The Demise of "Is"

I finally realized something the other day. CFHS English teachers killed my fun. Now, you might ask, "Why's that Clare? They gave you a ridiculously great education to a degree that most other high schoolers would kill for, especially when entering college and they realize they are screwed..." But its still true. I'm not sure which one of my glorious literary sunbeams it was, I've got it narrowed down to Timmins and Martin, but Martin is nowhere to be found on the interweb, so these two mug shots will have to do.

When writing papers, we were only allowed to have the words "is" or "be" twice on each printed page. All of the other sentences had to have other verbs. And it shines through when I write my facebook status. Writing "Clare is...." DRIVES ME INSANE. I will sit and think until I can phrase it some other way, or if I can't, I most of the time don't bother writing it.

That is incredibly messed up.

Throwback Thursday: Sturgis Falls

One of my first Sturgis Falls....ever, with my mother, and rocking the Sturgis Falls tshirt (which USED to be cool, until they started being all boring)

I am caught in a complex this weekend. Usually, at this point, I am prancing around in a gleeful manner, wishing it was the weekend. Because I am a true CF-er in my love for Sturgis Falls. I look forward to it ALL YEAR, and I miss it when I am away and unable to attend the town's glorious celebration. From the talent show on opening night to the Craft Fair on Sunday afternoon, I love it. The parade is the best though, my mom, brother, and grandparents all together. My mom goes early with the chairs for a primo spot. Then we join her and eat bagels and drink OJ and coffee as we watch completely awful floats, but still love every second of it.

But this year, I don't know...I'm just not feeling it. I still plan on going, but there isn't that buzz, that vibe. Hopefully that will change by tomorrow!

Sidenote: It's the worst weekend of my father's life. He hates it. In fact, Mr. Family Man pretty much refuses to attend any event Sturgis related. It's amusing.

Prescription for Travel Bug Bite?

The travel bug has struck again! I am headed to Los Angeles in September, and maybe, just maybe *fingers crossed* to Peru in October, so traveling has been on the brain recently. I did quite a bit of Los Angeles research today, as Becca posted an awesome list of things that we might be doing that weekend, and it just makes me want to go out and see a million things that I have never seen or done before.

I blame my jet set family! In the good way of course. My mom and I hit Chile when I was in the 7th grade (South America seems to be the locale for mother/daughter trips) but our first international vacay as a family wasn't until the summer before my freshman year of high school to the land of Deutschland. My parents lived there for a few years while my dad still worked for IBM and wanted to take the whole clan back to relive the memories.

We stayed with their friends for a few days when we first got there, friends that had three daughters. Its rather obnoxious and makes you hate American schooling when the girl half your age knows more Latin than you do of German. She chose Latin before English, and I already barely got along with people younger than me, so let's just assume that those communications and relationships were very limited.

The trip was amazing though. We did Germany, Austria, and a brief jaunt into Lichtenstein over the three weeks we were there. I kept a journal on my palm pilot. Only to realize that when your palm pilot runs out of batteries, it loses all of the information on it. Yup, less than awesome. But I have moments that will always stick out in my head. Our time at the Wirths is pretty clear, as well as the Salt Mines in Austria.

My favorite by far was the Eagles Nest (Hitler's secret mountain top bunker, see above) It was gorgeous up there. We also saw Auschwitz, Neuschwanstein, Insbruck, and Munich.



While we were in Berlin, it was the same time as the Love Parade (move over Boston, Love Parade wins in the Gay Pride contest). We were in a shop buying a Love Parade shirt, as well as bright green shoelaces, when we were evacuated out of the back of the shop by the workers because of a bomb threat empty suitcase outside in the square. Crazy moment!

Abrupt end of post. Must resist urge to scratch travel bug bite better next time...

He let me win at Yankee Doodle...

Oh daddy....You always put the rah rah in my sis boom bah!
Happy Father's Day to the man that:
-Read me at least one chapter a night before bed from the girliest of girl books for so many years
-Bought me anything I could ever want, just to see me happy to receive it
-During evening songs, would cheat at Yankee Doodle, but somehow still let me win
-Played the Oreo game and the pizza game for hours
-Took me to breakfast on spelling test days so we could practice over bagels
-Woke up extra early so we could get juice at the gas station before jazz band at 7am
-Gave me away at my wedding
-Takes his family to DisneyWorld every year, everyone, for the best week of all of our year
-Plays the game "how much stuff in your car can I play with and move" while riding shotgun
-Refuses to eat peas
-Loves cherry pie
-Knows the lifestyle of "Whatever you want dear"
-Knows when to let it go
-Knows when to keep pushing
-Makes a mean scrambled egg
-Cares about everyone, even the ones that drive us crazy
-Likes to talk in the voice of a 6 year old at LEAST once a week

-Took my kitty to the vet when she was hurt, no matter how much it cost
-Takes his son on baseball trips for that manly bonding
-Helps everyone out, only asking that they do the same for someone else
-No strings attached
-Loves the Chicago Cubs, despite how much they suck.
-Is like a little kid on Christmas morning
-Drives way too fast
-Is the most perfect daddy in all the world!

Throwback Thursday: 80s Style

Holy 80s Batman. Will you look at that computer? Like seriously, its freaky how much our technology has progressed in 20 years. We probably can't even imagine in our little brains what will exist in the next 20. But I am for sure praying that I will not be sporting that haircut again. OR that sweatshirt. Cause whoa buddy. Fashion police for the four year old! Stat!

Wednesday. Work Week Wretchedness.

Wednesdays suck for all people that have real life jobs. Ones where they sit at a desk all day, toiling over numbers and reports and customers that like to complain... The same is true for Tim, who, because of his work, we are not in Boston this month like we had planned to be. So here's to his favorite place on earth!









It would be a titch bit warm right about now, but only nine more months til next years spring break! (Yes, he is counting already)

Get Fuzzy Gets Funny!

Comics these days aren't what they used to be. It takes a lot for me to even give one chuckle to most. But this had both Tim and I actually laughing outloud.

For those computer inept, click on the comic to make it bigger so you can read the hilarity!



You're welcome.

#569 not to have kids

This amuses me GREATLY. And would also make a great cat hat.....

Boys like Baseball?

Last Thursday the whole Nordyke clan set out across the midwest. Baseball was calling the men. We spent the night in Peoria after watching Veronica Mars the whole way. Ice cream at Chevys (the only thing I personally deemed safe to eat). And while I watched Conan, Tim disappeared with Mitch to the bars of Peoria.

Friday started with free breakfast at the hotel, and now its such an awesome rarity these days that it deserves its own sentence in this post. The long driving day involved a showing of "Hes just not that into you" and "Fanboys." Checked into the Hilton downtown Cincinatti, a magnificent piece of hotel. And hit up some Rock Bottom BBQ before I walked the boys over to the stadium. I chose to work out in the biggest gym I have ever seen instead of feeding my face with free food at the game. But I did get some shots in before the gates opened up.

I met up with mom for dinner, only to be ignored at the hotel restaurant, but ended up at McCormick and Schmicks. (The Carribbean Shrimp salad is DELISH). And then the amazing purse recovery expedition occurred. It involved me barrel rolling over vehicle barriers and spiraling up 7 floors in a parking garage. But then I managed to talk my way into the stadium to get up to the boys to watch the huge fireworks display after the game. It was awesome. 20 minutes of set to music fireworks. Great show.

Chris and I were up early to workout on Saturday, but it was well worth it. I somehow convinced the family to trek to the Cincinnati branch of First Watch.

Oh how I love thee fruit crepes. Hotel check out was far too early and we were forced to wander the streets of Cincinnati as well as Newport, KY. But I did get my stamp at the Taft NHS. We eventually found the zoo, but by then there wasn't time. And the black people museum was too expensive. So we found a strip mall and dad bought me some cute tops at Dillards (because hes the man).

We dropped mom off at the shuttle location so she could go back to the B&N and the restaurant area, and went to the second game of the series. PS. Cubs playing the Reds, hence why we made the hike to Ohio. Game took forever. The boys had to see all of the warm ups, so we were at the field for about 6 hours before we left in the 11th inning because we had to make it to Dublin.

I was well entertained though, I read some magazines, ate a pretzel, and took lots of pictures. Made it to Dublin super late and crashed in the small childrens room on the floor. Woke up, chilled with Aunt Carol and Uncle Mike through breakfast, and then the men left to the Memorial Golf tournament, only blocks from Carol's house. They were gone for a few hours. And Carol's son, wife, and kids came by and we hung out until lunch was put out, the boys got back from the golf tournament and seeing Tiger Woods practice (all nice and crispy from the sun). And by 2pm, we hit the road for the 10.5 hour drive back to Iowa. For our viewing pleasure, we had "Defiance," "Outlander," and "Veronica Mars" but Christopher had other plans.

The kid can sleep in any position for hours. Despite a Frosty break, a Panera dinner stop, and a bathroom break at a truck stop, we were home by 11ish. I swear it was the weekend that lasted a month. A month! But all was grand.

Throwback Thursday!

I found a bunch of sweet pictures while sorting through a million photos for my brother's graduation. So I decided to create Throwback Thursday. Today's was going to be of my grandmother. She was the unfortunate victim of fate today and had to have a few stitches after a fall she took, so it was going to be an ode to her! But I couldn't find any of her in the pile (this must be remedied) so I found the next best thing. This is my Grandfather. My guess is that this was taken in the late eighties, but no one seems to know where. But does it matter? He's posing as a moose. This amuses me.

Shocking.

Two posts in one day?! I must not have enough to do. But these lightning storms are just too cool. We went out into the country last week for the really big one. I took about 300 pictures, and these were the only two of actual lightning that I got.

Sneaky little devil, that lightning fella.

Dumb Drivers and a Love of Olives....

Today is a day of instances that make you audibly growl. Even though no one can hear you and it doesn't change anything and it really isn't that big of a deal, but the growl makes you feel better.

Instance #1: CF Cops are lazy. I was on my way to work, about to come to a green light, heading straight. A truck was turning left from the other direction (would cross in front of me), figured he had enough time before I got there, turned. Ok, fine, I'll just break a little bit once I hit the light so he can make it through. But then the car behind him decided to turn left too, RIGHT in front of me. I slammed the breaks and honked. Then I see the cop car right next to me, stopped at the light. I figure my honk was at the very least an alert that something was not ok. But nope. The cop turned and totally ignored the perp! Arg.

Instance #2: Almost to work on University. I am in the middle lane. A block before the driveway to the office there is construction filling the right lane. I stay to the middle lane because I will have to get immediately over. And all of a sudden I hear this blaring horn at me from a guy that was trying to merge? I dont know even, he was behind me or to the side of me. I would have let him in front to get out of the construction lane, but he wasnt even in my vision. So hes laying on the horn, and then tailgates me in the middle lane. I finally get to the right lane when I can and he gives me killer glare as he speeds past. I reciprocated. Gr.

Instance #3: Lunchtime. Dad wants Subway, so off I go! I give in to my grumbling stomach and get a salad. Just getting a salad already costs an extra buck. Makes no sense, its a sandwich MINUS the bread, but they ADD an extra dollar to the cost. But then, heres the conversation:

Worker 1: What kind of cheese do you want?
Me: No cheese.
*ten second pause*
Worker 1: What kind of cheese did you say you wanted?

Worker 2: What else do you want on it?
Me: *lists numerous veggies*...and lots of olives.
Worker 2: *puts on proper veggies until the olives. She COUNTS six olive slices onto the salad despite the LONG line behind me.*
Me: Can I have some more olives?
Worker 2: I can only give you six olives unless you want to pay an extra quarter
Me: Fine, Ill pay the quarter, more olives
Worker 2: *proceeds to count 4 more olive slices onto the salad*

GROOWWWLLLL.

I'm such a whiner. But the rest of the day has been fine. Just those little irks.

Making chilli tonight. First time. No meat, no beans. Yum. Gonna make a broccoli salad and granola later this week. Pumped about the granola part...

Weapon of Choice

My mom gets the UnCommon Goods catalogue. This was a recent find. The Ninja Umbrella

It's really not so much the item itself, but the caption that goes along with it....

Rain: Ninja. You are but a mere mortal and no match for my powerful torrent. Do you surrender?
Ninja: Ah, Rain. You are a most worthy opponent and teacher. But I will never surrender.

Rain: Ha! Ha! Ha! Your bravery humors me. Please continue.

Ninja: Laugh now, Rain, for it will be the last time. (Unsheathes umbrella.)

Rain: The ninja umbrella. But I thought it was a myth!

Ninja: Used by the samurais before me. Passed down by my ancestors. Full of the wisdom of the ancients. With this umbrella, I will defeat you once and for all, and I will bring honor to my family and dry clothes to my home. HIIIIYAAAA!

You too can bring honor to your family with the ninja umbrella featuring a samurai sword handle. Comes with carrying case for dramatic effect (and easy transport). Made in Hong Kong.

Do you risk a camera revolution for 3eb?

You know, I think I have determined a pet peeve of mine. I don't know if you can call it that, because really, its not something a single person can do, but still, I'm going to go with that terminology. This pet peeve involves concerts, shows, or pretty much any event that I might want to take pictures. I know I have no real purpose for taking pictures of whatever band or comedian, especially from the seats that I usually barely pay for, but I like taking pictures, so any event I can, I do. A problem with this comes in the fact that nowadays, cameras and phones are so high tech and crazy that they are being banned from said concerts. Fine, ban me, take it away or send me back to the car.

Heres my issue, there is no real way to tell if you are going to get a camera in or not. Some places say won't tell you if its allowed or not, and therein lies the issue of if you want to try and get one in. If its a big event, and you've been waiting in line, going back to the car or all the way back to the apartment (for those boston days) is not an option. Neither is leaving it in an unattended box for the world to steal. So, do you try to get it through? For those outfits without pockets easily hidden, where do you put it? Do you risk it and then find that you go through metal detectors? And if you don't take the chance, and then find that you could have easily gotten it in, then you are aggravated with yourself for being a total pansy and not risking a camera revolution!

Anyways. Two nights ago I had the same old debate with myself when going to see Third Eye Blind at ValAir Ballroom. I gave in to chicken syndrome and left it in the car. Walked straight through security, not even a pat down! Ugh. The crowd was so light too, I could have gotten some awesome pictures of my blast from the past, but alas, my fuzzy crappy camera phone was all I had. I suck.

However, Third Eye Blind, very much does NOT suck. And they made the drive down and back in the same night all while sick, very very worth it. All the classics, all the hits, a few new pieces. Despite the light crowd, it was a GREAT crowd. It's been six years since they came out with an album, and when they played a random song off their very first cd (not a single from the radio), I swear every person in that room knew every single word. It was beautiful. One of their best too. Motorcycle Drive By. Learn it. Love it. And then go hear Stephen Jenkins sing it with several hundred other voices. Glorious.

Ok, I'm out for a few days. The fam has Cubs tickets in Cincinnati. So away we go. Have I been home over the weekend since April? I don't think so....

Last little bit of gradjumatation.

My bad. I meant to post this last week and just never got around to it. I think I was too busy trying to have free time after a solid four days of go go go! The photos are pretty self explanatory. My brother graduated. Ceremony and all! Crazy. It was super nice to have commencement in the McLeod Center as opposed to the Dome where mine was. I was surprised at how fast the actual ceremony took, despite the 333 kids graduation. Afterwards, a few family photos outside (of course, the High School Graduate still needs his Mommy's help)
Other people took our picture, but really, I just take the best photos myself ;)

And for some reason, I just really like this one.

We had cake at my parents house, and later there was lasagna, but I gladly stuck to left over graduation rolls. Something about Open House bread. Deliciously naughty.

We headed off pretty quickly after, to make it up to Minneapolis that night. Caught a lovely late showing of Angels & Demons (much better than the first movie) and crashed. The next morning was lackadaisical. Breakfast that we brought, hit up IKEA, almost bought a table, didn't think it would fit in the car (and we CERTAINLY did not want a recreation of the time the art wouldn't fit in the car) and then headed to the Red Sox/Twins game.

I was not aware that the Twins stadium was indoors. Here it was, Memorial Day, gorgeous, mid 70s, super sunny, and I was stuck inside of an indoor baseball stadium that was freezing cold (I had Tim's jersey on my legs, my bag on my arms and was still shaking) watching baseball. This was my view, note the lack of beautiful blue sky.
But with the help of my current reading book, the Kevin Smith diary, I was at least somewhat entertained for the game.

Then off to home! Ending a very long weekend. But yes, my brother really did earn a diploma. Major plus.