10:04 a.m. - September 27, 2007
A Trip In The Metro Area
Ick. I don�t like this feeling where I don�t feel totally sick, but I don�t feel totally well. I feel like I have a fever and a slight sore throat and I also I have a case of the ennui.
Maybe I pushed it yesterday. I had a lot of errands to run, from picking up a UPS package, to picking up laundry, to going to the store.
First, I made an error. With my internet issues at the apartment I brought my music drive to work, and when I was in a meeting I�d download the new iTunes version and sync up.
Er, what I didn�t know is that one of the network drives used the same drive letter as what the iPod did, so it gave me an error message like I had to restore the iPod, so I did.
And when it gave me the same error message, THEN I went online and found that all I needed to do is re-map the iPod�s drive.
But, when you restore the iPod you wipe everything out. And I mean everything. So when I re-synced it had over 21,000 songs to deal with. So at about 5, I let it rip.
I had to go and read the girls a story, so I left the computer here at work. So from Edina to Hopkins I went.
I then went back to the office to check on the iPod. It was only 1/3 done, so I decided to just wait and get the iPod in the morning.
Edina to Hopkins to Edina.
The UPS office is in Maple Grove, which is on the far Northwest side of the metro area. Fortunately, it�s pretty easy to access.
However, while I was on 169 and listening to NPR and then the Twins game, I saw this bank of thunderstorms coming towards the Cities. It was pretty amazing to look at the black clouds, lightning and rain in the distance. But it didn�t stay in the distance. About 2 miles south of 94 it cut loose.
So I had to drive in a pouring rain in an unfamiliar area and make sure I find the UPS store.
But actually, it�s not so hard to find. 85th street is fairly easy street to find, but not well lit. Ah, well.
So I got the package. Why Amazon decided that Into The Wild was worth a signature is beyond me.
Edina to Hopkins to Edina to Maple Grove.
Then I needed to get my laundry. That�s in the Uptown district of Minneapolis. So the question for me was how do I get from Maple Grove to that area in the rain without a map.
Fortunately, I had done some exploring, and I remembered on my trips to St. Paul that near 94-394 there�s an exit for Hennepin.
So I took 169 down to 394 and then headed over towards 94. But�
�that exit is kind of funky for a newbie. Like many urban exits, they carved the ramps out of existing streets, so you needed a little knowledge before you got in there.
So I missed the turn onto Hennepin at first. Mainly because it was marked Lyndale, and I didn�t see the little sign that said �HENN AVE.�
But I found where I was going, and after getting caught in a wrong lane I soon found my way on Hennepin, and from there it wasn�t far at all to the laundry.
I did have to wedge my CR-V in between a dumpster and another parking spot, but that I did. The rain had dissipated into a drizzle, so getting my laundry wasn�t fraught with peril.
Edina to Hopkins to Edina to Maple Grove to Uptown.
Now, groceries. The nearest Cub Foods to where I live is in St. Louis Park. It�s also on the way back to my place.
The trip to Cub was rather pain free, really. The rain had stopped. It wasn�t horribly crowded. They had the stuff I wanted. Score.
Edina to Hopkins to Edina to Maple Grove to Uptown to St. Louis Park to Hopkins.
Then I put away my laundry, watched Dirty, Sexy, Money and read a bit.
But this morning, I feel a bit bleargh. Oh, spit.
But I�m still breathing, and I�m going to see everyone tomorrow. So there�s that! That should make me feel better. Though I hope Liz has a lot of OJ at home!
