MN: a day in the life: September 2007

Moonlight Festival

Shinobu and I went to the Chinese Moonlight Festival @ SCSU. Unlike other cultural events on campus, this event was completely interactive and engaging. They had many booths set up around the ballroom in which the audience could participate by trying kung-fu, playing toys and games like Chinese yo-yo, trying on Chinese traditional clothes and calligraphy.
Our friend Vivian organized the Moonlight Festival event (above). She did a wonderful job! I was very proud of her and her hard work! :)

Hopefully future culture events will be as entertaining...

up north (again)

Well, this marks my third consecutive weekend spent at the Lake. I know Minnesota's Fall season will only last another month, so I have been trying to get up to the cabin as much as possible. The colors have yet to turn, but we enjoyed running and biking through the woods just the same. Dustin has become quite the long-distance runner, too! My brother Mike and his girlfriend Jenny also wanted in on the Fall fun. We all drove up Friday nite and had the place to ourselves (free of parents, etc). After a long reunion-like party Friday nite, the four of us went golfing the next day. I think I shot my best round of the year (with a legit 54----on nine of course)! It was Jenny's first time out on the lynx and she proved the real winner on the day w/ a great attitude. Just when I feel like I might-kinda-maybe-sorta be getting the hang of the this sport...winter hits!

The best part about being Up North during this time of the year is that,

other than a few local fishermen, no one else is around.

Grad school is exhausting and stressful, but a few short days Up North has proven to be the best recipe for relaxation and rejuvenation.

(ahem...relaxation comes in many forms among the Parry clan)

Good to see you guys this weekend!

Wish you lived closer... :)

Have a great semester - see you guys around the holidays!

here fishy fishy

I spent last weekend with my Dad @ the cabin. After a few chores around the yard, we resolved to spend about 4 hours out on the lake fishing each day. Haven't fished that much in years...and man, the tendonitis in my wrists has been awful! (A small price to pay for quality dad-daughter time) Pictures above are from our first day's catch --- the biggest being a 7 pound pike! And pictured below is the smallest catch - a 7 ounce pike :)
Dad's look of horror & disbelief.
In all his years of fishing,
this was the smallest pike he'd ever caught.
Fortunately, the other 20 decent-sized fish made up for it! Now, there's a smile!

hat trick

Met up with one of my best friends and her husband for some darts. I have never been a good at darts, but enjoy the friendly competition every now and again. After the game ended, I decided to throw 3 more...and I got 2 bullseyes! I walked up to the board, plucked the missing dart and threw it back for yet another bullseye! So, 3 out of 4 darts were bullseyes. I guess it isn't an "official" hat trick, but pry the closest I'll ever come to the real thing :)