all that's past is prologue...

Here in MN, it's only been a few days since the stay-at-home order, but we've been in more-or-less self-quarantine (minimal going out, social distancing when out) since March 14. Which, in the scale of things, might be a very small portion of how long we're confined. And there are a lot of things I miss. I miss cocktails (and taprooms). Of course, there's plenty we can drink here. Patrick went to Lawless today and got a to-go kit and it was lovely and gave some sense of that. But I don't miss the drinks as much as I miss the atmosphere, the sense of going out with Patrick for a special drink, taking the dog to the taproom. I miss sharing that experience. I miss yoga — and Viv, and Joe, and chex mix, and every part of Yoga and a Pint . Viv has a subscription model, and we have been doing yoga at home. It's a good online course (though we can't get the playlist right. But it's still not the same. I miss seeing friends. Zoom happy hours are nice, a...

So sometimes, when, say, you are at home a lot more than usual you notice you have pantry moths. And then you wander into your pantry and think "I wonder where those moths are coming from?" while simultaneously admiring that you are so wonderfully prepped for situations where you have to shelter in place, because your pantry is so full of delicious food. And then it hits you like a load of bricks that the moths are coming out of said food, and have somehow gotten into tightly sealed containers and bags. And so you start to clean through it and realize that sure, you were ready for a pandemic — 3 years ago when all of this food expired. (the side shelves had been packed as well, but I always forget to take before pictures) It actually took us a couple of days to clean through things, to decide what we did not need, and to, sadly, throw away a lot of food. I'm still trying to suss what to do with the food we just don't want, so if anyone wants a bottle of sweet p...

(I warned you I was fired up today). As you may have noticed, a lot of my mind has gone towards 1) flattening the curve, and 2) the seemingly opposite goal of reducing the catastrophic economic effect on small businesses. According to the governor's press conference yesterday, 123,000 people have applied for unemployment, and I think there's a lot more to come. And I know for a fact that the reason that small businesses are afraid to close are 1) so they can continue to employ their workers, who they feel a responsibility for, and 2) because there is no/little help for business owners. The businesses that are still open don't want to be open, they just don't see another way. The ones that are already closed are terrified. So what if we (as a city, state, or country, likely the city or state) enacted this plan: 1) A small (under 3.5 million? Higher budget? Lower?) business registers with the city/state/feds as "temporarily closed for COVID-19." (I don...

(wow, as I post this I realize how very much the world has changed since my last post — going out with sled dogs and eating a buffet styled brunch in a crowded taproom seems like a whole different world from where we are now...) A lot of people I know are filing for unemployment right now. A record 95,000 people applied for MN UI on Monday, and I expect a lot more to. I've had to help clients furlough staff this week, and it has been excruciating. The state is handling it pretty well, all things considered, and are funneling people towards quick web applications if possible. The governor eliminated the "waiting week" so people can get funding faster. The catastrophic economic effects that this COVID-19 virus is having on this country are unprecedented, and I think it will only get worse before it gets better. What I've been musing on all week (similar to the thought in this article from Forbes), is the extraordinary — and currently somewhat invisible — effect t...

What a great day! We started out today with a dogsledding brunch at Birch's on the Lake . I was really sad not to be able to make it up to Wintermoon Summersun this year, and I had wanted to see the Beargrease or the Excelsior dog races but no dice. So when I saw this event come up I knew it was a poor substitute, but jumped on it, and it was really fun! There was still ice and snow on the lake, and though it was hot for the dogs they were eager to pull. We had fun riding and had a great brunch. What a lovely venue; I will for sure be back. Gosh I love sled dogs! We came home for some quick rest and for me to get a grant in, then headed to night 2 of Beatrix's show. She had quite the fan club, and it was fun to see how it's changing and evolving. Last show tomorrow is at 2pm! She went out with a friend after the show and so we got to hit the FeMNist Night Market and to grab some quick drinks at Stacked Deck, which is one of our favorite breweries. And tomorro...

I don't often post on politics here. The internet is a terrible way to try to understand someone's position, much less change it of that's your goal. But I am writing this now, mostly as a reminder to myself. I'm using the same one-day rule I give Beatrix when she is disappointed in something.You have one day to storm about how it is not fair, and to feel bad, and to blame the people who voted for someone else (but quietly and to yourself please), and to think the whole thing is rigged and stupid. Heck, if you want to take today to go deep into Russian conspiracy theories about were MN polls rigged because the DMV also went down statewide all day yesterday, I'm right there behind you. And then tomorrow you have to something about it. Did my Facebook post yesterday irk you because you thought I was ignoring fundamental inequities in systems where poll lines are long and there are too few voting stations? Work on that. (For the record, I agree with you; I was tryi...

So why do we get all these date nights, you may ask. On Fridays, Beatrix has circus from 5-8:15. It's generally long enough for a dinner date or drinks. And this is tech week for her musical ( Dear Edwin a at SPA, plays Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, it will be adorable!), so we get to hit extra happy hours! Tonight, we decided to try Yumi , on Selby in the old Fabulous Ferns (RIP) site. As we walked in, we appreciated how the space had been opened up and cleared out, with bright surfaces and nary a hint of the old cigarette smell (even after the smoking ban, Ferns always smelled like smoke. It used to be so bad I would come home and undress in the hallway and put my clothes in a  plastic bag. But those times are past). We were immediately seated at a cozy little table. The happy hour menu does not seem to be find-able online but it's pretty good (only runs form 4-5 and 9-10pm). It's one of those blanket ones where all the beer and wine are $1 ...

So Lake Monster Brewing has long had a special place in our hearts. It's right across the courtyard from FilmNorth . It's the home for our "church," Yoga and a Pint . They are generous with community functions, and the vibe is great. Last year they got dog-certified, and Brutus likes it too. That made it especially great for me to come here for work get-togethers when I was nervous about meeting people. Brutus makes an excellent wingman. A few weeks back, LM had a dispute with Goodwill, who had provided some couches in exchange for advertising. Goodwill claimed the ads were not visible (which is totally untrue because I used to move the table tent over every week so I would not spill chex mix on it after yoga). So the owners went out and got 3 big comfy couches and a ton of chairs. It feels like the Friends coffeeshop, but with booze. It's great. And when we come we get to see Joe, one of the best taproom managers you'll ever meet. Lake Monste...