PaladinLost's blog: "Tales from the Mundane"

Walking toward the detached garage in Minneapolis, I notice something behind the shed. Since we had a neighbor who liked to leave the alley gate open, I figured I better close it. I walked through the now missing shed and along side of the garage admiring my neighbors ability to grow weeds in her garden I suddenly become keenly aware of the garage. I was as if, as if THE GARAGE WAS ALIVE AND EVIL. I don't know how or why or what, but I was terrified. I screamed - or rather I tried to scream. I tried and tried, but to no avail. I was near an evil garage unable to scream. I was doomed or maybe, just maybe I was dreaming. And then I had clarity. Yup I was dreaming. That explains all this irrationality and looniness. So I am safe and asleep. I can't scream because of sleep paralysis. No problem, I understand this, but what I don't know is just how loud can I scream in a dream. I can do this experiment, taking a big dream breath, I let out a scream "argh" I can do better than that.. "ARGhh" Weak. One more time: "ARGGH!!" "TOM WAKE Up" It was Ann. She was shaking me and talking at me. She seems upset "You were making horrible noises. It must have been a horrible dream" "Oh no, not at all," I reply, "I was just testing how loud I could scream in a dream" WACK - my wife just hit me - WACK - again? Why is she mad?

So let me say a few important sports related things:

1. I like college sports over professional sports.
2. I think the pro baseball season is too damn long. It should start in May and end by September. With over 100 games, why should I care about any one game?
3. The NBA should finish its season in April. Basically once the NCAA finishes, follow that momentum and start their tournament.
4. Why does the NFL play in Febuary? WTF. Finish in January darn it. Football is a Fall sport.
5. I love to watch women's basketball. Tall girls are hot
6. when forced to pick teams here is my list

• NFL = Steelers
• MLB = Cardinals (but really just the hometown team
• NHL = Penguins
• NBA = San Antonio Spurs. I love good play in the paint ;)
• NASCAR I do not follow, but I 'love' Danica Patrick. She revs my motor
• college = THE ohio state university

Last night we went to sleep under a severe storm warning, but it was definitely north of us. No worry foolishly thought I. Today we woke and took Rebecca to the airport. After breakfast and shopping we make it home. Sure it was windy all morning - worse than most winds-days, but I didn't give it any thought.As we are pulling into the drive way I instantly notice something is wrong. I tell Ann "The big tree is down." "what" "Backyard" - I feel my panic rising so I focus on nouns - "Tree" "What?" I stop the car and point having given up on words. I drop into problem-solving mode. I nearly hope out of the running car to inspect the damage, when my brain kicks back on to notice the tree is down and whatever else might be true, gravity always wins. "Okay I am calm now" I say, really to me. I push the garage door button to no avail. No power. I park the car and get out. Our power runs along the other side of the house from the tree, so I walk the house and see the rest of neighborhood is dark. Clearly I am not alone in my tree carnage. We go inside the house and the dogs are freaked out. We calm them down and call our TreeGuy. Now I have even more chores to do. I posted a few pictures of the Tree that decided not to fall on the house but instead fell the perfect way out of harms way. So long fence.