July | 2010 | twodolla

Jul
30

lynx/mercury game last weekend

Category: Photos, Sports Leave a Comment

Thanks to winning a pair of free tickets from the Minnesota Women’s Press, The General and I were up close and dirty with the Lynx and the Mercury last weekend. Our seats were all right. And by all right, I mean ridiculous and made me wish I was a baller so I could have those seats every time we went to a game.

This may have been right before I stood up and said, “Hey, Taurasi, wanna go out for a drink after the game? You can drive me home.” I know she heard me. And that makes me happy.

Jul
29

By Wendy

his grownup ringtones

Category: The Boy 1 Comment

Along with having a 13 year old kid milling about on a pretty regular basis comes the grounds of learning things that I never really have cared about. Things like the different characters that play the doctor in Dr. Who and what video game platform the next version of Kingdom Hearts is coming out on later this year are some of the things I get to hear about and a couple of the things that just go in one ear and out the other.

Don’t get me wrong. The Kid? He’s not boring at all. He’s an entertaining guy! And I feel pretty lucky to have a Bonus Kid that’s into video games and sci-fi shows as opposed to things like which Jonas Brother is dating which girl from the Mickey Mouse Club and which Anna blue song is the best one.

This is a kid whose ringtones are songs by Cobra Starship or Paramore, which are honest to goodness grownup bands, I think. The only Cobra Starship song I know is called Good Girls Gone Bad and I’m so not comfortable with having that on my phone at The Kid’s ringtone. Instead, I just have Michael Jackson’s PYT, which is probably equally as uncomfortable and not okay. But who doesn’t love a little Michael Jackson in the middle of the day when the person on the other end of the phone is calling because he can’t find the scissors to open his ramen?

Jul
28

By Wendy

sometimes i run them all together

Category: TV 1 Comment

The first time I came back from Fort Lauderdale, I started watching CSI: Miami. I just wanted some way to see palm trees and blue waters in the middle of the winter.

When The General moved in, she got me hooked on Law & Order: SVU. Big time. And most recently, I’m a little bit crazy about Criminal Minds.

And what tends to happen is that I start combining all of the shows together. I feel like Horatio Caine and his super douchey sunglasses should be meeting up with Stabler and Benson in Quantico to help the Behavioral Analysis Unit figure out some serial killer’s patterns.

Is that how dirty fan fiction gets started? Because Delko and Morgan would kind of make a hot little gay couple.

Jul
28

By Wendy

not as picky as i could be

Category: In My Neighborhood 2 Comments

We’re in the beginning phases of a lot of things right now when it comes to our future, but the main thing right now is looking at moving from the duplex we’re in now to a single family home. The reasons are endless.

We have a list of “demands”, as we’re calling it:

Two bedrooms.
Shower (our current place only has a tub)
Washer/dryer onsite

Yeah, we’re not picky. Personally, I’d like to demand three bedrooms, but I haven’t convinced The General that’s a must have right now. Give me time.

Now our “dang, that’d be nice list”:

Central air or efficient air conditioning units of some kind
Fenced in yard
Storage (basement, garage, whatever

See? Not all that picky at all.

In a perfect world, when I get a 200% raise, we’re going to be living in a 3 bedroom house (complete with finished basement), two car garage, a Butler named Jeeves, In-Ground Swimming Pool, Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink, Stoves, ‘Fridge, you name it. Everything that can shine will shine and Jeeves will make sure it happens. Or else.

I might get carried away. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t tell the difference between Stainless Steel Kitchen Sinks and the kind we have now, which is probably something fashioned out of spare car parts that were found on the side of the road, if I know our landlord well enough.

So basically, I’m down for a landlord that’s version of a basement is one that doesn’t smell like mold and consistently have a quarter inch of water standing in at all times, 2-3 bedrooms that are the size we’re currently accustomed to (quite large!), and a backyard that doesn’t look like patches of dirt the second we move in. I’d also prefer a roof. And electrical wiring that allows The General to use a blow dryer.

Jul
28

By Wendy

the fans make me hate sports

Category: Sports 4 Comments

We sat up in the cheap seats during the Lynx game tonight, where we found that the fans up there? They’re something else.

Fan #1: Male. Somewhere in his late 30s, or early 50s if you look at the wrinkles he had around his eyes. Dirty orange, halfway-dreadlocked hair down to the middle of his back. Wearing a tie-dyed dashiki and short black swim trunks. Dirty white socks and dirty sneakers. Enough junk underneath his fingernails to probably fashion a small shelter. Very loudly yelled TWO POINTS anytime the Lynx held the ball above their heads; sometimes yelled THREE POINTS even when it wasn’t a 3-pointer. My favorite part of this guy? His testicles. Every time he put his feet up on the chair in front of him, I got to see a little peak where his tighty whiteys didn’t quite fit.

Fan #2: Male. Probably in his 60s. Walked in carrying a bible and a black plastic megaphone. Pretty sure he didn’t blink the entire time he was there. Anytime one of the Lynx got up to the free throw line, he would yell through his megaphone “Nothing but the bottom of the net. Net only. Swish”. Every time. Since the Lynx were playing like a one armed blind man riding a donkey, it was incredibly quiet in Target Center meaning everybody, likely including the players, could hear him, too.

Fan #3: Female. Angry lesbian who was there with her partner, but they kept a seat between them. Her partner kept nodding off. Meanwhile, the angry lesbian fan would yell things like “PUT IN THE BASKET” and “TAKE A SHOT” repeatedly, even at times when it didn’t make sense. The ball just getting over the center court line? Probably not the most opportune time to take a shot. In the game’s final few minutes, she would yell encouraging things like “C’MON, REALLY?” and “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” And the thing that made me want to roundhouse kick her right in her stupid neck was when the game was over and she got up to head to her rusted out Subaru. She yelled “BOO” and waved her hand in a dismissive fashion at the court. I love that she paid money to make herself that angry.

Jul
27

By Wendy

we don’t even have a family photo album

Category: Foster Pets Leave a Comment

We were supposed to get a new foster puppy tonight. He was a 3 month old pit bull hanging out in “pit row” at animal control. You know what happens to any single animal back in “pit row”? Euthanasia. No exception. Unless a rescue organization (like the one we volunteer for) saves them. Luckily, there were multiple orgs just waiting to get this guy out, so he went to another home, which I have no doubt will take fantastic care of him. And it leaves us foster dog free for a while!

The General and I were just talking the other day about some of the different ideas we have for various photo albums we want to put together, including one photo album just for all of the foster dogs we’ve had.

Oh, yeah. It’s nerd. And we’re so okay with that it’s not even funny. We’ve had 24 different foster animals and we’re starting to lose track of when we had them, and how long we had them. Want me to top off the nerdiness? No problem. I even started a Google Calendar, so we could remember when exactly they started living with us and when they moved along to their forever home.

It’d probably be a good idea to start one for our family, too. You know, in case it grows or something.

Jul
26

By Wendy

i think i forgot how to write letters

Category: 101 Things 1 Comment

‘Twas good. And I even have some pictures, except my memory card reader is broken and therefore every type of photographic evidence of my awesome weekend is stuck on my cute little camera. Someone’s going to have to go to the store this week to get one.

I’m pretty sure we did some things once I got off work, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was. I just know it was about 8pm and we realized we were hungry. We headed up to the intersection of Main Street and Coon Creek Boulevard (I can’t stop saying that) to have dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I know it’s a chain, but my boss said it was awesome so we gave it a while. It was decidedly awesome even though we ate so much bread and so many cheesey bacon fries that we ended up taking half of our entrees home.

The servers dance to Cotton Eyed Joe. You can’t go wrong with that.

Our server was incredibly nice and awesome. The manager on duty came over and talked to us for a while. When he found out it was the first time we’d been there and that we drove “all the way from Minneapolis” (it was maybe a 25 minute drive), he gave us a coupon for a free appetizer. Our loyalty can easily been swayed by free appetizers, other restaurant managers.

This is the third time I’ve decided I was going to write a nice letter to the general manager about someone’s awesome service, but I keep putting it off. I’m never going to send out all five that I’ve relegated myself to doing in my 101 things in 1001 days list.

Jul
26

By Wendy

wanna write a letter?

Category: The 3 Day '10 Leave a Comment

Do you know someone walking in the Twin Cities 3-Day? (YES, YES, YOU DO. ME!)

Send them a letter in camp at:

3-Day for the Cure
ATTN: Wendy Berry
P.O. Box 25617
Woodbury, MN 55125

Letters must be postmarked August 10th. Go here for more details
http://www.the3day.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TC_Spectator

I like letters! You can still donate at http://www.the3day.org/goto/wendyberry, but if you don’t have any cash, I’d be very happy with a letter, too!

Jul
23

By Wendy

the foil insulation master

Category: The Boy Leave a Comment

Last year, The Kid did his science fair project on what types of insulation would work best in a house. He froze some ice in a paper cup and then went to Home Depot to pick out a few samples to prove his theory or hypothesis or whatever it is 6th grade scientists do. It’s weird to think that a kid who doesn’t even have arm pit hair yet (is that too personal?) knows stuff about Foil insulation, Bubble insulation, and Radiant floor insulation. Listening to a kid tell to a science fair judge that he wants a particular type of insulation when he buys a house is kind of hilarious. But that’s The Kid, you know? He can’t tell you what kind of Hamburger Helper he likes, but he knows the tools he wants to use when he builds/buys a house.

Jul
22

By Wendy

the 3 day that started it all

Category: Misc. Leave a Comment

Tomorrow, the Boston 3 Day starts. The Boston 3 Day was the first one I did and it’s the one that inspired me so much to keep doing this every single year.

That year, I flew out to Boston the night before The 3 Day with my friend/former co-worker Suzanne and met up with her friend Bonnie who was flying in from New York. We contemplated having beer at Logan Airport, but instead took a shuttle that we were certain was going to crash to our hotel in Nashua, New Hampshire.

The next morning we met up with Erika (and Sammy in utero!) and Erika’s way awesome mom, Marie, to start walking 60 miles. There were blisters, thunderstorms, a complete camp relocation, tents blowing away, tornado sirens, sunburn, and, of course, a snake or two on the trail we were walking.

Between Erika’s Boston accent, Marie’s Long Island accent and Bonnie’s New York accent, I’m pretty sure I developed some sort of hybrid strain of accent that I can’t ever duplicate.

Everyone said it was emotional and I didn’t really get it until I’d walked 60 miles. SIXTY FREAKIN’ MILES. And I cried. Quite a bit.

It made me realize that I had to keep doing this same walk in some capacity until it’s not even necessary. That was in 2005.

It’s 2010 now and I haven’t missed a year of participating in this fantastic event. While I would love for you all to physically participate in The 3 Day in some capacity, I know it really isn’t feasible. And that’s why I’m asking for your donation. $5. $50. $500. I will greatly appreciate it.

http://www.the3day.org/goto/wendyberry

The Sweep Team has already won an ice cream social, which we’re incredibly excited about, and right now, we’re in the lead to receive a catered in dinner at camp. This doesn’t sound like much, but if you’ve ever been a part of this event, you’ll understand just how big of a deal that is.

I’m co-captaining the Sweep Team this year with Jenni. Cindi will be assisting Jenni as the Stationary Road Coach and Regina (all the way from New Jersey) will be in my van as we cruise the mean streets of the Twin Cities looking for distressed 3 Day walkers. Jumi is heading up the team responsible for transporting people on buses to lunch and to camp every day. With some of the greatest friends of mine in the world participating this year, it’s sure to be the best 3 Day yet.