UPDATE: SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!

Just wanted to mention my predictions for the Super Bowl. Special Teams did play a big role. Steelers got good field position the whole game due to bad kick coverage which lead to Mason Crosby kicking short to help the kick coverage. Also, the defense did hold when necessary despite big injuries to Woodson and Shields.

And, as predicted, Rodgers dominated. 6 of his incompletions were due to drops, and he made the big plays with perfect throws, along with two throws that would have went for TDs if his receivers (Jones, Nelson) would have caught them.

But lets be honest. Were Super Bowl Champions, and I couldn't be happier!!!

Being a Packers fan away from Wisconsin

The last time the Green Bay Packers were in a Super Bowl I was 9 years old, sitting in my living room which was filled with extended families and friends. Of the bits and pieces of that night I remember include where the TV was placed in the living room (the place where my Dad's chair sits now), eating lots of cheese and crackers, and all the excuses my Dad gave for the Packers losing (he bought me an NFC championship shirt instead of waiting for Super Bowl merchandise, he hosted a party so that's why they lost).

I can remember watching almost every Packers season closely since then with a couple of exceptions (occasionally theme parks took precedence) due to growing up. This season has been completely different than most. Instead of waking up 30 minutes before gametime (all of my former roommates can attest to this) and not leaving the house until the game was finished, I had to follow almost every game this year via gamecast on ESPN.com. Working here means working plenty of weekends, but I still made sure to try and catch the plays online and the highlights when I got home. Living here means following Kevin Siefert on twitter for updates instead of local news stories from WEAU or TMJ4.

Instead of watching with friends from home, twitter has replaced the living room for banter about how Mike McCarthy is going to blow the game, or making fun of how (awesome) Jordy Nelson has been playing that specific game. When I've been lucky enough to catch a game, its usually been at a bar instead of a home, but thats just made it all the more exciting. Finding fellow Packer fans in the sea of faces in New York has always been a pleasure.

The Bar exploded when Sam Shields intercepted Cutler in the NFC Championship

Speaking with Jets fans all season about how well our respective teams have been doing has been fun, and watching my team beat every new york team in every way this season has been all the more rewarding. I try to apologize instead of brag, but sometimes I get a little sarcastic. Oops.

So for this Super Bowl I've done my best successfully beat any superstition I may have. I'm wearing the exact same outfit I've worn for all the other packer games during the playoffs. I'm watching with someone from Wisconsin like all the other Packer playoff games, and I'll eat something with cheese in it during the game.

For the game itself, I think the Packers have as good of a chance as the Steelers for a victory. If the offense can throw the ball against the Steelers I think our defense will do what they do best and keep the Steelers at bay. And special teams just need to not screw things up. I don't care if they gain a single yard or not, just have good kick coverage and don't fumble and I'll be happy. If you're at all interested in my gametime banter, go ahead and follow me on twitter. There is a button that says 'Follow me" on the side of this blog. Just be prepared for a tweet every 15 minutes or so depending on how the game is going.

To all my loyal Packers fans out there. Enjoy the night, we don't get here every day! I'll be in Wisconsin in spirit.

Updates. Thoughts. Packing a Lovesac into an already full Jeep.

I'm sure many of you have already heard through various social networking sites, or maybe even a conversation in person, that I'll be moving in Southern California at the end of the month.

(!!!!!)

I can't describe how freaking excited I am for this moment to come. I'll be working in HR at Legoland California. It will be nearly 100% different than what I do now, and really is what I'd love to end up doing for the rest of my life.

When I went to college my goal was to graduate and work professionally behind the scenes at a theme park. Lots of people either giggled or gave one of those "encouraging" responses along the way, but yesterday it smacked me in the face. I'm working professionally behind the scenes at a major theme park starting March 7th. I'm well on my way to having a full time career in my dream industry. It's an amazing feeling.

This also means that on February 24th I'll have my last shift at Madame Tussaud's New York. It's actually kind of sad to be leaving right now, because only in the past two months have I felt like I've really been making a difference at the business. Right now I'm knee deep in multiple projects, and I'm not afraid to give out ideas to change the place for the better. I feel like my coworkers really trust me now more that I've worked with them for months, so to just pack up like that and leave it all behind isn't the easiest thing in the world to do.

Oh wait. i just looked at the weather in Carlsbad, CA. It's easing my pain a bit. One of my biggest goals for the next six months: learn how to surf. I know I won't be good, but I want to try. I also want to try and live as close to the beach as possible. I've been searching for places, and there are a lot of options. It's all pretty exciting.

You know what else is exciting? THE GREEN BAY FREAKING PACKERS!

The whole season I've been routing on my team from afar, talking smack to the New Yorkers whenever our team beat theirs (twice) and even though I've taken a few verbal beatings from coworkers and strangers alike, the Pack survived on to Texas. The last time we were in the Super Bowl I was 8 years old. I remember both the Super Bowls very well. How could I forget my Dad blaming the 1998 loss to the Broncos on the fact that he threw a Super Bowl party AND bought me an NFC Champions t-shirt instead of waiting for the Super Bowl merchandise. I have Sunday off from work, and I can't wait for the game. I'll be nervous, but it ought to be exciting.

This blog really doesn't make much chronological sense. It may flow, but it has no order whatsoever. It's just one random thought to another. It's what happens when you don't blog for a month. I deserve this, but you, the fair reader, do not. I apologize.

I get to travel to Washington DC with a few employees (GM Included) to help set up for Madame Tussauds DC's huge Presidential Gallery opening. It's going to be a bit of a marathon working overnight and driving home the next morning, but I'm really excited about it. Just being invited to come down and help is fantastic.

I hope to write another blog surrounding my time in New York on another occasion. I feel like it warrant's its own blog post, because it has certainly changed me and my life. I've grown significantly in these past 6 months. I got thrown into the deep end, and in New York the deep end comes with a complimentary riptide. With one month to go I'll be mostly tying up loose ends and work and planning my trip to California. By the way, that trip will take a really, really long time.

Add another 16 hours from Newark to Milwaukee, and you've got yourself a 4 day drive!

Hopefully I'll be driving a brand spanking new car down to California. With cruise control. And rear shocks. I'm expecting absolutely nothing out to Nebraska and Iowa, but have huge expectations out of the Rocky Mountains. I hope they don't disappoint!

Bye everyone.

absolutely random reflection

I know that I usually write longer blog posts, but I'm just popping in right now as I ponder things before bed.

The world is really big. Oceans are massive and mostly unexplored, forests span miles uninhabited by humans, and lets not even get into outer space. All of these massive areas are there, working themselves out without any human intervention. Sometimes I think that we get a little too involved in our own lives. We get so involved in drama that when we need a break from our own lives and problems, we turn to others and talk about theirs to feel better. I feel like there is so much out there that needs to be explored and discovered. The smallest thing like following a stream until it hits a bigger body of water is so satisfying. We live in this place that is so structured. Sometimes that's a good thing, but other times we need to go on an adventure.

I'm slowly learning that the key to life seems to be moderation in most aspects, but how does one achieve it? We get so focused on one thing that its difficult to think about much else. Then we've gone too far.

Right now I'm longing for the simplicity and beauty of the ocean (or Lake Michigan's) waves crashing together. It doesn't stop for anyone, only listening to the earth's movement, the wind and the Moon's gravitational pull. Take a moment and take a look at something that is bigger than you. Feel small for a moment. It's humbling, yet empowering at the same time. The world surprises everyone. It feels good.

I could keep writing, but this post already makes no sense to anyone but me. Sometimes writing helps to reflect. I get to see nature again in one week. Can't say how much I've missed trees.

a look back at 2010

This was probably the greatest year (so far) of my life. Going back through some memories the past few days this past year has been nothing short of an adventure. It has also reminded me that I have so many great things to be thankful for.

2010 started with a hobby that I have just picked up this year: ice skating. At the Depot in Minneapolis is where I brought in the new year. That night also included the science museum which is one of my favorite places as well. It's funny that I had barely been ice skating before this year, now that I'm away from the snow covered state of Wisconsin, I've probably been skating more times in 2010 than the rest of my life put together.

NFA. No photographic evidence of HFO.

2010 was my senior year in college, and also the last opportunity I had to do forensics competitively. I couldn't have asked for a better turnout. There were lots of incredible moments in forensics in 2010, but I think my fondest memory was HFO in January. It's a tournament I had never done well at in the past, and always seemed like the pro bowl for forensics. Individuals who have big names and talent always seem to do well there, and to see so many of my teammates do well at that tournament and scoring a fifth place trophy was incredible. Something just clicked that weekend, I broke 4 of my 5 events to finals (including impromptu, as much as Karen Morris will deny it) and was able to share the stage with Dylan Jambrek getting 1st and 2nd in Persuasion. 2010 had other forensic accomplishments, I finally realized my long term goal of a national final, and IOC was incredible as well, but there was something about HFO that I'll never forget. It was walking between finals, UT-Austin's campus was quiet, it was 70 degrees in January and the sun was going down over the capital building. Whenever I think of that memory I always smile. It's a good one.

I'm slowly realizing that writing a blog about how awesome the past year was makes me sound pretty conceited, but I'm not writing this to brag, I'm writing it to remember and celebrate how fortunate I've been in 2010.

Mean Streak, the coaster I worked on.

I graduated college in four years. That was pretty cool too. The ceremony was hot and long and all I can remember is live tweeting to pass the time and giving a dumb grin to the camera company that was trying to pinch me for more money (as if I hadn't given the University enough money in 4 years!) After the ceremony and incredible grad party I packed the car and drove to Sandusky, Ohio for one last adventure before joining the real world. I was there for 3 weeks, but looking back it was a pretty positive learning experience, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I rode so many roller coasters in those three weeks, and that was pretty damn cool. I also finally got to see what an amusement park employee does and how everything works behind the scenes. I also learned how not to treat employees (and how to as well) and what makes a good respectable manager. Most importantly, I made a few friends that I wouldn't trade for anything. Not many of you know some of the people I met in my short time in Sandusky, but I really wouldn't trade that time for anything. I went back to Ohio for a couple days at the end of summer to meet up with those friends. The worst part of Cedar Point was the way they treated their employees. If I was 17, I don't think I would have had any problems with how things worked, but being 22 I think I have the right to have friends overnight where I live, or be able to have a bottle of wine. The rules given to employees and their personal lives was ridiculous, which is why when I went back to visit I had to climb under a fence (destroying a woot shirt and giving me bear attack like scars on my back in the process) just to stay the night in a friend's room.

I went home to work at West Allis Memorial Hospital in the OR. I met two of the greatest people in the process. Both Tony and Jamie were in their 40s and had families, and they taught me more about life than I ever could have ever expected. I learned about politics in the work place, how to deal with drama, and that if my dreams ever wear out becoming a medical equipment salesman is a very lucrative position to have. I also got to reconnect with Sam Simonson, a great friend from high school and college. I went out with him and his friends quite a few times over the summer, and explored his apartment complexes pool a few more times than I expected to.

Perhaps the most important thing to happen in 2010 was the call I got in early August. I remember being at work ordering medical equipment when I saw my phone buzz with an unfamiliar number. Right before I was able to answer, the phone went black and I missed the call. 5 Seconds later I realized the call was from England, and it was the call I had been waiting for over 6 months to receive. About 30 minutes later the same number called back, and after a 5 minute conversation I was employed with a real job. Tony was in the room when I took the call, and he knew right away. He had been encouraging me the entire summer with this job opportunity, and he instantly chest bumped me when I hung up the phone.

Ferris Wheel at Chessington World of Adventure

Now I'm working for the second largest amusement company in the world next to Disney. Every six months I change locations and have been working in Times Square since September. Looking back a year from now I could have never seen any of this coming. 2010 was a year of extreme change for me, a year that will no doubt be remembered as one giant adventure. Leaving one part of my life and starting a brand new one. Accomplishing numerous goals while setting even more difficult ones in the future. Meeting loads of new people from different parts of the world and learning what it means to live in the real world by jumping straight into the largest city in the United States. Things haven't always been easy, and they shouldn't be. The world isn't the nicest place to live in sometimes, but it allows us to make mistakes a learn from them. It allows us to appreciate the things we do have and the things we do accomplish.

I will never forget 2010.

El Toro Rocks.

Oh, and probably the most important thing about this past year. I added 30 new roller coasters to my count, including my first international coasters. I've added loads of new coasters to my Top 10, including a brand new #1 wooden coaster, El Toro. There was a topic in a coaster dork forum I post in about 2010 coasters. Here was my response:

First Park of 2010: Valleyfair
First Coaster: High Roller
Last Park of 2010: Six Flags New England
Last Coaster: Bizzaro
Best new to me Coasters of 2010: El Toro and Bizarro
Worst Coaster: Mind Eraser (SFNE)



With that said. Bring on 2011.

Washington DC

The nation's capital is one of my favorite places to visit. There is incredible architecture, history, and museums, and best of all, its almost all free. Finally, a great way to put those hard earned tax dollars to work: a free vacation.

The plan was to drive down to the district, but after realizing that taking a bus takes just as long but ends up being thirty bucks cheaper than gas (plus you can sleep the whole way) and that DC has a Metro system anyway, it was off to Port Authority, then Union Station to be picked up by the lovely Jake Johnson. After getting back to his place, Kayla greeted us all (Jake, Natalie, and their roommate Jordan) with mulled wine. I had never had mulled wine before, but it was delicious. We stayed up all night chatting. Great to see them again, they are a ton of fun.

The next morning we headed into the city and went straight for the Smithsonian American History Museum. I hadn't been to this museum in ages, and I was really looking forward to it. I had been to Philadelphia earlier this fall, so I got a good amount of American history there, but this museum trumps all. We probably spent the most amount of time (like an hour and a half) in the war section of the museum. There was a ton of George Washington's property and other Revolutionary War equipment that had been saved and placed into the museum. I love looking at an item that was owned by someone who has gone from being a hero to a legend. Looking at his camp chest and stool that were worn out with use made him seem more real and less legendary. It somehow makes the story seem more tangible, which it what I love about history.

My biggest complaint about the war section of the American History Museum: I spent a good 20 minutes looking into each major war because the sections were so large, but when I got to the section on World War One, the great war, the war to end all wars, there was one window display with stuff. The Great White Fleet got a small mention, and there was a figure with a gas mask. I realize that WWI was ugly, but I would hope for that section to get a big revamp in the future.

After the museum I got a call from my awesome cousin Caity who lives in northern Virginia. I hopped in the Metro and she picked me up and took me out for one of the tastiest sub sandwiches I've ever had. I wish I remember the name of the place we went. So good. We went back to her house and waited for the rest of the family to get back. My cousin Kellen got back first, showed me that she got Caity a crowbar for christmas (to fend off zombies of course, Kellen is awesome) and we promptly started playing Left for Dead 2. After killing zombies for awhile my Aunt and Uncle got back to the house along with my cousin Keegan. I love this family so much because even though I only get to see them every couple of years, we have the greatest time together no matter what. We always pick up right where we left off (in this case, it was Super Monkey Ball 2) and it was really hard to leave after dinner that night. I'm sure the pumpkin cake and homemade meal probably had something to do with that, but I love them.

I met back up with the gang and we went to the Big Pencil, or the Washington Monument, whatever you wanna call it. Being able to touch the 150 year old granite on the base of the monument is pretty incredible. Also, being the only ones there at 9PM was also pretty cool. We also headed down to the White House, checked out the christmas tree (which looked fake), and the giant White House train sets. Guess which was my favorite?

I learned a really important lesson after that. I had been getting over a cold that came back after I didn't take care of myself during a cold. Turns out spending 4 hours in freezing temps wasn't the greatest idea. The next day I didn't feel great, and when I got home to Jake and Kayla's I literally crashed. Fever, chills, no energy. They had a great night and I tried to as well, but I don't even remember most of that night. So sick. Sunday we went to Madame Tussauds and had some Fro Yo. It was really interesting to see another Madame Tussauds after working in one for the past few months. There were parts of the attraction I loved, and others I didn't so much. The Frozen Yogurt was delicious, but perhaps way too sugary.

Other than falling victim to a virus for a third time in a month, my trip to DC was absolutely wonderful. While I got to see a bunch of monuments and American history, nothing could compare to just sitting around and chatting with my friends and family. It was something that I took for granted for a long time back home, but being out here makes those moments all the more special.

Especially with the holidays right around the corner. I worked both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but Skyped with my family both days. My next blog will explain what I treated myself with on Christmas. It was impromptu, and amazing.

SNOWPACALYPSE

Coming from Wisconsin, I've been through a fair share of snowstorms, but this storm I'm viewing from my window is pretty epic. Visibility from the tenth floor is maybe 200 yards, I'm hearing sirens more often than normal, and wind is literally forcing its way into my apartment. The wind is coming in near 25-30mph, which is causing some serious drifts outside the apartment. Half the grass is uncovered, while the other half has over 2 feet on it.

Times Square, early snowmagedden

Something I've noticed: snow creates this unusual quiet and calm. Even with the wind blowing so hard here, the snow quiets the sound of the tires on the pavement, and less drivers means less noise. People aren't driving like idiots either, which helps with the honking.

Mass transit goes crazy with a storm like this. NJTransit announced delays before the snow even started coming down this afternoon, and my train home seemed to go very slowly. I can't say I know very much about how trains can operate in the snow, but I know that regional trains between Boston and Washington DC were either canceled or delayed by nearly two hours. I had nearly an hour to kill at Penn Station, but luckily the Packer game was on at the bar, and the stranded Giants fans were way too much fun to talk to while I was waiting. Armed with my Packers fleece and iPhone (to check into Snowpalalypse on Foursquare of course, unlocking the "epic swarm" badge) I did what any good Packer fan would do in a bar of the enemy. I gloated on every Packers score. Man it felt good to watch the Pack show up in a big way during a big game. It's what you like to see.

The view.

Now I'm pretty much stranded inside my apartment. It's not supposed to stop snowing for another day or so, and I sure am hoping that trains are in good condition in the morning, because without them I'm not sure how I would get into the city for work in the morning. Madame Tussauds apparently has an "always open" policy. I'm not going to swim over the Hudson, but I'll get there somehow.

At this moment, I'd like to apologize for really ignoring this blog as of late. The holidays catch up on anyone, and I haven't had much time to blog. Just know that I've got a big entry on Washington DC and Pee Wee Herman. Yes, I said Pee Wee Herman. I know you're excited. You have good reason to be.

Pray my apartment building stands the night. I wanna go sledding.