2009 In Review

Well it’s that time of the year again. If you enjoy those overdone Christmas brag letters, feel free to proceed. If not, hit your ‘Back’ button. Coming-off an incredibly active 2008, 2009 brought a much-welcomed reduction of pace. I continue to consult in fixed-income processing for SunGard. The credit crisis has presented many opportunities for stress and many changes and challenges among my clients (large domestic financial institutions) but the over-all atmosphere is thankfully on the upswing. My bride continues working part time at a local dental office where her ever-present smile is a delight to all. Brieanna is settling into married life and is a full time college student while also working part-time at our church. Her husband Michael is busy in outdoor servicing and together they live about 20 miles north of us so we still see them regularly. Brandon wrapped-up his four year tenure with Go Ministries where he most recently served as their graphic design director. He is now working full time in that same field. His wife Jenna will be attending college this spring and they live just a couple miles down the road. After spending a year with Go Ministries, Jordon is back at home and is now a full time student as well. He works part-time at B&N and actively volunteers in our church. Mariah is in the 9th grade at MCA. Highlights for her include a staring role in "Your a Good Man Charlie Brown” and making the varsity volleyball squad. The dogs have been a thorn in my side. The youngest has been getting some help from the local dog whisperer but I don’t know if it’s going to be enough to save our relationship. We were grateful to spend our 25th anniversary on Maui. We also spent some time on Perdido Key Florida (including a horrible overnight in the Atlanta airport), Orlando Florida, and an undisclosed north woods location. We also surprised Jordon in Branson, Missouri during his last tour with Go. Several of us were featured in a marketing campaign for a local dental office. I’d never been on a billboard before. It was a lot of fun. I believe the campaign is still running in Mpls St Paul Magazine. Jordon, Mariah and I did our first marathon in October. It was just a Twin Cities 10K but was more than enough to keep these creaking joints moving. I’m looking forward to next year. Rounding-out the year was the fifth annual Scorpion Homecoming, a Go Ministries leadership retreat, camping in West Salem Wisconsin, the Cuyuna Days loon calling contest (which Mariah and I lost), my 30-year high school reunion, and getting skunked for another year of deer hunting. With so many friends and colleagues experiencing layoffs in 2009, it was indeed a time of great challenges, even fear. But I've found God to be faithful in things big and small, and I've been reminded in these times of the things that really matter. I've been blessed with so many trusted and heartfelt friends and my family is a source of great strength, inspiration and even joy. So all told, Starr and I remain very grateful for God’s blessings in 2009 and together we wish you and yours a terrific 2010!

TSO from the fifth row

Enjoy a few TSO highlights. It certainly was an incredible show (especially from the fifth row). I think this is our sixth Trans-Siberian concert. The show is as big as ever, with lots of full motion video integrated this year. Thanks to David and Mary for sharing this special evening with us once again this year. Great to have Jordon and Ashton on board as well.

Smells like a Skunk

In spite of several close-range sightings, this year’s deer opener finds us once again facing a big fat zero. Darn! The weather was glorious…the deer hunting less than desired. We could have bagged a few does, but we are (of course) holding-out for the big boys. Here we are at the hunting shack in our undisclosed north woods location. We had fun as always. Good times as a family…nothing like a memory.

The 10K's of Terror

Well the kid’s and I did it, our very first Twin Cities Marathon of any kind – a 10K. I haven’t run that far since senior year track, circa 1979. We got a very slow 7:30 AM start from the state capital grounds under a frigid drizzle as the 1,800 participants wound their way past the Saint Paul Cathedral and westbound down historic Summit Avenue. Before long the 45 degree temperature was a blessing and not a curse (thank God I was down to shorts and a single-T). Things went smooth at a modest overall 8:36 pace (7.0 MPH), although that return-leg eastbound hill at Summit and Dale darn near killed me. My pre-race goals were two-fold: finish on my feet and beat my children. I certainly did the former (in fact, I think I finished pretty strong past the Minnesota History Center and over the finish line) but I can’t say I beat the kids. Mariah’s ankle problem knocked her out at the two-mile mark (a member of Saint Paul’s finest gave her a ride back to the finish line), and Jordon had equipment problems and had to walk part of the course. All in all, it was more fun than we expected. My kid’s and our biggest fan (Starr of course) were real troopers. I’m proud of you guys!

Do it again? Hmm … it’s tempting. My time of 53:14 is ok (putting me in the 73rd overall percentile) but I’m thinking I can shave-off 5 minutes (particularly if I don’t get caught-up with all the slow-skis at the starting gate). I see that I’m 11 years older than the average TCM runner. Nice to know I can still bust a move with at least some of those youngsters. Check-out a few more photos in my associated Picasa album.

Summer 2009? It’s a wrap.

You know it’s going to fly-by and fly-by it does indeed. Find pictured here summer’s final sunrise from our undisclosed north woods location. Stellar weather, good friends and a growing family of people we actually love has made this perhaps our most memorable summer since 1979 … and that’s saying something.

Look Mom - I'm a billboard!

Together with my father-in-law and son Brandon, we terrorize the south-bound traffic on 494 and Baker Road. I've never been a male model before ... got a free D'Amico and Son's sandwhich out of the deal. Works for me.

30-Year Reunion

I know, it's hard to believe that I'm really that old but I'm afraid it's true. Here I am with my classmates from Crosby-Ironton Class of 1979. All told were are holding-up pretty well. Kudos to the planning committee for a great weekend.

Our lives as loons

For a reason that yet escapes me, my youngest daughter and I found ourselves this day on stage competing in the Cuyuna Range Heritage Days annual loon calling contest. In this action-packed shot, my youngest daughter Mariah displays good form before the throngs gathered in Memorial Park to witness the tense competition. Did we win anything? Well, in the loon world the difference between wining and losing is simply staying alive to eat another fish. On that basis, we find ourselves victorious.

Birthday Field Trip

I go to Saint Paul for one of two reasons, to either take-in a Wild game, or because Saint Paul lies between where I am and where I need to go. Today however I broke with past practice and journeyed across the river to celebrate my beloved's birthday at The Nook (Shamrocks location). Recently featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, one look at that Juicy Nookie through my TV set and I said to my family, "we gotta go there!" The burgers were indeed terrific (I downed a Paul Moliter burger) but the surprise hit was the dry-rubbed Minnesota Wild Wings. Michael and Jordon both swallowed the massive double-decker Nookie Supreme Burger - just dripping in American and Pepper Jack cheese. Hmm ... I just might have a third reason to visit Saint Paul.

A Son Returns

After a year of Go Ministries internship, it's great to have our Jordon back in the fold. He did a great job, learned a lot, and is now ready for college and beyond. Here he is with us after the awards ceremony. Well done young man.

Coulee Region

Since the mid-1990’s we’ve enjoyed an annual weekend away to Wisconsin’s beautiful coulee region. Thanks to Bill and Mariann for the great company and terrific food. Oddly enough, only our Mariah and her friend Mo joined us this year. The nest is indeed growing thin. Pictured here is an early morning shot of Lake Neshonoc from just west of our campground.

Yo Jordon – Surprise!

With our youngest son Jordon on the last leg of his road team internship with Go Ministries, the extended family and I decided to surreptitiously follow him to the great state of Missouri. Here, we found Jordon at the C4C conference in Branson. Great job on the bass son! Highlights included Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Hollywood Wax Museum, Whitewater, Presley’s, Silver Dollar City, Dixie Stampede (of course) and the C4C conference itself (which was terrific). Southern-style meals at Lambert’s, Uptown Café, and McFarlain’s (among others) kept meat on our bones. I’ll always remember those late-night forays to Andy’s Frozen Custard, and Sonic (yum).

Cabin Fever

Kudos to the crew that joined us in an "undisclosed northwoods location" for a weekend of yard projects and weenies by the fire. My back may never be the same but we certainly whacked some tall timber!

Beautiful Birthday

Benefiting from perfect weather, the ever-growing crew and I enjoyed a flawless great American birthday - Happy July 4th! It was refreshing to be home once again with family and friends. One parade, two picnics, three baptisms, an all-in birthday party, a pontoon parade, tubing, knee boarding, six quarts of homemade ice-cream, jet skiing until dusk, rock pile construction and a couple hundred fireworks. Yikes! I think I’m worn-out. Thanks to Brandon and Missy (and the little guys) as well as Margie for helping to make this such a memorable weekend. And an extreme thank you to the grandparents of both families who so ably make times like this seem easy (even though they aren't). We love you all. In this photo, Mariah navigates the parade crowd on a one-of-a-kind Whisper Whip which premiered earlier this year at Scorpion Homecoming 2009 (lots of great Scorpion hardware in the parade this year).

"Vanilization" a noun meaning to no longer own a van, mini-van or similar oversized, obsolete people mover

That’s right. After twenty-two years of continual van ownership of various shapes and sizes, we have finally pulled the plug on this decidedly un-cool mode of transportation. Here is our final Waldoch conversion, all spit-shined for the new buyer. This single Ford E-150 went camping in Branson twice, camping in Tennessee once, camping in La Crosse eleven times, vacationing in Florida five times, camping or skiing in Montana eight times, attended Spirit Fest three times, enjoyed Six Flags twice, camped in Niagara Falls once, camped in Colorado once and went up-north too many times to count. Did I really drive all those miles? I'd say this proves that Ford is the only remaining great American automobile.

Next Stop? Ninth Grade!

The school-ending 2009 MCA awards ceremony found Mariah winning a middle-school theatre award and her first letter for drama. Congratulations for lettering in only the eighth grade! You are beating your father in more ways than you may know. Here, Starr and Mariah enjoy a bit of post awards ceremony afterglow.

Sally Brown Takes the Stage

Kudos to Mariah who made quite a splash as Sally Brown in her very first MCA musical production, "Your a Good Man Charlie Brown." She seemed to have a natural talent for playing Charlie's twerpy little sister. I wonder where she learned all that? Regardless, with Mariah still in the eight grade, I think this may be the first of many MCA productions for us. Find below a couple bootleg video excerpts I scrapped from the troupe's final performance. The first is a vignette titled "Coat hanger Sculpture" and the second is the musical number, "My New Philosophy" with Schroeder. The final clip, "Rabbit Chasing" is from MCA's official video feed. Congratulations to Mariah, Kara, the directors, and the rest of the cast and crew. A special thanks to all the parent volunteers. It was a terrific show.

Nothing Like a Beach

We are grateful that after all the busyness of this past year, we were able to return once again to Perdido Key for ten days of Spring Break inaction (yes inaction, with the biggest event of the day typically involving rolling-off a lounge chair and driving to yet another restaurant). The entire area has now recovered nicely from 2004's hurricane Ivan and most of our old haunts are back in shipshape. Kara was our special guest again this year and Jordon was able to join us for several days. My parent’s ably coordinated the event and my sister and her son were able to attend as well (my in-laws and Jim and Dee attended earlier in March). Thank the Lord for our family and His goodness. Wanna see some photos of our "inaction?" Check-out 2009 Perdido Key.

The River is Rising

Steve and Jim lent a hand as we attempted to save my sister's home from the rising waters of the Mississippi. With the river level rising above her basement, things looked pretty bleak. The pumps could barely keep-up with the onslaught of water. Miraculously, the ice flow in front of her house released later this same day and the water level declined dramatically.

More Wedding Highlights: Brieanna & Michael

Just a few more photos being highlighted by SoulCam on their wedding blog. They have also included a terrific little video presentation at the bottom of the post. Check it out here.


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"Snow = Life" A New Anthem for America

Our Mariah and her friend of the same name penned this snappy little anthem to the joys of having fun in the snowbelt. Great job girls ... and terrific production Brian. Love that big-time chorus. Go girls!

25th Wedding Anniversary

This past October, Starr and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Between all the weddings, the credit crisis, Christmas, and the Homecoming, we just couldn't get away sooner. Now that we are here, it certainly was worth the wait. To be here is indeed a blessing of which we are very thankful. Ten days on Maui ... a veritable Garden of Eden. Here is Starr and I just outside our hotel in Wailea. Four kids, two weddings and three dogs have past since our Honeymoon on the Islands, all told I think we are holding-up pretty well.

Homecoming 2009

Despite the current economy, Scorpion Homecoming 2009 may have been the largest yet. Several hundred Scorpion fans were in attendance and we all had a lot of fun enjoying the decent weather and meeting friends both old and new alike. We had people come from as far away as California, Florida, Tennessee and Alaska. If you'd like to know more, click here to link the this year's web page. Again in 2010? I don't know ... I'm feeling pretty tired at the moment. It's been the craziest twelve months of our lives. I think I need to go some place warm.