The Road (actually) Taken

What have I actually been up to for the past months?  I've shared no tales of New York or any other location.

Let's begin with Thanksgiving.  It was celebrated Monday the 12th while my sister, the veterinarian, was home.  This left me in the city available for Target's Black Friday at 9 p.m.  I had a new apartment to furnish, so 50% off deals were my destination.

Living downtown meant the line for my Target was far shorter than average.

Yet, there were still many bustling about the store as soon as the doors opened.  However, my targeted items--pots, pans, and tupperware--were not as contended as the big-screen TVs.

My actual Black Friday was with a friend, Sijie, to see the Terracotta Soldiers at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  It was free between 6 a.m.-7 a.m.  I'll wake up early for that!

That's right.  I said "Minneapolis" Institute of Arts, meaning I took a full-time job in Minnesota.  Here's the view from my apartment's 33rd story pool.

...and one of my favorite views of the city. This is a mere 6 blocks from my new home.  I've abandoned my car and moved downtown--only 1 mile from work, 5 blocks from the Guthrie Theater, 2 blocks from the Central Library, and 5 blocks from Hennepin Avenue restaurants and theater.

Being an old man in a young body, I, yep, actually signed up and went on a tour of the central library.

 ...found my library card from college and got a book!

Why the Change?
My thought for a place to live is that many factors must combine to exceed some level of quotient of happiness.  The thinking a month ago was that Minneapolis is a good city, so I want a great job to be happy.  I went to New York thinking NYC is a great city, so I just need a good job to be happy.  Then I realized that Minneapolis is a good city, but with great people!

One of my closest friends from China, Della, on the new rooftop to Union restaurant downtown.

Casey, my best cycling friend after enduring the library tour and trying foie gras at 112 Eatery downtown.

Paul, a former roommate and great friend showing off the Ecolab hand sanitizer at the entrance to the Gopher basketball game.  (Paul works at Ecolab, and their hand sanitizer is actually a competitor of a product my company makes.)

Lara, Paul, Amy, and me at the Gopher game as proud alums, trying to teach the current students what it means to be Gopher fans.

J Michael and me with real martinis in my real person apartment (gosh, I can't believe I'm a grown up.)

Grown-ups still can have fun martinis, right?  Here the cinna-itini, complete with crushed candy cane rimmed glass and an ugly Christmas sweater.

We took warm winter drinks to watch Holidazzle on Nicollet mall (only 2 blocks from my apartment.)

 

Jim and Danny after helping them move in and dining at Nightingale in Uptown.

 Ryan with the disgusting 15-year-old-girl expression "YOLO" (You Only Live Once.)  Ryan's new favorite expression.

 And Family.  My first real Thanksgiving since 2008--four years without Thanksgiving.

My Gopher-loving aunt and uncle, Cheryl and Brad, are but 30 minutes away, yet ever-present every chance there is for a Gopher event.

Plus celebrating a birthday--my sister Kim's.  Also haven't been around for a family member's birthday for three years.

With my sister, Katie, now living in the Twin Cities, I get to be a bad influence to her on a regular basis--here with Tequila at Barrio in St. Paul.

This is now my life.  I live in the best biking city in the country (screw you, Portland!)  Highest average credit score (Minnesotans are so trustworthy that after a year of the city-sponsored bike-rental program, not a single bike was stolen.) Fittest city in the US, the least stressed city in America, and the most literate in the country, meaning we're "too busy learning about stuff to be cool."

More specifically, I work here:

...at Coloplast, a Danish medical device manufacturer.

 I am now, Rick Lonneman "Commercial Excellence Analyst." This means half of my work is with strategic pricing and the other half is being an analyst on anything the President or Vice President wants done.

Then I live here!

 Living room.

 (bedroom: room needing the most renovation, but functional for now.  Note the Ikea-purchased picture above the bed. It's the great city, Minneapolis.  I'm happy to be home.)

My 14th story balcony view of the Mississippi river and the historic Stone Arch Bridge.

At night, the historic Hennepin avenue bridge.

Yep, I've chosen to stay in Minneapolis and I'm already loving it.  The job allows a great work-life balance allowing me to lead a calendar like this week where I have plans Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, and Sun.  I'd rather be exhausted from living too much than well-rested having lived too little.

Later Days,
Rick