Western Open

Here's Trevor Immelman kissing the trophy that Tiger Woods should have won at the Western Open. This was the first PGA Tourneyment that I watched and it was suprisingly fun. I watched Tiger Woods sink 3 birdies in a row and Sign and Love III were there too.

All that, and I got a free TiVo!

Movie Star "Sarah"

Sarah's my movie star...

The Chicago Botanic Gardens

South Bend

When I'm bored, I read the news from some other cities. With the World Cup and tension in Israel, here's a story that could only make the headlines in South Bend. I think the headline overdoes it a bit...

He called police at 7:05 p.m. after seeing the man’s bare behind.

Grandma's Marathon

And here we are at the finish - over 5 hours later.

Grandma's Marathon II

We've been training over four months for this and the day was finally here. Grandma's Marathon, a 26.2 mile jog through the hills of Duluth, MN.

There were an amazing amount of people there. Luckily, they took off running at the beginning and so they didn't bother us...

Temple Square

Salt Lake City is home to the LDS church and here is it's downtown temple.

I hear it's a wedding factory: when I took this picture there were no less than three women in wedding dresses down below. No idea if this couple were married here...

I was on the lookout, but no sightings of the Morman pope though when I was there. I think I ran near the the spot where that abducted Smart girl lived though...

Arches National Park

Moab, Utah is home to Arches National Park. Guess what were the highlights of the trip; yup, you guessed it.

Here are a couple of my arch pictures.

Chicago Sky

Who's better looking - me or this WNBA mascot?

2:09:51

Update: My Sunburst time was 2:09:51

It was a cool finish - we ran down the ND tunnel and onto the field for the finish.

Sunburst Half-Marathon

I ran the Sunburst Half-Maraton in South Bend yesterday. This fits in two weeks before my real race, Grandma's Marathon, in Duluth. This 13.1 mile course was pretty fast, although it was a little hot. I came in around 2 hours, 10 minutes. The official time and pictures will be here soon. I'll keep you posted...

The Grand Hotel

As you probably all know, I'm in hotels all the time. And I always get the berries at least once a week when staying for a week. Here were the best hotel berries in Minneapolis.

Good news though, I will likely be able to spend most of my summer in Chicago. King Tut is in town, and I still need to figure out where to get my drivers license updated.

Mount Vernon

After the wedding, I wandered up to Mount Vernon to see the original George's house. It wasn't very impressive, I though the second most touristed house in America was better. Old George really was into this house though, according to 1776, this is all he wrote home about.

Steve & Neda

Sarah and I went to Washington DC to see MBA classmate Steve marry Neda. They had a great wedding and reception; I'm no Catholic, but I think the Pope married them. Even after travelling for 8 months, I still don't have enough points for a night at the St. Regis - where they had their reception.

Did you know Washington DC is a great place to run? There's tons of stuff to see, and I even caught old George (H.W.) in the Mall deliving a graduation address for George Mason.

South Shore Line

"Train arrive. Sixteen coashes long.
Train arrive. Sixteen coaches long.

Train train. Coming down, down the line.
Train train. Coming down, down the line.

Well it's bringing my baby, because she's mine own mine."

The South Shore Line brings in Sarah every now and then, up to see me in Chicago. It needs an updated interior, but if they put in the wireless internet, that would make me happy.

Every Day Should Be Saturday

I know there's no reason to read other blogs than mine, but here's one that has stumbled across a Notre Dame MBA tailgate party video... And get this - they think it's not cool.

Charlie Weis
Ain’t very nice
Last year he lost thrice
Turned his blood to ice

He’s got Brady Quinn
They’ll probably win
ten or elev-inn
And a bowl game be in.

Now, many of you have taken the South Shore train to South Bend, walked through the quads, and stumbled in front of police officers at mindnight on your way to the Grotto. Perhaps you witnessed a near upset of USC or charged onto the field after Michigan fell. We may not be poets, but "Charge Two: Shittacular Dancing" is just cruel.

Twin Cities 1 Mile

It may have only been a mile, but I finished it in style!

Nashville & Memphis

The home of Elvis & Rock 'n Roll!

Mount Rushmore!

Yup, you guess it - we went to Mount Rushmore! The drive wasn't all that bad and the scenery in the Badlands is pretty. There's even a new sculpture being done - Crazyhorse.

Fun facts:
Total miles - 1300
Miles I drove - 1300

Sioux Falls Sheraton - good
Rapids City Perkins - bad

Cost of gas - $200
Number of empty water bottles in car - 9

"Drive A Better Bargain"

There are lots of Hofers around there...

Halfway There!

Down the snowy road, over the border, and down Highway 90 we go. The Corn Palace (yes, that is corn on the building), Sioux City Falls, and Wall Drug are all on the way.

Weekend Getaway Surprise 1!

Tired of the rat race and looking for excitement - Sarah and I began a monumental weekend trip that quickly took us past the last 4 star hotel and beyond the pale into the world of microwaved restaurant food and kitsch family fun. But where did we go you ask? Not so fast! Take a look at this picture of Sarah 'looking for excitement' at a self-described 'scenic view' and make a guess.

Announcement

There's been a relationship development in the Anderson household. Developing...

My sister is now engaged to a young doctor. Congratulations, sis!

Chicago

St. Patrick's Day Parade

The Chicago river is not a natural color, big green men are invading the city, and everywhere you look there are crooked politicians using tax money to advertise themselves. Which of these is out of place?

Yup. That's right, big green men are not invading the city. It's just th St. Patrick's Day Parade with a lot of festivities and tons of drunk undergrads on the 'El'.

Of course, the river is also dyed green, but even without the dye it is not necessarily a natural color. Mayor Daley and all his cronies are selflessly promoting themselves on every taxi, public sign, and float in sight. My policeman landlord says this happens in all cities, but I didn't see it happening in MN. Want proof? I can't even name the mayor of Minneapolis! See, that democracy in action.

Northwestern vs. Minnesota basketball

My boss is also a big Northwestern fan and has great season tickets. I saw the weekend Minnesota game at NU, next to a raucus student section. The halftime show wasn't near as good as in MN though.

Shedd aquarium

Sarah and I checked out the Shedd Aquarium this weekend. Would you have imagined there would be a line out the door? I sure didn't, but that didn't stop us.

Sarah was into giving the fish professions. There were the silver fish with big sloping snouts (the professors), the skate (the taxis) and the sharks (the mob.) I think some people have seen too much Finding Nemo!

Minnesota vs. Illinois Basketball

I made it to the Minnesota vs. Illinois basketball game this past week at the Barn. Pretty exciting game, with Illini finishing on top. My boss is a big Illinois fan, but fortunately not embarrassing to be around. The woman I was sitting next to was different - her shrieks shook the house. I look over to see a shriek in action and notice her husband was prepared; he had an ear plug!


Here is a picture of the halftime show. Very exciting! The woman and man completely switch costumes in the blink of an eye - when behind a cover for just a second. I have no idea how it worked! The man changed from a tux to a basketball outfit.

Napolean Dynamite

So, I've obviously not been to busy this weekend. I've been checking out Google Video, ever since I read about it in Ars Technica. Some are good and some are bad.

Good:
Napolean Dynamite dancing to My Humps.
Bad:
Biker dancing to My Humps.

Good:
Girl jumping through b-ball net.
Bad:
Girl's basketball.

I want to watch Napolean Dynamite again. Who's in with me?

Bush @ Bethel

I was going to blog about George Bush creating a ruckus at Bethel, but Sarah got to it first. She has some new stuff...

Bethel University

My alma mater, Bethel Univeristy, made it to the first round of the MIAC playoffs this week only to lose to Gustavus (for fun - try rhyming it with Festivus!) Get this - we've lost the last 6 out of 7 years to them. On their court. 6 out of 7.

It was an emotional locker room after the game judging by JV coach Tom Coyer's suspiciously red eyes. (Check out the link!)

Chicago Auto Show

The Chicago Auto Show is in town, so I got in my Jetta and went down to see all the new concept cars. Whoops! Turns out most of the cars there are the same as those you saw on the drive to the show. That doesn't stop people from attending though - it was completely packed. I must not understand the draw of new cars.

Sarah does. She 'fell in love' with this new VW convertible.

Draglines

I've been in Florida this week for work and had the opportunity to visit the company's local dragline. Wait, it's not just a dragline, it's a walking dragline.! This absolutely huge piece of equipement that can move tons of earth with one scoop, can actually walk. I think the speed is only .6 miles/hour, but that is truly amazing. It's just like out of Star Wars - expect it's a huge walking, scouping machine. Don't worry, it leaves no environmental impact. Oh, wait!

That's my boss and I in the draline bucket.

Next

Sarah's already booked us tickets at this next South Bend blockbuster. I'm sure you can imagine how excited I am to see these prancing men! (Yes, this is a promotional picture.)

High Culture in South Bend

High culture in South Bend? That's right, Sarah and I have seen the Notre Dame symphony and Russian National Ballet in South Bend over the last couple of weeks. While we didn't make it through the entire symphony (we left to see the Olympic games), I really enjoy the ballet.

Fun fact: I saw the same ballet, Sleeping Beauty, in St. Petersburgh about a year ago!

Buy a ballet gift here for your favoriate ballet friends...

Travel

"Thank God I don't have to fly as much as that poor loser"

Here's another travel piece from the Onion. Maybe it's because I travel so much, but I don't find it funny. Double DeltaSky-miles on weekends? I'll give it a try...

Blackberry

Save the Sheep!

Well, not really. Because I love the Smartwool 100% Merino wool socks. They usually are sold at some ungodly price, but I have found a good secret source. eBay! I don't know if these socks have something wrong with them, are out of style, or just 'hot' - but they've been great so far. I've bought five pairs of socks and so far - they're great!

They're even an ethical company! (Don't click here.)

Chuck Norris

"At birth, Chuck Norris came out feet first so he could roundhouse kick the doctor in the face. Nobody delivers Chuck Norris but Chuck Norris"

Evidently some people are big fans of Chuck Norris. Judging from the one Texan I know - he's pretty big celebrity down there. Even Wikipedia declares him an internet phenomenon. I must have missed that part of the 1990s. I've actually received an email discussing 100 ways Chuck uses his roundhouse. Who knew people actually cared about him?!?

"If you ask Chuck Norris what time it is, he always says, "Two seconds 'til." After you ask, "Two seconds 'til what?" he roundhouse kicks you in the face."

"If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris, you may be only seconds away from death."

"If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever."

You Can't Fool Wikipedia!

Last warning

This is your last warning. The next time you vandalize a page, you will be blocked from editing Wikipedia. - Lucky 6.9 01:48, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

You have been temporarily blocked from editing for vandalism of Wikipedia. Please note that page blanking, addition of random text, deliberate misinformation, and repeated and blatant violation of WP:NPOV are considered vandalism. If you believe you have been blocked unfairly, please add the text {{unblock}} to this page, along with an explanation of why you believe you were unfairly blocked. An administrator will review your case. If you wish to make useful contributions, you may come back after the block expires. -- Francs2000 01:50, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

Ars Technica

My brother Nate writes for a wedsite called Ars Technica. It focuses on technology for 'PC enthusiasts' by providing witty and insightful commentary. Nate's latest article is on Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia.

Did you know that's there's an entry for Mike's Unemployed Blog? Who would have guessed!

'Jumbo Shopping Cart'

Check out my latest purchase; that's right - I'm officially 'urban'. For those of you living in a suburb, this is not something you see everyday. Amazon calls it a 'super shopping cart'. It's bigger than the basket, but smaller than a full size cart, and it's only allowed in big cities.

Have to walk home from the grocery store? No problem!

Need to do some laundry? Super-simple!

I've always been concerned with how cool I'd look with one of these. No worries though, I taking it to Treasure Island foods now!

Group 5

Looks like I'm going to have to check my bag tomorrow at the airport. For those of you who don't fly - let me explain. Group 1 is for children and AA Platinum Execultives. Group 2 is for most eveyone else. By the time they get to Group 5, I will have to check my carry-on bag, keep my coat on my lap because there is no space in the overhead bin and sit in the hellishness that is an early morning E14 gate. I'm working on that elusive status with the AAdvantage Gold Challenge. Wish me luck!

Twilight Zone

Dave Webber was a German foreign exchange friend from high school. Our class is catching up with each other over email after 10 years and it turns out we have had quite a bit in common lately. Here's his email:

"And as I already pointed out earlier, it seems that Mike and I have a lot in common and didn't even know about it for all those years: Apart from the fact, that we are both unmarried, we also both have a girlfriend by the name of Sarah. Then, he decided to come to London last spring (same here), so we basically lived in the same city and didn't know it. We also did a lot of traveling and I wouldn't be surprised if we had staying in the same place a few times. Both of us have one of those cheesy websites with pictures of us on it (I justchecked out his Blog, he still looks the same). But it doesn't stop there. We both got our Masters in business and we even work for the same company: PricewaterhouseCoopers.

HOW SCARY IS THAT?!?"

Indeed!

Candles

Sarah and I made candles for Christmas presents this year. It's simple, fun, and crafty all at the same time! In fact, once started, we made bundles of them - over 30- including designs with leaves, ND colors, and using old glass pieces from the local thrift store. Way better than eBay!

Save our Bridge!

The bridge near Sarah's parents house is being torn down and rebuilt against the wishes of the community. That old birdge holds their community together! Where else can you put weekly messages of 'Happy Birthday', 'Jim Sucks', or the one shown here- 'Save Our Bridge'? Now wild youths have nowhere to express their feeling and will likely fall into a small town Indiana depression and wake up 20 years later working a bad job for the local milking barn. You are witnessing Sarah's first act of vandalism.

Basketball

My company has boxes to Minnesota sporting events, and I've been lucky enough to have been to a couple of games in the past couple months. Sarah and I also just went to see the Bulls in the United Center. While we didn't win in any of the 'racing' competitions during timeouts, we did win a free Big Mac when the Bulls broke 100 points and beat the Atlanta Hawks. We sat 20 rows from the top of the arena. Guess how much it costs these days? $40! Seems a bit steep to me!

Christianity in Europe

John has uncovered an USA Today article referencing my brother and sister-in-law's article about Czechoslovakia. Check it out.