That’s right, it’s just like my facebook status says: 
“Kyleen found the pause button in Minnesota.” 
(Sue says I should trademark the phrase.) 

Apparently, according to another friend, the pause button has been in Minnesota for a while, “between the n’s.”  Who knew? 
But I digress.

It was a whirlwind weekend, and yet just the kind of respite I needed from my life here in New York.  I got to fly with an old friend from college; we haven’t traveled together in ages, and since he and his wife and I are all so busy, we don’t get a lot of time to just hang out.  I wish she could have gone with us, but she had a wedding in Austin to attend; so he and I flew into Minneapolis early last Friday, and thus began my wonderful weekend, which included the following:

Lunch at Mickey’s diner, which is open 24/7/365 and has been around since 1939;
a lovely stroll across the Mississippi;
a wedding rehearsal at warp-speed;
a rehearsal dinner complete with a couple’s baby-picture slide show and a menu of entirely local, organic food;
one of the most random, hilarious, fun bachelorette parties I’ve ever attended;
befriending the hotel desk clerk at the Super 8 (at 2 am in an old bridesmaid dress and cowboy boots, no less);
waking up and turning the alarm OFF;
A BEAUTIFUL, sweet wedding of two dear friends in which I had the privilege of singing the song the groom wrote when he proposed to the bride;
a reception that included a live band of friends and family of the couple, photo-booth antics, more fantastic local organic food, a hoppin’ dance floor, and that was held in an amazing library;
going out dancing, post-reception, to a club in downtown Minneapolis that used to belong to Prince (yes, the artist formerly known as, now known as, who hails from MN);
an early morning breakfast with Tom;
seeing Kevin perform his last matinee of Little House on the Prairie at the Guthrie (which reignited my desire to be Laura Ingalls Wilder);
and more hilarious, touching, thought-provoking, and/or fascinating conversations than I’ve had in a while.

So thank you, Minnesota, for giving me a place to get away from it all.

And congratulations, Jake and Jen!!!