Minnesota "Nice", Down and Dirty

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 35W BRIDGE!!!

Welcome to the world, 35W bridge!  Today marks the first day cars finally could drive on you, after that devastating collapse a mere 13 months ago.  Awwww...so cute!  Just a wee little newborn baby bridge!  As if.  You're a monster, 35W bridge!!  Your mother is a) sore and b) very proud right now. (TERRIBLE analogy, I know...)

Today also marks the first day in 13 months that commuters have a bit of traffic relief.  But, more importantly, today marks the day that honors those who had NO reason to die that day.  Well, maybe the memorial does that a little more. 

But, when you think about it, isn't it just crazy that we all just drive over bridges absolutely trusting that they will be stable and won't send you furling wildly into the traffic, river, ocean, cornfield or whatever lies below?  I never once thought about it, at least in downtown or urban areas.  I DO think about it all the time when it's over a large body of water (like Albert Lea, as that stretch on 35 always freaks me right out!), but not when I'm in a major metropolitan area.  And, seriously, I probably never will think about it much again.  Unless I'm on that particular bridge, anyway.  But, I do just trust that they will work, since 999,999 out of 1,000,000 times all will be well. 

That being said, I'm really glad they got the bridge up and running so quickly.  I think it was a horrible thing to have happen, but I'm glad that today is a new beginning for commuters and grievers alike. 

Norwalk Warrior Football Team? 1-7 Norwalk Marching Band? Zero.

So, my mom is here this weekend and just got done telling me a funny story about my high school alma mater, which actually kinda pissed me off.  What do you think of this?

The football team this year stinks.  They are, as you just saw, 1-7.  Horrible.  Teams have off years, so what?

Tim Heltman ("Timmy", really, since that was his name when I used to babysit him), who is the middle school band teacher's (Jeff Heltman) son, is in the marching band.  One day he orchestrated the creation and wearing of these really funny t-shirts, which said: "We're in the band:  The best team on the field!". 

Being that the team stinks and the t-shirt was funny (oh yeah, AND I used to be in marching band), I was really amused by this!  Apparently, school officials were not, and made them remove the t-shirts. 

WHAT?!  They weren't offensive, they were funny.  No inappropriate language, no nothing.  Sure, it didn't support the football team, but who cares?  I mean, how many of the other sports at NHS are treated the same way football is?  Timmy is the top golfer at NHS.  Does he get all the accolades even this crap-ass 2007 football team gets?  No.  Do many of the football players regularly make fun of the marching band?  Of course.  Timmy made those exact comments to the "authorities" who pulled him aside, telling him he should be a better example.

Personally, I think it was high time they got a tast of their own medicine.  It's not like the team doesn't deserve a little ribbing this year, given a record of 1-7.  To me, that t-shirt was more than appropriate, plus it was really funny!

Shame on the personnel at NHS for their actions, and kudos to Timmy for standing up for himself and his hilarious idea! Freedom of speech, people.  Ridiculous.

Super-Lucky Parents

This morning I received an email from my dad.  He wasn't apparently trying to rub it in my face that my parents were invited (and attended) the Des Moines premiere of "Superman Returns".  That being said, it stung.  UNTIL...he said that he'd give me his t-shirt.  The one that says, "Superman Returns 06.28.06", which each of the attendees received for free.  I doubt it has BJ's signature, and you can probably buy them in stores, but still, that's wicked.

Here's a link that my friend, Pam, provided me, regarding the Des Moines premiere.  In it, they call Norwalk, "sleepy".  Duh.  That's kind of why I like it.  That's also kind of why I don't want to live there.  It's also why I say there's nothing to do in Iowa.  UNTIL NOW...and of course now I have to give my friend Stacy a "you were right" since they had an actual premiere-ish type of thing there, AND my parents went to it.  So, they are no longer lame either.  At least for yesterday. Today, Iowa is back to being boring, and my parents are back to being lame (neither care, because THEY have the experience that I don't, and will continue to envy!).

It was fun reading the article, as well as fellow blogger Stan's post on the same topic, as the perspectives offered were really neat.  They all basically talk about how down-to-earth BJ still is, and will hopefully continue to be, even if Stan doesn't like his suit (to BJ's credit, it sounds like he didn't get paid all that much!).

I'm excited to see it, as are the kids.  We'll probably take them to the 3D IMAX version at the zoo, since it's not far, and because we can.  Maybe by then we'll have found Damon's foam flying Superman that disappeared from our garage roof last week! I'm sure at a minimum, Damon will insist on wearing his BJ PJs, complete with detachable red cape. Super-cool!

Superman is in the House!

Know what's weird? Walking through a local Target store, scanning the toy section to get ideas for my son's upcoming birthday, and stumbling across an entire *aisle* of toys depicting the image of a boy I used to babysit. Not only did the toys depict BJ as Superman, but his picture was on all the packaging. They even had a talking Superman, and I'm assuming it was even his voice. It sounded like him, anyway. (Check out the pic!  That's what I'm talkin' about...)

Then, thanks to Pam, I was aware that the new People double issue would have BJ in it too...and it did! I bought that yesterday and browsed it during a post-workout bubble bath and saw that he got a small blurb. But, still...a small blurb as one of People's 100 most beautiful people?? Damn cool.

Finally, I was informed yesterday by my mom, that he had a brand new trailer out as well. And, today a co-worker sent me the link. 

I wish that I could figure out something very clever and creative as a way to tie in the whole "I know Superman" theme with a fundraising event for cancer, but I can't think of how to do that. I need to stop breathing so much polluted air so my brain cells stop dying off.

Norwalk, Iowa. Uh-Huh

So, I was thinking earlier today, how many of my former Norwalkians are reading my blog.  Granted, that number is currently 4 out of my total of 10 readers, but seriously...40% isn't bad. 

What I was thinking was that I should have a blog that is Norwalk-centric, and then try to draw readers and commentators to the blog.  Remember my brother's website from YEARS ago, when people from all over Norwalk, different classes, etc. would hop online?  Well, it would be cool to try to somewhat emulate that, so we could have a central place for everyone to go, congregate, whatever. 

The only problem is this:  getting the word out.  How do I do that?  Somehow I need to get my name, or "Norwalk, Iowa" pointing to my site, to pull up in web searches.  I don't want to pay any more than the $8.95 that I pay for this site.  The nice thing, is that I can do up to 5 blogs for that price, and currently I have 1 1/2 (the 1/2 is about to be deleted, because it was elopement party-related).  So, I could do a Norwalk-specific blog.

Any Norwalk people who read this (or others too, because I know there are lots--at least 6--of people who are smart and yet NOT from Norwalk), please give me your ideas on what you'd like to see on the site, how to get the word out, etc. 

All for now.  I have to watch "Rebuilt" where people who have lost a limb or something, get fancy new prosthetics (not unlike Neuticles, yet completely different from Neuticles).  Right now there is a dude with a spring-leg who is jumping rope and trying to ready himself for FBI physical testing.  Neat.  I hate TV.

Da Boyz

So, as some of you know (those of you who regularly read through the comments are up-to-date), my brother was back in town to see my parents last weekend.  He got together with his old group of friends (OLD compared to me, anyway) from high school, Stan Fleming, Steve Kellar (with whom I had a brief dating experience in 1991, 3 years after our video directing debut), Scot "Skippy" Bourne, and Mike Wahl (who provided the picture and is the one in the pic with the wicked beard).  Anyway, they had not all been together since graduation day:  May something, 1988.  The next day, Stan headed off to war (well, fine...it was the National Guard) and the rest of the summer some of the guys wanted to punch each other in the head (dumb adolescents...now none of them remember the tiff). 

So, I'm sure some of you are just waiting in breathless anticipation to see a picture of the 5 amigos which was taken the other night.  Too bad we don't have a picture of them from 1988 or earlier to do some comparisons.  So, boys, if you do have one, send it along to me.

One thing I'll say is, my brother is mean.  He couldn't wait to have me leave the table, mostly because he wanted to slander me to his friends (oh yeah, and I suppose relive some of the old days.  But mostly to slander me and drink the alcohol I just bought for them).  Pool table, indeed.  Instead of considering the source (Kevin Day?!  Seriously...come on. I'm your sister, for cryin' out loud!), he slandered me beyond belief.  And now I will just be mean right back.  Mike, you smell like Mariah Carey.

Actually, I think he was just mad that they guys made the statement that I no longer look like him.  He was hoping for the "twin" comments for years to come.  (I had to post this pic again to remind you guys how close it actually used to be.  Plus, this picture is SO good, that it deserves screen time at least once a quarter.)

Okay, all for now!  Enjoy the pic of the boys (thanks Wahl!).  And, if you have any great stories about any of these guys, please post them in the "comments".  Melissa, I *know* you have some.  They deserve a bit of retribution, girl!