Sippi Lovin'

Making bread

2011-06-28T20:15:00.000-04:00

Lennox's first camping trip

2011-06-21T21:03:00.000-04:00

Tastes like tomatoes

2011-06-01T21:30:00.002-04:00

Building new stairs

2011-06-01T14:54:00.001-04:00

So beautiful it's hard to imagine why a person would want to change anything.

Ahhh, much better.

Built-in buffet

2011-05-22T15:04:00.001-04:00

I want to get away from the basement for a minute to show everyone our new built-in buffet. Shown above is the "before" picture.

Adam built the buffet for us in his workshop, disassembled it, and transported all the pieces to Duluth.

The top cabinets were designed to hold Jude's drums.

And here's the "after" picture. Jude varnished the buffet, put the hardware on, and now our buffet is complete.

Shiloh upon first meeting Lennox

2011-04-29T20:54:00.002-04:00

Tiling the floor

2011-04-05T14:44:00.004-04:00

With the help of Jude's Mom , JoAnne, we were able to begin tiling the floor during Shiloh's nap. After JoAnne left, Shiloh "helped" tile, grout and seal the floor. She ate lots of snacks, climbed on Mom's back and stepped on the tiles to make sure they were layed properly. She is taking a much needed H2O break in this picture.

Finishing the walls

2011-04-05T14:31:00.003-04:00

We finished sheetrocking, mudding and sanding!!!!!

As the painting begins, the number of pictures taken slows down.

Thriller

2011-03-24T21:50:00.002-04:00

Here is Shiloh dancing to Thriller with her cousin Andrew.

Pop goes the Weasel

2011-03-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

New Bathroom

2011-03-07T17:07:00.006-05:00

After pouring new concrete, Jude and I framed up the bathroom .

My brother-in-law wired the first light and several outlets for us, as well as taught me how to do basic electric work, so I could add a vent for the bathroom and second light making it the best lit bathroom in miles.

Beginning the bathroom

2011-03-07T16:22:00.005-05:00

Looks like a bathroom, right? I'm pretty certain busting up the concrete floor with a sledge hammer was one of Jude's favorite tasks. (Jude's nodding happily as he reads this now!) Shown here are the cavities for plumbing to the new sink, toilet, and washing machine.

Simply put, we hired contractors to do the plumbing because they know what they are doing. I personally carried nearly 30, 5 gallon buckets of old cement and dirt out of the basement before we layed a new cement floor.

I have not mentioned Shiloh yet, but she did help along the way by moving tools around and getting really really dirty.

Mudding and Sanding

2011-03-07T16:00:00.005-05:00

Jude and I applied 3 layers of mud, which also meant we had to sand 3 times. The sanding was something I did nearalmost daily while Shiloh took her nap. Needless to say, it is not perfect and I have no desire to sand again.

Here is a photo of the hallway leading to our den. Adam installed the door pictured here and the second will come months later when we built the bathroom.

The Den

2011-03-07T14:26:00.008-05:00

Behind the studs we scraped the exterior walls before painting them with a Watertight paint.

Next we covered the exterior walls with insulation and sheetrock.

Finally, here is the den with new walls, a new ceiling, and new recessed lighting. Soon we will begin the mudding and sanding.

Step One Destruction

2011-02-15T12:57:00.007-05:00

Boom. With loads of help from my brother, Adam, we started removing the wood paneling and wall papered sheetrock from the den and hall way.

Hey good lookin! Adam led the way by raising copper piping and replacing old wiring.

Once the studs were showing, we moved some walls and built others.

Pre-construction

2011-02-15T11:43:00.007-05:00

Holy crap that's ugly. Here is the faux stone entry way to the basement.

This will be the den and/or TV room for Jude's sports viewing.

This will be a bathroom.

Move-in weekend

2011-02-15T11:17:00.005-05:00

Before moving in, Jude and I refinished the hardwood floors in the living room and dining room. We also painted all the rooms in the house - excluding the kitchen - with help from both of our mothers.

With new floors and freshly painted walls we moved on to the basement.

Our New House

2011-02-15T11:02:00.005-05:00

12.5 months ago we moved into our new house and have finally decided to share some stories and pictures for those who have been unable to help and/or see the home repair projects. I have started with an outside picture which was taken last March but would look the same if I took a new picture today. As far as outside work is concerned, Jude and I layed drainage tile around 3/4 of the house and painted the basement windows. We also hired contractors to pour a new sidewalk around the house.

Daddy's Crazy

2010-07-22T22:18:00.002-04:00

Whoops!

2010-04-25T10:58:00.002-04:00

Vocab

2010-03-16T00:21:00.002-04:00

Boo!

2010-01-09T14:02:00.002-05:00

Drum Circles

2009-11-02T21:51:00.002-05:00

Truckin'

2009-10-31T09:37:00.002-04:00

Giggles

2009-10-31T09:31:00.002-04:00

Kisses

2009-09-12T23:06:00.002-04:00

Shake a leg.

2009-07-28T16:13:00.002-04:00

Teething Biscuits

2009-07-28T13:51:00.002-04:00

Cucumbers

2009-06-29T21:19:00.002-04:00

Shiloh's Army Crawl

2009-06-06T11:26:00.002-04:00

Shiloh learning to sit up Part 1

2009-06-05T14:16:00.004-04:00

Shiloh learning to sit up Part 2

2009-06-04T11:14:00.000-04:00

Michelle's Dream

2009-04-02T21:54:00.003-04:00

Last night, Michelle dreamt about our families playing music together. Per played the trumpet because he believed he was the best trumpet player in the family, which we all knew to be false. Barb played the tambourine until Florian made her stop because he thought he could do it better. After that, Barb was demoted to the triangle. Michelle refused to play an instrument and Jude played the light switch. Yep, the light switch. According to Michelle, the light switch I used was of the dial variety & located on a floor lamp. She also said it sounded remarkably similar to a stand-up bass & I played it as such.

Good stuff, huh?

Oh, and here's an updated picture of Shiloh.

2009-02-06T14:42:00.005-05:00

Shiloh turned six weeks old last Thursday and I can hardly believe how quickly the time is flying by. Not surprisingly, none of the traditional milestones (i.e., rolling over, crawling, walking, talking, etc.) have been met, but all of her newborn reflexes are intact and she can now imitate us when we stick out our tongues. She has also had the ability to hold her head up since day 3. The only real problem, as far as we can see, is that she's not even close to sleeping through the night.

Fortunately, with all of the help we've had in town these last two weeks, Michelle has been able to steal a nap here and there. Our efforts to drive down the number of times she wakes at night have also started to take effect & we're now averaging just 2-3 wakings per night.

Introducing The Year 2009

2009-01-21T17:25:00.002-05:00

I know it has been some time since I last posted here & I apologize for that. Although Shiloh has unquestionably busied our lives, I can’t honestly blame the scarcity of recent postings on her. Far more culpable have been the job and post-doctoral applications that I put off until earlier this month. As many of you know, I’ve applied for a job in Duluth, as well as post-docs at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. I would be thrilled with any of these positions, particularly in this economy.

I managed to steal away from work over the lunch hour yesterday and watch Obama’s inaugural address while holding Shiloh in my arms. As with most of his speeches, I came away impressed and couldn’t help wishing I shared his oratorical talents.

I guess that’s enough for one day. Hopefully if I insist on keeping things short, I’ll be inspired to post more frequently. As a parting gift, allow me to share this photo of Shiloh’s first shower.

Introducing Shiloh Joy Henningsgaard

2008-12-29T21:59:00.002-05:00

Born: December 25, 2008 @ 3:38 PM

Weight: 6 lbs 14 oz.

Height: 19.75 inches

Eye Color: Blue

Hair Color: Brown

Nose: Her Daddy's

Eyes: Her Mommy's

Shiloh & Daddy

2008-12-29T21:57:00.002-05:00

I've included this photo in case anyone is doubtful about who her daddy is!

A explanation of the videos shown below.

2008-11-26T01:19:00.002-05:00

A month ago, I wrote that Michelle and I would happily take video requests. As my brother (Per) was the only one to make a suggestion, I had no choice but to honor his request.

For those who missed it, Per requested that I videotape Michelle attempting to get up from a sitting position.

Well Per, I have done you one better…videotape of Michelle attempting to get up after being unwittingly convinced to lie down. The footage is spectacular and is shown in the second video, but I am an idiot and accidentally filmed everything sideways. As a result, I had to convince Michelle to reshoot the scene.

New Tricks, Part One.

2008-11-26T01:11:00.002-05:00

New Tricks, Part Two.

2008-11-26T01:05:00.002-05:00

What 'chu read lately? (Part 2)

2008-10-30T23:42:00.002-04:00

I was flipping back through some of the archived entries on this blog and realized that it has been some time since I posted a list of the books Michelle has read. There have been no updates since October 31, 2005 to be exact.

Instead of listing everything she's read since then, I'll simplify things for everyone involved and only include those books she has read this year. Oh, one more thing. Recently Michelle took my advice and began ranking the books she's read on a five-star likert scale (five being better than one). Unfortunately just the last 20, or so, have rankings; however, if you want a more thorough review, I am sure Michelle will be more than happy to provide that!

Gifted.....Nikita Lalwani
A Long Way Gone.....Ishmael Beah
The Secret River.....Kate Grenville
The Echo Maker.....Richard Powers
Ultramarathon Man.....Dean Karnazes
Dishwasher.....Pete Jordan
Paul Wellstone.....Bill Lofy
Chasing Lance......Martin Dugard
Writing in the Age of Silence.....Sera Paretsky
Eventide......Kent Haruf
The World Without Us.....Alan Weisman
C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race.....Geoff Williams
The Road.....Cormac McCarthy
The Case Against Perfection.....Michael Sandel
Giving.....Bill Clinton
CION: A Novel.....Zakes Mda
In Defense of Food.....Michael Pollen
Dude, Where's My Country.....Michael Moore
They Take Our Jobs & 20 Other Myths About Immigrants.....Aviva Chomsky
X Out of Wonderland.....David Allen Cates
Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor.....John Bowe
Hack.....Melissa Plaut
The Great Swim.....Gavin Mortimer
Room For Love.....Andrea Meyer
Entering Hades: The Double Life of a Serial Killer.....John Leake **
Bar Flower.....Lea Jacobson ***
Night.....Elie Wiesel ****
Sneaker Wars.....Barbara Smit **
Peace Like a River.....Leif Enger ***
She's Not There.....Jennifer Finney Boylan *
Dark Summit.....Nick Heil *
How Starbucks Saved My Life.....Michael Gates Gill ****
Rainbow's End.....Lauren St. John **
Don't Let My Mama Read This: A Southern Fried Memoir.....Hadjii **
Can I Keep My Jersey.....Paul Shirley ***
Farm Sanctuary.....Gene Bauer **
Diaper Free.....Igrid Bauer ***
The Scent of Desire......Rachel Herz **
When Broken Glass Floats.....Chanrithy Him *****
The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.....Tracy Hogg ****
Housekeeping.....Marilynne Robinson ***
The Zookeeper's Wife.....Diane Ackerman *

There he/she is!

2008-10-27T20:54:00.001-04:00

Pull-ups

2008-10-11T18:23:00.003-04:00

Back by popular demand.

We are now taking requests for future video ideas.

Apartment Tour Part 1

2008-09-21T12:37:00.002-04:00

Apartment Tour Part 2

2008-09-21T12:26:00.003-04:00

Michelle's what? Yeah, that's right!

2008-08-26T22:04:00.002-04:00

The Relaxation Response

2008-07-25T13:21:00.008-04:00

See below for an interesting video detailing Herbert Benson's Relaxation Response. It's a tad long (approximately 15-20 minutes), but well worth your time. In my opinion, this video does a couple things very well. First, it does a fantastic job of demonstrating the power of psychological techniques. Second, it does psychology a huge favor by explicating the physiological changes brought about by intentional relaxation techniques such as meditation, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.

Highlighting physiological changes in both the body and brain is important because it helps to validate the field of psychology and the techniques we practice. Basically, a video like this one helps people understand that psychotherapy is more than the sum of its parts (i.e., more than simply "talking about one's problems"). Sure, psychotherapy involves "talking about one's problems," but the reason we talk is because it evokes desirable physiological changes that result in a higher quality of life.

For the most part, I make a concerted effort to avoid pimping my chosen profession in this space, but sometimes the temptation is too great. Like it or not, psychology is often pit against psychiatry when everyday folks find themselves in a state of cognitive disrepair. If they're lucky enough to overcome the stigma associated with visiting someone in the mental health profession, their next dilemna frequently involves choosing between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Although most individuals say they don't want to take psychotropic medications, these same individuals will frequently choose a psychiatrist over a psychologist because of the belief that mental illness is caused by neurotransmitter imbalances & the only way in which these imbalances can be corrected is to take psychotropic medication.

Whether neurotransmitter imbalances actually cause mental illness (and I doubt they cause mental illness in every instance) is a moot point because the fact remains that psychotherapy (and all that it encompasses) evokes changes in the levels of various neurotransmitters in our brain. What this means, then, is that if you're depressed because your levels of serotonin are low, you can either take a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) such as Prozac or participate in psychotherapy as both are likely to drive up the levels of serotonin in your brain. Of course I'm oversimplifying things a bit as serotonin isn't the only neurotransmitter linked to depression and the two primary modes of treatment, psychopharmacology vs. psychotherapy, are not on equal grounds in the treatment of all mental illnesses (psychotherapy is actually more effective in some instances), but hopefully this post helps to further validate the profession in the minds of my readers...you know, if you were skeptical in the first place.

Anyway, let's get back to the video I spoke of earlier. In order to view the video, click on the link below.

Just Relax.

The World's Coolest Bike

2008-07-23T22:01:00.009-04:00

Recently a good friend of ours procured a bike so cool it gave me bike envy. Here's his story.

Hello all, Larry Lee here (Mississippian Extraordinaire).

This, friends, is the coolest bike on the planet . . . . and I own it.

There is a short story as to how I came to procure such an amazing bike - so stay with me. During our MS summers I have taken to biking from point to point on campus in an effort to avoiding the lazer-like rays of that small star we call the Sun. Here it takes approximately 1.4 minutes of direct exposure to instantaneously combust. Although I sometimes cut it close, I found I could manage a trip from my office to the other side of campus on my old road bike in about 1.3 minutes (downhill the whole way - no peddling). I was comfortable with this arrangement and didn't forsee purchasing a new bike until my trusty old road bike was stolen from me last month. The story goes something like this...

One afternoon I had a 30-minute meeting just 30 seconds away (that would be 30 seconds by bike). I arrived at the set location and told some physical plant workers in the area to watch my bike (yes, I know the guys). After the meeting I walked to the post office to check my mail, continued to my office on foot, got busy on the phone/computer, finished the workday, and picked up Bev & the kids before heading home to me casa. At 10pm I sprung up out of bed realizing that I had left my bike at the RC Cook Union. Crossing my fingers, I went back to sleep and decided to look for it in the next day. Unfortunately, I found no sign of my trusty steed the next morning.

Now, no tears were shed - here lay my excuse to find and buy a Bionx. The Bionx system is produced in Quebec (did you know they speak French!!!) by some very smart people (did you know they speak French!!!). In short, there is a 250v battery - NiMH to be exact that runs a brushless magnetic motor that is housed in the hub of the rear wheel. This motor is controlled by a "con-troll-er" mounted on the handle bars. It assists the rider in two manners: automatic assist or throttle control. In auto-assist mode the rider can choose anywhere from 25% assistance to 200% assistance (adds two rotation to one actual rotation). In throttle-assist you simply push the button and go. One can also do both simultaneously, which is very cool. It has some other neat features like a speedometor, odometor, and alarm. It also recharges as you brake and travel downhill, thereby reducing the amount of time needed to recharge on the grid.

All of this is combined with a rather nice bike - a Norco VF-4. Its a Canadian communter bike from Vancouver (they dont speak French but the guy I bought it from was Russian - hello Janko). Oh, and if you want one, good luck, Janko has a monopoly on these suckers. The Shimano components are beautiful or at least better than my other Shimano components and the 700cc wheels really add to the low-friciton speed. So far my max flat terrain speed is about 25mph without really standing on the pedals. The weight is just slightly more than one would like but obviously the power-assist makes up for it.

It has been hard to find fault with my new bike. It is a bit expensive but may very well be my last bike (really, seriously) and, compared to what my friends spend on bikes, seems like a steal.

So, go ahead, express your bike envy . . . . . its only natural.

Tunes

2008-07-03T12:00:00.003-04:00

Here are a few links to tunes I've been enjoying as of late.

Reyn Ouwehand - Green Beret

Ronald Jenkees - A Fun Beat From Outer Space (Kori Michele Animation Demo Reel)

Manu Delago - Hang Drum Solo

Ryan Leslie - Addiction

Ezekiel Victor - Harmonic Rap

Minnesota Twins

2008-06-26T11:10:00.002-04:00

I know, I know...two entries in two days. Lucky you, this was just too good to pass up.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Minnesota Twins Batting Stances: Past & Present.

Fiction versus Non-fiction

2008-06-25T16:59:00.020-04:00

I've been mulling over Per's comments (shown below) regarding my reading habits for nearly three months and just now feel ready to respond.

Many different studies of reading habits have revealed a strong, positive correlation between age and the reading of non-fiction. In other words, as people get older, they tend to read more non-fiction (and, thus, less fiction). But seriously, Jude, you're only 27! While a couple of the titles you mentioned sound intriguing (i.e. Manson and Wellstone... interesting bedfellows, I suppose), surely you should be diversifying your reading diet! Anyway, glad to hear you now have some free time and you've found your way back to "pleasure reading."

What spurred his comments was a list of six books (all non-fiction) that I had read in the months leading up to the entry. Since that time, I have read "X out of Wonderland" by David Allan Cates, "Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond" by Paul Shirley, "Bar Flower: My Decadently Destructive Days and Nights as a Tokyo Nightclub Hostess" by Lea Jacobson, and parts of "The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart" by Bill Bishop, "In Search of Tiger: A Journey Through Golf with Tiger Woods" by Tom Callahan, and "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan.

I plan on finishing the books by Bill Bishop and Tom Callahan, but doubt I'll get back to Pollan's history of "nutritionism" in America, as it has already made its way back to the library. I should mention though that I was enjoying the book and am a fan of his most fundamental maxim—"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Anyway, the point of all that is that I haven't changed my reading habits. Since Per's comment, I have only read one work of fiction and that one book was recommended to me by a good friend. I enjoyed it, which didn't surprise me, but I would have never picked that book on my own and probably won't select a similar book the next time Michelle and I go to the library.

So why is this? When I first read Per's comment I felt guilty for having neglected fiction and its writers (Per among them), but clearly this guilt is not enough to deter me from reading loads of non-fiction. Why is it that my brother so enjoys fiction and that I would much rather read a book about Tokyo nightclub hostesses? When we were younger, our parents encouraged us to read many of the classics (i.e., The Grapes of Wrath, Sons and Lovers, Lord of the Flies, etc.) and read we did. However, I very clearly remember the first time I discovered a work of non-fiction that was not an autobiography. What a revelation I thought to myself! I can also remember being completely blown away the first time I read a book that was written after 1960 and saw that it didn't suck.

I suppose there are two basic reasons I prefer non-fiction to fiction. I guess the first has something to do with my suspicion that fiction has less to teach us than non-fiction. An inflammatory statement, perhaps, but one that I think holds up. Let me add that I'm not saying that fiction has nothing to offer. There are certainly lessons to be learned from fiction, but I've always believed that I could learn those same lessons through non-fiction. In fact, because the real world is a far more complex and interesting place than the inside of someone's head, I'd argue that non-fiction supports its lessons with more compelling evidence than fiction. For example, although "1984" can teach us a great deal about the nature of tyranny, I’d argue that Night by Elie Wiesel is a better and more easily understood way in which to get the point across. In my opinion, if you're looking to read fiction, do it to be entertained. When I read fiction it's for the same reasons I watch a television sitcom: I want to entertained.

There is, however, one (final?) positive I have neglected to mention. Fiction is great if you want to cultivate creativity. This is no small selling point, I very much value creativity. However, reading fiction is hardly an act of creativity and if you're looking to gather ideas for your next work of fiction, well, I suggest you go outside and live life.

So, let's get back to the second reason I prefer non-fiction to fiction...I really enjoy studying people. I can't exactly say what I'm looking for, but I do know that I love trying to decipher why someone behaves, says, and feels the way he or she does. As you might have guessed, it's also the reason I study what I study.

New toy!

2008-06-10T22:41:00.003-04:00

Michelle and I just finished installing last year's Christmas gift...pretty sweet huh?

Big Gulp

2008-05-26T19:26:00.002-04:00

Ever take a swig from your 32 oz. Big Gulp and think to yourself, "The soda's great, but man is this cup heavy!" Well fear not my good friends because Sam's Club now offers a Styrofoam cup that weights approximately 60% less than a typical similar-sized paper cup.

Ain't life grand!

Fun with numbers

2008-05-22T23:38:00.001-04:00

As most who read this site already know, I work 20 hours per week in a Pain Management Clinic. My commute to work is 6 miles each way and I’m expected to be there 4 days per week. Roughly once per week I’ll drive to the Pain Clinic due to inclement weather. On the 5th day of each week I bike 1.5 miles each way to the university library where I park my bike. On the weekends I typically bike to and from school twice: once to play basketball on Saturdays & once to finish schoolwork on Sundays. If my math is correct, this adds up to 45 miles of biking per week. With 52 weeks in the year (I’m ignoring holidays because I usually work then anyway), that comes out to 2340 miles of biking per year. Of course, that excludes any biking Michelle and I might do for enjoyment, but that’s OK for what I’m about to do.

At $3.00 per gallon (an average for the price of gasoline during the past 12 months that I’ve somewhat arbitrarily pulled from my ass), let’s figure out how much cash we’ve saved during the past year. According to this fuel economy website, our 1995 Honda Accord gets 21 miles per gallon while driving about the city.

Numbers crunching…head hurting.

And here we have it, Michelle and I saved a grand total of $334.29 on gasoline during the last year. What? That’s terrible.

Good thing saving money isn’t the only reason we bike!

Let's catch up.

2008-05-15T16:53:00.000-04:00

Three weeks ago Michelle and I ventured north for the Country Music half-marathon in Nashville, TN. This was the first time we had visited Nashville and we were joined by two of our closest friends here in Hattiesburg. Here are a few highlights from the weekend.

On a hilly course, and with little training, I finished my first half-marathon (1:31) and Michelle kicked some serious ass in her second half-marathon (1:46). Having not put that much in, I didn't expecting much in return and, truthfully, was pretty happy to have averaged less than 7 minutes per mile. It's a far cry from what used to be, but I enjoyed myself just the same.

The race featured 20,000+ runners and stands as one of the largest half-marathons in the country. With that many runners, the lines for the port-a-potties were absurdly long and, like many other runners, Michelle needed to use the bathroom just 20 minutes before the start. Being the dutiful husband that I am, I decided to wait nearby so we could check our gear together. Fifteen minutes later, it became obvious that we would miss the start if she continued waiting in line. Spotting several bushes close by, she raced over and squatted down. There were other runners peeing there as well, but one woman stood out from the others. This woman had arrived at the bushes with several friends, but instead of peeing at the outer edge where everyone else what located, she decided to work her way deep inside the thicket. Moments later it became painfully obvious what she was doing when, as Michelle described it, "the most horrific stench" wafted its way to the other runners. Meanwhile, what began as good-natured ribbing gradually turned into abject horror when this young woman's friends caught wind of the nauseating stench. One friend even vomited as she exited the bushes. Pretty funny stuff really.

Spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment

2008-05-07T10:18:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago a friend turned me on to the Dancing Rabbit ecovillage in northeastern Missouri. The name leaves something to be desired, but its mission and the execution of that mission is rather inspiring. In my opinion, the most interesting part is its emphasis on natural building. According to their website, "Natural Building includes a variety of building techniques that focus on creating sustainable buildings which minimize their negative ecological impact." Read up and tell me what you think. Also, some of the community's more tech-savvy members have posted videos that I recommend checking out if you have the time. Searching for general terms such as, "Dancing Rabbit" on youtube should do the trick. The Eco-Cribs tour of Larkspur was a personal favorite of mine.

Sickness

2008-04-14T09:57:00.002-04:00

I've had a nasty cold for the past seven days. The only upside is that I get these fantastic Rorschach snotblot designs when I blow my nose in a Kleenex. I briefly considered including a picture, but ultimately decided against it. You can thank me later.

An Update

2008-03-26T12:37:00.002-04:00

I don’t exactly know why, but I’ve felt compelled to post here lately. Perhaps it’s because life as a graduate student has finally slowed down. I no longer work 70 hour weeks, now it’s more like 50, and even when the going gets rough, I seldom have any work to do after 7 PM. For a while, OK a long while, I avoided anything that even remotely resembled work and quite frankly, this blog resembled work.

For those who haven’t heard, either through the grapevine or straight from my mouth, I’ve accepted an internship at the Southern Mississippi Psychology Internship Consortium. As a result, Michelle and I will be spending an additional year in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The best news, of course, is that I will be spending that year on internship and not as a student. Short of moving back to Minnesota, this was the best possible outcome. The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association, the pay is right, the training model is generalist in nature, there are opportunities to work with patients across the developmental spectrum, and we won't have to move. Michelle and I are very excited and look forward to moving back home one year from now.

Now, as for that new-found free time I alluded to earlier, I have been trying to reacquaint myself with the act of reading for fun. In the past four months I’ve read, “Dishwasher: One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States” by Pete Jordan, “Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season” by Stewart O’Nan and Stephen King, “Chasing Lance: The 2005 Tour de France and Lance Armstrong's Ride of a Lifetime” by Martin Dugard, “The Long Hard Road out of Hell” by Marilyn Manson and Neil Strauss, “Positively False: The Real Story of How I Won the Tour de France” by Floyd Landis and Loren Mooney, and “Paul Wellstone: The Life of a Passionate Progressive” by Bill Lofy.

None of the books could be described as a “tough read,” but I enjoyed each. If I had to pick a favorite, I would probably choose Pete Jordan’s “Dishwasher: One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States.” It’s not particularly well written, but the stories are entertaining and his thoughts on Hattiesburg were especially interesting. As for the most disappointing book of the bunch? I would have to say Marilyn Manson’s “The Long Hard Road out of Hell.” That may not come as a surprise for some of you, but my own high expectations left me feeling let down. It’s always been obvious to me that Manson is an intelligent individual who finds creative ways to shed light on the hypocrisy of our society, but his book also reveals him to be depraved, narcissistic, ignoble, and an ass. That being said, many critics praised this book. The central difference, I think, between their takes and mine is that most of the critics seemed shocked by his honesty; while I expected nothing less, and believed (hoped?) that his willingness to be open about his depravity was an indication that he now understood the stupidity of his past indiscretions…I don’t know if I’m convinced.

Brewing 1

2008-03-20T18:13:00.003-04:00

A month before my parents arrived, Michelle and I set out to brew the Portland Pale Ale kit that my brother and sister sent me for my birthday. Although we were confident that the homebrew process would be a fun one, it took us several months before we found the time and energy required to take on such a project. Not surprisingly, Michelle was the driving force behind the project and did most of the work. Shown here is a photo of her reading the directions.

Brewing 2

2008-03-20T18:12:00.002-04:00

After sanitizing everything thoroughly, we assembled the ingredients and began boiling the wort. We were told to be wary of the "boil-over blues" and I very nearly ruined everything while snapping this next photo.

Brewing 3

2008-03-20T18:10:00.005-04:00

Following such a close call, I stirred often and obsessively tweaked the burner dials until it was time to remove the wort from the burner and transfer it to the fermenter. In order to do so, we had to first cool the wort by creating a bath of ice water for the brewing pot to sit in. Following the transfer, our instructions said to gently rock the fermenter so as to put oxygen back into the wort.

Brewing 4

2008-03-20T18:08:00.000-04:00

Later, after nearly 3 weeks had passed (this was perhaps a little too long), Michelle and I finally got around to bottling the beer. Shown here is a photo of us siphoning the brew from the fermenter to the bottling bucket.

Brewing 5

2008-03-20T18:01:00.006-04:00

At the bottom of the bottling bucket is a spigot. Using a plastic hose, which was attached to the spigot, and a bottling tube, we managed to fill roughly 50 bottles. We ended up drinking the first beer the night before my parents left (exactly 10 days had passed since we first bottled it) and Dad seemed impressed. I must admit, I was pretty happy with it too!

A Week in Review.

2008-03-17T18:01:00.002-04:00

My parents left Hattiesburg early Friday (3/14) morning after an action-packed week of board games, barbecue, bike rides, blues, and bickering. Michelle and I woke up at 7:00 AM to prepare Western omelets, toast, juice, and shrimp and they were on the road by 8:30 AM. For the uninitiated, shrimp may sound like an odd choice at the breakfast table, but my mother loves it and we had a ton left over from the shrimp boil on Wednesday evening.

Highlights from the week included:

The rockin' tunes of Dr. E and The Voodoo Kings at the Walnut Circle grill on Saturday night.

A 30 mile bike ride up the Longleaf Trace late Sunday morning. This was especially fun because the sun was out throughout the entire ride and the temps hovered in the low 70s.

A two-day trip west to Natchez, MS where we toured two antebellum homes (Longwood & Melrose), ate gringo pie and sipped margaritas at Fat Mama's, lost $4.00 aboard the Isle of Capri Casino boat, watched the sun set over the Mississippi river, visited the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, saw Richard Wright's childhood home, explored its City and National cemeteries, sampled ten varieties of muscadine wine at the Old South Winery, ate lunch inside Mammy's Cupboard, and slept in the Eola Hotel.

The shrimp boil on Wednesday evening at the Lee household. A shrimp boil is very similar to a crawfish boil, which I've touched upon here in the past. Very tasty and filling.

The fabulous food...as predicted, we ate pulled pork at Leatha's and it was fabulous. However, we did not eat at Mugshots as I had anticipated and instead, ate delectable shrimp po-boys from Peter's Po-Boys.

Of course, there was also plenty of gameplay as well. Shown below are a few pictures from Natchez.

Fat Mama's Margaritas

2008-03-17T17:56:00.003-04:00

This is a photo of everyone holding margaritas at Fat Mama's in Natchez, MS. Although the margaritas were as good as advertised, I felt the gringo pie (also said to be a house specialty) left something to be desired.

Sunset over the Mississippi.

2008-03-17T17:55:00.002-04:00

This photo was taken as the sun set over the Mississippi in Natchez, MS.

Mammy's Cupboard

2008-03-17T17:41:00.003-04:00

This is a photo of Mammy's Cupboard where restaurant goers are treated to lunch inside a 28-foot tall black woman's skirt. It's difficult to know what to make of it all. I read somewhere that "Mammy's" ethnicity has been made more-or-less ambiguous by her most recent touch-up, but even if that's the case, does it matter? At any rate, there's no question the food is superb...blueberry lemonade served in mason jars, savory roast beef, soft and chewy sandwich bread, etc.

Melrose

2008-03-17T17:35:00.003-04:00

This is a photo of the Melrose home built in 1841 by the John T. McMurran family. Today the home is maintained by the National Park Service and we were able to tour the slave quarters, as well as the home itself.

Longwood

2008-03-17T17:26:00.004-04:00

This is a photo of the octagonal Longwood home built in 1861. The six-story home was designed by Samuel Sloan for Haller and Julia Nutt, but construction was permanently halted when the civil war broke out.

Visitors

2008-03-07T13:06:00.003-05:00

I'm expecting my parents to arrive sometime tomorrow (3/8) afternoon. It's been quite a while since Michelle and I have seen them, August of '07 I believe, and we're both eagarly awaiting their arrival. Dad tells me they plan on driving through the night. I hope everything goes smoothly. Dad also mentioned that he would like to visit Robert Johnson's gravesite in North Mississippi. As I understand it, there is quite a controversy surrounding the actual location of his remains. Three separate tombstones exist with evidence to support each one being the "true" resting spot for one of the most famous of Delta blues musicians. Hopefully Dad picked the right one.

The week's agenda is mostly up in the air, but we're planning on catching "Dr. E and the Voodoo Kings" at Walnut Circle Grill Saturday night, visiting the Camp Shelby military museum at some point, having a crawfish boil with the Lee family, and possibly venturing up to Natchez mid-week. Of course, food will also be paramount...at the very least, we're planning on taking them to Leatha's and Mugshots. Leatha's has the best barbeque in all of Mississippi & Mugshots serves the best burgers in town.

Per's Visit 1

2007-07-08T01:55:00.000-04:00

We composed this post in the following manner...Michelle was responsible for the first, fourth, seventh, etc. words; Per the second, fifth, eighth, etc. words ; and Jude the third, sixth, ninth, etc. words.

Michelle is a disc. (Per quit.)

Per's Visit 2

2007-07-08T01:54:00.000-04:00

Per and Jude emerging from the lake after a fruitless rescue. Michelle inadvertently rocks. (Michelle is now cheating...she inadvertently hucked the frisbee into the lake.)

Per's Visit 3

2007-07-08T01:50:00.000-04:00

Closeup...sorry. (Jude ended this one.)

Retarded

2007-07-08T01:29:00.002-04:00

That they are!

Daulphin Island

2007-05-27T13:56:00.000-04:00

A week ago, Michelle and I joined some friends for an afternoon on the beach. The drive from Hattiesburg, MS to Daulphin Island, AL took 2.5 hours.

As the sun set, everyone walked along the beach collecting seashells.

I snuck this one in without Michelle's permission!

Shortly after the sun set around 7:30 PM, we hit the road. Dinner was served at the DQ and we were home by 11:00 PM.

Blackberries

2007-05-27T13:46:00.000-04:00

While playing frisbee golf in the Paul B. Johnson State Park, Michelle and I happened across a patch of ripe blackberries. Since then, we have gone back twice to eat our full and make two blackberry chantilly pies. Yum!

Longleaf Trace 1

2007-05-27T13:16:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago, Michelle and I biked the 43 miles from our apartment in Hattiesburg, MS to Prentiss, MS and back. The trail, known as the Longleaf Trace, is Mississippi's first and only Rails-to-Trails Conservancy project and "South Mississippi's premier recreational attraction."

Before we set out, I needed to be sure my guns were up to the challenge!

Longleaf Trace 2

2007-05-27T13:15:00.000-04:00

We hit the road at 8AM & returned home by 3PM. There were several water breaks along the way, one rather humorous lunch stop (call us for details if you want the inside scoop), & countless restroom stops. Michelle made a concerted effort to remain well hydrated throughout the trip, which resulted in 8 bathroom breaks, 3 in the first 7 miles.

Longleaf Trace 3

2007-05-27T13:14:00.000-04:00

The trail end in Prentiss, MS. Much of the scenery along the way was straight out of Deliverance.

Crawfish!

2007-05-11T16:35:00.000-04:00

Last weekend Michelle and I joined several of her co-workers for a time-honored Southern tradition: the crawfish boil!

Ingredients: (Served 25 people with plenty leftovers)
Live crawfish
Salt for purging
Zatarain's crawfish boil seasoning
Whole onions
Whole new potatoes
Corn on the cob, shucked & cut into thirds
Whole mushrooms
Whole garlic cloves
Cajun sausages, cut into 1-inch sections

We have included several pictures from the event below and for anyone who is interested in learning more about crawfish boils, check out this website.

Here they are...up close and personal. Yum!

The spread.

What can I say? It's The South!

Catching up...

2007-03-08T18:35:00.000-05:00

February & March - In review:

I successfully defended my master's thesis two weeks ago. This was both a relief and joy. Although I did find my research interesting and even enjoyable at times, I am ready to start afresh with a new project.

Spring break begins next Monday (3/12/07) and I'm looking forward to my time away from classes and clients. As most know, I am currently taking the last class of my graduate career (Child Behavior Therapy) and will be pleased to have this chapter of my education behind me when the semester ends in mid-May. My third year of graduate school feels very foreign to me as the years leading up to it have largely been devoid of any milestones and now, there are so many within reach. I anticipate officially having my master's degree in May after I submit a reformatted copy of my thesis to the graduate reader & will be taking our department's comprehensive exam on June 1st. This exam is exceptionally daunting as it covers all materials taught over the previous 3 years and if I am fortunate enough to survive this, I will go on to apply for internships in the fall (the fall of my4th year).

This summer, I will be presenting a paper I co-authored at the American Psychological Association's national conference in San Francisco, CA. We are also hoping to publish the paper sometime this summer or early next fall. As for my thesis, I aim to submit this for publication sometime this summer and will likely present it at a conference around then as well. Performing research and publishing studies has never been a goal of mine and I still don't anticipate doing much research once I have finished my graduate career, but I do understand how the process becomes addicting for some.

Working with clients (on-campus & off) has been rewarding and is finally beginning to become easier. Obviously I cannot comment much on the content of our sessions, but I am seeing most of my clients make therapeutic gains. This pleases me greatly.

Remember this?

2007-02-19T17:11:00.000-05:00

Not only am I procrastinating in the very best manner possible, but I happen to have with me a few photos that I think y'all might enjoy. Obviously, these were taken at our wedding.

A Curtain Call

2007-01-06T21:56:00.000-05:00

Michelle and I had a difficult time selecting photographs to share with y'all...consequently, the photographs above and below chronicle our latest apartment makeover. Obviously we haven't undertaken a complete overhaul, but it's the attention to detail that really makes a new room sing, right? (Oh, and I probably shouldn't be permitted to describe it as "our" makeover as I haven't done much beyond iron hems on occasion.)

These are the new curtains in the living room, which look absolutely fantastic. In fact, we have new curtains in each room and they all look fantastic. I should also deliver a quick "thank you" to Barb as she helped out too!

Walks & Runs

2007-01-03T12:50:00.000-05:00

Barb and Florian will be departing early tomorrow afternoon after I escort them to the Jackson, MS airport. They stayed with us for 10 fun-filled & action-packed days. During their stay, they often accompanied Michelle on her 2-mile walk to work in the mornings & occasionally, we would all venture outdoors for a second long walk in the afternoon. The photograph above features a hotly contested uphill footrace between Barb and Florian.

Michelle and I still enjoy a daily run and while we weren't able to get out as much as we might have liked during their stay, we did get out on occasion.

Vacation

2006-12-31T10:42:00.000-05:00

We departed from Hattiesburg, MS early Friday morning and traveled due south to Gulfport & Biloxi, MS where we basked in the sun along the Gulf of Mexico & toured the wreckage leftover from Hurricane Katrina. Michelle is pictured above sifting through treasures washed up along the beach.

From Gulfport, we took I-10 to New Orleans, stopping briefly in Slidell, LA for dinner at the Southside Cafe. The special that night was fresh catfish (breaded & fried to a golden brown), a leafy house salad, and New Orleans Creole-style "red" jambalaya...tasty! Hotels were difficult to come by due to the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina, but we happened across a Days Inn on the outskirts of New Orleans and spent the night there. Saturday morning, we got up, ate breakfast, & drove the rest of the way to the French Quarter. Once there, we walked the streets, shopped, and watched the barges come and go on the river. The photo above was taken along Royal Street in the French Quarter. Lunch was served at the Please U Cafe in downtown New Orleans and the gyros received high marks all around. Our last stop before embarking on the two-hour trip home was along Lake Pontchartrain, where the hurricane-protection levees (built to protect against only a Category 3 hurricane) failed to effectively gaurd against Katrina's wrath.

Sweet!

2006-12-27T23:24:00.000-05:00

Florian & I snuck into the stadium & climbed to the top of the west bleachers yesterday afternoon for a glimpse of the best view in town.

Quizno's

2006-12-26T23:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Quizno's, how may I help you?

While Jude was still nestled in bed (with sugar plums dancing in his head), the Blenker clan was hard at work prepping Quizno's for the day's work.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

I think the picture speaks for itself...Michelle was a very good girl this year!

The In-laws

2006-12-24T11:12:00.000-05:00

The Blenkers are flying into Jackson, MS this afternoon after a 2-stop, 7 hour epic journey from Rochester, MN. They will be spending 10 days with us over the holidays and we're thrilled to have them. The photograph above is of Barb & Florian clean the rain gutters in late August. Michelle and I were on our "honeymoon" at the time, otherwise I can assure you that it would have been the two of us out there. I volunteered to drive the Bobcat for Florian, but he politely declined my gesture, stating that he was enjoying life and in no hurry to go.

And this...this is the booty. The memorabilia shown above are a sampling of Florian's Minneapolis Moline collection. Barb informed us that he is bringing a photograph of a Minneapolis Moline tractor in order to educate the locals, as well as increase the likelihood of adding to his collection.

A History Lesson

2006-12-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

I have taken to walking & studying for exams over the years...here are a few photographs of my final exam route. The picture featured above was taken just prior to sunset one block north of our apartment. Unfortunately, this tree has since been cut down as the land is now under development. Michelle and I are unaware of what monstrosity will take its place, but it's difficult to imagine anything more picturesque than this landscape.

These tracks are also prominently featured along the aforementioned final exam route. Today, Hattiesburg is commonly referred to as the "Hub City" because it provides South Mississippi with ample business opportunities, educational and medical institutions, hospitals as well as clinics, and an army training base. The town got its start; however, as a railroad town located in the dense yellow-pine forests of South Mississippi. Tracks such as the ones pictured above brought the lumber companies, a booming economy, and jobs to those residing in the area.

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-22T15:03:00.000-05:00

Ooohhh...that looks good doesn't it! Michelle and I spent 4 hours last Tuesday evening baking cookies & other assorted Christmas treats for her employees. Fortunately, we had enough foresight to double each recipe and there are plenty of leftovers for late-night snacking.

This is a Henningsgaard tradition...snapping pictures of the Fam frosting or sprinkling Christmas cookies and because Michelle is now a Henningsgaard, I thought we would include this one.

Hello?..........hello, hello, hello, hello

2006-12-21T13:01:00.000-05:00

Today I have time...time to post, time to surf, time to read, time to sleep, time to daydream, time to run, and time to eat. Final exam week drew to a close last Friday evening and since then, I have had to carefully divide my time between the bed and Christmas shopping. Unfortunately, this brief hiatus away from academia is about to come to a screeching halt as I must get back to my Thesis defense paper. I finished analyzing the data three weeks ago, but haven't had the time to begin writing until now. I would very much like to defend early next semester & move on.

In other news, I intend to post a picture or two each day until the next semester begins. Pictures are less ambitious than posts and we have quite a few that I think y'all might enjoy.

Homework or Post...Post or Homework?

2006-06-29T17:13:00.000-04:00

I gave Michelle the option of posting here or helping with my homework for the week. She opted for homework and I'm stuck posting.

As usual, Michelle and I have been staying busy. Michelle works approximately 50 hours per week between her two jobs, sometimes more, and I am busy with school. An average week (for myself) is spent prepping for my Research Methods undergraduate course (the 4th course I have taught since arriving), frantically gathering data for my master's thesis (I'm roughly two-thirds of the way through), reading/writing for my Ethics course (the 1st time I have had only one course to contend with), and anxiously awaiting my first client (I had one assigned to me earlier, but it fell though). Our summer semesters are intended to be more relaxed than other semesters and we're both working hard to mix pleasure with pain.

For example, last weekend Michelle and I joined a few friends for dinner & bowling on Friday night, poker on Saturday night, and dinner & swimming on Sunday evening. Of course, Michelle worked each morning & I did my best to keep up as our sleep slowly slipped away.

Today happens to be a Thursday and Thursdays are typically laid back...I don't have any classes to worry about and my only real obligations are to run participants (should any sign up) and read in preparation for class on Friday mornings. As luck would have it, I had my readings knocked out ahead of time and no one signed up for my study, which meant that we could take our time with the morning. We woke up around 9AM, got out the door for a 30-minute run, ate breakfast, and made a quick dash to Hudson's Dirt Cheap and E & B Discount Grocery...all before lunch. After lunch we lounged on the couch listening to Medeski, Martin & Wood and Michelle caught a 15-minute cat nap.

Typically Michelle oversees the volume knob in our apartment as it gives her headaches when I play our music to loud (whine whine), but just this once, she permitted me to indulge in those spine-tingling frequencies. I love listening to music at a volume where it pours over you when you close your eyes. I think Alf introduced me to the practice some 7 years ago when his music used to come drifting though the cinder blocks of Doty Hall. Invariably, I would feel compelled to stop by and see what the commotion was all about, only to find Alf lying on his bed with the lights out just chillin'. It was serene. Well, as much as Alf can be serene.

Home Sweet Home

2006-05-25T17:40:00.000-04:00

Michelle and I departed Mississippi on Tuesday, May 9th, one day after I had completed my final exams and submitted grades for my Adolescent Psychology students. On this particular trip, we opted for an alternative route through eastern Louisiana, Arkansas and the Ozark Mountains, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota. We took highway 65 much of the way, which brought us through Little Rock, Arkansas where we visited the Central High School museum (ground zero for the integration crisis of 1957-1958) and the Clinton Library. Both sites were interesting and informative.

Our stop at Central High School included an unintentional tour of the high school, which we had mistakenly assumed to be the museum. Michelle and I parked our car out front, snapped a few pictures & marched inside. In the entry way, there were plaques dedicated to the Little Rock Nine and we scanned these before heading off in search of restrooms. Shortly thereafter, the bell rang and thousands of students poured out of their classrooms and into the hallways. Awkward...amusing too, but mostly awkward.

Central High School was absolutely magnificent, and at one time was hailed as the most expensive (built in 1927 at a cost of $1.5 million), most beautiful, and largest school in the nation.

The Clinton Library proved equally titillating with over 2 million photographs, several interactive exhibits, a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, and 80,000 artifacts from the Clinton presidency. Truthfully, my first impression was that of relief as I realized that the building was less of a library & more of a museum paying homage to the life & pursuits of the Clinton family. The presidential library is located on the banks of the Arkansas river and I was told that it ranks as the second largest library in history (second to Ronald Reagan of course!)

From Little Rock, Michelle & I made good time through northern Arkansas and Missouri, stopping only for dinner and gas, before pulling into a road-side reststop in Southern Iowa around midnight. Michelle & I pitched our tent, unrolled the sleeping bags, and crawled in for six hours of restless sleep. Come sunrise, we packed up the tent, brushed our teeth, and once again pointed our car northbound. Six hours later, we hit Rochester, Minnesota, where we spent the day visiting with Michelle's sister (Amy), her husband (Shazhad), and one-year-old daughter (Maira). The visit was especially pleasant as we were treated to steaks for dinner and I had the enviable task of looking after Maira while Michelle and Amy planted vegetables in the garden for 3 hours.

Thursday morning, we slept in, played with Maira, and were back on the road again by 11AM. After a brief stop in the Twin Cities at the Goodwill Outlet and for lunch in Little Falls at the new Quizno's, we arrived safely in Bemidji, Minnesota. It was good to be home.

A five-tool player.

2006-05-08T22:40:00.000-04:00

Here are a few photos from Tim's visit just over a month ago. Enjoy! Oh, and according to wikipedia, a five-tool player is a term used to define a complete player.

Sky-high

2006-05-08T22:38:00.000-04:00

What grace! What agility!

The two-step...

2006-05-08T22:34:00.000-04:00

Michelle's a multi-tool player...she possesses defensive capabilities, a strong throwing arm, and I've seen her hit for power.

Five-hole!

2006-05-08T22:29:00.000-04:00

Suffice to say, with moves like that our good friend Tim is limited to just a tool or two...running speed perhaps!

Ouch!

2006-05-08T22:25:00.000-04:00

I rescind my earlier evaluation...we're talking about a 1/2 tool player.

The Good Word

2006-02-28T10:52:00.000-05:00

Michelle and I discovered this pamphlet waiting for us in our mailbox last month. For a number of reasons, it got us to thinking about our good friends, Steve and Yarrow, who recently accepted new coaching positions in Decorah, Iowa. During our three-day visit to Decorah over the Christmas break, we discovered that the two of them had been under great religious scrutiny since arriving in their new town…it’s a small town thing I suppose. Well, we wanted to let them know that they were not alone. Proselytizing in South Mississippi is something like a regional pastime.