Today I am a ham!

Well, playing with my little Radio Free Klingon set wasn't enough. Actually, it gave me the impetus to finally go ahead and get my radio amateur license.

This morning I drove up to Blaine to a monthly exam session run by the Anoka Radio Club. I wasn't sure if I was reading my directions correctly, but I looked ahead and realized I was following a truck with 6 different antennas - I was on the right track! And, it turned out that I could have carpooled as a neighbor, who recently got his license, showed up to take an advanced exam.

My studying paid off, and I passed the exam (it isn't too hard), and I stopped on the way home to pick up a radio:

Now I just have to wait for the FCC to process my paperwork - then I'll have a call sign and permission to transmit to other amateurs - till then I'll be figuring out how to use the radio.

2004 Christian Ashram

Over the weekend our family (including Maria's parents, and Tom's girlfriend Beckie) went to the 20th annual Minnesota Christian Ashram at St John's University in Collegeville, MN (near St Cloud). We had a wonderful spirit filled time over the days that we were there. And of course we overate at their wonderful buffet. I think I gained 20 pounds!

On Saturday afternoon all of us (except Stevie) walked out to the Stella Maris Chapel that sits on the shore of the lake on campus. I proposed to Maria on that spot 3 years ago, and now we showed everyone where the big proposal had happened. We also took a group photo on the steps of the chapel. Here it is:



UPDATE:

Since i didn't include a picture of Stevie before, here is a photo of him performing for everyone at the talent show with his good friend John Robert.

More on AARP (we old folks tend to repeat ourselves)

Maybe some of us consider being forced to look at gorgeous 50-year-old movie stars a downside to membership. AND, who needs cheap motel rooms when you can stay with relatives? Speaking of staying with relatives...

Liv, Joel, and I planned a four-day college trip to the Boston area in the middle of the month. This simple, utilitarian trip just keeps evolving, however, and the college search is now a minor sidenote. After I contacted my two first-cousins-once-removed in the area, one insisted we spend two days with them at his mother-in-law's house on Martha's Vineyard, and the other was going to be on vacation herself, but offered us her car and Harvard Square apartment. We've accepted everything but the car! (having driven in Boston before). And when Norris heard about MV, he had to join the trip. Between the four of us, to accommodate schedules and frequent flyer free tickets, we are flying out on three different flights, hoping to eventually meet up with each other.

I'll try not to break Emmy's lamp.