DakotaFest

I'm working in Mitchell this week at our public relations booth for the DakotaFest. It is a super big ag-based expo in the middle of an alfalfa field on the south side of Mitchell.

I understand enough about farming and ranching to be a dangerous visitor with people involved with the industry. Mostly "salt of the Earth" kind of people that could talk for 4 hours about rain and weather.

One guy came up to our booth and said..."What the heck are you guys selling here?" So being a smart alec I said, "Electricity on demand." It took me 20 minutes to explain to him what the "power company" actually did. He had no idea how power got to his farm/ranch opperation and didn't even know who he paid for the service. "The wife does that." Well, the wife showed up 5 minutes later, and she didn't know the name of the company either. Makes me wonder what kind of opperation they run. I am about as removed from bill paying as anyone could be and I even know who we pay.

Maxim's first full day of Pre-K was today. Steph had a meeting and I'm out of town so grandma dropped him off at his first day. Pretty speical for her.

I just talked to him and he is already in school-boy mode...

ME: So buddy what did you learn today?
Maxim: Nothing.
ME: What was your favorite thing?
Maxim: I don't know.

So it has officially started. The breakdown in communication between my child and me!

Got some free tickets to the bull riding event tonight...I think since I got on my last bull I have only been to about a handfull of rodeos. It used to drive me nuts that I wasn't getting on them anymore.

Should be fun to see some of the guys I used to ride with that are still going down the road.

"First day of school, first day of school"...Nemo, from "Finding Nemo"

So today Maxim went to his first day of school...he's in pre-school, but anymore that is like Kindergarten-lite. He's got a cool teacher, very in tune with child development and things of the sort.

They just had orientation and did a book reading and some art...he made a cool painting, I think he's got some Grandpa Roger artistic ability in him. I'll post a picture of him going to school on Wednesday...that's his first real day, with recess and everything.

So Steph and I felt a bit old the other day...since I have been so busy, we were planning some sort of getaway for the 23-26th...climbing in the Black Hills, the Zoo and family in Omaha or to MLPS...just a quicky.

Then it dawned on Steph, that we couldn't leave that early...it would be Maxim's 2nd full day of school...we have become parents of school aged children.

Now our plans will revolve around the school year...not sure how much I like that.

Youth Pastor

You might have seen this video on the web...of a youth pastor that gets a little toungue tied...if not watch it...then watch the next video.

Same Pastor gets punked by the "FCC".

Youth Pastor FCC Prank - Watch more free videos

Cell service in the middle of the LAB!

I'm in Idaho...some of it is pretty, very rugged...but last night I had to drive to Arco, Idaho. That stretch from Idaho Falls to Arco is WASTELAND. The Idaho National Laboratory is the only thing on this 65 miles of nothing...and the INL is nothing to look at.

So I did my usual habit when I'm driving and bored...I called people...buddies I don't talk to on a regular basis, mostly my hockey buddies, teammates from college and guys I ref with in the winter.

So after the meeting, I get ready for a boring drive back to Idaho Falls, which by the way reminds me a ton of Sioux Falls, and I give Steph a call. I talk to Maxim and Steph for at least 20 minutes...then it dawns on me, I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, no buildings, no population centers within 65 miles, mountains surrounding a lot of the area...and I have a perfect signal.

Most likely this good coverage is government issued and due to the crazy amount of people that commute from Idaho Falls out to the INL for work, but it ticked me off. I live 15 minutes from a city, on a lake that has a lot of recreational visitors, and a very densely populated area...for South Dakota...and I have to stand in the driveway on one foot, wearing my tinfoil hat and a 6 iron in one hand to get one bar for 30 seconds.

Oh well, sometimes no cell service is a good thing sometimes.

Paddle 2 Work Day!

I have a friend, some of you might know from his blog the Minus Car Project, who has all but given up his car. He bikes to work, to get grocery, and to take his children to different activities...I admire him and his dedication to reducing his carbon footprint.

On a few occasions I have biked to work...about 18 miles one way! Lately I have enjoyed biking around the lake, it is about a 12 mile loop the way I take it. This morning was exceptional, the sunrise, the deer, the calf that snuck under a fence and was munching on the thick ditch grass, and the sweet smell of cut wheat..it was an intoxicating morning.

My day is always better when started with exercise, and I know several people who feel the same way...my dad ran most mornings for almost 20 years, I think. Toward the end it was more of a limp-run because of his knee...but I now know why he ran, sure the exercise is great, but the feeling you get for the rest of the day because you started it out with a run or a bike or a weight training session is empowering.

I ran across this article today...this guy has it down. I think if I bike to the James River, kayak to the 3rd street dam, then run to work! Triathlon to the core. I might have to leave the house at 4am, and in the winter I would have to skate the James River...sounds like a plan.

Summer of Mediocre Movies.

Remember how over the last few years there was always one or 2 movies that caught your attention and were really big blockbuster types...this summer has not been like that at all. Spiderman 3 was OK, Fantastic 4 was 2 hours of my life I will never get back, and Ratatouille was the worst film Pixar has ever made.

With that said, I haven't seen Transformers, Into The Wild or Oceans 13 yet...most likely NetFlix will deliver them this winter...what else is there to do in S.D.? This summer I just haven't been interested at all in the "big movies" that came out.

Now that "summer" is almost over...for some reason since last Thursday a bunch of movies that I want to see have been released or will tonight...like the Simpson, Bourne Ultimatium, Chuck and Larry, and this movie...Hot Rod.




Looks like my type of humor...oh yeah, the DVD version of 300 came out last night. If you are a guy, see this movie...with the surround sound cranked on the biggest TV you can find. I saw this movie one rainy evening in Missoula, MT and they had the place crankin'. Great movie, great action, pretty raw, and BASED on a true event.

This is all I have today...it made me smile, but I'm his dad.