every little bit

My fellow Iowans have struggled this past week against mother nature. For my parents living in Iowa City, they're safe and up high (thankfully). But as my Dad put it, things in Cedar Rapids (just 20 miles north of them) looked like the 500 year flood. Monday was equally bad in Des Moines (picture above), though I haven't heard how the downtown is recovering.

Dad's found some humor in all this, which I suppose is all you can do when you're helpless. The other night he called me with Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks" playing in the background. Some people cope with wine, some with rock.

I heard yesterday on NPR that the Red Cross is out of money. Their director said that the group has $0 in their checking account, but they're still helping. I'm not sure how accurate this is, but levees are bursting down the Mississippi and the need must far exceed the resources.

So move some things around if you can and contribute. And throw up a few prayers too. Them Iowans are good people, you know.

well howdy

Holy crap. It's been so long since I've written that I forgot my password to log in. (If I were a more dramatic sort, I'd say that I forgot how to type.)

This feels a bit like catching up with an old friend. There's a litany of things to parlay, but you need two pints before you really unravel things and get to the meat of it. So, I realize it's around 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, but all my teacher friends out there can enjoy a nice, cool beverage while we catch up. (I suggest the tasty 75th Street seasonal that starts with a "C" that I sampled last night.)

-It's incredibly bragaddocious to say this, but I kicked the crap out of my job for this first time out of the gate. It wasn't a pretty process trying to plan a party for 5,000 people, but it takes a village to move a mountain, book entertainment and raise corporate sponosorships...or something like that.

-In light of said success, I'm exhausted and slowly returning to normal. I really hate the rushrushrush pace of business in America and how consuming it can become. It's going to take me a good month to refind myself and learn how to relax again.

-To find this relaxation again, the boy and I are jetting off to Florida next weekend. You. have. no. idea. how. excited. I. am.

-It's my hope to spend this summer returning to writing and creativity.

-I'll need music to write by, so I HAVE to get my iPod updated. It's been a year.

-New domestic bliss is going well. It's awesome to share the same space with someone you love.

What's new with all of you? Anyone up for a beer to catch up?