And it's been over a month...  This site just isn't what it used to be.  I can blame my absence on the holidays, right?  Or how about the fact that I ussually write about the Twins and they have done pretty much nothing this off-season?  I haven't booked my trip for Spring Training because I don't think I am going.  Although I might look at a different warm weather vacation.  This cold is driving me nuts!

The holiday's were good, relaxing, and pretty un-eventful.  Just the way I like it.

Since then I have been spending too much time at work, going to Snap Fitness in spurts (I really need to get on a regular schedule), loving being back in the hornline at Brass, and teching at CPDL.  It's been pretty busy.

Oh yeah the other thing I have probably spent too much time with... my new iPhone.  Definitely my new favorite gadget.  I almost went backwards on the phone evolution and went back to a basic talk/text only phone... but after playing with the iPhone just a little I knew what I should do.  The big project I am working on is getting all of my contact info (name, phone, address, email) into the same spot.  I've been wanting to do it for a while, this is just extra motivation.

This week is a crazy week... yesterday MLK day (which I had to work, boo!), today = Bush out, Obama in, tomorrow is the premier of LOST.  I just might be coming down with something and not make it to MBI. 

Promise I'll write more sooner than a month from now.

Well the Twins finally made a move... Twins re-sign Punto to two-year, $8.5 million deal with option for 2011.

I feel like its not the best they could have done, but it is by no means as bad as Adam Everett turned out to be.  Hopefully they get in gear and find a 3B and some bullpen help soon.

In other news... I need to figure out if I am going to Spring Training next year.

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I saw a site this afternoon that had the "World's Worst Interchanges".  Below is the pic of one that made the list and it is in Minneapolis.  I took one look and knew exactly where this is.  Do you?

I've been craving some BW3 for a while.  The problem is the locations all suck.  Not the food or the sevice (in fact this summer I had really good service at the Rosedale one... ) but the actual location.  As I sit here at work, or if I am at home, they all see so far away.  Take a look at the map and tell me it doesn't look like there is a hole where one or two locations should be.  I suggest Uptown and Richfield, near Best Buy HQ.

Tomorrow I am going out for lunch with Reed (who wants to go to the Crystal location) and Tito (who wants to go to Chanhassen).  All I care about is that I get some tasty wings.

Yesterday I went out and waited in line for the Cities 97 sampler.  It was pretty much the same as I remembered.  Cold, boring and cold.  This year I brought my ipod so I wasn't as bored as last year.  I showed up at 7 am for the 8 am release.  This year I was much farther from the door, but still easily got my two copies.  There were other little perks this year that made it well worth my time.  Here are some pictures from the morning.

Longer line this year at 7am.  Last year I was near the pine tree closest to the door.

Here's the line behind me at 745 am, wrapping around on the street.  Last year it was only at the edge of the parking lot.

Caribou came around and gave out free coffee.  Only difference was the mode of transportation... Last year Caribou Camper, this year pickup truck.

Being so cold, the coffee was exactly what I needed.

Caribou also gave out coupons and a granola bar.  Then Edina Grill came around and gave out lil breakfast burritos with a $10 coupon.  Sweet.

Here is how it all worked out... I paid $60 for the two copies.  Two co-workers paid me $10 each to rip it into iTunes.  I sold the extra copy on ebay for $60.    So for standing in the cold for 1 hour I made $20, have the CD, plus the coupons, and I have another friend who wants a copy and is going to make me a batch of cookies.  Score!

The Twins ticket office is really pushing the new stadium.  Of course they are going to, but its almost as if 2009 doesn't exist.  It started when I got my TC 2010 hard hat with the 2008 season ticket renewal package.  Then all of last year there was the countdown to the new stadium in the middle of the sixth inning.  It seems most would do that the last season only, but the Twins pushed it to two seasons.

Last Thursday I got my 2009 season ticket renewal package.  This is after I already got a 2010 ticket priority explanation package.  Thats right, I got 2010 before 2009, by about a month.  Both are great and have really cool renditions of Target Field.  But its starting to feel a little much.  Below are pictures of the package for 2009.

Large box giving no doubt who its from:

Opened the cover to see:

I should have guessed it contained this:

There are a bunch of other cool pictures but this is my favorite:

I still haven't decided what I am doing for 2009.  I can have my same tickets and seats as last year (All Star Plan, Lower Reserved Section 133 row 17 seats 9-10) if I want it, but I don't think I am going to do that.  If nothing else I might see if I can move closer to the field and the aisle.  I have to make a deposit by 1/9/09, so I have some time.  As I've mentioned before, I need to find a way to get to the Home Opener and Home Closer.

Well this is the end of having all the extra free time.  Tomorrow is the Champlin Park Drumline info meeting and then rehearsals start later in the week.  It's been really nice but I've been really lazy.  I remember when I figured out I would have "all this time" and all the plans of what I was going to do, needless to say it didn't all happen.  Then before I know it Brass will start up and I'll have both going for a few months.

I'm not surprised the Vikes managed to lose. I'm not a fan of Childress.