word!

All in all, today had all the makings of a positive, productive day up until about 4:30 this afternoon. Nothing too exciting usually happens that time of day and nothing too particular. Mine usually involves heading home. So I was off of work and heading home… la te da, nothing new.

Was doing fine until I get about a mile away from home. Going the normal speed limit when I notice a panel truck pulling out of a neighbors’ driveway. The scary part is that this panel truck does not stop at end of driveway as the law requires, but continues to roll through and start to turn onto the main gravel rode.

Now normally this seem all be well and fine, but it does not take into account that this is a gravel road and that this truck driver has decided to take a big ass turn with said truck.

I’m almost in a panic now realizing what this guy is doing as I am coming at him full speed and it appears he does not see me coming. So I slam on the brakes, but realize at the speed I’m going on a loosely graveled road this is not good as I begin fish-tailing. Luckily, the truck driver stops short of his intention as I am coming closer, and I just move closer to the ditch and get by, although a tad closer to the ditch than I would ever had liked to be.

Fine, so this yahoo pulled out in front of me. The real scary part is that 19 years ago a very similar incident happened to me at this same drive way, under much the same circumstances. That time I ended up in the hospital to have a 4 inch gash sewed up from my head.

I honestly don’t know what I would have done had the truck not stopped when it did. My car was loose on the gravel so it made it hard to control, but taking the ditch might have been an option. I don’t want to think about what would have happened had I only the choice to hit the truck with my car. That would not have had a good outcome.

Not fun and having to almost relive that previous accident shook me up a tad. Damn it.

p.s. I called up the business owner that owned the truck and bitched them out. piss-poor driving I don’t need to tolerate!

Whew, it’s been a gruelling summer. I have attended more county fairs in the last month than my past 26 years it seems. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s just interesting.

So far, I’ve entered the storied gates at:

Wright County
Sibley County
Carver County

and yesterday two one day!
McCleod County
Renville County

So 5 out of 83 or so, ain’t too shabby. I know I’m not a real diehard, because I’ve missed some neighboring counties that I’ve been to in the past, but didn’t get to lately. I do believe they’re all spread out enough time wise to actually visit them all.

I’ve heard rumors that the Steele County Fair in Owatonna is where it’s at in Minnesota, but alas have never gone. And some crazy counties up north are so big they have like two fair within the county. Wow!

Although I’ve been to a bunch, the bestest ones are the ones locally, where you stand a chance to meet a neigbor or various friends and family. You can’t really go wrong with a fair in Minnesota though and given all this fair activity, it’d probably only fitting to fit the Great Minnesota Get Together in there as well. Good thing I’ve been saving up for a visit there for the past few years!

Holy Bockfest Batman. It appears I have made a surfacing on another website! Yay me! Having nearly frozen to death at the 2006 Bockfest was not the only thing I accomplished that day. I also got the honor of gracing Schells’ Brewery website honoring the festivities. I really think it was the combination of having my best side facing the camera and the highly unique super, sweet Supersweet Feed Stocking Hat I donned for the occassion.

Wow, with this photo opp and appearance in state circulated newspaper, I could have this small ego-trip featuring ME go to my head.

Also available from Schell’s .Brewery

*** Update *** Seems that my super,sweet Supersweet stocking hat has propelled me to local stardom

Also available from Schell’s .Brewery

Ah, the enchantment that is New Ulm. This past weekend I partook in a Southern Minnesota Tradition~ drinking. But drink in a warm, smoke laced bar? No. That, meine fruend, is for amatuers.

I decided to join a bunch of other local idiots and go drinking at that fine New Ulm brewery: Schells. Seems that every year they host a little shin-ding where locals get together and commune with nature. Oh, and drink mass quantities of beer.

All in all it was interesting endeavor. I mean where else can you see guys with deer antlers glued to old snowmobile helmets? Or posers where “Supersweet Feed” stocking hats? Or stumble aimlessly through a state park with a beer sloshing about in you hand while trying to decipher gibberish that is supposedly leading you to a ‘BOCK’? Or waiting 25 minutes in line for a Landjaeger?

For some reason or another, I can’t get Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” outta my noggin either. I actually heard it on the radio today, laughed a bit, because it was like getting transported back in time to the weekend. Odd, maybe I was hypnotized.

I’m thinking given the rapid spread of global warming (think no snow and 40s in February) and the proximity of this annual festival to the Lenten season, that we Germans in Minnesota may soon show up those uppity Mardi Gras revelers.

Well, lo and behold. I’m a full-timer as of Monday, November 8. I signed on with Michael Foods in Gaylord for my first job with benefits and all that fun stuff like that! Good thing.

It’s interesting and newly exciting to learn about e-coli, listeria and all the other fun things that could possibly end up in your food.

You’ll have to thank me personally the next time you eat purchased eggs and don’t become sick. And to think, me a microbiologist. Kinda sounds important.