Smile And Nod

    I went to the comedy club tonight, and one of the performers was the 'Extra murder' comic. He did a wordless routine, plenty of smiling and nodding in it. He wasn't fazed even when I made a request for the 'First World Problem' joke. After the show he said it was due to not liking the crowd. The 'Tetris comic' did his home use catheter joke, as well as a train stopping for Taco John's near his home. The 'Resistable comic' did her joke about wanting a hug and not a handshake on a date. The 'School bouncer' comic said he let a kid hit him as he hates to do paperwork. The Belarus native did the one about 'Two Stones with one bird'.
   At midday I did walk around outside some, but not for long as it is still cold out there. I made it over to Walgreen to get a newspaper and a roll of toilet paper. Before I had lunch I made a long walk in the skyway to an ATM where I knew there would be no waiting in line. Unfortunately at that time of day the two closest ones to me- and to the Erbert Gerbert sandwich shop I like going to- have a two deep line. I guess I needed the exercise anyway.
    A colleague said there were personal 'Facebook movies' based upon your activity since their 10-year anniversary was observed this week. I haven't seen mine yet, but for a few days I had a hard time getting logged in and finally did this evening after I ate the 'Loco Taco box' at Taco Bell.

Swallowed, The Bush Song

    This morning I did my customary walk through the skyway before reporting to work. I like how I can recognize enough lyrics from a song so I find it online later. In this case it was 'Swallowed' by Bush. I recalled 'Swallowed, I know, everyone'. I actually found multiple hits, but figured it had to be the Bush song. I was pleased that it led to finding another Eminem song- 'Talking to myself'. I don't know this band that well, but I like this song. Listening to it in full on Youtube, and reading the lyrics, helped. The contrast works- 'Everyone and yet not'. When a fish hook is mentioned, then 'Swallowed' as the title makes more sense as it is in many ways a fishing reference. The video suggests it is a love song, but also one about angst, and the angst part works for me- as there is mention of self-esteem. When it ends with 'Miss the one I love a lot' the lasting impression is the love theme of course.
   Now for Eminem. 'Talking to myself'- I think it was the first time I heard it. But it is familiar, since one can tell that he is working through things in his music. This is evident when he speaks of writer's block, and a bitter pill to swallow. I think this is why I found it when I entered 'Swallow'. I already can say how brilliant he is in his craft with his other songs, so I don't think it's one that will be a standout for me. But it's still a pretty good song. I would say it more about 'Lose Yourself', since the movie '8-Mile' made me an 'Em' fan. Others in that elite category for me would be 'Real Slim Shady' and 'Need a Doctor'. I like the passion in both, especially saying 'Will the real one please stand up' in the former. And of course how he sings about his mentor, Dr. Dre, in the latter. Then there's 'Without Me'- saying 'Let me be me'. I like how he has put out so much music. I seem to find one of his songs all the time when searching for song titles by other musicians since he often has a song with a similar title.
    I did watch two episodes of 'Big Bang Theory' tonight. The syndicated rerun was a Christmas episode where Leonard's mom visits. He finds out Sheldon has a better relationship with his mom than he does. Kind of funny how his mom and Penny get drunk together. The prime time episode was a Valentine's Day theme, where Sheldon, Howard, and their ladies take a train to the Napa Valley. We all know Sheldon loves trains, so it works that he met a friend on the train who had the same passion. But this annoyed Amy, as expected, since she was being ignored.
   Somebody I know from riding the bus spoke of Jay Leno and the Tonight Show. I was unsure when he would be having his final edition but found out it was tonight. I liked watching it, as many famous people said farewell, including Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon. It was nice to hear stories from Billy Crystal, and Garth Brooks performed two songs. I like 'The Dance' more than 'Friends in Low Places'. I had to laugh when a 'Kiss Cam' was done in Congress, to the tune of 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None the Richer, a song that was in the movie 'She's All That'. On CNN at midday in the break room, they went through some of the notable events from 1992, when Jay started hosting the show. One of them was the opening of Mall of America.  

Iko Iko, and SOS

     I look forward to the Wii dancing each week, not just the exercising but also the songs played. Today the notables were 'SOS' by Rihanna, and 'Iko Iko' by Mardi Gras. The Rihanna song was one I recall hearing when I was visiting Detroit, probably in 2006. It's a catchy song, borrowing from 'Tainted Love' by Soft Cell. With 'Iko Iko' I am reminded of the movie 'Rain Man', though it was 'Ika Ika' in the movie, a slight variation. I was just one of two today, me and the event coordinator. When I think of a comedian friend being impressed with activities at my workplace, I think this one has to be near the top. Since I am now on the Communications Council, helping out with events, I have seen more by being an 'Insider'. This was a catch-up day at work, I liked getting my primary duties finished before I went to lunch. So then when I returned I was able to devote the rest of the day to getting the letters caught up. I ended up doing 20, so now it is more caught up as just two were left at the end of the day.
   At the comedy club tonight, I liked seeing my 'Bestie' perform as the show closer. He did do the 'Lost dog' joke, but did some other jokes before it. I liked hearing a few I hadn't heard in a while, like 'Chivalry is dead' since he does a voice impression and it proves having range. He did a new joke, 'Die for you', in reference to his lady. After the show I liked to hear him holding court. There are times I will listen very closely and say very little, and this is one of them. I had to laugh a little, even if it was only internally, about what another comic said while he was holding court. I asked if he had a comedy CD out yet, he said no. I expressed interest in being in the crowd when it is done. The other comic said I would be the first to know. But I know others have seen, out of all the comedian friends I have, that there is a reason why this one is called 'Bestie' as it is a special friendship.
    I am a loyal and supportive friend, but I have seen how he is as well. I spoke of how internet dating still hasn't panned out, and he said it is best to keep trying. I was thinking I need to be open to other ways of meeting a mate, especially when I hear how other couples met. I liked how he asked me a valid question: what else am I going to do, quit? I said I had done that before, for too long, and don't want to do that again.
    I also liked how he spoke with the 'Extra murder' comic for a while as well, about various subjects. It was not just the business of comedy, but also about relationships. I do like hearing about the business of comedy, what it's like behind the scenes.  The 'Extra murder' comic did the 'Yule Log' joke, along with an older one about spicy Jello. I liked seeing the 'Bathtub comic' before the show, he did the joke about the dead pet rat.

Nixon List

    At work today I spoke about feeding my intellectual needs, especially in history since I majored in it. I also spoke of those who have tried to talk about history and don't have their facts straight, which is annoying. This led me to speak of the 'Nixon List'. I said anyone who tries to talk about this subject and acts like they know more about it than I do will end up on my Nixon List. Sadly I have had to put some people on it that I once considered to be friends.
    On a more positive note, I liked how a senior leader found me and gave me a nice baseball jacket. This was just before midday. We like the same team, and I said to my 'Work Spouse'- who noticed it right away- how friends make life more bearable. I like how it proves I am not afraid of someone just because they're a senior leader. They're people, same as anyone else. Just find out what makes them tick, what they do and don't like.
   I had to leave work early for an appointment, it was held early enough so I was still able to make it to the comedy club tonight. I liked hearing the 'Tony the Tiger' joke from the ex-military comic, a good joke about the brutal winters here in Minnesota. When I laughed a lot at it I got a shout-out, which I enjoy of course. I was thrilled when I saw how my 'Bestie' showed up as he wasn't on the list. He ended up doing the 'Lost dog' joke, and is still adding some things to it like saying it made him a dog detective after being a dog sitter. After the show I was surprised to see somebody riding a bicycle, when it is still winter. Not much in postal mail, but my W-2 arrived so I can start doing my taxes soon.   

Parson Weems Fable

    At the comedy club tonight, I liked how the two comics near the end did history jokes since I majored in history. The show closer did speak of his brother who is a history re-enactor at Fort Snelling- he does jokes about studying music, like opera, in college. But the one I liked even more was the comic before it, how World War I was at first called 'The war to end all wars'. Then he went on to covering a legend surrounding the George Washington story- chopping down the cherry tree. He said the story that reminds you not to tell a lie is a lie. I spoke with him after the show, and I expressed appreciation for the history jokes. I said the cherry tree story was known as 'Parson Weems fable'. It is also a famous painting, by Iowa native Grant Wood. I was familiar with this artist as he was covered in art class in grade school. I spoke of how I was confused hearing 'Parson Weems' along with 'Mason Weems' but found out it is the same person. He was a preacher, so 'Parson' was his title.
   Some other notable comics were the 'Bathtub comic', who did a joke about his mom being in the crowd as it is her birthday. Another was how his parents divorced when he was young, like age 6, and he kept outing his mom as a lesbian to strangers. Since it's Black History Month some comics did jokes about this subject. I also liked getting some items related to a movie premiere, it had been a while since I had seen a movie promoter at the club. It was for 'About Last Night'. I got a poster and a postcard, the advance screening is next week.
   It was a busy day at work, the new metrics just took effect. It now means emailing the boss when we are done with things like the payoff report as we are being timed now. When I emailed I got a response saying my boss had seen some of my comedy clips online, on Youtube probably, but not the ones from Rooftop as he said it didn't load. He would like to see the one about being at the Lady Gaga concert, which is on Rooftop. We had a meeting on short notice just before midday honoring our senior leader for 25 years of service. There was pasta and sauce and salad and bread. Later on there was cake. I liked the spaghetti sauce but the 'White cream' sauce with pepper in it I didn't like.

Budweiser 'Hero's Welcome' Commercial

    I watched the Super Bowl this evening, Seattle beat Denver 43-8 after leading 22-0 at halftime. This was the 48th Super Bowl and there still hasn't been an overtime game or a shutout. They've come close on both of these a few times though.
   With a lopsided game like this I still wanted to see the commercials. My favorite one had to be by Budweiser, it was the 'Hero's welcome' theme. I liked it due to the song used, 'Coming Home'. I know there was such a song by Diddy Dirty Money (a stage name for a Sean Combs music act) including Skylar Grey. 'Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday', it's a wonderful sentiment.
    I did have a date at a Caribou coffee shop in the early afternoon, but it didn't pan out. My date left when I spoke about scheduling for a second date. It's just as well, as the question of place of employment was refused. One of the employees asked me how everything was. I said the food was fine but the date wasn't. I said I did get a warning of this possibility on the phone week ago, had to push to get another fair question answered- the school attended for undergrad studies. If one isn't answering fair questions, then you're wasting my time. I did see somebody I know at a Fedex Office after it as I needed to print a few things. He told me he had dated some but most don't pan out from internet dating. He said the success rate is higher when meeting through friends. I did say his comedian friend in California did add me as a Facebook friend.

American Hustle Movie

    This evening I went to see the movie 'American Hustle' at the Grandview Theater in St. Paul. It's rare to see movies in St. Paul as there aren't many theaters in the city. It may have been a conman movie, but I liked how it was also funny in some areas. This included the interactions between the FBI agent and his boss, especially about the 'Ice fishing story'. The other would be between the conman and his wife, played by Jennifer Lawrence. I think Jenny was one big reason why I went to see it, along with the Oscar nominations. She was good in 'Winter's Bone' and I liked 'Silver Linings Playbook' as well. It was funny to me when she said 'I will have fun, it may be contagious' so I laughed. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get through the movie without a bathroom break, but I did. I liked it, plenty of twists and turns in the story. And it started with saying 'Some of this actually happened'. I like cars, so I liked seeing plenty of cars from the 1970s in it, since the story took place in that decade.
   In the afternoon I went to a basketball game at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, as I do mentoring at this school through my employer. Roosevelt beat Prairie Seeds Academy 72-59, after leading 30-25 at the half. I had to look up where their opponent is located, Prairie Seeds is in Brooklyn Park. The game was close throughout the first half, neither team held a lead of more than 5 points for most of the half. Roosevelt started the second half strong and had a double digit lead for a while but Prairie Seeds did narrow the gap. Roosevelt never trailed in the second half, and only briefly trailed in the middle of the first half. Near the end the Roosevelt lead widened again, largely due to Prairie Seeds being forced to foul to stop the clock and Roosevelt shot well from the foul line. Not sure who had the height advantage in the game. At some positions Roosevelt seemed to be taller, at others shorter. The program listed heights only for the home team. Roosevelt had 9 players on their varsity roster, just 2 were under 6 feet. Prairie Seeds had 18 listed, though it was misleading as 5 of them were listed as grade 9 or lower. I counted just 10 players who made the trip so their 'Traveling squad' must be smaller than the 18. It was a sparse crowd so one could easily hear what coaches said during timeouts. With one I heard the Prairie Seeds coach hollering at his players, saying they need to be strong and to run. In a later timeout, the Roosevelt coach asked them to look at how much time was left, and said to play like a team. There was just over three minutes left and Roosevelt was up by 7 at the time, so I'm not sure why this was said other than it is important to stress the end game.
   After the game, I drove over to Roseville and looked around at Har-Mar Mall. They have a Barnes and Noble bookstore and I wanted to get a coin folder for my US pennies, 24 in all. I also got a 'Keep calm and carry on' book. While there I recognized a song as usual, on my way to the bathroom. It was 'Turpentine' by Brandi Carlile. I like the lyric where she says 'Losing sleep and gaining weight, wishing I was 10 again so I could be your friend again'. I wasn't home for long after getting back from Roseville. When I got home I checked the paper for the movie times and saw how the movie I wanted to see started in less than an hour. I picked up a quick dinner from Super-America on the way to the movie. On 'Storm stories' after the 10pm news on WCCO the story was about the 2008 tornado in Parkersburg, Iowa, a town I traveled to for a football game in 2010.