JRPomeroy.com

Chicago

Justin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:48:28 +0000

We had a lot of fun in Chicago over the last four days. We left last Thursday morning and got to the Museum of Science and Industry around 2:30. It’s very big and has a lot of fun interactive exhibits. It would be a great place to take your kids and there were plenty of them there. Since it was Thursday afternoon it wasn’t too busy though. Laura’s sister Melinda works close to the museum so we met her after she was done with work and drove to her house. We ate dinner at Margie’s Candies, which serves huge sundaes.

On Friday morning we took a train and bus downtown to the Adler Planetarium. We got there early enough so it wasn’t busy at all and we were able to enjoy the place with very few people. We caught a fun show and ate some lunch before heading to the Shedd Aquarium. By the time we got there around 1:00 it was packed. We bought a City Pass so at least we didn’t have to stand in the line outside in the extreme heat. Instead we got to stand in the line inside for about half an hour. After finally getting inside and looking around for about 10 minues there were just way too many people so we decided to leave. We went for a walk downtown and saw Buckingham Fountain and the giant bean at Millennium Park. We eventually made our way to the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) and went up to the skydeck. They recently built glass enclosures that extend from the side of the building and allow for quite a view. I have to admit I didn’t really like stepping out into it. After that we met with Melinda and Richard and went on a very cool architecture tour along the Chicago river on a boat. We went underneath one of the bridges where a scene from Transformers 3 was being shot. I didn’t see any actors, just a bunch of wreckage and some smoke. Afterwards we went to an Indian restaurant downtown and got some good food.

Saturday was Comic-Con day. When we got there the line was huge. We thought we were ok since we bought advance tickets but no, the huge line was for us. Those who hadn’t bought tickets yet barely had to wait in line at all. Many people including myself were baffled by the preposterousness of the situation, but at least the line went very quickly. I guess the lesson is to not buy tickets in advance. The whole event was quite overwhelming. There were so many people and so many things to see that you could only really do so much. Nintendo was there with a bunch of DSs for trying out some games and there was some kind of Xbox event going on. There were a ton of actors and lines all over the place for autographs, comic book artists and writers were showing off their work and meeting the fans, and everywhere you looked were comic books, toys, posters, DVDs, and a million other comic book, video game, movie, or television related items for sale. Laura and Melinda wanted to get their picture taken with Adrianne Curry but they decided not to pay the $10. I saw a few people from Buffy and Star Trek. We walked away with a lot of free stuff and I bought a few cool items. Overall it was a lot of fun and probably a once in a lifetime event for me.

After Comic-Con we went to a roller derby game. It was really fun even though the Windy Cindy Rollers didn’t do so hot. We went to a bar afterward where the team goes for their after party. We didn’t really talk with any of the players though. I guess they were also filming some kind of documentary there about the first punk band from Canada. Laura and Melinda saw them playing in another room.

On Sunday morning we got up and went out for breakfast before getting on the road. It was a very fun and very exhausting time. My legs are still tired. Laura is going to put many more pictures on Facebook soon.

Laura milking a fake cow at the Museum of Science and Industry

The coolest mailbox ever.

Laura posing by the giant bean in Millennium Park.

Downtown Chicago from the Willis Tower skydeck.

Tornado warning!

Justin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:58:54 +0000

The sirens just went off. Looks like a bad storm is heading our way.

In between baseball games

Justin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:50:23 +0000

It’s been a couple weeks since we’ve posted so I thought I’d give a little update. We’ve been doing some things we just haven’t been taking the camera. Pictures seem to be the reason we make updates, so with no pictures and thus no proof of our goings on I suppose I could say we went to the moon. But we didn’t. We did however go see Hairball in concert again. This time they didn’t get rained out. They put on a great show. There were way too many people and we got way too close to some people that we’d rather stay away from, but once we moved further from the stage it was more enjoyable. We also went to the Olmsted County Fair and ate some ridiculously fattening but excellent food including corn dogs, mini doughnuts and a spaghetti sunday. We didn’t stick around the fair too long though. It was way too hot and very humid. It’s been like that for a while now and I’m getting pretty tired of it. A/C means the difference between life and death right now. We did some bowling. That’s always a fun time. Especially with a huge mug of beer. What else… I think that about sums up the last couple weeks. We plan on going to another Honkers game this Saturday with some friends. And then next week, Chicago!

Fun at the Honker’s game

Justin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:40:54 +0000

Last Saturday we went to a Honker’s game with our friends Dave and Christine. As usual we bought sports deck tickets so it was all you could eat and drink through the 7th inning. For some reason I always seem to take that as a challenge. I didn’t eat too much but I drank plenty and as one would expect that didn’t end too well. But it was a good time. We might do it again in August.

Me and Laura at the game

Laura and Christine posing with Slider

Night Ranger in the park

Justin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:07:05 +0000

Each Sunday during the summer the city of Rochester puts on a free concert in Mayo park downtown. Last Sunday it was Night Ranger and since Laura is a big fan we headed down to check it out. Unfortunately we showed up on time, and about 11,000 other people showed up early, so we weren’t able to sit very close. And then it started to rain. Hard. A lot of people left but Laura and I stuck it out sitting under a tree. Of course we still got soaked so then we were freezing and had to leave anyway. But we stuck around for a couple hours. Night Ranger was awesome and so was the opening band Jukes of Hazzard. Overall it was a good time. We’re thinking about going back when Starship comes to town.

Laura getting wet. We should have taken an after picture.

Night Ranger from far away. This was taken on our way out. We were even farther away.

Rainy days at Rochesterfest

Justin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:17:33 +0000

The week long Rochesterfest celebration finished up over this past weekend. On Friday we went downtown for the parade which was eventually cancelled because of the impending weather. It took us half an hour to get out of the parking garage because of the traffic. On Saturday we had a bit more luck. We went downtown just in time to miss the dog races and belly dancing but just in time to enjoy a few tall cans of beer on the Rochester Civic Theater patio. Our friends Mike and Alyssa met up with us for some artery clogging food and music from a Led Zeppelin cover band and an 80s cover band. Both bands were good but the concert was also eventually rained out. We had a good time though.

Laura enjoying a beer on the RCT patio

The 80s cover band Hairball

Tornado damage on the Douglas Trail

Justin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 21:14:19 +0000

A tornado hit northwest Rochester on Thursday night and damaged about 30 houses and ripped part of the roof off of Menards. We went for a ride to Pine Island today on the Douglas Trail and there were quite a few trees down in the section where the tornado went through. It was our first trip of the year to Pine Island.

We were proud to have made it all the way on our first trip.

A tree blocking the trail

More downed trees

Notice the house with the boarded up windows

A weekend in the cities

Justin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:22:37 +0000

We had ourselves a good time in the cities over the weekend. On Saturday we went to the Mall of America. We didn’t actually buy very much but there was a lot going on. There was a band playing, Orianthi was signing autographs (didn’t know who she was until I looked her up later), and we saw Raina Hein, the finalist from America’s Next Top Model (she should have won). Laura was very excited about that. We went out to eat at Ruby Tuesday in Apple Valley which has sort of become our favorite restaurant. We always go there when we’re up in the cities. On Saturday night we got a hotel room in Eagan. We spent some time in the pool and whirlpool downstairs before moving up to our own whirlpool in our room. On Sunday morning we had breakfast and then went to the Minnesota Zoo. I think it was the first time I’ve ever been there when it wasn’t 90 degrees outside so most of the animals were very active, especially the grizzly bears. They were swimming around in their pool and playing with each other. It was a great weekend and I’m sure we’ll do it again.

Laura playing with the fish at Discovery Bay

A leafy sea dragon. Probably the coolest looking thing ever.

Prairie dogs. I love these things.

A grizzly bear going for a swim

Memorial Day weekend

Justin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:00:23 +0000

We got back last night from a great Memorial Day weekend in Nahma. It was a bit hotter than I would have liked, especially since the water was freezing, but overall it was a very good time. We drank plenty of beer and visited with a lot of family. We didn’t take too many pictures but here are a few of them:

Miles and me on the deck

Miles rockin' the shades

Miles having a good time

It’s getting way too hot

Justin — Tue, 25 May 2010 22:59:23 +0000

I don’t know if it’s global warming or what, but it’s been ridiculously hot the last couple days. When I got into my car after work yesterday the thermometer said 101 degrees. Granted my car was baking in the sun outside in the parking lot all day, but outside it was hovering around 94 degrees. I thought I was going to combust on the way home. We’ve had the A/C on for most of the last two days. If it weren’t for that I don’t think I’d be alive. Over the winter I almost forget how much I hate the heat.

I know it’s been awhile, but not much has been going on the last couple months. We’ve mostly been laying low. Now that summer’s pretty much here I’m sure we’ll be getting out on the bike trail fairly regularly, though we haven’t been out there yet. I did replace Laura’s flat tire though so we’re ready to go. Soccer will be starting in June so that will probably eat up my Thursday nights.

We’re going to be heading to Nahma on Friday morning for Memorial Day weekend. Laura and I both have Friday and Monday off so it will be a good long weekend. We’re looking forward to seeing the family.