There was an ice cream giveaway at a theater earlier today, but I didn't make it in time during my lunch as it went quick. It was scheduled for 2 hours and they were gone after just 30 minutes. So I went to a nearby convenience store and got an ice cream sandwich for under a dollar. There will be a play about George Gershwin that interests me, but not until December.
After watching 'Big Bang Theory' tonight I spent more time going through older emails to see which ones I needed to print. Some were printed, others were deleted as I realized I no longer needed them. This was especially true with those about the writer convention. One does need some time every so often to get better organized. It also meant getting some printed forms stapled together as it helped to grouping them better if about the same subject.
My employer had another deal today, this time a restaurant gift certificate. So I bought it, previously I did for some movie tickets. Then I got the same offer on my personal email account, from Borders rewards. Go figure. Guess it was a hot offer, both said it was expiring today. Nothing like a sense of urgency- or fear- to make sales or raise money.
There was another feature on the news about the New Ulm B&B fire, what's typical is it didn't take long to get into the finger-pointing phase. The 6 victims and 4 survivors were all identified, my heart goes out to one survivor as she made it but her husband didn't. Some of the online articles appeared to have a video of the fire, which prompted me to go onto Youtube for video searches. There were 3 about the B&B, one was of the owner entertaining the red hat ladies. Some comments did mention how the place was destroyed by fire.
Wish that small towns like New Ulm got media attention for more positive things than a deadly fire, but this is true all too often where 'if it bleeds it leads'.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Listen to Buck Owens
Liked one song I heard at the comedy club tonight, it was 'Looking out my back door' by CCR. I caught some name dropping in the lyrics, as 'listening to Buck Owens' was part of it. I had done this before, since I watched some of the TV show 'Hee Haw' when I was younger. Buck Owens and Roy Clark were well known as the musicians on that show.
I was onstage tonight, tried a few new jokes and they worked well. Both were inspired by recent travels over the past 2 weekends. One of them was about the square dancing convention at the same hotel as the writer convention in Detroit that I attended. One crowd member did say 'nice work' after the show. Liked hearing the MC say something about the unabomber after I was onstage well enough that I did laugh at it. Not much different from hearing Dahmer impressions, best thing to do is laugh them off.
Went out for a walk at lunchtime today, while the monthly check of sirens was being done. Needed to mail a bill, and before that I went over to a location that has a walk of fame. There were 5 in it, and I had passed by it many times before but decided to get pictures of it this time. Included are: Hubert Humphrey, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Schulz, Herb Brooks, and Charles Lindbergh. I like how eventually I do get things crossed off my list.
I was onstage tonight, tried a few new jokes and they worked well. Both were inspired by recent travels over the past 2 weekends. One of them was about the square dancing convention at the same hotel as the writer convention in Detroit that I attended. One crowd member did say 'nice work' after the show. Liked hearing the MC say something about the unabomber after I was onstage well enough that I did laugh at it. Not much different from hearing Dahmer impressions, best thing to do is laugh them off.
Went out for a walk at lunchtime today, while the monthly check of sirens was being done. Needed to mail a bill, and before that I went over to a location that has a walk of fame. There were 5 in it, and I had passed by it many times before but decided to get pictures of it this time. Included are: Hubert Humphrey, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Schulz, Herb Brooks, and Charles Lindbergh. I like how eventually I do get things crossed off my list.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
New Ulm B&B Fire
I was at the comedy club tonight, and misheard when somebody spoke of court. They meant basketball and not jury duty. Guess I gave them another joke when they're onstage again. I should have been paying attention more before asking a question about it.
There was a town hall meeting at work with many VIPs, one of them had hoped I would do the bridge walk but needed to see the payoff reports were caught up. Liked the fruit, especially the pineapple, at the town hall meeting.
After the town hall, I did speak with somebody about the recent fire at a B&B in New Ulm. It was a manager who had been profiled before, and it was revealed- when he spoke of his favorite restaurant being in that town- that he is a New Ulm native. He did know some of those who died. Some did escape and survive.
It appears that some are trying to compare this event and are coming up short in the accuracy department. When thinking of tragedies, it is fine to say it is one of the worst in decades. But when one reads the history books, there have been larger fires than this one. The Sioux Uprising of 1862- aka the Dakota War- led to much of New Ulm being burned. It was also mentioned how there was a house fire in Minnesota with a higher death toll, 10. Though, granted, few house fires have been as deadly as this one, claiming 6 lives.
There was a town hall meeting at work with many VIPs, one of them had hoped I would do the bridge walk but needed to see the payoff reports were caught up. Liked the fruit, especially the pineapple, at the town hall meeting.
After the town hall, I did speak with somebody about the recent fire at a B&B in New Ulm. It was a manager who had been profiled before, and it was revealed- when he spoke of his favorite restaurant being in that town- that he is a New Ulm native. He did know some of those who died. Some did escape and survive.
It appears that some are trying to compare this event and are coming up short in the accuracy department. When thinking of tragedies, it is fine to say it is one of the worst in decades. But when one reads the history books, there have been larger fires than this one. The Sioux Uprising of 1862- aka the Dakota War- led to much of New Ulm being burned. It was also mentioned how there was a house fire in Minnesota with a higher death toll, 10. Though, granted, few house fires have been as deadly as this one, claiming 6 lives.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Kill the Irishman
Saw the movie 'Kill the Irishman' on DVD today, got it at a Redbox inside a Walgreen. Liked an interview the lead actor gave in an airline magazine I read when flying to Chicago in march. He said in the end, it doesn't matter whether or not you like me, it just matters if i'm convincing. Good gangster movie, liked the Cleveland setting as it's the Midwest. Also rented 'The Dry Land', about an Iraq vet dealing with PTSD. Liked how it was a road movie, as he traveled to see a comrade at Walter Reed hospital in Washington, D.C. Got some chores done like dishes and errands like groceries done on this 4th of July holiday. It was the 4th straight day of seeing fireworks, some are going off outside nearby as I am writing. Also when I went out to mail a letter to my dad about the weekend in Iowa, including the picture of the Iowa Cubs game from May.
Bought a Minneapolis paper that had an article about a bed and breakfast destroyed by fire in New Ulm, it meant something to me as I like going to that town for Oktoberfest.
Bought a Minneapolis paper that had an article about a bed and breakfast destroyed by fire in New Ulm, it meant something to me as I like going to that town for Oktoberfest.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Fort Defiance in Iowa
Liked seeing the reminders of Fort Defiance in Estherville, Iowa, today. There are 3. A monument at the county courthouse, a marker at the original site (now a professional building) and the state park a mile outside of town. Also made it to Lake Okoboji, and to a historic site about the Spirit Lake Massacre near it. It was the Abby Gardner home, she wrote about being held captive and then her home became a tourist site. My date wanted to do a boat tour at the lake, it was nice. Picked up plenty of brochures from the welcome center, and got another smashed penny there.
Before leaving Emmetsburg I wanted to get pictures of historic sites there as well. This included a marker near the hotel, but it was next to some pine trees and I had to contend with mosquitoes to read it. That marker was on the site where the town was founded. The other ones were at the county courthouse, of Robert Emmet, an Irish martyr who was the inspiration for the town's name. Liked seeing the welcome banners saying '100,000 welcomes' in Gaelic there. The other one at the courthouse grounds was from the Blarney Stone.
On the way back we decided to stop in Albert Lea to eat at a Subway, but it was hard to do when the road to it was blocked off by police due to their 4th of July parade. We eventually got there, but took the long way around.
Before leaving Emmetsburg I wanted to get pictures of historic sites there as well. This included a marker near the hotel, but it was next to some pine trees and I had to contend with mosquitoes to read it. That marker was on the site where the town was founded. The other ones were at the county courthouse, of Robert Emmet, an Irish martyr who was the inspiration for the town's name. Liked seeing the welcome banners saying '100,000 welcomes' in Gaelic there. The other one at the courthouse grounds was from the Blarney Stone.
On the way back we decided to stop in Albert Lea to eat at a Subway, but it was hard to do when the road to it was blocked off by police due to their 4th of July parade. We eventually got there, but took the long way around.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Concert in Iowa
Went to see a concert at a casino in Iowa, the Wild Rose in Emmetsburg. My date likes country music and wanted to see Emerson Drive and Neal McCoy. Didn't know them well, but I liked when I heard some familiar songs like when Neal played some Charley Pride songs, 'Kiss an Angel' and 'San Antone'. Ended up with a stoneware jug as the casino was celebrating 5 years in business. Needed a casino card to get into the show, my date likes to gamble more than I do. I like the food and entertainment more at casinos. I didn't stay on the slot machines for long. The buffet there was nice, plenty of choices and I liked seeing prime rib available.
A memorable thing there was the smell of manure at one point during the show, even the performer alluded to it. Between acts I had somebody say they liked my Iowa Hawkeye hat, found out she went to the U of I and majored in history like I did. Her husband was from Ames, and we spoke a little as well. Got some errand running done this morning like getting a credit card bill ready, taking out trash, and sending 2 shopping carts back to the grocery store.
A memorable thing there was the smell of manure at one point during the show, even the performer alluded to it. Between acts I had somebody say they liked my Iowa Hawkeye hat, found out she went to the U of I and majored in history like I did. Her husband was from Ames, and we spoke a little as well. Got some errand running done this morning like getting a credit card bill ready, taking out trash, and sending 2 shopping carts back to the grocery store.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Fireworks Show
Went to the Saints baseball game tonight, but it went into rain delay with Fargo-Moorhead up 1-0 with 2 outs in the top of the third. They got the field ready, had fireworks and played plenty of music, then decided to re-start the game. But since it was getting late I decided not to stay for it. Having plans for the weekend had a lot to do with the decision. I didn't like having to rush for cover due to the weather, since there wasn't much shelter available. So it meant going to a tent area on the other side of the stadium from where I was, near the left field corner.
This is the first day of the Minnesota state government shutdown, hard to say how long it will last this time. The previous one in 2005 lasted 8 days. It did receive some attention on CNN, as Gov. Mark Dayton was shown at a press conference when I was at lunch in the breakroom and I asked somebody 'so there is no deal?' I was told 'yes, still no deal'.
This is the first day of the Minnesota state government shutdown, hard to say how long it will last this time. The previous one in 2005 lasted 8 days. It did receive some attention on CNN, as Gov. Mark Dayton was shown at a press conference when I was at lunch in the breakroom and I asked somebody 'so there is no deal?' I was told 'yes, still no deal'.
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