Bob Marley Shirt

When I was waiting for the bus tonight after work I saw a woman raise her pantleg.  It had a tattoo, 'James', on her leg. She was also wearing a Bob Marley shirt, and had a child in a stroller. I saw some White Castle Zesty Zing sauce in the street. The package was unopened, so I picked it up and threw it in a nearby trash bin. I also picked up some trash in a wishing well, as there was an empty plastic drinking cup in it. Normally people don't take things out of wishing wells, myself included. But it just seemed wrong to be there. It looks better when all you see is water and coins.
   After going to the comedy club tonight, I liked seeing the 'Simpsons' Halloween episode. It was one where the family is inside Mr. Burns. The professor spoke of 'retro viruses' and made a reference to Harvey Pekar if I'm not mistaken. A fellow comic compared me to this writer. I also liked the episode as it ends with the 'Perfect Strangers' theme song in the closing credits. It was a fun sitcom I liked as a youngster, and one I spoke of when I finally moved to Chicagoland. How many shows are about moving to a big city to try your luck and seek your fortune in this world. 'Standing tall on the wings of my dreams', those lyrics still stick with me. Along with 'my life, my dreams, nothing's going to stop me now'. Or Balki being on the back of a wagon next to a box that said 'America or Burst'.  
   The comedy show was fairly good, I knew all three performers from the open-mic nights. I chose this show as I got a Facebook invite, to replace another show that was not happening tonight. The price of the drink was a little higher than what I am used to. The headliner was selling his comedy CD after the show. The feature was the one that invited me, he did jokes about neck tattoos, as he has one, and how Sarah Palin signed his GED since he got it when in Alaska. Same one who said I should interview strippers earlier this week, but there weren't any there tonight to the best of my knowledge.   

Taco Bell Loco Taco

I made it to Taco Bell just minutes before the free 'Loco Taco' promotion ended due to a stolen base in the World Series. Also ordered a drink and whatever they call their tater tots, which wasn't officially on the menu. I saw no listing or picture anyway. I had to ask the order taker if they had 'fries or tater tots or something similar'.   
   I noticed one employee was counting down the minutes until the promotion ended. I went over there shortly after work ended, still had my work I.D. on which is not typical. Saw a young boy and two adults playing 'UNO' at a table near me. It was dinner time so it wasn't too much of a stretch as to when I eat, though on many weeknights I usually stay in and eat. The taco tasted fine, different than a typical one and looked different as well. Made sense, as I recall  'Dorito', as in the snack food, was part of the official name.
    The other notable event of the day was picking up a framed movie poster I had wanted for a while, finally. It was the 'Rain Man' poster. I had seen it in a marketplace near my workplace, and found out the establishment would be closing soon. My concern was price and size, but I handled both fairly well. I got it for half price, though as I was leaving I heard something that sounded like the clerk may have sold it to me for too cheap. But I was told 'Go!' so I did. This was why I had asked for a receipt, as I didn't want anyone accusing me of stealing it when walking it back to the office. I didn't get too much attention when I arrived, I said to our facility czar how it was one of my two favorite movies. He said 'good movie'. There were some people at the guard's desk, sometimes there are people gathered there. Another colleague said it was an 'overpriced estate place', though what I found out about it online when searching (though not much was available) was how it was classified as a 'flea market'. Either way, it's mine now. It's a natural progression, as I had taped it from cable TV, then VHS, then DVD. Eventually it meant getting a paperback book version of it, which explained some parts of the movie better as it read much like a script would. Then there's a picture book, of Tom Cruise and his roles. Since it was a Best Picture winner it would be a prominent one in the book.
   I lucked out, sort of, in one respect. I didn't have to lug it home on the bus. This was due to waking up a little late and I decided to drive to work instead. So it was hauled home in the back seat of my car.  It is much larger than my other framed artworks, like 25X40. It appears to be the same size as what is on display in movie theaters to show what's playing at the theater.

Fighting Bird's Nest

I was paying attention to what somebody was wearing at the comedy club tonight. It was a patch on their zipper hoodie, and I said it either looked like a tornado or a bird's nest. Surprised that a shot in the dark was correct, he said it was the latter. Odd name for a sports team- fighting bird's nest. Another comic spoke of options for me coming up on what shows to attend. It was in reference to a Facebook invite I had received. It was suggested that I interview strippers at one of them. Something about finding out where they went wrong, and led them to becoming strippers.
   A message on an E-bay order said the item may be delayed due to Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast. It did remind me to contact my college roommate, who lives in that region, in Eastern Pennsylvania. Found out on Facebook that it looks like things are fine, for the most part. Waiting for the storm to go away, and how there's no work right now.
   Another notable thing on Facebook was a message that said 'Don't say you don't remember me'. Something about wanting to be added as a Facebook friend. I responded by asking how we had met and where. The message was dated nearly three weeks ago, not sure why I didn't see it any earlier. Also noticed that the school logo on their page was one in the Philippines apparently. I checked the map and there was some mention of Manila, the capital city. So it's not likely that we had met. Especially since I haven't been to the Philippines. All I can claim is how I had a colleague that was Filipino when working in suburban Chicago. A good guy, but haven't heard from him much since leaving the area.

An Egg Sucking Dog

I was watching the Bears-Panthers football game on Fox this afternoon and saw something not typical. The team trailing at halftime found a way to win, as the Bears had a late rally to prevail, 23-22. This was aided by the play often known as a 'pick 6'- an interception return for a touchdown, which put them ahead 20-19. They scored two touchdowns in a short amount of time, less than a minute apart. The Bears weren't doing well for a while, and the Panthers were able to kick field goals, 5 in all. But the Panthers didn't want to kick to Devin Hester, and many kicks were short which still gave the Bears good field position. It's too much like an intentional walk in baseball, seems wrong to be afraid of one player. At halftime, one of the studio commentators said the Bears need to show up, it was ex-coach Jimmy Johnson. Before the game we watched a video, 'History Detectives'. The tree segments included World War I posters, a Valley Forge map, and the earliest transistor radios. The fourth or 'bonus' segment looked like one I had seen before, as it was about a pioneer in making Las Vegas a casino town.
   It was odd to see some of the ads during this game, like the ones from V.W. One of them made sense, as there were cars in it and a Johnny Cash song about an 'egg sucking dog'. It was about an ugly dog being sent to the veterinary, looked like a bulldog to me. But another just had people laughing in it, and no cars at all. It would be the same as if there was a beer commercial with no beer in it. I didn't know it was a Volswagen commercial until the end when I saw their logo. I need to know what you're selling if I'm going to buy it.
   I did watch some of the World Series tonight, Game Four. The Giants did win it, 4-3, but needed extra innings. It was a sweep over the Tigers. I still needed to get errand running done, like dishes, trash, and groceries, so I knew it wouldn't work to sit down and watch all of it.

The Last of the Old Lightbulbs

I was about to leave to do errand running and when I tried to turn on the light near the door. I noticed right away how it had burned out. So I replaced it and at first checked the only other one that hadn't burned out. When I uncovered it I found it was CFL, so when I replaced one today it was the last of the older kinds. I took it out of a lamp I wasn't using much.
   I also finished reading the papers from September, mostly Fridays, as I was way behind. Some of the notable events included the Democratic Convention, Pink releasing a new CD (which I have now, her sixth studio album according to the USA Today article) along with the death of musician Andy Williams (a native of Wall Lake, Iowa). There was also articles about the neglected buildings in the former Hamm's Beer complex on St. Paul's East Side, the closing of the Cottage View Drive-in in Cottage Grove, and stadiums. With the stadiums it was about the Saints baseball team getting funding but also preliminary work on the Vikings football stadium, selecting a contractor.
  The most fun to read was a columnist in the Minneapolis paper. He wrote of bathrooms at an art gallery, one way streets, obesity, and cars vs. pedestrians.
  On this reminder form, I also wrote down the word 'gouge'. For some reason it is funny to me, although it describes something that isn't. Maybe it's just a funny sounding word to say. I know this has been true before, like 'looting' or 'looters'.
   I stayed in with my date tonight, first time in a while that a weekend wasn't booked with an event. We watched a VHS tape, 'Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown'. It is one of four Charlie Brown specials that are movie length, and the only one of the four I have. I hadn't seen it in a while, I just recalled there was a fire in it eventually. After watching it I said it reminded me of a 'Simpsons' episode when Bart went to France and was forced to do hard labor.

What Kind of Nurse Are You?

Went to Fright Farm in Maplewood tonight, my annual visit to a haunted house. I went tonight as I knew it was the night that best fit my schedule. After paying for my ticket, we were herded into a waiting area where an actress in a nurse outfit asked us to scoot, to make room for more people on what felt and looked like church pews. I asked what kind of nurse she was but got no answer. Another actor nearby was greeted by me, as I said 'good evening, Svengooli' as with his hat he looked like one. More than once, I said I liked the Maytag washing machine I saw along the way. It was a wringer washer in a mockup of a kitchen. I was with a group of high school kids from Hill-Murray, judging by their outfits. What I liked was that the line was shorter than previous years, likely helped by a larger indoor waiting area. I asked a deputy before getting in line how long the wait would be, and it was close to what I was told, 20 to 30 minutes. I liked seeing actors outside trying to scare people to keep them interested while waiting. There was a mirror maze and a food stand as well, but I did neither of those. The theme was different from previous years, as it was a 'poor farm', which is what the barn was part of before it became the county fairgrounds complex. My guess is the photos from 1935 on the wall, about a poor farm doctor being arrested for experimenting on residents, were faked. But it still fit the theme well, so I understood why they did it. I walked over to the barn despite seeing a ride available as I needed the exercise.
I said hi to the Charlie Brown and Linus statues at the Maplewood bank after I was done, then had a Dairy Queen Blizzard at the mall. It was pumpkin spice, I like it a lot and want it as much as possible since it's the flavor of the month.

Geeky, Hot, Proud Of It

The theater guy had a stylish hat on today, he said it was made out of beaver skin. There was a button on it that said 'Geeky, hot, and proud of it'. At times it seemed like he was modeling it, as he really enjoyed wearing it. The facility czar called it a 'chapeau', I knew it as the French word for hat.
   I did see the facility czar more than once, as I copied him on an email asking for help moving tables out of a cubbyhole for a Halloween event. All that was left was two larger tables, I had moved the smaller ones myself by putting them on a cart we often use when 'in the files' taking care of the payoff reports.
    The 'Airport Snoopy' mini-statue arrived today, it's the fourth inspired by Saint Paul's 5-year series from 2000-2004 that I own. It won't be the last. There are a few more I want. It was the second of the year, the first since April. There's one outstanding item I ordered from last week, but it is now listed as shipped so it should be arriving soon. It ebbs and flows as to what I order, and how often, from the E-bay site. Actually it's called 'World Traveler Snoopy', I gave it the alternate name as the real one is now on display at the airport, one of three there. Due to its high visibility, it is likely photographed more than most of them are. I know it did make its way into a Facebook article I submitted about sharing Enterprise Rentacar stories, about me wanting to get to a Pearl Jam concert. Though it is an afterthought that I chose the picture in particular, as it was one of the few I had of me that was also fairly recent.
  I went through a few of my tourist bags after watching 'Big Bang Theory' and found some items to shred, as well as move to the office. I saw a bike light from the Lady Gaga concert in 2010, I decided that it better serves me at the office where I will see it more. Same is true with 'Desiderata', which is something I wrote down while at college in Iowa City. But at the time I didn't know the title.
   It was nice getting some pepperoni pizza from Little Caesar's, along with a bottle of tea, since I didn't have to wait this time. On my most recent visit last month there was a line. But I still don't see myself using the offer for free crazy bread, since I'm not big on eating it. I would need to find the stamped receipt of course.

Paper Plate Faces

After the comedy show tonight, one of the regulars- the Kentuckian- invited people to stay to help with a video art project for a class. I stayed and it didn't take long. I was one of the few that didn't get asked to have a paper plate for a face. I gave my email address to view it later in case it becomes a Youtube video.
   I thought it was odd how my face was still showing, or maybe not. I do see comedy as an important outlet for me, and at times yes I do feel different and more empowered when onstage. But maybe it was appropriate that I had no mask on, when plenty of honesty about my life exists in the jokes I tell. I've said it before how the Anna Nalick song 'Breathe' nailed how I felt about being a writer and comedian. 'I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd, because these words are my diary screaming out loud'. I was still playing a crowdmember so it may have been why some had no masks, and of course needing comparison and contrast with any study makes it more effective. He did say some hide behind a mask while doing comedy, I would tend to agree with this. I noticed some of the plates had varying facial expressions on them.
   There was an announcement how there would be no show due to Halloween next week. So I will have to figure out what I will be doing. But odds are I will just find another show to attend. Should be no problem finding one when I know plenty of comics.
   I did follow some of the opening game of the World Series, I know the Giants won big over the Tigers 8-3. There was some mention of a Giants player accomplishing a rare feat, three home runs in a World Series game. Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols were the others. Surprising how it happened so quickly, as it was done last year. But that was the first time since the 1970s.  

Shredding Business Cards

After getting back from the comedy club tonight, I decided to clean things up a little. I ended up finding some event tickets, and I moved them to the Ziploc bag that most of them are in. Also found some more business cards, including one from a comedian. I taped a few to my wall, but then said it was too crowded there. So I found seven cards I didn't need there and shredded them. The ones I shredded were mainly from businesses I haven't bought much from lately. One of them was a sports memorabilia shop near the Metrodome.
  Usually it is just one at a time when I shred cards, like the way I count change in my bank. I use an old card for this purpose, which is taped to the side of the can. When I add a few coins, I update the total. I find I do stay fairly accurate when it goes to the change counter. I knew I needed to update my cards to say 'writer' as well as 'comedian' and take information off like my office phone number.
   Two of my friends were performing tonight at the club, one of them spoke about being 'rated' and I asked about it after the show. He did the joke about porn in run-down hotels, which is funny. The other spoke of what he saw while on layover at an airport, a two-headed woman.
   At work I returned from lunch in the afternoon and had a message waiting for me from our A.A. It was a request to move supplies like boxes of copy paper out of a cubbyhole- for a trick or treating event the company is having for Halloween. I did the safe thing and deferred to a supervisor, prefer to see that I don't get yelled at for doing what wasn't approved. It's a rather simple thing in this day and age, and I like that setup. If one wants to keep somebody in the loop, just copy them on an email.

Herky On Parade

I was curious about statues in Iowa City and did confirm how there was two series done- the books and the Hawkeye mascot, the latter was known as 'Herky on Parade'. I was thinking I already had a souvenir of it, a poster, and quickly found the poster when I got home from work.
   So here we go, a description of what I see on this poster. There are 75 statues depicted, five rows of fifteen. The first one looks familiar, it is called 'Herky the Ironman'. It has Nile Kinnick's uniform number on it, 24, the school's only Heisman Trophy winner. I saw a mini-statue version of it over the weekend while in Iowa City at Iowa Book and Supply. In the same row is 'Incredible Herk', like the 'Incredible Hulk'. It stands out since few of them are green.Next to it is another black and gold one like the 'Ironman', 'Ultimate Fan' with striped bib overalls. There's 'Freedom Herky', with a patriotic theme, and 'Harley Herky', likely a Harley-Davidson motorcycle theme. Next to it is 'Harry Carey (sic) Herky', after the Cubs baseball announcer. Of course I like 'History Herky', next to it. There's 'Herk and Turf' as well.
   Next row is 'Van Gogh Herky' and 'Hayden Herky' next to it. The latter is a reference to former football coach Hayden Fry of course. A second one with a Van Gogh theme is next to it. I see one with a Captain America theme, as well as a Samurai theme. Then there's 'Herky Balboa' inspired by the 'Rocky' movies. There's another patriotic one, 'American Eagle Herky', along with 'Herkinator' likely in reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Last one in the row is a Marilyn Monroe theme.
   Row three has 'Olympic Spirit', along with 'Herkyman', looks like a Superman theme, so another superhero. I also see 'Four Seasons', 'American Gothawk' (an 'American Gothic' theme), and 'Rhinestone Cowgirl', in reference to the Glen Campbell song.
    Row four has 'Andy Warhawk', with the Tigerhawk logo all over it, of course a reference to Andy Warhol. There's Hercules Herky', I understand the mascot's name is inspired by Hercules. There's also a gargoyle theme, Jackson Pollock, Uncle Sam, and Ben Franklin. Next to Ben Franklin is one with a Hy-Vee theme, after the dominant grocery store in Iowa. I wonder if the artist, Marvin Campbell, is the same one who did the Newton Football posters. Those sold well. Then I see one with an Elvis Presley theme, and a 'Timeless Herky', which looks like your typical Herky. In the Charlie Brown and Snoopy series, it would have been called 'classic'.
   Row five has 'Coca Cola Herky', and another one with a Jackson Pollock theme. I also see one with a Dick Tracy theme, and 'Herky Hoover, The Great Humanitarian'. It of course is a Herbert Hoover theme, after Iowa's only president. Some of these have themes reminding me of Charlie Brown and Snoopy. I know they did at least one with an Elvis Presley theme, and same is true with Superman.
   At the bottom under 'Herky on Parade' is 'Iowa City, Coralville, University of Iowa' as it was a joint effort among these two towns and the university, along with 'Spring, Summer, Fall 2004'. I understand it was to mark the anniversary of the 75th anniversary of Kinnick Stadium, the football venue. So the 75 total statues made sense. I think I did see some on previous visits, and don't recall where I got the poster but I like having it in case I find any of the real ones around town.
   At the comedy club tonight I liked seeing the 3X5 card guy, as his jokes are short but pack a lot of punch. Even said so to him before. Some said they didn't like it, to each their own. He gave me a fist bump upon arrival at the bar.   

Black Angel Statue, Iowa City

Before leaving town I went to find the Black Angel statue in an Iowa City cemetery. It was hard to find at first, since many of the roads around the cemetery were under construction. But when it stands over eight feet tall it is hard to miss once the cemetery is found and then walking around a little inside. I know some books have mentioned it, like 'Iowa Baseball Confederacy' by W.P. Kinsella, who also wrote 'Shoeless Joe', the inspiration for the movie 'Field of Dreams'. We also went to Iowa Book and Supply, and found some souvenirs there. One of them I liked finding was a Hawkeye baseball. Then I got a good look at the wall display at the Fieldhouse about Irving Weber. It was about the dedication of the walkway named for him in 1992, inside the Fieldhouse.
   This was also the first time I had 'breakfast pizza' at a Casey's store, it tasted good as I do like eggs. We didn't find it at the one closest to our hotel in Williamsburg, so we went one stop west on I-80, at first to find the 'McStop'- a McDonald's near the outlet mall- and saw another Casey's we could try. The location having it was a larger one, so it made sense how it had more services available. Before leaving the smaller location I did get two postcards, of Cedar Rapids and the Amana Colonies, along with some cookies.
   During our drive back to the Twin Cities, I did pick up even more postcards. It left me with 11 for the weekend. Two were at Iowa book, one had pictures of four of the University's dorm buildings on it. The other was of University Hospitals, including the fountain. Then I found five I liked when at a truck stop in Albert Lea. Some were actually of Wisconsin, but I liked seeing a picture of Miller Park, the Brewers baseball stadium, on it. I didn't have one of those yet.

Little Brown Church in Nashua

On the way to Iowa City for the Hawkeye football game, we stopped at the Little Brown Church near Nashua. I had seen it in 2009. I also wanted to see the Veterans Park I recalled has a howitzer and a tank. I don't see this too often in a park. What made it easier to stop for touring in this town also was needing to stop to eat. We ate at the Subway shop, which was closer to the 'Avenue of the Saints'. I did get two postcards at the church, for a dollar. One was an image of outside and the other inside. It was funny to see smaller versions of the church. One was 'the littlest', close to the real one. Another was the 'Little Little', across the road. It worked out on getting in a self-guided tour, when it's a popular place for weddings I knew there was a chance there would be a wedding happening. There's something like 250 a year.
   The football game outcome left a lot to be desired, as the Iowa Hawkeyes lost to Penn State 38-14. It was 24-0 at the half. But it didn't surrpise me too much on how it ended, as Iowa wasn't moving the ball well and had missed 2 field goals. In addition, Penn State was converting on 3rd and 4th down fairly often. The memorable thing was after the game seeing a Penn State fan with all of these buttons on a scarf. We got small towels when arriving at our seat. It gave the web address for 'America Needs Farmers', and I knew how the 'ANF' sticker has been on the Hawkeye helmets for a while.
   Before arriving in Nashua, we stopped to see the mall in Faribault. I was pleased to see the history on display inside. There were reprints of various documents like the FDR Four Freedoms speech. It was relevant to see it as it had just been mentioned this week when there was an article about an FDR memorial, at a park in New York City. I wrote down  the title of each, 13 on one side of the shrine and 18 on the other.
   I had hoped to get to Iowa City at an earlier time, but we arrived at 5pm for a game starting at 7pm. So we went onto the Hawkeye Express train in Coralville to the stadium, so we could get over to the Fieldhouse for the Member's Tailgate event. We arrived about 10 minutes before closing, likely the last ones in. But I had paid for the tickets and wanted to use them, so it meant enough to make it. Especially when I wanted to eat before going to the game. I had some bratwurst, a burger, fruit, and a peanut butter cookie. With the bottle of water we were offered while leaving, it paid for itself at $10 a person, since a bottle of water was $4 at the stadium I was told. There was a remembrance at Kinnick Stadium for Alex Karras, who had died recently. I knew him as an actor on the 1980s TV show 'Webster' and had heard he was a Hawkeye football player in the 1950s.
 

Dent In Car Door Corrected

I had the day off from work, wanted to get some errand running done. I needed my car for most of it, so I didn't get to the auto body shop until the end of the day. But it was enough time to get the dent in my car door corrected. The employee used a tool that looked like a trowel and now it clears just fine. So I no longer feel the need to climb over from the passenger side door to get behind the wheel.
  I had hoped to see 'Millionaire' and 'Jeopardy' on TV but it was not to be. But I liked getting my laundry done, and 'Judge Alex', along with 'Judge Judy', was on at the laundromat I went to in Maplewood. There was showbills for 2 high school plays at the plaza it was in, one was 'Hello Dolly' at North St. Paul and the other was 'Christmas Story' at Tartan in Oakdale. The former interests me more than the latter does, but is just over one weekend so the chances to see it are limited.
   When I was eating at Maplewood Mall, having some pizza, I was a little worried when I saw two little girls by themselves, they didn't look a day over six or seven. But eventually an adult man showed up, likely their dad. I noticed he had pizza like me, the girls had Chinese food. After this I went to Dairy Queen and had a Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. I like those a lot, and I am reminded of how I liked writing 'Smashing Pumpkins' on plastic containers of pumpkin pie as I liked that music group.
   It was my first visit to Common Good Books, owned by Garrison Keillor, since it had moved. One employee said they had been at their current location since April. I had passed by it every so often at Snelling and Grand, being reminded of how I had seen their basement location on Grand before. It was due to getting a gift card at work. They had a graphic novel about Abraham Lincoln.

10,000 Laughs Festival

Tonight I went to the 10,000 Laughs comedy festival in Minneapolis. It was in the basement, a venue I hadn't been to much before. As expected, I knew many of the performers though for some reason I was surprised to get a shout-out from one of them. I guess they recognize my laugh when they hear it.
   The buttons are an ongoing project. I did throw out way fewer today, just three. There probably aren't any more duplicates to find, but now I must think of if they are viable. One of them had no pin in the back and said 'be happy'. I opened it up and it said 'Dredd' on one side and 'Hawaii' on the other.
   Now I have it down to four bags in the box, totaling 276 buttons. I am keeping 48 and would like to sell 53 others. With some I know it may be hard to keep them when I have researched the asking prices on E-bay. This is true of ones like Levi's jeans or Amtrak. But I also know how money is easily spent, so it doesn't mean selling everything of value. Others I am keeping stand out when looking at them, like one that says 'Abraham Lincoln School, 1860-1985'. Not sure where, but I went to a Lincoln School so I can think of it as a companion to my Lincoln Leopards button I got when in school. There's also one with a cartoon picture on it which says 'Don't let the turkeys get you down'.
   When I think of those I am giving away, I also have to think of the best place for them. Since we love hockey in Minnesota, and I just visited the Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth recently, I am thinking the ones related to hockey should go there. Like hockey invitationals and tournaments. I had said something about donating things to museums, especially when I like history- and museums are a depository for history.
  It was a fairly routine day at work, aside from doing a dial-in meeting for a mentoring program at a Minneapolis high school. The allotment was one hour, but it was over in just over half that amount of time which was fine with me. It meant I could go to lunch a little earlier.
   On the bus this morning, there was a man with a fluffy beard and a St. Paul Saints winter hat on that spoke of getting SSI once a month, $800. He was fairly loud, hard to ignore. Another man was wearing a Montreal Expos hat, he looked a lot like Andre Dawson.

He's a Las Vegas Stripper

On the bus heading home tonight, I heard somebody in the back wearing a bomber hat say to his friend how he knows somebody who's a male stripper in Las Vegas. It's not something that you hear about too often, so it was hard to ignore. On the bus ride in the morning I saw a man across the aisle from me with a spoon in his coffee mug, full of cereal like Chex but it was hard to tell for sure what it was since I was far enough away and didn't want to look nosey at all.
   At the comedy club tonight the most memorable thing was how a crowdmember had a seizure shortly after the show ended. I had seen her collapse and at first didn't know what was happening. But the MC was in motion trying to find help. Somebody said she was with three friends, so I trust she will be fine. I didn't stay around as I didn't know how to help and it looked like somebody was helping in some form.
   This group of four girls were memorable during the show, as one was sitting on the lap of another for a while. The comics kept referring to it. The MC spoke of working at an elementary school and giving kids high-fives for much of the day and tying their shoes.
   The buttons are moving along. I decided to organize them a little better, and it meant getting all of them into bags. There are five bags in the original box, and these bags are a grand total of 318. I looked at one bag and took out 19 that I am keeping and not selling. After going through all of the bags, I took out those that appear to be of value and hopefully can sell on E-bay, 42 in all. I did junk some more that were duplicates, broken, or too rusty. The junked total is now at 127, so it means I started with 506. Considering what I paid for them, it is way cheaper than expected. It averages out to be about six cents a button.
   I spoke of some of those I would be keeping earlier. Another notable one says 'TANSTAAFL', a term a college instructor used in an economics class meaning 'There's no free lunch'. Another says 'Vintage 1776, 200 Proof'. There are a decent number with a bicentennial theme, as many things in 1976 had this theme.
   I am thankful that I looked up the listings on E-bay for one of them before giving it to a colleague, the Vikings button. It's one of value, unlike most of those I started with. Others I think I can sell are the beer buttons, like Heineken and Stroh's.

Banana Not a Sex Toy

When I was leaving the comedy club tonight I saw a boy carrying a very large, fake banana with a paper hat that said 'This is not a sex toy'. Okay, is the response that many would have to this. One of my friends was onstage tonight, sat near me in the back, the Ohio State grad and former stockbroker. He did a joke I liked about internet porn and trying to use department store catalogs as porn.
   I am still going through the buttons. it meant throwing out the ones that were broken, duplicates, or both. This total was just over a hundred. I now have a Ziploc bag full of those that really interest me, I counted them and the total is 85. Those are ones I will keep myself or sell or give to friends. There are three that I have already put in my bag for work already earmarked for this purpose. One of them said 'TCF Viking Club', I think I will give it to a Vikings fan in my office. Another is about tours in Japan, I asked a colleague about another colleague now in another office in the Twin Cities. I was told IM's was best but I like email. Wanted to wait on contacting until I had it with me so I could describe it well. Would still need to know how to mail it, as I don't know if an inter-departmental envelope is a good idea. The third spoke of Black History Month, I think I will donate this one to a school. But it still means getting in contact with the correct official about it.
   Notables of those I am keeping in the Ziploc bag include a green 'ERA YES' (Equal Rights Amendment) button, along with a 'John Anderson for President' campaign button. He was the third party candidate in 1980. It reminds me of a novelty song about 'Who shot J.R.?'- the cliffhanger on the TV show 'Dallas'. It had a Jimmy Carter impersonator saying 'John Anderson or Ronald Reagan did it'. I have checked E-bay about the current listings for some of these.
   Many of those that were duplicates are from Robbinsdale, a town I have not been to yet. Hard to say what I will do about some of them. And I'm still not sure yet how many I have left. But based on what I have seen so far, I would expect it to be over 200. Some are still in a box and not in a bag. A second bag has all of those that appear to be from Robbinsdale, including mention of school board elections in district 281- and the 'Whiz Bang Festival'.  

Tom Petters Auction

I went to the Tom Petters seized property auction tonight, in North St. Paul. It was largely out of curiosity, and I said I would bid on something if it stayed affordable. I bid on just one item, but it wasn't a Petters item, which was just the first 86. I got a box full of buttons for $25, with taxes and commission it was just over $30. My guess is that it was worth way more than what I paid. There were so many when I went through them, and I haven't counted all of them yet. Some of them are duplicates, I can already tell. I will likely do a variety of things with them, but I expect to keep a decent amount. I've already seen some notables, like one that said 'Help! I'm being held prisoner in a button factory'. Another was a campaign button that said 'Free silver, Bryan/Sewall'. It does say it was made in 1976 on the back, I know that's truth in advertising when it's a replica. Not sure what election it was, as William Jennings Bryan ran for president 3 times and lost each time, in 1896, 1900, and 1908. There are a few about the bicentennial in 1976, and some are promoting movies like 'E.T.' and 'Crocodile Dundee II'. There's a small one that says 'From Minnesota with love' on it with a duck. Another is a press pass to Hazeltine golf club in Chaska, for the U.S. Open in 1970.
   So yes, even though I wasn't at the comedy club tonight, it was a worthwhile evening. In many ways I still heard jokes fairly often, from the auctioneers. I tried to write down as many as possible. I hadn't been to a live auction since I was a kid, and those were farm auctions in southern Iowa, which of course have a decidedly different feel to them.
   I would expect that these buttons will give me plenty to write about for a while, especially on days when I'm low on ideas. I can learn plenty from researching some of them. Not sure if any of them are worthy of the show on public TV called 'History Detectives', a show I have watched before.

Firefighter Memorial at Capitol

After I went to the fitness center in the late afternoon, I went over to the capitol to the find the firefighter memorial, which was moved there about two weeks ago. I asked for help from somebody who was on the grounds walking their dog and taking some pictures, found out it was near the 'big green soldier'. When others showed up with young kids, I said I like knowing it's here now where it belongs, much like the police officer memorial. It was largely forgotten when it was in the baggage claim section of MSP Airport.
   In the early evening I stayed in and watched some of the baseball playoff game. The Cardinals beat the Giants, 6-4, it was on Fox. I knew I may not see many of these playoff games coming up, so it meant watching this one when I had the time. I went to the grocery store first, so I would have one less errand to run after the game was over.
   Earlier today I went with my date to find some landmarks in White Bear Lake. I liked seeing the big polar bear at the Chevrolet dealership, holding the 'bowtie logo'. So I got a picture of it. Also liked seeing a retired train caboose next to the former railroad depot, now a museum. There was mention of some event about the town's history during the gangster era, like when the Ma Barker gang would hide out there. We also made it to Anoka County Farms in Ham Lake, which had many Charlie Brown and Snoopy items inside one building. A video was being aired, 'Great Pumpkin'. But there was also these big wooden likenesses of Charlie Brown and Lucy on the wall, playing baseball. We ate there, I had a corn dog and some apple cider. We got plenty of pictures and it was nice to look around but didn't do anything else, like a hayride. I've done those before.

Chaine Des Rotisseurs

I was moving around pictures in my photo albums and saw ones from 2005 when I attended the wedding of a friend from school in Iowa. I recall taking one of a sign that said 'Chaine Des Rotisseurs' but hadn't bothered to look it up before. Well I just looked it up on Wikipedia, and this is an active organization though their logo is misleading. It says 1248-1950, which might make some think it disbanded then but that is when they began. But it is still in reference to the craft guilds of the middle ages. I have heard of rotisserie chicken, if they speak of poultry then this must be related to it.
  The plans today called for a Civil War lecture at the state's museum. It was nice to hear it as I knew of many of the things being covered by the speaker. But it was still an event to promote his book about the subject, and it ended with a book signing. It was called 'America Aflame, How the Civil War Created a Nation'. Much of the information covered in the pamphlet we were given was not covered by the speaker, but it was helpful background information as to the times those people lived in. He was stressing the immigration of the Irish to America changing the demographics, that is more Catholics, but I thought he could have covered more how other immigration waves changed things like the Germans. It in many ways was a different look at the time than what other historians have done, but there was nothing wrong with this. I liked how the afftermath was covered, like how many inventors became famous after the war. it was odd how he undercut one argument about the war, saying he was an optimist and asked if it was possible to settle the dispute without so many war deaths. But early on he said the war happened as the extremists on both sides took over, and that is they way I was taught it when covering it in a college-level ocurse.

Frame For Movie Poster

I went to Walmart tonight to get a few things I needed, this included a frame for a movie poster. I measured it earlier this week and knew I needed one that was 11x17. It is the poster for the movie 'Covered Wagon', bought it from E-bay last year when searching for items related to Emerson Hough. The young man sweeping the floor was who I asked first, then somebody else said they would direct me to it. I found two kinds, but one frame was thicker than the other so I chose the thicker one. Also got some Charlie Brown and Snoopy stickers since they had some related to Halloween, which will be here soon. I spoke of how it was a hobby to collect Charlie Brown and Snoopy items, and even about searching for the statues around the Twin Cities. But the employee said he hadn't been to the state fair, where some of them are.
   Besides those items, I got two more photo albums for my postcards. One actually was for photos, replacing one that was converted to postcard use as I needed one that fit the larger ones like 5x7. It just didn't work with photos, as the pictures didn't stay in place as I wanted to have two to a page. With these kinds of postcards, one a page works just fine. So now just about all of my postcards (that I know of) are in photo albums. there was one that didn't fit so I put it in a bag with tourist items. It had some of America's skyscrapers on it, including the Twin Towers. I got it when I lived in suburban Chicago, so I've had it for a while. Also used some super glue on the spine for one photo album, as the spine wasn't sticking to the album cover like it should. My guess is my plan to revamp the albums isn't over by a long shot, as I'm trying to get the last of the pictures into a photo album as well. Still have plenty of envelopes from Walgreen that I need to empty. Including the larger postcards, I think I have over 700. There are 8 albums, and some currently have vacant pages. But this does allow for more that I am sure to buy on any upcoming travels.

Spaghetti Dinner at Community Center

Went to a spaghetti dinner at a community center tonight. First time I had been there. Plenty of silent auction items were available, but I didn't bid on anything. The cole slaw didn't look or taste anything like what I see at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Good or bad, that is the comparison I make when I eat cole slaw since I've had it fairly often. There was a decent amount of food for the price I paid, which was $8, as it included the spaghetti, bread, milk, and choice of a dessert item. Though the milk carton was small, like whay I got when I was in school.
   There was also a library inside the community center. I got my name entered in a drawing and will find out later on if I won anything, and what I won. The silent auction items were the typical fare, an autographed picture of a Vikings player, Percy Harvin if I'm not mistaken. Some were tickets for community theaters I have seen plays at before. If I bid on anything at silent auctions, it usually isn't many items at all as I have to think of what I can afford. 
   At first I thought there wasn't any mail delivered today, but later on I saw something that was wrapped in plastic and said 'we care'. Yes the item was damaged, but it was a card from my insurance company and I think I will be shredding it anyway. But I like knowing it was still delivered.
   While listening to my car radio I think I heard 'Underneath It All' by No Doubt more than once tonight. This was due to changing radio stations fairly often while driving. But there are other No Doubt songs I like more than this one. Also liked hearing 'Daughter' by Pearl Jam.

Family Dollar Snack Crackers

A coworker put out crackers in the afternoon and said they were snack crackers, had to ask what kind as there are graham crackers as well. They looked and tasted like Ritz crackers, but were from the Family Dollar store. It's not quite the same as an old cereal commercial, where an 'open box is an empty box', but pretty close when it comes to somebody putting out food at work. This of course was a commercial for the Kellogg cereal 'Crackling Oat Bran'.
   I had a dental appointment after work, and the assistant likes to talk to me about various subjects. She started off with asking if I had went to any concerts lately, and I haven't. Most memorable was the music playing while there, like 'Don't Speak' by No Doubt, as well as 'Holiday' by Green Day.
   Due to the dental appointment, I didn't have the typical beer tonight at the comedy club. I had a Pepsi instead. It is already decorated for this month's holiday, Halloween, with two statues greeting you at the door. One comic said a dental appointment is a big deal as it means I have a dental plan. I didn't think it was a big deal but it must be to those who don't have this coverage.
   I can still be amazed at times as to what I can find out online. Tonight it was on E-bay where I found out two people were offering Charlie Brown bobbleheads. This is the same kind that I got from this site earlier this year. It was originally a giveaway at a St. Paul Saints baseball game more than a decade ago. Nothing unusual there, but one was asking nearly $100 and the other over that amount. I am thankful I got mine when I did, as I paid less than either of these two. Supply and demand I guess. Trying to remember what the asking price was for the one I've seen at the Twins fanfest, it may have been even more.

Home Depot Recycling Center

I went to the Home Depot recycling center this evening before I found my way to the comedy club. I wanted to dispose of some of those CFL bulbs, three in all. One of them was broken, never used as I dropped it when trying to install it. So I bought another one. The bags I put them into at the store reminded me of the bags used for produce at the grocery store.
   At the comedy club, the Milwaukeean was headliner. He was wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey, number 86, which is Hines Ward. Saw him just before he went onstage, and after the show as well. I said I kept asking on Facebook when he'd be back in the Twin Cities, pleased that he made it. I know when he made it for the open-mics before, he had a Fat Albert jacket which looked really cool.
   The late local news had something about a Charlie Brown and Snoopy movie in the works. Though it was misleading to say it was the first, just the first in a while. There already were some of those shows that were movie length, Wikipedia said four in all. This includes 'A Boy Named Charlie Brown', Snoopy Come Home', 'Race For Your Life', and 'Bon Voyage'. I saw one of them as a youngster, 'Race' -and it took place at Camp Remote. My dad said he took me to 'Named' but I was too young to remember it. He kept saying it was about Charlie at the spelling bee, but I couldn't find it for a while since it was under a different name. It wasn't until I dated somebody who had it in book form where I finally had the mystery solved. So I got my own copy of it, a used copy. 'Bon Voyage' is one I have on VHS. All of the other videos I have are the shorter specials like for Halloween. I am not sure if it was newsworthy to mention it, especially when it was said by the media that it is three years away from being at theaters.
  

Creamette Pasta

When I was walking tonight near the comedy club I saw a big sign on one building that said 'Creamette Company'. Later on it said they were 'historic lofts'. Nice to see re-uses for these old buildings. Some would say it would just make them hungry, as Creamette is a company that makes pasta. It looked like more than one comic went over their time tonight. I think the timekeeper cut off the mike on one just as he was leaving, since he did say something to the effect of 'watch the light'.
   I will admit that I don't know much about the Creamette Company, but I know there are many buildings in the Twin Cities that remind us of the heyday of the mills. This is no doubt true near the Guthrie Theater, as the Mill City Museum is over there. I've been there once, three years ago. Another one said 'Ceresota' nearby, noticed it after parking in a ramp. I saw this as a mashup of the words 'Ceres' and 'Minnesota'. I knew Ceres as being from mythology, where we get the word 'cereal'.
   I took a slightly different route back home so I could get a smashed penny at Sex World. It sure was an eye opener to see it for the first time. I know one comedian friend had posted a picture on Facebook after being there, as there is a ride inside the building that looks like a male body part. It had many of the things consistent with what I've seen in other shops before, like Larry Flynt's Hustler Club boutique in St. Louis near the airport. This would include porno videos and sex toys, also KY jelly and condoms. Also not too surprising to see a 'head shop' section, for pot smokers. Then there was interactive videos, or even 'live entertainment' apparently, but this was more expensive. Most unexpected was seeing vending machines near the front door, for soda pop, potato chips and candy bars, and ice cream. My employer used to have an ice cream vending machine, but not for a while as it didn't sell enough to be viable.  

Trouble With Curve Movie

Went to see the Clint Eastwood movie 'Trouble With The Curve' earlier today in Eagan. I liked how it had a decent amount of baseball trivia in it, like the four  20-game winners for Baltimore in 1971, though they till lost the World Series. It was a compelling father-daughter story, but baseball was still a big part of it. I see it as being relatable for many. What also helped with my opinion of the movie was seeing some well-known actors in it besides Eastwood, such as John Goodman. Or even Chelcie Ross, the crafty veteran Eddie Harris from the 'Major League' movies. I saw one joke as an inside joke about Justin Timberlake, an actor in this movie who is also a singer, since mention was made of rapper Ice Cube, who was in 'Boyz in the Hood'. I like to laugh at movies when appropriate, and there were a decent number of jokes besides this one here and there.
   I like looking around theaters, to see the posters for upcoming movies. One was billed as 'the director of Good Will Hunting', which is Gus Van Sant, and has the same lead actor in it, Matt Damon. Since mention of my favorite movie was made, I think I will have to put it on my list. My guess is a farming movie, as I recall the title is 'promised land' as the poster didn't suggest a religious movie.
    Tonight's 'Simpsons' episode was the Halloween episode, surprised they were doing it so early. I saw one segment as being a big 'Back to the Future' joke. These Halloween episodes are often the best storylines of the entire season.
   After the show was done, I had an omelet, which is rare to have breakfast food in the evening. But it tasted good, as there was some cheese in it. And bacon next to it. I usually will avoid it as I say breakfast food is meant for breakfast, but found out it took less time to make than other things did.
  Made it back to the fitness center for the first time in a while, in the early afternoon, before seeing the movie. I still like the pedaling machines being available, as it is the main thing I use.
   I called my dad this evening, figuring he would like to hear about the movie I had seen. He likes his Clint Eastwood, and I found out he had just seen it on Saturday. I liked how he got me more of the story of his bachelor uncle hopping trains in New Ulm, as I spoke of going to Oktoberfest this weekend. He said it was in August 1939, as World War II broke out a month later. The sheriff strongly advised he be on the train when it left, and spoke of the 'new grain doors'. Dad tells me they are in the center, and about the augers. He said there was boards to hold the grain in. But he said they don't use these kinds of box cars much now, as there are more hopper cars. I had heard the part about being 'woke up by an earthquake' before, which was when the car was hooked onto the train. He went to sleep in the car of course. then it was on to Arlington, South Dakota, to help with the grain harvest. I still think it will be a nice joke that part of the brick I want to buy in a New Ulm park would be in reference to him. But I also like knowing I got closer to the general area he was in when hopping the train, by finding the grain elevator and train depot.
  Another thing I did tonight was change a lightbulb, a CFL bulb had burned out in the main fixture where there are three sockets. So I replaced it by taking one from a smaller lamp I wasn't using. But now I am motivated to do even more. The bulb in the halogen lamp no longer works, and I noticed the shade was cheap plastic and was breaking apart. So the bulb was taken out, and I will dispose of both properly once I found out how. I know they are not to be thrown in the trash due to the mercury in it. But I really want to use the smaller desk lamp again, so it means getting a bulb for it, a smaller one than for the halogen lamp. I've kept it tucked away for a while. And this also means junking the halogen lamp, as I know it's best to get rid of what isn't being used. The shade has already been junked, as I decided to break it into pieces.

Holiday Inn- New Ulm,MN

Went to New Ulm for my annual visit for Oktoberfest. We did two tours, the first was the Harkin Store outside town. The sign on the road was misleading, as it said it was open from May to September. I knew full well how it had been advertised in New Ulm previously as part of Oktoberfest. Since it is nearly ten miles outside town I hadn't been there before, as there were many other things I wanted to see and most of those were in town or much closer and easier to find. I didn't care much for the 'tour guide' in the store. She was all too willing to correct us when we had questions. Tour guides usually have really good people skills. But the other employees, like the attendance taker and the gift shop employee, more than made up for the one that we didn't like.
   The other tour was the Schell's brewery. We went there right after arriving in town, based on past experiences I knew that the tours sell out quickly. We arrived in the early afternoon, and ended up with the last tour of the day, 5:30. So we did check out some other places during this time. This included finding Riverside Park, with a goose statue in it. This park stood out in my mind as there was an old building in the background. We found out it used to be a school, called Franklin School. There are tours available, but during the summer. Also found the former Chicago and Northwestern railroad depot, but it was hard to do at first. The building was blocked by a freight train, so it was easier to see when driving west. We got pictures from across the tracks. It was also the first time at the Way of the Cross, a religious shrine, near the hospital. There was a grotto and a chapel, though at first I didn't know which one was the grotto. In this case, the grotto was much smaller than I am used to as I had seen them in West Bend, Iowa, and Dickeyville, Wisconsin. This grotto was locked up.
  Thankful I made it to the Visitor Center, also the Chamber of Commerce. They had street banners for sale for a dollar, so I bought one. I said I could find the space for it for that cheap. It is purple and has the 'Herman the German' statue on one side, their famous monument. The last stop before the brewery tour was the Glockenspiel, saw somebody performing with a street organ.
   After the brewery tour, we went to German Park, and made a wish in the fountain. There is now a memorial to the Sioux Uprising of 1862 there, as the event just had a commemoration of the 150th anniversary in August. Then it was on to Turner Hall for a drink, but I didn't see the couple from Plymouth there like in some of the previous years. I've found out before that they will decide to choose the other weekend, when I email them. The night was capped at the Holiday Inn, where I like the food there, traditional German food. We danced to one song and then drove back to the Twin Cities as the end of the night. We tried to find some of the baseball playoff games on the radio, knowing it would help pass the time during the drive.

South St. Paul Football

The plans tonight called for attending another high school football game tonight, South St. Paul is playing their homecoming against North St. Paul. It still brings back memories of attending games as a youngster in Iowa.
   I had hoped to make it there on time, but it was not to be. I had to pick up my date first. We also hadn't eaten yet, so it meant going to the concession stand to get food and drink before finding seats. South St. Paul won big 44-14. We sat on the visitors side, and we did see a long run for a touchdown in the second half. We didn't use the portable toilets there, one of them really stank. I had hoped to find a homecoming button but couldn't find anyone selling them by the time I arrived.
   It was kind of funny to see some of the dressed-up mascots, the Packer mascot was called 'Sir Loin'. I knew this was yet another reference to the town's history, once having stockyards. This also explains why their logo looks like the NBA's Chicago Bulls, another former stockyard town. The basketball team before the Bulls was called the Packers, then moved to Washington, DC, now known as the Wizards. Another dressed-up mascot looked like a yellow duck or chicken.
   When going back to my car I did see a flyer on the windshield, first thing I had to check was that it wasn't a parking ticket. It was advertising a fundraiser for the high school's basketball team. But since I already have plans this weekend, I knew I would be unable to attend. Odd to hear how one of the things being sold at the fundraiser was beer.
  

Blow Darts and Chloroform

The theater guy spoke of doing a 'gray matter painting'. I know gray matter refers to the brain, the mind. Also said how he deals with kids is 'here's my computer, worth more than you are, shut up'.
This is how he says he would go about keeping them occupied. Or how the boss was 'sweet like barbed wire'. Then he spoke of blow darts and chloroform. And how they won't let him adopt, a colleague said 'I don't blame them'. All of this was at a meeting in the afternoon, a big part of it was trying to figure out holiday schedules. I still have 8 days to use, this is the way I prefer it instead of running out too early.
    At lunchtime I went to Walgreen to pick up some bar soap and some other items, and heard about their new loyalty program. But I don't know yet if it's a good deal, although there is no cost to join. It sounds like just select items in the store are eligible for the points. When this is the case, I'm not sure about adding another loyalty program. Most every item bought at Superamerica is eligible. Then I have accounts with two airlines, as well as Best Buy. Though I use the one for S.A. way more, as expected.
   There was mention of snowfall in the northern part of Minnesota on the news tonight. Seems too early for snow anywhere.
   Liked seeing the interview with Playboy model Jenny McCarthy on ABC's 'Nightline' show, where she goes back to her old neighborhood. This would be the South Side of Chicago, including a place where she once worked, looked like a convenience store. Usually famous people are interviewed when they have something to promote, like a movie, T.V. show, or book. I know she had done more than modeling, had hosted some shows on MTV.
 

I Like Big Bird

As part of 'Celebrate You' week at work they had a Hawaiian theme today. We were given a lei in the morning and could wear a Hawaiian shirt if we had one. Though I don't have one. There were smoothies in the afternoon, I had a pina colada as well as the strawberry. Then there was pie, but not related to this event. A colleague in an adjacent department had a birthday, there was peach as well as triple-berry pie from Perkins. So I decided not to have an oatmeal cream pie after work at home, figuring I already had plenty of sweets for the day when factoring in the cookies somebody brought in from Superamerica in the morning. I'm not sure if I had eaten triple-berry pie before, or even what berries are in it.
   I had to do laundry tonight, no choice at all if I wanted to avoid running out of clean clothes. Read the paper while there, but it was one from the end of August as I was behind on reading the entirety of Friday papers. There was mention of the Colorado movie shooter being denied admission at the University of Iowa grad school. This meant something to me as I graduated from there. I also got to read some about the Clint Eastwood speech from the Republican convention. The main thing I still undertstand about it still happens to be the part about debating an empty chair.
   In many ways it seemed appropriate I was reading this tonight, since I watched the first presidential debate tonight. Most memorable was likely when Romney said he likes Big Bird but would cut funding for public T.V. Also when Obama said the budget is all about priorities.

City Hall Weight Scale

I was exploring the skyway at lunchtime and ended up near the entrance to the city hall. I saw a computerized weight scale, so I stepped on it. Naturally it weighed me a little higher than typical as I had my shoes and jacket on. I also hadn't emptied my pockets. All too often, I take the same route when walking at midday. I am thankful I went for a change of pace for once. It came as no surprise to see metal detectors before one enters city hall. Since I had no official business I just stayed at the scale and went no further. But I like knowing where it is when needed. I may have been there before, but at an alternate entrance. Like in many towns, the city and county office buildings are on the same site. This is true in my hometown of Newton. I've had jury service there. What I had also seen was a listing of police officers who were killed in the line of duty. But the main memorial is at the state capitol, and is called 'peace officers memorial'. I know this as an older term for officers of the law, it was used more in the wild west days. In other issues, I was aware of how the firefighters memorial was just moved to the capitol. I had seen it before at the airport, out of the way in the baggage claim section. It was over the weekend, and I was out of town so I was unable to attend the ceremony. But on my next visit there I will want to find it.
   At the comedy club tonight, a friend was the show closer. He did the 'porn at the hotel' joke that I like, hadn't heard it in a little while. He later claimed it was a new joke, which was yet another joke.
Another comic went over their time, which is signified by music being turned on to drown them out. This doesn't happen too often, which is how it should be.
 

Vienna Sausage

I heard a high school girl on the bus this morning, who kept referring to somebody as 'Vienna Sausage'. I took it as being innuendo. I decided to put it in my comedy routine tonight as I was picked to go onstage for the first time in a while. I was third, and a friend was later on. I did greet him before the show, he was holding court outside.
   What I am now researching on E-bay is Charlie Brown books. There were 2 editions of the 'Encyclopedia' series, one from 1980 and the other 1990. Both were 15 volumes. The 'Dictionary' series had two separate editions, one was 8 volumes and the other 6. I am not going to order anything right now as I want to wait until what I just ordered arrives- the postcards. Not sure when it will be when no tracking information is available just yet. I have seen messages of how much of it has been shipped. What helps with researching is printing the pictures of the listings to see the book cover, and the title of each volume. It is hard to say when I will order any of these, or even how. When I have some volumes of the encyclopedia and dictionary series I'm not sure if it's best to try to order a less than complete set to avoid duplication. But it may be more expensive to do it this way as the shipping can add up. Some listings are of single volumes, and the price varies. I think I will stick with the postcards for now, since I had already started on finding as many as possible of my hometown. And with so many listings there will likely be some available whenever I want the books.
   I had to cover for the theater guy, doing double duty in the morning. I did my own payoff reports, as well as his special requests. But it did slow down some in the afternoon, as by then I had submitted the payoff reports.
   It was the start of 'Celebrate You' week at the office and it was 'favorite hat day'. I saw somebody wearing a mickey house hat. There was plenty of muffins available as a continental breakfast, along with orange juice. I liked this as I like orange juice quite a bit.