N is for New . . . .

 . . . York
 . . . . . . . iPod
 . . . . . . . . . . Year

Dale and I had a great time in New York. I did a pretty good job documenting that trip on my BlackBerry with the old FaceBook assist. He had a grand time learning the subway himself and spent Friday at Liberty and Ellis Islands while I was at work up in the office on Second Avenue. We visited amazing restaurants, drank at McSorley's, walked across Central Park, visited MOMA, and saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. It was a fantastic trip.

Tonight I'm consumed with my new iPod. With my Christmas gift money from my in-laws I purchased my first brand new iPod. It's a 16 GB silver Nano. I already owned awesome Bose headphones (hate earbuds, they don't fit well). After Dale went to bed tonight (he has to work in the morning, I'm on vacation this week) I assumed the DJ position in front of the iMac and iPod. I've been rocking out to all the classics we have on CD that I have been uploading to my library. I remember what it felt like to be a DJ at WMCN radio at Macalester college back in the mid-eighties. I was tutored by one of the best, Herbie Bookbinder. (Katrina and the Waves just started Walkin' on Sunshine - I CANNOT hold still during this song! Back in a minute. . . . . . ) Amazing sound. Love this new system. Don't know why I resisted for so long.

So, I made a plea to all of my college classmates on FaceBook tonight to help me remember all the amazing tunes we used to rock out to at our parties. We were children of the seventies coming of age in the eighties, heavily influenced by some truly amazing blues, rock, and jazz from the sixties. Call us eclectic, but I think we cut our teeth on some pretty amazing music. My mother taught me about key changes while listening to a Garcia/Weir riff on a Grateful Dead album.

New is also for the approaching year that also marks the beginning of a new decade. It doesn't seem possible that were are so far past Y2K! This year will hold all manner of new things for the Skov family. We have yielded the annual New Years Eve part to some friends. It is no longer necessary to be home with our sons. Dale is up for a new permanent position as a Ramsey County Probation Officer - interview on Monday - prayers said and fingers crossed. I have been accepted to St. Kate's for a graduate program for a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership. Joren's still in school at Luther in Decorah, IA, and Arthur has his name in at several fire departments hoping to be hired as an EMT.

So what's new for you and yours this year? I would love to hear all about it. And thank you for all the newsy Christmas cards. I didn't manage to pull those off this year. Maybe next time . . . .