Ten Years...

Two Sundays ago, on September 11, 2011, I thought all day about what that day meant and the events that occurred 10 years ago meant. Two very distinct events revolving that horrible day are never far from memory. The first was how I found out about the acts of terror. I was in band class as a 9th grader. That day, it seemed like the faculty just mentioned what happened. But in reality, they were trying to convey to us the importance of what was going on. However, I wouldn't fully understand the significance until the following Sunday.

I remember the congregation being larger than ever on Sunday, September 16. People must have been searching for some sort of solace in their religion, considering the wide range of emotions we all experienced those five days prior. Pastor Steve started the sermon in a calm manner. For the most part, I felt that is what people were looking for: to be calmed. But after about five minutes of soothing speech, he began to scream, yell, and convey anger, hurt, and grief. While this seemed to amplify my feelings, it forced me to understand just how big of an effect the acts of terror had on myself and society.

The first Sunday Night Football game fell on September 11: Jets versus the Cowboys in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The pre-game show and National Anthem brought similarly intense feelings from that day, ten years prior. Lady Antellebum had the honor of sing the Star Spangled Banner. And since it made me shiver, I felt it more than warranted to reiterate it's passionate emotions here.

Last Minute Decision

Today is the first day of classes at the University of Minnesota. This reminds me of how beneficial my time at the University was. Although I am still putting the final touches on my master's degree, this is the first time in six years that I won't actually be in the classroom.

Like most college bound students, it all started during my junior and senior year of high school. I visited six schools and applied to all six. However, I was only going to apply to five. After my visit to the University of Minnesota, coupled with my long time, jaw-dropping appreciation for all things maroon and gold, I wasn't so sure it was worth it to apply to be a Gopher. Everything about the sprawling, urban campus amazed me. I struggled to identify whether the idea of myself as a gopher was a possibility or a reality.

Nonetheless, I applied to the University of Minnesota. The preparation of application materials was pretty eye-opening to me. In all of the "hustle and bustle" I managed to send off my application package on the last possible day. There were a couple noteworthy items associated with the correspondence I received from the U a few months later. Jesse Jay Brown was not accepted, but Tesse Jay Brown had been accepted. This individual was also accepted into the College of Agriculture, Environmental, and Food Sciences. My first choice was the College of Education and Human Development, whose acceptance requirements were "lower" than the former.

It still scares me to think about how close I was to not even applying to the U of M. And it scares me to think about what my college experience would have been, had I not been a Gopher. Whether it was living in Minneapolis, playing on the lacrosse team, figuring out the city bus lines, my friends, classes, work, or being close to Prior Lake, the whole experience played an extremely large role in who I am today. I have absolutely no regrets about becoming a Gopher. In my mind, it is the greatest academic institution on the planet. I understand that there are many people who don't agree with me. I am okay with that, but I hope they have an experience that is comparable to mine.

My Top Ten Beers

Deciding on an alcoholic beverage is not unlike social media. Yes, Twitter, Facebook, and blogs are avenues that allow people to express themselves and to stay connected with friends, family, and acquaintances. However, these tools also allow people to create a reputation for themselves. You have the power to show people components of your life that make them think a certain way about you. Now, choosing a beer can be that but it is also about taste as well...

Some people choose a beer based on what that particular product or brand conveys about the consumer. I will admit I am guilty of that. My conscious thought says, "If I get this beer, they will think I'm cool, not trying to be too flashy, and maybe I'm a little mysterious."

Regardless, I still do choose my beers based on taste but they also have their own aura about them. So, here are my top ten beers:

10. Lift Bridge Farm Girl (Tasty, support local)

9. Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy (Lemonade and Beer fusion...)

8. New Glarus Spotted Cow (Farm boy, "I like beer...")

7. New Belgium Ranger IPA (Hint of class, but "I'm trying to get drunk")

6. Bell's Hopslam Ale ("What happened last night?")

5. 21st Amendment IPA (West coast vibe, shows your daring side)

4. Grain Belt Nordeast (Hipster, alternative, and a little hint of class)

3. Surly Furious ("I'm a badass")

2. Summit EPA (One of the well known MN breweries, can't go wrong)

1. Grain Belt Premium (Average joe, not a douche bag, friendly)

The Adventure Blog: Taking Care Of Mother Earth

The Adventure Blog: Taking Care Of Mother Earth: I've seen this video making the rounds a bit the past week or so, and thought it was worth sharing here as well. For starters, it is beautif...

Bike around Minneapolis...

A video I filmed, produced, starred in, and created--all in about three hours of work. One perspective I have of this video is that it is centered around biking. This is a fantastic mode of transportation that is is simple, outstanding exercise, and conducive to our struggle against the waning health of our environment. The second perspective is that this is an artistic expression that really involved about three hours of my time. I wish I could devote more time to things like this. But the cool thing about it is that for those three hours, I wasn't sitting on the couch--I was doing something that improved my state of mind.