Another Wedding!

Went to a wedding Saturday night - Although you can't really see him here, an Elvis impersonator with a British accent officiated.

 

The couple is adorable.  I used to work with her at the U of M.  I remember when she met Adam ... she was soooo excited (she knew he was the one!)

They had a cake in the shape of the Airstream they are fixing up and plan on living in ... at an artists' colony outside of Austin, Texas (if I remember right).

Boy-child went as my date (he fit right in with the hipsters). He's delighted he can drink legally now. We switched places in the cut-out of the bride and groom so it would be funny and not creepy/incestuous  ;-)

No Woman No Drive

Let's hear it for the fusion of Saudi and Rastafarian style:


Read about it here.

On Volunteering

I find myself feeling a little unhinged after volunteering at the public library today. 

I spent two hours with one patron who came in to apply for a job online. 

To say he lacked computer skills would be a gross understatement.  I found it difficult to explain that a different computer would not have different job openings … we set up an email account for him … we struggled to put together a resume for him even though he has never held a job for more than a year and a half, not to mention the gaping holes in his work experience due to incarceration.

And then suddenly I realized that this old man, this man with only a few teeth left, this man who is obviously homeless, this man who will get a job only if a miracle occurs … this man is a year younger than I am.

Now, I always felt that I had a pretty easy life with lots of opportunities.  I had to work hard, it’s true, but I managed. It’s true, my father died when I was young, but everyone has hurdles, right?  Then I discovered while telling my children stories about when I was a kid that they thought I had a pretty awful childhood.  I still think I did ok because I didn’t have it too bad.

So what is it that that makes two people from similar backgrounds end up with life trajectories so wildly different?  This patron today … he grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis too, he was involved in music when young too, he went to college for a while … and yet there we were, at the public library, trying to find him a job.

Anyway, there is no point to this post.  I’m just rambling because I’m still a little stunned.  Also, I have a job interview on Friday.  The patron and I - two people trying to improve our lives. 

Morgan Library, New York ... A different sort of library.

Another Mural

Boy-child and I were walking around the 'hood on Friday...snapped a few shots of a fun mural across the street.

There are lots of murals along Lake Street ... this one is light-hearted compared with most of them.

A Trip

So I had a trip for work to Rapid City. I do this every year. They were expecting a blizzard Friday but I was going to be ok because my flight was Sunday afternoon. The snowstorm would all be over and I would be fine. (I love traveling confirmed.)

Sunday I had my bags packed, I saw that the two morning flights were cancelled but mine was fine and there was another later one for backup.

Then I got a call.  My flight was cancelled.  I called a friend at the airline.  No space on the later flight.  I went to the airport and picked up a car.  Before I got out of town I got a call that I had been rebooked on the late flight.  I returned the car.   I parked myself at the club in the airport and settled in until my buddy who works at the club (how else would I be able to get into the club?) had a break so we could lunch together.  Everything was going to work fine.

Then I got a call.  The late flight was cancelled.  I wasn't really sure what to do so I had lunch with my buddy.

Then I had an epiphany.  I would rent a car, pick up Boy-child and drive to Rapid City.  I could do it if I had his company and help!

Boy-child and I are a great road trip team.  We had fun.  Good conversation.  Crazy adventure.

And then, the next morning, one of my co-workers missed the bit about my driving companion being my son.  She thought he was my boyfriend.  When Boy-child showed up for lunch she stared at him, mouth gaping open, and she said to herself, "Boy, Soxanne's not doin' bad!"

What a great laugh we had at that!

One person had to join the conference via face-time.  I'm glad I didn't have to join via face-time.  I like going to this conference every year.

Boy-child flew home Monday night.  I got back home tonight in time to go to the cemetery, have a couple of tacos and appreciate just how bad that Dracula movie really is.

Sheepy, Wooly Mural

I don't know what the story is behind this mural but I love it. It's on 35th St maybe between 21st and 20th Aves (more or less). If anyone knows the story please share.

Also in photos of the 'hood and barrio, Girl-child and DIL contribute to this photoblog of the Powderhorn neighborhood and Boy-child just loaded these photos mostly of East Lake St.

And for anyone who's interested, there will be a showing tomorrow night of a Spanish language Dracula movie (the same set but a Mexican cast and crew as the Bela Lugosi Dracula) at the Soldiers and Pioneers Cemetery. They request a $5 donation, starts at 7:30, bring a blanket to sit on. (Because of lightening last night the movie has been postponed to next Wednesday, Oct 9th @ 7:30)