Computer Geek. Bicycling Nut. Fun Loving Friend. Gym Rat. Gamer. Slightly off-kilter artist. Madison Liberal. Crazy Cat Lady. Organic Produce Fan. Use your own label. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blog/3192 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:37:00 GMT en-us I watched the Packers win over the Bears today. There's not much special about that, except that they won, that the Bears looked awful, and I sat and appreciated the 3 hours of work that the average football player playing professionally must endure. Will Blackmon was able to jump from a prone position to his feet, and one of the commentators remarked on his admirable state of conditioning, to be able to do that. I stared hard at Donald Driver's arms in wonder. Even as he limped off the field on more than one occasion, that man is toned. Even the ...ahem...larger members of the Packer squad; they have a physicality that goes way beyond about 99% of the viewing audience. At one point, a linebacker picked up a fumble and ran for a touchdown. Linebackers do sprints usually, designed for rushing the passer, not long slogs to the end zone. But he did it, and I was cheering as hard as the rest of Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20077-run-under-grey-skies http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20077-run-under-grey-skies Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:00:00 GMT It's a cold wet November day. I'm sitting in a small room with an instructor and her 3 teaching assistants. Group projects aren't going well. The students won't commit to a project. They won't turn in their progress reports. They are asking questions about what their final presentation is supposed to look like, and aren't happy with the answers. They look tired, worn down. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20046-semester-blues http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20046-semester-blues Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:15:00 GMT I went and voted today, early, in Verona's new city hall. There I met a professor that I see often at the U, a lovely man with an Irish brogue and the flirty Irish wit. He confessed to me that it was his first time voting, having recently become a United States citizen. (Only after asking me if I was old enough to vote!) He was so excited to be able to vote. He told me he'd never voted before, even when he lived in Ireland, and was looking forward to doing it here, now, for this election. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20020-polling-place http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20020-polling-place Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:11:00 GMT Recently, I heard someone running for office in Wisconsin to lament that "they were going to clean up the mess in Madison". What mess? I think we just like our choice here in Madison. We like options. We like to know that we can vote, or register to vote, or express our voting opinion. We like to have the choice between going to Freakfest on State or going elsewhere. We like the Eastside or the Westside, or both. Maybe it is a fundamental wishywashy-ness that infuriates some more set in their ways. Another politician lamented that "some of those people (down in Madison) can't be reasoned with". Geez. We kind of get a bad rep. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20012-choices-everywhere http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/20012-choices-everywhere Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:14:00 GMT So Canada was our trek of the day, and we wound along the scenic highway near Lake Michigan, drinking in the colors, drinking in the blue ice of the lake. We laughed at all of the signs for Pasties, smoked fish, and fudge. We marveled that the abandoned little tourist traps closed up for the season, and the abandoned little houses that looked so forlorn. Of course, we kept our eyes peeled for deer, having almost hit at least two having come this far. There are beaches on Lake MIchigan, which I am sure are cold even in the middle of summer, and sand dune blown into large swells on the very north shore. Part of this area reminds me of what surely must be like Cape Cod, with serene little beach houses facing rocky and fairly unswimmable shores. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19964-great-white-north http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19964-great-white-north Thu 23 Oct 2008 14:22:00 GMT There are few places as beautiful as Wisconsin in fall. The colors are vibrant and stretch for miles upon miles, with hidden treasures of deer and turkeys to offer contrast, and the cool weather is just perfect for a warm fire and snuggling up to someone special. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19960-north-late-fall http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19960-north-late-fall Thu, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT I'm lucky to work at the same campus where I took classes many many years ago. That means I regularly have to attend meetings in beautiful old buildings that really have climbing ivy along the brick facades and I can walk to my next meeting along the beautiful Lakeshore Path, back to my building. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19912-nostaglia-draped-fall-colors http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19912-nostaglia-draped-fall-colors Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:30:00 GMT As October erupts from the fading heat of September, the nights turn cool, the leaves turn colors, and the products of the summer growing seson are literally falling off their vines. Or...er....trees. Recipes have turned to pumpkin and apples. And demand for those items is high. Enter the Eplegarden. When us cityfolk yearn for fresh produce, we could go to the grocery store. Or we could go to the Farmer's Market. But if we really want to experience the true flavor of the harvest, you could go to the farm. The Eplegarden is this huge sprawling farm with acres upon acres of crawling raspberry bushes, rows of gnarly apple trees, and a field so full of pumpkins that it looks as if it is a orange rock strewn field. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19880-harvest-farm http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19880-harvest-farm Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:00:00 GMT One of the easiest, most familar bike rides around is to trek out to the tiny crossroads of Riley, WI for pancakes. The Riley Tap does a wicked good pancake and sausage breakfast, and as it stands only a few yards from the bike path, it's a destination for old and young alike. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19846-road-riley http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19846-road-riley Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT My oh my, Madison is awash in music this weekend! With the Forward Music Festival and the end of the Madison World Music Festival, it seemed you could hear music no matter where you turned! We chose the Union Terrace for Baba Zula, an electronica inspired, reggae flavored, beach boy tinged, trance band...using Turkish music instruments and heavy use of sound effects like echos. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19805-baba-zula-and-madison-world-music-festival http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19805-baba-zula-and-madison-world-music-festival Sun, 21 Sep 2008 02:53:00 GMT One of my favorite fall scenes is not the coloring of leaves on trees or pumpkins on the vine. It's Peewee Football. They love their sports here in Verona, and I must admit that I smile everytime I see a oversized jersey and helmet on a kid that looks about 4 times too small for it. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19786-verona039s-pee-wee-football http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19786-verona039s-pee-wee-football Tue, 16 Sept 2008 23:59:00 GMT When the weekend weather is uncooperative, I'm always tempted to crawl back into my bed and stay there. It's fall, and I saw my first maple turning orange, and it's rainy and cold. What is there to do? Cook. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19774-rainy-days-cook-away http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19774-rainy-days-cook-away Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:30:00 GMT I have a lot of shoes. This is one of the first things that J learned upon moving in. I have a problem in throwing away shoes. I'll keep raggedy old tennis shoes long past their date of expiration. Until we started to try to condense our stuff down to the bare minimum in preparation for selling our home, and then, well, it was easier to justify throwing the musty old things out. In fact, it's got alot easier once the doctor told me my foot problems were probably the result of bad shoes. I don't need much of an excuse to buy more shoes. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19756-back-box http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19756-back-box Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:11:00 GMT I am in awe of Ironman triathletes. These are just different kinds of people. Michael Phelps does sprints of swimming, giving all he can for a minute. These people do it for hours. Some don't finish until late at night. They just keep going. Endurance athletes don't have to learn how to run or bike or swim, generally having those seeds planted when they were children. They have to train. A LOT. Most train every day. Most train doing multiple hours each day, and a lot of them do multiple events in a year. There is no downtime, no vacations. There is just a lot of work. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19735-ironman-wisconsn http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19735-ironman-wisconsn Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:08:00 GMT School is back in session, and while it would be easy to complain about the crowds and the long wait times for elevators, I'm trying to be positive. I'm trying to think about the things that I first learned, as a freshman, when I arrived here on campus 20 years ago, in the fall of 1988. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19722-school-days http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19722-school-days Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:45:00 GMT So, the whole weekend was meant for lounging around; except for one little detail. I had to do a return at IKEA. In Schaumberg, IL. Before 9/5. I love going there, but it is 2 hours away, and the trip usually results in hours of wandering around the semi-disposable Swedish lawn furniture sold there. My refund was for $60. Almost worth it. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19710-ikea http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19710-ikea Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:59:00 GMT J and I went for a jaunt to the south today, and embarked along the Badger State Trail. The Trail will eventually go from Madison to the Illinois Border, but right now, it starts on a quiet country road in Fitchburg. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19691-riding-badger-state-trail http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19691-riding-badger-state-trail Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:15:00 GMT They'd been calling me for weeks, begging. I'd kept putting them off. Finally, I acquiesced. They wanted my blood, they'd have my blood. I'm not sure if other towns have the strong persuasion of the Red Cross to deal with, but they are persistent in cajoling you to come in. And it had been a long time. Not for lack of trying. The last time I was deferred for lack of adequate iron levels in my blood. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19684-there-will-be-blood http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19684-there-will-be-blood Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:03:00 GMT Walking from a meeting elsewhere on the hill, we ran across a student busily holding color swatches up to old Abe. One of my companions stopped and asked what she was doing. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19655-what-color-abe http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19655-what-color-abe Thu, 21 Aug 2008, 16:53:00 GMT There is a way to celebrate a birthday that probably doesn't vary much from place to place. There's cake, of course, and singing of a ritual song. There's food and friends, and laughter. This is pretty much universal. And then there is the Wii Birthday. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19637-way-wii-celebrate http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19637-way-wii-celebrate Sun, 17 Aug 2008, 16:40:00 GMT Well, not really the last days. I mean, that won't happen until after Labor Day, right? No, what I am referring to is the last few days before August 15, when the students come back. Summer is this haven in Madison, when the streets are suddenly clearer, the traffic moves through the downtown streets faster, and the terrace isn't quite so packed. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19598-last-days-summer http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19598-last-days-summer Tue, 13 Aug 2008 04:30:00 GMT Imagine you've been at your job for a while. It's okay. But you start thinking maybe you need a change. So, you decide to change gears. You say goodbye to all of your friends at work, and try something new. And a few months later, you realize you've made a mistake. You mention to a couple of friends that you miss your old job. Word gets back to the powers that be that you want to get back to business. But they've filled your job, and even though you've done good work for them for many many years, they don't have room for you anymore. Is that their fault? They've moved on. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19505-changing-your-mind http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19505-changing-your-mind Wed, 07 Aug 2008 03:00:00 GMT "I just saw a mouse!", exclaimed my co-worker FunMom. In our office. Where we work, eat, do everything. It was all we could do to grab our laptops and hurry out, pulling the door behind us. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19465-just-mouse http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19465-just-mouse Tue, 04 Aug 2008 20:28:00 GMT "And they even have a Chipotle!" That's what I heard when I recently had to walk my bike down the sidewalk of State Street. It's under construction, yet another phase of what is the city's plan to completely redo it. The town is buzzing with visiting students getting ready for their freshman year and their worried parents. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19450-search-perfect-shoe http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19450-search-perfect-shoe Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:09:00 GMT Back in the day, I loved going to concerts. Back when gas was cheap, and the hours on the road didn't matter, and I could buy the concert gear without bugging my eyes out at the price. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19432-trekking-east-old-times-sake http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19432-trekking-east-old-times-sake Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:48:00 GMT So, we both have high cholesterol. Now, mine isn't as bad as J's, but still bad. Since J's levels are much worse, changes have to be made. Drastic changes. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19422-watching-what-we-eat http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19422-watching-what-we-eat Thu, 25 Jul 2008 03:00:00 GMT Ask any Wisconsin native what the seasons are and you'll get the following responses...Winter and Construction. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19417-construction-season http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19417-construction-season Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:13:00 GMT Yesterday, I helped trim bushes at the condo. A lot of bushes. I've never done this before. Someone hands you a clippers and says Go to it. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19401-trimming http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19401-trimming Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:33:00 GMT Biking in oppressive heat isn't too bad, because you don't feel bad until you stop. But there are things to distract you too... http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19392-seeing-sights http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19392-seeing-sights Tue, 17 Jul 2008 03:03:00 GMT When it comes to biking, we might pause before an obstacle, but not for long. http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19380-bike-path-obstacle-courses http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19380-bike-path-obstacle-courses Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:37:00 GMT A lot of Madison might find the Art Fair too hoity-toity... http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19371-art-fair-square http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19371-art-fair-square Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:37:00 GMT Madisonians love their markets. Not just the giant Farmer's Market... http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19370-fresh-farm-food-abounds http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19370-fresh-farm-food-abounds Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:37:00 GMT Yes, I survived the Triathlon, but you knew I would http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19365-my-big-baby-blue-bottom http://www.wisconsinnative.com/blogentry/19365-my-big-baby-blue-bottom Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:37:00 GMT