundation I laid for them. We played until about 8 this evening, and I headed over to Dad's place to visit around 8:30. I'm at home now and checking messages before heading for bed.
It seems that I'm still a bit tired from being on the road over the weekend. But for the most part I feel like I'm back up to speed and I feel revived and refreshed to do the work that lays ahead of me. Work is fun as of late, and it'll be a challenge to get everything ready for the Festival of Cultures and for my other projects. And it's a challenge I know I'll rise to meet.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
I've traveled far
It's been a long day on the road today. But it's been a good day, too. Apart from the grilling I was the subject of at the U.S. border, my travel today has been uneventful. And that's a good thing. Tonight I'm resting in Stanley, Wisconsin, and should make it back to Brookings by the middle of tomorrow afternoon.
I don't know yet whether I'll make it to the Sports Car Club of Siouxland meeting tomorrow. Right now I'm planning on not making it and just spending the evening resting at home and at Dad's. But there's a chance I'll make it.
The hotel room in which I'm staying is nice, and I'm sure it'll be a good place to conduct the business of sleep tonight. And I appreciate the fact that the room is one of the least expensive in which I've stayed on this trip.
Enough about the present, though ... let's talk about the events of the day. I originally meant to rise from sleep around 7 this morning, but I stayed in bed until about 8:30. It was good to be able to sleep a little longer, especially since I didn't go to sleep until around 2 this morning. And spending more time in bed extended my visit with Dolly. I'll never complain about anything that allows me to spend more time with Dolly. And Dolly prepared me another wonderful breakfast while I showered after getting out of bed.
While I savored each bit of the scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast Dolly prepared for me, I burned a CD of photos I've taken during this latest visit to Wiky. I didn't shoot as many photos as I have during past Wiky visits. But I'm happy with the quality of the photos I took. And Dolly, Gail, and others in the family seem happy, too.
I loaded the car not long after the CD burning session, and then Dolly accompanied me to Andy's so I could top off the 3's tank. The car still had about 5/8 of a tank of gas, so not much fuel was required. Still, it was nice to set out today with a full tank. Dolly and I visited for a few minutes more at her house before I left. It was hard to leave Wiky today as it always is, but I take comfort in knowing I'll return in a few months' time.
The drive between Wiky and the Soo, including washroom and snack breaks, took about four hours. I changed money at the duty-free shop on the Canada side and tried to get my GST refund. I learned at the shop that the GST refund program has been discontinued. That's OK, though. My GST refund would have been only about $6.
Going across the International Bridge didn't take that much time, but I did sit in line for about 20 minutes before I was able to reach a border guard station. When I reached the station, the guard grilled me about my travel plans, how often I come to Canada, and the like. He then opened the 3's hatch and rifled through my luggage. He was also interested in why I had two cameras with me. The guard was satisfied with my answers, so he then returned my passport and let me go. I paid my bridge toll on the American side and didn't stop again until I filled up the 3 in Engadine, Michigan.
Road conditions were good throughout my travels today. There were frequent snowy and slushy spots on the Hiawatha Trail in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. But otherwise the roads have been bare and sometimes a little wet. Temps have been above freezing, so there hasn't been any concern about icy roads. The weather has cooperated today, too, and it sounds like it will tomorrow as well. I'm about 300 miles from home now, so I should make it back to Brookings by the middle of the afternoon if I leave by late morning. I want to get on the road early tomorrow, but I want to make sure I get plenty of sleep, too. I'll find a way to strike a balance.
I don't know yet whether I'll make it to the Sports Car Club of Siouxland meeting tomorrow. Right now I'm planning on not making it and just spending the evening resting at home and at Dad's. But there's a chance I'll make it.
The hotel room in which I'm staying is nice, and I'm sure it'll be a good place to conduct the business of sleep tonight. And I appreciate the fact that the room is one of the least expensive in which I've stayed on this trip.
Enough about the present, though ... let's talk about the events of the day. I originally meant to rise from sleep around 7 this morning, but I stayed in bed until about 8:30. It was good to be able to sleep a little longer, especially since I didn't go to sleep until around 2 this morning. And spending more time in bed extended my visit with Dolly. I'll never complain about anything that allows me to spend more time with Dolly. And Dolly prepared me another wonderful breakfast while I showered after getting out of bed.
While I savored each bit of the scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast Dolly prepared for me, I burned a CD of photos I've taken during this latest visit to Wiky. I didn't shoot as many photos as I have during past Wiky visits. But I'm happy with the quality of the photos I took. And Dolly, Gail, and others in the family seem happy, too.
I loaded the car not long after the CD burning session, and then Dolly accompanied me to Andy's so I could top off the 3's tank. The car still had about 5/8 of a tank of gas, so not much fuel was required. Still, it was nice to set out today with a full tank. Dolly and I visited for a few minutes more at her house before I left. It was hard to leave Wiky today as it always is, but I take comfort in knowing I'll return in a few months' time.
The drive between Wiky and the Soo, including washroom and snack breaks, took about four hours. I changed money at the duty-free shop on the Canada side and tried to get my GST refund. I learned at the shop that the GST refund program has been discontinued. That's OK, though. My GST refund would have been only about $6.
Going across the International Bridge didn't take that much time, but I did sit in line for about 20 minutes before I was able to reach a border guard station. When I reached the station, the guard grilled me about my travel plans, how often I come to Canada, and the like. He then opened the 3's hatch and rifled through my luggage. He was also interested in why I had two cameras with me. The guard was satisfied with my answers, so he then returned my passport and let me go. I paid my bridge toll on the American side and didn't stop again until I filled up the 3 in Engadine, Michigan.
Road conditions were good throughout my travels today. There were frequent snowy and slushy spots on the Hiawatha Trail in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. But otherwise the roads have been bare and sometimes a little wet. Temps have been above freezing, so there hasn't been any concern about icy roads. The weather has cooperated today, too, and it sounds like it will tomorrow as well. I'm about 300 miles from home now, so I should make it back to Brookings by the middle of the afternoon if I leave by late morning. I want to get on the road early tomorrow, but I want to make sure I get plenty of sleep, too. I'll find a way to strike a balance.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Fifteen minutes of fame
I think it's Andy Warhol who once said everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. If that's the case, surely my 15 minutes are almost up.
Jill Callison, a columnist for the Argus Leader wrote a column about my book and me; the column was published yesterday. Anyone interested can check out the column at this link: http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/COLUMNISTS0113/801030305/1174/VOICES
Those who've read the column already seem to have enjoyed it, and the column has already drummed up some additional interest in my book. Dolly commented that she wished the included photo included my face along with my hands and a picture of my book. But overall she thought the column was a good one, too.
Apart from checking the column and keeping an eye on the markets throughout the day, it's been a fairly quiet and restful day. The only times we really left the house were to do some grocery shopping at Andy's and then run down to the W.H.O. so Dolly could drop off some paperwork. We did a fair bit of visiting at the W.H.O., too. We mainly talked to our friend Doris and then Dwayne, who does a lot of the IT/graphic design work for the office. Dwayne showed me his Fujifilm camera and told me how he once ran the Wiky newspaper. He may start it up again in the future, and I offered to do some freelance writing for him.
Dolly and I spent the rest of the day hanging around the house and working on our own projects. Normally we would have spent some time in Rabbit Island. But Sarah has pneumonia and we've been advised to stay away from the house for a few days. I hope Sarah gets better soon, and I hope I'm able to see everyone again before I take off Saturday morning.
I did a fair bit of number crunching and writing today. Most of that writing has involved answering e-mails that have been sitting in my inbox for a few days. The number crunching was needed to figure out capital gains and losses for the years and to figure out how much I've charged to my credit cards while in Canada over the past couple of years. Now I need only to report my figures to my bookkeeper and to the company handling the class action lawsuit regarding credit card fees.
Reading occupied a good deal of my time today. I could have read more, but I was able to get through the first four chapters of The Secret. I'm really enjoying the book so far, and I'm happy Dolly made a gift of it to me.
Dolly's at bingo at the Arena right now, and I hope she's having a good time and is winning big. Of those two, I'm more hopeful she's enjoying herself. Winning big is always good, but having fun is ultimately the most important thing.
This week has passed so quickly, and it's hard to believe I'll be heading back to South Dakota the day after tomorrow. It's been a full week and at the same time has been relaxing. There's been no shortage of things to do, and it's been good to laugh as much as I have. I'll treasure this trip as I have my other trips to Wiky, and I won't be able to wait to get back here again in April.
Jill Callison, a columnist for the Argus Leader wrote a column about my book and me; the column was published yesterday. Anyone interested can check out the column at this link: http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/COLUMNISTS0113/801030305/1174/VOICES
Those who've read the column already seem to have enjoyed it, and the column has already drummed up some additional interest in my book. Dolly commented that she wished the included photo included my face along with my hands and a picture of my book. But overall she thought the column was a good one, too.
Apart from checking the column and keeping an eye on the markets throughout the day, it's been a fairly quiet and restful day. The only times we really left the house were to do some grocery shopping at Andy's and then run down to the W.H.O. so Dolly could drop off some paperwork. We did a fair bit of visiting at the W.H.O., too. We mainly talked to our friend Doris and then Dwayne, who does a lot of the IT/graphic design work for the office. Dwayne showed me his Fujifilm camera and told me how he once ran the Wiky newspaper. He may start it up again in the future, and I offered to do some freelance writing for him.
Dolly and I spent the rest of the day hanging around the house and working on our own projects. Normally we would have spent some time in Rabbit Island. But Sarah has pneumonia and we've been advised to stay away from the house for a few days. I hope Sarah gets better soon, and I hope I'm able to see everyone again before I take off Saturday morning.
I did a fair bit of number crunching and writing today. Most of that writing has involved answering e-mails that have been sitting in my inbox for a few days. The number crunching was needed to figure out capital gains and losses for the years and to figure out how much I've charged to my credit cards while in Canada over the past couple of years. Now I need only to report my figures to my bookkeeper and to the company handling the class action lawsuit regarding credit card fees.
Reading occupied a good deal of my time today. I could have read more, but I was able to get through the first four chapters of The Secret. I'm really enjoying the book so far, and I'm happy Dolly made a gift of it to me.
Dolly's at bingo at the Arena right now, and I hope she's having a good time and is winning big. Of those two, I'm more hopeful she's enjoying herself. Winning big is always good, but having fun is ultimately the most important thing.
This week has passed so quickly, and it's hard to believe I'll be heading back to South Dakota the day after tomorrow. It's been a full week and at the same time has been relaxing. There's been no shortage of things to do, and it's been good to laugh as much as I have. I'll treasure this trip as I have my other trips to Wiky, and I won't be able to wait to get back here again in April.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Big score
I felt tired a good portion of the day today, likely due to the fact I didn't sleep as much or as deeply as I had hoped last night. But I haven't let tiredness impact the fun and associated good times I've had today.
As we had planned yesterday, Dolly and I in one car and Gail and the kids in her van headed for Sudbury late this cold morning. Speaking of the cold, it was so cold today that when we first climbed into my car this morning, we had to let the car run and warm up for about 10 minutes. There wasn't just frost on the outside windows; there was frost inside the car as well.
Our two vehicles rendezvoused at the Wendy's/Tim Hortons on Highway 17 in Espanola. Gail grabbed a couple of quick coffees and Dolly and I ordered hamburgers. Gail continued on to Sudbury. Meanwhile, Mary Ag joined Dolly and me at our table and we took her to Sudbury with us. She said it felt more comfortable to ride in my car because she had to deal with empty child seats in her mom's van.
Our entire party reached Sudbury a little after noon, and our first stop was Rose's house. We hung out there for a bit before we headed for the Silver City theater to see what movies were playing. We all decided to catch the 3:30 showing of National Treasure: Book of Secrets. We purchased the tickets and went our separate ways for about an hour and a half. I don't know what Gail and her party did during that time. Dolly and I spent our time in a nearby Chapters, which I assume is a Canadian version of American big-box bookstores like Borders or Barnes & Noble.
While in the bookstore, Dolly and I checked over the overwhelming shelves of books and magazines. Not long after we arrived I felt thirsty, so Dolly and I picked up a couple of coffees at the in-store Starbucks Coffee. I had never drunk Starbucks coffee before and found it was quite good. It was also a good deal more expensive than, say, Tim Hortons coffee is. The coffee was good, however, and provided some warm refreshment on such a clear, frigid day.
I finished my cafe mocha in short order. And while I did that Dolly checked the magazine racks to see if the store carried Spirit magazine, a publication operated by a friend of hers. She found the magazine as I sipped on my coffee, and I then took some time to check out the magazines. I focused most of my attention on photography, computer, and automotive magazines.
Before we left, Dolly picked up a copy of the book The Secret for me. Late last year the two of us had watched The Secret on DVD and had become interested in it. The book and DVD are largely informational and talk about the law of attraction. The book's author postulates that through the law of attraction, each of us creates or attracts what comes into our lives. So we need to be positive and want good things for good things to come into our lives. I think the concept is really interesting, and I'm looking forward to reading more about it.
Dolly and I reconvened with the rest of our Sudbury group around a quarter after 3. We stopped and picked up some snacks before heading into theater 6. I was pleased to find the seats comfortable and the snacks were good. Our popcorn and pop didn't last long, but that's a sure sign we enjoyed it.
The movie lasted more than two hours, and it was a fun show for the most part. I was particularly interested to watch the movie because parts of it were filmed in South Dakota. South Dakota wasn't featured all that prominently, but it was cool to see Mt. Rushmore and other nearby areas in the Black Hills showcased on the big screen. Altogether, I enjoyed the story behind the movie, and it was fun to be able to watch the movie as part of a group.
After the movie, we headed back to Rose's house to enjoy more company and some skaan and chili. Our food was quite good and sweet, and it was nice to be able to kick back for a few minutes and relax before heading out to Sudbury Downs. I also enjoyed messing around with Alec's remote-controlled helicopter again. I'm a more proficient pilot than I was last night in Rabbit Island, but I still need practice. Maybe I'll pick up a helicopter like that if I can find one.
Dolly and I arrived at Sudbury Downs before Gail, Joey, and the kids did. And in the meantime we had our runs of luck and not such good fortune. So by the time everyone else arrived, we had pretty well spent all we had planned to spend. But we didn't know what awaited us if we continued to play.
I visited with Dolly and asked her if she were finished playing for the night. She replied she was, but then she handed me a ticket for $31 and told me to have fun. And have fun I did with Dolly in tow. I played a few different machines and ultimately settled on a $0.02 machine in the hopes of making the money last. We whittled the $31 down to about $0.31 when I brought our winnings up to about $50. And just as Dolly asked me to call it quits, I hit the "Play Max" button one last time. And when I did that, my effort was rewarded with a jackpot of 21,600 credits. Including the credits that were already in the machine, I collected $484 dollars. Since I wouldn't have won the jackpot without Dolly, I gave her half my winnings. That jackpot is the most money I've ever won gambling before. And even after dividing my winnings with Dolly and after playing some more and buying supper for us, I now have more money than when I arrived in Canada. It was fun winning like that last night, and I'm still filled with the good feelings.
After we let Gail and Joey know about our winnings, we hung out for a few more minutes before we retired to a Tim Hortons not far away. We downed our soups and sandwiches slowly and then headed back to Wiky. We stopped in Espanola to pick up a double Big Mac meal for Ross and then didn't stop again until we reached Wiky.
My, what a day it's been. It's certainly been fun, and I would have enjoyed this day even without our winnings. But winning at gambling for once was the icing on the cake. In the meantime, I'm relishing the good memories I've made on this trip so far, and those memories will stay with me for a long time to come.
As we had planned yesterday, Dolly and I in one car and Gail and the kids in her van headed for Sudbury late this cold morning. Speaking of the cold, it was so cold today that when we first climbed into my car this morning, we had to let the car run and warm up for about 10 minutes. There wasn't just frost on the outside windows; there was frost inside the car as well.
Our two vehicles rendezvoused at the Wendy's/Tim Hortons on Highway 17 in Espanola. Gail grabbed a couple of quick coffees and Dolly and I ordered hamburgers. Gail continued on to Sudbury. Meanwhile, Mary Ag joined Dolly and me at our table and we took her to Sudbury with us. She said it felt more comfortable to ride in my car because she had to deal with empty child seats in her mom's van.
Our entire party reached Sudbury a little after noon, and our first stop was Rose's house. We hung out there for a bit before we headed for the Silver City theater to see what movies were playing. We all decided to catch the 3:30 showing of National Treasure: Book of Secrets. We purchased the tickets and went our separate ways for about an hour and a half. I don't know what Gail and her party did during that time. Dolly and I spent our time in a nearby Chapters, which I assume is a Canadian version of American big-box bookstores like Borders or Barnes & Noble.
While in the bookstore, Dolly and I checked over the overwhelming shelves of books and magazines. Not long after we arrived I felt thirsty, so Dolly and I picked up a couple of coffees at the in-store Starbucks Coffee. I had never drunk Starbucks coffee before and found it was quite good. It was also a good deal more expensive than, say, Tim Hortons coffee is. The coffee was good, however, and provided some warm refreshment on such a clear, frigid day.
I finished my cafe mocha in short order. And while I did that Dolly checked the magazine racks to see if the store carried Spirit magazine, a publication operated by a friend of hers. She found the magazine as I sipped on my coffee, and I then took some time to check out the magazines. I focused most of my attention on photography, computer, and automotive magazines.
Before we left, Dolly picked up a copy of the book The Secret for me. Late last year the two of us had watched The Secret on DVD and had become interested in it. The book and DVD are largely informational and talk about the law of attraction. The book's author postulates that through the law of attraction, each of us creates or attracts what comes into our lives. So we need to be positive and want good things for good things to come into our lives. I think the concept is really interesting, and I'm looking forward to reading more about it.
Dolly and I reconvened with the rest of our Sudbury group around a quarter after 3. We stopped and picked up some snacks before heading into theater 6. I was pleased to find the seats comfortable and the snacks were good. Our popcorn and pop didn't last long, but that's a sure sign we enjoyed it.
The movie lasted more than two hours, and it was a fun show for the most part. I was particularly interested to watch the movie because parts of it were filmed in South Dakota. South Dakota wasn't featured all that prominently, but it was cool to see Mt. Rushmore and other nearby areas in the Black Hills showcased on the big screen. Altogether, I enjoyed the story behind the movie, and it was fun to be able to watch the movie as part of a group.
After the movie, we headed back to Rose's house to enjoy more company and some skaan and chili. Our food was quite good and sweet, and it was nice to be able to kick back for a few minutes and relax before heading out to Sudbury Downs. I also enjoyed messing around with Alec's remote-controlled helicopter again. I'm a more proficient pilot than I was last night in Rabbit Island, but I still need practice. Maybe I'll pick up a helicopter like that if I can find one.
Dolly and I arrived at Sudbury Downs before Gail, Joey, and the kids did. And in the meantime we had our runs of luck and not such good fortune. So by the time everyone else arrived, we had pretty well spent all we had planned to spend. But we didn't know what awaited us if we continued to play.
I visited with Dolly and asked her if she were finished playing for the night. She replied she was, but then she handed me a ticket for $31 and told me to have fun. And have fun I did with Dolly in tow. I played a few different machines and ultimately settled on a $0.02 machine in the hopes of making the money last. We whittled the $31 down to about $0.31 when I brought our winnings up to about $50. And just as Dolly asked me to call it quits, I hit the "Play Max" button one last time. And when I did that, my effort was rewarded with a jackpot of 21,600 credits. Including the credits that were already in the machine, I collected $484 dollars. Since I wouldn't have won the jackpot without Dolly, I gave her half my winnings. That jackpot is the most money I've ever won gambling before. And even after dividing my winnings with Dolly and after playing some more and buying supper for us, I now have more money than when I arrived in Canada. It was fun winning like that last night, and I'm still filled with the good feelings.
After we let Gail and Joey know about our winnings, we hung out for a few more minutes before we retired to a Tim Hortons not far away. We downed our soups and sandwiches slowly and then headed back to Wiky. We stopped in Espanola to pick up a double Big Mac meal for Ross and then didn't stop again until we reached Wiky.
My, what a day it's been. It's certainly been fun, and I would have enjoyed this day even without our winnings. But winning at gambling for once was the icing on the cake. In the meantime, I'm relishing the good memories I've made on this trip so far, and those memories will stay with me for a long time to come.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
More Pokeno
Today's waking time has been really, really short. I didn't sleep the whole time between last night and this afternoon, but I didn't change out of my sleep clothes until after 3 this afternoon. It's really unusual for me to spend such a significant portion of the day inactive, but it's been nice. I've been able to watch some good APTN movies with Dolly, enjoy some great food, and have fun playing Pokeno.
Spending virtually all day indoors has had its advantages. It was a lot colder today than it has been the past few days, so it wouldn't have been as much fun to be outside as it has in the recent past. And it sounds as though other members of Dolly's family had the same idea of staying indoors. The original plan was to go sledding again today. But I guess everyone decided to pass because of the low temps. Maybe we'll go again either Thursday or Friday. A bunch of us plan to go to Sudbury tomorrow.
Dolly fixed a dinner of tacos around 5 this evening, and then we headed up to Rabbit Island around 7 to play Pokeno. We were among the first to arrive, and the gaming didn't actually start until around 8:30. I won the small Pokeno pot during the first round of games, but others won successive pots. Dolly took the final Pokeno pot. It sounds as though Dolly netted about $63 this evening. More importantly, the house was filled with fun and laughter and everyone seemed to have a good time. Truth be told, I haven't laughed as hard as I did tonight in a few weeks. Laughter truly is healing, as many people say.
It's already after midnight, and it's time to hit the hay for another fun day tomorrow. The plan is to meet up the hill around 9 tomorrow morning, and we'll convoy to Sudbury sometime around 10. In the meantime, I'm going to try to catch up on sleep and continue to enjoy the present.
Spending virtually all day indoors has had its advantages. It was a lot colder today than it has been the past few days, so it wouldn't have been as much fun to be outside as it has in the recent past. And it sounds as though other members of Dolly's family had the same idea of staying indoors. The original plan was to go sledding again today. But I guess everyone decided to pass because of the low temps. Maybe we'll go again either Thursday or Friday. A bunch of us plan to go to Sudbury tomorrow.
Dolly fixed a dinner of tacos around 5 this evening, and then we headed up to Rabbit Island around 7 to play Pokeno. We were among the first to arrive, and the gaming didn't actually start until around 8:30. I won the small Pokeno pot during the first round of games, but others won successive pots. Dolly took the final Pokeno pot. It sounds as though Dolly netted about $63 this evening. More importantly, the house was filled with fun and laughter and everyone seemed to have a good time. Truth be told, I haven't laughed as hard as I did tonight in a few weeks. Laughter truly is healing, as many people say.
It's already after midnight, and it's time to hit the hay for another fun day tomorrow. The plan is to meet up the hill around 9 tomorrow morning, and we'll convoy to Sudbury sometime around 10. In the meantime, I'm going to try to catch up on sleep and continue to enjoy the present.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)