La Crosse, WI (April 2008)

La Crosse is where I met Rita, and where Adam and my daughter Audrey were born. In La Crosse I fell into a group of people who helped me get through college, and who, 25 years later, are still willing to take the time to just hang out.

This is what we looked like, back then
(Click on a photo to see a larger version)

(L to R) Lardy, Laurie, Bob, Liz, Brian, Ruth, Kathy, Bill. We are outside Bud's Bar, in 1983 or 1985. (Photo provided by Bob Strous).

(L to R) Liz, Brian, Laurie, Bill, Kathy, Bob. I do not remember this moment, so I cannot explain my facial expression -- messing with someone, probably. (Photo provided by Bob Strous).

Some Back Story

The whole area was filled with tables and chairs, and students congregated between classes.

Right outside the bookstore, for reasons that science cannot explain, there was a table like all the others, that attracted a somewhat better, somewhat older, somewhat funnier, somewhat more interesting set of students. Like somebody said at the the time, "the creamy de la creamy". We were funny that way (spelled creme de la creme, we said creamy for comic effect).

Like college students throughout history, we gathered at that table, day after day and year after year, catching up and attempting to keep up.

That Was Then, This Is Now

The conference headquarters were in this big room, with lots of tables and a stage at one end of the room. I am thinking we are underground.	I went upstairs to look around and try to find the old table if it was still there.
I saw this woman, and saw her nametag. I said, "you won't remember me."	She looked up at me, after 25 years, and said, "Brian?" (she might have been reading my nametag)
It was Marilyn. Her husband had died, after a battle with cancer and stroke, and she reported that Bernice had retired to high rise nearby. Marilyn has worked at UW-L for 34 years, and will retire next year. She was the constant in The Cellar where we went for beer after class.
The conference featured many scholarly talks in rooms like this, but usually with more people.	The robot contest was a mob scene. This photo was taken by the conference organizers, and 'borrowed' by me. Note the black circle drawn around Kevin and me (I think I see Ruthie, just to the right of us).
This is the winning robot ...	This is another 'borrowed' photo, featuring Colin's hat (circled in yellow)
... in action	This is another 'borrowed' photo, featuring Colin himself (circled in black)
The southside of Kevin and Ruth facing north	Ruth and me, circled in yellow (photo 'borrowed' from the MICS web site)
Ruthie, Ruthie, Ruthie ...	Ruth and me, circled in black (photo 'borrowed' from the MICS web site)
A titanic struggle between robot players. Yes, that is the back of Colin's head blocking your view.	Kevin, Ruth, and me, circled in black (photo 'borrowed' from the MICS web site)
Dan from Moorhead. His team won last year.	Colin circled in yellow (photo 'borrowed' from the MICS web site)
Brian and Kevin circled on the left, Colin circled on the right (photo 'borrowed' from the MICS web site)	The conference banquet was held after the robot contest.
I was recently at a conference with these two guys, on board a ship, if you must know.	This is a little robot ...
... described by this guy, who was the invited speaker.	After the banquet I went out with Ruth and Liz. There was much hilarious conversation. At one point I looked out the window and waved to my wife who was 200 yards away and six stories above us.
Vijay, was there (Vijayakumar Shanmugasundaram, I only give his full name because it is so awesome), from Concordia, here captured across the table from Keith Burand, Lecturer, who I never had a class with, and who I sort of remember as a much straighter dude back in the early 80s.	Meanwhile, the conference raged on. I took this picture because my soon-to-be opposite number at UND, Ron Marsh is centered in the photo. He and I and Ruthie had a drink in 1999, but nobody but me remembers it (and I asked them both). Ron claimed he could not remember being in La Crosse before.
They gave out prizes to the students who won the various contests. I think this might be a programming team (not the robotics team).	Then I spent a couple minutes talking with Dr. Riley. He does not remember me as a student, although he sort of tries to. He is one of the all time good guys in computer science, and a teacher by trade and inclination.
I drove down Vine St. What a strange trip. This is a photo taken back towards campus - just about every building is "new" and designed to house students. In my day it was more of a 'neighborhood' mix of citizens and students. Now it is aluminum siding as far as you can see.	Except, the first hovel I lived in, in my first term at UW-L, is still there. I stopped the car and got out when I saw this. Man! The first of times, the worst of times.
(L to R): Darcy and Bill Then we went to Ruthies house. She was away when we got there (no Volvo landmark), so we had to flag down Bill and Darcy.	(L to R): Darcy and Bill I saw them drive by, and then I walked all the way out to the road before they recognized me. Bill gave us all copies of the "Mama's Worry" CD. Ruthie popped it in, and we rocked on from that point.
(L to R): Bob and Cheryl Bob and Cheryl showed up in a new Mini Cooper Wagon. They also had a show dog (sorry, no photo), a Rhodesian Hound?, bred to hunt lions.	(L to R): Bob and Cheryl I was struck by the contrast. Some dogs are bred to herd sheep, some are bred to hunt lions. Meanwhile, I mostly take crumby photos, but sometimes I remember to use the flash.
(L to R): Ruthie and Rita We hung out and talked, catching up.	(L to R): Ruthie and Rita We were waiting for Kevin and Colin (they were at space camp orientation, through 4H), so we could go to dinner
(L to R): Bill, Colin, Kevin, Cheryl, Bob Colin and Kevin attempted to explain why 4H (famous for raising cows, pigs, and goats for the county fair) was having 'space camp'.	(L to R): Niece, Bill, Darcy, Kevin, Ruth, Rita, Cheryl, Bob Apparently we were convinced, because soon we were at dinner.
(L to R): Niece, Brian, Bill, Darcy, Kevin, Ruth, Rita, Cheryl, Bob A nice man agreed to take a group photo while we were having dinner.	(L to R): Bill, Kevin, Ruth (disconsoate soul in the background), Darcy, Brian and Rita, Cheryl. We ended up in a disreputable bar with Lousy Service (Photo by Bob Strous).
We talked about old times and new times. Hans Meyer was on Austin City Limits, and now he has a career playing children's music.
At some point, and at some length, we talked about the Professor of the United States, and this photo, with Ruthie, Brian, and the Professor, after a Mama's Worry gig.	The next day: breakfast at "Le Cue Club" now named something else.
After breakfast we said goodbye and hugged out. What can you say about anything when it is part of everything? Then Rita and me drove around town a little bit, hitting the old home spots.
This is the house at 1412 1/2 Market St. where Rita lived when we first met.	Up close.
This is Jim's Barber Shop, where Adam got his first hair cut.	And this is Ranison's, where Adam and his Mom would stop for ice cream.
The oldest child and his (single mother) Mom? These are the happy places.
This is Rita's first house on Vine Street.	And this is the house on Vine, I shared with Steve Nelson (later Steve Alden, SAG) and Scott.
I lived here, in 1983, on State Street ...	... in that upper left apartment. Bill used to give me a ride to school (almost) every day.
This is a city park on Main Street in La Crosse.	I had a picnic here with my future wife ... I quoted from that guy, saying, "A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou."
And she replied, "Two out of three ain't bad."	Rita wanted to take a photo of the church where her older children were baptized ...
So she did a top to bottom ...	... panorama
Rita lived here, with Brenda Bauer ...	... and the infant Adam
We stop on the way out of town at the locks, and I take a photo, and then ...	.... I employ my camera zoom, which is a little blurry, then ...
... I take another shot, and employ my zoom ...	... to much greater effect, with a steadier hand, I guess.
Then we drove home to Fargo, ND. End of story.

Contact: bslator@cableone.net; Modified: Cinquo de Mayo, 2008 (5/5/08)