Teavana was one of my favorite mall-based stores. I loved walking into a Teavana, sampling the two or three brews they had on display, and browsing the store. I have a heavy, jade-green Asian-style teapot and a plastic loose-leaf tea infuser from Teavana. My favorite teas were purchased at Teavana…
Tag: Minnesota
Podcast 0089, Season 5, Episode 20; 28 June 2022 Why I Need a Yard: Roses, Trees, and More I’ve posted before that Susan and I prefer the exurbs (not even suburbs) over city life. Even before the pandemic era, we were not a couple you’d find dining out or socializing.…
Overnight Wednesday my left eye’s cornea suffered a tear or abrasion. It was a surprise. An extremely painful surprise. Unfortunately, I am familiar with the pain. In 2008 and 2009, I suffered several corneal tears in Minnesota’s cold, dry weather. It’s a pain you do not forget. For the last…
Susan and I have made three major moves to reset our lives, taking us from California to Minnesota to Pennsylvania… and, finally, to Texas. We moved to Texas expecting that I’d teach high school technology and business courses. The girls would have a fresh start at a new school. Best…
I am writing this from our guest suite just before 8:30 p.m. on Monday, February 15, 2021. [Note: Updates at end, February 20, 2021, 1:30 p.m.] When we moved to Central Texas, a primary reason was because my body cannot tolerate extreme cold. Of course, it has snowed both winters…
People like to control their spaces. We like to make our bedrooms “ours” as children. As college students, we decorate our dorm rooms or first apartments for our comfort and to signal our personalities and preferences to others. Cultures consider spaces important, too. Feng Shui or geomancy are cultural beliefs…
Podcast 044; Season 4, Episode 8; October 20, 2020 We’ve lived in four states. Now, in Central Texas, we’re home. Central California was the fire and brimstone Hell. Minneapolis was the frozen Nordic Hell. Pittsburgh? The drivers are from Hell. Here outside Austin, we’re enjoying good weather… and not driving. No Snow,…
Winter is a topic I post on, well, every winter. It is a tough time of year for me, but at least it makes spring and summer all the better. Though I don’t like winter, the reality is I also miss our neighborhood from Minnesota and the trips into Wisconsin.…
Now, for some paradoxes about where we choose to live. Greater Pittsburgh (more accurately, the region north of Pittsburgh), as a community, has proved to be a great place for my wife and me. The region, which includes parts of West Virginia and Ohio, offers excellent opportunities for people like…
This is not my usual post — but I received my Univ. of Minnesota Alumni Magazine today and am annoyed. My Ph.D. is from Minnesota, and it is no secret I do not like the institution. My bias definitely affects my general attitude when reading anything linked to UMN. That…