On Top

On Top

If you love somebody
Better tell them while they're here 'cause
They just may run away from you.

You'll never know quite when, well
Then again it just depends on
How long of time is left for you.

I've had the highest mountains
I've had the deepest rivers
You can have it all but life keeps moving.
I take it in but don't look down.

'Cause I'm on top of the world, ay
I'm on top of the world, ay
Waiting on this for a while now
Paying my dues to the dirt
I've been waiting to smile, ay
Been holding it in for a while, ay
Take you with me if I can
Been dreaming of this since a child
I'm on top of the world.

"On Top of the World"

- Imagine Dragons

The snow is coming down outside.  It looks like here in central Iowa we'll get close to a foot of snow.

But unlike the northeast, we're not panicked about it. The hubby ran to the store and picked up a few necessities but that was about it.

We spent the early evening watching the ISU women's basketball team.  The lost - don't wanna talk about it.

Now it's all about watching the snow fall softly to the ground.  Tomorrow we'll worry about getting out and shoveling.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Fave Food

Fave Food

He likes bread and butter,
He likes toast and jam,
That's what his baby feeds him,
He's her loving man.

Got home early one morning,
Much to my surprise, 
She was eating chicken and dumplings,
With some other guy.

No more bread and butter,
No more toast and jam,
I found my baby eating,
With some other man. 

"Bread and Butter"

- The Newsbeats

So today's theme is "Fave Food" and believe me, I struggled with what I wanted to post.  I have soooooo many different foods that I love.

So after much reflection and contemplation, I chose my favorite food - The Bobbie.

Capriotti's is a chain of sandwich shops.  Founded in Wilmington, Delaware, Capriotti's has expanded around the country.  Think of it as a little more upscale Jimmy John's.

The main reason to go to the shop is any of the turkey sandwiches.  They roast turkey overnight and then hand-pull it the next day.  It's fresh and flavorful and it's the main ingredient of the The Bobbie.

For the uninitiated, The Bobbie is ----- fresh hand-pulled turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a schmear of mayo on a french roll. It's delicious. To truly put it over the top, you order a "Hot Bobbie," where they heat the turkey and stuffing on a flat-top grill before assembling the sandwich. The heat from the grill releases the natural juices in the turkey.

It's about as close to a food orgasm as one can have. I seriously would eat one of these every day if there were a store near Ames.

Before I die, it's what I want for my last meal.

Great, now I'm really hungry for one.  Hmmm, it's only a 2 hour drive to Cedar Rapids, where the closest location is.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Summer / Winter

Summer / Winter

BooBerry Shake from Zombie Burger and
Sticky Toffee Pudding from the Cafe

If the sky above you should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow,
keep your head together and call my name out loud.
Soon I will be knocking upon your door.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there. 

Hey ain't it good to know that you've got a friend? People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you. 
Well, they'll take your soul if you let them,
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there. 
You've got a friend.  You've got a friend. 

"You've Got A Friend"

- James Taylor

So I kinda misunderstood the subject today.  I kept thinking "how am I gonna come up with something for both summer and winter?"  But of course I didn't realize that the list comes from Australia, where it's summer right now. The theme meant "summer or winter where ever you are".

Whoops.  Oh well, I'm giving myself props for having photos of a summer and a winter dessert.

Because I do love a good dessert. :-)

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Strange

Strange 

You're sailing softly through the sun
In a broken stone age dawn.
You fly so high.

I get a strange magic,
Oh what a strange magic,
Oh it's a strange magic,
Got a strange magic,
Got a strange magic.

You're walking meadows in my mind,
Making waves across my time,
Oh no, oh no.

I get a strange magic,
Oh what a strange magic,
Oh it's a strange magic,
Got a strange magic,
Got a strange magic.

"Strange Magic"
- Electric Light Orchestra

It's been a long day.

A LOOOOOOOOOOOONG Day.

Just needing to go to bed and get some sleep.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Morning

Morning

The morning sun shines on a chair in the waiting room
at the doctor's office. 

Sunday morning rain is falling
Steal some covers, share some skin
Clouds are shrouding us in moments unforgettable
You twist to fit the mold that I am in
But things just get so crazy, living life gets hard to do
And I would gladly hit the road, get up, and go if I knew
That someday it would lead me back to you
That someday it would lead me back to you.

That may be all I need
In darkness, she is all I see
Come and rest your bones with me
Driving slow on Sunday morning
And I never want to leave. 

"Sunday Morning"

- Maroon 5

This morning was my follow up visit from the sleep study that I did earlier this month. I already knew that I didn't have severe sleep apnea, but I was hoping for some understanding of why I have been snoring.

The doctor told me three things were the probable causes of my snoring - my weight, my palate and my tongue.  The weight issue wasn't a surprise to me, and I was pleased to learn that the more weight I lose, the more exponential the strain on my throat will be. I'm teaching growth and decay functions in my Algebra class, so I was chuckling that I had real world example for my kids.

The other two factors were a surprise to me.  The doctor told me that my palate was lower than normal and that my tongue was too large for my mouth.

I'll wait for you all to stop laughing.....

Okay.  This actually started to make sense to me. I have a tendency to bite my tongue, and hearing that it was too large was completely logical. I asked the doctor if there were remedies for the palate/tongue issue. He told me that there were surgical options, but that the recovery was rough and it was no guarantee to solve the issue. The best option for right now is to work on getting healthy. If the snoring doesn't get better, then we go to look at the other options.

I also had physical therapy for my back this afternoon, so I was only at school for a few periods. Fortunately my student teacher is taking care of most of my classes now, so it made it easy to be out today.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Three Things

Three Things

With the past and the present and the future
And faith and hope and charity
And the heart and the brain and the body
It'll give you three, it's a magic number.

It takes three legs to make a tripod
Or to make a table stand
And it takes three wheels to make a vehicle
And call it a tricycle.

Every triangle has three corners
Every triangle has three sides
No more, no less
You don't have to guess
That is three, can't you see?
It's the magic number.

"Three Is the Magic Number"

- Bob Dorough (Schoolhouse Rock)

Today I had professional development, so I wasn't at school, but that didn't mean I didn't work.  LOL  With most jobs, if you're out for illness or conferences, you are simply gone.  For teachers, we still have to have plans for our substitute.

I'm also going to be gone for part of the day tomorrow, which meant that I needed to run by school and get my plans ready for tomorrow. Tonight I have papers to score and grades to post. No rest for the weary.

Tomorrow, I have more physical therapy for my back - yay!

Oh, and I submitted my official registration for RAGBRAI last night.  Due to the large number of people who apply to ride RAGBRAI, entry is done by a lottery. My friends and I entered as a team, which means if any of our numbers are chosen, then everyone gets in for the ride!

Alright, time to get grading.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Black & White

Black & White

It's all there in black and white
All the words that separate our lives
It's all there, wrong or right
But love falls between the lines
It's something you can't write
In black and white.

Can we forget all the good times
And never look back, it's as easy as that
Can we be sure that it's finished
With tears in our eyes, can we say that we tried
It's all come down to this
Is there something that we missed.

"Black and White"

- Barbara Mandrell

I kinda had wished that today's theme had been much later in the year.

During winter, it seems that everything in Iowa is colored in shades of black, white and gray.  Two years ago when I went down to Florida for Spring Break it was as if I went from black & white tv into color. Everything was so clear and vibrant. I'm hoping to see more of those colors during Spring Break this year.

I have a busy week ahead of me. I haven't gotten near enough of what I need to today, so it will probably be a late night tonight.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

RAGBRAI 2015 - Here We Go

Tonight was the night.

Tonight, the route for the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) was announced.

This year's route will take 15,000 riders 464 miles across the state from Sioux City to Davenport.

RAGBRAI is a week-long, touring bike ride from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River. It's basically a week long party, that makes overnight stops in 6 towns.

This year, the route begins in Sioux City then to Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Eldora, Cedar Falls, Hiawatha, Coralville and ending in Davenport.

Tradition is for riders to dip their back tire in the Missouri River and front tire in the Mississippi. I'm both excited and nervous as I need to start training now for the July ride. I want the ride to be fun and enjoyable, so I really need to get on the stationary bike now, so that when the weather warms up, I can get on my bike and start riding longer distances!

A rough map of the 2015 RAGBRAI route.

My friend Kevin will be helping me to train and get ready for the ride. There's a lot of planning and preparation that will go into the ride.

I'll keep you all updated on my progress!

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Playtime

Playtime

Where do we go from here now that all other children are growin' up

And how do we spend our lives if there's no one to give us a hand.

I don't wanna live here no more

I don't wanna stay

Ain't gonna spend the rest of my life

Quietly fading away.

Games people play,

You take it or you leave it

Things that they say,

Honor brite

If I promise you the moon and the stars

Would you believe it

Games people play in the middle of the night. 

"Games People Play"

- The Alan Parsons Project

My friend Kevin and I made the trip down to Des Moines for the Iowa Bike Expo. We are planning on doing RAGBRAI together and thought the Expo might be a good thing to check out. 

The Expo was alright. It was primarily a marketplace to look at new bikes, cycling attire, trips, etc. There were a lot of people there (including a few hotties) and it definitely increased my interest and trepidation about doing the ride.

After the Expo we headed out for lunch - chili dogs, and some shopping in West Des Moines. Tonight has been all about watching "Law & Order" reruns and relaxing.  Perhaps an early bedtime tonight as well.

Tomorrow is another day.

Love you Awesome Nerds!

Robert

Something Far Away

Something Far Away

So far away
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know that you're so far away.

Long ago I reached for you and there you stood
Holding you again could only do me good
Oh, how I wish I could
But you're so far away

One more song about moving along the highway
Can't say much of anything that's new
If I could only work this life out my way
I'd rather spend it being close to you.

But you're so far away
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know that you're so far away.

"So Far Away"

- Carole King

Today's photo is not one that I took. It was a crazy busy day, and by the time I realized what I wanted for my shot, the sun had set. I've been doing so well at having a pic-a-day, that I'm not going to let the fact that I didn't take the shot deter me. I'm allowing myself 1 "mulligan" a month. :-)

When I see the themes for each day, sometimes a song just jumps out at me to post with the photo. "Something Far Away" just screamed Carole King!

It's been a good Friday.  

Yesterday wasn't the best day. Just a lot of little things that added up to feeling blah at the end of the day.  Today, karma paid me back.

I had a wonderful day at school. The kids were engaged, my principal did an informal observation in my classroom and liked what she saw, my student teacher continues to progress, and I got to give one of my departing students a goodbye hug (she'll be missed).

Then there was my after school activities....

First it was off to physical therapy for my lower back. After my (female) therapist twisted and turned me (including time on top of me where I asked her, "aren't you gonna buy me a drink first?"), she told me that most likely my problems isn't a bulging disc. Rather, my pelvis and sacrum are slightly out of alignment, which with some help, we can fix. Sixty minutes later, my back felt infinitely better.

Then, it was off to the salon to get my back "de-furred". I endure the "ripping" for an hour to have a smooth back. It's worth the discomfort for the three weeks of a non-hairy back. But at some point, I'm planning on getting laser hair removal. I know there are plenty of guys out there that love fur on a man, me being one of them, but I just hate feeling like I'm wearing a wool sweater on my back.

After my Non-Fifty Shades torture session, I dashed across town for a 90 minute massage. My masseur, Nick, worked on my back alone for a solid hour, but wow did it need it! I swear I had knots upon knots and Nick worked them out. By the end of the session, I was very relaxed. After 20 minutes in the steam room, I was EXTREMELY relaxed and the Hubby had dinner ready when I got home.

It was a good day.

Tomorrow the plan is to go the Iowa Bike Expo in Des Moines. My friend Kevin and I are starting to plan for RAGBRAI in July. The route will be announced tomorrow night and I'm excited to see where the ride will take us. My gut says a southern route.

I'm wishing you all a wonderful, relaxing weekend.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Collection

Collection

I drive round cities in a chariot
I get preferential treatment
At the Marriott but if the truth be told
I'm naked under all those clothes.

I'll tell you what is on my mind
I only want to be
In your record collection
I only want to be 
In your record collection
And I'll do anything it takes
Just to get there.

"Record Collection"

- Mark Ronson

The hubby is the audiophile. All the albums you see in the photo are his, and you don't even see his cds or 45s. A few years ago he had a show on the college radio station playing 80s music. He makes trips out to San Francisco just to go record shopping (like he needs a reason to go to the Bay Area...lol).

I've been on anti-anxiety meds for the better part of 3 months and I've been doing very well on them. But today, well, today was a rough one. Nothing super bad happened today, just a lot of little things that seemed to build and build.

It was a "Hy-Vee Chinese for dinner" kinda night - General Chicken with fried rice and pork egg roll.

I have a ton of school work to get done, but I just haven't had the motivation to get it done. I am getting the stuff done that I'll need to have ready for tomorrow, but I'm thinking that I will be plenty busy this weekend.

Tomorrow after school I have physical therapy and then some pampering. Time to get my work for tonight done so I can hopefully get a good night's sleep.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

In A Row

In A Row

And all you wishing well fools with your fortunes
someone should send you a rose with love from a friend,
it's nice to hear from you again
And the storybook comes to a close
Gone are the ribbons and bows
Things to remember places to go
Pretty Maids all in a Row

"Pretty Maids All In A Row"

- The Eagles

Getting in my post just in the nick of time.  It's been a busy day of teaching and then spending the evening with Matt and my Mom to celebrate her birthday.

Tomorrow is another day.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Window

Window

This time
Nothing else could come between us
We'll find
More than we could ever know
Slowly
We'll let go of yesterday
Why don't you stay.

From my window I see the world pass my by
And the world looks fine
Now I've found a place where the sun always shines
All the time
In my mind
Now I've found the place in my mind where the sun will always shine when it's cold outside
Now we've found love
The sun will always shine in my mind.

"From My Window"

- Swing Out Sister

This window is in the stairwell at my school and overlooks the grounds behind the building. It's a huge window and this picture doesn't do it justice. This is one of the most amazing places to watch the snow as it falls from the sky.

Although I haven't had too many opportunities to do that as usually I'm trying to get home.

It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. I didn't watch either the State of the Union address or the Republican response from Iowa's own (ugh) Sen. Joni Ernst. But I expect I'll see SNL's version of her on Saturday night.  Oh she is TERRIBLE!

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Homemade

Homemade

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmm, I got to go home.

Let me go home
I'm just too far
From where you are
I wanna come home.

"Home"

- Michael Buble

Tonight I made my second batch of Muffin Tin Omelets.  I've started taking them with me in the morning to eat for breakfast at work. It's a lot easier than (and cheaper) than stopping by the convenience store on the way to work.

The omelets are pretty easy to make - 8 eggs, a little baking powder, salt, pepper, and skim milk for the egg mixture. I add diced ham, mushrooms and cheese, then bake until done.

They are delicious and they keep very well. What's nice is that I can change up what I add to them - peppers, sausage, bacon, etc. I also bought a bottle of Tabasco sauce to spice them up a bit.  I do love spicy things.

Been a busy day today and tomorrow is coming up fast.  Got lots to do before bedtime.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Today Is...

Today Is...

I wanted more than life could ever grant me
Bored by the chore of saving face.

Today is the greatest day I've ever known.
Can't wait for tomorrow
I might not have that long.
I'll tear my heart out before I get out.

Pink ribbon scars that never forget.
I tried so hard to cleanse these regrets.
My angel wings were bruised and restrained.
My belly stings.

Today is
Today is
Today is
The Greatest Day.

"Today"

- Smashing Pumpkins

It's time for Rec League Volleyball - Winter edition! Today our team, the Bruised Lemons, played our first matches in the B Division. Last season we were in the B-/C+ Division and pretty much dominated. We lost a total of 1 set during the entire season.

With last season's sweep of both the regular season and tournament championships, Ames Park and Rec bumped us up to the next higher division. And the competition was tougher today. We also were hampered by only having two girls available to play today, which meant we had to play 5 players on 6.

We were a bit rusty at times, but the competition was great. We ended up winning each of our matches 2 games to 1. I think we would have swept had we had all 3 girls playing. It felt good to be back out on the court playing. Should be a great season.

Tomorrow will be a professional development day at school, so we won't have any kids. I'm looking forward to having time to collaborate and plan with my coworkers.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Jump

Jump

I haven't got much time to waste, it's time to make my way
I'm not afraid what I'll face, but I'm afraid to stay
I'm going down my own road and I can make it alone
I'll work and I'll fight till I find a place of my own.

Are you ready to jump?
Get ready to jump
Don't ever look back, oh baby,
Yes, I'm ready to jump
Just take my hand
Get ready to jump.

"Jump"
- Madonna

We had a wonderful dinner last night with friends in Des Moines. We tried the Urban Grill for the first time and the food there was delicious. I had the Fire Shrimp appetizer (although I was hoping for the sauce to be spicier) and the Korean Steak Tacos. Good food and good friends.

Unfortunately I loved the food more than the food loved me. Early this morning I felt my digestive system in revolt, and well, let's just say that I use disposable wipes now.  Thank goodness for Pepto-Bismol.

So instead of going to College Gameday, I spent the majority of the day watching "Bath Crashers" on DIY Network, and drooling over host Matt Muenster. Matt shows cruises home improvement stores looking for people to take on the challenge of renovating their hideous bathrooms over the course of three days.

In addition to being incredibly good looking, he's also incredibly funny and has an amazing deep baritone voice.  I can't say I'm always thrilled with the outcome of the renovations, Muenster always makes the show entertaining to watch.

Okay, Iowa State basketball is starting.  Time to focus my attention.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Nature

Nature

The lake is frozen over
the tress are white with snow
and all around
reminders of you are everywhere I go.

It's late and the morning's in no hurry
but sleep won't set me free
I lie awake and try to recall
how your body felt beside me
when silence gets too hard to handle
and the night too long.

"Winterson"
- Sarah McLachlan

50 freakin' degrees.

It felt so nice walking out of school today to feel the warmth of the sun and a warm breeze blowing on my face.

It was a long-ish week at school as my lower back was bothering for most of it. I'm set up to start physical therapy next week and I'm hopeful that this will be the last time I will need it.

This weekend looks to be beautiful and I plan on getting out and enjoying it.

Tomorrow the ESPN program "College Gameday" will be broadcasting from Iowa State.  Matt and I plan on being in the arena for the telecast. Of course this means that we'll need to wake up early, but heck, it'll be fun.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Old

Old

And the white line's getting longer
and the saddle's getting cold
I'm much too young to feel this damned old.

All my cards are on the table
with no Ace left in the hole
I'm much too young to feel this damned old.

"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damned Old)"

- Garth Brooks

The hubby and I went to dinner tonight at Hickory Park, a barbecue restaurant here in Ames. It's pretty much the go-to place when you're in the mood for good food at very reasonable prices.

Oh yeah, and they catered our wedding! I think people RSVP'd simply because they knew they'd be getting dinner from Hickory Park! :-)

Hickory Park doesn't advertise - they don't need to. Word of mouth helps bringing in new customers. The barbecue is worth the wait and the ice cream desserts, well, your placemat is the dessert menu, so yeah, it's pretty awesome.

The restaurant is decorated with lots of signage from the 30s and 40s.  I had been having trouble coming up with something for today's theme - Old. Once we sat down for dinner, I saw the signs and thought, "Bingo!"

I had my usual - Cheese and Bacon Hickory (burger) with pepper jack cheese with a side of french fries.  I put the spicy barbecue sauce on the burger for that extra kick. For dessert - the Coffee Mallow - scoops of vanilla and coffee ice cream coated in coffee-flavored topping with whipped cream and a cherry.

I never said Hickory Park was a place to eat healthy.  LOL

But I've also been reflecting on the word "old" because oh am I feeling it!

For the better part of a couple of weeks my lower back has been acting up and the aches and pains don't go away quickly. I start physical therapy next week to alleviate the back pain, but until then, I'm relying on a prescribed pain medication to help take the edge off.

It makes me a little loopy, so I only take it at night.  But I would love to have just a day where my back doesn't hurt.

Anyhoo, it's off to bed so Chris Pratt can come and visit me in my dreams.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

New

New

Oh I've got a sheet for a bed and a pillow for my head
I've got a pencil full of lead and some water for my throat
I've got buttons for my coat and sails on my boat
So much more than I needed before.

I've got money in the meter and a two bar heater
Oh, now it's getting hotter, oh, it's only getting sweeter
I got legs on my chairs and a head full of hair
Pot and a pan and shoes on my feet.

I got a shelf full of books and most of my teeth
A few pairs of socks and a door with a lock
I got food in my belly and a license for my telly
And nothing's gonna bring me down. 

"Pencil Full of Lead"
- Paolo Nutini

I admit it - I'm a pencil snob.

I love writing with pencils. It's a practice that is relaxing to me and I find peace in the scratchy sound of the graphite moving across the surface of a quality piece of paper.

Pencils are more forgiving than their cousins, the pens. Pencils allow you to correct your mistakes. Pens require one to cross out a mistake, leaving it there for the writer to ruminate upon.

Pencils show their age as their life cycle wanes, allowing the user to let the instrument go gently into that good night. Pens give no such warning - today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year - who knows when a pen's life will cease, only to be unceremoniously tossed into some random trash can.

Pencils are made from wood, which allows them the flexibility to bend to their users grip. Plastic clad pens offer no such give or take. A stray mark from a pencil on one's clothes is but temporary. That same stray mark from a pen is rather permanent.

There's nothing so intoxicating as a freshly sharpened new pencil.  So full of promise and hope.

And nothing so beautiful as a Ticonderoga #2, my pencil of choice.

In my teaching career I've used hundreds, if not thousands, of pencils. Nothing comes close to the quality and brilliance of the Ticonderoga. It's lead is tried and true, and more importantly, centered. Nothing is as frustrating as trying to sharpen a pencil with an off center lead, you simply can't get a point on it, or worse, you get maybe five minutes of use out of it before it needs sharpening.

Each year I order boxes of the golden writing instruments, and one by one, they find their way out into the world, either in my hand or in the hands of my students.  Each one waiting to write the story of the holder.

Love you Awesome Nerds,
Robert

Lucky Number

Lucky Number

If I had a million dollars
If I had a million dollars
Well I'd buy you a house
I would buy you a house

And if I had a million dollars
If I had a million dollars
I'd buy you furniture for your house
Maybe a nice Chesterfield or an ottoman.

"If I Had A $1,000,000"

- Barenaked Ladies

My lower back has been really bothering me all day. I've taken some prescribed pain medication which should hopefully (crossing my fingers) help alleviate the pain.

The hubby and I do a lot of dreaming about winning the lottery. And by "a lot", I mean sitting around when we are bored and plan out how we'd use it.

The very first thing we'd do is fly to northern California and purchase a house about two hours north of San Francisco. It currently belongs to Matt's uncles and is on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The house is just amazing and Matt's uncles want to keep it in the family. It's only a couple million dollars. We'd love to just go and say, "Okay, we'll take it."

The other major purchase would be an apartment near AT&T Stadium in San Francisco, so that we can be close to the San Francisco Giants. That way we could just walk to the games and bring back the occasional player who might need an extra rubdown. ;-)

Dreaming about winning the lottery is fun, but there's always reality. You can't win if you don't play, and we do buy tickets. It's so fun to "dream a little dream".

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Bright

Bright

I knew that we'd become right away
Oh, right away
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life inside your eyes.

So shine bright tonight, you and I
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye, so alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky.

Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky.

"Diamonds"

- Rihanna

Oh it was cold today, and tomorrow will be just as chilly, but a warm up is on the way. Today though, the sun came out and it was wonderful.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't really want to spend time outside, but it felt so nice having the sun stream through my classroom windows.

Winter is always a rough season for me due to the lack of sunshine. Iowa is often overcast during the winter months, so any sunshine - even if it's bone-chilling cold outside - is welcome. My classroom faces west, so in the afternoon I tried to stand by the window as much as possible and soak up the rays. 

I'm planning on calling it an early night tonight (after watching "Castle" of course), so that I can get a good night's sleep. I was really tired today - sore joints and all - so I want to make sure I get my 40 winks tonight.

Love you Awesome Nerds!

Robert

I See

I See

When will I see you again?
When will we share precious moments?
Will I have to wait forever?
Will I have to suffer and cry the whole night through?

When will I see you again?
When will our hearts beat together?
Are we in love or just friends?
Is this my beginning or is this the end?

When will I see you again?
When will I see you again?
When will I see you again?

"When Will I See You Again?"

- The Three Degrees

It's Sunday and it's laundry night (today's photo is of the laundry pods we use).

I see a long week ahead of me, a week in which I continue to feel like I'm dancing on a razor's edge.

I want to write more, but the thoughts just aren't coming together the way I want them to.

Fear not, tomorrow is another day.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Hello

Hello

Feet are feeling light
Head on out to see the sights
Ain't life a many splendored thing?

Ducking up and down
All these crazy lights and sounds
Bounce around like puppets on a string
Never gonna find, anything to change my mind
Famous last lines of a fool.

Just when you think
You're a chain with just one link
Something comes to tip you off your stool.

Hello Hello
Hello Hello
My My My, what have we here?
What a surprise
What a surprise!

"Hello, Hello"

- Lady Gaga & Elton John 

For the theme "Hello", I really wanted to be in Minneapolis to take a photo at IKEA.  There's a sign with the word "Hello" and I thought that would have made the perfect picture for today.  Plus it would be a chance to visit IKEA, one of the gay high holy sites (along with Restoration Hardware). But today would provide an opportunity for another type of photo.

And this post should really be titled - "HELLO!" 

Regular readers of my blog know that I am a very big fan of the Iowa State women's basketball team. I haven't missed a home game since 2006 (and that was due to a funeral). 

Today the girls played third-ranked and undefeated Texas. 

On Wednesday, Iowa State played at Texas Christian.  The Cyclones led by 21 at half, but ended up losing the game by 2.  We also lost one of our starters to a stress fracture during the game. It was an ugly loss.

So with the #3 Longhorns coming to town, Matt and I weren't overly optimistic about our chances in the game. I was just hoping that Iowa State could keep the score close. 

The first half was unfortunate. It seemed that Texas couldn't couldn't miss and we couldn't make a shot. At one point we trailed by 18 points, and ended up down 37-24 at the half.  

In the second half, suddenly our shots started falling, and you could see the Longhorn players starting to panic a bit.  Before we knew it - ISU had the lead 57-50. Hilton Coliseum was ROCKING and the crowd could sense that an upset was truly possible.

The team's fortunes changed and suddenly we couldn't hit a basket or a free throw. UGH! Texas tied the score at 57 and things looked desperate.  With about 19 seconds left, ISU forward Seanna Johnson completed a layup to put the Cyclones ahead by 2 points.  

The game ended with a flurry of activity under the Texas basket as the Longhorns had three shots at scoring a game-tying bucket.  The horn sounded and ISU had upset Texas, 59-57.

The entire crowd was cheering and there were hugs and high-fives all around. It was a good day. 

Okay, it's off to Des Moines to do a little shopping. :-)

Love you Awesome Nerds!

Robert

Pattern

Pattern

The night sets softly with the hush of falling leaves

Casting shivering shadows on the houses through the trees,

And the light from a street lamp paints a pattern on my wall,

Like the pieces of a puzzle or a child's uneven scrawl.

Up a narrow flight of stairs in a narrow little room, 

As I lie upon my bed in the early evening gloom,

Impaled on my wall my eyes can dimly see,

The pattern of my life and the puzzle that is me. 

"Patterns"

- Simon & Garfunkel

We're creatures of habit.  Always have been, always will be.

"Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it. You have to expose who you are so that you can determine what you need to become." - Cynthia Patterson

I was looking for quotes about repeating history and OMG the quote above was like a lightning bolt. 

To be able to make changes in my life - weight, procrastination, happiness - I need to look at that history, or patterns, that have influenced my present behaviors.  But like a fool I have ignored the missteps I have taken in the past and repeated those same bad choices.  

Once I've learned from those choice, I need to let them go. Dwelling on them won't help me get to where I want to be.

Reflect, Learn, Grow, Release.

Love you Awesome Nerds!

Robert

Landscape

Landscape

She comes down from Yellow Mountain
On a dark, flat land she rides
On a pony she named Wildfire
With a whirlwind by her side
On a cold Nebraska night

Oh, they say she died one winter
When there came a killing frost
And the pony she named Wildfire
Busted down it's stall
In a blizzard he was lost

She ran callin' Wildfire
She ran callin' Wildfire
She ran callin' Wildfire

By the dark of the moon, I planted
But there came an early snow
There's been a hoot owl howling by my window now for six nights in a row
She's coming for me, I know
And on Wildfire, we're both gonna go

"Wildfire"

 - Michael Martin Murphy

This week the weather in Iowa has just been miserable. Monday saw snow, Tuesday brought wind, Wednesday brought SEVERE cold, and today even more wind arrived. Walking the 50 feet to my car after work was nothing short of miserable. I'm hoping (but not optimistic) that we might have a two-hour late start tomorrow.  

For my photo today I drove out to Ada Hayden Park. It's amazing how it can be both bleak and beautiful at the same time. But I would prefer the park when it's warmer and greener.

Exhaustion is taking hold and I need to go to bed. 

Love you Awesome Nerds!

Robert

Currently Reading

Currently Reading

Bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle

I want to ride my bike

I want to ride my bicycle

I want to ride my -

Bicycle races are coming your way

So forget all your duties oh yeah

Hot muscle guys

They'll be riding today

So look out for those beauties oh yeah

On your marks, get set, go!

"Bicycle Race"
-Queen


My apologies to Freddie Mercury for the slight alteration in his lyrics, but I'm just not that into fat-bottomed girls. 


I have been absolutely lazy today during my "Snow Day".  The temperature outside has been BRUTALLY cold and I'm headed out in a bit for a doctor's appointment, follow by a trip to Des Moines to see "The Book of Mormon" tonight.

I wrote last year about RAGBRAI - the bike ride across Iowa.  I've decided that this is the year - I'm going to do it!  I've talked with a coworker and a friend and we're planning on doing the ride in July.  But before that I've got a lot of work to do.

It's just too cold outside right now for bike riding, so I've hit the stationary bike at the gym a few times.  In addition, I've started to read "Bicycling" magazine to get tips and maybe, just maybe take a look at some eye candy.  I do have a weakness for a hot guy in lycra.  

Sigh.

Off to brave the wind chill, time to bundle up.

Love you Awesome Nerds.
Robert

Round

Round

Round here we're carving out our names
Round here we all look the same
Round here we talk just like lions but we sacrifice like lambs
Round here she's slipping through my hands

"Round Here"

- Counting Crows

Coming to you live from Starbucks where I'm enjoying a Peppermint Hot Chocolate while contemplating what to do with my day off tomorrow.  Thanks to Mother Nature, the school district has already called off classes for tomorrow.  The forecast calls for temperatures in the low teens with wind chills up to -30 to -40!  It's gonna be brutal out there, so the district just went ahead and told everyone to stay home!  :-)

I'm not sure how I'll spend my day off tomorrow, but in the evening I'll be heading to Des Moines to have dinner with friends and then see "The Book of Mormon".  I'm excited to see the show as I've heard a lot about it.  I'll make sure to post my review of the show.

Love you Awesome Nerds.

Robert

P.S. - If anyone has any insights on how to wrap text around a photo, I'd be very appreciative.  I was about to throw my laptop out into the snow!

Pic-A-Day in 2015

I've tried not to make resolutions this year.

I never keep them.

But I am making "intentions", and my big one is to expand the "Pic-A-Day" to the entire year.

5 days down, 360 to go.

I'm using an iphone app developed by Fat Mum Slim.  She's a blogger from Australia who does a lot of blogging/pic-a-day stuff.

Full Disclosure - when I first saw the site, I read it as "fat muslim".  I thought, "WHAT?!"  This is why I teach math.  lol

What I like about the app is that it reminds me daily of the theme and from the app, I can post to both Instagram and Twitter.

I've also tried to find song lyrics that fit the theme as well.  I also hope to be a bit more introspective and loquacious.

So on that note, I've shoveled the driveway twice in the past 5 hours. My back is letting me know it's not happy with me. I'm hoping for a two-hour late start tomorrow, but I'm not optimistic.

Love you Awesome Nerds!
Robert

Square

Square

Is there anybody out there who is lost and hurt and lonely too
Are they bleeding all your colors into one?
And if you come undone as if you've been run through
Some catapult, it fired you, you wonder if your chance will ever come
Or if you're stuck in square one

"Square One"

- Coldplay

The Pic-A-Day theme is "Square" and I was struggling to come up with something creative. While out taking care of the snow on the driveway, I checked my phone and noticed the temperature - BINGO!

Winter arrived in full force today. Don't get me wrong, it's been cold, and we had a system move through on Saturday that brought cold temps, but that was just the first punch.  Today an Alberta Clipper arrived, bringing 6 inches of snow.

Shoveling was my workout this afternoon as there was no way I was going to be able to make it to the gym. 

Once the system moves through, then the wind and COLD arrive. Of course, after last winter, this won't be horrible. But I'd still rather it be warmer.

Love you Awesome Nerds!

Robert