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Minnesota Update #6

Jul 29, 2004

 

 

 

PYROS, PYROS, LIGHT UP OUR SKY

Went to Blanche Lake (Sarah's Grandparent's cabin) for 4th of July celebration. This was my first ever 4th of July in the US before.  Lots of flags and explosive devices. The evening celebrations were fun, setting off an assortment of fireworks. Here are some pictures of the fun!

 

The night we came back, Sarah and I went and watched the Edina fireworks display while sitting on the grass, sprayed down with bug repellent hoping not to get bitten. In the distance, on the horizon, we could see another city doing their pyro-show-o.

In the mail, we found our copy of our immigration papers that Susan had sent us. We're waiting for our "receipt notice" which says the government has got our stuff and will begin processing it whenever they so desire.

UPPER ROOM: PART 1

My work at Upper Room is kind of slow. We didn't have a service for the 4th, and we're not having a service on the 11th because of Flood. Flood is where we get people to sign up (around 400) and go out into the community on various work projects. Sarah and I are going around to some of the sites and getting video/photo footage. My job for the following service is to make a recap video of the Flood experience. Could be a lot of footage to weed through.

Speaking on video editing, I worked on getting the new Upper Room video editing workstation spec'd out and a proposal made.  After looking over it, the green light was given and I began to coordinate with the ordering of it, Fingers crossed, it should be in the office late next week.

BEADS OF SWEAT

It was a week or two after Sarah and I had submitted our immigration paperwork.  I was sitting at home on my day off, enjoying a stimulating read of Homer's Oddesy.      ....  Ok. I was playing video games with skinless face-munching zombies. It doesn't matter. That's not the point.  Anyways, as I was sitting there, I heard the doorbell ring and as I looked outside I saw a man and woman nicely dressed, standing outside.  I paused my game and went to the front door.  As I slowly opened the door my heart stopped as I saw two gold badges in their hands.  I tried to stay calm and focused but my mind was racing.  First of all, I haven't done anything illegal, but I still couldn't help thinking "How did they find me here? What's going to happen to me?"  I opened the door and they said hello and flipped open their badges to reveal a Federal ID of some sort.  They said their names: Agent Something and Agent Someone, but I wasn't listening.  Beads of sweat seemed to magically appear on my forehead. They smiled. I smiled back.  Am I being deported?  Is the INS looking for more information?  Where were their dark FBI sunglasses?

Thankfully, the lady spoke and said something along the lines of "you're not in any trouble."  She probably read my face and body movements and wondered what on earth I was hiding. Hey! Xbox at 26 is not a crime. It's weird, but not a crime.

It turns out that the gentleman across the street (whom I've never even seen before) was applying for some Federal job and they were canvassing the neighborhood asking neighbors for references.  I guess by me saying that I've never seen him might lead to a bad reference (or a good one if he's going to be some international spy). As soon as the came, they left. Ropes dropped from the sky, they latched on and were carried off by a black stealth helicopter.... that would have been a cool ending to my story.   Instead, I closed the door, sat down and then spent a few minutes trying to shake that feeling you get when you're in a close call driving your car.

FORCE THIS PERSPECTIVE

Going back in time a bit to the beginning of this update, I mentioned we went to the cabin for the 4th of July.  Well, on the day we left, I had a chance to go fishing for the second time ever.  The first time, of course, was when I was young and in Boy Scouts.  One of the leaders was kind enough to let me try.  As I cast my line out, the fishing line got all bunched up around the spooly-thing because I didn't release the catchy-thing at the right time.

As you can see, my fishing expertise is unparalleled.

As I was fishing (which I caught on a lot quicker now that I'm older and wiser), I realized that this sport was not for me.  I don't mind the casting and the luring and the winding... it's the waiting and the live baiting and the de-hooking that isn't well suited for yours truly.  But, despite my shortcomings with the sport, I did manage to catch a HUGE fish!

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Ok. it was actually only this size:

IT'S ALL ABOUT FREE STUFF

Not too long ago, Minneapolis' first Ikea was about to open.  Now, as you may or may not know, Ikea's are usually built near oceans or large bodies of water so that transportation costs are not as high. Chicago has one, but their stock it fed by the Great Lakes, so having one in a land-locked location like Minneapolis is a big deal. Another interesting fact is that 25% of Chicago's Ikea business is from Minneapolis. Therefore, having an Ikea open here was a smart move but those Swedish geniuses. Let's also not forget that it's right next door to the Mall of America, which doesn't hurt business either.

So, a day before the Grand Opening I see on their website that they're giving away an $80 chair for the first 100 people.  $80 isn't anything to write home about, but I'll continue anyways.  The store opened on a Wednesday.  Tuesday close to midnight, I ask Andrew if he has a camping chair that I could borrow.  Why?, he asks. Well, I'm going to go to Ikea early, early tomorrow before going to Upper Room and see if I can't get a chair.  Him and Travis (who was listening in) nod their head and say that the line will probably be pretty long by then. Hmmm. I guess that makes sense.  Andrew then suggests that him and I go right then and spend the night so that we can both be granted a free Ikea chair.  Knowing that every minute we wait the line grew longer, we quickly filled the truck with blankets and chairs and pillows and sped off into the night. Of course, Travis stayed behind, mocking us for our Ikea nerdiness.  He wouldn't be laughing when we brought home free stuff.... it's all about free stuff.

12:15AM.  We have arrived at the new Ikea and it is truly in all it's interior design glory.  We park on the lower level and walk up the stairs to the main entrance.  As we round the top set of steps we are blown away by what we see - a HUGE crowd of people.

EDITORIAL NOTE:  I must say that since I am from Vancouver, a land with two Ikea's, I am very well aware of the crowds it attracts.  However, there must be some Freudian thing that goes on in our heads when it comes to free stuff, because, despite my fore-knowledge of what I could expect, I hoped, beyond a doubt, that I must surely be one of the first 100 people. Surely.

We saw a long line up that snaked it's way along the pathway. People in chairs, people on mattresses. People with little grills, people with TVs. Even people with dome-tents.  It was one of the bewildering things we had seen all....day. And week. And probably month.

   

 

There were two ladies at the top of the stairs. They had the best seats in the house because they got to watch everyone's reaction as they crested the top of the stairs.  We chatted with them long enough that they had been there since 2pm and were number 71 and 72.  Andrew and I looked at each and laughed.  We felt like fools thinking we could be within 100 coming so late in the game.  The two ladies then told us to go up to the front of the line. We did.

Beyond the lineup itself were 4 different Ikea beds lined up.  It's occupants were contest winners on a local radio station. They had been there since Sunday and if they could hang in there another 9 hours, not only would they win the bed, but also a $1500 shopping spree. Not bad.

This person here was number one of 100. Shortly, he will become the proud owner of the very first free $80 chair.  As the nearby security guard told us, he, too, had been there since Sunday.  SUNDAY!  For an $80 chair.  He had been living in an Ikea parking lot for 3 whole days for a free chair.

Andrew and I left, slightly disappointed that we didn't get our prize, but also with a renewed sense of what was really important.  We thought 9 hours of camping out was too much, but 3 days was simply ridiculous.  All-in-all, though, we had a fun adventure.

 

WEDDING PLANS

Here's some more wedding updates:

Wedding Dress - Sarah had her wedding dress sized the other day. It's now with the seamstress for all the final touches. She also bought her new pair of shoes to go with it. I have seen neither, which is the plan.

Bridesmaids - The bridesmaids dresses are bought, picked up and now sitting in Sarah's house waiting for their owners to pick them up and try them.  Since the bridesmaids are un-local (that is: being not from the local area), it'll be a matter of time for everyone to make their way to Edina.  Also of note, Shawn sent me an email the other day requesting if he could be traded to the bridesmaid side of the wedding party... That's kind of odd. I mean, if he really doesn't want to be a groomsmen, I suppose we could replace him with mini-Me, which would be REALLY funny.

Rings - We bought our wedding bands. Actually, we haven't paid for them yet, but they're sized and ready to be picked up this Thursday.  At the jeweler's I tried on the ring and it was truly an odd experience... seeing a wedding band on my finger.  It made me feel very happy and very....old at the same time :). Oh: also of note: my ring kind of looks like The Ring. As in The One Ring to Rule Them All.  Now only if I can convince Sarah to get an Elvish-like inscription.

Flights - The boys will be in town.  5 guys just confirmed their flights to Minnesota (Mike, Dave, Pouria, Shawn and Craig). Sweet! Plus, I've got flight info for my mom and Wobin.  Connor said he'll be getting his ticket soon.  All the guys will be crashing in the apartment. And crashing it certainly will be - pure CHAOS! But, it's going to be a fun time for sure.

Moving - Not really a wedding item, per-se, but a U-Haul has been booked for Dad and Serena to drive my stuff down.  In the next little while, I'll be getting info about how exactly does one move stuff across the border. I thought a signed note from my parents would work, but that only works in the grade school realm, I suppose.

DOES NEBRASKA HATE US?

Sarah got a call the other day from Susan Orpen (our paralegal).  It turns out that our forms, which were delivered to the Nebraska service centre, were sent back. Yikes!  Susan explained that they recently changed the rules (no surprise there) and didn't clearly indicate these changes (again - are we surprised?).  Now, it's possible to submit our immigration papers to the local processing office.  Susan did that right away and we have since received our FedEx notice that it was delivered and signed for.  Now we have to wait for what's called a "receipt notice". It's not a big deal, but that delayed us a week and a half.  Silly government.

NOTHING LIKE THE SMELL...

(UPPER ROOM: PART 2)

...of a new computer.  If you're a nerd, you'll know what I mean. It's like getting a new car, only cheaper and worse on the wrists.

The new Upper Room video editing workstation arrived two weeks ago and it's a screaming machine (in my opinion).  I set it up and had to put together a video together that week which recapped Flood (our missions oriented day).  The sexy black machine made my work go very quickly.

Here's me setting it up:

and here's the video I did that day:

Flood 2004 Video

Also of note: the Upper Room also bought a new CD duplicator, complete with ROBOTIC ARM!. It's very cool.  The ROBOTIC ARM (it's in CAPS because you have to say it in a Strongbad voice) will pick up the CD once burned, drop it into the printer for it's label, then drop it into the completed bin when done. 

ROBOTIC ARM!

It's so cool that people like coming into the office to gawk at it.  It's now Susan's best friend - she loves it and I'm worried she might ask it out for dinner and a movie. ROBOTIC ARM isn't a people-person. It's not even a person at all.

YO FOICE IS PLASTIC SURGERY!

Sarah has recorded another radio commercial.  In the words of her email:

I have a new commercial!! I just did this one this morning. It's for a plastic surgeon, one of our biggest advertisers on FM107. I do all the dialogue replies and the solo dress thing at the end. Yay!!

Listen to it here, or here. Or even here,  but not here.

ALMOST THERE... SORT OF

ISarah and I received word just this morning that Susan has received our receipt notices.  This means that if we don't have any more delays, I can expect to get my work authorization within the next three months or so.  If, at the end of 90 days, I haven't got one, I can go down to the local office in Bloomington and pick up an interim one.

Strangely enough, on Tuesday I will have officially been fingerprinted by the US before Pouria.

 

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

Just so everyone knows: my mini-side-mission here is to collect as many free shirts as possible (simply because I don't have too many t-shirts for the summer).  As of now I have the following:

I'll keep everyone posted as I get more shirts, because I know you're all very interested in stuff like this.  Speaking of stuff...

MOST IMPORTANTLY....

A very special message to a very special sister.....

Have an awesome birthday, Serena. You deserve it!  Love you lots! 

                                                                                                            - Bro

OTHER PHOTOS AND STUFF

I'll leave you with a number of random photos! Enjoy!

 
This is Corey's back. Corey shares the office with me at church. He's not showing his face because he refuses to be a part of any Canadian update...... alright. That's not entirely true. I took the picture without him noticing. And since he doesn't get these updates, I can say whatever I want about him.    Look what I was forced to make on the July 4th weekend....
 
Look what I was forced to hold on the July 4th weekend.   Yes! Sarah dyed her hair a few weeks ago.  The color was called "Sedona Sunset" or something like that, although it came out "Muppet Red"....  I think it looks BEAUTIFUL, although it's faded out now.
 

Our parents are hoping this doesn't happen up at the altar in October....

   Super Sarah!
 
A typical polar bear statue outside the jeweler shop where we purchased our rings.
Their stones are from Canada, ironically.

  We went to the Imax theatre yesterday to see a movie about the Coral Reef. Afterwards we had an ad-hoc picnic, and also a great time.  Here we see Sarah, her brother Jonathan and his girlfriend Erin.
 
More picnic photos. On the left is Sarah's youngest brother Stephen.  All three of the Grimsby children are trying to determine what on earth that contraption Sarah's holding is.  In Canada we call that a can of pop (rather than 'soda')

   This is Stephen's friend, Glen.  At least that's what he calls him.  The entire Grimsby family tree is a little concerned Stephen is hanging out with a goose.
 
See how perplexed Sarah's parents are?   Here's Sarah speeding down the highway at 130 miles per hour... Too bad her little car doesn't actually go that fast.
 

An odd thing happened at lunch today... I saw Pouria's face on a US Army recruitment poster.

   This is Sarah's desk at work.  Notice the picture of the boy band on her desktop... who are those studly gents?
 

Sarah and I looking up... at the camera lens.

   Sarah and I with a weird mascot.... looking at the camera lens. His name is mudd.