Temporarily Lost Socks

    I did laundry today at a place near my home. So I commandeered a grocery cart to get things over there. It worked fine except for when I was getting things back home, as I was losing socks which were crammed into the side of the basket. When I came up short I decided to retrace my route. Well thankfully most of them were right in front of the door to my home. Two others happened to be much farther away, on the sidewalk close to the Laundromat. Somebody in front of his home early on pointed out how I had dropped two of them, I had hoped it would end there but it didn't. During the washing the Minnesota Lynx basketball game was on TV, a playoff game against Phoenix. I also decided to go down to Taco Bell and put a Canadian penny into a donation bin, as I got it as change when I went to a nearby Family Dollar to get some sheet protectors and Nekot cookies. The penny was from 1977, already had one from this year. Also notable with coins was getting another national park quarter, likely from using the dollar bill changer for laundry money. So it was put into the map right away when I got home. I had eaten at the same Taco Bell earlier in the day.
    I liked getting caught up on things, and not having much to do until I went to a comedy show in the evening. It was a troupe of 7 comics, the leader is the barber with Texas relation. I got a ring of honor photo with the barber and the school bouncer after the show. They were filming much of the event, including after the show in the upper level by the bar, so I had to wait a little longer to get photos but I have a cameo in the video. We did photos on the lower level, on the stage. After the show I liked hearing 'Hold on Tight' by ELO on my car radio. I like how at one point in the song, the band takes an interlude to sing the same words, but in French. This was also why I think I finally liked Lady Gaga, as she does the same thing in 'Bad Romance'. Sometimes doing things for contrast works well.

Meredith Willson,Music Man

   I started the day in Mason City, IA. I toured the Frank Lloyd Wright hotel as well as the Music Man Square, dedicated to Meredith Willson. The docent, or tour guide, was quite knowledgeable on the first tour, of the FL Wright hotel. So now I have seen four of the buildings he designed, by going to see the two in Mason City I doubled the number I have seen. I learned plenty from the Music Man tour, like some of the other plays and songs he had done like 'Unsinkable Molly Brown'. Or even how he went to the performing arts school now known as Juilliard. I am still wearing the sticker from the tour. But I knew I needed to get back on the road, and it started with going to get fuel for me and the car at a Casey's in nearby Clear Lake since it is closer to I-35. After this it was all business, since I wanted to get the rental car, a little Chevrolet, back by 7pm. But it was not to be. I arrived back at my home around this time, but still needed time to do things like go to Super-America to fill up so I would be bringing it back full. It was also a good chance to drop off my bag and go to the bathroom. I was busy for the rest of the evening. First it meant going through postal mail and email. Then it meant going to get groceries. Finally I headed out to the comedy club, and I knew many of the performers as the Maryland native and Louisiana native were there. The nurse's aide was in the contest and won tonight. I got in free as I was on her list, but Maryland would have done the same for me I found out. After the show I liked hearing two songs on my car radio: 'Blitzkrieg Bop' by the Ramones, and 'Walking on Sunshine' by Katrina and the Waves. 'Bop' was a good driving song in my opinion, as it reminds me of seeing the movie 'National Lampoon's Vacation', a road movie.

Fort Custer Maze

    This morning I headed out of town for part of the weekend. I went to the Fort Custer Maze in Clear Lake, Iowa. I finished in just under 45 minutes, good time. It meant getting a stamp on your card at each of the 8 stations that spelled out the establishment's name. The last was the tower in the middle. I found the first three fairly quickly, the others were harder to find. But this was what I did close to my destination, there were other things I did today. On the road, I liked hearing 'Rocking in the free world' by Neil Young, 'City of New Orleans' by Arlo Guthrie, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen, 'Guts over Fear' by Eminem, and 'Bad Romance' by Lady Gaga.
   My first stop, besides answering when nature calls, was in St. Peter, MN, as it was midday and I like the Godfather's Pizza in the middle of town in a former bank building. I had their lunch buffet, and got a photo of the buffet as they had hot dish, first time I had seen it at a pizza buffet before. I found out they take hot dish seriously in Minnesota, I had it before moving here but we just called it 'casserole'. Then it was on to New Ulm, MN, where I toured a former school building. It is now the home of an organization related to wildlife and river conservation, as it is in Riverside Park. I had wanted to see it during previous New Ulm visits, but like many museums it is not open after Labor Day. I was invited back for a festival happening in the park this weekend, not sure if I have the time though. This visit was a big deal, as I usually see way more than this in New Ulm but I was working on a tight schedule and it of course was not my final destination. I made it to Clear Lake around 5pm, and was pleased I had enough time to do the maze today so I didn't have to push it back a day. I got checked into my hotel in nearby Mason City, IA, and there was plenty of time to make it to the high school football game across town in the evening. There was a weather delay of 30 minutes as there was lightning in the area. Clear Lake thumped Mason City 44-7, and led 30-0 at the half. I liked hearing 'Fancy' by Iggy Azalea, 'Jump Around' by House of Pain, and 'A Good Feeling' by Flo Rida. I watched the game with some 'single serving friends', a man and his son, the boy was about 6. After the game I went to get a beer at a convenience store and some nuts, as I often like to have a drink while writing about my travels back in my hotel room. I had a Miller Lite, and kept looking into the mirror and liked the look of it well enough. So I decided to take a 'Selfie', though it took a few tries before finding one I liked, typical for these kinds of photos.

Midway Stadium Farewell

    I went to the St. Paul Saints game tonight, final one at Midway Stadium. I was inside before first pitch, but wanted plenty of photos before I sat down, and some food as well. St. Paul went ahead 2-0 in the 1st, apparently on a 2-run home run but I didn't see it. Both St. Paul and Winnipeg scored a single run in the 4th to make it 3-1. Winnipeg got a 3-run home run in the 7th to make it 4-3. St. Paul had runners on in the 9th but couldn't score, so the Saints lost 4-3 to the Goldeyes. During the game
I spotted a comedian friend in costume, and called out his name, he is a Philadelphia native as I recall. Thrilled that we both got photos of each other, and I had some of his popcorn.
   And there was the music. during the game, 'Girls just wanna have fun', Cyndi Lauper. At the end of the game, 'End of the world as we know it' by REM. In an after-game event, including food trucks, before the fireworks, 'So hard to say goodbye', Boys 2 Men. During the fireworks, 'Time of your life', Green Day. and 'Can't hardly wait', Replacements. The last event at Midway Stadium will be a Replacements concert next month. When their song was played it reminded me of a colleague at the office that died of cancer in 2008, as the song was a favorite of his and mentioned at the funeral. This event was part of the 'two funerals and a wedding' that got me into comedy. I saw kids getting samples of the dirt from the pitching mound after the game. It reminded me of footage from when kids did this at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn when the Dodgers were moving to Los Angeles. But of course this team is just moving across town, 6 miles to Lower-Town. Some wanted posed photos at the pitching mound and home plate.  It was a sellout crowd, over 9,000, the snow fences were up like for a 4th of July fireworks game. There was one-dollar beers, I had one, it is called 'North Lake Brewing'. Caught a seat cushion thrown into the crowd, it is orange with white letters. 'We cover you from top to bottom', sponsored by Health Partners Clinics.

Iron Horse Echoes Carillon

    It was a '2-ticket day' for me, the second was a St. Paul Saints baseball game. I liked hearing what was called 'Iron Horse Echoes', a locomotive bell carillon. I counted and it had 21 railroad bells. When they were played it sounded a lot like the Glockenspiel in New Ulm, which I hear during my annual visit for Oktoberfest. The man in charge told me and another fan how people said they would miss the trains a lot when the Saints move to the downtown stadium next season, so this is why he brought out the bells. Sounds like they may be back for the final Midway Stadium game tomorrow, and he said Saints boss Mike Veeck will be attending it. I already have a ticket for this game.
   The Saints were playing the Winnipeg Goldeyes, and the Saints got on the board early, 1-0 with 'Little ball' in the first. The lead was extended to 5-0 in the 2nd. Winnipeg briefly led after a big inning, scoring 7 in the 5th to go ahead 7-5. This included a grand slam with 2 outs. The saints tied it 7-7 in the bottom of the 5th, with a 2-run home run. The Saints reclaimed the lead with another 2-run home run in the 6th, now up 9-7. They added 3 more in the 7th, and 2 in the 8th, to win it 14-7, and I would be one of those who would call it a 'Football score'.
    I arrived early to get the giveaway item, a poster of the mural inside the stadium. I got two as somebody must have dropped theirs. I picked it up in the concourse later on. I signed a banner that will be going into the time capsule, identified myself as a writer and comedian. I got a photo with a mascot from Super-America. A Swedish girl in my section was having fun with her 'we're #1' foam finger, getting plenty of photos of it with others. After the game while I was on my way out, after a look at the carillon, a man said something about Good Samaritans. He said he wanted a ride, didn't say where, and wanted to 'Jump on my back', even literally tried to. I said I needed to go and left, just as he was taking a cellphone call. I asked him if he had heard about what had happened at a bar in Fridley, where 2 men gave rides to 2 women, who lured them into getting badly beat up. They went to the hospital, last I heard they were  in critical condition. He didn't have a response for it. Also notable was getting a 'Train' shirt that somebody left behind, it was in a bag and they must have just bought it at the souvenir stand in the concourse.
    The lid-lifter in my 2-event day was the Minnesota State Fair. I danced with a teddy bear. I heard a band play 'Wagon Wheel', well known when performed by Darius Rucker but Wikipedia said he is covering a Bob Dylan song. I ate a pork chop, and met Ronald McDonald. I screamed on the carpet slide, and I liked seeing the Fine Arts building as usual. I voted for the artwork called 'Drag Queens', which was 3 women smoking. Found out Spam no longer has a building there. Before I went to the fair I got one event ticket crossed off my list, the Gopher ticket office offered me a 2-game pack for football games this fall. The first is a non-conference game against San Jose State in September, thankfully not the same weekend as a wedding of comedian friends. The game will be a week before the wedding. The other game is against Iowa, the one I want more, it is in November. It is way cheaper to get into the first one.  

The Comedy Train

   Tonight at the comedy club, I made it in time to see the opening song and video, as well as the MC, the red-faced comic. He spoke about a 'Comedy train' every so often during the show. At the end I was invited to be a part of the train which went back onstage. I said 'Yeah!' into the microphone as I passed by it. I also stopped to look at a grocery bag near the stage, was focused on it for a while near the end of the show. There was nothing in it, somebody said a 'Prop comic' was using it. This may have been the one who started off with impressions, that I was not impressed with. I liked speaking with the Pottery Barn comic after the show, hadn't seen him in a while. Before the show the Mason City native looked at my shirt and thought of an album by Sting, I said I got the shirt at work. The MC did ones about 12/13 CDs, working at a pizza shop, karate, and being circumcised. Self checkout did ones about 'heartburn or cardiac arrest', watered-down tattoos, and scars are earned. Lunch-lady did ones about a former job as health club manager, the first lady's lunch policy, her kids fighting over a printer, and state fair food. The rapper comic did ones about being a former car salesman, which led to a Denny Hecker joke, and a story from playing high school football. Michigan native did ones about an airport experience, and dog walking. Pottery Barn did ones about a broken wrist, a cat race, and being engaged.
   Before I went into work this morning I saw more demolition in progress across the street at the bus stop. So I replaced the batteries in my camera and got a photo of the bus shelter, knowing it likely would be leveled soon as there had been two and the other was already gone. I was correct, by midday it was no more. I liked how I got caught up on my work, but I did no letters today much like on Monday. I am out of the office tomorrow so it likely means the manager will have to do them. When a colleague noticed a haircut I said 'You win a cookie', then said it was a line from the movie 'Kelly's Heroes'. This is the one I am often matching wits with, who had quizzed me about things like the names of her kids.   

Oklahoma City Melee

    At the comedy club tonight, the Worthington native told a story about taking a bus trip from the Twin Cities to Dallas- Ft. Worth, and becoming part of a melee on the way, in Oklahoma City. Something about a clash between the bus riders and the locals at a gas station in the middle of the night. He did his best to break it up, but still became a part of it. A Russian girl, now based in LA, was also on the lineup, she is a Facebook friend and I hadn't seen her perform in a while. She did jokes about being afraid of hemorrhoids, bird watching, and liked to say 'These are tough times'. When I was driving home from the club I liked hearing 'Someone like you' by Adele on my car radio.
Morton Salt did ones about Walgreen, and being punk rock. Blind Side did ones about not being allowed to watch the Simpsons, and being adopted. Trailer park girl was wearing a cat shirt, and did one about faking a period. Tetris comic did one about a show he did at a gay bar. the fever comic did ones about airport sandwiches, and being arrested in Iowa. Maryland native did one about having a dog on the patio being like when he watches hockey. Others were about his condo, Urkel, and yoga pants. Fantasia did one about being suspended at school. School bouncer did ones about Redbox, Magic Johnson advising his kid, and wearing purple at a funeral. Bathtub comic did ones about a zoo escape, and an upsell after euthanasia of his pet. Louisiana native did ones about Neosporin, a quarter on his gut, and a toaster- as show closer.
    I took the remaining cupcakes from the picnic to work, at first they weren't getting eaten where I left them in my department so I decided to move them to the main break room, which is a higher traffic area. They were all eaten by midday, when I went in there to have soup for lunch. They were left on a table next to a plastic grocery store basket full of various vegetables. It made me think of what has been depicted in TV shows and movies before- a 'Crisis of conscience'. An angel and devil spring up on opposite shoulders, trying to advise the main character. I had some popcorn at midday as well, at Candy Land nearby.      

Alumni Picnic

    I went to an alumni picnic in St. Louis Park in the afternoon. It was after I went to get a haircut in Eagan. I made it after 1pm, it was scheduled to run until 2pm. I got a hamburger and hot dog, and brought some little cupcakes, red velvet. Nearly half of them were eaten, the rest will be sent to the office. I did do the bean bag toss. I liked seeing somebody bring Hawkeye cookies, it reminded me of growing up in Iowa and seeing them at a Hy-Vee grocery store. I had two deviled eggs, I am used to seeing them at picnics and potlucks. After this event I got a re-take of a photo of a Charlie Brown statue nearby. I had looked at the earlier photo and noticed it was cut off at the top.
   I went on to the Roseville library and printed some things. On the way in I spotted somebody I knew from the office who was sitting on a bench, using a cellphone. I said 'Afternoon' but I got no response at all. Then I headed home, as I needed to get ready for a date. It was at a Caribou coffee shop. The date ended after less than an hour, earlier than Saturday's which was at the same place. Both were 'one and done'. Today's date couldn't get the facts straight about baseball. There were 2 minor league teams in the area before the Twins, but it was Willie Mays who played here and not Jackie Robinson. The earlier date was disrespectful, looking up something on a cellphone during our date, a boat that is in town if I am not mistaken. I also spoke of being at a convention in Detroit, and the response was dismissive, thinking the entire town was a slum but I had to say our hotel was downtown across from the General Motors building which tells me it was a decent neighborhood. I also had to tell the barista that the card I was given the previous day was invalid when I tried to register it. I was given another one, but now it looks like it is a gift card and not a loyalty card. To these two dates I would have to say 'Thanks for the warning' about the lack of respect, and being ignorant. It is hard to accept these flaws.
    In the evening I liked watching 'The Simpsons'. It was an episode I hadn't seen yet where Bart became interested in falconry. I watched part of 'Bob's Burgers' after it where the daughter wanted to attend a classmate's bat mitzvah in the worst way. I went out for a walk and took a plastic shopping bag to pick up trash with. I filled it quickly, mostly with empty bottles. I got 6 pull tabs from cans as well. When I got near a grocery store I heard somebody speaking loud, and I got off the sidewalk so I could avoid him. He said something about how this store handled all of his needs, and it was all free. Don't know if it means he was giving away any or all of it. He sounded a lot like a street preacher. Some of the store employees were outside, and we discussed this man a little before I moved on. 

Ear Wax Removal

    This afternoon I went to a CVS Pharmacy Minute Clinic for ear wax removal. My ears had been bothering me for a while and I decided I needed to find out if they were open, and they were. First it meant moving my car to avoid the chance it would get towed. Then right before the procedure was done I said it was best for me to go back to my home and get the insurance card so I don't have to deal with the process of reimbursement. So I was back at the clinic 30 minutes later, and it didn't take long at all. I was also advised to get some Ibuprofen, and some saline nasal spray which should also help out. After the procedure I was still looking around in the store and got two postcards, both are of Minneapolis and one is of the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. I spotted somebody who was wearing a zipper hoodie that looked familiar, it was the venue for the filming of sketches this week. She said 'So you know the big dog'. I let him know on Facebook and he made a joke about the ear wax removal, something about drilling holes in my head. I said he was thinking of the Middle Ages practice of releasing evil spirits. On another Facebook posting, from the bus fare comic, he made a joke about the song 'Power of Love' by Huey Lewis and The News. 'Don't need no credit card to ride this train'. About how the song is about a bad railroad baron. I said the train is a metaphor, and I like metaphor in writings, including my own. Later on I did confirm the proper usage of the word, as I have a dictionary. The words 'Figurative', 'Figure of speech', and 'Metaphor' are all mentioned together. I do like linguistics. I recall when working with the theater guy where I was using 'Demonstrative'  properly in terms of just wanting to point at things instead of trying to describe something.
   Naturally, this is another thing that is vindicating and validating about doing stand-up comedy. I enjoy the time with my comedian friends, and I can match wits with the best of them so I have plenty to contribute. I am thrilled to have so many comedian friends as I struggled to make friends when I was young.
   I did get a new pair of shoes for the office at Kohl's in Roseville, since the ones I had already had holes in them. I don't recommend the Tony Hawk brand of shoe, don't care he was a guest star on 'The Simpsons'. I also got a pair of patriotic socks.
   And there was the music. I went to Youtube to listen to 'One of us' by Joan Osborne after hearing it on the sub teacher's radio show. One of the things covered on this edition was jobs held by comics, one of them spoke of being a DJ in a strip club. Then there was 'Bad Reputation' by Freedy Johnston, and I liked the photographer as part of the video. It reminded me of Vivian Maier, as he wanted pictures of everything and everyone. Also since the camera was bulky and looked primitive, like Vivian's. The backlog was eliminated on the baseball cards, all are in binders now. There was just 11 duplicates out of 131 cards.       

Anne Rice Book Reading

     At the comedy club tonight, the Perkins employee said it was like an Anne Rice book reading, likely meaning quiet. Others were about family cruises, being from a 'gene bog', manic depressive lizard weasel, and almost getting towed. The Tetris comic asked everybody to say 'whoo'. Postage stamp did one about a George Washington lie, I had previously said there was a Grant Wood painting about it called 'Parson Weems Fable'. Tortoise and Hare did one about a bathroom in a restaurant, going to 9 by himself, and 'we mostly just 11'. Fantasia did ones about the CIA controlling his mom's mind, chain smoking and 'The Rockford Files', and running a power plant. Rut-roh did ones about chess with Bob Seger, getting high and watching 'Apollo 13', as well as Smash Mouth and Shrek. The bartender did one about being 'one of the girls', and 'taco-cat'. The bathtub comic did ones about photo albums, a 1912 flood, and his mom activating rivers. The fever comic did ones about learning how to steal, airport sandwiches, and briefly being in jail. Happy meal was show closer, and I liked hearing of his plans to do comedy outside of the typical bar venue. Also liked hearing his passion for why he likes certain sports, like the chess match between a batter and pitcher in baseball. He did ones about 'just leave', uncross your arms, and how it sounded like killing a dolphin or goat.  

Chair Massages

   This afternoon at work I got a chair massage in a conference room, I had won a drawing for it. I had seen the same therapist before. Not much was said during the 10-minute session, but it seemed to work. I did feel some knots in my back during the session.
    I did a comedy contest tonight, one of seven contestants. I knew the MC as well, she works in radio and often mentions her 'cyclone kid' in her comedy sets. Contestants included the barber and Mr. Pibb and Blind Side. Mr. Pibb advanced, along with a native of Africa that I haven't written about much yet. I said I was thankful for the stage time. I was first after the MC. I was wearing the patriotic shirt and made it my first joke. It was heady of me to do some new jokes, but these worked well. The one about the shirt was how I had seen all four places depicted on it- Mount Rushmore, Statue of Liberty, Jefferson Memorial, and Iwo Jima Memorial. Others were about an elephant collection, printing out the whole internet, being accident prone, an annoying colleague, and hearing how my dad finally read 'Catcher in the Rye'. I had more material than I needed, I was given 7 minutes which is more than what I typically get.     

Manic Depressive Lizard Weasel

    At the comedy club tonight, the Perkins employee called himself a 'Manic depressive lizard weasel'. He also did ones about a family cruise, and his soul being like a bar. The crow did ones about 'Where did you get that jacket?', along respecting personal boundaries, and a 'Dear Alcohol' letter.
There were plenty of other comics I recognized, first time in a while where I saw the neck tattoo comic perform. He did one about having a pit bull. The barber got some clapping when he said there is just one race, the human race. His dad had just passed. Even before then I was thinking of the song 'Black or White', by Michael Jackson. Always have been more of a fan of his sister, Janet, but he did have some songs I like. This had a memorable video, in it we see child star Macaulay Culkin dancing while a rapper has a few lines. I liked this part as they are wonderful sentiments- 'Rather hear both sides of the tale', and 'Not going to spend my life being a color'. Ding Dong Ditch was MC, and did ones about 'no one will ever know' and her undies. Resistable did ones about her hair being too red for Target, her dad's eye patch, and a hipster roommate. The godmother did ones about corn stalks, a married girl on dating sites, and a dog surgery. Locks of love did one about Christmas trees. Bus fare did ones about teeth in a hotel room, strangers touching his hair, and the walk of shame. The lunch lady did ones about green eggs and ham, National Geographic, and was wearing a Ramones shirt.
The Kentucky native did ones about a Christian romance novel writing, and his wife being Minnesota Baptist, different from southern Baptist.
    I did hear from another friend who lives in St. Louis, this would be the family where the wife is a high school classmate. He works in a family business, they have four boys. He said the call was helpful as he needed a break from some long meetings. I of course wanted to hear how my friends are doing because of the media attention of the Ferguson ordeal. We agreed on how it is tough to see the metro area getting so much negative media attention. I spoke of what I saw and did in my June visit, like finding some of those birthday cake statues. He said it was tense there, and there will be no solution for a while. This was likely in reference to how the grand jury has just started hearings. I was asked if I had plans to make it back for another visit during baseball season, but there aren't any as I am likely lacking both the time and the money, two very important resources. He spoke of how he took his second-oldest son to a baseball game. I recall making a call to them a while back and one son answered and said hi. This was when they had just two sons, I asked which one of the two, and I think it was the oldest who said it was the other one which was funny to me. I spoke some about doing comedy, and said it is nice to hear from friends as I can always find time for friends.              

The Message, Grandmaster Flash

    I left work an hour early today as I was requested for filming some sketches. It was just over a mile away, across the bridge. While waiting for my turn I looked through my backpack as there were plenty of printed online articles in it. One of them was song lyrics, 'The Message' by Grandmaster Flash. I printed it as Maytag, my hometown company, was in the lyrics. Two of my comedian friends knew it, the school bouncer and the barber with Texas kin. It was easier to wait when there were more people brought in. The big dog was in charge, and he said I followed stage direction well. I tried to learn something from the diner skits from last year. The Oklahoma native, red-faced comic, and self checkout were there, along with big dog's lady and Oklahoma's lady. The former is a high school science teacher, and I said even though it is rare, I am thankful for when I was able to be serious with him, as his dating advice was helpful: 'What else are you going to do, quit?' She had some good jokes, not too surprising as snappy comebacks are needed when married to a comedian. Another comic referred to her kids as 'Crotch fruit', I knew yet another comic who called them a more respectable term, her 'Cubs'. Oklahoma's lady made me feel like a clod as I couldn't remember her name. But I am reminded of how she has the same name as a former colleague. We had chips, soda pop, and pizza, the pizza was from Black Sheep. I had some of the hot salami, and meatball. The school bouncer had a football and threw it around a little, it was one of my photos from this event. I got a decent number, but the batteries crapped out on me. A train was stopped on the tracks as I was leaving, so I had to take the other bridge back across the river.
    At work, the political science guy was not in good spirits at first as he was ill. But then I said to my 'Work spouse' we got him back, as he was joking again. This time it was about mascots for food ad campaigns like the Domino's Pizza Noid, and Hamburglar from McDonald's.           

Wiping Away A Tear

     I got a text message from a friend I knew from the Twin Cities this evening, that now lives in suburban St. Louis. After reading it I wiped away a tear, as the two big news stories of the past week finally affected me. One was the suicide of actor/comedian Robin Williams, the other being the rioting and looting in Ferguson, MO, a St. Louis suburb. I love visiting St. Louis, as I go there annually. I have friends there, so I decided to ask how one was doing. There is another one I know that lives in the area, a classmate from high school, and her family which includes four boys.
   I did make it to the comedy club tonight, good lineup, I knew all of the comics except the first 3. The Hillary Clinton look-alike did ones about jalapenos and OK Cupid. The bartender did ones about living in north Minneapolis, and 'taco-cat'. The Maryland native did ones about hockey, Urkel, and live life like a movie. the trailer park girl did one about 'kiss/kids' while texting. The sub teacher did ones about snap fitness, and how his lady doesn't know who President Clinton is. The school bouncer did push-ups before his set. He did ones about yoga, over-eating at the state fair, a fitness scam, and don't need you. The Wisconsin couple made it, the wife doing ones about refried beans, cat food, and college tuition. The husband did ones about Toby Keith, Taco/Liberty Bell, and PRF. The bathtub comic did ones about fixing a step, a water heater, and cable TV. The Tetris comic did ones about taste buds, a born and raised shirt, and 'rock awesome'. The Louisiana native did ones about bees, and a web if lies. A Chicago comic who was on 'Last Comic Standing' did ones about guns in Chicago, a kid at the grocery store, and a rescue cat. Postage stamp did the 'King of Minnesota' bit with the Perkins employee. University accountant did ones about living near the state fair, sundaes, and beer laws. The 'Extra murder' comic was show closer, he did ones about cell phones, birth control, and the 'check engine' light. Others were about phone books, butter sculptures, and a Texas visit.   

Love A Rainy Night, Eddie Rabbitt

     I went to the Saints baseball game today against the New Jersey Jackals. During a rain delay, some rain songs were played. This included 'Love a rainy night' by Eddie Rabbitt, and 'Umbrella' by Rihanna. I made two song requests, one was played- 'Set fire to the rain' by Adele. New Jersey scored early, single runs in the 1st and 2nd. Then they got 4 in the 5th and single runs in the 6th and 7th. The Saints were trailing 7-0 but finally got on the board with a 2-run home run in the 6th to make it 7-2, but the Saints lost 8-2. I went today as there was a giveaway, the polar vortex snow globe. Mudonna, the team's mascot, was inside the globe. I first left my seat in the middle of the 5th due to the rain, just before it became an official game. I left again at the end of the 6th, and it was put in rain delay after the 7th inning stretch. Somebody offered a bag of peanuts for a snow globe, but that is not a fair trade. I doubt it if there were any takers. I got a Last Train to Midway pin before the game. It goes well with the patch I got last week.  
   After the game I went to a Cub Foods to get an advance ticket to the State Fair. Then in the evening I went to eat at Taco Bell. The Simpsons was not on tonight as an NFL preseason game was on, Chiefs vs. Panthers. I didn't pay much attention to it as I wanted to get some things done online, like respond to messages from E-harmony matches.

Throwing Shoes

     I went to the comedy club tonight, 3 friends were performing. This was the DC native, the big dog, and the Maryland native. The headliner was good at crowd rap, and at one point was throwing shoes she took away from crowd members. After the show I liked meeting the headliner, and as usual there was the music. I liked hearing 'Who's that chick' by David Guetta and Rihanna. I like the lyric about just wanting to dance, and I don't really care. I had to give myself permission to feel this way.
The big dog was doing a guest set. The DC native was MC, much like earlier in the week. He did one about fried chicken being delicious. Many others were done that were familiar, but I hadn't heard in a while. The Maryland native dealt with a heckler, as usual I hate to see this. He voiced his frustration to me after his set was done. I liked seeing some familiar faces in the crowd as well, like the nurse's aide. I said to her how I like getting shout-outs, and I got two tonight. DC got the crowd back after
Maryland, before the headliner arrived.
    I did plenty of errand running as well today. it started with going to the bank and turning in change, the total was $7.29. Eventually I made it to a Goodwill and found a Saturday Night Live book, looked like an actual script from a 1977 show where Spanish leader Francisco Franco was listed as host but it was actually singer Paul Simon. I tweeted about it and SNL made it a Twitter favorite.   

Americana Exhibit, Soap Factory

    After work tonight I went to The Soap Factory in Minneapolis and saw their Americana exhibit. I knew it was closing soon, last day is Sunday when I plan on being at a Saints baseball game. It is not open Saturday, so it meant move it up to tonight. I got over on a bus to downtown Minneapolis and then took a cab across the river, but the cabbie seemed lost and I just decided to get out and walk the rest of the way, a few blocks. There was two art videos, a demolition derby and some cheerleaders. The latter was called 'Manifest destiny' and they chanted about the railroad connecting the world's two great oceans. Another art video was inside a one-room schoolhouse, kids reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The art videos reminded me of a museum I saw on a Seattle vacation in 2007, it was at their university. A girl kept saying 'I can't stop'.
    There was also a display with numerous pencils stuck in the wall, the description said something about them coming from the Lindbergh home in Little Falls. I had less than an hour to see everything, but it was enough time. All I knew about this place was that they have a haunted house around Halloween where one must sign a waiver. I did say this to the employee there who said I didn't have to sign one for this exhibit.
   I liked getting some helpful advice about how to get back home after the exhibit. I was informed about the Stone Arch Bridge being open to pedestrians only, so I walked it across the river. I got plenty of pictures there, much like at The Soap Factory. I saw a familiar face give somebody a business card, and asked somebody 'Isn't that the former mayor, RT Rybak?' and it was confirmed by another pedestrian that it was, by saying 'RT'. I liked seeing the Mill Ruins Park, on the lower level closer to the river. There were two young women there, one was taking pictures of the other and she had multiple changes of clothes at the ready. I got one photo as I was leaving of one of them doing a handstand with her legs spread wide above her head. Once I got closer to a light rail stop I decided to go to Bobby and Steve's to get a little Godfather's Pizza as I hadn't eaten dinner yet. When I got home I knew it was just after 9pm, didn't feel like going to the comedy club by then as I wanted to do my after-work routine, like go through my emails.   

Happy Christmas Movie

   This evening I went to see the movie 'Happy Christmas' in Edina. It was scheduled to run just one week, so this was the final night. I wanted to see it as I loved 'Up in the air' and two actors from 'Air' are in it- Anna Kendrick and Melanie Lynskey. I could hear an accent from Melanie, Wikipedia said she was born in new Zealand. The movie felt very compact, since it was filmed close-up and it sure had the feeling of an indie film or even a film school project. This was especially true when sometimes the top of an actor's head was cut off. I did like seeing some raw emotion in it at times, like after a smoke alarm went off. This was a short movie, 78 minutes, and some scenes continued into the closing credits, alternating on the screen. The alternating part is something I hadn't seen much before, it was a discussion about what to write in a novel.
   I liked discussing movies with one other patron, this was on the theater's upper level. It was about 'Up in the Air' since he just knew about Anna being in it. I said Melanie had a much smaller role in 'Air'. With another, who was at the food counter, I did not. She was discussing hypotheticals on the All-Star Game home run derby with an employee and didn't have her facts straight. I felt like telling her flat-out: 'You don't know what you're talking about, moron' but I think correcting her, which she had no real response to, is an implied way of saying it.  

Water-Headed

     I heard one term tonight at the comedy club that I hadn't heard before, this was 'Water-headed', during the big dog's set. He also did ones about a Bruno Mars song, and Christian Mingle ads. Conga line did one about her grandma. Morton Salt did one about being punk rock. The godmother did ones about the dog park, and the mailman in latex gloves. The Tetris comic did ones about jokes with no punch line, and a taste buds pun. Netflix did one about Sesame Street. Sub teacher did ones about a Ron Paul sticker, Adam Sandler, and his lady at MNDOT. Auto-correct did ones about taking an acting class, babies stealing her friends, fallen and can't get up, and Pampered Chef parties. The
bartender did ones about being one of the girls, and 'taco-cat'. The Michigan native did ones about attending a gay wedding, and about just moving from Chicago. The laundry comic performed, but I can't read my notes. The software developer did one about a 'tequila and a compliment'. University accountant did ones about drinking water, 'what's your crave?', and Cracker Barrel. The 'Extra murder' comic did ones about seeing a cannonball into a pool on a Texas visit, food trucks, and a donut burger. Rut-roh was the MC. He did ones about a co-exist sticker, I got a shout-out for the Apollo 13 joke, and the band Smash Mouth. The big dog did speak of an opportunity, will be waiting to hear more soon.
    I did look at more articles and Facebook postings about Robin Williams. I did like one of them, from 'Rut-roh', who used a line from my favorite movie, 'Good Will Hunting'. He said if anyone disrespects Robin Williams, I will end you. It was tough to hear about how Robin's daughter quit Twitter due to hateful comments. After I heard this I logged onto Twitter and said 'Hey people, show some respect!' Sadly, not everyone is doing this. Same is true with those who are passing judgment, because it was suicide though he had been dealing with depression. I did see a link to some episodes of 'Mork and Mindy' on Youtube. One of them was when Mork met a hate group. He had to be told by Mindy that hating was wrong. The hate group seemed to be a knockoff of the Klan, based on their outfits.  

Walking Was Faster

    The bus was caught in traffic after work today. A Family Dollar employee decided to get off one stop early, saying that walking was faster. So did I, and I found out this was true. Not sure what the hold-up was, but I know the most common reasons for a traffic jam are construction and a wreck. I didn't see either nearby.
    At the comedy club, the DC native was MC. The ex-TSA comic did ones about doing HR in the military, and 'finding rice' at his TSA job. Others were Minnesota/Wisconsin, and stutter slapping.  
Ding dong ditch did one about resets, being Catholic. Bus fare did ones about teeth in a hotel room, uncomfortable with hands, and a state fair horse show. Resistable did ones about her hair being too red for Target, and having a hipster roommate. Morton Salt did one about taking it easy at Walgreen. The red-faced comic did ones about laughing at heavy-metal concertgoers, a fake $10 bill, and can you not tip. The big dog did ones about porn in the hotel room, and practicing piano to porn. The Maryland native did ones about an orgy, dog on patio being like hockey, a bar dress code, a condo, and dating as a non-profit.   

It's Not Your Fault

     I had heard news about the death of actor/comedian Robin Williams. I had hoped it was a hoax. But I found many articles about it, apparently it was from suicide. On Facebook there were some postings about it, and I know one reference wasn't lost on me- 'It's not your fault'. It is a line from my favorite movie, 'Good Will Hunting', the only one I have seen at theaters twice.
   When I arrived at the comedy club tonight, I saw a TV camera outside the club. After I had parked my car I was informed it was a reporter asking for comments about this entertainer. I said I had seen his show at the U of Minnesota's Northrop Auditorium in September 2008, the same month I started doing comedy. He did some warmup shows at this club just before it. The reporter left before I got there, so it was said just to some of my comedian friends. 
    I liked getting inspiration for a joke after the show, after telling a story to the bathtub comic. It was about my plush elephant collection. The preschool teacher did one about a caterpillar book, and singing the song 'down by the bay'. IED/IUD did ones about a Liam Neeson movie, not playing softball, and a 'sweatpants guy'. Netflix did ones about looking like Lucille Ball, feeling like Jane Goodall, and Sesame Street. Bus fare did ones about being uncomfortable with his hands, and being from an orphanage. Fantasia did ones about Pawn America, and about a cop asking if he needed help. The Louisiana native did ones about a quarter on his gut, and Neosporin. University accountant did ones about reality shows, and libraries. Maryland native did ones about an orgy, a condo, and yoga pants. The 'Extra murder' comic did ones about a food truck, a donut burger, his Texas tour, and seeing somebody do a cannonball in the pool. School bouncer did ones about cocoa butter, hailing a cab, putting a ring on it, and checking what is in the refrigerator. The bathtub comic did ones about a zoo escape, zoo animals being sent to Detroit, and dog clothes. The fever comic did ones about airport sandwiches, keys as a weapon, and deer suicide. The Perkins employee did one about having no soul, like a bar.            

Charlie Brown Bobblehead, Saints Game

    I went to the Saints baseball game this afternoon as the club was giving away a Charlie Brown bobble-head. I saw my ex there as well, which didn't surprise me much as we both like Charlie Brown and Snoopy. The two times we have spoken since the relationship ended a year ago have been at Saints games. I did most of the talking. The Saints fell behind early against Sioux City, 5-0 in the first. But they tied it 5-5 in the third, and the rest of the scoring was in the 4th, and Sioux City went on to win it 9-7.
   I did laundry after the game, at the place with the comedian profiles of Roseanne Barr and Brett Butler from 1989. When I was driving home I liked hearing 'Lonely no more' by Rob Thomas on the radio. Because it has lyrics also about not wanting to be 'Angry no more'. My dad would have approved of what I did, as I used the older Maytag washers as those are most likely ones made in my hometown. There are newer ones now, four in all, but those are made by Whirlpool.
   I called my dad in the evening, after getting a photo order from Walgreen. Two more comedians added to my 'Ring of honor', now up to 26. I liked how dad told me what his impression of Minnesota was from coming to the state for National Guard duty at Camp Ripley in Little Falls. I wrote it down this time.
   The Mason City native said his Youtube video about the expected Kevin Love trade now has passed 2 million views. When I looked for my comment, one of over a thousand, I saw one from somebody who called himself 'Adolf Hitler' and it just said 'Nein!' (no in German). The video sure has brought out some weirdos and haters and racists. Sadly I have seen this before with online comments on articles- too many of them are ones making racist comments or others accusing people of being racist. All of this can happen as one can hide behind a computer. Another comment wondered if this would become the next 'Gangnam'. I heard about that one, a kind of dance or music if I'm not mistaken, but when I hear it I keep think they are saying 'Condom' instead.    

Supernova Play, Bryant Lake Bowl

    I went to another Fringe show this afternoon, my fourth. It was Supernova, at Bryant Lake Bowl. Some of my comedian friends were in the cast, and in the crowd as well. I got another ring of honor photo after the show, with 'Rut-Roh' outside. Early in the day I went to have breakfast at McDonald's, and found a 1-cent coin from the Bahamas on the pavement before going inside. The afternoon play was my last, as I was late trying to get to another in the evening. The shuttle bus replacing the light rail was way too slow. This was due to the bus having to make all left turns, into and out of the station. Coming back, it was all right turns. Normally an hour is plenty of time to get there, and early. But it took more than twice to normal amount of time. I found the venue, and looked at a card confirming it was the last performance of the festival, and then I left. I walked around downtown Minneapolis for a little wile after this, as I wanted to get over to Bobby and Steve's by 35W to get a Godfather's Pizza as I hadn't eaten dinner yet. I got some pictures of historical markers along the way. I also liked speaking with a Fringe performer on the way back home. He said he was in a play called Island Nation.
    I did some errand running after the Fringe matinee. I found another All-Star game figurine at Target, it was Linus. So now I have three. I went to two different locations. One had 13 left- 7 Marcie, 3 Peppermint Patty, 3 Franklin. Another had 5- 3 Marcie, 1 Lucy, 1 Franklin. I liked singing along to 'Daughter' by Pearl Jam while doing the driving. And I liked 'Hurt' by Johnny Cash, played before the show I attended. While at one Target, I decided to do some urban exploring across the street and got some pictures of some art at an abandoned car dealership. There was some skate-boarders as well, but we did not interact at all. The art theme was about what home is, and it included a big list that reminded me of what I saw in the skyway, where it said 'Before I Die'.  

Kevin Love Youtube Viral Video

    I was at the comedy club tonight and was informed about the Mason City native posting a Youtube video that went viral about Kevin Love leaving the Minnesota Timber-wolves. I am not in it, but I know all of those who are. I did perform tonight, jokes included going to my employer's outing at Como Zoo in St. Paul and the shirt I was still wearing from the event. In the evening I went to another Fringe show, my third. Then I went straight to the comedy club. Thankfully I am not 'Double-booked' too often.
    At the comedy show, I was in another room going through my material so I missed IED/IUD. Fantasia did one about having a delivery job, and a cop asking if he needed any help. Another was about chain smoking and watching 'Rockford Files'. Ragu did ones about talking to a leaf blower operator, and being addicted to a pillow. The Louisiana native did one about how Neosporin is for cuts. Another was about his shirt, looked like a mechanic's uniform. He quits a lot of jobs. Others were about a quarter stuck on stomach, and having a bunk bed but being an only child. Tortoise and hare did one about a cemetery being a hoarder. Rut-Roh did ones about Calvin and Hobbes, and the movie Apollo 13, where I got a shout-out. Mr. Pibb did one about Legos, and dreaming small. Another was about being poked by his lady's IUD. The Bathtub comic did one about an escaped zoo animal. Others were about polar bears going to Detroit, destroying a bird nest, and his wife getting clothes for the new dog. Poster artist did one about a language symposium, and T-shirts. A comic I haven't seen much lately, but I like to call 'Red' due to her hair, said she loves her life, and will start having kids at age 30. She doesn't know anything about men, and wrote a self-help book. The Perkins employee did one about the Unabomber. Others were about being on a date- and her tattoos- and a cat surgery. Food delivery did one about how there is no cure for murder. The Maryland native did one about O'Doul's, and a condo. Others were about drinking on patios in summer, hockey, and a bar having a dress code. Happy Meal did a quick set, the jokes were familiar and in some ways funnier as he claimed there was little time for laughing.      

Perfect, By Pink

    I was driving home tonight after picking up some more baseball cards from a Target. The song on my car radio was one I really liked hearing, 'Perfect' by Pink. I had also heard it in the past week or so. It is one I like to sing along to, especially when getting to the chorus part with 'Perfect'. I am shouting it and putting the swear word back in. But many of the other lyrics also work for me, like 'Look I'm still around' along with 'Swallowed the fear', 'Done looking for the critics because they're everywhere'. I also like the contrast on 'Why do I do that' where it is sung but also spoken, proving it is a very personal song for pink. There are some who may not understand the emotional trauma I went through in my upbringing, and may never will. But passionate music like this helps me since it is a coping mechanism. I like knowing  I am not alone in my struggles, when I hear songs like these. I have seen the video on Youtube, and it is dark to say the least. But I like how it ends positively, where Pink is there to support the little girl that is the main character in the story. Two other songs I heard recently belong in the same category as this one: 'We can't stop' by Miley Cyrus, and 'Carry on' by Fun. More so with the former, since I like singing along with it much like 'Perfect'.  It's because Miley is singing 'Only God can judge you, forget the haters, because somebody loves you'.
    I did get some of the cards into the binders right away, as two of the packs were small, 12 cards each. Of these 24, just 4 were duplicates, and the duplicates have been destroyed. The third is a pack of 100. When I get more sheet protectors I will take care of the others.
    At work I did help out the political science guy again with the special requests, after my normal duties were finished, which wasn't until afternoon. I picked up my shirt for our company outing at Como Zoo in St. Paul for Friday. We work a half-day and then we are paid to attend the event. I haven't heard anything about a team building outing at the State Fair, my boss's boss confirmed there is nothing that she is aware of yet. So I decided to use a vacation day to go to the state fair on a weekday, as these team building outings taught me it works well to go on a weekday. There are thinner crowds, and it frees up the weekend for other events. I need to start using more vacation days anyway, I found out this week I really do have 15 days to use before year-end.
   From Facebook, I found out the Sex-Ed show has done really well, it has already sold out its entire 5-show run at Fringe Festival. I left a comment saying I had reviewed it on the Fringe site, as well as on this blog. I can brag a little about having a ticket to one of the hottest shows at the festival. In my emails it looks like there is an alumni outing at a park in the west metro later this month. We don't do that many events aside from football game watches.

Klondike Oreo Bar

    The ice cream cart arrived this afternoon at the office, a fundraiser for the school backpack program. I got a Klondike Oreo bar. A colleague was willing to pay for all of those in the department. She is a Timber-wolves basketball fan and recently spoke of plans to have more surgery on her hands. What did I do for a Klondike bar? not much. I did say thank you for the gesture. Another colleague asked if I had done this, he is from Detroit but his favorite football team is not the Lions, but the 49ers. He told me the story why, something about betting his lunch money at age 10 and losing when a late kickoff was returned when they played the Bears. I am not sure what year it was. I haven't had Klondike bars much before, as I recall they are usually more expensive than most in retail stores. It tasted fine, and of course I have enjoyed cookies and cream flavored ice cream before.
     There was plenty on the news recently, including today, about remembering Officer Scott Patrick of Mendota Heights, as his funeral was today. Since I moved to the Twin Cities 10 years ago I think it is the 5th police officer killed in the line of duty. Much of what was on the news looked familiar, as officers from miles around came to pay their respects. I know this is a memory from when I was young, when a cop was killed in my hometown of Newton, Iowa.
      At the comedy club tonight, there were 3 no-shows. The MC was familiar though, not sure if he has been written about before but an appropriate nickname may be 'Blind Side' as his story sounds a little like the movie starring Sandra Bullock. I haven't heard a joke where this is referenced yet. He was allowed to watch 'Cops', but not 'The Simpsons'. Happy Meal did one about how his wisdom teeth hurt, and asking for pain killers. The Louisiana native dealt with a heckler. He did ones about how Neosporin is for cuts, and defusing a bomb. Auto-correct did one about Noodles and Company. Others were about starting a business at Kick-Starter, and office chair toilets. Then it was taking an acting class, office small talk, and babies stealing her friends. The Mason City native did one about being on Zoloft, and it takes away 'fight or flight'. Self checkout did ones about 80's night at the bar, and how tattoos are over. The Kentucky native did ones about being under-height, and eating at Taco Bell. The Perkins employee did one about cat surgery. Capital City did one about being the coolest ever, and a Bonnie Tyler song. The show closer was from Denver, and as I recall was a comic I had seen at another club two days ago. The Mason City native is still working on filming the Youtube video, tonight I saw one scene filmed with a tomato garden as a backdrop. Happy Meal was playing a hipster. Somebody in their car about to leave asked about it.

Covering My Beer

     After getting to the comedy club, I saw the Mason City native during the early part of the show and he spoke of wanting to re-shoot my segment of the Youtube video from the previous day. So I said 'My beer!' and it was fine with the bartender to cover my beer and leave it inside. I did make a joke about no date rape drugs, some of my fellow comics have done this joke. It was once again a lot of fun, and I liked the 'Stage time' of course, just like I enjoy shout-outs.
     There were some comics tonight that I didn't know well at all. But there were six, including the MC, that I did know. The Yemen native was MC, and he did one about doing self-checkout at Wal-Mart. Others were about stealing a bill, no gay terrorists, learning English and teaching Arabic, and acting out a scene from 'Good Will Hunting', my favorite movie. Self-checkout did one about the Planet of the Apes movie in 3-D. Others were about a judgey movie-goer, who is disappointing his parents, and how tattoos are over. The Louisiana native did one about Neosporin being for cuts. Others were about Jack's frozen pizza, and finding a quarter while showering. The nurses aide did one about having dance lessons- you're going to be a stripper. Another was about an IUD. The fever comic did one about still being harassed by teenagers. Others were about a tough economy leading to being frugal- and to stealing things like airport sandwiches- as well as deer suicide. The show closer gave me a shout-out. He did a joke about having sleep apnea, and his date revealed having herpes. He also worked in radio in Fargo for a while. But he won't be known as 'Fargo native' since someone else already has the name. He has done a joke about how his long, flowing hair can make him look like Ben Franklin. His name sounds like a dog breed.   

Minnesota Nice Youtube Video

    After arriving at the comedy club tonight, a bartender said I should find the Mason City native, who was filming a youtube video about Minnesota Nice. I like doing these videos, not sure when it will be uploaded to the site but it will be fun to see the response to it. I mostly like finding music there, but I am familiar with how some of those home movies 'go viral'. I was given a line and then I added my own line after it.
   As usual, I recognized many of the comics in the lineup. The Maryland native did ones about hockey, Urkel, condos, and having a marketing degree. The Wisconsin couple was there, the husband doing ones about the Packers doing yoga, and borrowing a pen. The wife did ones about a county fair, deer hunts, and jello salad wrestling. The sub teacher did ones about history tattoos, and his lady working at the DOT. The university accountant did one about drinking water when thirsty, and high fives. The bathtub comic did ones about Como Zoo, the Detroit Zoo, and his first kiss. The school bouncer did ones about Ice Cube raps, and how he is not ready for parenting, though his parents want grandkids. The Oklahoma native did ones about tartar sauce, and a bumper sticker on a Craigslist car. The former Perkins employee did one about tennis and construction workers. Others were about cat surgery, and his date bragging about skydiving. The Tetris comic did one about what new species taste like. The show closer sounded familiar, he did one about Minnesota Nice being a problem with things like a four-way stop.

Sex-Ed Show At Rarig

    This evening I went to another Fringe show, it was Sex-Ed at the U. of Minnesota's Rarig theater. I rode the light rail over to the West Bank stop. I saw a jar of Hellmann's mayonnaise and Chicken of The Sea oysters on the train, so I threw these out at my stop. I posted a review saying the play was better than expected. It was a small venue, in the basement. I had heard from the Facebook invite how it had been achieving sell-out status so I decided to make an advance reservation to use my 4-show pass. It was intelligent, and funny, but also honest. I was familiar with one of the performers from the comedy circuit, the front-woman of the band known as The Dirty Curls. One song was about STD's, and a rap about motherhood. I caught a condom thrown into the crowd. There was also a song about condoms. I got a laugh when I got annoyed hearing 'That seat's saved' by saying I didn't like hearing it in school and still don't. I liked speaking with who I did end up sitting next to. He heard about how I do comedy, and we spoke about comedians like Bob Newhart, one of my influences.
   This afternoon I went to another liquidation sale, it was the Family Dollar in Roseville near the Little Caesar's I like going to. There wasn't much left but the sign out front said 'Last two days'. I had bought some toilet paper there a month earlier. I bought four items this time, three of them were food. I got a cup of Kellogg's Corn Pops, along with two small packs. One was Nekot cookies and the other honey toasted peanuts. All of it has already been eaten. The corn pops were eaten right after getting home, I poured some milk into the cup it was in. The other two were taken with me to the Fringe Festival, and essentially served as my evening meal. The fourth item was a calendar towel, as it is nice to have another dish towel. It is not the first one of this type that I have, as I already had one from 2001. What surprised me was getting all of it for just 48 cents! I knew that 80 percent off would lower the total quite a bit, but not this much. Of what remained, I saw bottles of sunscreen, shampoo, candy bars, canned foods like beans and franks, and CD's. There was one odd thing, a Jonas Brothers (the music group) CD board game. I got a photo of the Jonas item.    

Fringe Festival- Hermann The German

     This afternoon I went to the first of probably five Fringe shows. I went to the one about 'Hermann the German' at the New Century Theater in Minneapolis, same place where I saw the Andrew Jackson play this summer. I took the light rail to get there and I liked how the Warehouse District stop was very close to the venue, less than two blocks away. It was the first time I used a multiple show pass at the festival, I have a four-show pass. I saw one couple there after the show saying they had an ultra pass. I said I knew the actors, they are comedian friends. I was asked if they were from New Ulm, they were not but I know many Twin Citians like going to New Ulm for Oktoberfest. This is why I like going to this town each year. I already left a comment on the show's Facebook page how I really liked the Hermann character, it was funny to have him speak of the bloody military actions.  I said all of the actors were pretty good. The play was about a hoax related to a newly created tourist site, 'Germans have more fun'. This was the fundraiser I had attended last month, and where I got a 'Ring of Honor' photo with the Roller grill comic, who played the tourism chief. After the show I went to a nearby store in the building, Office Depot, as there was a liquidation sale in progress. I found three Charlie Brown and snoopy items that I like- two were sheets of stickers and the third was a greeting card, Snoopy and Woodstock on the front but blank inside. After I got home I went to get groceries and then fell asleep, but I had been feeling tired since I was up kind of early this morning for another event.
   I did make it back to Little Canada for Canadian Days this morning, to take part in the pancake breakfast and hear the bagpipe band from their sister city in Thunder Bay. I got plenty of pictures there. When I was in line for pancakes I got one of a food stand that has deep fried pickles. When I arrived I saw the bagpipe band warming up in the parking lot next to the school. A Dixieland band was onstage before the pipers. I got the first two songs on my video camera. There was a special presentation about a song called 'Canadian Days' which had its world premiere at this festival. A plaque of the sheet music was given to a city representative from the 'Conductor' of the pipers. After the bagpipe band I did see many cars showing up for the classic car show. I met an older man who was also interested in the cars. We spoke for a while and looked at many of the cars together. He wanted to speak with some of the car owners. He asked one about the paint job, and I said 'probably took a lot of patience, same as many other things in life' and I was correct. I did get a better look at one of the cars I got a photo of from the previous day, the card in the window said it was a 1936 Packard. Some of the Buicks from the same era looked a lot alike, but the grill was different. The AMX car from American Motors was a 1968 model. I also got photos of a 1947 International truck, and some hot rods from 1923, the oldest model year I saw there. I liked looking at the cars with this man, I heard one thing that reminded me of my 8th grade history teacher, both said 'As rare as a three-dollar bill'. This man also told me where the term 'Suicide doors' originated from, and another saying of his was 'Teeth from a hen'.
    After the festival I went to the library to print some things, then on to Minneapolis to pick up my
four-show pass for the Fringe Festival. It was in the Uptown neighborhood, and I familiar with it as the Lagoon theater is nearby. One of the venues I plan on seeing a play at was about two blocks away. Then I drove home to unload things and take the light rail to the show, as well as have a quick microwaved lunch, a Chimichanga. I had all of my Canadian Days buttons with me, ten of them were pinned to my denim jacket. Those ten were sent home, and I kept this year's button on my Twins jersey. Then I pinned the Fringe Festival button on me.
  It didn't end there. I was active late in the evening as I went to the comedy club. I knew all of the performers. The pizza philosopher was the MC. He did one about 'Tabby cat 08' as well as everything better when high, and women and water parks. The big dog did a guest set, and I spotted him before the show saying 'I enjoy seeing you, but what are you doing here?' I was asked if there were any requests. There weren't any, I said he is very talented and I like most of the jokes he chooses. He was irreverent as usual, like when I said the sub teacher helped me with one aspect of comedy- not wanting to do requests, feeling too much like a monkey or clown- he said he was surprised I wasn't a monkey and would say this to his family. He did one about bad porn, and practicing his piano to it. Others were about suicide by cop, and Christian Mingle ads. The Perkins employee was the feature act, and did plenty of jokes about this job, including 'is this Red Lobster?' His mom is a middle school teacher, and she drinks.
    The headliner was the Fargo native, who is now based in Los Angeles and this is why I hadn't seen her in a while. So I got a photo after the show and she will be added to the 'Ring of honor'. I liked her jokes about her family, as they were relatable. I also am from the Midwest and knew what it was like to be raised with guilt due to having really religious parents. I liked the one about pick-up lines from a Swedish guy. And even though I am an Iowa native I for some reason laughed about her Iowa story, being booed there at a show. Her closing joke was about the Grand Forks flood.     

Rhythm Of The Rain, The Cascades

    I went to Canadian Days tonight in Little Canada after work. I once lived in that town when I first moved to the Twin Cities. I was there for nearly an hour and then I left as it was raining and I needed to go home and do my after-work routine like check email. The band on the stage played 'Rhythm of the rain' by The Cascades as I was leaving, very appropriate. I checked and it has been covered often. When I listened to it on Youtube I also found 'Rhythm nation' by Janet Jackson since the first word in these titles are the same. So I also listened to Janet's song, but I like 'Control' and 'Nasty' more. I was at the festival long enough to get plenty of pictures, like of some of the cars at the car show. This included an AMX car by American Motors. After I left the festival I went to a nearby Super-America and got fuel as well as a paper and an ice cream sandwich. While there I liked hearing 'Brighter than the sun' by Colbie Caillat. I liked the lyrics about things that go together, like 'Marley and reggae' if I am not mistaken. I ate plenty at the festival, as my three-dollar button got me corn on the cob. It was served 'until 7pm or until gone'. I arrived around 6:30 and got an ear right away, then decided to get another one since there was plenty remaining. I also got a BBQ rib from one of the food vendors. I at first wanted a chili cheese dog, but left when I said it was too confusing. There was two separate food outlets under the same tent but the one with the chili cheese dogs had nobody up front ready to help me. It was the principle- I no longer accept poor customer service as this once was my job- call center work to be specific. I also told myself to avoid feeling too annoyed about it, no need for it. I go there to enjoy myself.
   I made it to the comedy club tonight, it was warm there. Self checkout did one about sports movies. Another was about tricking a stranger, and the sarcastic 'Bravo' clap. Fantasia did one about being suspended from school. Others were about a friend with a sword picture, and having a bike lock around the neck. Tortoise and hare did one about a medium and psychic. Another was about spending a tax rebate at White Castle. Then it led to Burger King, Dairy Queen, Carl's Jr., and Taco Bell. Bus fare did one about a Burger King near the World Trade Center site. Others were about Indiana Jones, and drinking a 2-liter of Pepsi. The Tetris comic did one about a new species, are they delicious? Others were about nude vs. naked, and Bastille Day. Oklahoma native did one about being bald. His lady is beautiful without makeup. She keeps giving reasons to break up with her. Others were about a physical therapist being different from a personal trainer, and somebody ordering fish and chips as he waits tables. The big dog did one about the Bruno Mars 'Die for you' song, and he called him a 'yahoo'. Others were about suicide by cop, or a jealous husband, practicing a piano technique while watching bad porn, and a Wisconsin billboard. Netflix did one about being on a date, and needing to be an Indiana Jones, which she understood as needing a hat and whip. Another was about Beyoncé. I let the school bouncer know after the show how I really liked his jokes about his job at an elementary school. 'I know your kids'. He has been notified where to find the blog. Some sets were being filmed tonight, as I recall it was self-checkout, and big dog, and they are both in The Turkeys. The Crow comic did one about a crow mating call. Others were about pro wrestling, Gilbert Grape, if you ask most Japanese people, a crow mating call, and a 'Dear Alcohol' letter.
   I made it home in time to see some of 'Nightline' on ABC, haven't seen it much lately. There was a feature about 'Urban jungles', wild animals on the loose in some neighborhoods. The place cleared out fairly quick, and it was no big deal as I needed a reason to leave earlier than typical. I would like to see the bagpipe band at Canadian Days in the morning, so it means setting the alarm to be ready.