Chili Dog Billboard

    I went to the comedy club tonight, but didn't see the chili dog billboard across the street like I typically do. It depicted a big mouth ready to eat a chili dog.
   There were plenty of notable comics and jokes tonight. I was doing my best to remember all of them during the show as I had no pen and paper with me. So I wrote them down right away after getting back from the club. The sub teacher did one about his lady hounding him for a ring, even if just a promise ring. I laughed really hard at this one, and I heard somebody say 'Go on stage' about it. A newer comic is doing a joke about the server at a restaurant, Perkins as I recall, stating Mr. Pibb is one of the drinks available. So now this will be the 'Mr. Pibb' comic. The 'Bus fare comic' got my business card before the show as I said this is his name on the blog. It is inspired by his joke were he says he looks more like bus fare than a million bucks. I liked his joke about being an orphan but didn't tap-dance like Annie. The ladies were representing tonight as well, the IED/IUD comic did one about a party were each person represents a nation. The 'Hillary look-alike' did one about how animal adoption would be more popular if  they had a 'Sex sells' attitude like most other places- in this case say 'Divorce for a horse'. The 'Tetris comic' did one about boat names. The 'Bathtub comic' did one about snapping turtles. The show closer, the 'Happy meal comic', did one about how his mom died, but she didn't. He did plenty of variations on the same joke to get crowd reaction.
    I found an online article stating Quiznos, the sandwich chain store, just filed for bankruptcy. This happened just days after Sbarro, the pizza place, filed. I have eaten at both places, but not too often lately.
   I didn't want to stay late to get caught up on work again, so I decided a few letters will wait over the weekend. When I approved my time card it said I had just over an our of overtime for the week.     

Desire Trumps Ability

   While riding the bus this morning, I heard a man tell a woman how desire trumps ability. I have said many times before how you can't coach desire- either you have it or you don't. But I didn't entirely agree with him even though I didn't say so, I just listened. Sometimes ability is more important, as we tend to enjoy more what we are good at. I would say 'I need more information' as I think it depends on the situation as to which one is more important.
   I stayed a few minutes late at work to get the letters caught up. I don't like doing this but it almost feels like I have no choice. I still made it home in time to watch 2 episodes of 'Big Bang Theory'. The syndicated rerun was the one where the gang went to the same conference and bickered over personal matters disguised as science. Howard felt threatened by meeting Bernadette's ex. The prime time episode was another one with Raj being the moderator of a game that most of the gang played, this time a murder mystery. Howard went with Sheldon back to Texas to visit Sheldon's mom.    
    I placed some more E-bay orders, four in all, and all were first day covers from Chicagoland. Th9s included the mail order (Montgomery Ward) centennial, Ameripex Stamp Expo, Columbian Stamp Expo, along with Science and Industry- the 50th anniversary of the S and I Museum. It was nice to get caught up on paperwork after going to Chris and Rob's to use a birthday coupon, half off a pizza. I had one with mushrooms and Italian sausage. Some of the paperwork was looking at online articles I had printed and trying to do some event planning for later this year, like attending baseball games in the summer.

I Don't Feel Like Dancing

    We did Wii dancing at the end of the workday, and one of the songs we danced to was 'I don't feel like dancing'. As I recall the video showed the dancer coming out of an igloo. It's another song I heard for the first time due to this event. Funny how a dance song has such a title.

     I was onstage at the comedy club tonight, and I tried some new jokes. One was about seeing a hockey game outside Minnesota- when I was in suburban Chicago. The Wisconsin couple was right before me, and the 'Tetris comic' was right after me. My 'Bestie' was near the end, doing the 'Chivalry is dead' joke along with considering dating other women. I like how he does voice impressions in both, he is good at them. The wife in the Wisconsin couple did one about firing warning shots. Before I went onstage I said they were a tough act to follow, though I have had to follow them before. In many ways it is a thrill just to share the stage with so much talent.

   I did lunch with a colleague but it was shortened as she was on a long call, a password reset. She paid for my sandwich, saying it was a birthday present. It was very nice of her. She is often referred to as 'The perky girl'.

   Another billing cycle just began for Bill Me Later, so I just placed some more E-bay orders. Three of them are World's Fair postcards, the fourth was a Maytag photo.

   I just found out last week's date is another 'One and done'. I was stunned as I seemed to hit all of the right chords this time. But I have already learned how it doesn't mean everything.  

Jammed Paper Shredder

   I run my paper shredder fairly often to get rid of junk mail, just about every day I get mail. Today it jammed a little and I knew well enough to unplug it before working on the jam. I like how it still works as I use it often, though it doesn't take long to go through what I want to shred. Sometimes I use it so much that it shuts off by itself and I must wait for a little while to use it again. When this happens, a rare event, I leave it alone until the next day.
   I got a message from Youtube about another version of 'Music Box Dancer'. I do like the song, but it was odd. First time I had a response to a comment I left on this site. What I said was it reminded me of a furniture store ad in Des Moines, Iowa, called Homemakers Plaza. The song was used in the ad. But for a while I didn't know the title since it is instrumental.
   I finally responded to all of my birthday wishes, there were about 40. Since I don't get many postings on Facebook, I like all of the attention I get on my birthday. So I like to let all of them know
I really like how they take the time to send birthday wishes. At the comedy club tonight, the 'Extra murder' comic was show closer.

Puddles Everywhere

    The thaw has finally happened. Snow is melting and puddles are everywhere. So it is harder to negotiate the sidewalks but I have the proper footwear, still using the winter boots for walking to and from the bus.
    I was tired in the afternoon, so I really had to push myself to do the 11 letters waiting. I completed 10, another has to wait since I need to re-do it, small omission in the address. When I had the time I looked up what I could find online about buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Mason City, Iowa. I saw the road sign for the tour this weekend, now I am trying to figure out the logistics. The one tour on the sign is of a house, a separate tour is of a hotel he designed.
   I did go to the comedy club tonight, but left early as there still were some things to get caught up on from over the weekend. One of these was send a thank-you message to the classmate who sent the basketball game tickets. Another was getting more groceries to make it through the week. I arrived about 10 minutes before the grocery store closed for the night. Also notable was how two more birthday cards arrived.
      At the comedy club, the Wisconsin couple was the leadoff act of the night. They did their gymnastic act and some 'Knock Knock' jokes about the Winter Olympic Games. The school bouncer comic followed them and started off by saying they were a tough act to follow. The Yemen native did the one about teaching Arabic to a classmate. I said before the show how I like this one. The 'Bathtub comic' did one about his wife's pet rat. The 'Tetris comic' did one about his outfits, and being average looking. The 'Extra murder' comic did one about his longtime friend being in charge of a fire department.   

Headlights, Eminem And Nate Ruess

   As usual, there was plenty of music I listened to today on the drive back from Iowa City. One of the notable songs I heard on the radio was 'Headlights' by Eminem and Nate Ruess, the Fun front-man. I had heard it a few times recently but hadn't bothered to look up the title. It is another song about Eminem's mom, but a different tone than the others. I like how he is so honest in is songs. I listened to the other 2 CDs today that I brought, after listening to the Nelly CD the previous day, 6 Derrty hits. One was Play by Brad Paisley, the guitar album. I liked all of the guest stars on it like Buck Owens and Andy Griffith. My ex might be pleased that I finally bought one of his CDs. Then there is Nimrod by green Day. It has Nice guys Finish Last, and Time Of Your Life. Other notables on the radio were Talk Dirty To Me by Poison, a reminder of being at a class reunion. And I heard Lorde multiple times, mostly Team but also heard Royals, her earlier song, once. And there was This Love by Maroon 5, a reminder of being laid off in suburban Chicago but now it is a pleasant reminder of the new life I acquired after it.
   I called my dad when I got back, and said I finally heard about a Hy-Vee store to open in the Twin Cities, in New Hope. He said he has seen the war movie Monuments Men, I haven't yet. And he spoke of going to the state basketball tournament soon, since his school is going to it.     

16 Bottles

    I hadn't done dishes and recycling in a little while due to being out of town last weekend. I did them this morning before picking up a rental car for the drive to Iowa City today. I washed out 16 bottles, and did all of the dishes as well. The recycle bag was full, otherwise I would have done the 6 soup cans and one juice can with it. I still took care of the lion's share. There is not much left to do before heading out. It will be nice to see the Iowa Hawkeye basketball game vs. Illinois.
    I made more stops than I wanted to, but one of them was to take off my coat as I was getting warm in the car. it was the second stop, the first was at an ATM I frequent. Ten the third was at Albert Lea were I had a small Pizza Hut pizza. The final one was near Cedar Falls, were I called my college roommate to say I was about 90 minutes away. I expected to arrive around 5pm, and I did shortly after this time. It was a 7:30 start so I arrived well before the game began. I said I was fine with ordering pizza as long as it wasn't from the Hut. Iowa looked good for a while, leading by 5 at the half, but lost by 3. The thing I kept saying was they weren't pulling down the rebounds. And there was no sense of urgency to shoot the ball when trailing late. I like how my classmate got me more than just game tickets, but also a parking pass as I was able to park near the arena about a block away. But the traffic after the game didn't move quickly at all. I got a program for $2, it mainly consists of the rosters and season schedule for both teams.