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I've been spending an awful lot of time out of doors these days.  I like being outdoors, it is summertime, and so this works out rather well for me.  Last weekend was the cottage, and this weekend was the cottage yet again.  After Kieran, Mike and I had so much fun there a week prior, I joined my family out on the lake for a rather busy Fourth of July weekend.  And there's been a bit more on top of that.

Last Wednesday I realized that the Liffey had finally caught on to me.  It was a picture perfect summer day and I went to meet Mr. Dorothy for an evening's repast.  Sitting on the patio, they had a pretty waitress of certain note serve me Ginger and Jameson in the warm summer evening.  It was about then that they probably determined that if they kept that combination going, I would pay them any amount of money.  I'm not complaining about this little arrangement.  I enjoyd it.  But it may end poorly for me.

Thursday night I met up with Andy, Rita and Mike for the ostensible purpose of gaming.  Our gaming was put on a bit of a hiatus so that we could spend the evening on Doolittle's patio.   While the combination may not have been as perfect as it was at the Liffey, it was still a very good time.  After the sun had set we made our way back to the Busams where I managed to give everyone else a lesson on Hyborian warfare.

And then this weekend I spent the Fourth of July with my family out on Lake Minnetonka. There was a thick crowd this year, and while that can make things hectic.  But it didn't take away my little slice of Heaven.  I ate, read, swam and boated to my heart's content.  I wrote, napped, and visited.  I'm a bit sunburned for it, but these are the badges and incidents of a good weekend.  We're now passed the holiday season of Summer, with a lot of work and a lot of changes ahead of me.  I am nervous, but also excited.

Game face on.

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I've been trying to engage in healthy means of stress relief lately.  The usual means of eating and lying on my couch playing video games really isn't that healthy, I'm told.  Told by people who know these things.  And work's been rather busy lately, so while it hasn't been unpleasant (quite the opposite, really), it has been raising my stress levels.

The first attempt to relieve the stress level was a round of Golf with Mr. Kachelmyer yesterday at Como Park.  When you don't play Golf a lot, you really don't care how you perform, so it should be less stressful.  Right?  Well, this would probably be true except for the fact that it was nearly 100 degrees yesterday, and Golf courses aren't known for their shade.  I showed up dressed a bit like a British Eighth Army Man - khakhi shorts and a t-shirt coupled with a broad-brimmed hat.  Harold and I did not distinguish ourselves - really, quite the opposite.  But we had fun, darn it.  Lots of fun.  I staggered back home around 9:30, dehydrated, drenched in sweat, looking like a ragged mad-man, and ravenous. 

I do not know if this counts as stress relief.  But it does concern me about when I play Golf in a professional setting.

Tonight I took the opposite approach.  I went to watch Star Trek in a movie theater.  It was cool, it was air conditioned.  It did not cause me to break a sweat.  And it really was like spending time with old friends.  I enjoy the new movie quite a bit (perhaps that's unhealthy?) and found myself in a fine mood as I was leaving the theater.

My mood was only made better by the fact that I was coursing down the highway with the windows down, as the heat had broken and it was a gorgeous summer evening.  The green of the road was reflecting the setting sun, the wind was pleasant and fair, and the air smelled sweet.  My Irish rock echoed over the roads as I sped over rock and stream.

Consider the stress relieved.
 

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It started off as a bad week. Details are irrelevant, but I was put in the position of dealing with an error I did not cause but was ultimately responsible for.  One of those unenviable positions where the buck stops at my feet.  I did what I always aim to do in such situations:  Fix it.  I find that trying to pass blame or otherwise make excuses does little to distinguish oneself - actively attacking a problem may help redeem you.  We will see what the results are. 

To make up for it, and to try and keep my mood up, I made sure to keep getting out.  I met up with J. Dorothy on Tuesday for a nosh at The News Room (fast becoming my favorite stop in Minneapolis) and a Tempo party.  Tempo being a social wing of the Minnesota Opera, they had James Valentini (a renowed opera star) as their guest of honor.  It was a rather enjoyable gathering in a posh Minneapolis condo.  I met some interesting people, ate some decent food, and otherwise was able to enjoy myself.  Opera is becoming an interest of mine, and I found I really enjoy the regulars of the procenium arch.

This is just another step towards becoming Frasier Crane, of course. 

The rest of the week was spent working and gaming, from my regular game at the Busams, Catan with Barb, Eileen, and Caro, and a jaunt to old Hyboria with Andy and Mike.    This is a healthy step away from becoming Frasier Crane.

I spent yesterday with my parents, celebrating both my Mother's birthday and Father's day.  We travelled to Lake Maria state park for a family picnic.  Sitting in the shade next to a breezy lake, it turned out to be a perfect summer day.  My grandmother put together an

So a week that began terribly ended very well.  Attitude counts for a lot, but in the end it's best to just keep getting out there.  Hopefully this week will be that much the better!

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Reaching into my Bucket o' Congratulations, I'm passing a Big Heaping Spoonful of Congratulations to Tim and Rebecca Ryder!  Tim and Rebecca tied the knot yesterday in an outdoor ceremony in Oak Park, Illinois, on a sunny lawn under the shade of some large oak trees surrounded by friends and family.  It has been a full and exciting weekend.

I flew into Chicago on Friday morning and made my way to the Carleton Hotel in Oak Park.  I found myself in a magnificently appointed fourth floor suite - the theme was music.  I had violins on display in my room, along with framed sheet music and a variety of posters from famous concerts.  Not quite expecting such lavish accomodations, I set into the gift basket Tim's mother had prepared for me and I put on my best suit and tie.  Tim swung by and we got a chance to chat a bit.  He was understandably preoccupied, but still quite friendly.

I had the distinct honor of being an usher for the ceremony.  I am flattered by Tim's request and was glad to oblige, but it became apparent that he was looking for someone with my particular traits to serve as the usher.  That is to say myself and my fellow, John, were loud and boisterous fellows with a penchant for issuing orders and solving problems in a straightforward fashion.  I did just that.

The ceremony was lovely.  As I mentioned above, the weather cooperated nicely for the outdoor ceremony, performed on the Cheney Mansion lawn by Rebecca's pastor step-father.  It was surprisingly straightforward for the marriage of two professional comedians - the only outburst was the recessional.  As the apt "Linus and Lucy" performed by the string quartet began to play Tim and Rebecca did the Peanuts dance down the aisle.

The reception was the expected bawdy reunion of Drake alums I hoped it would be.  Dinner took the form of various fingerfoods and a mashed potato bar (which is just as delicious as it sounds), along with cupcakes and cookies galore.  Since there have been a number of such Drake reunions lately, it was less reminiscing and more straight on rowdy fun.  I definitely earned Amanda's ire by eating one of her cookies that she had foolishly saved for last.  Raph also left his mashed potatos unguarded and returned to find them gone.  I shudder to think what his date thought on meeting all of us.

Tim's brother hit the nail on the head with his toast, I should add, in which he declared Rebecca to be Tim's new "Player 2," along with a number of esoteric nerdy references that I sadly followed perfectly.  His gift:  An X-Box 360 controller.

Afterwards we retired to the restaurant in the hotel for a late snack and some drinks.  The bawdy fun continued until exhaustion claimed our spirits and sent us packing.

This morning brought an elaborate brunch for those of us who were still in town (I may have eaten too much this weekend) and more of the same.  Looking to pass the afternoon, Chris, Amanda, Raph and I wandered into downtown Chicago to see what might be seen.  After the rain ended we wandered into both a Zombie Convention and a Blues Festival.  Much to Amanda's chagrin, Chris, Raph and I all recieved a public shave by Gillette barbers who wanted to demonstrate their latest monstrosity of a razor.  I was glad to get it - I hate to look scruffy.

And, as the sun finally broke over Chicago and the lake, I flew home on wings of steel and the rush of jet engines. It was a weekend of stories, celebrations, new friends and old.  I am fat, happy and tired.  And to Tim and Rebecca I give all my best wishes and hopes for the future.   They deserve nothing less.

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It was a somewhat comical scene this evening, in the apartment next to Pat and Kelly's.  Michael and I were standing next to a refrigerator with open bags, frantically shoveling all manner of food and bottles into the sacks.  Behind us Kieran was hurridly dropping all manner of bottles into boxes.  If a police officer walked past that door at that point, he would have arrested us immediately. 

Not that much later we were back at our apartment, our good sprawled out on the table, all of us frantically claiming various groceries and supplies in a frenzy that was as much a bidding war as it was a round-robin.  It became a fictional gameshow "The Next Bag!"  In it one bag after another would be upended onto the table to our grasping paws.  Once you run out of bags, you to the bonus round: "What's In The Box?!"

It was a sad occasion that led us to these amusing vignettes.  Pat and Kelly, along with young Sean, were loading their eartly possessions into a truck to travel back East, to live along the Potomac.  We were there to help them load it all up, to share a few more moments with our dear friends before they set off.  We were also there to help them eat their Buca De Beppo's food. 

I do not care for seeing good friends off.  I am certainly hopeful that they are going to enjoy living in Virginia, and I do not begrudge them their journey.  Rather, it is the sadness I feel knowing that I won't be swinging by their apartment for a game any more, nor meeting them at the Liffey for a nip and some curry fries, nor the odd silliness that came from running into each other at city parks.

It is best not to dwell on it.  There will still be bonfires and absurd IM conversations.  In the end not much will change.  I know Pat and Kelly are oft stricken with wanderlust and I am very glad they can indulge it.  For me it is simply another part of my ever shifting life.

So good luck to Pat, Kelly and Sean!  I'll be out to D.C. to visit soon, I am sure.

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I don't mean for it to be a habit that I post once a week, but that seems to be the case.  It's a combination of two things:  1) I'm really busy during the weeks. I spend a lot of time at work and when I'm done I'm usually running off to another event.  So I get home late with little energy to spare.  2)  There hasn't been that much of excitement lately.   I'm debating fabricating some to increase my reader base.

In the realm of real news, I spent the weekend in quiet liesure.  Next weekend will involve a whirl-wind tour of Chicago and Mr. Ryder's wedding; accordingly I decided to lay low these past few days. I put a few sheets to the wind with Sam and Amy before we wandered in to see "Up" (surprisingly touching if a bit straightforward); froze a bit at the cottage helping out the family, hiked William O'Brien in between rain storms, and spent a lot of time with Andy and Rita playing games.  It's a good way to be.

My sister departed for Africa on Friday.  She's off for six months to a year to work in Kenya.  It's quite the adventure - I really hope she has fun with it!

We'll see what this promising week brings, for her and for the rest of us.

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It was a well and truly siezed weekend.  I crammed a lot of living into this summer weekend and have reached that point where I am ready for a vacation from vacation. 

It began on Friday when, after work, I met up with Mike, Dave B., Anne and Kenneth for the Twins game.  We had a light dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory and then joined the throng at the Metrodome.  The weather was perfect for a baseball game, and the energy  palpable.  The night before, the Twins had beaten the White Sox  20-1.  While they  did not repeat this, they did thrash the Brewers soundly.  We enjoyed the game and the energy of the crowd, and afterwards made our way to Old Chicago to keep reminiscing.  I took the long way home, partially to dodge traffic, partially to enjoy the nighttime weather.  I shot down the river drive, winding through hills and parks, enjoying the cold air and the lack of city lights. 

The next morning I went up to Cold Spring.  Pat and Kelly were having a farewell bonfire and I figured a little time out of the city would do me good.  Indeed it did:  After arriving and greeting my family my sister Lauren and I went on a lengthy hike and then out to the driving range.  After hitting a few golf balls, John and I went out to Pete and Roses for a bit of target practice.   My outdoor activities were not finished:  There was still the bonfire.  Peter, Rose, Pat and Kelly whipped up a sumptuous picnic for the entire family.  We sat on the porch, eating and chatting, until the time came for the fire itself.  This was followed by roughousing, joke telling, and general Dwyer shenanigans.

Afterwards we took a much-needed sauna and  headed home.  John, Noah, John Jacobs, Lauren and I were up until the wee hours of the morning singing songs after that.  I was hard-pressed to believe how much living I had crammed into one day.

Sunday it didn't end.  I caught a boat out to Big Island and the family cottage.  Drifting in lazily shortly after the clean-up work was done I got to enjoy the fruits of the labor.  We had a late lunch, I sat and read my book for several hours, conversing with the family when necessary, and struggled to keep my eyes open.  After the siblings and cousins showed up, we took to the boat for "a bob" and some swimming in the frigid waters.  After another excessive dinner John, my father, Kieran and I sat singing a few more songs from our vast repetoire.

Waking this morning after sleeping in yet again, I caught another ride back to the mainland.  Meandering back to the apartment, I took care of some errands, got in a walk around Como, prepared for my trip to Chicago, and spent the evening blasting Zombies with TJ and Mike.

I'm sure I've forgotten something.  I would have posted earlier except there really wasn't any time I was near my computer long enough to put it into words.  But goodness - I did a lot this weekend!

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It is an iydllic summer evening as I sit on my porch.  The freebirds are flitting back and forth, the hares are bounding about the lawn.  The trees are in full bloom of pink flowers, the sunlight casts a rich red glow over the few clouds in the sky.  It is warm, even at dusk, and there is a light breeze.  It is hard to imagine heaven any other way.

It was a slower day at work, one of those where you have plenty of time to delve into your deep projects.  Afterwards I wandered into Uptown (wearing a painfully un-hip three-piece suit) for a networking event and a nip of sake.  I of course ran into a few friends before all was said and done.  Looking out on a perfect summer afternoon as I left,  I decided it would be a travesty to head home without making a quick jaunt to the Lifffey.  One phone call confirmed what I suspected:  Pat, Kelly and Sean were already there.  I had one to match their three, a few fries, and a lengthy conversation with Bar-Tender Sean (as opposed to young master Sean). 

Finally I drifted on home, having spent good time in the company of friends, and swung by D'Amico and Son's for a grilled panini.  Sitting on my porch, watching the afore-mentioned idyllic scene, I recalled London, Washington, Duluth, and all the other places where I had spent fond and fun summers.  This has the promise of being a fantastic summer.

And on a day like today, who am I to argue with it?
 

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I owe a number of Heaping Spoonfuls of Congratulations to friends and family!  First of all, my good friend Natalie and my cousin Kieran graduated from law school this weekend!  I can appreciate how momentous an occasion this is, as it was a year ago today I did the same thing.  I assisted them in their celebrations by eating Natalie's food at a celebration barbeque.  I'm a helper.

Next in line is my cousin Emerson, who graduated from Notre Dame!  His graduation has been well-publicized, as the commencement speaker was none other than the President of the United States.  I sadly was not in attendance, but I hope to help him celebrate properly shortly.  Following Emerson is my own dear sister Lauren, who also crossed the stage at Creighton!  While her speaker was not as august a personage, it is no less a momentous occasion.  I am thrilled for both of them and I hope their post-collegiate careers are just as distinguished as their undergraduate work.

Finally, I owe a Heaping Spoonful of Congratulations to my friends Joanna and Brad, who tied the knot down yesterday!  It was another Des Moines wedding (and again, I was in Ds Moines for less than 24 hours) and another happy reunion.  After the ceremony we made our way to the surprisingly well-decorated Val Air (Brad apparently had been hard at work) and launched into a rousing night of celebration.

Keri, Aaron, Tim, Dr. Miesner, Ari and I passed the evening alternating between eating, being snarky, and catching up.  There was also a healty amount of dancing worked in - we were in fact dancing fools. Tim Ryder built another brick house, in what is fast becoming a wedding tradition (some wonder whether he'll build such a house at his own weding).  I may or may not have done some disco.  Keri and Joanna's brother Jed showed us all up in the swing-dancing department.  Joanna proved to be the most energetic of us all - after the rest of us had been completely been exhausted by the day's festivities she remained on the dance floor smiling and laughing.  It was a lovely day.

So congratulations to all of you! You deserve it!

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Monday was a glorious day.  It was sunny and bright, warm and clear.  As I was working I watched thunderstorms sweep across the East of the Twin Cities.  I have a fantastic panorama from my office, with a view clear past St. Paul and into the river valley.  Looking out over the Metrodome and into the swath of green that was St. Paul in spring time, I could see the rolling dark clouds cast long shadows over the river valley and then cross over to Wisconsin.

I drove home rather late, soaking in sunlight and warm air with my window down, letting my tie blow in the breeze.  Days like that make me long for a convertible.  I stopped home for a brief moment to change into my jeans and then met up with Molly, Sam and their friends for an evening barbeque.  We sat out in the sun, played ladder golf, and ate a bit too much.

To make up for that last bit, on my way home I strolled around Como Lake in the twilight.  The purple and pink flowers on the trees were reflected in the lake and a warm breeze was blowing.

Really, it was a lovely day all around.  Today was a bit slower at work, and it was mostly gray.  My walk was cut short by rain, and so I spent the evening handling paperwork and laying low.  It's not as exciting, but it isn't unpleasant.  Part of me is worried I'm wasting my youth, part of me is simply glad to enjoy these days as they come.

It's been a lovely spring.

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It's been an engaging and lengthy week as I've finished my first week at the new firm.  There's something to be said for keeping busy - we'll see if the hours continue to suit me or if I am driven mad with the long-term requirements of being an associate.

It does make the evenings and weekends more relaxing though - a hard days work leads a person to enjoy their free time that much the more.  Saturday I spent the afternoon gaming and the evening taking in Star Trek with a large crowd and then literally crowding into Barley Johns for some food and drink.  Trek was delightful, albeit J.J. Abrahms camp, and brought back many-a fond memory of my earlier Trek days.  I'd say my younger days, but some of the earlier Trek days were just last week.  The staff at Barley Johns was quite surprised to see twelve of us pile into the restaurant.  One by one some departed until it was two o'clock in the morning and the few stragglers left were smoking a pipe on my porch and discussing the nuances of blues songs that weren't actually sad.

And then today I, Kieran, Kelly, Patrick, Sam and Molly hosted a Mother's Day brunch for the Dwyer Family, a large number of whom crammed into my apartment for food and conversations.  I didn't get much rest the night before, so when the burnch was over I cleaned out my apartment, went for a walk, and kept a low profile otherwise.  It's back to the second week tomorrow and I needed a bit of time to myself.

I've been otherwise fine, albeit thinking a bit on farewells lately.  I'm not sure why.  Farewells are rare occurrences in my life - even those friends who are otherwise long gone are just a few clicks away.  But I suppose I'm entitled to a few maudlin moments.

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St. Paul is not a large city, in the grand scheme of things, but it is not a small city either.  This is why it was surprising yesterday when, as I was finishing a quick walk at Lake Como, I saw Pat, Kelly and young Sean starting a walk around the lake.  Catching up to them, we had a short stroll and then went on with the day's plans.  Which, coincidentally, involved Pat coming over for a marathon game of Arkham Horror.

So today, after handling all manner of errands and other odd events, I by sheer chance decided to drive up to Roseville's Central Park.  A few blocks away, I looked up and realized I was behind a Scion with an Apple sticker - Pat and Kelly's car.  For a second time this weekend we ended up at the same park.  Thankfully we get along well enough to spend time together.

After they went home I wandered into the wet lands of the park, strolling and leaping over the sunken boardwalks as I explored the marsh. 

It is a small world after all.

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Most know, but not all do: I will soon be starting employment at a different law firm.  I am very excited for this, yet understandably nervous.   I've spent the last few weeks wrapping up projects at the old firm, cleaning up my office, and preparing to set sail.  On Tuesday night my now-former employer took me out to dinner at Seven, the downtown steak and sushi house.  I ate to excess, as I've been doing a fair amount recently, and had a grand old time.  I don't know what it says when they throw a party because I'm leaving, but I'm sure it's because they're happy for me.

Having a bit of time off, I came up to Cold Spring yesterday to see my parents and brother a bit before they run off to Portland and I get caught up in my errands and preparations.  Knowing how much I had eaten the night prior, and knowing how good for my soul it is to get outside and go for a hike, I and my brother set off into the woods of St. Johns on a foggy and gray day to see what we could find. 

We know the St. John's woods very well, having wandered about them many times before.  Taking winding paths, we purposefully went ways off our usual route just to find out where we would end up.  It turns out we ended up at path leading into a marsh which we took after only a moment's discussion.

A marsh on a foggy day is a fantastic place to be.  It had a Lord of the Ring-ish feel as we tromped out, finding land-bridges (and often root-bridges) through the damp and the cold.   This was a new place, full of adventure and mystery.  Eventually we wandered out, and began circling hills to see where it was we were, exactly.

As it turns out, we had no idea.  Climbing hills to get a good vantage point kept showing us more small ponds and marshes in the direction we hoped to see the Sagatagan. Eventually, after a good amount of wandering, we came to a road.  Following it for much longer than we anticipated, we finally reached exactly where we meant to be:  The Chapel on the Sag.  Now, some of you may think we were lost, some of you may think we were wandering aimlessly.  I want to nip such thoughts in the bud.

We were on an adventure, we ended up exactly where we wanted to be, and we never once panicked. 

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It was a lovely Easter this year.  A marked difference from the gray and rainy Easter that haunted us last year - though perhaps this year I felt better because I didn't have finals haunting my future.

I was saddened by absence of my immediate family, most of whom were in Portland, Oregon. I could not afford to join them on the West Coast, so I opted instead to spend the holiday with the rest of the family up in Collegeville. It was a wise choice.

We spent Saturday evening at Pat and Jean's, eating and laughing and playing games.  It was a usual Dwyer gathering, and a very pleasant one at that.  Exhausted and stuffed I made my back to my Grandparent's house, where I spent the evening conversing wtih my Grandmother and then crawled into bed. 

Sunday was not too different - my Grandmother prepared a sumptuous Easter breakfast, also shared by the remainder of my grandparents, as well as Molly and Sam.  I ate far too much and enjoyed every minute of it.  The same goes for the Easter dinner.  My only saving grace was that I managed to get out to St. John's woods for a hike.

The woods were perfect.  Being Easter, I was the only person out during the sixty-degree day.  The sun shone brightly, the birds sang, and the water rippled.  I chose to venture off the beaten path a bit and follow odd trails that branched into the woods.  Dangerous, perhaps, but well worth my time.  It is cathartic to wander the woods, especially after as long a winter as we had.  I let my mind wander, my imagination sparked by the nooks and crannies of the forest.  Rolling hills, swails, and bending trees all gave me inspiration.

I am now really looking forward to my weekend hikes.  And perhaps a bit of camping.  We'll see what comes.

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