week (year) in review and the look ahead.

so yeah.

i had a killer Christmas of monumental proportions. my wife and i got to go back to North Dakota for the holidays and instead of being -45 with the windchill it has been hovering around the 32-35 degree level. great weather for this area this time of year!

my old nuclear family was at the airport to pick us up, but also there to greet us was a bunch of friends with a sign "Welcome home Rood and Reeth." Very nice. good pictures and drawings.

for Christmas my parents, brother, wife and i all hung out at home. we went to my parent's Catholic church for service and then went back home. one thing that i like about the lutheran church better is that the services have a lot more songs. i was expecting more carol's, but oh well. God is good.

after that we had a nice dinner and opened presents. i am grateful for receiving some nice new apparel, a couple movies including, the Island, Hook, Blade, the Dark Crystal, Without a Paddle, season 1 of Scrubs, and season 4 of 24. i also received the book Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian, and the soundtrack to Narnia.

after the party and when the family went to bed i ordered the LOTR Fellowship (complete recordings), and the score to the Firefly series. i haven't had the opportunity yet to listen to more than snippets, but i plan on delving into them when i go to Fargo for my "day on the set, behind the scenes" of 1 In 9. my initial reaction to the snippets is complete satisfaction!

also, during this little trip back to the northern plains is seeing all of the friends, of which there are a few. also, i will have seen two hockey games played by my alma mater.

this weekend we are going to the lake to celebrate the new year. so i am excited with the prospect of some cross country skiing and spending long, unnecessary time in the hot tub. also i should be able to get a good listen to the Fellowship recordings.

then next week i will be working in the office until thursday when i go down to fargo to get some photos and video from behind the scenes. then i will be able to give you guys some insight into the forgotten world of Mike S.

on the 9th i will be returning home to the land of port to resume semi*-normal existence.

so to everyone have a happy new year, and use caution if you are driving on amateurs night.


*my wife and i are beginning** a better diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, and also going for walks at least twice a week and trying to hike on the weekends.

**this is not a new years resolution. if it were, it would be jinxed from the get-go.