the online journal of jordan e.

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows
Not to be cheesy or anything, but I love my family. No, we are no Family VonTrapp and we can't solve catastrophes in 30 minutes like the folks at Full House can, but I have finally realized how great they are.
I'm especially enjoying spending time with my two little bros, Jonah, a 16 year old giant and Jacob, the 10 year old wonder. A couple of weeks ago the three of us hung out in Canal Park pretending to be tourists. While Jonah remarked on "those fascinating and exotic gulls," I shot corny photos of us waving at ships and asked if there were stingrays in "them waters." Meanwhile, Jake filled a pooper-scooper bag with pinecones and "accidentally" dropped the bag on us, apologizing profusely for being so careless with his dog's doodie.
There's more than immaturity between the three of us, though. We've become each other's entertainment, accomplices and counselors. And quite recently, we've begun praying together.
I never thought I would reach the point where I would look forward to spending Friday nights with my family or laugh harder with my brothers than I do at a recording of Dumb and Dumber, but it's now clear that that point has long been established. God has blessed me richly and family is a big piece of that pie.

posted by Jordan @ 11:21 em

A Few Exerpts from the Wonder Years
As recorded in my diary on November 5, 1990. This is me, age 8...

Today at school I fond out a real mean thing that Georgeann did to me. She would always tell me to do things so one day I said Why do you keep wanting me to do things and she said I want to get you in trouble. I was really mad at her. I wish I didn't even try to be friends with her. She's always pulling on my clothes. (P.S. I hate that.) Georgeann got her name on the board today with a check. And at Brenda's I told Timmy off. But he didn't get scared. Got to go By. P.S. I know how to write in cursive.
I was just in the bathroom and just got done brushing my teeth mommy was curling her hair. Today at school its fun or Bein wich means fine in spanish. Grasie that means thanks in spanish. I have a super fun time at spanish with Amonda and Alisia. They're very nice I finally have something to look forword to on Mondays thats super. I wounder who is on the phone. Well I'v got to go see you later astea lawgao.

*One small alteration was made to this entry since it was first posted...my mom thought my 8 year-old innocence was a little too ewww.

posted by Jordan @ 6:52 em

Summer Nights
It was one of those nights. One where a drive down Mesaba didn't bring the temperature gauge down with it. One of Lakewalkers, Loopcruisers and feet that didn't walk, but feet that frolicked.
Tuesday night, after a worship service, Mary, her fiance, Troy, his friend Brian and I met at the Malt Shoppe - the little brick sweet spot serving outrageously priced Brown Cows, sundaes and malts in a bajillion flavors. Somewhere between tastes of New York Cherry and stares at the pink sky hovering over the Big Lake, we piled into Troy's car and went to the heart of the matter to search out Kelly and her guests.
Canal Park didn't need to be scaled long before some Eagle Eye spotted the white van otherwise known as "Kelly's Sweet Wheels." Like a preserved piece of 1991, her Plymouth sat in Grandma's parking lot, Michael Bolton's When a Man Loves a Woman cassette still sitting in the tape deck, no doubt. Shortly after its discovery, Kelly and her herd of Russians, who were making their way to the pier, where also found.
Kelly, using her day off from camp to play tour guide to a small crowd of Ruskies, was the hostess with the mostess. Marina, Helen, Dasha, Anna, Mila and Olga were more than delighted with Gooseberry, Split Rock and the bridge that honked back at the boats and then pulled itself up over sterns and sails.
The eleven of us walked the Lakewalk explaining (always in English) and just talking (occasionally in Russian). We made it to the end of the wooden slates in time to see a red moon rising over the water and polar cap reflections dance in white above the Fitger's chimney and over the rest of Duluth's city limits.
It was good to be home.

posted by Jordan @ 4:37 em

Whisker Rubs from the Flower Lady
"They were looking at the lady with a moustache - it's a faint one, but you can still see it there." Charlie, the Master of the Mausoleum, Boss of the Burials, King of the Crematorium was making facial hair observations. "I once knew a lady with a real moustache. She ran Marv's Drive-in in Superior. Dark, bushy moustache. Big one. That place served good burgers. Geez. But now she's buried on the right side of the Garden of the Good Sheperd - a red, double companion marker. I think she was Polish...Houski...Hooski... Big moustache."

P.S. I am so bad at emailing. So bad. I apologize to everyone who thinks I may be dead. I promise to write soon...

posted by Jordan @ 11:24 em

Lost and Found
I found a ten dollar bill the other day. Actually, I mowed over ten dollars and then I found a few of the shreds. But so is the life of a cemetery groundskeeper, three years and running.
And ripped up money is not the only perk of a full time gig at the graveyard. Just last week they purchased a new mower with the fanciful name SCAG (if only Anne Ramsey could be brought back to say that name; it surely would have fit into her charming way with words) and have given me the rights to it. Between levers, pedals and buttons, this machine leaves me feeling like one of those Shriners in a county fair parade, spinning crazy-eights around tombstones and pretending my earmuffs are really a tasseled cap.

posted by Jordan @ 11:12 em

Back in Business.

posted by Jordan @ 1:34 em

Iceland
Between hardened, twisted fields of old lava, roam herds of sheep and wild horses - cargo of the Vikings. Treeless stretches meet water on all edges and the people bundle up in wool and scarves for the midnight sun.
I've been to the moon and back and the capital is Reykjavik.
This small island, the temperate baby of its northwest giant, Greenland, hosts only 200,000 and some natives. They endure dark winters, cold summers and absolutely strange land. While Neil Armstrong trained there before going to the moon, exploring lunar-like craters and lava rock similar to the surface of that sphere of cheese in the sky, the rest is basically left to livestock and glaciers.
But when the summer solstice comes, tourists join the lambs for the island tour. Waterfalls, black beaches, thermal energy. Fish, lamb dinners, Bjork and enough sunlight that even your 3am bathroom break is guided by the light through the window panes.

posted by Jordan @ 5:02 em