Nooo! The Nook "totaled" by fire. Owners hope to rebuild and reopen in a month.
This will be the first time I have missed a Burger of the Month since I first went to The Nook and had the delicious Farmer's Daughter 35 months ago.
Can someone please invent socks that don't do this inside of every pair of winter boots ever. Thanks
And it always happens when you can't take your boots off to fix it.
Let's kick this Christmas music up a notch - Jingle Bell Rock by Thousand Foot Krutch
Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day
Some of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
One each day from December 1st until Christmas Day.
Click here for the list of all of Kvamme's Christmas Carols of the Day
Today's carol is so beautiful that it started the 1914 Christmas Truce - Silent Night - sung by the NWC Choir #KCCotD
Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day
Some of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
One each day from December 1st until Christmas Day.
Click here for the list of all of Kvamme's Christmas Carols of the Day
The Truce of 1914
In 1914 when soldiers in Europe marched out to the first great European war of the 20th century, they said they would be home by Christmas to celebrate their victory.
The young men were not home by Christmas. The war dragged on and on for years and Europe was never to be the same again.
In December of 1914, however, a strange thing happened on the Western front. It was Christmas Eve, and the weather suddenly got cold, freezing the slush and water of the trenches in which the men were bunkered down. In the German trenches soldiers started lighting candles. British sentries reported that there appeared to be small lights, raised on poles or bayonets and although these lanterns clearly illuminated the German troops, the British held their fire. Even more startlingly, British officers saw through binoculars that some enemy troops were holding Christmas trees over their heads with lighted candles in their branches!'' The Germans, who celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, were extending holiday greetings to their enemies.
A few German soldiers started singing carols and it was soon picked up all along the line as others joined in harmonizing. Then they began singing "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!" The British immediately recognized the melody and began singing "Silent Night" along with the Germans.
Then occurred one of the most unusual incidents in military history. One by one, soldiers on both sides laid down their weapons and ventured into no man's land - too many of them to prevent their superior officers from objecting. An undeclared truce had broken out spontaneously, against all orders and the rules of military combat.
One eye-witness account of the unofficial truce is given in the wartime diary kept by veteran Frank Richards. In it he wrote:"We stuck up a board with 'Merry Christmas' on it. The enemy stuck up a similar one.
"Two of our men threw their equipment off and jumped on the parapet with their hands above their heads as two of the Germans did the same, our two going to meet them. They shook hands and then we all got out of the trench and so did the Germans."
Richards explained that some German soldiers spoke perfect English. One, who had worked in Brighton before the war, said how fed up he was that they were at war and he would be glad when it was all over. His British counterpart agreed.
The men sat around campfires together singing the choruses of Christmas carols, "Silent Night" being the favorite since it was known by both sides. Before midnight they said their farewells and returned to their own lines.
According to Peter Simkins*, of London's Imperial War Museum, the Christmas Truce took place in numerous places along the battlefront.
"Along the British section of the line, about 22 miles in Flanders, particularly on and around Christmas Day (it wasn't just a Christmas Day phenomenon), both sides began to detect in the opposing trenches, certain signs of Christmas celebration (if celebration is the right word in such a setting). Germans would be heard singing, 'Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht.'
"People would shout messages like: 'Fritz, here. I was a waiter in a Manchester hotel before the war. How are my friends from the Lancashire?' On Christmas Day itself, the first curious, slightly headstrong people, perhaps, from both sides poked their head above the trenches, and being made aware that somebody on the other side wasn't going to shoot it off, then clambered cautiously out. Others followed suit. People stopped in the middle of no-man's-land, shook hands, exchanged buttons and badges, cigarettes."
The truce often ended just as it had begun, by mutual agreement. Captain C. I. Stockwell, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers recalled how, after a truly "Silent Night," he fired three shots into the air at 8.30 a.m. on December 26th and then climbed onto his parapet. The officer who had given him the beer the previous day also appeared on the German parapet. They bowed, saluted and climbed back into their trenches. A few moments afterwards, Stockwell heard the German fire two shots into the air and, as he said, "The War was on again."
* PBS "Great War" interview
"I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" - Really, someone please get me a hippo for Christmas #KCCotD #GiftIdeas
A Christmas classic from 1953 sung by Gayla PeeveyKvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day
Some of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
One each day from December 1st until Christmas Day.
Click here for the list of all of Kvamme's Christmas Carols of the Day
Nobody ever believes me when I tell them this is a real song.
Well here you go. Proof.
Perhaps my favorite Christmas carol of all. "O Holy Night" - This is my favorite version, an instrumental from the TV show "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" #KCCotD
Studio 60 was a great TV show and a great episode. You can watch it on Youtube or Netflix.Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day
Some of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
One each day from December 1st until Christmas Day.
Click here for the list of all of Kvamme's Christmas Carols of the Day
"Let It Snow" should be the perfect carol for today, assuming the weathermen are correct. #KCCotD
[audio http://tmkvamme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/06_let_it_snow_let_it_snow_let_it.mp3]
Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day
Some of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
One each day from December 1st until Christmas Day.
Click here for the list of all of Kvamme's Christmas Carols of the Day
Plus it just wouldn't be Christmas without some Bing Crosby
Honorable Mention
"Let it Snow" by Boyz II Men
Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day - 12 Days of Christmas by Bob and Doug McKenzie of The Great White North #KCCotD #GiftIdeas
Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day
Some of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
One each day from December 1st until Christmas Day.
Click here for the list of all of Kvamme's Christmas Carols of the Day
It just isn't Christmas without a visit from Bob and Doug McKenzie.
It just makes me want to watch "Strange Brew"
Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day - Hallelujah Chorus performed by a flash mob in mall food court. #KCCotD
Kvamme's Christmas Carol of the Day
Some of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
One each day from December 1st until Christmas Day.
Click here for the list of all of Kvamme's Christmas Carols of the Day
The most talented flash mob I have ever seen.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE?wmode=transparent]
Performed by Alphabet Photography in Welland, Ontario.
Coincidentally, the Adventures in Odyssey that is up for me to listen to tonight is "A Thanksgiving Carol."
Did you know that I am in a car commercial?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4va2s6w4nFE?wmode=transparent]
(It is not really me...)
New 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' trailer
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc8Ntey7G5E?wmode=transparent]
I am excited for Dawn Treader to come out this winter. I am hopeful that it will be a great movie, as it is my favorite book of the Chronicles of Narnia, but this also makes me worried that it won't live up to my expectations. I guess I will just have to wait and see when it comes out... and probably read the book (maybe all 7) before then in anticipation.
Texas middle school football team does the best trick play ever!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UIdI8khMkw?wmode=transparent]
Tried a new root beer tonight - Rat Bastard.
It was decent, not super great though. I give it a solid 3 out of 5 stars. Some people might like it better than the standards (IBC, A&W, etc) because it does taste a little fancier. I am going to put it just a little under them because it just didn't taste quite as good. Nothing really wrong with it, just not super delicious.
You have to at least give them originality points for their slogan though "Quit being a dick, Drink it."
Check out the entire Root Beer List
David Crowder Band new music video made with stop motion animation and Lite Brites!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8cAU475dQo?wmode=transparent]
Anyone want to go to the Netherlands...? World's Tallest Climbing Wall - Excalibur
121 feet high with a 36 foot overhang. Multiple routes with different difficulties.
It is only 10 euros (14 dollars) for a day pass.
More about it here if you can read Dutch.
Photos by Flickr user Eric Kieboom taken by a Canon IXUS 850IS suspended from a kite.
RT @PostSecret "How many hipsters does it take to change a light bulb?” “It's a really obscure number, you probably haven't heard of it."
"How many hipsters does it take to change a light bulb?” “It's a really obscure number, you probably haven't heard of it."
Grover - The Monster your monster could smell like.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB4P_VMNGYQ?wmode=transparent]
Michael Holmgren gets an award for possibly the best comment on a picture of me ever.
if they were to make action figures of you, and they should, I would want this one.You know how they made like, different action figures for the same person. This would be the one I want.Seriously though, think about it, there'd be formal Kvamme, (the catch phrase would be KAVAMMM!!!) He'd have karate grip action. There'd be underwater Kvamme, he'd come with a unique outfit that changed colors when wet, it'd go from blue to dark blue. Then there'd be this one. This is the one I'd buy, it'd be Cuddly Kvamme, he'd be soft.~Michael Holmgren
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31108807&id=110900313&ref=fbx_album
Root Beer
I used to rank my root beer collection by taste from best to worst. Those numbers are in parenthesis on the left. With the growing number or root beers in the collection I don't think I would be able to keep all the subtle differences straight. I am now using a star ranking.
***** These are really good root beers. If you see one buy it, drink it, enjoy it.
**** Definitely above average root beers. You won't be disappointed.
*** Average root beer, nothing special but its not to shabby either.
** These root beers try to be fancy but end up with some weird aftertaste.
* If one of these root beers are free go for it, but don't waste your money buying it.
0 Stars This category was made just for Natural Brew, the worst root beer I have ever had.
*****
(1) Henry Wienhardt's - The best root beer I have ever had. Available at Rainbow.
(2) Boylan's - Available at Byerly's.
(3) Hank's - Available at Target in the deli section.
(4) Dogs and Suds - The owner of Minnesota's Largest Candy Store says this is his favorite.
(5) Bulldog
(6) Iron Horse
(7) Dad's - Available at Cub.
(8) Sioux City - Available at Cub
(9) Captain Eli's - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(10) Buckin' Root Beer - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
****
(11) Berghoff - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(12) Spring Grove - Made and available in Spring grove, MN.
(13) Lighthouse - Available at North Carolina somewhere.
(14) Point Premium
(15) A.H. Stephans - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(16) Napa Valley
(17) Dorothy's Isle of Pines - Available at Byerly's.
(18) Clover Classic - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(19) Sprecher - Available at Cub.
(20) Blumers - Available at Old Chicago.
(21) Squamscot - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
***
(22) Goose Island (Improved Recipe) - Goose Island changed their recipe, it was a big improvement. Available at Byerlys and at Famous Daves.
(23) Sea Dog - We even made up a funny voice for the Sea Dog. Available at Club One in Alexandria.
(24) A&W - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(25) IBC - Available everywhere.
(26) Pearson's - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(27) Stewart's - Available everywhere.
(28) Judge Wapner 'I sentence you to drink my root beer." - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(29) Faygo - Available at
(30) Briar's - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(31) Thomas Kemper
(32) Robusto - Available at Aldi.
(33) Boylan's Natural
Rat Bastard - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store
**
(34) Dang! That's Good - Available at The machine Shed Restaurant
(35) Grandpa's Own - Available at Tulip Time Festival.
(36) Waialua - Available at Club One in Alexandria, MN.
(37) Gray's - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(38) Kutztown - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
(39) Maine Root - Has a childrens cough syrup aftertaste. Available at Byerlys.
(40) Goose Island (Original Recipe)
(41) Killebrew - Available at Cub.
(42) Windy City Diet - Available at some grocery store in Chicago... I forget which one.
(43) Olde Brooklyn - Available at Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.
*
(44) Frostie - Available at some grocery store in Chicago... I forget which one.
(45) Jones - Available at Target.
(46) Steaz organic sparkling great tea root beer - If you take little sips it taste pretty good, if you take a big gulp it tastes bad.
(47) Old Fashioned Root Beer - Available at Walgreens.
0 Stars
(48) Natural Brew - We think their slogan should be "You can taste the natural"
I still have about 24 that I need to drink and rank.
Jimmy Stewart reads his poem 'Beau' on the Johnny Carson Show.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUNJjIwlHk8?wmode=transparent]
Just updated my #Droid to #Froyo - Loving It.
http://androidforums.com/motorola-droid/140721-how-force-official-android-2-2...
I have been at work so I haven't had too much time to play with Froyo. Here are some of the main differences I have noticed so far.
- There are now 5 home screens instead of just 3.
- The App Launcher button at the bottom of each home screen is now 3 buttons: Phone, App Launcher, and Browser. Now you can click on them from every/any home screen and you don't need those 2 buttons. It frees up a little more space.
- There is a super handy "Update All" button in the marketplace so you don't have to click all of your apps three times each to update them. Just one handy Button
- It should be able to do USB tethering and become a wifi hotspot. I heard a rumor that either Motorola or Verizon wasn't going to allow that on the Droid. I looked and there is a settings page for tethering but I didn't see one for a wifi hotspot.
- The look of it is a little different. Not drastically but noticeably.
- It can run flash 10.1
Oregon Trail : The Movie
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHps2SecuDk?wmode=transparent]
I really wish this were real.
Just hit the root beer jackpot!
If you didn't know already, I have a rootbeer collection. So far I have 40 different kinds of root beer, ranked from best to worst, sitting on my mantle.
The growth of my collection had stalled for a while. After you have 40 it is kind of had to find new kinds... unless you are driving down HWY 169 and see a sign that says "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store." There is also a sign telling me of their many different kinds of root beer. I couldn't help but go in and check it out.
I had a discussion about my favorites and least favorites with the owner. He told me about his supplier in California and how they have different kinds at different times. I am going to have to keep stopping by from time to time I guess.
I now have 34 new kinds of root beer to taste and rank. My collection almost doubled today. My lips are excited and can hardly wait.
Today's Theme: Waves - part 2: Amazing Photos from Inside a Wave
Clark Little is a shorebreak art photographer. He takes pictures of waves from inside and underneath them.
Here are some of my favorites, if you really like them check out his book. Make sure you have someone strong to flip the pages for you though. It is 182 pages, over 100 photographs, 12x12 size, weighing close to 7 pounds.
(Clark Little with Jack Johnson (musician) and Kelly Slater (9-time Surfing World Champion) at book signing)
<via dark roasted blend>
Today's Theme: Waves - part 1: Tarp Surfing
I am really impressed with how good some of these shots look and how much it looks like a surfing video.
Just ignore the bits with the silhouetted guy talking... those bits are pretty lame, but the rest is interesting.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-vb20srZI?wmode=transparent]
Grid-It organizer looks pretty cool, might have to try make one...or you could buy me one...
Grid-It is a cool organizer with interwoven elastic straps so you can put your stuff on it in any configuation you want.
It doesn't like it would to too complicated to make something similar. Probably would be touch to make one just as polished... so you should probably just buy me one.
Some sizes even come with a neoprene sleeve.
Headed to ND and camp for the week... you had better send me a letter.
Thomas Kvamme
c/o Cooperstown Bible Camp
11776 3rd St SE
Cooperstown, ND 58425
Chronicles of Narnia : Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Trailer
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJQDPpIK6I?wmode=transparent]
Voyage of the Dawn Treader may be my favorite of the chronicles.
Let's just hope they stick to the book this time...
A new Old Spice commercial starring the man your man could smell like.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLTIowBF0kE?wmode=transparent]
Mommy Kvamme got featured on a blog.
This week my mom is being featured on Mom's Toolbox - A blog for "real moms growing in Christ."
Now that I am an adult I realize more and more how awesome my parents were when I was growing up (and still are now). There were some many lessons that they taught me that I didn't even recognize as lessons. My parents are way smarter than I ever would have given them credit for back then. Both my mom and dad were great parents and examples of Christ. What they taught me shaped so much of who I am today. I couldn't ask for better parents. Click the links to read all about how my mom dealt with all of us rowdy boys.
Part 1 - Meet Valerie, our next Real (Experienced) Mom
Part 2 - Cinnamon Roll Ministry, Pizza Snakes, Gramma Bread
Part 3 - Birthday tours, planning balanced family activities, and more unique ideas
Some of my favorite TED talks. -Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world
Here are some of my favorite videos from the TED conference. There are plenty more great talks over at TED.com so be sure to head on over there later and spend some time exploring. Below I have some of my favorites. You can click the link and go to the TED page for that talk with the video and some information on the speaker, or I have all the videos I linked to at the bottom of this post. I know you will enjoy these.
Lennart Green does close up card tricks
Lennart Green is a very funny and very talented magician. Some of these tricks you will just have to watch a second time and you still won't be able to get them.
Rives tells a story of mixed emoticons
Rives is a great storyteller using a very unusual medium for this story.
Rives on 4 A.M.
Rives again with a mind blowing, DaVinci Code parodying, look at 4 in the morning.
Adam Savage's obsessions
We have probably all seen Adam Savage on MythBusters. Here is a look into what he does on his own time, his hobbies and his obsessions.
Ursus Wehrli tidies up art
Ursus Wehrli is a comedian and the author of 'Tidying Up Art'. I don't really know how to explain what he does any better than that. You just need to watch the video.
Benjamin Zander on music and passion
Benjamin Zander has been the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic since 1979. He is also a great speaker and teacher. In this talk he will both teach and inspire you.
Ze Frank's nerdcore comedy
Ze Frank accidentally became an internet hit in 2001 with his video "How to Dance Properly". See some of his new fun things on the internet.
Arthur Ganson makes moving sculpture
Arthur Ganson is an exceptionally gifted sculptor who makes pieces that quite literally come alive.
A.J. Jacobs' year of living biblically
A.J. Jacobs is a journalist who spends a year trying to follow all the rules in the Bible as literally as possible.
Malcolm Gladwell on spaghetti sauce
Author and journalist Malcolm Gladwell talks about choice and how sometimes we don't really know what we like.
Barry Schwartz on the paradox of choice
Barry also talks about choices and how they relate to our happiness.
J.J. Abrams mystery box
Writer director and producer J.J. Abrams talks about mystery and suspense. If you watch LOST you are going to want to watch this.
Douglas Adams: parrots, the universe, and everything
Ok, so I haven't acttually watched this video yet. I just found it when gathering these others, but it is by Douglas Adams, creator of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" so it has to be good.
I have been hooked on Pomplamoose since I first heard them a few weeks ago. You should get hooked on them too.
Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn make up the duo Pomplamoose. Before I had even finished listening to a whole song by them I knew they were going to be one of my new favorites. About 90% of the time since that first listen I have had some song of theirs stuck in my head.
It is perhaps slightly deceiving to call Pomplamoose a duo. There are way more than two parts to each song. Each of them play a multitude of instruments for each song. There are countless takes and tracks and tones all going on at once. Everything gets put together into what is called a video-song, which is different from a music video. A video-song shows them playing all the different parts of the song. If you hear it in the song you will at some point see it in the video. They are both fantastic at musicians and amazing editors. Jack mixes the music and Nataly edits the video.
Pomplamoose covers a great range of artists, from Earth, Wind, and Fire and Simon & Garfunkel to Beyonce and Lady Gaga. They also have a number of songs that they wrote themselves. Whether each songs is classic, current, or their own composition what really shines through is their own personality. You can tell that they love recording these and they love making great music.
Check out a couple of my favorites below, but be sure to head over to their Youtube channel and see everything they have to offer. You can also buy some of their songs on iTunes
I know it is an ad but it is funny - Toyota Siena - Swagger Wagon.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4?wmode=transparent]
Call of Duty : Black Ops - debut teaser trailer
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKpLBPBGVIM?wmode=transparent]
I am definitely intreguied. I can't wait to see more.
The Alot is Better Than You at Everything
<Great tips for dealing with bad grammer on the internet from Hyperbole and a Half>
As a grammatically conscientious person who frequents internet forums and YouTube, I have found it necessary to develop a few coping mechanisms. When someone types out "u" instead of "you," instead of getting mad, I imagine them having only one finger on each hand and then their actions seem reasonable. If I only had one finger on each hand, I'd leave out unnecessary letters too.
If I come across a person who seems to completely ignore the existence of apostrophes and capital letters and types things like "im an eagle and im typing with my talons, so dont make fun of me cuz this is hard," I like to imagine that they actually they actually are an eagle typing with their talons. It would be a hassle if you had to hop in the air and use your feet to karate- chop two keys simultaneously every time you wanted to use the shift key to make a capital letter. Also, eagles lack manual dexterity, so I can understand why they'd want to leave out apostrophes. Eagles are all about efficiency.
But there is one grammatical mistake that I particularly enjoy encountering. It has become almost fun for me to come across people who take the phrase "a lot" and condense it down into one word, because when someone says "alot," this is what I imagine:
The Alot is an imaginary creature that I made up to help me deal with my compulsive need to correct other people's grammar. It kind of looks like a cross between a bear, a yak and a pug, and it has provided hours of entertainment for me in a situation where I'd normally be left feeling angry and disillusioned with the world.
For example, when I read the sentence "I care about this alot," this is what I imagine:
Similarly, when someone says "alot of _______", I picture an Alot made out of whatever they are talking about.
If someone says something like "I feel lonely alot" or "I'm angry alot," I'm going to imagine them standing there with an emo haircut, sharing their feelings with an Alot.
The Alot is incredibly versatile.
So the next time you are reading along and you see some guy ranting about how he is"alot better at swimming than Michael Phelps," instead of getting angry, you can be like "You're right! Alots are known for their superior swimming capabilities."
