PostBadge tag to show // FeedBurner FeedFlare. // ------------------------- // FeedBurner account and feed required. // Sign up at http://feedburner.com //================================================ class module_feedflare { function init(){ global $gregarious; $gregarious->add_settings ( array ( 'feedburner_url' => '' ) ); $gregarious->add_page ( 'FeedFlare', 'modules/feed-flare/icn_Flare.png', 'page_feedflare();', 'feedFlare' ); } function postbadge_tags(){ return array ( array ( 'tag' => '%FLARE%', 'replacewith' => 'feed_flare("",false)' ), ); } function update_info(){ return 100; } } //------------------------------------------ // TEMPlATE TAGS //------------------------------------------ function feed_flare($settings = '', $echo = true){ global $wp_query; $post = $wp_query->post; $sets = array('postID' => $post->ID, 'before' => '', 'after' => 'Gregarious FeedFlare', 'force' => 0 ); grab_sets($settings, $sets); if ( !$sets['force'] && hideOnID($sets['postID']) ){ return ''; } if( !$path = _get_feedburner_url() ) return ''; if( substr( $path, -1 ) == '/' ){ $path = substr( $path, 0, strlen( $path ) -1 ); } $path = str_replace ( 'feedburner.com/', 'feedburner.com/~s/', $path ); $path .= '?i='.get_permalink($sets['postID']); $result = $sets['before'] . "" . $sets['after']; if($echo) echo $result; else return $result; } function _get_feedburner_url(){ $feedurl = greg_get_option( 'feedburner_url' ); if ( $feedurl ){ return attribute_escape($feedurl); } else { $feedburner_settings = get_option('feedburner_settings'); if( is_array($feedburner_settings) && ($feedurl = $feedburner_settings['feedburner_url']) ) { return attribute_escape($feedurl); } else { return false; } } } //------------------------------------------ // OPTIONS PAGE //------------------------------------------ function page_feedflare(){ $feedurl = _get_feedburner_url(); ?> Tag Archive for ‘Minneapolis’ at spencerb.net

Tag Archive for 'Minneapolis'

MPLS Ultimate

Published on June 25, 2009 in Minneapolis and Sports. 2 Comments


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Wow it feels good to be back out on the River Flats playing ultimate. I had a great time with Dan yesterday getting used to tossing a disc again. It felt good and I think everything came back pretty quickly.

If you are reading this and you are interested in playing a few pick-up games, leave a comment. (Yes Dan, I know you want to).

Ultimate really is a great sport. It is so cheap, a $20 (or so) frisbee and you just need a friend to start playing. You get to control the pace of the game. You can go toss it for a while in a big circle and move very little. You can play with two people and chase down a bunch of long throws. Or if you want, you can play an all out competitive game. It takes just enough skill where practicing is worthwhile. A sport loses a certain element when no practice or skill is required. I think that element is a measure of competitiveness and fitness.

The point is: Let’s play soon!!!

Rule #1: Stay Hydrated

Published on June 24, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Sports. 1 Comment

Right now I am partially annoyed with Wordpress because I wrote this post yesterday and it did not post. The draft was simply the title.

This will be the Clif’s Notes version of the post that is lost on the interwebs.

Yesterday reminded me of a critical lesson that I took the chance to forget over the winter. Hydration is key to training and physical activity in general. MN summers provide plenty of scorchers like yesterday in the high 80’s. Since summer is finally upon us and I’m finally back in the TC, it is time to get outside and do all the amazing things summer lets you do.

Prior to a race or big event it is best to stop training or train very very lightly for about a week. During this time period hydration is absolutely essential. It will increase comfort and performance on race day. This means drinking a lot of water and electrolytely beverages (like gatorade). Staying hydrated is equally important for training and working out. Sometimes it is easy to forget about.

On the other hand, it is something incredibly easy to do everyday to ensure that you will be ready to go when you want to be. The important thing is to keep it mind, not to obsess over it.

This post is the first in a series preempting an exciting (albeit late starting) summer in MN.

On Moving

Published on June 11, 2009 in Life, London, Minneapolis and Minnesota. 1 Comment

This post could also be entitled “On the Most Ridiculous Experience Known to Man” or “On the Biggest P.I.T.A. Ever”. Moving sucks. About every year or two you forget about how much it actually sucks. Especially as you begin to own more positions. And ESPECIALLY as you have more space to fill.

I’ll be honest…I have too much stuff. In particular, I have too many items of clothing which are easy to fold up and hide away in a drawer.

Sometimes it is hard to get rid of things that you just don’t need. More specifically, it is hard to make the condemning act of getting rid of it. There are plenty of things that I have set aside as Maybe Get Rid Ofs. Not enough things that are actually being gotten rid of.

It is really strange making a move back home, but also in anticipation of a move overseas.

Keeping Busy

Published on April 2, 2009 in Life, Minneapolis and School. 1 Comment

I’m sitting down, trying to brainstorm a blog post. Usually, if I don’t have much to say, I don’t say anything or I dig through my drafts to find something relevant. It is kind of funny to look through the few unfinished blog posts and see the no-longer relevant titles like “Happy New Year!” and “Happy Holidays” or analysis from the elections.

I have been less of news-whore since this fall’s campaign, so I’ve missed a few opportunities to post articles that have been of interest to me. Plus, I’m not sure what people like more: my political grand-standing or just daily musings? Let me know.

For today, I came up with this title. “Keeping Busy”. In some respects, I thought this title laughable. What does it really mean to be busy? I can say from personal experience that my perception of business inflates how busy I actually am. This is true for everyone. The things that matter most to us are those that most directly affect us. Obviously, our schedule and daily routine is one of the main things affecting each of us everyday.

I talked to Dan yesterday. He was providing me even more help with my recent server project. Earlier in the day, he couldn’t text me because he was at work. I felt busy doing homework, but my day was constrained only by myself and a late-night practice. Dan was stuck at work, constrained by losing his job if he chose to just walk out. I feel busy everyday at school, as the work piles up and midterms get closer, but again that is constrained by time and the work I put in before that day.

At times, it is easy to feel infinitely busy, in other words so busy you cannot get everything done. Often this is true, there are only so many hours in a day. But how often is this case only because of choices we have made earlier? Probably always.

There is another constraint though, besides the ones driving you toward 100% productivity. Any human being that I know needs to relax, we can’t be busy all the time. Ironically, I find myself stressed out all too often trying to figure out how I’m going to relax. Sometimes…you can plan too much.

I chose the title keeping busy to reflect the effort that goes into staying on task and the lack of effort which can create business. To put it another way, both choices are keeping me busy.

While it is easy to exaggerate beyond anything reasonable. We also have to consider that I spend some time playing video games, watching movies, and surfing the web. Evidently, there is free time to be had. My goal for this Spring is to focus some of that free time into working out more. Past winters, I have replaced running, swimming, biking, and playing tennis with lifting. Too cold to be outside, so go to the gym. This winter, let’s just say I did not go to the gym as much as I would have liked. So I need to get back into shape. I firmly believe that being back in Minneapolis will foster that activity. It is one of the best places to run, bike, and just be outside.

Everyone…you’ve had fair warning. Pump up your bike tires, get out your tennis rackets, and get ready for summer (it’s coming…I swear!).

Grab the Mechanical Bull by the Horns

Published on March 22, 2009 in Minneapolis, Travel and Weather. 1 Comment

Kansas City turned out to be a lot of fun. The highlight of the night was easily going to a western themed bar that had a mechanical bull that you could ride for free (after paying a small cover to get in). Inside, there were a lot of people and the atmosphere was fun. Monica and I both decided to give it a try. It was tough, but a LOT of fun. I would recommend that everyone ride a mechanical bull at some point.

As I mentioned last post, there is a new area in KC called the Power and Light District, there are a lot of bars, restaurants, and entertainment in this area, including a movie theater and a bowling alley. It is obvious the area is new and intended to draw people into the city. It reminds me somewhat of Minneapolis’s Block E. The cool thing that KC has that MPLS doesn’t have is the weather to have a big outside pavilion that has a stage and a lot of seating. It also has electric heaters on the roof for cooler nights, making it very versatile.

Tonight, we stayed in Pueblo, Colorado. Honestly, it has been interesting getting into the Southwest and leaving the Plains. The atmosphere changed quite a bit. Pueblo is slightly depressed economically, but it has a historic main street area that is quite charming. Recently, they built a River Walk that has several restaurants and stores nearby. It gave the downtown area a much more personal (and safe) feel.

The weather has thrown a wrench in our plans. A big storm hit the West Coast and the forecast indicates much cooler temperatures are coming. As Dan commented on last post, the great thing about road trips is flexibility. We’ll see where we end up.

Stay tuned.

<3 Minneapolis Viewers

Published on February 20, 2009 in Blog, Minneapolis and Minnesota. 2 Comments

Google Analytics demands that I give a shout out to my Minneapolis, MN viewers.

Keep reading and I’ll keep blogging (actually, I probably will regardless, but keep on anyway).

<3,

spencerb

Washington Mutual Failure, JP Morgan Chase Buyout

Published on September 26, 2008 in Business, Chicago, Economics and News. 0 Comments

When Monica and I moved to Chicago, I shopped around different banks in the city.  Bank of America had just bought LaSalle as a part of the ABN Amaro deal, so they had Chicago pretty well covered.  I considered Harris because it originated in Chicago, but it was bought out as well.  My TCF account of Minneapolis origins wouldn’t suffice anymore and ultimately I chose Washington Mutual.  Now my account is with Chase.  Based on location and focus on customer service (and an online savings account), I was convinced this was a great idea.  At the time, it was.  Even now, its not a horrible choice, the account is insured and I’ll soon be banking with Chase.  At least, I’ll have access to more ATMs…

I have some more serious thoughts on the financial crisis, but I’m working on a more serious and well-thought out post.

Now, the Washington Mutual webpage displays this message:

“WaMu Customers, Welcome to JPMorgan Chase!

We’re proud to welcome you to one of the nation’s largest banks; as of September 25, 2008, All WaMu customer deposits are now deposits of JPMorgan Chase, one of the strongest financial institutions in the world.

WaMu customer deposits — including checking accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit — are now backed by the strength and security of JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan Chase has more than $2 trillion in assets and is the largest depository bank in America.

Our combined company will offer superior banking convenience — over 5,400 branches and 14,000 ATMs in 23 states.”

Returning from the MPLS

Published on September 23, 2008 in Chicago, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Travel. 0 Comments

I am tired from a day of travel, but I wanted get a few thoughts down before heading off to bed (yes, its early, but tomorrow is my first day of fall classes. Hopefully, before Friday I can chronicle some of the week’s events.

I had a great trip this time. I spent almost a week in the Twin Cities. That amount of time almost felt like too long to be away from home, but it makes you wonder where home really is. It seems that a lot of people I know are grappling with that question right now. As I retell last week’s events, it will become more clear what I mean.

The more time I spend in Chicago, the more certain that the city makes for a great adventure, but beyond that only time will tell.

35W Bridge Collapse

Published on August 2, 2007 in Minnesota and News. 0 Comments

A big part of me does not want to add to any drama. I think the magnitude of the situation precludes a few poorly taken pictures on this blog amplifying what the media is creating. Watching the news rehash this is difficult to continuously see, but the desire to know more about what happened keeps drawing me to it.

Bridge Collapse 3

Seeing what happened in person is eerie and disturbing. The view of the mangled bridge looked like something from a movie or the result of an earthquake, not something that happens in Minneapolis. Myself and everyone I know frequents this bridge. The scary think is there is nothing special about 6:05 pm, August 1st, 2007. The bridge could have collapsed at an equally unspecial time and someone in my life, if not myself could have easily been on it. Irrational personal lamenting aside, this is a tragedy for the people involved.

Bridge Collapse 2

It also begs the question about who is responsible and what the government should have been doing. I think it is a great example of the power the representatives of the people have. At no point in my life have I contemplated personally hiring an inspector to check the bridges I drive on or the buildings I enter. I and my fellow citizens assume they are safe.

Bridge Collapse 1

On a shallower level than a lost loved one, this event will effect Minnesotans live in memory and practice for many years. 280 has been turned into a freeway to accomodate traffic to 94 and then back to 35W. Being a U of M student who lives blocks from this bridge, I am certain we will see an immediate effect. Even the bit of construction that effected this stretch of road had a major impact on traffic.

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