leading zeroes on checks

 the lady that places supply orders for me sent a message asking about a check. i said i would like to see a copy to see if it was one that i print. when i saw some leading zeroes on the check number, i am thinking it is not likely. i do print some of those, but not many. it is one file in particular, and the number of zeroes is three instead of the two given by my colleague. the boss is working remotely this week and called me. i saw a screen snip and said that it's a Fargo check. something about being unable to find the contacts for that business line, then said, 'never mind' and found them. in the morning there was a facility manager meeting, but it was a brief one, about ten minutes. there was a question about how many people would be in the office on Friday, as it is just before the holiday, i said i would be. something about the facility manager office would be closed that day. i had questions about overnighting a check to Great Britain. i said if anyone wants a check overnighted, then email me which one so i can respond with the tracking number when it is available. there was a one-check file, 'return to business line', but it was awaiting approval for a while. i said i could print it once approved, then i was asked about it. i said i don't know who the approvers are. something about their boss being out of the office for the day. it got approved though, and i was able to get it in the UPS box just before pick-up time. 

paris, texas, movie

 in the evening i went to a movie in Edina, a special screening of 'Paris, Texas'. i recognized Dean Stockwell in it. i liked what i had read about the movie in advance, how it had influenced some musicians. this included U2's album, 'Joshua Tree', as well as the name of the band 'Travis'. i have seen both in concert. since it was about two brothers traveling by car across the desert, it did leave me wondering if it inspired a later movie, 'rain man'. this was a bittersweet story, but i am thankful i saw it. i got a small popcorn there and a bottle of vitamin water, and the bottle was still half full when i took it home with me. i saw a chalkboard when i was leaving and wrote on it. i said i was thankful this venue was showing it before the Trylon, which has it this summer as part of their 'road movie' series. now i don't have to wait two months to see it. i liked the feeling i had when driving home, much like after other movies i have seen. it was a combination of factors, including how it was the evening. seeing a sign on the road saying, 'you're not a firework, don't drive while lit' along with the Leonard Cohen song, 'everybody knows', on the radio. there's another screening of a classic at this venue that interests me, in a month from now. at work, i am trying to get used to alternate plans on getting to work as the blue line is unavailable. i am taking two buses to get there. the tax specialist changed plans, wanted checks sent by courier, but the courier was even later than on Friday. there was an inquiry about a Canadian check for just over 2 million, i said i had it and it was picked up in person by a lady i hadn't seen before. i did tell the manager that likes karaoke about what i did over the weekend and it led me to researching 'animal clubs' some more. i found out there were some Eagles clubs in Iowa, my native state, just not in my hometown. i let vacation replacement know about going through returned checks, 22 of them are PDF so those were set aside. an ACH request from payroll was in the shared box, i let my colleague handle it. kind of funny what i saw in response to it, quick statements such as 'that's old' and 'screw it, i will print it'. after i got home from the movie, i did the dishes. it was time as it was a day later than typical. too tired from what i was doing on Sunday that i fell asleep and i should have known that would happen. 

blithe spirit

 there were four events slated for the day. the most notable was seeing a play, 'blithe spirit', written by noel coward, at the round theater in Minneapolis. it had been two years since i had seen a play at this venue, outside of the fringe festival anyway. good show all around, made me laugh at times. i had seen a movie written by this man at the Trylon cinema, 'brief encounter'. next season, this venue has two shows that are of interest to me. there is 'Great Gatsby', and then the Charlie Brown play, 'you're a good man'. i have seen the latter before, but being a big Charlie Brown fan i  can say it has been a while so not a big deal on seeing it again. i wasn't home for long after the play, had a meal there and then it was off to go performing. as usual, i went on near the end of the mic. there was a question from the performer after me, i didn't think it was too hard to understand what i was saying about going to a department luncheon where we celebrate birthdays. the show runner played a lady gaga song after i left the stage, and after the show i said it was the same one i had sang when doing karaoke two days prior. in the morning, i went to the pancake breakfast at Kaposia days in South St. Paul, just needed to buy the festival button. i saw a former coworker there, the same one who had once told me about this festival. then it was on to the walker art museum, where i used a free ticket i was given from a camera event in the past year. it was expiring at the end of the month. i still like seeing the ed hopper painting there, although i am aware that his most famous one, 'nighthawks', is in Chicago. there was also art about those who are deaf, and i liked the insight given about their lives. it reminded me of taking a class on the history of disability, and the instructor had studied at Gallaudet in the nation's capital. i bought some souvenirs as well, including a small Charlie Brown book and some postcards. then i went to have lunch, getting a fish sandwich and a drink at bobby and Steve's, within walking distance of the venue where i saw the play. 

holman field

 i had another volunteer shift with special Olympics. in the morning i did some errand running, including going to the post office. one order was picked up. i also did groceries at Aldi and went to the gas station. i wanted things all caught up before i headed there as i was expecting to be there until early evening. this time it was at Holman field in St. Paul, first time there. after i parked i got on a golf cart to where we would be helping out. it was more of the same, unloading bags from buses, but not as many as a week ago. there was just four this time. this didn't surprise me much as i would expect most athletes, if flying, to go to MSP. i did get a sandwich after finding out where the volunteer room was. and i kept my vest at the end of the day, probably can find some kind of use for it. we were done around three hours early. i got a good look round at the building that included a restaurant, close to where i had parked. i was pleased how it fed my need for history. it was a WPA project during the depression. it sounds like the place has the typical bar/restaurant type food on their menu, so i am considering making a return visit to have a meal there. it goes without saying how i took plenty of pictures while there. when i was leaving there was some construction and the lane i ended up in wasn't preferred, so i didn't go home right away. i went to an old neighborhood, wanted some ice cream. except the dairy queen was closed, empty building surrounded by a fence. went to the nearby McDonald's instead, which no longer has indoor seating. the Walgreen was closed, repurposed as an Asian grocery store and deli. the site of what once was an Arby's is now a housing complex. it proves the old adage how 'you can't go home again'. i had been in all four of those businesses when i was living nearby. in the evening i watched a DVD, the order that i had picked up earlier in the day. it was 'Detroit rock city'. storyline was ridiculous, but the music was good. it had echoes of 'rock and roll high school' as there was some Ramones songs in it. although the band this time was kiss. the part when the four friends arrive in Detroit was entertaining. the part before it, not so much. 

eagles club, karaoke

 this was a fun evening. i did a meetup event but it was a rare edition at an actual bar instead of a micro-brewery. we were at the Eagles club in St. Paul, on maria, near the burger king. when i found out there was karaoke i signed up and i liked how i didn't have to wait all that long. i did 'bad romance' by lady gaga, and this was a better conversation starter than what i typically have at these events. i did chat with a lady that i had seen at other events in this group in the past month and we exchanged phone numbers. i am looking for advisors on any traveling i might be doing, especially if it's a place they've been to and i haven't. the trip for groceries at the Hy-Vee in Eagan was delayed, but i still made it there before closing. at work, i picked up the reject fax in the morning and scanned it as usual. it led me to tell a story to the manager that likes karaoke, as the 'rat statue' reminded me of what i had seen at the car show recently. it was a plastic rat on the hood of a car. i let vacation replacement know i had booked a reservation for some traveling that will be happening soon enough. it sounds like we are keeping the Marshall file, and i am not thrilled about that. for whatever reason, the business line had a problem with me lumping together checks, even though they were going to the same place. i spoke of my policy of 'one label, one envelope'. i saw how a senior leader was copied on a thread about it. the courier for the tax checks was late, all i could do was report it. but thankful the courier arrived before i went to lunch, just barely. 

too many overflow pages

 i was going through the PDF check file and nearly half of it was overflow pages, in the end this knocked it down to about a hundred. i let the manager that likes karaoke know about it as i was trying to find a check for her. i did but it took a little longer. this was from the first i-pay file, and there was one for this same manager in the second file as well. this meant i did two visits to that floor, but in both cases i didn't stay long. i had too much to do. there was another question about an overnighted check, this one was headed to st. louis. another case of just missing pick-up time for the day and i said it will likely be picked up soon enough. i drank the can of 'jack and coke' with the evening meal and now there are three beers waiting. 

lunch at five guys

 there was a department luncheon for the birthdays for the month, but two people were absent, so we had just six team members there. we went to five guys, a burger place. i was surprised as to how much i was getting when i was ordering a smaller burger, and with the fries as well. it still was a good-sized portion in both cases. odd how vacation replacement offered me some fries when i said i wanted to finish what i had ordered for myself. then what i hear in the afternoon is the same colleague who complained of being hungry. i figured we all would have had plenty to eat at lunch. when we were leaving the place i said it looked like feed sacks near the front door, there were bags of unpeeled potatoes. i recall my old man who once spoke of feed sacks while shopping for school clothes. in the morning i got the checks to the tax specialist, then i got a message right after that from my boss and said, 'how can i help?' found out it was a question on if i was attending the luncheon. i said i was planning on it and hadn't brought a lunch with me like i typically do. i still brought snacks though, animal crackers and a box of raisins. a colleague in Marshall sent me seven overnight labels for that file, then i was later told one of them was not needed. no big deal to me. in the evening i went to an Iowa alumni event at a place in st. louis park, called punch bowl social. food was furnished, i did order a can of beer, a Pabst. it was nice seeing some familiar people there. i know my alumni chapter doesn't do all that many events, but when there is one i do my best to attend. i picked up a few small souvenirs there, including a bumper sticker.