Adam Young and his Blog

So I just want to let all of you know that I love Owl City. It's not just because Adam Young is a singing sensation across many nations either. Actually, that normally makes me dislike an artist. I like those little people who are just trying to make it in the music world. Or those people who just play because it's what they love and don't have any popularity or fame.

I love Adam's Owl City Blog. I follow him on Twitter and read his blog every time I see an update. It's great. It almost always brings a smile to my face. I love his movie references because I almost always get them and see how they apply. Sometimes I wish I could write whimsically like him. But I'm not exactly like that. So I'll stick to one subject a blog, thank you very much.

I tried to add him on Facebook once. Adam Young, I mean, not Owl City. He rejected me. And now I can't find him anymore. Shoot. I'm such a stalker. I thought it was legit though because we had a friend in common (weird I know). Maybe it was the wrong guy...yeah, we'll go with that.

But I just thought I would tell you (my vast reader base) about my love for his blog. It's great. Check it out.

Happy Father's Day!

Today is Dad's Day. It's a glorious day for many reasons. Our eternal Father gave us beautiful weather, and He gave me an earthly father I can be proud to call "Daddy."

My daddy is always there for me. He's been a constant rock in my life. He is immovable, strong. I love being a part of his world. He's seen me through my difficult times and through my happy times. He puts up with my ridiculousness and supports me when I make good decisions. He also tells me when I'm being stupid and need to grow up. He's honest. And I really appreciate that.

I have been blessed with amazing parents; both of them are my biggest fans. But today is Father's Day, and my father is the best. I'm sorry to all those out there who don't have my dad for a dad. He's pretty amazing.

Thanks, Dad, for being my dad, for loving me when I talk your ear off, for taking me fishing and letting me shoot your guns, for being my rock. Luf ya, Dad.

Cooking Through Potholes

So for those of you keeping score, I have now made a few dishes toward my cooking goal.

I have successfully made an Apple Tart Bread, a Country White Bread, Chicken in Creamy Pan Sauce, and brats. To be honest, the hardest recipes were the white bread and the brats. The brats were hard possibly because they were not a recipe. And bread is just hard to make, but ooooh-so-good when finished. Thank you to my beautiful sister-in-law for help with the bread, and to my patient parents who eat what I make and help when they can.

Cooking is a struggle for me. Brats were very difficult for me to make just because I didn't have specific directions to follow. My need for directions, concrete directions, seems to be catching up to me. Because I don't understand cooking, I want everything to be laid out for me. But it's a science, an art-form. And who can write down perfection?

Growing up is hard, but I'm learning. Cooking is just an avenue to feeling like a real adult. I just wish the DOT of life would smooth out the potholes.

Kare 11 and UW-River Falls

Within the last three weeks of the school year, the two sections of TED212 at UW-River Falls put together a field trip for inner city middle schoolers. It was an amazing experience. An eye-opener one might even say.

I was blessed with the group I had. They were amazing to work with. Our group had a time of it, but I can only imagine what the group who had Kare 11 coming to film them had to deal with. Their schedule was constantly being changed, and there was always a hitch in their plans.

But they made it. Today Kare 11 broadcast the story. Though it focuses on more of the math and science teaching program, the Gear Up Get Ready group, headed by Chad Forde and Laurel Corbett, planned the entire field trip. The students who were the backbone of this project were the Gear Up Get Ready students. In the video, they are the ones with the white t-shirts on.

The honor does not seem to be going to them. However, being a group leader, I understand the stress they were under. Chad and Laurel did an amazing job, along with Jon, Robin, Justin, Teal, Shanna, Eric, and Dr. Miller.

I would encourage you to watch the video and/or read the article. It's an honor, and I feel really special that I can brag that I know you guys. :-) Congratulations! Hope to see you in the fall!

Marriage and Cooking

So I have now come to the age when my friends and peers are getting married, and I realized tonight that I don't know how to cook.

Seems like there is little to no connection? Well, there is a pretty significant one, at least in my head.

With the marriages of my friends, I am realizing that someday I will probably be married myself, if that is what God wills for me. I'm not worried about having enough food to put on the table. I'm worried about WHAT food I will put on the table.

I honestly don't know very much about cooking (did you see the connection??). Though I may not get married for years, the recent and impending marriages of several friends have thrown into perspective my lack of desire and skill at cooking.

So this summer, I have a new goal (whether I obtain it or not time will only tell). I am going to learn how to cook. Not just from a recipe. I mean I can kinda do that. But I mean like cooking steak and pork chops and fish and bread (Bekah! Please help.) and so many other things. I want to be able to put together a meal for a meat-loving husband or a chicken-devouring friend or a vegetarian roommate. I want to be confident in the kitchen because right now, I'm not. If you have any tips, let me know.

It'll be a fight some days. I really don't like to cook, but I need to learn how. The older I get the more I realize being able to cook is a skill I have a desire to learn (at least in the back of my mind).

However, though I can't cook, I can make a mean batch of cookies. Just ask my brother.