One thing that has sprung to mind has been an elegant ceremony and reception at the Conservatory’s North Garden. Of course, that’s a big price to pay to have 35 guests, and we don’t want a wedding large enough to warrant the larger gardens. We’re definitely on a budget, and I’d prefer an indoor wedding and reception, since I prefer predictability (and we might get married in the winter).

Of course, another idea thrown about has been renting several lanes and shoes for all at a bowling alley, buying a lot of beer and pizza, and ushering in our new life together wearing matching bowling shirts, so I don’t know if “elegant” is necessarily what we’re going for.

The first time I know of that Sigur Ros came to Minneapolis, I got tickets. That day I was sick, or was fighting with my now-ex, or something, and I didn’t go. (Oh, boy, have I regretted it since.) The second time was a few - or a couple of - years ago, also at the State Theatre. Their opening act was absolutely horrible, but the band itself blew me away. I swear, I had tears in my eyes for most of the show.

Maybe I’m hypersensitive, but the vibration made me feel like I was having some sort of weird experiments performed on me by aliens. And that infernal beeping when the doors are gonna close? Goodness. I’m surprised my brain is intact.

But the stupidest thing of all is the ticketing system. The first time my fiance and I rode, we each had a bus transfer, mine in the form of a 31-day pass. On the way back, I again used my pass, and my fiance purchased a ticket. My question is this: How in the world does anyone know if we actually purchased a ticket or not? We didn’t see any ticket-checkers, and there’s no way of telling who has paid and who hasn’t from any sort of automatic standpoint, as far as I gathered. Is it really operating on an honor system? Does MetroTransit count on the fact that if they catch one person without a ticket, that’ll pay for 89 other people who didn’t have one, either?

The train could be a glorious thing. Personally, I think trains should be built along 494, 94, 35W and E, and all of the other major arteries, so that their zooming presence may spark the idea of public transportation in commuters’ minds. But, really, maybe a better way of encouraging commuters is to continue the lackadaisical ticketing; certainly, a free ride is better than $2.69 a gallon for gas.

As yesterday afternoon I was hit with one of the common ailments treated at Minute Clinic, I determined that instead of a visit to urgent care, I’d go to Cub Foods. At 9:05, right after opening, I was the first patient. Diagnosis and treatment took about 15 minutes; getting my prescription filled took longer.

Added bonus: treatment is cheap - even cheaper with insurance, as they charge the office visit co-pay, not the urgent care/emergency copay.

Plus, you get to watch your tests be performed! Hooray!

P.S. I’m much better, thank you.

Fin, Fur, and Feather in Robbinsdale won’t be getting any of my money anytime soon. I was drawn to them by their vast array of parrots and bird supplies, as we just adopted a lovebird, and it’s nice to visit the big parrots occasionally. Today I happened to venture farther into the store, and I was absolutely shocked.

Last week I noticed some purebred, AKC-registered cocker spaniels for sale, displayed in a cage in the center of the store. “Hm,” I thought, maybe a breeder they know is having trouble getting rid of them.” I thought nothing of it, especially since this is a place that prominently discourages animal cruelty. Certainly they couldn’t be getting dogs from puppy mills.

Well, I felt that way until I ventured into the back of the store, where they keep small animals (hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.) along with a large number (I’d guess 20) of puppies, most of them mixed breeds, and all of them being sold for upwards of $500 (except for the “leftover” slightly older dog, who was on sale for the bargain bin price of $350).

Yes, puppies are cute, no matter where they come from. But absolutely no reputable breeder will sell a mix for that much money. No reputable breeder is going to put an AKC pup in a pet store alongside a dozen mutts. No reputable breeder - no breeder that deserves your money - will put animals in a pet store, period.

It makes me incredibly angry that anyone would exploit animals the way puppy mill owners do, and it makes me even more angry that a pet shop that seemed to care about the welfare of animals is actively condoning such behavior.

Please, if you’re interested in a puppy, read this for tips on selecting a good breeder. For goodness’ sake, look into your local humane society and see if THEY have puppies. Do not line the pockets of people that force animals to produce one litter after another, without regard for the welfare of any animal involved, and solely with regard to how much money they’ll be making.

And, further, if you see a pet store selling puppies, or kittens, drop whatever you’re about to purchase and walk out of there. In this case, shopping at even Petsmart or Petco is better than helping out mom-and-pop; not only do they not sell dogs or cats, but they offer space to rescue groups for adoption days and encourage adoption over purchase for all animals.

This place isn’t getting one more penny from me. Luckily, there’s another mom-and-pop pet shop down the street, and they stick to animals bred in much less horrifying conditions.

And for something more substantial: If any of you are knitters, you should join Twin Cities Stitch ‘n’ Bitch. The list is 531 members strong and a great resource for all your knitting and fiber arts needs. Another hint: if you work in downtown, there’s a lunctime stitch ‘n’ bitch on Tuesdays at noon, at the Au Bon Pain (am I the only one who reads that as, “Oh, good bread!” and imagines squeezing the plump cheek of a fresh loaf while saying so?) at 6th Street & 2nd Avenue. This area, I assure you, smells nice.

After all, it’s where I found heaven: Tremblay’s, in downtown Stillwater.

Let me tell you: I am extremely picky about candy. The vast majority of it is gross to me in some way. I like my chocolate imported and very dark. I like my sweets flavorful, not too sweet, and with a texture appropriate to their form (e.g., gummi bears that are chewy but don’t stick in one’s teeth, ju-jubes that DO stick in one’s teeth but are not hard). I was nervous about the saltwater taffy I picked out, since I’ve been burned on salt water taffy before. It’s not that it’s unedible but it certainly doesn’t make one chow down. This is entirely different. The flavor is strong enough to last throughout the whole chew, which is substantial. It’s gooey and sticky, but not in a way that sticks in your teeth. And it is the first saltwater taffy I’ve tried that is salty, and it makes a world of difference. And the chocolates! Matthew had a chocolate-dipped strawberry, which was by all accounts, delicious. We each took a turtle for later; good thing we didn’t try it then, or we’d have bought out the whole store. It was perfection. Not too sweet (my candy pet peeve), creamy caramel that wasn’t too soft, tons of toasted pecans and just the right amount of chocolate on top.

It must’ve made an impression; look at the size of that paragraph!

Instead of sitting beneath a blissful breeze of conditioned air tomorrow, I’m going to find a decent spot to canoe, and by golly, I’m going to do it. This time, it’ll be in a lake, because I figured this out about rivers: they just keep going. With my on-river navigational skills (I spent 20 years of my life on the Mississippi, and I never got the hang of having any clue where I was while on the water), we’d be in the Gulf of Mexico before I had any clue what was going on.

Fort Snelling State Park is going to be the destination, chosen both for its proximity to other stuff I want to do tomorrow and because in the seven years I’ve lived in the area, I’ve never been to Fort Snelling. While doing a litle research, I found this page, which is oddly fascinating.

About the Mississippi from Anoka to Fort Snelling, for example:

This segment of the Mississippi requires some paddling skills in order to avoid snags, sweepers, and boulders. The rapids are all Class I or riffles. Motor boats and barges often throw large wakes that can swamp unsuspecting canoeists. These wakes should not be taken broadside. Because the river is so wide, the current can be deceptively swift. Use caution in approaching the shore. Paddlers should watch for dams and know which side to portage or lock through. Stay close to shore as you prepare to enter or exit a lock. Do not cross the river directly above dams.

Wish me luck, either to avoid drowning or a nasty sunburn.

The Twin Cities area is the first major metropolitan area I’ve lived in. I started out in Bloomington, moved to a house in Richfield, got an apartment in Minneapolis’ Whittier neighborhood, and have now relocated to Robbinsdale.

The thing that I have found is that I hate the city. It’s like staying in a hotel with really great amenities (including conditioner and hand lotion and a tiny fridge and free gourmet continental breakfast in the lobby!), but with paper-thin walls, kids running and screaming in the halls, and the danger of getting killed by errant cars or bikes* anytime you venture out of your room. And, of course, it’ll take you 10 minutes to get to the elevator.

We’re (as in myself and my fiance) are still in the process of moving out of our apartment; today should be the last day of cleaning and primping. Before yesterday, I had been in the relative quiet of suburbia for three weeks straight. Already I experience culture shock when returning to the city. There’s more graffiti in my old neighborhood than ever (seriously, isn’t it just plain rude to cover a new, pretty overpass with crappy graffiti? At least use the artful stuff!), and the bike riders were out in full force, as were the pedestrians who can’t be bothered with things like “don’t walk” signs. (I love it when those people are pushing strollers. Is this supposed to be a survival-of-the-fittest thing? Cause then maybe I shouldn’t have paused.)

Oh, and although there was parking (it being Saturday morning and all), my fellow parkers parked so close to me that one of ‘em got hit. Sorry, bro, but next time you might want to leave me an INCH.

I love Minneapolis as a town and its things to do, restaurants that feed me, and the people-watching, but, man, do I enjoy having a permanently reserved parking spot, no more crowds, and peace and quiet even more.