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.