Dialing In

I did a dial-in meeting to start off a mentoring program with a nearby high school today. It will be my 4th year in the program, which includes mostly exchanging emails with my student but also a few in-person visits. I like some of the events they have planned, like seeing a Shakespeare play and attending a pro basketball game. It had been a while since I had used headphones so I needed a referesher course, wanted to stay hands free so I could get other things done like some of my normal duties. I prefer doing things besides a meeting over my lunch, so it wasn't during the time when I was logged off for lunch.
   I heard about a former coworker getting married due to a Facebook posting. I said I was happy for them, as it's good karma to be happy for others. This is somebody who is in my 'ring of honor', pictures in my home, friends from school and work.
   Hard to know what to say about the online dating venture, since I often describe it to confidants as 'languishing'. There is another match reaching email stage soon, one of her questions was if I was fine with her doing rodeo. I said I was, since I had seen rodeos when I was a kid and even a few in recent years. My guess is that it scares off many men as these men feel emasculated around empowered women. My response was one must do what they love and love what they do. So we will have to see how well it goes, as the success rate of even meeting matches that get as far as email stage still isn't all that high.

Baby Pictures

A big event at work today was the baby picture contest. I brought in one of me from first grade, couldn't find a true baby picture. Some people are already guessing which one is me and even telling me what their guess is. I was too busy to put in my guesses, but I will soon since I am part of the committee sponsoring it. I also did the jar guess on the Skittles.
   It was nice to have found some pictures I had been trying to find for a while. I had taken some out of an album to show to a friend from work in Illinois but forgot to put them back. These were some that I valued, which I why I showed them as I was leaving the state due to job transfer. One of them was from a class reunion, and I was smiling big with my mouth closed as I was asked to get rid of food before taking the picture so I ate it. My 2 classmates were laughing because of how I decided to handle the situation. So I guess I've had the comedy talent for a while.
   I brought in some of my pictures from being on my school's football team, as one colleague asked my boss if I had played football. I didn't like the term 'waterboy', as I did way more than that. I often refer to this time in my life as it taught me a lot about succeeding in life in a team environment.

NFL Player Deaths

I had heard last night how the great George Blanda has died, he set some records for longevity in the NFL, playing for over 20 years. I had read about him in a book when I was in grade school. We celebrate those things, and people, who stand the test of time. It's because not everything can, or will.
   Also recently, I had heard about the death of Kenny McKinley, the Denver Broncos player. It was tough to hear about his tragic death, as he committed suicide. I was riveted by an article I found online about how many players refuse help even though it's readily available. They have the 'warrior mentality' which means they prefer to avoid showing chinks in the armor. It's tough to be in the league, and what was written was true when you think about it a little. It's a  job where people follow you around with a camera and there's the intense pressure for results. I know what it's like to be prideful, wanting to go it alone, but I usually would let people help me if it was offered.
   The team banner went up today by my boss's cube, though some of the hand prints are upside down. At least we're doing something together as a team.

Banners

As we all know in the online world, things are fluid. They are in flux, and can change often. I say this because I decided to change things up a little here. One needs to look at more than just the postings to see how things are the way they should be. After work I spent some time shredding junk mail and going through the blog to clean things up a little, along with around the home. This is sometimes known as 'necessary maintenance'.
   I was an advisor for a team banner at work today, suggesting a patchwork quilt put together by each team member with what symbol says best who they are. But the project coordinator found out there was too much apathy and decided to go with another idea. I had thought of this one since it had been done at a previous role with this company.
   I am aware that those who know me may think I am odd at times. But then again, who isn't? Some may think it's odd to do things like pick up trash- like cans and bottles- and put them in a trash can. That is, without a court order requiring it as community service. But I do it since I don't know who else will, and how long it will take. And I believe in some civic pride. Litter control helps with civic pride. After all, this is on some trash cans- 'keep America beautiful' or 'the city beautiful'. It may seem like a thankless task at times, but many things can be. In the end, little things can make a difference.

Back from Texas

I spent most of the weekend in Dallas, went to see the Texas State Fair and a football game at the Cotton Bowl. Grambling beat Prairie View 34-17. While Grambling did trail early on, due to a blocked punt and a turnover, they still made the plays when they needed to. Before starting this entry tonight, I decided to find a few songs on Youtube. Although when I was looking for 'Don't Mess With Texas' it didn't seem to have those words in the song, though one of them was a public service ad, sang by Leann Rimes. One of my souvenirs from the airport was a 'Don't Mess With Texas' magnet, along with a few postcards. The others were 'All My Exes Live in Texas' by George Strait, 'Yellow Rose of Texas', and 'Eyes of Texas', apparently the U of Texas fight song. It sounded a lot like some other song I had heard before, like 'working on the railroad'.
   It would have been nice to spend more time there, but one must make the most of the time available. I went over to Arlington and saw the Rangers and Cowboys stadiums, got pictures of both but the Cowboy stadium was one from off in the distance. I could have gotten started a little earlier on my day, as there were some delays I could have handled better. One of those was trying to look up information on my own through the phonebook in the hotel room, but it didn't have much. Found out the Fedex Office was just down the road, going online gave me the answers I needed. Another was about the public transport system there, after finding out how it really wasn't 'rapid' like the name says it was. I decided not to wait for it and drove over to the state fair as I wanted time to look around before the game. Liked seeing a DAR building there, as the organization is big on historical preservation. There was a women's museum as well, liked how I was familiar with many of those remembered there. The food and drink there was on the ticket system, much like some of the events I had been to before where you pay for all items with tickets instead of money by buying tickets in advance. Big car show as well, this tent was where I got a footlong hotdog with chili and cheese along with a Shiner Bock Beer. Got to get a Texas beer at the Texas fair. Saw a Marines band playing their song, 'Montezuma to Tripoli'. Unsure if that is the official title. I know "Semper Fidelis" is their slogan, Latin for 'always faithful'. Music is everywhere, and I like paying attention to it as you can see. At halftime of the football game I saw somebody on the field singing 'get out of your mind', a hip-hop song I had heard a few times before. I was impressed how the bands played some recent hip-hop, or rap, songs, like Eminem's 'Not Afraid'. Another had 'hey hey hey' in it, will have to look it up.
   Earlier today I went to Grand Prairie and got a picture of the minor league baseball stadium, an independent team. Wanted to see more than I did in Fort Worth, but had little time, wanted to be on time for my flight. I got a picture of their minor league baseball field as well, same league as Grand Prairie, and the famous, historic Fort Worth Stockyards sign. Saw some cowboys on horses there, and what looked like a walk of fame, would have been nice to see all of the names on it. I noticed one of them was Buffalo Bill. I think Emerson Hough would have been proud I saw some of these places, since he was a western writer. And one of his novels, 'North of 36', was done as a movie, called 'The Texans', starring Randolph Scott. In addition, at the state fair, I saw a quote in stone by his friend, Theodore Roosevelt. It was about competition, how the real winners are those who compete instead of just watch others do so.  This was in a section called 'Land of the Free, Because of the Brave'.
   I do my best to remember the people I meet while traveling, this included my seatmate on the way there on Friday. She was on her way to a wedding in a suburb, Lewisville. Sounds expensive to be part of a wedding, with the outfits needed if a woman. Simple for a man, just rent a tuxedo.
  I decided to replace a pair of jeans after I started noticing rips forming in them while traveling, and when that happens I just can't leave the rip alone. So I went back to JC Penney and used more of my gift cards for a pair, most of the cards are used up now. In the evening I went to the comedy club, good crowd, bigger than normal.

New Shoes

Today I did get something new- shoes. I went to a JC Penney just minutes before close to get them. I needed some office-appropriate shoes to replace the ones I had, they had some cracks in the soles. With this recent rain it left my socks wet, not much fun at all. I had some gift cards that were given to me by family for my birthday and holidays, so it cost me nothing. Still have a few left. Also went to a Target to get a pedometer, mine was cheap plastic and not registering well. There's another company-sponsored health program going, and want an accurate reading of how much I've been walking.
   Also watched 'Big Bang Theory' for the first time in a while, on its new night. It is still a well-written show, very clever. It still has some surprises in it, nothing wrong with that. Like Howard, the pervert, who was using a robot arm for massaging, then for pervert purposes. I like Sheldon, the picky-picky one. Great contrast with Penny, the pretty neighbor, nothing like the science nerds. Contrast is what makes a good sitcom.
   I ended up thinking about an older sitcom tonight, "Mr. Belvedere", I think because I heard Bob Uecker on the radio announcing a baseball game. He was on that show. It is part of my memories of where I was when it was announced the space shuttle exploded, as I was talking about it in school when a teacher came in to announce it.
   When I think of this entry's title it even makes me think of a music act, called Nu Shooz, who had a popular song called 'I Can't Wait' from the 1980s. I'm sure I can find it on Youtube, just about anything is there. I found a video with clips from people saying 'dude' from the movie 'Big Lebowski'. A coworker likes quoting the movie, especially 'El Duderino'. So it inspired me to find it. I had seen the movie, only once before and it has been a while. I recall how bowling was one thing they did in it and John Goodman from "Roseanne" is in it. The premise was a case of mistaken identity, two people with the same name, one is rich and the other isn't.

New Shirt?

I had 3 colleagues ask me about what I was wearing today, was it a new shirt? Sort of, it was given to me by a good friend of mine from school. He has been good to me over the years, and has done well in his business- wooden pallets- that he likes taking care of 'his people'- and I'm one of them. We have the same birthday, in March, makes it easier to remember. I think it was part of a big shipment of clothing he sent me a few years back, the same year I saw him get married. He was voted 'best dressed' by my class, and deserved it. His dad was a DDS (dentist), so that fact likely played a role in having a top-notch wardrobe. I do think about him every so often, since he is one of the people in my 'ring of honor' in my home, friends I have honored by displaying their pictures.
   The 3 people who asked were the same ones from an entry earlier this week- the Patriots fan, the Japanophile, and my boss. I just couldn't bear to throw out what he gave me, as anything given by friends has great value to me. So since it has a collar, I deemed it 'office appropriate' although it was socked away in a drawer for a while as I thought of it more as a sweatshirt since it's more bulky than a typical shirt.
   I liked searching my own blog online, and found three hits. Two of them came as no surprise, as it was about being a supporter of the school in my hometown. It was the reason why I started the blog. The third raised some eyebrows, but I have good reasoning skills once I examined it. I found it in a article called 'Web Buzz' about a pizzeria I had never heard of- an entry from August. I happened to go to a pizza parlor that day, but not the one named there. It does pique my interest, and I will have to see if there is a location anywhere nearby. I know this from doing online searches before- sometimes they are 'dummy searches' or 'fool's gold'. Or, put another way, 'sounds the same but spelled different' - or 'same name, different meaning'.
   I went to a campaign event tonight, as I like being a well-informed voter and meet candidates, wanting to  understand what they are for. It was for a candidate for governor, and the mayor was in attendance.  I spoke of a classmate of my brother's who is running for state legislature in Iowa, and it reminded me of how I needed to get my contribution to him. I got my check written and dropped in the mail. He is well-known and well-liked in my hometown, so I think he has a good chance of winning. He runs a D.J. service, and has been a deejay at many weddings of my classmates there. I think this seat became vacant as the incumbent had died of cancer this summer.
   Another notable thing I did was tidy up an earlier entry, made sure it was in all caps where needed. An advisor said it looks more professional, and I see all new entries have this done.

Ishmael

A new colleague of mine wrote down a name for me on a stickie today when we spoke about certain art forms. I spoke of 'Democracy in America' by Alexis de Tocqueville as he made wonderful observations about our society from an outsider's perspective. It made me think of how the TV show '3rd Rock From the Sun' was a fun show, since it did the same in a comedic format. I don't recall the full name given, but the first was 'Ishmael' where another writer did the same. For some reason I was thinking of the early books of the Bible, which spoke of somebody named Ishmael, as well as 'Moby Dick'.
   There are certain names that will make me pause for a while, today it was seeing the name 'Diaz' as it was the name of the H.R. person who hired me for my first job with this company, when I was still in suburban Chicago. And I recall how she said she couldn't bear to give me my walking papers when I was laid off, as I often was so thankful for the opportunity whenever I spotted her. I was informed how she has since retired. If I was in her shoes, I think I would have done the same- got somebody else to do it, would have been very hard to do.
   I did make it to the comedy club tonight, albeit late. I was tired after work, and after going through some more of my clothes to see what can go to a resale shop I did lay down and fell asleep for a while. But I felt better after waking up, which is the point. One of my friends had already been onstage by then, I would have liked seeing him perform. I did see another friend after the show, and he offered me advice about joke telling. Since he's a pro, and a friend that has the proper delivery of the message, I was paying attention and will do my best to adopt and adapt accordingly to get even better results. Wow, I sure did find a way to make the craft of comedy boring, is that possible?
   I found out telling people at work about where to find my blog wasn't a good idea, as it meant some of them did read it and the one comment received was anything but glowing. I would like more comments that say things like 'really like reading it, I can relate- or you describe things well'. I pretty much expected that the blog wouldn't be liked by everybody, and will be more careful about who I decide to talk about this blog to.

Coworkers

Near the end of my work day a colleague came around and asked me about the blog, said we hadn't discussed it in a while. I'm sure I've written about him before, I said I often think of my college roommate as both are 'Japanophiles'. My boss heard this one and said that adding 'phile' to a word makes it bad. But I don't think so, as it means somebody who likes Japanese culture. She was thinking of 'pedophile'. I gave examples of 'francophile' and 'philharmonic'- those are good things. There's even Philadelphia- meaning 'the city of brotherly love'. I will have to wonder if it was a good thing to speak about my blog at work. But I don't write about my line of work all that much. I write more about what I do off the clock.
   Seems as good a time as any to describe them. There's the aforementioned colleague, thankfully he takes the label 'pop culture psychiatrist' well. But I understand he's not necessarily analyzing me, but wording things to make them sound more intellectual. He likes calling email 'electronic correspondence'. He also recently asked if I was going to another Lady Gaga concert soon. I said I haven't seen that many musicians perform more than once, usually there's a few years between that. It is fun how we like referring to her by her real name, Stefani Germanotta, as I like seeing if I can trip up anyone who don't know real names.
   My boss likes a good laugh, I know this well. She's advocated that I try dating coworkers, I still prefer not to do so. Eventually it made sense why, as it worked for her since she married our I.T. guy. I often give people nicknames, and usually call him 'Mr. I.T.' Then somebody said it's not accurate since he's MIS, but I mainly see him on I.T. issues so I stick to this moniker. He seems to enjoy a good laugh as well, as I end up fielding B.S. from them every so often. I end up staying serious and have to remind myself it's B.S, or some people call it 'busting your chops'. It seems a big secondary role for me is comic relief, as I'm known for making people laugh without trying too hard, just describing my life.
   Then there's another colleague, known for liking the New England Patriots, especially wearing hooded sweatshirts saying so. My boss once made a joke how she would dress up like her for Halloween. I was informed by her once how she doesn't like hugging people, a moot point as I don't hug people much at work anyway. So for her birthday I sang 'happy birthday, please don't slug me I won't hug you'. For a while I would get documents for her as quickly as possible whenever she requested them, even late in the day after our cutoff time. Then I said I needed something more, and was fine with cookies out of the vending machine. Good or bad, sometimes this is the way the world works, how small bribes go a long way. I just wanted to ensure I wasn't being taken advantage of, as sometimes people will do that. But at the same time, I'm anything but petty with colleagues. I don't believe in saying 'how high and when?' when somebody says jump, but I do whatever I can and don't quibble over whose turn something is. We are there to take care of customers- internal and external.
    To be honest, it was hard at first to know what to write about in a blog, as it's not like a journal where you're the only one who sees it. I prefer to avoid injuring anyone if I can. So in many ways it became more about what I've done than how I feel about things, wanting to stick with definites when others are reading.
   In other issues, I was a last minute replacement at the comedy club tonight, felt good to be onstage again as usual, got 3 minutes. It's usually no problem finding material when it goes quick, and I have plenty prepared so choosing is simple. I spoke about the elephant ride and the bungee cord trampoline, the Lady Gaga concert, the 'Japanophile' thing, and how I'd make a good rap interpreter like on PBS as I understand the pop-culture references made and can pull off the dour documentary show host well. I like how it's a natural thing being onstage now, since I've done it enough and know what works and I'm focused. When people ask about the craft I sound articulate to them. I used to call this 'putting on the uniform' as I knew when to turn on the switch and change personas to fit the situation. I was spotted by some people while leaving, their car was pulling away and I got a wave and thumbs up from their window and returned the favor on gestures. It's fairly routine on handling it, just be gracious and say 'thank you'. Recognition for a job well done is good, different from validation which I give to myself, no one else can really give this to me.

Renaissance Festival

I went to the Renaissance Festival today, after going to a Czech and Slovak festival before that. Didn't like how the line moved slowly for food and drink, but it was good once I got the food. The sausage was ground up and inside a tube, kind of like Pella ring bologna from when I was a kid. Don't claim that ancestry, to the best of my knowledge, but I like festivals and I like history. I did become more familiar with the regions of these 2 nations, like Bohemia and Moravia being part of the Czech Republic. I know 'bohemian' now often means 'artist', likely due to plenty of artisans being from there.
   I did one thing I was really proud of at the Renaissance Festival, doing the bungee cord trampoline. I had lost enough weight in the past year where I was eligible again. I said it was nice to let loose and scream a lot while in the harness. I said the same about the first time I had done it, at the Taste of Minnesota a few years back. I've said 'why not?' more often now, as life is too short- go try things and have fun. Also did the elephant ride, like before. Both of these things require trust, and it is a helpful way of building trust. A coworker did the Robin Hood show again, as Little John.
   Some would think I am an odd person, or one who gets bored or sidetracked on the weirdest things. Might be true. I am referring to noticing a hole in a sweatshirt I was wearing tonight while at the comedy club, so I started working on the hole and made it bigger, along with ripping off the cuffs from the sleeves. It was an Iowa Hawkeye sweatshirt I've had for quite a while, bought at a Hy-Vee grocery store less than a year after graduation. It was part of my normal weekly grocery order when I was living in West Des Moines,Iowa. That apartment was small, but it was MINE so I liked it. I was reminded of it again when I saw the pictures on the Anna Nalick CD 'Wreck of the Day', as it looked a lot like that apartment, guess she was going for the starving artist look. I knew I had another Hawkeye sweatshirt, but it was one a few years older and bought in college at the campus bookstore. It had a special meaning to me when I chose it for the number on it, my football number. But it was getting ratty as well, even though I couldn't bear to throw it out. I ended up ripping up both and tossing the remains in the trash. Despite eliminating 2 sweatshirts, I still have too many. This includes jerseys as well, like hockey and baseball jerseys. Meaning, ones I don't wear much or even knew I had. I like the one I am wearing now, it was an Alamo Bowl sweatshirt likely given to one of the the players. I was a classmate-from high school- of the older brother of one of the players, so it may have been his as that friend gave it to me. So I still have one Hawkeye sweatshirt in the bureau drawer. Hopefully it will inspire me at some point soon to go through my clothing and donate some of it to Goodwill. As the saying goes, if you haven't used it in a while you probably don't need it.

Junk Mail

I did some shredding of junk mail, haven't done that in a while but it can be fun. Amazed at how much I can get at times. Many of them are from literary magazines or from colleges offering an MFA program since I belong to a literary center. I have taken some writing classes there.
   Went to another high school football game tonight, this one was at a nearby college. I have done a mentoring program through a local high school for the past 3 years, and they were playing there tonight. Emerson Hough would be proud that I was attending, as the school is called the Roosevelt "Teddies", named for his friend, the president. But Roosevelt lost 21-16. I was also wearing my Emerson Hough Huskies sweatpants tonight, since it was getting chilly. The Teddies were trailing 13-0 at halftime, and gave up an early touchdown in the second half, so it was an uphill battle for them. There were way too many penalties- by both teams- in the game, many of them dead ball infractions like illegal procedure and too many players. A team isn't fundamentally sound if making mistakes like these. An early touchdown was called back by a penalty.
   Made a deposit to my new savings account today, after having my change counted from what was being saved in a gallon beer can given to me by a college roommate. There was $6.76 in it, just over half of it was in pennies. Some people throw away pennies, I don't. Last time I checked, 100 pennies still equals a dollar and one can still buy things with a dollar.
   Went to a movie this afternoon, "Get Low", starring Robert Duvall. I liked the description in the paper, saying it was about a 'crusty backwoods curmudgeon'. Liked seeing Bill Murray in it as a funeral director, he can do some serious roles. I immediately thought of 'Cradle Will Rock', where he played a ventriloquist. I liked some observations made in it, about how people believe whatever they want to, and sometimes fill in the rest with rumor.

Halftime Dance

I went to a high school football game tonight, it was the school's homecoming but they lost 37-7. The winning team's final touchdown was scored with less than a minute left. There was a safety when the punter tried to throw out of the endzone. As usual, turnovers killed their chances. There were some dropped passes in it, but also some caught ones that went a long way, which helped the visiting team win. A short field helped on some of the touchdowns as well. I like seeing games at this school because of what they do for homecoming: having the senior girls take the field at halftime in some hideous outfits and do crazy dances. I even bought a homecoming button, I like buttons.
   When I driving home after the game I did drive past my ex's home, but not intentionally. I am still thankful to have found the courage to end it with her, as she was needy, clingy, and mouthy. I was lonely and was with her for the wrong reasons, and learned some valuable lessons from it, like end it right away if it's no fun.
    Still trying to plan out events I am attending for the next few weeks, I may be able to find a way to swing seeing all of the things I'd like to. With visiting Oktoberfest in New Ulm, it means remembering to go to a few new places like the fort and the state park, but some of the familiar haunts as well like German Park where there's a poem about kindness inscribed on one of the pillars. It makes me think of a dear friend of mine from work, and the poem was part of a contribution made by the Wanda Gag (pronounced gogg) House Association. Already left a message on the town's Facebook page saying I was looking forward to being there, they responded by saying they look forward to having me.

Facebook Friends

I met one of my Facebook friends for the first time tonight, at a comedy show in the basement of a bar. When she friended me I said I would add her since she knows my comedian friends. I said her profile picture was memorable, since it was a clorful silhouette, she said she was going for the 'Che' picture look. I think I may have been to this bar before, it started looking familiar as a place I went drinking one time with my ex. Kind of odd how I was carded and paid the cover after I had my beer for a while, didn't seem well-organized. Same is true with the MC reshuffling the schedule, talking about it while a comic was on stage in terms of how longer he would be on because of who didn't make it. Seemed too un-professional to me. I got a few shoutouts in my direction as it was a small crowd, they noticed I liked the jokes. One of these was after he called his son Oedipus, and I laughed, he said we set a record for college-educated people in the crowd as not everybody understands that reference to incest jokes.
   I was kind of leisurely tonight after work, since the show was scheduled to start at 8:30 but didn't start until after 9pm. It was a Facebook invitation. I went to get dinner at Arby's around 7pm, then some peanut butter cookies at a convenience store after that.
   This is likely a first for me, sharing an odd dream with you, readers. This morning I had one where I was laying down on the ground, was I sleeping there and homeless? I don't know, but eventually I thought of the Phil Collins song 'Another Day in Paradise' about the homeless. Then I see a burgundy Mercury Grand Marquis from the 1980s pull up, possibly somebody I knew, and I get up and leave, go inside, must have been a school. Inside somebody chases after me and is relieving themselves on me or trying to. Then he asks me to help him with a report about the movie 'Losing It' starring Tom Cruise. All of this makes no sense to me! Then again my dreams usually don't in some way, guess that's why they're dreams. I can be so nerdy at times that I try to analyze my own dreams, in this case I may be afraid of being chased by somebody or being discovered by somebody I knew, exposed as a fraud or failure. Best thing I can think of.

Baseball Bat on Bus

When I was leaving work today I get on the bus as usual. This time I saw somebody board with a baseball bat in their hand, and yes it raised some eyebrows. It was a George Brett signature model, and he ended up sitting next to me. It was an older man, balding, plenty of whiskers. He had a hat on, saying 'on the 8th day God created fishing'. When leaving the bus I noticed it was an adjustable hat, and the 'flaps' in the back weren't connected. I am a baseball fan, but I think I would have noticed anyway since I see it more as a weapon in this situation. It left some questions unanswered like what he was doing with it, some questions are better left unasked.
   It has been raining off and on tonight, almost got soaked when I went to a nearby store to get a candy bar and it wasn't that far away. The umbrella I had didn't seem to cover me well enough while walking. I do my best to take care of myself when this happens, meaning the pants come off once I get home as it's no fun to wear wet clothes.
   I decided I had enough time tonight to write my review for Ticketmaster of attending the play 'Wicked', and found a way to mention Emerson Hough in it. He was a colleague of 'Wizard of Oz' author L. Frank Baum and 'Wicked' was inspired by 'Oz'. There was a line about 'heart's desire' in it, the name of a Hough novel. I like doing those reviews, and get them done more quickly than before. The first one, 'Phantom of the Opera', was done last year, more than a month after seeing it. Now I try to do them the next day, or within the week. It didn't take much to become a top 1000 contributor, as I have done just 6 before the one for 'Wicked'. It was one of many things I decided to get caught up on tonight, one of them being record-keeping. This is something I should do more often, as some receipts entered were from over a week ago. Good or bad, another one of those things was also sleep, as did fall asleep while watching 'The Office' on syndicated reruns and woke up within the hour.
   We did a game as part of the department's meeting today, 'Cranium'. It had been awhile since I had played a game like this, most comparable being 'Pictionary'. It meant things like humming a few songs and have my teammate guess them, along with me crawling on all fours for ten steps while balancing dice on my head. Some things were more fun than others, drawing something and trying to have somebody guess it is hard for me to do.

Phil Collins

I like watching 'Nightline', and I was pleased when they interviewed musician Phil Collins tonight. He was frontman for the band Genesis, a concert I saw at Iowa State University's football stadium a month after graduating from high school. I bought a tour shirt on the street there, but think it's long gone. It is also a nice memory of one class where I performed for people, doing my imitation of the 'I Can't Dance' video. I took notice of the songs on his 'playlist', one was from a Motown band, fronted by Martha Reeves. I liked touring the Motown museum when I was in Detroit in 2008. Another was a Beatles song I was unfamiliar with, 'It Won't Be Long'. I know Martha Reeves was mentioned in a John Mellencamp song, "ROCK IN THE USA". I liked finding songs on Youtube after going to the comedy club tonight, in fact one of them was mentioned onstage tonight, '99 problems' by Jay-Z. Another I heard on the way to the club, 'Forever' by Drake. I knew Eminem was in that one. And I had to find one with some recent radio play, 'Like a G6' by Far East Movement. It was a captivating beat to it, and I had to look up the G6 reference. There is also mention of the 808 drum, but thanks to Kesha I already looked that one up. Wikipedia said the G6 was an airplane, makes more sense than the car by Pontiac, which wasn't made for long. I like how I do understand many of the rap song references from pop culture. Still amazed at how well rappers string words together, it's clever on many levels. I started liking rap after listening to it more closely, and due to my interest in writing I understand how it's just poetry that you sing. With Drake's song I noticed the video had many clips of basketball player Lebron James. I know many rap references are to sports.
    Thanks to one colleague, I looked up some interviews with Lady Gaga on Youtube as well. We spoke of voices, I said I'm good at recognizing them, as it tends to be a person's signature much like handwriting. Those two things tend to be distinct, or unique, from one person to the next. I said  Martin Sheen's gravelly (or gruff) voice as one that is easily recognizable- I actually like referring to him as 'Marty Sheen'. He asked me about Gaga's voice, I said I hadn't heard it much yet in interviews, mainly while singing and when somebody sings an accent is not really heard at all. I found plenty of Gaga interviews, such as with Barbara Walters, Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey, and Larry King. The last of the 4 was where she seemed to be less sure of herself, saying 'and, um' a lot. This is likely due to the subject, having a family history of lupus. Otherwise, she truly did sound intelligent and articulate, as Barbara Walters described her. It is one thing I noticed in reading magazine interviews, and I like to read good writing.

Good Karma

It's hard to respond with maturity all of the time, but I know things go better this way. What am I referring to? My languishing social life. I got an email from one match that said she had met somebody else, and good luck to me. I've heard this one many times before, and it hurts each time. Why? It may be a lie, and I don't know for sure. I know some have admitted to lying as a way of letting people down easy. I did respond and said I wished them luck as well, and closed the online match. I keep telling myself that I have to do this in the name of good karma. It seems to be easier to do for friends, since I am truly happy for them. But those I want to date I will admit it's not entirely true. I'm sure I'm not alone on this one, readers.
   I am still making mistakes, but I'm still trying. It's not easy to be patient, but I must be and now I'm starting to regret being hasty with one match that was still interested. I shared this with a coworker earlier today. I'm still hopeful how we can get past getting started off on the wrong foot, but we haven't exchanged IMs yet.
   I did have to think of what one comic said on stage recently that I could relate to. He said he knew what to say and do while on stage telling jokes, but was lost when it came to talking to women. I can relate to this. I even alluded to it in an earlier entry. Somehow I'm sure I find a way to work it into my routine, if I can't have the happy ending then I can find some comfort in making others laugh instead.
   As usual it was nice to see a favorite comic of mine at the club. When I said I was expecting an 'ebullient' greeting, a synonym for 'lively'. He tried to tell me another  synonym was  'bumptious', but it isn't- it means 'presumptuously self-assertive'. But coming from him it's still a compliment, somebody who once called me a 'blackguard' after attending one of his shows.

Jesse James Festival

I went to the Jesse James festival in Northfield, Minn., today. I started going after sharing a plane ride with an econ instructor at one of the colleges there. It was Labor Day weekend 2007 and I said it was the only thing I knew about town. He said the festival was coming up. I like getting the button there, much like at many other festivals I attend. Notable about seeing the bank robbery reenactment was seeing a father boost his son onto his shoulders, he had a cowboy outfit on complete with toy guns. And when the shots rang out, probably blanks, I heard a kid crying, guess he hated the noise.
   It was nice to go down to the river and pause for a short time, I'm sure this sentiment has been in songs often, first one I think of is "Closer to Fine" by the Indigo Girls. It was nice to hear all of the music there, as I was paying attention. Early on I heard 'Poker Face' by Lady Gaga, later on 'Jackson' by Johnny Cash with his wife, June. Even heard a dulcimer, and the song was 'Jeanette Isabelle', one I sang in French class, including at nursing homes one Christmas. Seeing an MG Midget car reminded me of track star Steve Prefontaine, a determined man and I liked reading his story.
   I think Emerson Hough would have been proud I was there, since it celebrated Wild West history. And I thought of him as I bought a pencil sharpener, since it looks like a covered wagon, the name of one of his novels. Best to send the little blue vial to work, keep the covered wagon here. In case one gets stolen, it would matter less to me if it's the blue one. I think I've had it since art class in high school. One of the bookstores had a few older books I hadn't heard of before, like 'Talking to Myself' by Studs Terkel. I have 'Working', which covers nearly every occupation including hooker. Another one I saw was a Freud book, analyzing President Woodrow Wilson. I tried to see if Hough is mentioned in any of the the books there, by checking the index. He was in one, as a footnote. It was a book of Frederic Remington letters, one from Theodore Roosevelt speaking about western writers. It said Hough was known for frontier novels with historical fidelity and understanding of pioneer character. A high compliment, too bad only a few people still know who he is.
    I was a little annoyed about having to switch laundromats, found out the one I went to before wasn't so good. Went to do laundry after the festival, and all of the machines seemed to be broken or taken. Found this out late, after loading one, adding soap, and then the coins wouldn't go all the way through the slots. So I had to go farther down the road. One good thing about it was finding out about a Czech festival next weekend, the food drink and music should be good there. I noticed the building served as an honorary consulate, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
   I am still trying to continue my chat with an online match, after getting a response to my 'goodbye' message saying I had waited long enough for a response. Noticed I invited her on the wrong Messenger service, she said Yahoo not MSN. So I have now downloaded Yahoo Messenger. I just got so used to getting no responses that I figured she wasn't interested, but she is. So it was a little hasty of me. Since she responded I would like to try again with her, as there haven't been too many good offers lately. I get tired of some saying 'too old', she hasn't said this. I gave her another chance, must hope for the best. 
   At a comedy show tonight I said 'yep' and 'wow', and the comic said he was being heckled by WC Fields. Unsure if it was a compliment, but at least the reference wasn't lost on me, I've heard of him. But I wasn't trying to heckle.

The Roast

I went to a roast of one of my fellow comedians tonight, at a club I had been to a few times before. It was nice, they had a few videos as well from comics that weren't there in person. My dad often told me of the Dean Martin celebrity roasts, don't think I've seen one of those.
   Kind of odd how I had a jonesin for some pizza, and had some after the show. Walked over to a convenience store that had some, I like Godfather's as it was something I had often while living in Iowa. Also odd was how I felt comfortable walking over there, on an overpass over an interstate- alone, at night, in the city. Sometimes I feel more comfortable alone than in crowds, not sure why. But I still walk with a purpose, and that means at a brisk pace which helps. It may be one of the reasons why a classmate called me 'a legend', a label I couldn't accept at first since it sounded cliche. But I started embracing it after he backed it up with his observations- stories comparable to the one I just shared.
   I just downloaded Yahoo Messenger, after it was suggested by an online match as a way of chatting regularly. I had done IM's at work but not much at home. Willing to try new things, when I see the value in change I change.
    Got some errand running done, though it was annoying how I had to wait nearly 30 minutes at a bank just to get a form signed to have access to a new savings account. I had done a signature card a week earlier, found out it wasn't enough. I hated the feeling of being ignored, as many places acknowledge your presence right away upon arrival. All they said they were busy. I had called for customer service and the account was suggested, and after the problems with opening it I was reminded of why I prefer doing business in person. There is less of a chance of something being missed. I demand plenty in customer service when it used to be my job, doing call center work, my first role with my current company.
   Other things I did was use a 2 for 1 coupon for Dairy Queen blizzard treats, and get home in time to watch the Iowa- Iowa State football game on ABC. Iowa won big, 35-7.

Saw 'Wicked'

After work, I saw the play "Wicked" tonight. I knew little about it aside from it being inspired by 'Wizard of Oz'. I liked the telling of the fall from grace story, reminding me of Darth Vader from 'Star Wars' or the villains on 'Batman'. I liked how it was also an 'Odd Couple' story, between the two witches. It was kind of long, with the intermission nearly three hours. It took a while to get out of the parking ramp after the show, decided to shut off my engine and park for a while instead of hearing my car's engine idling, and possibly running out of gas. I may have been a little under-dressed, though I was wearing what I wear to the office. But the women were wearing nice dresses, including the woman next to me who had fishnet stockings on as well. I also noticed the woman in front of me and the top she was wearing, a part was cut out of the back and some of her bra straps were showing. I would much rather be comfortable than fashionable, fashion still puzzles me. I like that quote about how fashion must be an ugly business, it seems to change every 6 months.
  As for what I said about fuel, it was on my mind so I did stop at a station before going very far. Didn't want to run out at night, especially when it was wet. Sometimes when I see one I say "It's an oasis" and then sing an Oasis song, usually 'Live Forever', a catchy song, but not tonight and don't know why.
    Before getting home I stopped at a convenience store. Had to chuckle a little to myself when I noticed the customer in front of me was buying condoms. What, didn't have the quarters to get them out of the bathroom? This of course begs the question: what was I doing at a convenience store late at night? A rather boring thing, getting apple juice and a peanut bar. Didn't have food or drink at the play, but before it. Also noticed a shopping cart near my home, so I ran it across the street to the grocery store. Guess it was my good deed for the day. I'm thinking Emerson Hough would have been proud that I saw the play, as he had worked with 'Wizard of Oz' author L. Frank Baum. One line in the play happened to be the same as one of Hough's books, 'Hearts Desire', likely purely coincidental.
    I decided to tweak my online dating profile some more, changing the wording here and there and may want to add a few more photos as well but there are five already. At lunch today I went outside and it felt good to walk around downtown to get to a Walgreen for a few small items. In a walkway near the store was a hot dog stand, need to put it on my list to get lunch there sometime soon while the weather still allows it. I like going to those places while on vacation in a big city, as it's a quick lunch. Next to it I heard a beautiful song, "As I Lay Me Down To Sleep" by Sophie B. Hawkins. It was a hit more than a decade ago, I liked it since it mentions sleep. I listened to it again tonight on Youtube after the play, and noticed it mentions trains. When I think of my time living in northwest suburban Chicago, I miss the CTA el-trains. About a year after moving, I took a vacation in New York City and saw a subway train near Shea Stadium and hearing it rumbling I said it sounded like a lullaby to me.

Eternal Haze

I've called the plastic 'the eternal haze at work' since it's been up for a while. The construction has been loud at times and a distraction to some, but I like being able to go 'into the files' where it is muffled.
  I decided to update my online dating profile, it needed some changes even if many of them were just seeing that uppercase letters were wherever needed to look more professional. It also meant adding things like how one of my favorite musicians is Lady Gaga, though it meant dropping Johnny Cash as I was able to have just 5. I found a way to keep mention of how I still like all of those Charlie Brown TV specials, and noticed there was mention of my favorite TV show- 'The Simpsons'- in two places so I decided to list it only once. When I updated my profile before I said if things are best described as an 'unmitigated failure' that means there are things I can do about it like present myself a little better.
   Even though the title of my blog is inspired by my favorite TV show, I hardly ever write about it. I am often known for doing references to various episodes, as just about anything makes me think of an episode. They've parodied just about everything, and whoever hears it becomes 'today's winner'. I made sure to add how writing on my blog is one of the things I like doing in my spare time. In many ways it served as a reminder of how long ago I had looked at everything, since I don't think I had started this blog when I last updated it. I kept mention of my favorite movies being 'Rain Man' and 'Good Will Hunting', but it would be nice to mention a more recent movie and one that is a comedy as well. Need some time to think of one.
  I have to be hopeful how mention of updating my profile is enough to have more matches take notice. There has been no problem so far with quantity of matches, an observation made when calling for customer service, but the quality has left a lot to be desired. I hesitated at first to mention where I went to college, but I included it as well. I need more time to play around with it to have it the way I really want it.

The Next 100

When I was a kid I had 'A Decade of Hits', the greatest hits album by the Charlie Daniels Band. I recall it saying inside how it's best to just call it a decade, implying that the best is yet to come. My entry last night was a milestone, or benchmark, at number 100. I know the best has yet to come for me.
  It's Wednesday, so it meant a catch-up night of sorts after work, with record-keeping but also sleep. I wrote out two checks to pay bills, then decided to walk over to the post office to mail them instead of wait until lunchtime the next day. Nothing unusual there, except the walk was about a mile each way. I don't mind walking this far, just needed to put on hat and gloves to stay comfortable. I am a brisk walker so it didn't take all that long for me.
   Thanks to Facebook I heard of another new thing, it's a wonderful tool! A comedian friend of mine spoke of a band called Beirut, I was confused at first, saying I just thought it was a city in the Middle East ravaged by terrorism. I listened to 2 of their songs on Youtube, 'Nantes' and 'Elephant Gun'. Both sounded fine, liked the accordion in the former and the variety of instruments in the latter. Hard to understand the video for 'Elephant', but both songs sounded good.
  I am watching an interview with actress Julianna Margulies on 'Letterman'. I liked what she said about leaving the TV show 'ER', about how you should do things for passion and not just for money. I've said this many times before, how it shouldn't just be about the money. Ask anyone who has ever filed for bankruptcy- money is easily spent.

Dating Woes

I closed two matches tonight in my online dating profile, I usually prefer it when somebody quits me first. But I've learned to quit something- or somebody- when I'm not having a good time. Nothing worse than wasted time or money. I like officially ending it with a 'goodbye' message- makes no difference whether or not they read it fully. It is I that definitely needs closure when it's over by declaring it. One of them gave me their email address, and said she wanted to see pictures even though I had more on my profile than she did. And she kept reminding me how she has a daughter, saying it once is enough. It tells me I will likely always be way too low on her priority list, so I'm not interested. She also failed to answer my question about what subjects she wants to teach, a relevant question. I find that starting off with the question about their line of work does weed out some nutjobs. If they fail to answer there's a character flaw, and I don't want it contaminating my life. For some readers, it may sound cold, for others, smart. No one else is going to look out for number one! And I'm not running a charity here, I'm looking for a partner.
   There's the ranting about one, now here's the other, a complete surprise how she was correct. We had been matched up before. It was a year and a half earlier, I figured the site would know well enough to avoid this. There must have been something wrong with her since I noticed I closed the match 2 weeks after we were matched, hard to say what since it was a while ago. She said we had chatted before, and said it didn't go well. Since she was stuck in this thought, wanting to be right, I decided it was pointless to continue. Based on her profile, there were some red flags. Calling herself a 'smart butt', for one thing. and setbacks on weight loss. I've learned that a bad attitude all too often is a common side effect for overweight people. I learned back in grade school how attitude makes the difference, and it means avoiding malcontents. Usually the way I narrow the field is by finding out who puts some effort into it. If they fail to post a photo or respond to my messages, not interested. I figured my success rate would be higher, but I can't make people respond to messages or post photos. So far my success rate of just meeting an online match is 1 in 250!
   I'm trying to keep learning lessons here, and it means avoidance of being jaded. I felt good about a new match contacting me first, with an icebreaker. Will have to see how it plays out. And I did get 2 email addresses of some decent matches from the free communication weekend. I sent messages to both already.
   Yes, it was a busy day at work, usually is the day after a holiday. It was even busier since one colleague was out, so I had to step in and fill the void, but I told my boss how I like being a 'role player'. What really made my day was seeing one of my favorite comics as MC at the open-mic show tonight! He gave me the typical left-handed greeting, this time 'look what the cat dragged in'. I said that was an album by the band Poison, something he was familiar with as well.

Eugene O'Neill

I had a DVD on loan from the library and decided to take the time to watch it today, since I had the day off from work. It was a documentary of Eugene O'Neill, the playwright. I had heard of him before, since he was mentioned in a display at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum in West Branch, Iowa. O'Neill was one of the famous people of the 1920s, the time when Hoover took office. I was captivated by the story, he would be best described as 'brooding'. In many ways this describes me as well, likely why it resonated with me so much, along with how I have a passion for writing. It was kind of sad to hear how some of his greatest recognition came posthumously, with 'Long Day's Journey Into Night'. I had heard of 'Iceman Cometh', unfortunately it was due to comedian Andrew Clay once calling his routine 'Diceman Cometh'.
   I did some cleanup and rearrangement around my home, it meant laying down some rugs I had bought and getting another one. Now I have 6 of them, didn't have any until just over a month ago. I like the way things look here a little more, but some items will have to be tossed at some point. As the saying goes, if you haven't used it in a while you probably don't need it.
   I like how I'm still searching for answers, still willing to learn. Sometimes one just needs a little luck, where timing meets just plain paying attention. This happened tonight, when I was driving in my car I heard the end of a remix to Lady Gaga's 'Just Dance', one I was trying to find. It prompted me to look again on Youtube  later on, and I FOUND it! My experience with computers is the type of search makes a difference on the results that it yields. I was going under the performer, wasn't finding it. So this time I tried the song title. It is a remix with Kardinal Offishall, I liked his song 'Dangerous' before since I caught the reference to a basketball defense (everything locked like a 2-3 zone). Still makes me chuckle to hear him say 'everybody likes Gaga, if you don't believe me ask your baby father'. I like how I can pick up many of the pop culture references in rap songs, they're clever. Same is true with a Pitbull song 'Shut It Down'- 'undefeated, Don Shula'- referring to the last undefeated NFL team, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, coached by Shula.
   Some of the matches with online dating are ramping up, at the same time others are fizzling out. The date from Sunday fizzled as expected, already got a response from her saying 'we're not a good match, and good luck'. Similar to 'thanks for playing', what a losing contestant hears on a game show. It no longer bothers me, as at least I'm trying now. Still trying to learn lessons from each failure, in this one it was be more sure of myself when I talk. She said I wasn't doing that. I can still be nervous on first dates, don't know why. I keep saying how being onstage at comedy clubs has helped my confidence. I know one ex suggested that I pretend I was onstage- when I'm with her. I think I will try to use this advice more often.
   I expected to hear it, which was why I had already used her in my routine when I got to 'online dating isn't going well'. When I went to put my arm around her after the movie was over she immediately said, 'well, it's been nice'. I've found that body language doesn't lie, even said so to her when I closed the match for her. Same is true with at the end of dinner when she asked if I was still up for a movie, I asked why and she said she was tired. Yeah, tired- of being with me! We held hands before the movie, I like doing that, but noticed she had her arms crossed during the movie, again I was reading her body language.
    The conversations just didn't flow like they should. I hate to use an example of a good friend of mine from work, but I can recall how it was more than TWO YEARS before I felt the need to correct her. I enjoyed her company enough that I didn't feel the need to. We didn't always see the same way politically, but I was willing to look past it. When we did discuss politics, I asked that we avoid hitting below the belt. I was willing to be dilpomatic with her.
   I'm still trying, and maybe the next match will go better. I spent too much time on the sidelines, sulking about missed opportunities, and I'm not going to do that again. Same was true about being socially weak, and being too self-conscious. I just plain lacked confidence, and my friend from work was right. Sometimes one has to fail a lot, and understand why they did, before they figure out how to succeed. I've noticed I understand better how a device works when it doesn't work. It's because I need to figure out how to get it working again.

King Louis

I did have a second date today, we went to a pasta restaurant and saw the George Clooney movie 'the American'. I had a nice time.
   I respond well to music with passion, same reason why I like going onstage to tell jokes. It's therapeutic, one of the better tools available to heal from any ills. I was onstage tonight at the comedy club, it feels good each time now since I know what I'm doing. There was a minor error early on, meant to say just 'state fair' but added 'Iowa' and had to correct it. But what I've learned about speech is to just correct it and keep moving, no big deal to trip over words every so often.
    I spend some time listening to songs on Youtube, tonight it included finding some by Alanis Morissette. I recall somebody saying they liked her song, 'Perfect', when on ABC's 'Nightline' show, doing their 'playlist' feature. It's a song that didn't get much if any airplay, but it resonated with me since it was relatable. Also found 'Hands Clean' and 'What I Really Want' as those are sang with passion as well. With "Want" the wording is very good, 'sweater on backwards and inside out, how appropriate'. As Sheryl Crow said in 'If It Makes You Happy', 'who hasn't been there before?' While driving in my car today I heard one on the radio for the first time that I liked, the words 'who do you think you are' were in it. I like how in this day and age how one just needs to go online to find answers, like the song title and performer, if the radio DJ doesn't announce it. In this case I found out it was "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri. It helped that it mentions scars, since I have some though they are in many ways invisible. It reminded me of why I liked 'Impossible' by Shontelle, since this word is there as well, 'all my scars are open'. In the middle I found 'Bulletproof' by LaRoux, another relatable one. I like the lines about 'dirty words coming out when hurt, certain things are better left unsaid'. There are plenty of women who can sing with passion, it may help if they are inspired by relationships. In some ways it seemed appropriate to hear 'Basket Case' by Green Day today as well, since the video takes place in a mental hospital. It is likely very brave of me, readers, to speak as much as I do about some of the things in my past. For a while, I wondered if I was mentally ill, so those who struggle with mental health I seem to understand. I had seen a therapist before, and their recommendation of taking some writing classes helped greatly. I often seemed to be more comfortable with writing than most things. Was I mentally ill? Probably not. I found out I felt better physically and mentally once I parted ways with those who brought out the worst in me, not an easy thing to do but definitely necessary. I noticed how my attitude was greatly influenced by the company you keep. I was more positive around those who were positive. Anything about my past that made me feel squeamish I knew I needed to handle before moving on completely with my life- in order to have a meaningful life. People get tired of excuses, I recall my football coach in high school asking us to complete a statement about it. Excuses are- for losers. Winners don't have excuses, they don't need them. Still a valuable lesson, to this day. At times I wondered if people would have been more sympathetic to my plight if my problem had been a drug addiction or alcoholism. Either way, whatever causes the ill needs to be handled.
  One of my fellow comedians seemed to notice a pattern on favorite movies of mine, how I seemed to be drawn to 'diamond in the rough' stories, they're relatable to me. I think one of them in particular, 'Seabiscuit', may explain it better than some. There was a line in it how the horse just needed to remember what it was like to be a horse again. I even wrote poetry about it, and showed it to a good friend of mine from work. I liked the metaphor in it, and 'Seabiscuit' was in mind. I called myself a sad little puppy locked up in a cage I had built for myself. My friend was the one who bought me, despite me growling at her at first, and trained me to be a winner.
  Unsure if I like Lady Gaga's music because I think it's therapeutic, I think I like it for the same reason many others do- it's good dance music and clever wordsmithing. Not necessarily 'therapeutic', sometimes music is about escapism, fantasy, same as movies and TV shows. It can be whatever you want it to be, that's what I like about art. I am still trying to find the version of "Just Dance" where you hear 'ask your baby father'. I had heard it on the radio, and it made me chuckle, saying she's the best apparently.
   I learned something tonight, I like how I continue to learn as I want to. In this case it was about Mardi-Gras. I was unfamiliar with the celebration in St. Louis,MO. I had heard about the one in New Orleans, of course, and one in Mobile, Alabama, as well- due to watching a documentary. Even though I visit St. Louis annually, it is during the summer so I hadn't heard of it. But it did remind me of 3 places in America being named for different French kings, all named Louis. St. Louis is for Louis IX, the state of Lousiana for Louis XIV, and Louisville, KY, for Louis XVI.
   I have Monday off from work due to Labor Day, will need to figure out what I will do.

State Fair

I went to the state fair today, after finding a church with a free shuttle to the fair. Also wanted to get errand running and chores done, along with watching some of the Iowa Hawkeye football opener. Iowa beat Eastern Illinois 37-7. I wanted to order food but didn't see a server often, aside from getting a beer and a menu. Was told I didn't need to pay, I still left a $1 tip- in quarters- on another table where there already was a tip. I went to a convenience store nearby to get a quick meal before eventually heading to the fair.
  When writing about being at the fair, it is best to look at what I acquired while being there, and plenty of it is free items. I have 5 buttons, one is from the 2005 fair, it was at the historical museum section. Another is about a new sweetener, called Truvia. It gives a Web address, about 'honestly sweet breakups'. The others are of advocacy groups, and some literature from political candidates. I like being a well-informed voter by knowing as much as possible about what candidates are for. One place had a 'condom on a stick', since it's the fair and many things are on a stick there. C. Everett Koop, former Surgeon General, likely would be proud of this group as he was an advocate for condom use. I recall it was even discussed in health class, as we did get more sex education than the generation of my parents.
     I even got some microwave popcorn there, as there was a John Deere display and they have their brand of popcorn called 'johnny pop'. I had bought some of it before when I was passing through Moline, Illinois, on the way to my then-home, in suburban Chicago. There's also a college hockey schedule, I like picking it up there each year.
   Emerson Hough would be proud of some of the items I picked up, some were trading cards celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts. There's Robert Baden-Powell and William Dickson Boyce. I know Hough had written the "Young Alaskans" book series to encourage kids to enjoy the outdoors, so scouting is something he would be a big advocate for. Other things reminding me of Hough was seeing a picture of his friend, Theodore Roosevelt, on the facade of the grandstand, as Teddy had given a speech at the fair. There was also a covered wagon in the heritage section, and Hough had wrote "Covered Wagon" about Oregon Trail pioneers.
   I had plenty of food to eat there, starting off with ice cream, a twist cone. Later on I had a porkchop on a stick with some Dr. Pepper, then a French Crepe. It was chocolate coconut flavor. Made sure to do a run on the Giant Slide, did a high-five twice at the end with somebody with a few tattoos who must have liked all of the screaming I did on my run. One line was taken from "Forrest Gump", the hurricane scene where Lt. Dan screams "you are not taking this boat!" I like opportunities like these to channel my emotions in a healthy manner, much like at concerts or football games. With the others it's perfectly fine, nobody cares as many others are screaming as well. I don't have any tattoos-yet- but after dating somebody with many of them I have been considering it. So I have been noticing them more, and many people have them.
    I do like going to the Fine Arts building, where I can vote for my favorite artwork. In a previous year I was moved by one of a ballerina on break, she had a can of Mountain Dew and was smoking. It looked so real to me, that's the art I like where I can picture it. This year there was three I liked, the first being a scene of old cars parked in the tall grass near a church and a big Farmers Co-op grain elevator in the background, in rural Kansas. I saw some of those when I was a kid, I liked saying "Coop!" as it looked like it, instead of the actual 'co-op'. The second was of the 35W bridge collapse, sad to recall it as it was 3 years ago. I found out who my real friends and closest family members were that night, based on who called and who didn't. Yes, even tragedy often becomes art. After all, wars often become part of pop culture, as movies. The third was the one I voted for, it was a parody of the famous Grant Wood painting 'American Gothic'. It still reminds me of first seeing it in art class in grade school, I said 'that's that TV show where he pounds the pitchfork'. I was referring to 'Green Acres', as they parody the painting in the show's introduction. I think this version of the painting was a reference to extremist militia groups, based on what the couple was wearing, or should I say brandishing as they had some weapons. Some paintings on display were not for sale, others had already been sold.
   After nearly 5 hours there, I said I had seen what I wanted to, so I found my way back to the bus staging area across the street from the fairgrounds. I had seen what I had wanted to, and I was tired since I had done plenty of walking. It was getting late as well.

Artwork Purchase

As I write I am looking at some Lady Gaga art I bought at a gallery earlier today, it was at a place near the concert venue. It's small, mostly pink forming Gaga's face, with some black coloring in it as well. I figured 'why not?' I was informed how this place will have art inspired by Dave Matthews Band when their concert is at the 'X' soon. I had seen them at Alpine Valley, Wisconsin, in 1999. I was living in northwest suburban Chicago then, and it was a year after seeing Pearl Jam at the same venue.
   I went to a high school football game in the suburbs tonight after work, home team lost 13-7. They had 3 turnovers, lucky to have stayed in the game as long as they did, trailing just 7-0 at the half. One of the winning team's touchdowns was set up by a fumble, as they started with a short field, inside the 20. But it stayed exciting for a while, one play got the home team down to first and goal at the 5, a long pass play, a big deal the wideout stayed on his feet as long as he did. Game was halted for a few minutes when a player broke his leg, he was hauled off the field by the EMS. Home team surprised many with a 4th and 9 play from their own 21, a pass going for nearly 60 yards, but the drive stalled after that, just a few minutes left. Winning team had a speedy tailback, he was used often. It was cool and windy at the game tonight, it was why I was wearing a sweatshirt under my denim jacket, as well as a stocking cap and gloves. They smelled a little like a hockey arena, likely due to the coldness and having been unused for a while. I thought of hockey games as I've attended many in the area, and one tends to dress warm there.
   This was a catch-up night after the game, with record-keeping in my checking account as well as doing dishes and recycle. I even agreed to attend a wedding for next month- one of my comedian friends is getting married.  Nothing unusual there, except the invite was from Facebook, first-ever wedding via Facebook invite. It made sense, wanted to keep costs down as it is cheaper to invite people this way than by the mail. I was telling a coworker, my 'work spouse' about it. She's a true optimist, saying I might meet somebody there.

Microwave Popcorn

I'm usually listening to music when driving in my car, and tonight it meant hearing a Nina Gordon song. Had to look it up online, but what I like is that a few key words from the lyrics is usually enough. The memorable words were "all I want to feel tonight", the song is 'Tonight and the Rest of my Life'. Later I found it on Youtube, surprised to find out she covered an NWA song as well, 'Straight Out of Compton'. I had liked some Veruca Salt songs, especially 'Volcano Girls', and she left that band to be a soloist. It was a Chicago band, and I am partial to things Midwestern. There was even clips from an interview, about knowing Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. It's another Chicago band, and a favorite band of mine.
   Also had a craving for some potato chips, guess my dinner was too light. I went to a grocery store to find some but wanted a small bag and couldn't find one. So I got a 3-pack of microwave popcorn, hadn't made any in a while. It was the store brand, since it's usually cheaper, but it tasted a little bland. Now it means figuring out when I pop the other 2 bags. Popcorn on Sundays is nice, a fond reminder of my childhood.

Movie Music

I watched 'Toy Story' on DVD tonight, heard about it in a book by a motivational speaker, about the toys rising up against the kid who wanted to destroy the toys. Good movie, liked the Randy Newman music in it.
   Nobody expected me to be on time for work today after seeing the Lady Gaga show, but I was. Wonder if they had a betting pool about it. I posted good reviews on Ticketmaster, as well on the Facebook page for the Xcel Energy Center, the venue. Uploaded a picture in front of the tour bus, one of many who wanted pictures there. Liked seeing all of the hideous outfits on the concertgoers. There was an art gallery nearby with Gaga-inspired art. Not even the religious zealots- denouncing her and her fans- prevented me from having a good time there. Souvenirs were expensive, but that's common at concerts. Decided to get a program for $30, cheaper than the shirts. Plenty of pictures in it, and the few words were song lyrics. My favorite moment was when she spoke to the crowd- one misfit to many- telling them to always feel good about themselves, in spite of any naysayers. Nice touch when she called somebody in the crowd, before playing "Telephone", inviting them backstage after the show.