reverse engineer it

i did see some movement on the ticket with the printer stopping and starting over. i saw some instant messages from a tech. eventually it was said he'd try to 'reverse engineer' it. i had to say that most of the checks i print each day are in this system, some are PDF but not a lot. if i needed to be out of it for the tech to get it handled, then it would have to be after-hours. none of my business if it meant the tech is working on it when i have a day off such as the upcoming bank holiday. a toner cartridge arrived for the primary check printer, proving it is still on auto-ship. thankful i don't have to call for that one. i sent plenty of check samples to the boss in a folder that others can use, twenty-five in all. it covers even the checks that i don't have to print much. in some cases, i had to go back a month or two to find one due to 'lack of frequency'. i spoke of promotions for the local baseball team, the twins, to the manager that likes karaoke. there are two in particular that interest me, special theme tickets to order, but those games are not until august. i like a theme ticket, don't have to be first in line that get that kind of giveaway. there was an email request to reroute a check from a Cincinnati file to someone in the same town as me. of course, it meant that it was an overnight request. and there was a dial-in meeting about nearly two hundred tax checks going to a lawyer office in Chicago. i don't get those kinds of files too often, where i have to put it in a box. once completed, i sent it to the mailroom as i knew it wouldn't fit in the UPS drop box. it didn't say 'picked up' right away though. after i got home i checked the tracking number and it finally did, more than an hour after i had left the office for the day. we had to have I.T. on the call to change one thing on the checks, which was rake off an email that is normally listed. the customer service number was left on, though. then once it was re-printed, i let all know so I.T. could switch it back. in the evening i did the customary visit to the Hy-Vee in Eagan for groceries. but before that i stopped at a nearby Dunkin donuts, inspired by the recent super bowl commercial. i got coffee with the donut, and since it was less than an hour before close, i was given three donuts but ordered just one.  

how to find special handling

 there was a quick dial-in meeting with the boss. it was to show how to find special handling in some of the files that i print. i said i do not go through each check in a high-volume file such as the Fargo files. i go by if it is marked as 'overnight' and even more rare, when i am sent an email asking me to pull a check. in these two files and some others, i change the tab to 'comment zip code' and all of those go to the top. makes no difference if it is inter-office, foreign, or overnight. some of those with comments i leave alone, because some don't fall into any of those three categories. later on, i was asked to pull a check from the larger Fargo file and shred it, do not send it out. the maintenance kit arrived for the primary check printer, i was called by the tech on the laptop phone about when to expect the tech on the main floor. i said it was already swapped out, just needed a spare. the rollers were still swapped out by the tech, and the kit i swapped out was hauled away. tech wasn't there for long, didn't need to be. i also had to call for help with the inserter machine. it was stuck on a 'hot product error' on both hoppers, couldn't get much moved through. i was still a day behind on the Fargo files, so i still had some checks that i needed to get out the door. after more than twenty minutes on the call, we got it figured out. one button i don't use much was used, run one check through but do not seal it, and this was enough to clear the error. then it was humming along again. 

incident opened, two calls

i found another case of why i call it the 'not much help desk'. i called in another ticket, this time it was for the printer stopping and starting over. then just as i was about to get the ticket or 'incident' number, the help desk hung up on me and i had to call again and start all over again. who knows when i might see any action on it such as if a tech has to show up. the toner cartridge for the small printer arrived, in the morning. the techs who ordered it wanted to close the case once it was ordered, i said 'on the way' doesn't mean as much to me as 'delivered'. once i was notified that it was signed for in the mailroom on the same floor as me, i went to pick it up. doesn't take long to handle it, just slide one out and slide the other in. when i arrived for work i noticed our tax specialist had sent an instant message overnight, at a time when some are watching the late local news. the question was if there were any tax checks, i said there weren't. still odd to me when i hear from this dude at times. 

duplicated checks, two files

 we are still getting the problem of the check printer stopping and starting over on high-volume days for two Fargo files. it happened with both, but i caught it with the smaller one earlier. the larger one started over about midway through and it meant about two thousand duplicated checks were printed. i have to take good notes when this happens, seeing that the duplicated ones are set aside and do not go out. then of course, seeing where it stopped over and knowing where i need to hit re-print. it meant more than four thousand checks did not go out same day. i am used to some days where there is a backlog, but usually it is not this much. but i am a big believer in seeing that it is done right, even if it takes more time. the boss had sent us a schedule by email. in the next week or so there are days off, as well as days when working remote in California. there was a request from the boss for check samples, i think due to the expected change of signature to be implemented soon. i am aware that not all checks that i print have a customer service number attached to it, though. some do have a letter under the check; others just have itemization. 

two tickets opened

 i don't enjoy having to contact the 'help desk' to open tickets at work, but it was time. i needed things for the machines that i use. there was the small printer, used for overnight labels, needing a toner cartridge. since not much is sent through it, thankful we don't need to order it much, first time since June. the other was a maintenance kit for the primary check printer. i have to treat it the same as toner, where we always want a spare one onsite. it actually didn't take as long as expected, based on past experiences, about twenty minutes. still a case of when it all arrives, but with the smaller printer i know i can print the labels on one of the check printers. when vacation replacement arrived to drop off some mail to go out at the end of the day, i spoke of it. in the evening i went to perform. i did stories about the bank, going to an art museum, a movie on super bowl Sunday, and a posting i saw on Facebook. 

a private life movie

 around midday i went to see a movie, 'a private life', in Edina, at the 50th and France theater. after i parked in the ramp next to the theater, i walked over to the holiday gas station, two blocks away, and picked up a sandwich and ate it before going into the movie. this was a French movie starring Jodie Foster. i know she is fluent in that language. as usual, i was able to follow along with the subtitles fairly well. it was a reminder of how it is loosely translated instead of literally translated. i saw this with the subtitles saying 'fine' when it was actually 'very good' or 'sorry' when it was 'excuse me'. i haven't seen that many movies starring Jodie, i know i saw 'silence of the lambs' but that was in the VHS era. it was a good story, and it was brilliant to have the talking heads song 'psycho killer' in this movie, for two reasons. Jodie was playing a psychiatrist, and some of the lyrics are French and of course Jodie trying to investigate the death of one of her patients, believing she was murdered. i do like me a good thriller, and it did follow what i am used to with thrillers. this includes someone searching for evidence, even though it was 'bending or breaking the law' to do so. one line i really liked was when her son answers the door and said 'you have the wrong floor, ma'am. my mother never apologizes'. sad but true for many, believe me i know. i didn't go home right away after the movie. i stopped in Eagan and picked up two more boxes of Chex cereal with Charlie Brown characters on the box. some stores are running low for that one, but not cub foods. i also got some cheese. then it was home. i was there hours before the super bowl began, and i researched what i did on previous super bowl Sundays for a Facebook posting. good game all around, liked seeing green day as the opening act. then lady gaga made an appearance in the halftime show. seahawks beat the patriots, 29-13. when following the flow of the game, no surprise really. Seattle's defense helped out a lot, with the turnover margin and points off turnovers. Seattle had a more experienced QB as well. the team with the best defense usually wins. four of the commercials were standouts. there was a Dunkin Donuts ad inspired by 'good will hunting'. there was lady gaga in a Pokémon ad. there was two PSAs with songs i was familiar with. one was Enya's 'only time'- about cancer screening- and the Phil Collins song 'against all odds' or 'take a look at me now' where toilets were singing it. 

an affair to remember movie

 in the evening i watched a movie on DVD, a recent purchase from amazon, 'an affair to remember'. i had seen it mentioned every so often, as a romance story with Cary Grant. it was even the inspiration for an episode of 'family ties' although i did not know at that time, i was too young. this was a 'double feature' and there is another disc in the case that i will want to watch soon. i liked the story for quite a while, it starts on a boat in Europe headed to America and Cary Grant's character is getting married soon. but then he meets someone on the boat. i liked it all the way up to when he's waiting to meet the lady at the empire state building, but the story wasn't much fun after that. i stayed active for much of the day. in the morning i went to the post office, one order was picked up. it was a book ordered after i had seen it on display at the historian convention in Chicago last month. then i went to a Walgreen and picked up some small items. by then it was time for lunch, and i went to Hardee's in the midway section of St. Paul. pleased that they had curly fries, had some with the mushroom and Swiss burger. i saw some Charlie Brown statues nearby, three in all. two of them i think i had seen before, but not the third. this was from the final series, snoopy on his doghouse. i got pictures of all three. i parked nearby and picked up some loose change on the sidewalk on the way there. one coin, a quarter, was frozen to the pavement so i used a key to free it. then i briefly went home and was gone again. this time it was to the Minneapolis art institute. i had heard a radio ad for the 'Great Gatsby' exhibit and i knew it was closing soon, next month. i had nothing booked for the day, so i said 'if not now, when?' i liked seeing much of the art on display, some of it by Wanda Gag, who i had heard of from visits to New Ulm. i bought some souvenirs at the end of my visit, including two stickers. one had snoopy on it, the other was Minnesota icons including Mary Tyler Moore. then there were five postcards. i saw a text message on my phone before entering the exhibit, offering discounted tickets to a speed dating event in the evening, but i didn't go. why? been there, done that. when i got home i had the evening meal, then went to get groceries at Aldi, then watched the movie. 

jack links steak bites

 in the morning i went to Walgreen for my weekly visit. since i had picked up some heart-healthy snacks near the security turnstiles, my order was slightly different. some of the refrigerated aisles are still locked up, and i don't feel like waiting for someone to unlock it. i found some jack links steak bites near the cashier, and the newspaper rack, so i got a pack of that snack. i think there is something similar to it in the vending machine at work. it tasted fine, listed as just a hundred calories. pack said it was made my Frito-Lay, which must explain why it was near the cookies i usually get. there were some visitors, i know this can happen even on a Friday when the building is nearly deserted. the order of check stock arrived, and the janitor was in before that but as usual wasn't there for long. matter of fact, i left to get the snacks near the turnstiles as on my way in they still getting set up. and i got the reject fax to scan from another floor. when i got back from doing both of those, the janitor was gone. there were more check copy samples to send. one file was from the boss, a 'zip file' where i noticed a senior leader was copied on it. this was six checks. i was asked to print some more from a 'test check file' as well, a different system than where i print 'live checks'. i printed seven from there, but noticed the signature said 'void-void' instead of an actual person's signature. and i was asked to send a copy from a file i get just once a week, guess it had some formatting changes as well. in the evening i went to get groceries at Hy-Vee in Eagan, first stop was their liquor store. i got a can of bell's so now there are five beers waiting. then it was on to the grocery part, a larger order than in recent weeks, twelve items. when i got home i watched a rerun of 'Boston blue'. i am aware that all-new episodes will return later this month. 

deflated popcorn balloons

 at work the building management company had their popcorn event. i would pass by the venue in the skyway and for a while i would notice that the larger-than-life popcorn box had deflated balloons on top, white and yellow, meant to 'simulate' popcorn. i noticed when i went to this event that the balloons were replaced with re-inflated ones. as usual, i didn't stay long, had too much to do. it was long enough to eat the popcorn, so just a few minutes. i let our tax specialist know there was two checks for courier pick-up for the next morning. one was from the ad-hoc file, the other was going to be sent inter-office by vacation replacement. i noticed the latter would have been barely enough to by a snack out of the vending machine in my neighborhood. matter of fact, in the evening i did just that, getting some potato chips. the Fargo check file was held up as i was waiting for a 'green light' on sending out checks after the business line wanted to see samples. there was some kind of formatting change. i did get one green light so i sent out the smaller file, the other i decided could wait until the next morning. it meant just over a thousand checks were left over. then late in the day i did hear 'i am happy' about the samples, as the first wanted to get a second approval. the colleague who places the supply orders for me was asking questions through our instant message system. it was about picking up a check from the i-pay file late in the day. i said i am thankful i don't get that many visitors at that time of day as i am busy on finishing up getting the regular mail checks into tubs and to the mailroom. i know i am not going to be 'chatty' at that time of day for that reason. i said it is still a matter of if the check in question would even be approved to print. then i was told 'not needed but thank you for answering my questions'. huh? the team lead asked for a check from an early PDF file to be pulled, then it was picked up upon arrival in the check shop that same morning. the boss was in the shop and talked with the team lead for a while. i drank a can of bell's IPA with the evening meal and got a can of icehouse from the nearby liquor store so there still are four beers waiting. 

donuts, super bowl party

 there was a super bowl party in the morning on another floor. i saw that i was caught up on my normal duties before i went there. i wasn't there for long, i ate a donut and was there for just a few minutes. the karaoke-loving manager was there as well and left about the same time as me, also having work to do. some had football jerseys on, but less than half. i said i don't have that many, but i do have plenty of baseball jerseys. the boss asked me to send an empty Fargo envelope by inter-office mail to an office on the other side of the metro area, an odd request to say the least. the manager from the Kansas City business line asked me about checks i had overnighted to Las Vegas late last week. i said that checks going to the same address are lumped together, to help save with the costs of overnighting. it was eleven checks in all, with various payee names on them. this was why there was the question, as the expected list when sending the tracking numbers was short. in the evening i did a little more than just watch 'big bang theory' reruns, and the news, as i found 'the Muppet show' when i was changing channels. Sabrina Carpenter was the main guest star, at least i have heard of her. the show was all right, but i noticed at times when the puppeteers weren't hiding their sticks that are used to control the puppets. 

printer stops, starts over

 a curious thing happened at work and i reported it when i noticed it. a check printer was printing a big Fargo file and for some reason it stopped before finishing and then started over. i knew to expect just under three thousand checks for this file, and when it said 'feed printer' after printing that many i knew something was wrong. i check the dashboard and this gives me the first and last check number in the file, this helps with when i investigate. found out there was over three hundred checks that i needed to re-print. thankful i caught it when i did as this held down how many 'duplicated' checks were printed. it was decidedly less than when this same thing happened more than two weeks ago. fewer to send to the shred bin then. there was a dial-in meeting that started mid-morning, and it was an all-colleague town hall meeting. some of the issues presented to the executive were typical, such as asking about layoffs as well as 'return to office'. i am used to working in the office every day of the week, same as branch employees, so working from home, the latter issue, does not apply to me. the month's envelope order arrived, just as the boss was asking about the printer. a check was picked up by the payroll manager for one of his reports. i don't care too much who picks up a check. i went to another floor to drop off checks, mailroom sent those to me, and they were ones i can't handle. one of them was a refund check. the newer colleague took ownership of them, i knew the team lead would be out of the office for the day. 

cat people movie

 in the evening i went to see the movie 'cat people' at the Trylon. i was interested in this one as i knew john heard is in it. i liked how it took place at the zoo in New Orleans, a city i have visited but i didn't make it to their zoo. since the movie was from 1982 i did notice some things that make it look dated now. there was an image of a now-defunct eastern airlines plane at the airport, along with a public payphone as well as a rotary dial phone in someone's home. and there were cigarette ads on billboards. it was a good story. i know i had seen a movie about a werewolf before, this would be the closest comparison. this would be the third Paul Schrader-directed movie i have seen there, the others being 'blue collar' and 'hardcore'. after getting home from the movie i ordered a ticket for another movie at this venue, a month away. at work i was asked to pull a check from the PDF file, and i did. then later on i was asked to send it out, but it was late in the day by then so it would have to go out the next day. not sure why there was a 'flip-flop' on this request. i was asked about fed-ex envelopes, i said i don't have that many but could use some more. so far i have used four, an average of one a month. one was used today, thankfully it is still 'few and far between' as we mostly use UPS for overnighting checks. i let the branch manager from my former worksite know that a check was on the way, likely for notary fees. and i sent a scan of returned checks to an office in suburban St. Louis, after seeing an email earlier about not seeing any for a while when i just send them regular mail. 

melania movie

 sometimes i have two-movie weekends, this was one of them. i went to see the documentary, 'Melania', about the first lady, this morning in Eagan. i figured there would be a slightly smaller crowd that early, even on the opening weekend. there was a decent crowd at this screening, and as usual i sat near the front of the auditorium. as a history major, i knew this would be a movie that i should see. and i like how Melania does honor those before her, as there is mention of some other first ladies. as expected, when her name is the movie title, it is mostly about her. sometimes a mention of her husband, and son. no doubt that one doesn't see things like what was shown too often, such as inside trump tower, showing campaign signs. there were no posters on display at this theater about this doc, likely because it was a doc. that genre usually doesn't bring big crowds to see it. thankful i saw it. nice thing about seeing it this early in the day was driving home to have lunch after it was done. i did some shredding of junk mail in the afternoon and then performed in the evening. i did stories about the bank, coffee and donuts, a meetup event, and attending the winter carnival. then i called my dad later on, a long call as usual. 

formula one movie

 this afternoon i went to see a movie, 'formula one', or 'F1', in Edina at Southdale mall. it was an IMAX screening, so i had to pay a little more. this is now the second of the best picture nominees that i have seen in the past year. i liked how quite a bit of the scenes were on the racetrack as it is a car racing movie after all. plenty of talent in this movie, as it was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, a name i have heard of before with some popular TV shows. and it helped that Brad Pitt was the star. then there was music being done by Hans Zimmer, who has been around for a while, also doing the music for 'rain man'. after the movie, i was pleased to find a Kowalski's grocery store in the same mall. i got some cheese, some beef jerky, and a bottle of A and W root beer. then i went home. in the morning i went to the post office, an amazon order was picked up. then i dropped off recycle near the capitol and went to see the ice sculptures at the St. Paul winter carnival. one of them i didn't recognize at first, but there was more than one sculpture telling its story. then i looked closer and noticed the playing cards in front and a young lady and said, 'that's Alice in wonderland'. after that i saw the cheshire cat and mad hatter in the back. i got some fries and hot cocoa from two different food trucks nearby, although there was too much seasoning on the fries. there were dancers onstage inside the landmark center, one of them was dancing to Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'. i saw some clowns inside a life-size snow globe and got a picture of it. at a table inside the same building, i saw a clown making buttons for kids. i already saw some smaller ones in a bag under the table, i asked for one and got it. i paid for just over an hour of parking, and it was long enough to see what i wanted to see. then it was on to Jersey Mike's for a sandwich as it was time for lunch. then i went home and rested a little while and went to Aldi for groceries before going to the movie. 

general strike number two

 i saw a posting in the skyway this morning saying there would be a general strike this afternoon, one week after the first one. it looked like there were fewer businesses deciding to close because of it. i saw a mailroom employee observing the crowd from the skyway level, and the dude left after a few minutes, saying he had work to do. i said, 'so do i'. this was near the end of my lunchtime, and it was around the time when the protest speeches began. i could see and hear more of it this time from the window in the office i use in the check shop. it was loud for about an hour and then that was it. i knew well enough to ignore it and get my work done. i made it to Walgreen in the morning as usual, after i had printed some check files and sent the scanned reject fax on to the shared box. since the first of the month is coming soon, i sent off the supply order. i liked seeing an email later in the day from the envelope company. it tells me the order was approved rather quickly, sometimes it waits for days if a senior leader is on vacation. in the evening i went to a meetup event at a micro-brewery, after watching 'big bang theory' reruns and having a meal. i spoke with a dude who had two dogs with him, both boxers. after being there for an hour, i had finished my beer and said i needed to go. i am used to getting groceries from Hy-Vee in Eagan, and i used a basket i had found while doing a morning walk this week. there was trash in it when found, so i dumped the trash in a barrel nearby and the basket was in the bathtub at home until i made my weekly trip there. not the first time i have returned a grocery basket that i had found. 

postcard reshuffle

 this week i picked up three postcards from a convenience store in the skyway, along with a bottle of Dunkin Donuts coffee. it led to me reshuffling my collection a little that i have in various photo albums. one was about winter fun in Minnesota, one was about the capital city of Saint Paul and pro hockey returning, and one said 'god bless America' with a bald eagle on it and mention of 9/11. i say it all the time and it is true, but sometimes i have to take some cards out in the name of 'stressing quality'. in this case, i moved some postcards bought in New Ulm into the album with the others from that town. and i decided to take out cards that were more about promoting events instead of depicting tourist sites that can be mailed. with some it was easy to boot them if it was events i didn't attend, or if i still had one promoting a certain site. it helps that postcards don't cost that much. and the promotional cards, those are free. also notable was taking the bus, and then the light rail, to work as i went out for a morning walk and a bus stop shelter said it was still subzero. not a big deal to me to give the car the day off. it led to me getting items out of a vending machine like before. at the bank in the breakroom, it was potato skins from TGI Fridays. while waiting at the airport for the transfer, it was double salami sticks. but in both cases this time, i paid cash. it saves me a little money as there is a fee to use a debit card. and much like before, it was nice to get two packs of salami sticks but i was expecting just one. at work i eliminated the backlog on the Fargo checks, there was a thousand left over from the previous day. i ran them through the machine in the morning first. late in the afternoon, a colleague from payroll showed up with tax forms. it is much lower volume this year, i was told just under three hundred, instead of thousands. it was due to automation. i said i would run them through the next morning but was told they just needed to go out by mid-February. 

wedding ring found

 no, not mine. but there was an email at work from a senior leader saying a wedding ring, or actually a band, was found in a bathroom. in the morning i went to another floor and picked up the ACH reject fax, after the team lead asked me to do so. normally i do this only on a Friday, but i knew there was a chance this week that i would have to do it on other days as well. then the same team lead in the afternoon said 'uh-oh'. had to ask what happened, and it was something about the weekend weather report if i am not mistaken. i said i can get to work as long as the trains and buses are running. then there was a mention of 'being vigilant'. checks were picked up by two different visitors. one was a colleague in payroll, the other was the two from the previous day. then i got replacements for those two later in the day and sent a message asking if everything was in order. normally i wouldn't ask at all, but with what had happened, i saw it as 'due diligence'. and i was told it was fine this time; the checks were for the correct amounts. one colleague from the Cincinnati file, although i think she is based in Colorado, was asking a lot about one check in particular. it was one where i printed the label this morning because it arrived late Tuesday, just after i had left for the day. i said UPS picks up from the box onsite just once a day, and how it would likely be picked up near the end of the day. i was asked to call about it, but i responded to the instant message once all envelopes for the day were in the box. and it was picked up a few minutes later. there was some mention of how the client needed it to make payroll, but it is all about when i get the check. in the morning there was coffee and donuts to promote the organization known as 'toast masters'. actually, it was donut holes, but i still liked having all of it. i read the flyer and it sounds like there is a fee to attend, so i will pass on it. when i am already a stage performer, with plenty of public speaking experience, i am not sure what else i could be taught. even if there is reimbursement available, it is still a hard sell to me. 

redacted card numbers

 at work, there was plenty of test checks to print related to the Fargo file. at first i was trying to figure out why the scan wasn't going through. then i knew i had to investigate. it won't scan anything if credit card numbers are showing, so i got out a marker and those were 'redacted'. then it was no big deal on the scans going through and then forward them to I.T. and to the boss. late in the day, i sent a check to another floor, it was to the manager that likes to sing karaoke. it was a 'drop and leave' as i had plenty to do, and she was in a dial-in meeting in a conference room as well. there were two notables for the day from the newer Cincinnati file. i advised one colleague that had sent me a UPS label that i also wanted the shared box copied, in case i am out of the office. and on the same check it was for, yet another colleague contacted me later in the day and asked me to pull those two checks, do not send them out. i was told it was because the checks were the wrong amount. when i get replacements, those two won't be going far, staying in the same metro area. 

off-duty police security

at work there was a request for pay-stubs for off-duty police security. i am thankful i don't get these kinds of requests too often as it was tedious to find them, about a dozen stubs in all. the lady who places the supply orders for me sent the request. there was an email from the boss that invited team members to work from home for the rest of the week, for multiple reasons. not just the weather, but also 'the news of the world'. naturally i am not eligible, but i don't mind. an executive announced there was a contribution made to a foundation due to the recent immigration agent activity, saying it would help impacted small businesses. in the evening, i went to perform. i did stories about the bank, sauce packets, seeing a movie, and attending a hockey game.  

deadmans wire movie

 in the afternoon i went to see the movie 'Deadman's wire' in Eden Prairie. it had been promoted a lot on Facebook, and i had previously seen some films directed by Gus Van Sant. it was about a hostage situation in Indianapolis in 1977. i had not been familiar with this story before seeing the movie. the epilogue to this movie said there were no real winners in the end with this ordeal. i liked seeing Al Pacino in it, but al had a small role. after the movie i had a blizzard treat at dairy queen. then i went to the 'miniso' store and bought three Charlie Brown items, including a small jigsaw puzzle. next stop was the Barnes and Noble, which served two purposes with one purchase. i had recently received an email saying my stamps would expire soon if i didn't make another purchase, it had been nearly a year. and there was a book i had heard about at the convention in Chicago that i wanted. it was available there, the one called 'bear with me' about famous bears, with smokey bear on the cover. after that i went to Hy-Vee in Eagan and bought four items. normally i go there on a Friday but it was subzero that day. there were football playoff games on TV but i didn't watch any of the first one, patriots beat the broncos. i watched a little of the second one, seahawks beat the rams, but not a lot. now the super bowl matchup is set. in the morning i did laundry and had some coffee and a breakfast sandwich at caribou coffee. 

giveaway shirt, wild game

 in the evening i went to the Minnesota wild hockey game. it was 'hockey day' in the state, explains why there was a giveaway item, a shirt with UHC as the sponsor. hadn't been to a wild game in a while, but it was nice to get a discounted ticket through the credit union. the wild lost, 4-3, in overtime. i wasn't too surprised as the opponent, the Florida panthers, had more shots on goal. the wild's goalie was keeping them in the game until the end of regulation. i ate before i went to the game, and got some popcorn while there, but some of the popcorn was taken home at the end of the night. security was condescending with me, only asking me to empty my pockets on the second attempt. i took the bus to and from the game as it was subzero weather. a dude was trying to talk to me at the bus stop after the game but i was taciturn, because it was cold, it was late, and i just wanted to get home. after i saw him violently move an empty liquor bottle off the bench, i saw it as fair warning what kind of conversation we would have. i got groceries at Aldi before i went to the game. in the morning i went to the post office, just one item picked up. it was a postcard. i had sent it a week earlier, saying 'hi to myself' about being in Chicago. then i went to the nearby gas station and had some pizza. i was fine with giving my car the day off as i still found a way to get where i needed to go and can run it again the next day when it is above zero. 

mailroom deadline moved up

 when a mailroom employee brought the empty tubs to the shop, i was informed that the deadline to send the regular mail tubs at the end of the workday was moved up. not by much, under an hour. i copied my boss and a senior leader about it, and the mailroom boss did let them know it was due to expected protest activity in the area. in the end, not a big deal to me. the volume was low, as it typically is for a Friday. i got started on the overnight labels a little earlier, and the afternoon run of the inserter machine started earlier as well. and it helped that the second i-pay file of the day was on time, and low volume. it was seven checks, three were special handling. i didn't get home any earlier than typical, though. many of the protesters were using the light rail, and the first attempt to get home was a no-go because the train was already full. i got on the next train though. i waited inside and walked around a little. i did see two fellow comics as i was making the second attempt to get on a train. i did not say that i worked downtown, nothing wrong with being tight-lipped about why i was there at that time. i hadn't seen either one in a while, and i think one of them is not even a Facebook friend. some fellow comics being part of the protest crowd, now that didn't surprise me much. i also noticed another protester talking to a security guard for this building. why, i don't know. it was hard to ignore how it wasn't the typical workday for me. when i was walking through the skyway in the morning to get to Walgreen, i saw many signs up saying 'closed due to the general strike'. some appeared to be closed for the entire day; others were going to close early. most of these places i haven't been in or rarely go into. it was another day of leaving my car at home due to the subzero weather. when i was waiting to transfer, there was a nearby vending machine and i got two packs of salami sticks instead of one. in the evening i made a stop at Aldi just before closing time and picked up four items. i still might go to Hy-Vee this weekend though. i said i feel like i am living out my version of 'forrest gump', being a witness to history, a fly on the wall so to speak. i got this feeling when on the train, looking at my expression in the mirror when knowing most of the passengers were likely protesters. then there was seeing fencing around the federal building on the light rail line. 

label for 26-check file

 it took more than a day, but i finally got the overnight label i needed for a 26-check file. more than once in an email thread, i said to the business line that i can send it off once i get the label. and how UPS is preferred as i have way more of those envelopes than FedEx. and yet, no label was sent by the first contact. i got an out of office reply, but a colleague that was copied on the thread sent me the label. if a business line wants checks to go out, then they will approve the file so i can print it. that is usually the most common way a file is held up. most of the time, with this newer 'Cincinnati file' i have to ask for the label only once and then i have it the next morning. if there is a payee name but no address under it, then i no doubt will need a label. the checks were all going to the same place in New York City. more test checks were printed in the morning, eight in all. i sent them to my boss once printed. a surrogate picked up a check for a colleague in payroll, after it sat around for a day. and i had two visitors arrive at the shop at the same time, this has happened before. it was the delivery of an envelope order, six boxes. the other was the courier who was picking up an envelope of checks for our tax specialist. not a big deal, somebody has to go first. in this case it was the envelopes, but it didn't take long. 

sauce packets picked up

 in the morning i got a look around on the platform while waiting for the light rail. one odd thing i saw was some sauce packets, six in all. it was three each of ketchup and mustard. i was going to put them into a small plastic bag i saw them in, then noticed there was a hole in it. i tossed it in the trash and all of the sauce packets were put into my lunch bag. i can use them with my evening meal for the next two nights. if i find something of use, then i will use it. a big believer in wanting to avoid wasting things whenever possible. and i am also the type to pick up trash on the train and put it in a bin at my stop. i don't get paid to do it but i have cleaned up after others before. a rep from i.t. asked me to print some test checks, and i did, four in all. i wasn't familiar with one of the business lines mentioned, so i was told to skip it and that is why it was four instead of more than that. we are changing the signature on the checks. i am fine with printing from that file, only after the live checks are printed. and i got it done before having to start running the afternoon files through the inserter machine. 

not the wind

 at work, vacation replacement was in the shop in the afternoon. question was 'is that the wind?' no, it was protesters nearby. couldn't see them from where i was, though. then my colleague went to a higher floor and said they were across the street apparently. i didn't see that many remaining when i was done at the end of the day and wanted to get home on the light rail. also notable about the workday was one of the PDF files, an i-pay file from midday, had some issue and it was sent in a 'back-door' fashion so i could still print the checks in the file. it meant just trying again after i got an error message. when it popped up i sent it as a screen snip and was told just re-try so i did. it was a day of leaving my car at home as it was cold in the morning, subzero weather. not too big of a deal to me when it just means an extra step, take a bus and then the train. 

vatican unveiled exhibit

 i found a way to stay occupied on the bank holiday. i went to the mall of America and saw the 'Vatican unveiled' exhibit. this has a limited run, not even a month, so i knew i needed to go soon. i bought an early-entry ticket, just as it was opening for the day. it was just as well as it took me three hours to get a look at everything. i learned a few things while there, as expected. the conqueror, Napoleon Bonaparte, kidnapped a pope. this wasn't in any of the history books that i had read. and the Vatican as we know it, dates back to 1929 when it became an independent nation. before this there was the 'papal states'. i was impressed with all of the artifacts there. one posting said a baseball signed by pope frank was there, but i found out it was moved, no longer on public display. and i knew that JP2 had 'rock star status' but i was amazed at the items shown depicting him, including a comic book. there was mention of some of the papal visits to the USA in my lifetime that i recall were big news stories, especially the ones by JP2. there is still a question of when the current pope, Leo, will visit. but on becoming pope, Leo has said it wouldn't be right away. i bought two souvenirs while there, both were thin books. one was the 'exclusive companion experience' and the other was a 'graphic novel' about 'Catholics in the northland'. and there was a 'selfie station' at the end, where one could get a pic with a carboard cutout of pope Leo. i got one and had it sent to my phone. it was definitely time for lunch once i left the exhibit, and i went to DeLeo as i found out in advance that it is part of the 'dining for miles' program. i got one slice of pizza and liked the big collection of 80's pop culture artifacts on the walls there. then i got a scoop of ice cream at great American cookies, where i got some more airline miles. the final stop was the Japan store where i got another bottle of children's mouthwash as Charlie Brown characters are on the bottle. it was a smaller bottle this time, and i chose a different flavor, strawberry. 'jeopardy' was not on, pre-empted by basketball. i went to perform in the evening, and spoke about the movies seen recently, and the exhibit. 

il bidone movie

 in the evening i went to see the movie 'Il Bidone' at the Trylon in south Minneapolis. it was an Italian film, and the title was translated (although not a literal one) as 'the swindle' as it was about conmen. i chose this one in the Fellini series as i knew Broderick Crawford was in it. i noticed how one con plan was repeated, shown at the start of the movie and at the end, although a different set of conmen were with Broderick the second time. this was when a treasure chest was dug up. and it ends the way that one should expect it to end when it depicts illegal activity, with violence among the conmen. it proves to old adage about 'no honor among thieves'. i learned a few more Italian words since it was subtitled instead of dubbed. 'Ice cream' for 'gelato' and 'candy' for 'caramel', from a scene in a cinema when Broderick's character was with his daughter. those two items were being sold there. notable about the day was knowing the bears-rams football playoff game was also being played. i watched the first half of it and then headed to the movie theater. i checked the score of the game just before the movie began and found out it was tied early in the third quarter. i checked it again just after the movie ended and found out the bears lost in overtime. the patriots beat the Texans in the earlier game. in the early afternoon i went to the cub foods in Eagan as i had a craving for ice cream. i got a small tub and a slice of pumpkin pie as well. and some valentine-themed Charlie Brown stickers. and i stopped at the nearby copy store and printed the event tickets, postponed from a day before. 

is this thing on? movie

 in the afternoon i went to see a movie, 'is this thing on?' in Edina at Southdale mall. i understood it would be about stand-up comedy, but very little of what was depicted was related to that. it was more about the failing marriage of the main character, would decides to dabble in stand-up on a whim. and then tries to avoid telling anyone about it, including his two young sons. football great Peyton Manning has a cameo in it, but that was not enough for me. there are other movies about stand-up that i have enjoyed way more, especially the two i have seen with Mike Birbiglia, as they were 'as advertised'- depicted plenty of stage time. the movie will become considered 'dated' fairly quickly as well, since it mentions 'the Olympic games will be in Los Angeles in two years'. it was in reference to the Laura Dern character, the estranged wife of the main character, being an ex-volleyball player and deciding to get back into the sport as a coach. another role of hers that i didn't like, as in Jay Kelly' she refers to her client as 'an infant'. i stayed at the theater a few extra minutes after the movie had ended, to look around at the posters, and i noticed a pro football game was on. i was not alone on watching from a short distance the bar's TV which showed a field goal attempt to send a game into overtime. it was the bills-broncos playoff game, found out the broncos won it. when i got home i had the evening meal right away and made it over to Aldi for groceries just before closing time. i watched some of the 49ers-seahawks game as well. the seahawks were way ahead in the fourth quarter when i fell asleep. in the morning i went to the post office, but there was just a flyer in my box. i haven't ordered anything lately. i tried to print event tickets at a copy store but the computers were down. and i went to Jersey Mike's for lunch and used points to make it a free sandwich. 

sandwich from speedway

 i did well on getting groceries for the week when i went to Aldi the day i got back from Chicago, except for one thing. the evening meal at the end of the week of work for me. how i handled it was going to the nearby speedway gas station the night before and getting some popcorn and a ham and cheese sandwich. this meant i could spend some more time in after work before heading out tonight. when i did go out, it was to the Hy-Vee in Eagan for groceries. it was a small order, just nine items. i liked how i closed out the week with a fairly low volume day. it was just over two thousand checks, and there was no backlog to do in the morning like the two previous days. the number of overnights was lower as well, just twenty-four, and four of these were ones i just had to print the label as it was from the newer Cincinnati file. I've understood for a while in my work how the overnight volume is a big factor as to how long i stay after my normal leave time to have it caught up and in the box to be picked up. there was a gopher hockey game on fox-9 plus, but i didn't watch much of it as i wanted to get on the road. gophers lost to Michigan, i later found out. when i got back i watched a rerun of 'Boston blue', i hadn't seen that episode before. looks like this show will be back with new episodes next month. and likely some guest stars from 'blue bloods'. 

resilience, care, respect

 there was an email from the CEO, in reference to the recent immigration agent activity in the area. it spoke of resilience, care, and respect. i am used to hearing from a senior leader every so often about the 'news of the world', especially when it is a local thing. it is 'business as usual' in my corner of the bank. i am still being asked for information about checks i overnight. when i do, i don't just send the tracking number. i also check it in the system. there was two like this for the day. one of them was from the i-pay file, and it is 'on the way'. i sometimes have to tell a colleague that it is all about when UPS picks up from the box onsite, and this is just once a day and sometimes a little early. it was marked as an urgent manner on their end. another was delivered back before Christmas. it is still a case of me saying 'i did my part' in some form or another. there was another colleague added to a thread about two hundred tax checks expected soon, now i am told for February. i liked hearing from payroll, as i hear i am still getting some tax forms to send out this year, but the volume will be way lower. looks like we won't be seeing Texas and California like before, which were high volume in the past, especially the latter. now i am hearing it will be just one state, new jersey, and about two or three hundred, instead of thousands. all due to automation. i said i knew i had enough envelopes to cover it, as i already had some for their paystubs. 

digital mail issue?

 i heard from a colleague based in St. Louis, about returned checks that i am to send there. i said i don't get them for their business line that often, and i send them about once a week. when i do there is usually two or three checks in an envelope. there was some mention of going to digital mail back in November, i know i had sent some since then. during my summer visit to this city, i did find this facility, in the suburbs. i was interested in where it was since i sent things there often enough. the backlog did become smaller on the Fargo checks, as it usually does as the week goes on. it was over three thousand and now it is down to just over a thousand. the boss was not in, but not a big deal. i still got the work done just fine. 

interest accruing

 first day back at work, as expected there were some emails waiting for me. there were two of note from those two days. one of them said a colleague was on bereavement leave. the other was about a check i had overnighted. vacation replacement said i would be returning soon and would handle it. i needed the payee, check number and amount, and at first i didn't have all of this information. then someone from Fargo was roped in, and the check number yielded a different payee. i sent it to the address on the check, which was the dealer and not the bank. i was hearing 'interest accruing' on this loan, but i had done my part. it was overnighted by me, and the tracking number said it was delivered to the dealer. also, when i was out, it looks like some of the supply orders arrived, including the two boxes of UPS envelopes. it was a high-volume day for the Fargo checks and still getting the hot product error at times. it meant i was able to get the smaller file completed and out the door, but the other one will have to wait a day. 

pigs don't fly

 i began the day in elk grove village, Illinois, at my hotel, the super-8. i still like the continental breakfast and had a waffle again. as usual, i like how there isn't much to do on the final day in town. besides the breakfast, check out of the hotel and get on the road back to the airport. i did go past one place i recall from living there and noticed the Butera grocery store i once shopped at has changed again. it became a Walmart for a while and now it is a 'pickleball club'. at the hotel, i saw a wall phone with a GE logo on it, a reminder of my former employer. turned in the rental car and got on a tram that took me to the terminal. i bought some postcards and a sticker, then saw a big sign saying, 'pigs don't fly'. it was a public service ad from the USDA to prevent African swine fever. i flew a different airline leaving Chicago than the one that brought me there, wanting to use some miles to make one of them a free flight. two more notable songs from the trip, due to having the radio on in the rental vehicle, was by Sabrina Carpenter, and Eminem. first time i had heard Sabrina, it was 'espresso', i liked the line 'my give-a-damns are on vacation'. and as for Eminem it was one i wasn't familiar with, called 'smack that'. when i landed back at MSP i did go into some shops. first was open book, it had name recognition as i am a member of the loft literary center. i bought a greeting card. then it was to a Minnesota-themed shop where i got a Linus candy bar, along with a Charlie Brown and snoopy can cozy. then it was home. i picked up my car from long-term parking, checked in there for the first time since i had heard of a chance of snow and wanted to avoid being towed. no snow emergency texts on my phone, so it must have been very little snow when i was out of town. there was some snowfall when i was in Chicago, thankful i had a snowbrush to take care of it. then it was to Aldi to get groceries and watching 'jeopardy'. i went to perform in the evening, and most of my stories were about being out of town. 

life changers church

another morning that started with continental breakfast, but this time i chose cereal and toast. it looked like a 'smart toaster' as no lever to use, just buttons to program it with. then it was on to Hoffman Estates, for a church service. it was at life changers church, attending with a former coworker and her family. this included her husband, and youngest daughter, my guess is she was fourteen. i sent a text saying i could be found inside near the cafe. the service lasted about ninety minutes, starting and ending with music and most were standing. when we got to the scripture and sermon part, we sat down. it rang true with me, with mention of 'power', as i thought of how a favorite word from working in corporate America for a while became 'empowerment'. we had lunch at a nearby place, i had a wrap sandwich but needed a 'to-go' container for half of it much like the others did. eventually, we all needed to leave. i had another Wolves hockey game to attend, and the others had the daughter's soccer game to attend. i said i would like to make it back to the area next year. since my final payment on the car loan is this summer, i can more easily afford an annual trip. the hockey game felt different from the word 'go', compared to the previous night, and the result was different. the wolves might have trailed just like the night before, but there were more shots on goal this time. the wolves beat Manitoba, 4-3, in overtime. i enjoy the music played by the organist at this venue. 'Keep them separated' by offspring, when a fight was broken up early. 'Afternoon delight', from the movie 'good will hunting', during the 'kiss cam' segment. i bought one souvenir, a sticker with the team's logo on it, with the state of Illinois outlined. it pairs well with the free 'breakaway' magazine from the night before. it was nice relaxing back at the hotel after the game, nothing else planned for the rest of the trip. for the evening meal, i finished the wrap sandwich and fries, and got a donut and coffee at the nearby Dunkin Donuts. i watched some of the day's football playoff games, then on WGN i liked finding a show called 'backstory', which included a segment about 'donut day' from the salvation army. i found some peanuts at a nearby gas station, and another souvenir. it was a model racecar, with 7-11 as the sponsor, though i found it at a Mobil 'supreme station' which had a grocery store cart on the sign. it told me there would be more merch than a typical convenience store, and i was right. 

exhibit hall, wolves game

 another active day in Chicagoland for me. i liked starting off with the continental breakfast at the hotel, especially the 'make your own waffle'. then i drove around a little in the nearby northwest suburbs, to familiar areas. i went to the heavenly massage in mt. prospect, near the mall. after that it was on to Des Plaines, the town i once lived in. a few things had changed, no surprise there. i spent some time around the Metra station in the middle of town and got a pic of the sign at the former movie theater, now an event venue. there was an ad on their electronic sign inviting people to watch the bears-packers playoff game there. and in a window, i saw a poster about a drink called 'Marlot' that said 'do not enjoy responsibly'. i also got a pic of the small Lincoln statue inside the library after i went in to use the bathroom. i noticed the place called 'gift depot' is gone, replaced by a larger building that looks like housing. it was lunchtime by then, and i went to the first 'Ray Kroc McDonald's, or actually, the one across the street from the site of it. it is in a newer building, with no indoor seating. not a big deal, i went inside to place my order and then ate in my rental car in the parking lot. the house i once rented a room in now has a sign in the window saying, 'notary public'. i think i did research before that my ex-landlord no longer lives there. some nearby houses still had Christmas decorations up, some of them inflatable. i got a pic of one that had some snoopy decorations, another had the grinch. then it was on to Rosemont to take the train into the city. i looked around at the exhibit hall and bought one book from the u. of Missouri press. it was about baseball, i know, shocking. it is about the sport and 'the liberal-republican tradition in America'. i also got a pic of a couple dressed up in American revolution-era outfits. the dude wanted to share with me the letters from famous people about his cross-country walk in that outfit. i got some order forms from other places, since not all were selling their books at the convention. when i was leaving the convention i heard the smashing pumpkins song '1979' and saw many on the streets in bears gear as soldier field was nearby and it was game night. i needed to get on the train back to Rosemont to attend the Wolves hockey game. the wolves lost to the Texas stars, 3-1, final goal was on an empty net. when i was looking for beer to drink back at the hotel while writing, after the game, i was checking the score at two stops. when the wolves game ended, my phone said the bears were trailing early in the 4th. first stop, still trailing but narrowed the gap. then i ended up at a bar, but found out no karaoke, i found out THEY WON. must have been a wild 4th quarter. 

president reception, history convention

 i flew to Chicago and arrived just after midday. i arrived for my flight about two hours in advance and this left me some time to walk around and explore. as usual, i saw some art displays. one of them had an 'American gothic' parody, with mickey and minnie mouse as the stand-ins. i also bought some coffee and twinkies but had just one of the two twinkies there. i looked around a little once i touched down at O'Hare as well, a display that said, 'American heroes, portraits of service'. it was about those who had served in the second world war. there was an issue with my car rental, couldn't pick it up as the readers were unable to read my credit card. i had to find another company to rent from, that would allow me to tap my card. once i left the airport i was ready to have lunch, especially due to the delay. i wanted something that i couldn't find in the twin cities and went to the brown's chicken in elk grove village. one pic from there included what appeared to be actor/comedian Steve Carrell in their ad campaign. next stop was Woodfield mall in Schaumburg, as i had let my niece know i would be out of town. then there was a request to get a shirt that said Chicago on it. i figured this mall was my best bet, and it was. i found a store that sold mostly Chicago souvenirs. then i went to another store and got myself a pair of bears socks, knowing my existing pair would be in need of replacement soon. then it was to my hotel to get checked in. i wasn't there for long as i wanted to get into the city for the convention. first it meant getting to the CTA stop in Rosemont, the park and ride, then the train all the way to the loop. it was at the Hilton on Michigan avenue. i made it there midway through the speech by the organization's president, then stayed for the reception after it. i spoke with various people about history at the reception and had a Yuengling beer. there was some finger foods brought around as well. i spoke the most with an older man that spoke of being at Illinois tech, or IIT, which is in town, just a little south of the convention site. we even went back to the train station together, until both trains left. of course, we had to go in different directions to get to our respective destinations. i didn't do much after getting back to the hotel. 

p.r. is in d.c.

 there was an email at the bank saying it was a 'security update' related to the recent activity of immigration agents in the metro area. what i learned from it was that the given PR rep for the bank is in another city, the nation's capital. found this out just by checking the name in the employee directory. this was in relation to if the media is asking us to comment on anything. this sounds familiar to me. when i was doing call center work and there was the announcement of the closure of the Montgomery Ward stores, we were told to tell the media to contact our PR department. although we didn't have anyone from the media call us on our 800 number, to the best of my knowledge. most of the supply orders for the month have arrived, but one envelope order has not arrived in full just yet. it was a six-box order and just one has been delivered. there was a request to replenish, meaning print or create more, and the boss approved it. i was asked about the kind of flap, and i sent an image showing the curved flap is what we use. i had to draw around the flap so it would show up when scanned. i emailed a business line in their shared box about a returned check. it is from a business line that i am not too familiar with since we don't print many checks for them. when we do, it is often just one for the day. vacation replacement was ill, left early but was working from home. then i saw mention of who would be covering what after that. in the evening i paid two bills a few days early, moved up as i was preparing to be out of town for the weekend. i also went to a speedway gas station and got some milk for my cereal in the morning. i got some cheese, fruit punch, and a stick of turkey, the last of these from the discount table. 

returned canada checks

 still seeing some weird emails. there was one from Canada, finally responding to my sending of an image of a returned check back in April. i said i was unable to reroute the check as i had overnighted it back to the business line in Toronto a week ago. ten returned checks in all from the past year were in the envelope. there was a team huddle in the afternoon, and my lunch was moved up for this reason. some joined remotely due to working from home, vacation replacement was one of them. the senior leader that had sent an e-card this week sent another notable email, this one about the weather. it said 'use your best judgment' related to deciding to work from home. expectations still are at three days a week in the office, although with my role i am already in the office all five days of the week. 

printing from lock icon

recently i had seen an email from a colleague i didn't know about printers. i found out the server was changing for the two check printers. i followed up and said vacation replacement helped with switching over, and now these printers are found on a 'lock icon'. i say this because the icon, found on my task bar, looks like a lock and one can see the keyhole on it. sometimes i am asked to do check copies, but not every time do i find what is being asked for. i did a second look and said nothing was found under the name 'Hitchcock'. i ask for payee, amount and check number, and this leaves me more confident when having all three that I've found the right one. a ticket opened from October was finally closed, after the toner cartridge arrived, but that was not why it was originally opened. the boss wanted it re-opened due to the overflow pages we get on some files, although it just led to aggravation. the printer would be remotely re-booted without advance notice, and in the middle of a big print job no less. and i was fine with printing the overflow pages on the same printer as the main page, which we did for two years when there was no second printer. i have no plans to say that it was closed as there had been no action on it for a while anyway, so the boss wasn't asking about it at all. a senior leader that i rarely see or hear from sent an e-card, the 'best in us' program, as i recall it was about contributions made in the past year to the team. 

filter by zip code

 at work i still see some unusual things each day. two things in particular stood out to me. there was one from a shared box when i asked for a toner cartridge to replace the one sent that was the wrong kind. finally got a response, it was to say that it was delivered nearly a week ago. i confirmed that it arrived, on a day off for me, accepted by vacation replacement. i had also made the request on a ticket that was opened months ago, and i guess it was acknowledged there more quickly. another was the account closure file from Kansas City, i send out plenty of overnighted checks for them. i was told that there would be just one file for the day instead of two. i was given a heads-up as some were missed in terms of needing to be marked as 'overnight'. i take it upon myself to filter out those with no zip code as i know those are 'return to business line'. and the same is true with those over ten thousand, which are to be overnighted as long as it is not going to a PO BOX. i liked how they let me know, nonetheless. some with no zip code were flagged and some were not, as i recall about ten in all were sent to Kansas City. 

walgreen then candy wrappers

 after a morning visit to Walgreen, i stayed busy going through a bag of clipped comedy sets and candy wrappers from the past year. i picked up some cough drops, a greeting card, and cookies. i found out the cookies were not discounted despite being in the same aisle as the seasonal items. i knew i shouldn't let the comedy sets pile up as much as i did, but I've said it before. some things are more fun than others and there always seemed to be something higher priority than that. there are multiple candy wrappers from the variety mic but i pick just one from each week that goes onto the page and then into a sheet protector, and no surprise how multiple pages were filled. i watched some of the NFL games of the day, the final day of the regular season. the bears game had a late-afternoon time slot, and the bears were getting blanked by the lions when i left to go to a bar to perform. then i get to the bar and found out the bears had closed the gap but still lost by a field goal. after i was done performing, i watched some of the Sunday night game, steelers over the ravens. this game also had a wild fourth quarter. when performing i was annoyed at hearing mention of a monument in another state where the comic didn't get their facts straight so i answered the joke. i also did stories about what i did on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, the bank, seeing a movie, and apps on my phone. 

david movie

 in the afternoon i went to see the movie 'David' in Edina at Southdale mall. i ordered an advance ticket, as i am not aware of any other way to use the gift card that Yemen native had sent me a year ago. this finished the balance, and the rest i covered with PayPal. enjoyed the story that was told, especially when he slew goliath. when the movie ended and before the closing credits were shown, there was a request to 'pay it forward' which meant help others pay to see this movie, especially kids. i think this same request was made when i saw another movie based on the bible in the past year, 'king of kings'. musician Lauren Daigle voices Rebecca in it. i am familiar with some of her songs, especially 'you say'. there were plenty of previews as well, one was a 'toy story' sequel. another was a biopic about ben franklin. since we are in the year of the America-250 celebration, no surprise how there will be some movies about the founding fathers. this one is due out in the spring. i even saw a display about a 'scream' sequel, in the hall. when i was searching for the biopic online after getting home, i found another one, about George Washington. that one is due out in early July. i watched the trailers for both on YouTube. in the morning i went to the post office, but no orders were there to be picked up. then it was to the credit union, depositing change. just over seven dollars was run through the change counter. i had the employee confirm that my car loan is due to have its final payment in July, and i like how the end is near. then i went to cub foods and found a quart of egg nog, surprised to see so much there when it is after Christmas. but it does prove that old adage how 'selection varies by store'. i also bought a diecast model car from the movie 'cars', it was the Hudson and has a Santa hat on it. after the movie i had the evening meal at home and then went to Aldi for groceries. for lunch i had a sandwich at Jersey Mike's. in the evening i tried to watch a football game but fell asleep and missed the ending. the seahawks beat the 49ers. 

two emails, one check

 i get back to the office and i am sent two emails about the same check. i found out it was one from the Cincinnati file that i had placed in the overnight bin, but it still hadn't been picked up yet. i was not aware that UPS wouldn't pick up anything on New Year's Eve. i figured that was it after the emails, but it wasn't. i got an instant message and was told that the client was still calling in about it. then i was called by UPS and was told it likely would be picked up near the end of the day. it wasn't going to get picked up any earlier just because somebody kept calling about it. usually when i say i have done my part, i don't hear any more about it. something about the client needed the check to make payroll. i even sent proof of when i was sent the label that i needed as i wanted to prove 'due diligence' here. i did check the tracking number late in the day and it was picked up. it was a fairly low volume day for overnights so i had them all in the drop-box early. i told a colleague that it looks like i have to 'bow out' on the building's food events at work as the registration has now moved to an app that i can't add to my android phone. one voluntary food event a month is not a good enough reason to change phones. thankful the popcorn event does not require registration, but it is canceled this month. in the morning i went to Walgreen for tea and cookies and picked up a discounted Charlie Brown holiday item- blocks that help count down the days. in the evening i went to the Hy-Vee in Eagan, it was a small order, just five items. i watched some of the holiday bowl on TV as well, SMU beat Arizona. 

comic book signing

 went to the comics brunch in Eagan just before midday. i had a scheduling conflict a year ago but no conflicts this time. a small crowd but i didn't mind, as i was less likely to get annoyed with comics that i don't like. i chatted with three comics while there, one of them was the event coordinator, that i knew from being a co-star on a fringe show. two others were the wolf, and the former lunch lady. the wolf had books that us comics could sign, but these weren't 'superhero' comic books. they were ones about local stand-up comics, two of the three were written by a dude that has interviewed me twice. i also noticed a movie ticket was taped near the front of one of the books, as i recall it was 'taken', the movie with Liam Neeson. the wolf apparently told his kids he wasn't going to rescue them like in that movie. in reality, no one should expect that. there was a familiar face at a table near ours, but i think it was a coworker and i wanted to get out of there before i was recognized. i don't talk about performing at the bank, and it had worked just fine to keep those two things separate. i heard from a friend of mine in St. Louis, a text message wishing me a happy new year. earlier the dude spoke of Indiana u., and i knew this school would be playing in the rose bowl. i checked the score later in the day and they beat Alabama.