conflicting dial-ins

i had two dial-in meetings this morning at work, scheduled for the same time. the way i handled the conflict was to do the one with my boss first, as it was about the midyear evaluation. it was scheduled on short notice, but it didn't take long, about seven minutes. then it was on to the other one, with facilities management. we now have an interim director. i said i liked attending the events where an app is not needed to register for it, such as the popcorn event most months. going through an app started this calendar year, and it is not compatible with my phone, so i said i had to 'bow out' of many events. the boss asked me about the contact for one of the fraud files, there are three. i said it would be the same contact for all of them. one of those files usually has a higher volume than the other two by far. i entered a vacation day request as well, a day off for the state fair next month. the supply order was also submitted. when i know that it usually needs approval from a senior leader, i prefer to avoid any delays on my end. in the evening i went to eat at cane's chicken in Eagan, then went to get groceries at the nearby Hy-Vee. there is plenty that i have planned for the weekend, and i shared some of that when asked by the cashier that recognizes me.  this included Canadian days in little Canada, but i did not make it there tonight. i was at work later than typical, in order to get things caught up, and i was tired and it had rained some. it meant skipping the corn on the cob feed, but i know it is easier to attend events on days when i am not working. 

korea coin

 in the morning i was between buses on getting to work, on layover in downtown St. Paul near the hockey arena. on my way to the next bus stop i passed by a pay station and saw coins on the pavement. i picked up all four and noticed two were American dimes. those went into my change bank when i got home. the other two were foreign coins, one i could tell right away was from Ecuador. the other had Asian characters on it. i googled it on my phone once the bus ride began and found it. i entered Chinese 100 coin and found out it was a Korean 100-won coin. both of these foreign coins were about the size of an American quarter. i keep seeing online how the exchange rate for the Korean coin would value it as being a little less than one of the dimes. but i like having it, and this is how i get most of the foreign coins i have- dumb luck. seeing them while out and about.  at work, i let the manager that likes karaoke know about my trip to st. louis over the weekend. i also spoke of how i have ordered a ticket for a Twins baseball game, it is a month from now. sometimes i am asked to pull checks from the fraud file. i was asked near the end of the day if i had, and i did. i will if i see it in time as i can print the email request and put it on the pile to remind me to look for it before i send those checks through the machine. in this case, i understood more of the urgency about it when it was for over a million. a little bit later, after seeing the instant message, i made the official response on the email thread. 

taxidermy stories

 i went to perform at an open mic tonight, first time in a while at this venue, although at one point i frequented it. there were some wild card slots but i didn't know that many people besides the MC, magic man. got a fist bump from the show closer, who i guess will be a performer at shows for the rest of the week. notable about the show was one of these wild card performers, or replacement for a no-show, did stories about taxidermy. we spoke after the show, enjoyed each other's sets. when i spoke of being an Iowa native, she said she was too, from Clinton, in eastern Iowa. it felt great being onstage there again, and much like after being in st. louis i didn't want the night to end. it was likely why i stopped at a nearby holiday gas station before going home to get a juice drink, some cheese, and two hash browns. at work, i was asked how many envelopes to a box, it was related to the order for the special project. i said it was 2300, based on the label on those oblong boxes. a file that does 'make-up' or 'replacement' checks sent me a file where many were to be overnighted. i checked the address and contact name and noticed it was actually 'return to business line' with the Kansas City file. i recognized the contact's name as well, not someone who i have met in person but based on electronic communications i would describe this colleague as a little 'loopy'. i had one of their checks that UPS was unable to deliver. for this reason, it was lumped together and it meant eight checks went to Kansas City instead of seven. i also noticed on emails that there was some 'duplication of efforts' on returned UPS checks. i don't enjoy it at all when this happens, having to answer a question twice. i guess somebody wasn't copied the first time. 

security cashiering

 at work i went through the returned checks and there was some refund checks sent to me by the mailroom as well. two were marked as such, and two others as 'security cashiering'. when vacation replacement was notified, all four were moved on. there were donuts on another floor for my boss and another member of our team. when i went to get one i noticed how no one said anything, i figured i would have been recognized, especially by the team lead as the donuts were on a table next to her cube. there were a thousand checks from the Jacksonville file, normally their daily volume is 20 so i had to ask the business line if it was a 'one-off' and copied my boss on it. in the response, it sounded like it was. had to ask as we had enough envelopes to cover it but not if it was a larger 'special project'. the colleague that places supply orders for me asked about the envelopes to order. this was for a special project and i deferred to the boss, who said it was our 'home' or 'catchall' envelopes but the response was delayed. 

consecutive rental returns

 i checked the voicemail on my phone and found out my car was ready so i went over to the dealer to pick it up in the evening. i turned in the rental or loaner car as well, and it meant consecutive days where i had turned one in since i was out of town over the weekend. i went to have ice cream in my neighborhood after i got home. at work, i was asked to hold off on printing the Fargo files, the largest ones of the day. i needed to wait for a 'green light' from someone in I.T. this arrived late in the day, so most of them were not printed the same day. before this happened, i scanned some check copies. i found out i had to cover up the credit card numbers at the top in order to have the scans to go through. i used the same post it to get this done, on about twenty of them. a second check for payroll was printed, and i let that colleague know about it. same one that had a check on Friday when i was out of town. 

headphones, flying home

 i began the day in St. Ann, Missouri, at my hotel, the Wingate. it was nice having another continental breakfast there. as usual, i liked how there wasn't much planned for the final day in town after i had eaten. i showered and then packed up and checked out of the hotel, then it was on to returning the rental car. i made it to the airport with plenty of time to check in for the flight home. i was smart enough to ask for headphones this time, found out i needed them to listen to the music available from the seat-back. there were plenty of genres available, i mostly listened to the two that were marked as alternative. notable to me was finding a song i wasn't familiar with, it was Paramore's 'misery business'. the title caught my eye. it was loud and fast, but sometimes i am in the mood for that. my friends were out of town, but after i landed at MSP i saw a photo from their safari in Africa, it was a cheetah. first order of business was getting lunch as it was midday, from panda express. i saw a photo booth near a snoopy statue and got a photo as there was an america-250 background for it. it was the second photo booth of the weekend, the first being at the city museum. and i bought two Charlie Brown items at another place, one was a candy bar with peppermint patty and Marcie on the wrapper. at first i didn't want to leave as i didn't want the trip to end, but i told myself i needed to get on the bus and go home as the longer i stay the more money i spend. i had chores and errand running to do at home. there were stops at three different grocery stores. first was Aldi, then after performing at a friend's open-mic i went to Hy-Vee and a Cub Foods. in the rush to get in and out of Aldi, i didn't get everything i needed. but the item count was lower at the other two, four and two items respectively. and as for cub, i wanted a state fair ticket but the customer service counter was closed for the night. i still bought two boxes of Chex cereal there as they still had a few boxes remaining with Charlie Brown and snoopy characters on them. i called my dad in the evening and i spoke of the trip, and i was asked if i had visited the brewery but i did not. i said i did recall a trip to that city when i was a teenager when Dad spoke of getting a weird call in the middle of the night. 

old capitol, st. charles

 i made it to two museums for the day. the second stop was in the afternoon, the old capitol in St. Charles. it didn't look much like a capitol building, no dome on it, but it served as a capitol for just five years. the part of town reminded me of the antique shops in Stillwater, or even historic sections of New Orleans or Charleston, SC. i did a tour after picking up some lunch at a gas station a few blocks away, including some small white castle burgers. i parked blocks away near the Lewis and Clark museum close to the river, as this was the closest available parking i was aware of. after having continental breakfast at the hotel, including a 'make your own waffle', i went to pick up the rental car. this made it much easier to see two museums, especially when neither one was served by public transport. the first stop was the red cedar inn, on the former route 66 in a town called pacific. both properties are listed on the national register of historic places, and i bought some postcards at both. i knew i needed to get back on the road after the second museum, drive back to the hotel so i could take the light rail from the airport to the stadium. the cardinals won, blanking Cincinnati, 7-0. and i noticed more music while out and about. there were two songs in the rental car, there was 'two princes' by spin doctors, and 'under pressure' by David Bowie and queen. at the stadium it was Paul Simon's 'call me al'. and it was another night of drinking a can of beer while back at my hotel, while writing about what i did for the day. both were Anheuser products, no problem finding them when it is near where they are brewed. it was a Budweiser select, then a Busch light. i liked finding both at the gas station near the hotel. but i didn't need to get peanuts the second night, after claiming a big bag at the stadium. 

city museum, st. louis

 in the morning i got on a plane and flew to st. louis for my annual visit for baseball games. i arrived before midday and wanted to fill in some time before i could check into my hotel near the airport. i went downtown, first stop was a BBQ place, i had been there before, sugar-fire. then it was on to the city museum. thankful that a ticket seller spoke of having lockers available for rent, as i used one for my travel bag. i might be cheap, but i am also practical, and i knew the fee wasn't all that much and i would feel more comfortable not having to carry the bag while touring this place. much of it was for kids, such as the slides. i went on a few but not too many. there was a carousel as well. i liked finding a section about architecture on an upper floor, including a profile about Louis Sullivan. and there was mention of a Montgomery Ward building, a former employer of mine. and there was music everywhere, at the BBQ place i liked hearing U2's 'with or without you'. it was a reminder of seeing this band in concert in this city at the hockey arena many years ago. at the museum i liked hearing Chappell Roan's 'pink pony club'. i wasn't at the hotel for long after checking in, wanted to get on the road again back to the airport for the game. cardinals were playing Cincinnati, and the cardinals lost 4-2. i liked getting a beer during happy hour at the stadium. much like when the twins have it, this is only available from gates open until first pitch and on 12-ounce cans. 

sia, nostalgic for the present

 in the evening i went to see a movie in Eagan, it was Sia's 'nostalgic for the present', also the name of one of her concert tours. haven't seen this musician in concert, and this movie will have to do. there are limited screenings, explaining why i was there on a weeknight. the dance choreography, acting out the songs, was really good. i was the only attendee for this screening, and now i have enough points for a reward with the loyalty program for this theater chain. i kept getting emails for weeks telling me how close i was. the songs captured the 'fragility of the human condition' well. i didn't know every song, but most of them in it. no surprise how many were from the 'this is acting' album, the most recent release as of the time that this was filmed. the song that made me take notice of this musician was likely 'elastic heart' which was in the movie. another notable one, 'guts over fear' with Eminem, was not. while watching the movie i was covering one ear to hear the songs better, i have done this before. it was what i really needed after a 'challenging' day at work to say the least. there was a meeting with a senior leader that i don't hear from that often. i didn't have a good feeling about it and was right. there were layoff notices, but i was in the group that is staying. probably know some of the people who are not. there was mention of it being due to outsourcing to India, i know another employer had done this years ago. while at the theater i did see a poster for 'nimrods', the green day movie, another music movie i am looking forward to. after the movie i drove to a Walgreen and dropped off a FedEx envelope, just minutes before closing time. i also picked up some things for myself, including two die-cast model cars. one was Charlie Brown and friends in space suits and the other was america-250. and i got some fruit punch, an ice cream bar, and cheese sticks. at work there was a dial-in meeting moderated by the CEO, and the backorder of check stock arrived. 

out to lunch reply

 i saw an odd 'out of office' reply in the shared box, it said 'out to lunch'. i am not used to seeing such a reply, usually it is being unavailable for the rest of the day or the full day. i went through the returned checks and notified vacation replacement about it. the case was closed on the check printer, after another tech arrived with parts. looks like the issue was some plastic from the check stock was sucked into the fan near the output tray and this is what was causing the 'hissing' sound. at least it has been handled. this was discovered after swapping maintenance kits on the two printers and there seemed to be no difference in the performance or sound of either unit. i let the manager that likes karaoke know about attending last night's Saints baseball game and the upcoming weekend in st. louis. the car went into the shop into the evening with the dealer, and i let the boss know that the recommended mechanic did not respond at all. even showed the text message to prove it. 

what envelopes do we use?

 i had a question from personnel in the Marshall office, it was 'what envelopes do we use?' for their checks. i said it was plain envelopes, no bank logo on them, just a return address. the boss asked about the court file, i said usually there aren't any special handling to pull out from it. a payroll check was picked up by the manager as the main contact was out of the office. the team lead was still trying to help me with logging in some volunteer hours, but i am just not getting to the screen i need to be on, and one big issue was a 'passkey'. a colleague in st. louis had asked if i had overnighted a check despite not being emailed to pull it, i said it was overnighted and i shared the tracking number. it was dropped in the box late in the day so it would likely be picked up soon enough. found out she is from Iowa like me, but from a different town, Ottumwa. there was mention of attending a bible camp in my hometown. except i had never heard of it and couldn't tell you where it was. a text was sent to a classmate about it and i was told it likely was a place where i had once seen a postcard for it online, and it would have been outside of the city limits, past the airport that i hardly ever went to. i should try to find it on my next visit, but lately those Iowa visits have been annual and i was already there in May. found all of it out due to mention of heading to st. louis soon for some baseball games. in the evening i went to the St. Paul Saints baseball game, saints lost to Columbus, 13-2. it was credit union night, and the CEO sang with the karaoke guy, the song was 'take the money and run'. nice that the beer at the sample table was Schell's, i am familiar with it from my visits to New Ulm for Oktoberfest. i also claimed a 'nacho bowl' as i was leaving the stadium, a plastic batting helmet, just needed to wash it out when i got home. 

delay on getting tech

 i was getting annoyed at work after creating a ticket for one of the check printers, because i had to keep justifying asking for a technician to look at it, and i was tired of all of the arguing. but then i said my boss has been notified about the delays, and not too long after that i was sent the form i needed to request one. then a tech arrived late in the workday, parts have been ordered. customer service asked for 46 check copies, this kind of volume is not typical. it was from the colleague that places supply orders for me. i liked seeing, based on check numbers, how most of them were in the same file. this made it easier to find them. 

midnight movie

 in the afternoon i went to see a movie at the Trylon, it was 'midnight'. it was a film from the 1930s with a setting in France. i am used to how movies tend to get to the choice of title, and in this case, it was a 'Cinderella' reference. this would be considered a 'screwball' comedy. i saw the cub foods dude, who likes to sit up front like i do. when this screening was over, i left and he got back in line for the next movie. i wanted to get to a performance venue, and like many times before i closed the show. i spoke of many of the typical things, including the bank stories. on Facebook i usually don't look at 'memories' that much but in the past week, i have. there have been plenty about my trip to Toronto to see the pan-am games many years ago. i haven't done an international trip since then but i am considering another one in the next year or two. i am still trying to figure out the 'logistics'- the when and where. affordability is another consideration as well, want the car loan and some furniture paid off first. 

wingman event

 i went to the st. Paul Saints baseball game, actually a double header. Saints won both games, 11-3 and 7-0, against Louisville, but i didn't see much of the 'lid lifter'. i was attending a 'wingman' event in the cub foods section of the stadium. there was a memorial service for sister Roz as well and i saw part of that before heading to the cub foods section. there were people pitching their friends, five in all as i recall. i chatted a little with a dude who said his friend was on his way, and they met at meetup events, in a group i often do events in. i said i was doing meetup again next month. there was a picnic-type meal there. i have learned to have expectations in line with reality so i don't expect to find a romantic partner due to this event. i did hear about more events this group is doing, away from the stadium. i like knowing it is free admission, makes it easier to attend. i still saw it as worth it to sign up as it meant a meal was included, and of course baseball. i did see nearly all of the nightcap. before heading to the stadium i had a sandwich at Jersey Mike's, but a different location than typical. then i did a haircut nearby at a place i hadn't been to in a while. i was the last client of the day, i noticed the shop owner changed the sign to 'closed' shortly after i left. even though i noticed the sign said he'd be open for another hour, but i didn't care since i got what i was looking for. i got a picture of a Charlie Brown calendar on the way out of the shop. 

follow-up to hi

 i decided to follow up with a colleague that places supply orders for me. on the previous day i had heard a hi when i went to find the team lead and drop off a check. it was a crazy-busy day and i felt bad that i didn't say much. the response i received was 'i can tell how busy you are by the way you walk'. after getting a flyer from the Guthrie theater about their upcoming season, i asked the manager that likes karaoke if she's seen any shows there lately. we had both seen 'little shop of horrors' but not the same performance, and that has already 'been a minute'. response was no, but she once was a frequent visitor. i said there are two shows of interest to me, and i am fine with going to that venue as i prefer a 'tried and true' show when we all have limited time and money available. the boss made a recommendation of someone in the service industry. i spoke of who sent me when i tried to contact, but i got voice mail. i also sent a text message, and both communications went unanswered. i found some 'Shrek' stickers when i made a visit to Walgreen. i stayed in and watched the St. Paul Saints baseball game, the Saints beat Louisville in a low- scoring game, 3-1. i was getting bored with hearing the announcer 'going up on a soapbox' about the double header scheduled for the next day. it includes a rainout makeup from the other city, and it means the Saints bat first in one of those games. this happens all the time when a game is moved, it is not a big deal to me. i had seen it when a game was moved from Fargo during the pandemic, knowing the crowd size would be larger in the alternate venue. there was an interview with 'fan number ten million' as the team reached that milestone in attendance in this game, in year 34 of the franchise's history. 

hissing from printer

 i was trying to find the time to call in a ticket on a check printer but was busy and i will have to try again the next day. it just doesn't sound right when printing, as i am hearing 'hissing' instead of 'whirring'. since there are two check printers, i decided to avoid using it until a tech arrives. when i spoke of it to the tax specialist, i said 'trouble with the droids', in reference to a line from a 'Star Wars' movie. i was trying to explain why i didn't have the checks ready for courier pick-up on time. i let vacation replacement know there was a refund check addressed to someone in another department, it had arrived in an inter-office envelope. i was told to send it to the team lead, so it meant going to another floor. we chatted for a few minutes and some of it was about my day off coming soon. this was another day of driving into work, parking in a ramp. i had fringe festival training after work. it is nice to be recognized by the event coordinator upon arrival. i was pleased that i was able to attend the in-person training session after one person moved to the online version. we will have to wait for the shirts we will be wearing as those aren't available yet. but the festival is still three weeks away. the stored-value cards usable to get in free to shows have the same status but an example was passed around. looks like i can pick both up on the first night at a venue i will be ushering in. 

sharing too much?

 the team lead spoke of being willing to help with the issue i was having with trying to log my volunteer hours from special Olympics. except i kept going around in circles after trying to use the link i was given. then i think she shared too much in an instant message, as my response was 'what?' something about hating to use public bathrooms and 'her foot in my stall'. i notified vacation replacement that three refund checks had arrived. sometimes i see them in the empty mail tubs in the mailroom when i drop off the regular mail for the day since the mailroom knows it's still the same department but different floor than me. i let the manager that likes karaoke know i was doing a saints baseball game this weekend, as i was sent mention of a 'wingman event'. i also had two checks to drop off for this same manager. 

quick to close cases

 no, not Sherlock Holmes or 'monk'. but there is someone at the office that is quick to close cases. or we sometimes call them 'tickets' when i need service on the machines i use for check printing and such. my boss heard about us getting three toner cartridges in a little over a week and said call in a ticket. i forwarded it and then a few hours later, the case was closed with an explanation about it. i said we had more than we needed, as now we have five. vacation replacement heard about it and said it was better than not having enough, which is true. there are times when we got one just before one ran out. i said it was all double talk. i let my boss know of there is any interest on escalating it. i let vacation replacement know about going through the returned checks, there was seven from our internal file and an eighth is Canadian. i drove into work and found a ramp to park in a few blocks away, as i had two events to attend after work. one of them was bastille day at the French alliance, my first stop. i bought two postcards there. i also got a ham and cheese 'crepe'. there was an actress dressed as Marie Antoinette and i got a photo with her. i have done this event before but it had been a few years. it has been at various venues before, this time in the parking lot of their 'home building'. the second event was a meetup at a micro-brewery in st. Paul. it was nice to see a lady there that is willing to advise me about a possible trip to Europe, except i found out more about her and said i am only interested in friendship, nothing more. three red flags, two of them were verbalized without me having to ask. the third was obvious in terms of actions observed. she spoke of getting divorced, so not divorced yet, along with being unemployed. and she's not lacking for attention at these events and i don't care to compete. 

dishes, a day late

i don't have many dishes to do at home, so i do them once a week. this time it was a day late. not too big of a deal, but i should try harder to find the energy to do them on the more customary day. but i know all too well how it can be more inviting to lay down when tired and how hard it can be to get up when comfortable. i knew i couldn't afford to delay it another day, so added motivation to get it done. at work, the day started off with the boss asking about the time sheet. i said i had already submitted it and based on the light blue color of the button on that page, i would be unable to submit it again. a colleague from the Marshall file asked about the regular mail deadline, related to pulling a check. sounded like there was some interest in having a check overnighted. then i was told that the employee was unable to provide the overnight label.  

young washington movie

 just before midday i went to see the movie 'young Washington', at the Grandview theater in St. Paul. liked seeing Kelsey Grammer- from 'Cheers' and 'Frasier'- in it, albeit in a small role. i am used to the disclaimer that was in the closing credits, which said 'some scenes and characters were invented for dramatic effect'. when the storyline got to fort Duquesne, now known as Pittsburgh, it reminded me of a fellow comic, brawler, who is from that city. i was the only one in the theater for this screening, this has happened before. i had lunch at the subway sandwich shop nearby after the movie. it was nice hearing Sia's 'cheap thrills' there. when i was getting a sandwich there i noticed one employee was holding an infant, but not the one that served me. after this was done i went to have an oil change done for my car. then later on i went to perform at an open mic. one performer said it was the best set he'd heard from me. it likely helped that it included a rant about my ex-boss, who i spotted at an event the previous day but thankfully i just kept moving before i was recognized and called out to. in the morning i did laundry, although i was tired in the evening and didn't get around to doing the dishes. i guess i will have to do them the next day. 

mary oliver movie

 in the afternoon i went to see the documentary movie about poet Mary Oliver, at st. Anthony main in Minneapolis. i still haven't found a better view in the twin cities than the one i see just outside of this theater, looking straight across the river to the skyline. i hadn't heard of this writer, but since it was about a writer it intrigued me enough to go. i found it when scanning fandango this week so it was a late add to my schedule. there were some interviews with celebrities, but some worked for me better than others. i liked the one with journalist Maria Shriver, who interviewed her and clips of the interview are shown. what makes you feel different? not belonging. that statement really resonated with me, as it would with many who are in the arts. the ones with two talk show hosts, Steve Colbert and Oprah Winfrey, didn't do much for me. besides reading her poems, they seemed to offer little beyond being 'fans' who happened to be famous. it was nice to hear Edith Piaf's 'la vie en rose' in the lobby, a good 'walking out song'. i made it to whiz-bang days in Robbinsdale before the movie and bought the festival button i was looking for. i briefly stopped in the branch, but it was basically just a hi and bye as not many were in there. i was recognized by one employee though, who said it was basically an entirely new crew since i was moved to another office. a deejay played nirvana's 'teen spirit' as part of the block party. and i had lunch at the McDonald's. i went to the car show as well, nice seeing a Shelby cobra there. and there was a pink Edsel. although it made me feel old to see an 83 cutlass there. went to the Walgreen and bought a six pack of Coca-Cola in bottles, since it had the america-250 logo on it. in the evening i went to see 'cosmic ball' at the Saints stadium. a friend in st. louis said he hadn't heard of it. shortly after the event ended, i sent a text and described it well. the showmanship reminded me of the Harlem globetrotters, pro wrestling, and a 3-ring circus. there was music throughout, which i liked. this included Elton John's 'I'm still standing' and Djo's 'end of beginning'. at one point, a player sat down next to me and i said 'there is a lot going on'. the dude was wearing a jersey with '3:16' on the back. if anything didn't land with me, it was the blow-up doll version of a cow, a recurring gag. if it was meant to be their version of a 'rubber chicken', then that wouldn't have landed with me either. 

letters not practical

 i joined a dial-in meeting with the boss, it was about a big ask on checks. the expected volume is fifteen thousand, and legal department asked us to send out letters with it as well. but this is not practical when the volume is that high. sounds like the request might have went as high as one level below the CEO. the boss said it would make more sense to have legal send out those letters in advance, instead of with the checks. whatever happens, i won't see these refund checks right away. there will likely be more meetings about it, but i won't necessarily be on the later ones. the boss went home a little early, spoke of the gout acting up and needing to take meds for it. there was one check for the tax specialist, the first of this month. it will likely be picked up in person the next business day. i decided to respond on the email thread about the supply orders, where i said we have had cartons of check stock put on backorder before. i see it when the packing list arrives, and we are not told in advance when that happens. this seemed to be one reason why the order was held up, along with the main contact being on vacation. i said i was fine with being sent whatever they currently have in stock, and this seemed to be enough to break the logjam. in the evening i went to get groceries at Hy-Vee in Eagan and saw the employee i sometimes chat with. songs i heard there included 'closing time', although it wasn't all that close to closing time when i was there. the other was 'X's and O's' by Elle King. i bought some more america-250 items, this time it was discounted napkins. 

docking station request

 vacation replacement was working from home and i was asked to look inside a little box. i did find a docking station in it, something about his no longer works. guess it will be picked up next week. there were some cords in it as well. i checked and i have a little box just like it, from when my laptop arrived. i am thankful i haven't needed much from it yet. i think i let a tech look in the box though when the second check printer was set up and a cord was used from it. the supply order for the month has not arrived yet and i have reported it. and it sounds like i am dealing with the typical summer issue at the bank and the supplier- vacations. the help desk app closed the second ticket; the one opened for requesting a maintenance kit for a check printer. i let vacation replacement know that i did find an event for a rare weekend this summer where i hadn't booked anything yet. this was for august, and a movie i would like to see would be in theaters by then. i spoke of how i tend to go the second weekend instead of the first, and it reminded me of a former coworker. the dude seemed upset with me when i said i wouldn't watch a 'Star Wars' movie on opening weekend. why, i don't know. i didn't refuse to see it entirely. i just prefer waiting a little when the crowds tend to be smaller. the music of the day included one i heard at the convenience store on the main floor, it was 'pink pony club'. then there was 'what's up' by 4 non-blondes, when i was riding the bus home. also notable was seeing a movie outdoors, 'sing', in the evening. i had seen both it and the sequel, but it had been a minute. i saw both as Redbox rentals four years ago. 

hold for documents

 the Marshall file sometimes has checks where we are emailed and it says, 'hold for documents'. these are sent inter-office and arrive a few days later. thankful that a UPS envelope and label are included, and these usually have titles in them as well. we had two of those to pull out of the file for the day. at the start of the week, the boss spoke of being in the office for three days near the end of the week. but this was not to be, as we got an email this morning where the boss spoke of being ill, and would not be in. and as usual, call the cell if necessary. we started off the week with a big backlog of checks from the Fargo file, but it is slowly going down. it was five thousand, then four, and now two. i send out as many as i can each day, but no more than four regular mail tubs. it also makes a difference as to when we get those files, and lately they have been arriving later than typical. 

no set lunchtime

 i did hear from a former coworker and was told that this dude doesn't have a set lunchtime. it sounds a lot like me, often snacking or just having small lunches. i had asked about lunching together, guess i could still find another way for us to chat in person sometime soon. it would be nice to see some more familiar faces. there aren't many coworkers i miss from a former job, but this is one of them. a payroll check was picked up. vacation replacement was helping out with the Marshall file, and one check we were asked to set aside and match up with a form was in the second file of the day. i think it was for a traffic ticket as it was for a hundred dollars, and those are often sent to a PO box instead of being overnighted. 

envious, why?

 at work i spoke of the weekend to the manager that likes karaoke, and the response was 'envious'. but why? i am single, i said, and the choices are to go solo or not at all. something about her cleaning out a former apartment in order to turn in the keys. the advice was that when you stop looking, the perfect person is right there. i let someone know that i preferred a ticket be left open until the correct toner cartridge arrives. but i am used to this colleague wanting to close the case right away. and i still had questions about how to send back the wrong kind, but it sounded like i was on my own there. and i got an odd message about issues on a check upload, had to ask them what business line as i didn't recognize their name. then i found out it is the one based in st. louis and it meant we weren't getting a file for the day from them. not a big deal, it is usually a small file. in the evening i went to sing at a karaoke bar, as i still wanted stage time after the previous day's show didn't happen. i sang twice, it was 'alive' by Sia, and 'wake me up when September ends' by green day. i was thinking those were the best two as i am looking forward to seeing movies about both in the next month or so. after i did the first song, i went back to the bar with my drink and the lady after me did 'I'll fly away'. it was a reminder of me singing it at my aunt's funeral. 

george washington impersonator

 i was back at the church for another event, after hearing about a George Washington impersonator, an event held after the day's worship services, which i did not attend. it was mainly about Washington's farewell address, and highlights of it. the presenter said it is about 23 pages, so definitely nothing like Lincoln's Gettysburg address in terms of brevity. i had seen some presidential impersonators before, so this was right up my alley. i asked a question near the end of Q and A about movies, and the answer was there were many more about Lincoln, and i guess he hadn't seen many about Washington. i had lunch at Jersey Mike's, then went to mall of America and saw the america-250 exhibit in the rotunda. good thing i had went to the comedy show two days prior, as this is how i found out about it. there was a fashion show, and i liked reading the displays there. one of them was about the bicentennial celebration of 1976, and two artifacts were on display. one was a lunchbox, the other was a beer can from Schell's. i had seen this brewery do commemorative cans before, celebrating the St. Paul winter carnival. i had some pizza at home, then went to a performance venue but found out no show for the day. it led to me contacting the show runner, and i said it was time to give out my phone number as i am fine with text messages. i check my phone more than Facebook anyway. i said i don't give it out much, but this is somebody i trust. there was another 'a to z' series on a local radio station, 89.3 the current. i liked hearing some songs from first aid kit, the two sisters from Sweden. same series where i discovered this band two years ago, the song was 'fireworks'. this time it was 'out of my head' and 'tender offerings'. 

carillon bell concert

there were three events booked for the day. the first was a picnic through meetup, in south Minneapolis. the venue looked familiar, and i think we had a picnic at the same park a year earlier. i did see my friend there eventually, the retired postal worker. sent a text after i had eaten and i heard 'on the way'. we drank beer together, both of us had a miller genuine draft as he had some in the back of his car. i stayed longer than expected for this reason, as it was the first in-person visit with this dude this calendar year after some cancellations. there was one dude, who had a shaved head, that i enjoyed chatting with before my friend showed up. i brought a box of twinkies. i had to stop at an ATM on the way so i could pay the fee to attend. there are five picnics in the series this year, only one i have attended so far. and good chance it will stay that way. next one is in Stillwater, not going to that one. and the one on Labor Day weekend doesn't have a venue yet. next event was the carillon bell concert, at a presbyterian church on summit avenue in St. Paul. i heard about that event due to searching online. i got out my lawn chair, in the back of my car. i don't use it much. i decided to move fairly early on as a young lady was playing some Taylor Swift songs on some kind of device and it was harder to hear the carillon for that reason. i ended up moving across the street, closer to the church. two songs i recognized were 'wonderful world' by Louis Armstrong, and 'over the rainbow' from 'wizard of oz'. the church had run out of programs by the time i got there, so i did not have a song list. then it was on to the St. Paul Saints baseball game, my sixth of the season. saints beat buffalo, 6-5, and as usual there was plenty of the long ball. there was a rain delay, then the game was called about 30 minutes later. minimum is five innings to be declared an 'official game', and six innings were played, so it met that standard. there were fireworks, after the rain tapered off. two notable songs during the show were 'America the beautiful'- the patriotic song- as well as 'ragged old flag' by johnny cash. don't know what version i had heard of the former, but it is likely that a ton of performers have done it. many of the songs played were familiar from earlier fireworks shows that the team had done, but i don't think i had heard cash's song done that often before. 

groceries after show

 i had heard about a friend doing a comedy show this evening, and at first i balked at attending. my first reaction was that it was my grocery shopping night. i am thankful i changed my mind because i had a great time at the show. it was cul-de-sac and mason city performing, the latter being the headliner. i didn't know who the MC was. i got in free and when i was leaving i found out my food and drink was comped as well. i laughed a lot, some of the stories i had heard before but not all of them. i said i was inspired to go back to performing more than once a week. i hadn't seen either one in a while, added motivation to go there. then i went grocery shopping after the show, good thing some stores are open late. i picked up another magazine with the america-250 theme, this one by people. at work i had two tickets opened. one was for a maintenance kit on a printer, the other was about getting the wrong kind of toner cartridge for a printer. since it was kind of a slow day, i had more time to get it done. i also submitted the mid-year evaluation, which was due soon. the tax specialist spoke of holiday plans, a BBQ at his mom's house. there was just one Marshall file, nothing late in the day. i made it to Walgreen in the morning, that store was open. while walking through the skyway i noticed many others were not. i got some pictures of the closed signs. i did send another instant message to a former coworker, it had been a little over a month since the most recent one. this time i did ask about lunching sometime soon as it can get boring to be lunching by myself on most days. this led to me saying to vacation replacement how there aren't many people that i am comfortable with opening up to at work. some are on the same team as me, but not all of them. i can think of just five where i have shared much of anything about my personal life. 

except i did

 i needed to do a rebuttal at work in reference to the manager in Marshall claiming i didn't notify the shared box if something went into the UPS box after pick-up time. except i did, and i shared a screen snip in my response. i also said that no shared boxes were in the original message, so why should i be the one that has to add it? i definitely didn't care for two senior leaders being copied on the response. all the more reason to send my rebuttal. i said if i need to copy five people each time, then i will. i didn't want to be convicted in a kangaroo court. i let the manager that likes karaoke know that i got the reservations done, and she spoke of needing to go on a trip soon. i spoke of how i have cut spending across the board, and i take fewer trips now. i heard from the same colleague as the previous day, but thankful it was before crunch time. it meant i had more time to do the researching. i had the name of who had sent the UPS label a week earlier and this made it easier to find in the deleted items in the shared box. it was five checks going to a judge's office in St. Paul. a payroll check was picked up, and i closed the door kind of quickly as it was late in the day, just as i was hearing 'have a good weekend'. not thrilled with how the popcorn event was canceled this month, but this happened a year ago as well, too close to the holiday. 

supply order must wait

 i found the time to place the supply order for the month, got a little too busy the previous day. then i saw an out of office reply from the colleague who handles it for me, so it must wait. hard to say how long, but with it being close to a holiday it might be a few days. there were two checks for the manager that likes karaoke, but not in the same i-pay file. i spoke of needing to make some travel reservations and this helped me get it done in the evening. i also spoke of the lady i had met at a meetup event where i sang karaoke, and so did she, but not the same song. a colleague asked me to do some researching in the afternoon during 'crunch time', from the Cincinnati file. wanted to see where some checks were sent. because i was busier compared to other times of the day, i had to admit that and the colleague spoke of needing to do some more research. i also put some test checks in the MICR ruler for the boss, four in all. they seemed to fit just fine to me.