Finishing Up

So we are only about three gifts done from being done with our contribution to helping out economy (not our economy but the greater good kind of thing).
The misses finished her school work, we both got haircuts, I'm done with dental work for this year, we hit the bookstore to get some ND gifts, we changed the oil in the jeep, washed the jeep (which lead to one door freezing shut and cool icicles hanging off the bottom), filled up the jeep with gas (gas went up seven cents on one side of town), we had special lunch (which is known as "taking the hair out to the lunch" I did not know that we had to celebrate special haircuts), and I'm trying to wrap up some stuff here in the office (of what I'm not really sure, but I'm wrapping it up) and we are thinking about what we need to bring with us since we are going to be gone for two weeks.
The big snow is expected to hit us tomorrow and we are gambling that the roads will be cleared by Sunday for our travel day.
Hoping hard.
Cool.

Getting Ready

So we have been in getting stuff done mode over the past few days. I have been to the dentist twice and am currently doped up with whatever they used to numb the left side of my mouth (the best part of the visit when I felt something fall on my tongue, saw the shocked look on the Hygienist's face, then she reached in an pulled out this chunk of calcite and says "just wanted you to see that it wasn't a tooth but the calcite that grew around it" and prceded to show me this black/gray bit that almost made me sick). Needless to say, good times.
Hoping to get my hair cut and then turn it off for the day. I'm anticipating more pain than my previous visit earlier in the week (again, I was told that the left half was worse than the right side, ha ha, love getting healthy, maybe).
The misses is wrapping research stuff and I should plan out my spring classes. But mainly I'm hungry but it's all broth for me until much later tonight (after the last visit, I was able to mush down some meatballs and about four beers, which really did the trick, ha ha).
Have much to get done over the next two days, hoping we really do it.

Waiting

So yesterday the classroom I should have used for my class to take their final exam was locked and no one could contact anyone to unlock it (they had told me before the semester that I had no need of a key since that room is always unlocked, ha ha). After sitting in the hallway with the class for 20 minutes I just made the exam a 24-hour take home event (two members of the class were really upset with this decision and they chose to help me find a room so that they could take the exam as it was scheduled, I had put everything to vote and the class, outside these two students, voted for the take-home).
So I sit here in the office waiting for students to file in to hand me the exam (it is due at 10:45 AM).
My favorite comment so far: "dude, this was a beast" (followed closely by my asking the last student who came in "How was it?", he replied "I don't know, I had the TV on the whole time so I had a problem concentrating"). Classic.

More Cold

After another cool (ha ha) walk into school this morning and I'm beginning to realize how life is gonna be like up here in wonderful GF.
It will be cold, people will drink.
It will be cold, driving will be bad.
It will be cold, people will still go about their daily routines.
It will be cold, undergraduates will wear almost nothing as they walk from building to building.
It will be cold, everyone will talk about it.
I was dressed in my now normal walking attire (big boots, heavy long-johns, many layers up top to the point where it almost a problem turning from side-to-side {which makes crossing the street a problem because I usually have my ipod on unless like the other day when the ipod quit working due to it's inability to keep non-frozen, yup it froze then thawed out when I got indoors}, and two hats with hood pulled up) when I passed this goof-ball (I'm guessing that he was either a freshman or an idiot) wearing a sweatshirt and one t-shirt, no hat (but hood pulled up), no gloves (but both hands stuffed into the sweatshirt pockets) and some sneakers (with those low socks, I'm pretty sure they did go above the ankle which makes them totally effective against the snow drifts on both sides of the sidewalk). The best part was passing him while he was complaining about the cold (seriously, is it cold) and "accidentally" kicking some snow on his shoes (ha ha, someday I'll be punished for that). Also, he may have been laughing at me (mainly because I almost ran into him because I couldn't see him due to the fact that he came in from the left, the side I cannot see much from my overabundance of clothes). I passed him and I hope he made it to his exam (this is exam week and everyone is either tired or more-tired, later I plan on having a few drinks to celebrate, maybe).
Good Times.

I also went to the dentist for the first time in 18 years (thank you dental insurance). I can feel my roots on one tooth (I have been spitting blood since the afternoon yesterday and woke up this morning with clotted blood all in my mouth and yes, I left a blood kiss on my wife when I got this morning, yeah being healthy).
I now have spaces between my teeth, it feels weird.
Cool.

Cold

This is what I wore on my walk to school today (yup, four layers down low, heavy boots, eight layers on the torso, neck gaiter, two hats and yes, ski goggles).
Welcome to North Dakota it is.
I was hoping to see a snow dog today.
I'll bring the camera.
Cool.
Link:
Grand Forks Weather

Snow Day Number Two

It has snowed here for the past three days and it finally decided to stick around.
This is my winter wear for now.
Way Up top: brand new Carhartt hat (which I believe helps me look more hipster cool), neck gaiter (multicolor no less) and hood
Up Top: six layers - v-neck t-shirt, long sleeve shirt (today with a collar), a sweater (today brown), puffy vest (bought on sale from Land's End for $13), a wind-breaker jacket (light but blocks wind), and lastly a heavy sweatshirt (this one is my Clemson one, but have also worn my Ole Miss one)
Down Low: cotton underwear, silk long-johns (silky smooth) and heavy socks (wearing a pair of Nikes that seem to do okay for now)
Also have on my Ipod (listening to Holiday music, go Vince Guaraldi)


So yesterday we went out and did some pricing for a mattress and did some looking out for what we will get for Christmas for our families.
The best part of driving around here is the ice that sits below the snow (which makes every stop and go an adventure). I've been told that this area of country does not use road salt but sand.
Sand equals road fun.
We slipped around a few times, saw a few cars spin out and then recover, we panicked then recovered and overall I'm beginning to think the road conditions will be like this until May.
Yup, you read that right, May.
Sigh.


Here's what the locals think:
New York Times
Who knows. We might have moved into a good situation.
Maybe.
A local writer thinks differently:
Local Cranky Dude

Us

So this is a picture I took of us as we ate at one of the sandwich shops in town.
As we try to look our cutest (okay, she always looks cute I on the other hand look like some drifter who just won a free meal).
Good times.

In Charge

Here is the ultimate picture of yours truly showing his leadership skills (notice the expert lean I got going on here).
Ha Ha. Not sure how big of a dope I can be at times, but not sure if the University knows how good I am at leaning on things while maintaining an air of "authority".
Classic stuff.

Cold

So I find it hard to believe that it is going to get even colder here. By colder I mean 'mind-numbing stay-inside for fear of death' cold.
It has snowed just about everyday since the first of November (it sprinkles and seems like it should be more fun) but there is little accumulation.
Today after dropping off the wife I did the shopping and other errands (we made a deal for this Christmas season, she will worry about school and her school-related stuff and I will handle the holidays). So I went out and found Christmas cards and will try to find a photo to include which says 'Christmas' (and one in which the little lady is happy with, ha ha).
Otherwise, things are good.
Cool.

Thanksgiving Visit

So the misses and I went to my folk's cabin in Central Wisconsin for the Thanksgiving weekend. We listened to Skipping Christmas and while I hated the movie, the book was enjoyable.


We have now determined that the drive will always take us about 10 hours. We stopped at a few goof-ball locations on the drive out (sort of enjoyed the Sinclair Lewis interpretive center in Saux Center and we stopped to find the Trader Joe's on the drive back, which of course we saw but only from the Inter-State after about 15 minutes of driving around).


My Pa.
We watched way to much football and I ate so much over four days to put on almost 10 pounds. Wow.


The Folks and the Misses.
We also watched The Stand on Saturday (thus killing 5 hours, ha ha).


Me and Ma.
We also stopped at my favorite cheese shop (which also sells the most tasty honey and teaches us that there is a big difference between honeys, I bought some honey off this one lady right outside of town here and it also was awesome, however, the honey I bought in Bayfield over the summer, stunk).
We traveled into Oshkosh on Friday to visit the Land's End outlet and I bought my first sweater with patches in the sleeves (which I'm wearing today to complete collegiate look. Ha Ha.
We made an effort to relax and enjoy ourselves and it was.
Cool.