My super secret project revealed

Your Mom’s Tattoo Atelier
Downtown Bemidji
February 2009

I walked into Mike’s business, a cold call. I had nothing but an idea. I nervously explained how I wanted to collect the stories of people who live in Bemidji; people who loved living here. Because, everyone has a story, I want to know what they are- don’t you?

Mike listened, smiled, and agreed. He agreed to the project. I had no site, I didn’t even have my camera with me. Just off the street. I came into his shoppe and was made right at home. A man gifted in his work using few words, rather speaking through his inks. An artist.

You have a story, everyone walking the streets of Bemidji has a story, so does he.

What is it?

Join me as we find out.

A hometown boy who left, only to return to the very town that had once stifled him. Leaving showed Mike who he was. Returning allowed him to become that person. This is the story of Michael Wiltse:

I am originally from Bemidji, MN. I was born in the mid-seventies and grew up in the downtown region of Bemidji. As a child I never really liked Bemidji that much, I suppose it was because of youth dreams of other places.

To read more and to see Mike's slide show of pictures please go to my new website:

This is my town: Bemidji

This is my super secret project I have been hinting at for a month and a half now. I "officially" launched the site last night. Special thanks to Julie Michelle for the inspiration from her site - I live here: SF. I also need to give Mike at WildernessVoice a shout out for helping me navigate WordPress and Godaddy. It is good to have super heros.

Please read, and enjoy. Jules

Hope Springs

pic by Just Jules

I Don't Want to Grow Up

I registered my 5 year for Kindergarten tonight. A much different experience with the fourth child then it was with the first. I can't say that I am sad or heavy hearted even. He is ready. He can do this - he needs to do this. I do not doubt he will be beyond fine, in fact he will excel.

The problem is that I have to grow up now. I have been out of the job force for 9 years. Not much to fill the gaps on my resume even. A committee here, volunteering there, but nothing worth much. You can not put down - real life experience far better then your 'book learnin' you require. Nope. Not going to work.

So, now what?

Some good stuff, I should charge for this, AND, Collaborative Photo Project - Blur

First of all, if you didn't see my - What I meant to say post earlier today you are going to want to check that out (I lost a follower after I posted that! yep, it is that good haha!) AND - if you have been hiding under the covers and wondering what is to become of our now socialist society then you probably missed the funniest post I have ever had on my blog and the comments got even more interesting - Sage did it, I swear it wasn't me, you can crawl out from under the covers long enough to read that.

Alright - I know you are all on the edge of your seats in anticipation of our photos choices of the week - will they match ever again? What could they have chosen for the word blur? riveting isn't it?! I should charge for this stuff. Here we go:

The word for today is Blur

Jules'

Deb @ Sojourner

If that just was not enough excitement for you and you would like (hours) more- our previous pics can be found here:
Anticipation
Rest
Words
Flight
Landscape
Eyes
Cold
Color
Crazy
New
Serenity, see also: Peace
Star
Reflect
Snow
Grey
Light
Read
Exhilarate
Fear
Care
Free

What I wanted (meant) to friggin say - to the "stupid" mom at McD's

Ok - just so you know...
What I REALLY did say was nothing... not one word.


Story:
I took my youngest to (I really don't want to admit this but here it goes....) I took my youngest to McDonald's today (seriously, how gaggy I know!!! yuk, uck, gross, so unlike me) But, we were there, at McDonald's. In the playroom was my youngest and I, and two other moms. These two other moms had 3 children and a baby between them. The one boy was sitting at the table and eating while reminding the other children to "come take a biiiiittte". Fine - he was about 3 and cute as a bug's ear. However, the two moms were seated at another table away from the kids, not far away, but away. They were chatting (read:gossiping). They were loud, or the one mom was loud. She was going on and on and on about this that and gosh knows what (or cares).

Well, every once in awhile the mom would hollar up "....Ryyyyyaaannnn, come take a bite and then go back and play.... Ryaaaaannnnnn.... R.Y.A.N. Come take a bite, and not just of a french fry" this continued (change name per kid) over and over and over loudly, whiney-ly, annoyingly ... yeah. Every once in awhile she would throw in a "or else" and a "now" .
What I wanted (meant) to friggin say was - Your threats are empty and your kids know it. They are not now or ever going to listen to you, because they know your "or else" and "now" is full of crap.
Now this continued the whole time we were there. My (perfect, sweet, wonderful) son was sitting at the table eating his food before he could (1) have his toy (2) go play in the playland. He knows that we will pick up and leave if he doesn't listen to me - we have done it before and we will do it again - my threats are not empty people.

Next (I want to slap the crap out of you) moment was when this same mom (of the year) then starts in on how "stupid" the kindergarten screening was. How her son had to do this, that, and the other thing and it was so "stupid". She was telling her friend that she would not do it again - her friend should just skip it, cuz it was...... "stupid".

What I wanted (meant) to friggin say was: You "stupid" fool you. It is a Minnesota State Law - your child must have a Kindergarten screening before they will be allowed to enter kindergarten. OhHHHH and that tower that you said your son was suppose to make - that was so (you guessed it) "stupid" and the same tower you said you can't even make - my son made it when he did the screening when he was three. Now who looks "stupid"????? Dumb B*tch.

But instead I tried very very hard NOT to stare at them and be amazed by her ignorance, I bit my tongue (hard for me to do) and walked out.

pics from
Google image search

But, I'm not wearing any underwear!!!!

Amy is back, and she has a funny story for us this time. However, today it isn't about the gym she owns, no it is about her visit to Urgent Care:

I have been sick for four days now – yes four. We are talking fever, aches, upset stomach, dizzy and worst of all a sore throat. Finally deciding it was not going to go away I decided to make a “quick” visit to the Urgent Care Clinic this morning before work. Now I use “” around quick because you would have to be certifiably looney in the toons to think that on Monday anything about Urgent Care would be quick.

I drove into the parking lot 10 minutes before the clinic opened, thinking this would be suitable enough to get me out in plenty of time to make it to work. As I sat in my car I started getting that panic feeling in my gut – you know the one you get when you are about to get out of your car early Friday morning for the after Thanksgiving Black Friday sale? My eyes are darting back and forth between the clock, the parked cars and the ones rolling in – one hand is at the ready on the door handle. Finally with 5 minutes left till go time, someone makes a move. It was like a chain reaction of panic with doors flying open and people do that stupid run/walk (you know what I am talking about – that cross between a run and walk that people use when they are mid street and the little red hand comes up telling you it is NOT safe to cross the street, and you don’t want to look like a fool running, but you know time is running out so you do the run/walk – lets just call it a rulk). Anyway people are rulking up to the door, and of course even though there is a clear line formed at the door, people decide they are going to stand off to the side of the line and just cut it. So finally the doors open and we all rush forward like the walking dead towards the reception desk.

I get my place in the line up and go sit down to start the waiting (and watching) game. So all of these people are lined up at one reception desk waiting like cattle, when low and behold a receptionist at the other end of the building calls “I can help someone down here.” So this Dad takes his little boys hand and starts to walk over, when this older lady tries to do some type of football maneuver around them to get there first – tripping the poor kid in the process. Then of course I end up between the fighting couple and the woman with volume control syndrome who is having a very personal conversation on her cell phone. What else could I do but sit and pray for it all to be over soon. Thankfully, as I was visualizing grabbing the phone and walking over to the front doors to chuck it outside, I get called back. You would think my story would end here….

Unfortunately no. So I get checked out by the doctor and find out that aside from the nasal congestion/flu crud that has been making the rounds, I have strep – my third case in the last two months. I get the great news that she is going to have the nurse come in and give me a shot of antibiotics, no messing around with pills this time. Well, aside from the fact that I really hate shots, I could not come up with a good enough excuse to convince her otherwise – plus I can’t swallow pills anyway. The nurse comes in and I start to roll up my sleeve, only to be informed that this shot doesn’t go in your arm – it goes in your thigh. Well great! She asks me to pull down my pants and sit on the table. At this point I get the a case of the giggles as I explain to her that with being sick all weekend I didn’t really get a chance to do laundry so ummmmm I’m not wearing any underwear. And that is how I started my morning.

I'm trying here

First - I'm talking about sex over here.



Anything we do often can become a grind.

Today is laundry day. Yet, here I sit putting it off. Ridiculous really. I do not have to load up my clothes and take them to the laundry mat I don't have to sit there watching my clothes spin. I get to go down and shove three loads into one in my HE machine and walk away. But when you do the same thing over and over it becomes tiresome.

I think the same thing about other aspects of our life. Think of how new and exciting your job was when you first started. Think about the first days of your relationship. Things become same old same old after awhile.

It is our job to find ways to keep them going - and if possible exciting. Of course exciting may be easier in a relationship then in laundry, but follow me here. Pulling ourselves back, rethinking things may be just what is needed. Today I will remember that I am blessed with my great laundry facilities and not stuck in the cold ucky laundromat.

pic from vi.sualize. us

Are you suffering from the same old same old grind? How do you change it up a bit.

Let's talk