Movies of 2013

For posterity and personal reference, here is my movie list from 2013. My favorites are in bold; avoid-at-all-costs are in italics.

• We're the Millers (funny)
• Saving Mr. Banks (charming and funny; candidate for favorite of the year; Emma Thompson's fantastic 60s wardrobe was inspiring and introduced me to sweater guards)
• Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Peter Jackson ruined The Hobbit)
• Red 2 (great cast : Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich; based on the DC Comic of the same name; better than the first movie, which isn't often the case)
• The Internship (Owen Wilson never fails to make me smile)
• The Girls, season two (looking forward to season three)
• Superstar (part of boys' ongoing Will Ferrell film fest)
• Catching Fire (satisfying; for the record, I'm in the Gale camp and the boys and I have lots of debates/arguments about this; in the end, really, Katniss rocks!)
• Blackfish (stunning documentary about the cruelty of keeping orcas in captivity; I will never give SeaWorld a penny)
• Man of Steel (background noise while knitting)
• Hangover 3 (funny as the previous two)
• Anchorman (twice)
• Bling Ring (yucky, sad characters)
• Admission (Paul Rudd, Tina Fey; utterly predictable but still enjoyable)
• Escape Plan (not great, but entertaining; entire family saw at the theater)
• Elysium (huge disappointment; predictable with shallow acting efforts)
• Jack Reacher (not horrible, even though I dislike TC)
• Wolverine 2 (family night at the theater! we had so much fun)
• Homeland, season one (hooked from the first episode)
• Cloud Atlas (thoughtful, great layers in the multiple storylines)
• 2 Guns (date night; funny movie)
• Despicable Me 2 (after seeing this, son # 1 declared he didn't want to [get caught] watching animated movies at the theater)
• Pacific Rim (would have been better at the drive-in)
• World War Z (more scary than creepy; zombies are my 21st century nuclear war)
• Silver Lining Playbook (powerful)
• Red (could have been more-ish re: performances and plot)
• The Heat (Sandra Bollock & Melissa McCarthy are comic gold)
• Magic of Belle Isle (heartwarming; transatlantic in-flight movie; Morgan Freeman)
• Guilt Trip (Seth Rogan is terribly one-note, but I kinda like that note; transatlantic in-flight movie)
• Safe Haven (predictable and a little boring; transatlantic in-flight movie)
• Side Effect (wish I had seen this in the theater; in-flight movie)
• Summertime (Katherine Hepburn; Venice)
• Epic (dollar theater = good value)
• Identity Theft (great comedic duo in Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy; she would make reading the phonebook funny)
• Young Frankenstein (classic; M's bat mitzvah party)
• What to Expect When You're Expecting (background noise; pretty unmemorable)
• Time Bandits (annoying, but all my boys love it and recite lines)
• Star Trek: Into Darkness (yes!)
• To Rome with Love (hoped this Woody Allen movie would have been as strong as the one set in Paris; pretty unmemorable)
• Jack the Giant Slayer (okay)
• Life of Pi (wonderful; inspired Winston to read the novel)
• Oz the Great and Powerful (snooze)
• Warm Bodies (saw with John and Simon; we enjoyed this teen zombie romance)
• Zero Dark Thirty (date night with all of St. Paul at Grandview; deserving of all Oscar accolades)
• Waveriders (surfing in Ireland; transported us back to our summer vacation where the boys learned how to surf on teeny, tiny waves of Dingle Peninsula)
• Amazing Spiderman (Andrew Garfield made a pleasing Spidey)
• Ted (funny, and oh so inappropriate; Simon was horrified to watch with his parents)
• Bourne Legacy (why don't I remember the previous Bourne's better?)

Happy New Year!

Here we are. Nearly halfway through the first month of the year. Which is not such a bad thing. Winter break and subsequent days off from school because of extreme cold weather meant lots of quality time with the boys. Which is not such a bad thing. Even when you're trying to launch a fresh start to the new year. One of my resolutions is to be kinder to my family. Another resolution is to be kinder to myself. So this year, this January, I am going to allow myself to ease into changes rather than trying to implement all new habits immediately.

Here I am.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

The day has finally arrived when I need to get serious about All of It--finding a job, bailing clutter out of the house, preparing for winter, refinancing our mortgage and planning our retirement, losing weight, getting fit, designing a new bathroom, and, and, and.

Sounds like a lot, really. But, I'm all in.

venice (sigh)

When I made this picture my FB cover, one of my best friends commented "quintessential shot." And, she wasn't wrong. Now home and suffering 90+ degree summer days, the Grand Canal almost looks inviting.

Venice was a treat. In May I graduated from the University of Minnesota's College of Design with a B.S. in Interior Design. Since I didn't have a job lined up post graduation, and felt like I needed to mark the accomplishment, a decadent trip (just husband, no children) seemed in order. For a second consecutive year, my mother-in-law taught art history in Venice for Pratt's summer program and had an extra bedroom in her San Polo flat. It seemed foolish not to take her up on the offer.

The coolest photo of Venice [source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Venice_floating_city_satellite_view_2008.jpg]

Despite being such an odd place, comprised of over 100 small islands, Venice exceeded expectations on many counts. Some of the highlights of our trip included fish/seafood, calle (streets) and rio (small canals), the Biennale, Aperol spritzes, vaporetto, architecture, the Grand Canal, and more.

Stay tuned.

first day of summer vacation

The 2013 version of the First Day of Summer Vacation looks suspiciously similar to last year's edition, which is crazy. It's not as if I have been checking in here or anything. And, my memory is fading with old age. Of course, there are a few deviations from last year, but the similarities are striking: special breakfast, late start to the summer homeschooling [denial is a difficult habit to break], and dinner. A year ago, we had the EXACT SAME thing for dinner--this amazing salmon salad. So, that settles it. The salad must become a first day of summer tradition. Here's what else was shaking:

7:00. Alarm sounded. I intended to snooze but couldn't fall back to sleep
7:20. Hauled myself out of bed and headed for the den where I tweaked my standard cover letter and applied for a job. Already, the day has been productive.
8:20. Woke up rest of family, who were on their feet within 30 minutes.
9:00. Supervised Winston, who made French toast for himself and for Simon.
9:45. Husband, who is working at home while office is being renovated, conducts Come-to-Jesus meeting with kids to let them know how serious the summer homeschool is. Sigh.
10:00. 30 minutes of math. An algebra review for Simon, stack arithmetic for Winston.
10:45. 30 minutes of power reading: Cooked for me, a Dr. Who book featuring the 11th Dr. for Simon, and Zom-B for Winston. I hope the latter doesn't give Youngest Son nightmares.
11:30. 30 minutes of writing. Simon is writing a story. Winston is describing the ingredients and process of making French toast.I read. Though I regret not writing.
12:00. Lovely lunch. Winston made box mac and cheese for himself and Simon. As last year, I vowed to have better materials for healthy lunches. At least for the first week.
1:00. Target and library run. The less said the better.
4:25. Unpack groceries. Catch up on email and other messages.
5:30. Accept a cocktail even though I am trying to curtail weekend drinking. Hard to refuse the G&T fairy.
5:35. Make the DALS salmon salad, which comes together quickly since the salmon had been grilled the previous evening and most of the veg cook in the same pot of salty water. Was as delicious as I remembered. We will be making sooner than June 2014.
7:00. First Hamilton boy dropped off. We granted the boys an overnight with their buddies. Is summer over yet? JK!
10:00. Kicked boys out of den so husband and I might watch John Oliver hosting Jon Stewart.
11:00. Gave boys a warming about getting sleep. Now.
12:00. Want to sleep myslef. 

bitterly cold.

 
Trying to think warm thoughts today. In case the visual isn't clear enough, it reads (negative) 12 degrees F but feels like (negative) 24 degrees F. Dangerous cold.

Trying to think warm. Can you feel it?

Movies of 2012

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Hangover 2
Art and Copy
Puss in Boots
The Other Woman
Super 8
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
The Descendents
Walking Dead, season 1
2012
Troll Hunter
John Carter of Mars
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
The Avengers
Men in Black 3
Downton Abbey (season 1)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Eames: The Architect & the Painter
Kings of Pastry
I Don't Know How She Does It
MIB3
Hugo
21 Jump Street
Tower Heist
Weeds (season 7)
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Madagascar 3
Mountain of Storms
Brave
180 Degrees South
Safe House
Journey 2
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Argo
Wreck It Ralph
Battleship
Skyfall
New Year's Eve
Groundhog Day
The Hobbit
Moonrise Kingdom

Riding

 

Today I got on my road bike for the first time in two years and took a training ride. Admittedly, I was a little nervous about getting on my bike, concerned that the extra weight I have gained over the past three years would cause a tire to blow. So silly.

The ride wasn't long, just up to the Cathedral and back, but I tried to make every mile count and kept the cadence as high as I dared for being so out of shape.

When the endorphins kicked in around Mile 2, I wept like someone in mourning, desperate to cast off the slothful attitudes I have taken toward exercise. I don't like to exercise, but I do love to ride my bike. When I am in the saddle, I feel so strong and confident and free. Perhaps this feeling is rooted in nostalgia for that time in childhood when i realized wheels were freedom and for when I felt fearless.

As I enter another new chapter in my professional life, I long to harness this confidence and the ease to push myself harder as I do when I have wheels beneath me.

PS: here's another first...blogging on my phone. The digital age is truly amazing!!

[kids'] summer break, day one

7:40. Husband's phone alarm sounds well in advance of our agreed upon summer wake-up time of 8 a.m. Annoying.
8:00. My phone alarm goes off. Press snooze. We had a late night waiting for the power to be restored and watched the first half of Argentina vs. Brazil, followed by Mountain of Storms, a climbing film with Yves Chouinard (Patagonia founder) and Doug Tompkins (Esprit founder). Simon speculates that we went to bed after 1 a.m.
8:27. Finally rise and wake the children for the first day of their summer break. Yay!! Oatmeal with brown sugar--and sprinkles--for all my friends.
9:30. Hour of power: reading. Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh) for me; The Name of This Book Is Secret (Pseudonymous Bosch) for Winston; and The Unwanteds (Lisa McMann) for Simon.
11:30. Fold first of many laundry baskets. Make note to teach boys how to fold their own clothes.
12. Make the boys salami and cheese quesadillas. I know. Please don't judge. Make note that the boys cannot make this "the usual" lunch. Look for healthier, but exciting (!) options.
12:30. Run Simon to painting class at MCAD. Marvel at design college's awesome studios with 12'-0" ceilings lined by clerestory windows. Sigh.
1. Return home to start dinner salad. Trying to find new and easy options for game nights. Last night I grilled salmon (Lund's had a BOGO). Today, I boiled small red potatoes, corn on the cob, and green beans; chopped cucumber, sliced scallions, halved cherry tomatoes; tossed all with a red wine vinegar-olive oil-mustard-squeeze of lemon dressing. Recipe adapted from one in the new DALS cookbook.
2:45. Pick up Winston from free play at JoTP. Haul to Minneapolis to pick up Simon. Make note to find better tunes for car (radio sucks, tired of CDs in glove box).
3:45. Finish making dinner, feed kids. Breathe. Find reading material for practice.
5:30. Take Winston to lax practice at Arlington Tech, our home away from home until mid July.
7:15. Cruise to Roseville for Simon's lax game.
9. Hang happy with the boys. Reward husband and self with a lovely glass of vinho verde. Forget that vinho verde is carbonated and won't survive until the next day so finish bottle.
12. Bed, capping a wonderful, busy first day of summer vacation.

Spring clean-up

(http://home.comcast.net/~milazinkova/Fogshadow.html)

Can you believe that this past Saturday (May 19) was the first opportunity I have had in six months to schlep our fall 2011 leaf bags to the yard waste recycling center?! Holy smokes. Since October, we have had close to 50 black plastic bags piled in front of our house. And, it’s only in hindsight that I wish I had spray painted the pile a glossy fuchsia or turquoise and called it a Christo-inspired art installation. Winter came earlier than expected? The weather in intervening months has been wildly unpredictable? This past spring semester has been more demanding than ever? All true, but searching for an excuse in pathetic. I know.

Full wayback

Finally, Simon and I endure the hideous traffic around St. Thomas (graduation day) this past weekend, and made three trips to the recycling center. These trips were as many as we could manage before the boys’ lacrosse practice. All the bags were muddy, wormy, and heavy with the wet accumulated from winter snow and heavy spring rains. Many bags had holes, inevitable given the number of sticks we bagged, and fetid liquid poured from them. The recycling center emitted the evil sweet smell of decay, and I half expected something to rise from the depths of lawn clippings and discarded landscaping.

When we returned home from our last trip, tired and caked in mud, we laid the remaining fourteen bags on the front steps to dry in the sun. The hope was to make one final push after reinforcing (ha!) ourselves with  bloody Marys. Colin and Helena, who came to brunch on Sunday commented on the body bags in our front yard.

By Monday, following another rain, these bags had a heft that certainly suggested body parts. I made two solo trips to finish one small part of what is destined to be a major yard cleanup. As I ripped open the first bag and dumped the partially wet contents, I realized most of the waste center’s odor was coming directly from, no surprise, my contribution.

yard waste recycling, a marvelous thing

movies seen in 2011

For posterity, here is my movie list from 2011. My favorites are in bold; avoid-at-all-costs are in italics.

• Oxford Murders (looked fun, but didn't grip me or leave much of an impression)

• The Kids Are Alright (Annette Benning was fantastic in this crazy dramedy about an unconventional family)

• New York, I Love You (a few bright spots, multiple storylines were more annoying than clever)

• Tangled (saw on my Whidbey Island visit, cute and funny, though without the feminist twist I'd wanted)

• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (enjoyable, love the Pevenseys' adventures, fairly faithful to novel)

• Green Hornet (saw at the theater with the boys, Seth Rogan made us laugh a lot)

• Prince Caspian (enjoyable, more Pevenseys)

• The King's Speech (strong candidate for favorite, loved everything about it, can't wait to see again)

• Black Swan (creep-tastic but very well done, saw with Tracy and the Jills)

• Secretariat (felt like a classic Disney family movie, cried a lot)

• Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (followed the novel pretty close, fell asleep, may need to see again)

• Rango (fine existential moments and a stunning animated homage to John Ford, at worst it felt long)

• Love and Other Drugs (I'm a sucker for most romantic comedies, this was fine)

• Romantics (indie romantic comedy based on Galt Niederhoffer novel, lots of uncomfortable moments but overall satisfying for atmosphere, wardrobe, quirkiness)

• Inception (clever and compelling but no Matrix)

• Going the Distance (romantic comedy with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long; a tad disappointing)

• An Affair to Remember ("A" in A-Z challenge; classic; okay)

• The Apartment (part of A-Z challenge; classic; Shirley Maclaine is zany fun; favorite part was 1960s b&w)

• Planet of the Apes (the 2001 Mark Wallberg remake, in anticipation of the 2011 origin story)

• The Tourist (really enjoyed this romantic spy thriller with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp)

• Brideshead Revisited (A-Z challenge, 2008 movie version with Emma Thompson, enjoyed)

• Big Sleep (always good)

• Blade Runner [director's cut] (A-Z challenge, really should see back-to-back with original version)

• Black Narcissus (A-Z challenge; hysterical, racist, anti-feminist; I hated this movie--did I miss something?)

• (500) Days of Summer (at times charming, other times annoying; jury is out on Zooey Deschanel)

• Tamara Drewe (movie version of graphic novel, likeable)

• Thor (saw 3D by default, Chris Hemsworth was definitely hunky)

• Herb and Dorothy (watched this documentary about these art collectors twice)

• No Strings Attached (third of three Natalie Portman movies in 2011, sexy and fun)

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules (W and I saw this movie together, which made it more)

• Capote (mixed feelings about this movie, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener were each exceptional, opening scenes were chilling and atmospheric)

• Unzipped (watched three or four times, Isaac Mizrahi: I love you, that's all)

• Kung Fu Panda 2 (not as good as the first, John and I were disappointed that the voice overs were different from KFP1, then shocked to learn they were, actually, the same)

• Midnight in Paris (love, love Paris, love the lost generation, love)

• Juno (second viewing, still awesome--funny and moving)

• Casino (pleasantly surprised; sexy, bright, colorful)

• Seamless (recommended to me through online service, great documentary about young designers, Anna Wintour has a huge presence, loved it so watched it twice)

• Green Lantern (awful)

• Adjustment Bureau (more cool time travel)

• Mr. Popper's Penguins (cute and fun)

• Modesty Blaise (disappointing; a bit campier than I had hoped)

• Harry Potter 7, part 2 (highly anticipated, not disappointed)

• Foxes (how did I miss this as a teen? Jodi Foster is so poised amongst her racy friends)

• Cowboys and Aliens (worst movie of the year; John and I took the boys, who found it disturbingly violent; nothing that years of therapy can't reverse?)

• Transformers 3 (pleasantly surprised; Sam Witwicky's parents save the day; 4th highest grossing film of all time?!)

• Tron: Legacy (again, pleasantly surprised; can't be a hater!)

• Bridesmaids (definitely pee-your-pants funny, one of my favs from 2011)

• Kids (now with a vintage feel, Chloe Sevigny is great as a tough NYer)

• Spy Kids 4 (with smell-o-vision; Carmen and Juni are all grown up and waging sibling rivalry; blah)

• National Treasure (watched with the boys who were seeing for the first time, fun again)

• Cedar Rapids (I had no idea how funny this movie might be, sleeper)

• Contagion (couldn't touch a door knob for a week or more after seeing this infectious disease flick)

• A Dolphin's Tale (heartwarming movie based on a true story, 11-year-old rescues a dolphin and lobbies an army doctor to built a prosthetic tale; parallel story of boy's cousin who is recovering from Gulf War injury)

• Real Steel (the boys loved this movie about boxing robots; we're more likely to have boxing robots in our future than flying cars...what a rip off)

• Rendition (2nd of 3 Jake Gyllenhaal movies for the year; gripping and maddening drama)

• Moneyball (should win awards, a favorite)

• Elf (watched twice, once with the boys who were seeing it for the first time, they laughed in all the appropriate and predictable places)

• Source Code (clever time travel movie, good action, happy with the resolution)

• Bridget Jones' Diary (Christmas Day, loosen the belt movie with the in-laws)

• Tintin (loved, great adventure, CGI animation not as creepy as anticipated, Tintin and Snowy rule!)

mid december. already?

This is my TO-DO list for today (with a preview of tomorrow). Just a little bit on my plate as I wrap up Semester Five. 

I miss this space so much. Be back soon.

first day of school, v.2011

YAY! I love the first day of school. When I was a kid, I would get so excited about seeing all my friends and pleasing a new teacher that I would hardly be able to sleep the night before. Or, maybe my inability to sleep was due to having a head full of bristly rollers. Who thought trying to sleep on rollers was a good idea? Especially, when my thick, straight hair didn’t curl as much as bend. I’m sure I looked silly. But, it was really important for me to look special (not to be confused with touched) for the first day of school. 

The boys are pictured above. I'm so thrilled that they continue to indulge me in this annual photo. One day, we'll line them all up to see how they've grown. Both boys are happy about their teacher assignments, having previous experience with both, and they feel fortunate that their best buddies are in their classes. Seriously, life doesn't get much better than that for sixth and fourth graders. Wow! I remember sixth grade so well. In fact, the year was 1978, which marked the transition year from curlers to curling iron, an affair I would carry out for at least eight years.

last day of summer break

The sun is shining, and the temperature is pleasantly cool. Pretty and comfortable:  I don’t think I could ask for a better day. It’s the sort of day that enhances a physical activity, such as a job, a bike ride or a round of golf, or an outing, such as the State Fair or the Renaissance Festival. But, I’m not doing any of those things. Instead, I am preparing for the start of my school year by having the calmest, least stressful day I can. No run around. No housework (well, there are a few loads of laundry and some tidying up to do but my goals there are pretty minor). Lots of cuddling with the boys, reading books for pleasure, planning our menu, packing my books and sketching tools, and treating myself very gently today.

new favorite word

Earlier today, I checked my U email. Good thing, too. A message from my studio instructor had an assignment for the first day of class. We have been asked to prepare a five-minute presentation featuring a photo or artifact that means “home” to us. Then we’re going to do a design charrette, which will be a major component of our studio learning. “Charrette” has just become my new favorite word.

Last semester, in architectural history, I learned that a charrette was the intense period of work leading up to the completion of an assignment. I have also heard the word used in conjunction with design problems or competitions that are finished during a prescribed time period. It sounds intense and a little scary. Wikipedia offers this definition:  

The word charrette may refer to any collaborative session in which a group of designers drafts a solution to a design problem. While the structure of a charrette varies, depending on the design problem and the individuals in the group, charrettes often take place in multiple sessions in which the group divides into sub-groups. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Such charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people. Compare this term with workshop.

The word also refers to a sustained work period. A collaborative session with my studio group could be a challenging and possibly exciting way to work. I’m looking forward to learning more about our instructor’s intentions with charrettes.

summer's greatest hits

 

Earlier today I helped the boys rehearse their “What did you do over your summer vacation?” speech by asking them to pick the best moment. Both boys were stymied by that question because there were so many awesome times. Thank goodness. There were many moments this summer when I thought I had finally scarred them for life. Or that they had scarred themselves because the boys engaged in a lot of fighting. But we all agreed that it was one of the best summers ever. Winston’s high point was tubing and “lighting dynamite” (=shooting fireworks), which happened over the Fourth of July at my parent’s house. Simon thought one of his best moments might have been sleepaway camp. At times, I thought he might want to move to Camp Icaghowan on a semi-permanent basis.

In all fairness, I decided to compile my own list. I, too, am returning to school on September 6, and I will likely be asked this question. Here are the high points (please, don’t ask me to pick just one), in no particular order:

1. Visited a number of local museums using the Museum Adventure Pass: the Bakken Museum, the Foshay Museum and Observation Deck, and The Works: Hands-on, Minds-on Museum at [mostly] no charge, courtesy of the Saint Paul Public Libraries, which allows cardholders to “check out” admission for 2 people per visit.

2. Finished reading Freedom, Jonathan Franzen’s 641-page follow-up novel to The Corrections, which I had been carrying around since September 2010. Also, read every word of the business management textbook used in the class I took.

3. Had one of our best trips to Watertown, SD, over the July 4^th weekend: fireworks, fishing, reconnecting with old friends at a childhood friend’s memorial service, meeting brother Jeff’s girlfriend and her family (some of whom I knew from high school), and more.

4. Attending rescheduled concerts: U2 (from last summer), which rocked so hard I can’t stand it and whom I love more now than I did in 1980-whatever (Adam Clayton!). The 360 stage set is pictured above. What you can't see in the photo on the right is that it was pissing rain. Our seats were under an overhang so we stayed relatively dry. And, TV on the Radio, which rock so hard I couldn’t believe how excellent they were live. Lots of other live music, including my dear husband’s band, but these moments were truly outstanding.

5. Traveled to the North Shore for the first time. State shutdown meant that none of the myriad state parks were open. Instead we hiked the Superior Hiking Trail. Ate pies at Betty’s Pies, which, if you ask Simon, was the highlight of the trip.

6. Saw all the summer blockbusters. Pleasantly surprised by Transformers (great action, good humor) and charmed by Mister Popper’s Penguins. Also loved Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris.

7. Sent the children to sleepaway camp. Burst with pride at how happy they were in that environment.

8. Watched oldest son blossom as a reader. Marveled at the boys’ sense of independence as they rode their bikes to tennis each morning.

9. Enjoyed reconnecting with family friends and meeting new faces at Chris and Anastasia's wedding in Princeton, NJ. Then, had a fantastic week in the Adirondacks, pampered silly at The Sagamore, which was situated on an island studded glacial lake, surrounded by mountains. Heavenly.

10. Outran Tropical Storm Irene. The storm was predicted to hit New Jersey on August 28, almost exactly when our flight from Newark was scheduled. Determined not to be stuck on the East Coast for yet another storm, we reserved a rental car at Albany International Airport (Newark was already sold out) and left on Saturday. The drive took 20 hours. We drove 16 hours, taking only a few breaks, including an hour in Erie, PA, where we ate dinner and bought audiobooks at B&N. Just before Madison, WI, I pupped out and got a hotel room so we could take a nap. The last four hours were a piece of cake by comparison. 

Bonus: Aced my summer course (business management 3001), even with a bunch of free-loading group members and the distraction of taking my final exam from a hotel room while on vacation.

(Photo credit: wikimedia commons)