Last Week in December 2011

Monday, the day after Christmas, was a day off for me, and a usual shopping day for the rest of the universe. Troy, Kevin, Maeg, and I forwent the crowds at the stores, and had dinner at China Buffet. We ended up staying extra long because Kevin was late. The conversation near the end had to do with the structural characteristics of, well, poop. Not appetizing by any means.

The afternoon was full of the lazies, then I saw that Joe popped a notice up on Facebook to go ice skating.

What the observing crowd looked like as I went by.

The crowd at the ice rink was out the door, and only Jillian and I managed to get skates. Joe, Marilou, and Maggie didn't even try. Even with the skates, the ice was being resurfaced as we got there, and it took 45 minutes. The weather has been warm, and the skaters plentiful all through the time the rink has been opened. When we finally got on the ice, it was busy and just me and Jillian. I did manage to make scare Jillian, quite by accident. I saw a little girl fall and almost take Jillian with her, so I grabbed Jillian by the back of the coat to try to hold her up. She didn't hear me tell her it was me, and didn't see me either, so she thought it was the little girl's father holding her up instead of picking up the girl. Oops.

Tuesday night after work I met Joe and Amy at Panera and we had dinner together. Wednesday during work I was informed that surprise: I'd be on call next week. Thursday evening Marilou gathered us up at Texas Roadhouse for dinner and a show ... and we were the show. Between Marilou goading us on, Sarah looking alternately bewildered and disgusted, Joe trying his hardest to annoy Beth (via phone) every time Florida State scored against Notre Dame, me coloring the kids meal, a very spunky waitress, a portable saddle, dancing, doodling, and most importantly, The Callin' Oates Hotline (719.226.2837), we caused a ruckus, although not quite the scene we were hoping for. Dinner was good and only a handful of peanuts were thrown.

Friday I got to leave work an hour early, and I used the time to come home and nap before I headed out to Jitterbugs. Dancing was good, but I had a moment of difficulty when I tried to politely ask a socially awkward gentleman to not touch people in an inappropriate way. I was trying to be polite and caring about it, but I thought it came out a little aggressive and angry. He had been there the week before, so I had a plan in mind of what to say and how to say it, but when it came to the moment, I didn't execute the plan. I felt fail-ish, although several people were supportive that I said something without making a scene. We went to the Donut Stop afterwards, I mostly did nothing while I was there.

Saturday afternoon I met with mostly the usual Mass suspects and we went to Mass downtown at Holy Family Parish.

After Mass, the Deacon gave the group the tour of the church
(I've been on the tour before).

We then discovered that it was pouring rain. We loaded ourselves up and then went to China Buffet (yes, twice in one week). We hung out at the restaurant until it was time for the game night party to start at my house. Marilou came to Holy Family from Saint Cecilia Cathedral, so she was all dressed up; I gave her some of my smaller clothes, and some pajama pants ... somehow the pants didn't drag on the ground ... um, I'm a foot taller than she is.

It was a game night party, so we played some games. Heidi brought a new social game one, Say Anything. It's a social game, so who cares who won. Kaleb brought his traveling, and always changing game collection, including one I didn't like the first time I played it a couple years ago called Alien Frontiers, however this time I enjoyed it. about 3/4 into the game, it was almost midnight, and we all counted down the last 13 seconds to the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, BLESSINGS ON A BEAUTIFUL 2012

We finished up the game of Alien Frontiers, but I didn't win. We played one more game, Gift Trap, a game I normally like to avoid, but this time I enjoyed it. The party broke up around 0200 and it was off to bed.

Sunday morning Hannah Marie had her dedication at her church, so I went to church with Matt and Vivian (and VK, Ben, and Jon).

Really, that's a happy face from Vivian. Photo credit: Matt


You don't see a whole lot of big pictures of parishioners
on the walls in Catholic churches. Photo credit: Matt


Three generations! Photo credit: Matt

The funny part about these pictures is that I give Matt the credit here, but he gives me the credit on his Flickr page. After church was over, we went to Village Inn, and I officially ate too much ... I recommend the Blackberry Bavarian Pie.

Even though I ate too much, I met people downtown at Old Chicago and I had ... a diet coke. After all the eating was done, I came home and napped. Since Monday was a day off, I met went over to Kaleb's house for some Rock Band. We played ping pong and Rock Band until the almost wee hours of the morning.

Next week: starts like this one ended.

Third Week in December 2011

My camera has finally reached the end of it's life, the back screen no longer works correctly, meaning not really at all. I can get by with it by looking through the viewfinder, but it's old and tired. The shutter count shows 35,050, but I'm not certain that is accurate, it's been reset a couple of times. It will be a few months before I am ready to get a new one, so there may be a bunch of not-as-good iPhone pictures until I upgrade.

Monday I had finally had it with the migraine that began the previous week, and I was suspecting that I had a nasal infection. I went to the doctor and my suspicion was confirmed and I was given antibiotics. The headache disappeared within 36 hours, so I'm guessing I know my body pretty well. After work, I came home and slept.

Tuesday after work I went to the grocery store and then slept more. Wednesday my RCIA classes were cancelled, so I was unexpectedly home all night, so it was even more rest.

Thursday I finally felt awesome, on my way home I finished up my Christmas shopping, apart from picking up some printed photos from Walgreen's. When I got home Merinda and I did our gift exchange...

I got a Bear bear pillow. I did not scream like the kid in the ad.

Friday afternoon I was released from work early, and did some errands on the way home, including picking up those pictures. I got home and wrapped up my wrapping (did you see what I did there?). I met Jenny, Lydia, Jon, and Rachel downtown at the Conagra Ice Rink for some ice skating. I didn't fall at all, and my skates were sized perfectly. I tried to take pictures on my iPhone...

...but only one came out good enough to post.


Matt showed up long enough to get a shot of Lydia and some joker. Photo credit: Matt

I'm a little confounded why there isn't a tool for 'silver' or 'yellow' eye like I get with my iPhone. It's so rare I ever see red eye, but there are plenty of ways to get rid of it. There is a tool on Picnik, but it's labeled as 'for animals'.

From the ice rink, I headed to the weekly dance. I exchanged gifts with Maggie and Jillian. I did some dancing, although it was a sparse crowd, and then headed home around 2300.

Saturday I played Santa and delivered presents to Beth and Joe. Then I went up to VK's house for dinner and present exchange. Dinner was fabulous, and her family is quite enjoyable to be around. I got slippers and a hat / scarf / glove combination. We played a card game that doesn't have a family name.

In only my second try, I won the rice pudding prize! If you're wondering what is up with Bente's head, it's hard to explain, kind of like the rice pudding prize.

By the time the party wound down, it was after midnight, AND I was pretty tired. I went home and went to sleep. I did not go to midnight Mass. Sunday morning I did go with Joe to Holy Family parish downtown by the ballpark. It was a very small Mass, only about 20 people total in the congregation. When I got home, I took a nap - I really blog a lot about napping.

When I woke up, I headed over to Matt, Vivian, and Hannah Marie's house for Christmas dinner #2. I did a lot of Hannah holding, a lot of eating, and a lot of suggesting for Matt while he was helping get a computer set up for Jack.

This was one of her best behaved moments.


Uncle Eric is confusing activities Zeke would like with
activities that are appropriate for an infant.
Photo credit: Matt


Matt is highly amused by this picture, I think it looks
too much like someone who would hiss "Baggins". Photo credit: Matt

That was my Christmas week, next week: surprise, New Years!

Second Week in December 2011

Monday after work I went to the grocery store, gathered up some items, then came home and made dinner for VK. I cooked steak for the first time in a long time. The results were, different, not in a bad way, but more in an unexpected way.

Tuesday and Thursday I had nothing going on, but on Wednesday I had dinner with Tony, one of my best friends from my high school days. Tony is a pilot, and flies into Omaha several times a year. We ate at Vivace, and talked about things old and new. I really appreciated a look back, but I don't live much in the past, and I try not to live too far in the future. I like the now. Friday immediately after work, I went to my annual work party with VK.

I've been really wanting to cut back on my social interactions lately. It's kind of a double edged sword. I know people think that I'm a social creature because I do so much, but I'm really not, and there are plenty of times when people can wear me out, and I need a break. On the other hand it's not really very good for me to withdraw from all social interactions either. It probably means I need a reset (refocus), I'm not sure I've ever managed to do one on the fly, but I think I am ready to try one, goodbye 2011, hello 2012.

Saturday morning I was up early(ish) and out to a More Mass Chaos Mass at Holy Family Shrine. I love the shrine, but the highway and the view right there is so distracting. After Mass there was a pot luck for the Shrine volunteers, I've been to potlucks where no one could cook. This was not the case here, I ate well.

Ronny, Joe, and I went shopping at Shadow Lake on the way home, and I almost finished my Christmas shopping. I dropped Joe off at home and then I drove Ronny all the way north to her house (she rode down with Marilou). Upon finally getting home, I almost immediately took a nap.

In the evening I had a tough decision to make, Jenny's or Kaleb's party? I ended up going to Kaleb's for the very simple fact that it is 15 minutes closer to home. It was game night, I played two games of To Court the King, two games of Ultimate Werewolf, and a game of Betrayal at House on the Hill. It turned out that we played To Court the King incorrectly the first time, and regardless, I won neither game, although I like it. Both games of Werewolf were a little anticlimactic, especially after how epic they were the last time we played. Kevin was the betrayer on the house on the hill, the haunt started early, and went very quickly. The haunt was Werewolves, they seemed overpowering, and my character was probably one of the lucky ones, I died instead of being turned into a werewolf. The rest of the evening was spent with ping pong and Rock Band ... and I didn't leave until 0330.

Sunday morning I was up and out the door early for the final installment of the More Mass Chaos Advent mini-tour, this time at Saint Philip Neri. I made it through Mass awake, but then I immediately went home to nap. When I went to sleep, I was slightly ahead in all three of my fantasy football leagues ... when I woke up, I was very much beaten. I had a chance to win all three leagues, now just a chance in one. Oh, in case there was a doubt, the Bears season continued its downward trend, hope we get a good draft pick.

First Week in December 2011

Monday right after work I met VK at DQ in Ralston LaVista. We visited for just a short while before I headed over to Ben and Jess's apartment to play Arkham Horror. Jess did not play, so it was me, Maeg, Ben, CJ, Mike, and Kaleb. We won the first game (kind of by accident, "oh, look we have all the gates closed"), so we played a second one, which we also won.

Tuesday night after work I got Chipotle. Wednesday night I went to RCIA. Thursday was a little more exciting, a snowy commute after work, the latest version of Mass Chaos at Saint Margaret Mary, dinner afterwards at Noodles and Company, and then running around in the snow with two of Marilou's kids.

Friday right after work I went straight up 144th Street to Red Robin for Teri's birthday dinner. Why do I ever drive 144th Street between Dodge and Maple? It's horrible. I got to Red Robin and it was fun, the food was good, and as usual, the service was just weird and wrong. After dinner I went to Sarah A.'s (apparently) yearly ugly sweater board game night. I got there late, so I didn't do much with the games, although I filled in for a game of Wits & Wagers.

Miss Duckybutt was quite popular, unfortunately,
I was not feeling well enough to help with holding her. Photo credit: Matt


Sheesh, look at the camera! Look at the camera! Photo credit: Matt


Can't tell if she won the game, or is rocking out. Photo credit: Matt

If you'd like to see my two pictures from this party, they are here and here. If you actually want to see a bunch of pictures from this event, you can check out Matt's, they are here.

Saturday during the day I processed pictures during the day. Later in the day I hung out with Maggie. We did some shopping, had dinner at Lansky's, and then watched Fellowship of the Ring. One does not simply watch a Sean Bean movie with Maggie, she quotes all the lines.

Sunday morning was the installment of Mass Chaos at Dowd Memorial Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on the Boys Town campus. It had been several years since I went to Mass there, I had forgotten what a zoo (I mean this in a good way) it is there.

Later in the day we met Terry at her choice in bars for her birthday football celebration, and watched as the Bears got Tebowed. I would not be surprised if I am done watching the Bears for the year, it's pretty obvious that without Cutler and Forte, we're done. It's bitter because I really thought we were close to having a very special team, and that team from that other town is good.

Last Week in November 2011

Monday; work, and the end of on call. After work I met VK at China Buffet in Bellevue. I didn't make my food overly spicy, so that was different. We went to Target afterwards. I bought a onesie for Hannah Marie. It turns out great minds think a like, because Jenny bought her the same one. I had to get the one I bought (see previous link) because Matt loves dancing, but hates penguins. After shopping, I came home and went to sleep.

Tuesday after work, I went and picked up Anne and Merinda, and we went over to Matt & Vivian's for some more baby time. Jenny joined us a little later. I played some more with Matt's new camera.

Big Yawn. Photo credit: Matt


Everybody gets a turn, no need to hog the baby.


Look how tiny her shoes are, and how good the quality is on the pictures
taken on Matt's new camera. Photo credit: Matt

Wednesday and Thursday were quiet days, with only RCIA on Wednesday to break up the monotony. Friday was my on call comp half day, so I combined it with a regular half day to get a whole day off ... see how that math works? I ran some errands, had lunch with Maggie at the UP cafe, visited Jillian and Lee (Zonda barked non-stop for :45), and slept. I ended up at the usual Friday dance. Probably the last one I'll be at this year due to holiday Friday busyness. After cleaning up at the dance, about a dozen of us went to Alvarado's in Council Bluffs.

Saturday I ran errands in the snow during the day, then ended up staying at home all night. Third Saturday in a row at home, it's starting to get a little old. I did shovel the drive twice, so that was exciting.

Sunday morning was the latest installment of More Mass Chaos, we went to Saint Bridget in South Omaha, the first one that the original Mass Chaos visited. It is a very pretty church.

We gathered up the group and headed to DJ's to watch the Bears game. So we lose our star quarterback, then we lose our star running back two games later, and lose a game on a Hail Mary pass and a missed Robby Gould field goal. Le Sigh. However, amazingly, we're still in playoff hunt, in fact, we still control our own destiny. Win and in.

I came home and got the house ready for the 4th Annual Ben and Eric's Chili Throwdown! People started arriving a little before 1800, and by 1900 we had eleven chili entries and six non-chili entries. If I counted correctly, we had 37 people came, so it was smaller than last year both in chilis and in attendees, but still quite a good turnout. Thank you to those who made suggestions on improving the contest from the year before.

Voting had all wrapped up by 2000, and we had our winners.

1st - CJ's Ensign Jimmy's Red Shirt Chili
2nd - Julia's No Beans About It
3rd - Adri's Timelord Old Time Favorite
Spiciest - CJ's Ensign Jimmy's Red Shirt Chili
NonChili - Brianne's Potato Bacon Nom Nom Soup.
All photo credist: Matt


There was also some game playing...


...lots of eating Photo credit: Matt...


...inexplicable shenanigans Photo credit: Matt...


...the worlds best behaved baby Photo credit: Matt...


...and Joe. What more could anyone want?

The feedback I got immediately was that the entries were, on the whole, far better than in years past. People seemed to have a good time. The only downside was that my camera quit working in the middle of the party. I still got a few pictures, you can see them here, Matt (thank you) jumped in when my camera gave up and took a bunch of pictures too. Thank you to all who also helped clean up too.

Next week: Um, I'm all caught up, so I don't really have a preview.