Quote of the Week

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. 
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- Theodore Roosevelt

Before a winter storm and cold snap hits...

...I'd suggest cookin up a big batch of taco filling. This happens to be my black bean-tofu-sweet corn version. Note, this freezes just fine...inside of course, not outside. 

One pic with flash, one without. 

Are TVs really this cheap at Costco?!

Maybe they're setting up a sweet Northwoods bar in their basement. Man, living the dream.

Best Brunch in the Twin Cities?

This is easily one of the top contenders, BLVD Kitchen. They only have brunch on Sundays, so plan ahead. Do make sure you get some free monkey bread (with frosting) and their $13 bloody Marys are also pretty major. Everything I've tried on the brunch menu is great, and pictured below is from their sandwich/burger options, Gold Coast Club.

Gold Coast Club....mmmmm-mmmm!

Free Monkey Bread!!!

2014 New Year's Resolution

I started out with this "funny" list:

1. Get this list done on time next year
2. Grow my hair out long like Jesus.
3. Go to the MN state pie-eating finals.
4. Spend more money...for the economy.
5. Ride a bike.
6. Cut off terrible hippie hair.
7. Everyone knows #7 is a freebie that doesn't mean anything, so I'll say... date someone funny like Kristen Wiig or super sassy like Sara Bareilles.
8. I forget what eight was for...
9. Be thankful.
10. Uhh, I've been making these up since #3, no mas.

But after thinking about it a bit more, I have come up with a single idea based on 2013. To review, 2013 was a very fun year of "firsts". Regular readers will have seen the pics of these firsts all year long, including, a trip to the NorthShore (MN), a trip to the NorthWoods (WI), and all manner of restaurants, outings and fun deals.

So, my resolution for 2014 is simple, continue to seek out and accept adventures that get me more "firsts". It's kind of easy to say that having done it for much of 2013, but I think that's ok. There will be some easy ones, go to a movie with a co-worker, change cellphone companies, make a date with someone new, but maybe some hard ones... maybe sky-diving? Spelunking? What about getting Lasik done on my eyes? Who knows what will come up, but I will have this helpful, nagging thought in the back of my mind all year. 

With that already in mind, I had a fairly good-sized first already this week. I drove my car right onto a frozen lake. While driving on frozen lakes is fairly common here in MN, I'd never done it before, or realized it's possible only a few miles from my residence. At my local Bush Lake, I drove on and off at two different spots. Mind you, I didn't have much reason to be on the lake for long, not owning ice-fishing gear, so it didn't even take much time... I did it on my way home from work.

More of these to come...

4onthefloor, First Ave, 12/21, Minneapolis, MN

Do you know this little seated area, where you can relax out of the way of others and listen to the great music you came to see? I'd recommend it.

Northern Iowa White Out

What could make a 6 hour drive more fun? How about snow, blowing snow, and semis - check, check, and check. Yes!

I don't recommend this.