None of you would know about it. That is, none of you that get the bulk of your information about me through this blog would know about it…. read more at:

http://eyes-open-wide.blogspot.com/

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sleepless eyes open wide

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sleepless eyes open wide

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i did it.  i started a new one.  go there:

http://eyes-open-wide.blogspot.com

i can’t help it.  i just get restless sometimes.  there are not many things that i can literally change on a whim.  overhaul whenever i so choose.  but for whatever reason i get this overwhelming urge from time to time to start over….

and start a new blog.

now you may have noticed that i changed the layout and look of this one not too long ago and i’m actually fairly pleased with the look of it.  but this is just how it is for me.  those of you that have been around for years, following my life on the web, know that i had a couple of different xangas.  i toyed with livejournal for a bit.  i built a handful of websites during the “apartment 207″ days.   i was on blogger.  and now at wordpress.

it’s usually an issue of user name.

i just get bored.  you would thing choosing something basic would help.  like my own name.  but even today i made the decision to change my twitter user name from the obvious “johnandrick” to the more exciting “heartattack701″.   i just get the itch sometimes and i can’t help it.

so the thought is out there.  i will contemplate a name change and perhaps a move to a different platform.  if you have any suggestions, let me know.

the art of manliness
i’m honestly a little shocked by the fact that i haven’t mentioned this on here.  or at least not that i can recall.  i have mentioned in the past that one of my favorite blogs to follow is dumb little man’s tips for life, but what i haven’t mentioned is that i have found a new favorite.  it’s called the art of manliness.  much like dumb little man, it offers helpful tips on life and also provides a pretty good dose of humor along the way.  i don’t always agree with their opinions, but i really enjoy reading it.  and boy, have i learned a thing or two.  here’s a few of examples:

• the pleasure of shaving with shaving soap and a boar’s bristle brush.  although, i have not taken the step to switch to an old school safety razor.  that’s a bit frightening to me.
• the rules on the proper wearing of socks.  i had no idea that socks are supposed to match your pants, not your shoes.
• how to survive a bear attack.  although i’m hoping i never have to put this one into practice.

go and check out the art of manliness.  but please, also take it with a grain of salt.  you may not agree with everything that it has to say, but it’s not worth getting worked up over.  it’s pretty tame compared to other stuff that’s out there.

anyone in grand forks tomorrow night that wants to come and see me or hear me speak, here’s the details:

UND InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
1st Large Group of the Year!
8 pm in the Red River Room

i’ll be giving a quick introduction to what intervarsity is, and then sharing a quick message to encourage everyone as the new school year gets under way.  for anyone not able to make it, i’ll probably be typing up a post on here in the next couple of days that will give the same basic message.

i really hope to see many of your smiling faces in the crowd thursday night!

two peices of good news that have been confirmed this week.  i didn’t want to say too much to too many people before i got the details ironed out.  now i feel comfortable informing the world.  or at least the fraction of a percentage of the people in the world that come here from time to time.

first news.  i got a message last week from an old intervarsity friend.  seems the und chapter was getting down to the wire with finding their first large group speaker for the year and they were wondering what my availability would be.  i checked my schedule, rearranged some vacation time and made it work.  i met with george, the area director this week, and we will be riding to grand forks together next thursday night.  i am so excited!  i spoke at und one other time, nearly 3 years ago (crazy how time goes by…) and this will be my first time doing anything significant on campus since the spring of 2007 when i appeared on a discussion pannel at msum.  i don’t think it’s likely that i’ll ever be back on campus full time, but if i can do some volunteering with stuff like this from time to time, i would be happy.  so if any of you out there will be in grand forks next thursday night at 8:00 pm, you should come check it out.  i don’t know the location yet, but i can let you know when it’s all finalized.

second news.  we had a fun in the sun day at work this week.  i was sitting out front hanging out with some students and enjoying a hot dog when two of the higher ups came back from lunch and approached me with a question.  i knew that they were going to ask me to do more work (they joke that i have many slahes behind my current job title), which i rarely say no to, but i have been increasingly reluctant and frustrated when i say yes.  the question this time:  would i be willing to teach a class.  my immediate reaction:  absolutely.  it is one of the few extra duties i have been asked to do in which i actually have some formal training.  in fact, i had been tempted in the past to ask if it was a possibility for me.  i will be teaching your basic skills-type/welcome to college class to first-quarter students.  because my job involves high concern for attendance and academic progress, this will be a good way for me to make initial contacts with students and also be the one to make sure they understand the importance of our policies and practices.  it should also go a long way in helping me figure out if my future in higher ed involves time in the classroom, or time strictly in administration.  so beginning in october, you can add a slash to my job title: /instructor.

i have mentioned in the past that my favorite new musical discovery in the year 2007 was the handsome furs.  their live show at the aquarium was one of the best, not just of last year, but that i’ve seen in my lifetime.  this week, the handsome furs made their return to fargo and it was every bit as good as the year before.

there are not many touring bands that come through fargo that i would make a special point to catch, but this band is one.  when i saw them last year, i had just been introduced to them.  a side project of dan boeckner of the band wolf parade, another band i fell in love with in 2007, they were a fairly new band.  boeckner is joined in the band by his wife, alexei perry, and it was obvious that he was far more a veteran of the live performance.  she was good at what she did, just not much of a performer.

fast forward to this year… she clearly has become more comfortable performer.  she danced and played to the crowd and it only enhanced what was already a great show.  his voice is certainly one of my favorites.  they played a lot of new material, which i am excited to pick up once it is released this fall.  but they also played a good selection of material off of their first cd, plague park.  their two song encore included two of my favorite tracks and i was so pumped that they finished the set with “sing! captain.” the only disappointment is that the recorded versions of their songs don’t quite hold a candle to the live performance.  so listening to the cd only makes me wish i could see them live again.  maybe they will be back in another year’s time.

check them out if you get a chance.  handsome furs.