The RSI Rundown - September
Mya: I think I have a worthy excuse for not having a hefty rundown of activities for this month because Hussein and I threw our big marriage celebration with our friends and family! Big, as in, that was the biggest event we've ever organized. There were just 36 of us in total, and it was perfect. I'm still astounded that we pulled it off. It couldn't have been possible without the help of our friends and family, as well as our vendors (shoutout to Two Bees and a Bud, Table 65, and designer Samantha Rei). 10 out of 10, would do it again — though I need a little more time to rest first.
The rest of the month went towards cozy, media-filled evenings.
Documentaries: Ken Burns' Leonard da Vinci, Ken Burns' Hemingway, American Masters' Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World, and Rick Steves' Art of Europe.
TV shows: The X Files (surprised?)
Books: These Vile Hearts, Melody Robinette (LOVE seeing type 1 diabetes rep in a fairy world);Wonders and the Order of Nature, Lorraine Daston and Katharine Park (research for a new writing project).
Jorrun : Lots of activities were packed into September! Labor Day weekend was lovely but bittersweet – it’s never fun to take the docks out at the cabin. I squeezed in a late trip to the State Fair, went to my first St. Paul Saints game and celebrated a friend’s wedding in Duluth. The Renaissance Festival was another highlight. Where else can you watch a chicken-themed comedy magic show or get made fun of by a gnome? It’s a perfect place.
A bad cold took me out at the end of the month, but I finally got around to watchingThe Odyssey and regret that I waited so long to see it! Definitely an epic adventure and everything I would’ve expected from a Christopher Nolan adaptation. I'm not excited for the cold, but looking forward to the slower months ahead and cozy fall activities.
Todd S.: We’ve been on a bit of a USMNT binge since the men’s World Cup wrapped up this summer. The new cycle started with convincing friendly wins over Peru, Chile and Mexico. Just as encouraging as the results has been the wave of young talent breaking through. Julian Hall scored in all three matches, Cavan Sullivan scored against Mexico and Mathis Albert became the youngest goal scorer in USMNT history against Chile. Throw in strong performances from Sebastian Berhalter and several other newcomers, and it has been a fun glimpse of what the road to 2030 might look like.
On the TV front, we finished Lanterns on HBO Max and found ourselves hoping there will be a second season. MobLand continues to entertain, too. If you like Guy Ritchie’s style of storytelling and have a soft spot for the mob genre, it’s well worth watching.
But the month’s biggest project was finally completing our transformation of the house for Halloween. As you can see from the pictures, we go all out. Or at least we think we do. Then I drive around the Twin Cities and inevitably find some houses decorated so elaborately that they make our place look like we stopped at a couple of pumpkins and called it good. There is always someone operating at an entirely different level.
Still, the house is ready, the lights are on and Halloween season has officially begun.
Julia: Nothing matters from September except my trip to Italy. Almost two years ago, a close college friend texted our group chat something along the lines of, "If I do a destination wedding, will you hate me?" The answer was no, particularly because the destination in question was Puglia, in southern Italy. My lovely friend was marrying an equally lovely Ukrainian man whose family lives in Ukraine and Poland and doesn't speak English. So an unlikely group of fellows met in rural Italy, and we all got by on hapless Italian!
Two friends and I had a harrowing trip over. I met them at Chicago O'Hare, and from there we shared a deeply unfair 20-minute layover in Zurich and a short, exhausted flight into Brindisi. We spent a woozy day in Brindisi, slept 12 hours, then ventured further south for two days in Lecce. I highly recommend Lecce. It's easy to reach by train, full of beautiful baroque buildings made of blonde local sandstone, and packed with things to do. We took a day trip by train to Monopoli to swim in the sea and browse the tourist shops, then hopped on a shuttle to join the wedding party.
We spent two and a half days with the couple's friends and family, all tucked into an ancient, wacky palazzo. The ceremony was on the roof and was frequently interrupted by loud church bells. The town seemed to be populated only by stray cats and old men, and we had an absolute ball.
I'm still recovering from jet lag (I was stuck at O'Hare for six hours coming home) and playing catch-up at work. But if you ever get the chance to poke around the "heel of the boot," I'd say go for it.
Meredith: September was busy, but the fun kind of busy. We started the month in the Chicago area so Tasha could meet some of Cory's family members she hadn't met yet. We packed a lot into the long weekend, including a family cookout, time with cousins, and a trip to Shedd Aquarium where we pet stingrays and watched Baloga whales play. I even managed to find time to take senior photos for my godsister Evie at Navy Pier.
We had only been home a few days when my Aunt Janet came to town for a conference. Naturally we grabbed dinner together to catch up. The following weekend, one of my friends and I tackled a freezer meal prep marathon and put together 36 meals. It was our attempt at a life hack. With both Cory and me working full time and Tasha in daycare full time, we're hoping it gives us more free evenings together as a family and less time spent worrying about what's for dinner.
The third weekend of September included a quick trip to Iowa State for a football game with my family. Tasha was completely captivated by the marching band and loved spending time with two of her favorite people, Cory and Beanba (my dad). We rounded out the month with a 24 hour visit from my parents who stopped in on their way to Paris. The timing worked out perfectly so they were here for church baptisms. As someone who is usually a little suspicious of lakes, I was relieved to discover there were no fish attacks involved and the water was warmer than I had anticipated it being. All in all, it was a full month filled with family, faith, and a lot of really good memories.
Cali: September brought the return of many fall favorite activities – running on Summit Avenue, neighborhood block parties, apple picking and college football. We’re cheering on the Gophers after some big wins to open the season.
I made it out past 9 p.m. to see Brandon Flowers, frontman of the Killers, on a solo show promoting his new album, Thrasher, at the Palace Theater. It was just the right amount of country for me. In other music news, we made Waverly’s first trip to the Electric Fetus for the exclusive record store edition of Ms. Rachel’s new album of children’s songs. It’s been a hit in our house ever since!
There’s even more to look forward to next month as we count down the days to Halloween, Election Day and my birthday!
Sean: September brought us a much-needed slowdown after a whirlwind of a summer. We’re beginning to spend more nights at home as a family and less in a rush from activity to activity - this became especially important as Rosie returned to work night shifts in August.
Personal joy has been captured in TV shows, movies, books and soccer. On the TV front, I’ve very much enjoyed Lanterns on HBO and the return of Slow Horses on Apple TV has been a welcome feature back in my life. Snuck away with some friends to see Resident Evil - highly recommend for all the horror/suspense heads out there, but be ready for some gore (though, if you needed a warning from me about gore in “Resident Evil” then I question your own critical thinking skills). Explored both fiction and non-fiction books this month. On the fiction front, Rosie has gotten me into “The Fall of Giants” by Ken Follett, the first in an historical-fiction trilogy series that tracks the lives of families across the major global developments of the 20th century. I also ripped through one non-fiction book (more of an essay) this month, “The Myth of Sisyphus” by Albert Camus, which offers a sobering reflection on the pains of existence and an optimistic take on how to persevere.
Taking in the final weeks/months of easy stroller walks and bracing for the months ahead of it taking 45 minutes to get out the door as a family.
Marisa: This September I finally got the hype about Minnesota cabin culture. My friends and I booked a beautiful place near Aitkin for a Labor Day weekend of golf, games, and grilling – I’m hooked! We also went down to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre for a fantastic production of Guys and Dolls. Weekends at home consisted of bowling on Fridays, thrifting on Saturdays, and lazily watching football on Sundays. I’m excited for the fantasy football league and Survivor league I joined for the fall. I think sports are a form of reality TV, no?
This month I also celebrated two years with my wonderful boyfriend with steaks at Porzana and cocktails at our absolute favorite bar, Public
Audrey: September marks the start of fall, my absolute favorite time of year. I decorated for Halloween immediately and have been severely enjoying the Iced Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Matcha from Starbucks. Grass and pumpkin were a flavor match made in heaven.
I began reading Wildwood by Colin Meloy (with lovely illustrations by Carson Ellis). This book has been turned into a movie by the people who made my favorite movie Coraline. It comes out in October, so I'm racing to finish the book before I hit the theater.
Got to start my new role here at Rapp which has been the highlight this month. Been loving it so far, what a great group of people.
Looking forward to spooky season, when I will watch every Tim Burton movie under the sun (though I'd be lying if I said I hadn't already done that this month).
Rich: Rich will be back next month.
Todd: Well, as I write this, the Vikings and Wild are undefeated, the Twins and Lynx are done, and my team in the Rapp Fantasy Football League is off to a typically slow start. The coverage of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 really caught my attention, so I read “The Only Plane in the Sky,” the great oral history of 9/11 and the events that preceded and followed it. Speaking of anniversaries, my bride and I spent our 33rd at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre watching one of their final performances of “Guys and Dolls,” which was as good as advertised. The colors I saw while driving between Staples and Little Falls at the end of September were spectacular, and I am looking forward to getting to Rapp Strategies North soon to view some more. As well as the turkeys and deer that seem to be everywhere.
Alida: September was especially fun because I got to celebrate two dear friends' weddings. The first was at Little Girl's Point County Park in Ironwood, Michigan — a stunning area on the shores of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula. About 15 of us stayed in bunkbeds at the park's lodge, which had no cell service. My sleep certainly could have been better, but it was such a lovely, communal experience to be out in nature with good friends. I even jumped in Lake Superior one afternoon, which was cold but extra refreshing.
Towards the end of the month, I travelled to Denver for my best childhood friend's wedding. We've been friends since before I turned one. Our moms were pregnant at the same time, and she grew up across the street from me. She famously taught me how to climb out of my crib, and we spent countless hours playing barbies, listening to CDs and rollerblading through the neighborhood. Watching her marry such a great guy was more emotional than I expected, in a good way. The wedding was at the Denver Botanic Gardens, which was gorgeous, and I had a blast reconnecting with old friends and dancing the night away.
As much as I enjoyed "wedding season," I'm looking forward to less travel and more down time this fall.
