Minute Maid Fruit Falls

     I did my weekly visit to the grocery store in the evening and got some discount table items as usual. This included two pouches of Minute Maid fruit falls. It says it is a tropical naturally flavored water beverage. It appears to depict pineapple, pear, orange, and grape on the package. It has the typical 'Unit not labeled for individual sale' disclaimer on it. I got them for 50 cents each. It tasted fine.
   This was an eventful day. I picked up more mail at the post office, after seeing on E-bay how another order arrived. It was the 'Up In The Air' movie mylar, sent in a tube. Another order was canceled, was told they were unable to fulfill it. After this I went to the library to print things. Then it was on to Charles Schulz Arena to see a hockey game. Cretin-Derham Hall was playing Mounds View. It surprised me how it ended in a 2-2 tie. Cretin was up 2-0 after one period, scoring with just over 4 minutes gone and then about 7 minutes later. Mounds View scored about 10 minutes into the second, then tied it in the final minute after pulling the goalie. The 8-minute overtime session was scoreless, and it was senior day. I paid one dollar for an entry in 'Chuck a puck', held after the second period ended.
   In the evening I went to the comedy club. Jersey Video did a guest set, with ones about looking better without glasses as well as '20 years and 3 felonies' about facial hair, followed by one about Aaron Rodgers. The visitor to Greece was MC. He did ones about fish noodling, 'not multiple choice', and house was robbed while he was asleep. Ex-Navy was feature, and did ones about being from Anoka, she didn't get into nursing school, and don't hurt my friend. The headliner was from LA, and had been on Howard Stern. He did ones about why do ladies still jog?, life insurance policies, the Kardashians, don't look rapey (about internet dating), and slay the dragon. Near the end he grabbed a crowd member's camera phone and did a dic-pic, and for some reason I laughed a little, but I tend to laugh more when caught off-guard. He was impressed with me, saying he liked my style and encouraged me to move to LA as my look would get me gigs in commercials. He even wanted me in photos he was doing after the show.
    I also listened to sub teacher's radio show in the early evening, red-faced comic and Louisiana were guests. Subjects covered included the Super Bowl scandal, wars and war movies, and a woman wearing leggings.

Ticket Booth Seat

     I went to the comedy club tonight, but it was crowded and I was standing for a while. Then I got the idea from Michigan, he was sitting in the ticket booth seat. I will find out from the boss-man soon enough when he hears this.
   There was a Roosevelt mentoring event at the GE Water facility in Minnetonka. The pizza was from Davanni's. I also did a science experiment in the afternoon. it involved ice cream, about ground water, but I was mainly interested in eating the ice cream.
    At the comedy club tonight, Blind Side did ones about TGI Friday's, and a gym closed. Tetris did ones about a Best Buy ad and Scientology brochures. Another was about chips and Mountain Dew to a 2-year-old. International Falls did ones about birth control pills and casual sex. Others were about caress hair in a porta potty, street harassed, police dog poem, and raccoon at day care. Laundry did ones about how nobody eats melon pies, roundabouts, and sex more than consequences. Tortoise did one about an inferiority complex. Bus fare did ones about don't poop in this bar, horse died, and get your yogurt. Postage stamp did ones about picking up rocks, and like a sandwich shop. Ragu did ones about street fighter characters, Comcast for therapy, and notes on a therapist. Sub teacher did ones about NRA and abortion, Washington a turtle?, and temple not coliseum. The crow did ones about waiting tables in Hopkins, and tater tots do sound better. Michigan did ones about Obama is not a partier, and being me pizza. Mr. Pibb did ones about Hooters trivia night, who's Princess Diana?, is this your cat, dating an identical twin, and a Ninja Turtles lanyard.    

Chipotle Burrito Bowl

     We had the company- provided dinner at midday, from Chipotle. I got the burrito bowl, it saved some calories by not having it wrapped in a tortilla. Otherwise it tasted about the same. I hadn't eaten there in a while since I did the company weight loss program.
   I had a date tonight at a coffee shop. It lasted an hour but I was bored as my date wanted to ask a lot of questions about doing comedy. I was asked for show recommendations, I said there was plenty of talent here but didn't want to say anyone in particular as I have a lot of friends and want to keep them.
We did move on to other subjects, about midway through, but I am fine with letting this one fizzle out as a 'One and done'. I spoke with an Admin Assistant at my office job and spoke of my lackluster record in internet dating and was told I was interested in being fixed up, but I am unwilling to date office colleagues. I have to keep my options open, can't be much worse than internet dating. It is hard to say what may become of it. I don't know who this AA knows.
   I saw two Big Bang Theory episodes tonight. Syndicated rerun was when Leonard tried to watch a Nebraska football game with Penny and her friends. Prime time episode was when Sheldon didn't sleep for a while as he thought it helped his science research. Nice to hear the 'Soft kitty, warm kitty' gag being used again.

Three More Facebook Albums

    Tonight I created three more Facebook albums. It was mainly just moving pictures out of one album that had just too many in them, nearly 250. I moved over 100. The comedy ring of honor is now its own album, and so is the venues and highlights of doing comedy. The third I expected to have more in it for some reason- Charlie Brown and Snoopy. There are just 11 in it, which pales in comparison to the other two. In fact I think it is the smallest, as the Emerson Hough album now has 24. I added two, one was a buffalo at the zoo and the other a covered wagon at a festival. Both are part of the Emerson Hough story, and why I am trying to tell people about who he was. I am thinking it is not over on moving pictures around, as I have enough from Iowa visits to create another one. I think I have already seen the benefits of it, easier to find certain photos now. And it was taking too long to load some of them.
   I did perform comedy tonight, mostly the same jokes as the night before but I seemed to get more laughs this time. I was in a rush to get there before the sign-up period ended, so I hadn't eaten yet except cashews and a banana before leaving for the show. So once I got there I went across the street to a CVS pharmacy and got two items: a tuna salad sandwich and a bag of chips.
    Mr. Pibb did ones about Hooters trivia, who's Princess Diana?, is this your cat, and dated an identical twin. Tortoise and hare did ones about DUI at age 21, Grand Theft Auto, and puppies and light bulbs. Snap trap did ones about gin and tonic in bathroom, ugly duckling and pelican, as well as the traps for mice. I got a shout out from a comic who did a nausea joke. He also did ones about will only hurt Mom's pride, inner monologue, and likes bunions. A comic I will call 'No mic' worked without one. Others were about meat is just too good, fake bacon, slap, and vegetarians in the race. An MC from another club did ones about a library without books, stand-up will not save you, men do more for sex,  and mostly did crowd rap at first.

Shedding Tire Tread

     I have seen debris on the side of the road before which includes tire tread that was shed by a semi trailer. I now know this feeling a little better, as this happened with the laces on my winter shoes again in the evening when taking the bus home from work. I want to get through another season before having to replace them and already decided that one way of doing so was to use box tape when one of the laces broke apart.
     I listened to a friend's comedy CD tonight, will give the full review soon on Facebook and Amazon about it. Suffice it to say, it was shorter than most of them so far,  and this was number 20. So it meant I had the time to listen to it tonight before I went to the comedy club. I did all new jokes tonight, some worked better than others. I think I've had better comedy sets but I also know not all of them are going to be spectacular. Five local comics were mentioned in an article about being 'The ones to watch' this year, four of them are in my 'Ring of honor'. Since this is at nearly 60 now, it is probably time that it becomes its own Facebook album. this was prompted by somebody saying they couldn't find them, I said most of them are part of another album. So when I have the time it means moving photos into a new album.
    International Falls did ones about a police dog poem, adopted a coyote baby, and a Mom's Day poem. Long straw did ones about massage therapy, Plan C, and a sex train before age 23. Others were about a Star Trek magic food box, and an insult from childhood. Brew did ones about Netflix, quitting smoking, not awkward at all, doomed to fail, a Craigslist photo, and a masochist voodoo doll. Bus fare did ones about the McRib leaving the menu, taking the bus, Whitney Houston and coke, a horse died, cast of Deadwood, a ferret running away, teeth in hotel room, and an airport Chili's. An older comic did ones about being the youngest guy in Bakers Square, age spots, sleep in dirty sheets, and wearing Depends. A comic who has been to Greece did ones about tongue prints, 4th grade, plunger next to toilet, one eye and one light in Minot, and fish noodling. A comic I will call snap trap did this joke, and one about a Humane Society cat. Others were about Ugly Duckling or a pelican, not many compliments. thrown away Valentines, and donate a gift to Goodwill. Rut-roh did ones about Apollo 13, and bosses aren't cool. Others were about making out in a sports bar parking lot, relevant anecdote, Sarah Jessica Parker, a toothpick bridge, and a Charles Dickens first line. Mr. Pibb did ones about culture is dead, Hooters trivia night, who's Princess Diana, is this your cat, and looks same likes me less. Apron did ones about uncomfortable on a plane, relationship rumor, and O'Doul's. Ex-cop did one about a probation officer. Blind side did ones about his neighborhood, and a TGI Friday's closing.       

Cannonball, Breeders

    When I was driving home from the comedy club tonight, I heard the song 'Cannonball' by the Breeders at the start of a radio show. In this case it refers to a kind of dive into water. This also explains the later lyric about the 'Last splash', which is also the name of the album it is from. This song was part of the boom in popularity in alternative music in the 1990s.
    I had an interview for a special assignment earlier today, will find out soon enough the result. I also placed the order with my boss for a Chipotle lunch, trying to recall what it was for unless it was helping on the sold accounts project from November. I was careful looking at the menu as I haven't eaten there in a while due to finding out the burritos are high calories. I liked how there was a calorie counter online which made the decision easier.
   At the comedy club tonight, the crow did ones about Maplewood mall and going to a strip club. The rapper did one about dead birds, but it can be hard to read my notes. The Yemen native did ones about teaching Arabic, going to Detroit, and dry humping. A comic who speaks of being native did one about a towel turban. Postage stamp did ones about small town socks, and bar trivia. Sub teacher did ones about liquor sales and Tom Brady. Fantasia gave me a shout out and did one about aliens. University accountant did ones about big and small steps, Tony Danza, and using a coupon on a date. School bouncer did one about a 'do rag', laundry donation, arm fat, and Obama and Clinton. Tetris did one about a jar at Target. Maryland did ones about NBA flop, biker bar, Amazon, Nike, morning after pill, and a hockey fight. Laundry did ones about Jumanji, and a funeral procession. Extra murder did ones about a Nike jump rope, and CIA mind control. Opera singer did ones about a pizza buffet, and Warren Buffett. Fever comic did ones about jail in Iowa, a zoo in Sioux Falls, and a flash light. Perkins did ones about his dad and word problems, his mom and time travel, frolicking, an old bed, his dad smelling flowers, and cranberry soda water.         

Universe Games, Minneapolis

   Tonight I went to Universe Games in Minneapolis for a comedy show. It is in Uptown, a part of town I like going to since the Lagoon theater is nearby. First time at this business, I said it looked like the type of place the 'Big Bang Theory' nerds would like as there was plenty of card games available like Magic cards. In addition, there were Star Wars cards and other games in a box. Mr. Pibb as well as Tortoise and Hare are in charge of this show. Fantasia and Mason City also performed, the latter was show closer. He told a story about a musician he opened for at a venue in Iowa City.
   This afternoon I went to the St. Paul Winter Carnival in the downtown area at Rice Park. After I arrived there I did pin my button on my coat as somebody was walking around selling them. I got one photo inside an ice castle as it was a large banner that mentioned frolicking. It made me think of a joke that Perkins does where he uses this word. I also got one of a banner that had characters from the legend of the Winter Carnival on it looking like playing cards, it was a western gunslinger. I did eat there, one of the first things I did upon arrival at the park. I got a chili dog and hot chocolate. Then I went inside to the Landmark Center nearby and liked getting a good look around. It started with seeing an orchestra playing, the genre was way different compared to the park where I heard 'I'll Fly Away'. Inside I heard classical music like 'Blue Danube Waltz', memorable as I said 'So hungry', a reminder of Homer Simpson saying it in one episode. I bought four postcards in the gift shop near the front door, two were of this building. One had a horse-drawn carriage, the other the chief justice room. I liked reading the displays on the wall about the history of the building, some was familiar from previous visits. One was about Dillinger renting an apartment with a lady friend on Lexington Avenue in St. Paul. Now I will have to see if I can find it. I did walk the stairs above the fourth floor, but nothing above fourth is open to the public. I also did a quick walk through of a music museum, named Schubert if I am not mistaken. I liked seeing something there about Thomas Edison since he did figure into music history with the phonograph. Some instruments were on display and kids were playing them. After this I went to the library to print a few things, getting there 15 minutes before closing time.

Pringles Baked Crispy Stix

    I went to the grocery store tonight and I chose something from the discount table as usual. It was Pringles baked crispy stix. There are 8 packs in the box, already eaten 2. There are about 14 or 15 sticks in a pack. These are tasty, it is cheese flavored. It is 80 calories per pack. As expected, items in the discount bin weren't selling well and often are near expiration dates or have just expired. These had just expired this week. It is a good way to try different items, this was just $1.50. Another was the same amount, Fiber One cookies, one per pack. I have seen their bars before but not cookies. A third was fruit cups by Del Monte, three, pack was discounted as the fourth was missing. Rounding it out was cookies with pumpkin pie frosting, I have had them earlier.
      This afternoon I went to the Twins fan-fest. It was a nice place to get one-dollar souvenirs. One of them was a Tony LaRussa Hall of Fame postcard. Also liked getting a Stan Musial magnet, offered by the Rochester (NY) Red Wings, a Twins minor league affiliate. This was in the bowels of the stadium near the end of my time there. Earlier I had bought a brown bag full of 100 baseball cards. I destroyed nearly half of them as there were plenty of duplicates. No surprise how a high percentage was Twins cards, about 20. In the same order I liked getting an All-Star game pin, spring training magnets, and a photo of three Twins players. It was likely from the commercials about building the current stadium known as Target Field. I recognized two of them as Mauer and Morneau. I did eat there, just a hot dog and bottled water. While taking the light rail there I once again thought of how I like riding the rails, had the same thought on Thursday. I know why- it reminds me of riding it when visiting St. Louis, and also riding it when living in Chicago-land. I have a lot of my dad in me- liking railroads.
   I stayed in this evening and listened to a friend's radio show, sub teacher. His guests was three by three, extra murder, and fever comic. Subjects included Charlie Hebdo and the presidential race of next year. Then it was time for me to get caught up on paperwork and paying two bills.

Good Vibrations, Marky Mark

    Went to the Wolves basketball game tonight in Minneapolis, my annual visit. Wolves lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 92-84. One song played there was 'Good Vibrations' by Marky Mark. Walked over to a comedy venue after game, good lineup all around. I did a half day at work and then got some things done like pick up mail from post office box as well as do a photo order at Walgreen.
   Red-faced comic was the first one I saw perform, he did one about no porn. I know IED/IUD also performed, but I was busy talking to others and waiting until my drink order arrived. Extra murder did ones about already just 4 candidates, eye chart, 80's sitcoms, Woody Allen, and I can drive. Ragu did ones about bus drinking, serving tea to Brits, and Insane Clown Posse. Mason City did ones about Zoloft, fight or flight, learning karate, awesome button, the Timber-wolves, and a drug dealer in Jamaica. Wisconsin girl did ones about a 3-week honeymoon, beer gut, Netflix viewing, pregnant with rage, mom's meds, living in LA, and live in the now. Tortoise did ones about Buzz Aldrin, and Grand Theft Auto. Mr. Pibb did ones about Hooters trivia, who's Princess Diana?, movie sequels prevent suicide, quit smoking, Altoids, and the band name. Fantasia did ones about girls like jerks, take it and walk away, and a school suspension. Rut-Roh did ones about bosses aren't fun, Apollo 13, Bing searches, need a nickname, mulligan handshake, and friends with benefits. Morton salt did ones about small business loans, uncle sells shoes, and order of words. Bus fare did ones about Netflix passwords, Egypt pyramids, horse death, most pets don't love you, McRib left menu, and sandwich Forrest Gump. International Falls did ones about birth control pills, snow plow poem, street harasser, police dog poem, and animals at day care.

Brave New Workshop

    I attended a show at Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis tonight, invited by The Crow. The card
I was given has a photo of the red-faced comic on it. He was the headliner. It was my first visit to this venue. I knew it as being close to the Orpheum theater, where I had most recently been to last month to see the Motown play.
    Other performers included the front-woman of a local band, Mr. Pibb, Perkins, Hillary Clinton look-alike, and the radio personality. I am adding more to the ring of honor, the front-woman and the crow. The latter is one of the few wearing a tie in the photo. The former makes me laugh despite being a musician primarily. In the photo she is pointing to her hand, saying there is no ring on it. It was her joke in response to hearing about the ring of honor. I liked seeing plenty of friends there who were in the crowd, including Turtle Check, School Bouncer, Maryland, Fantasia, and Big Dog.
    I also spoke with a staff member as I was leaving, as he noticed my Chicago Bears winter coat. He said he is more fine with it than a Packers coat. I spoke of growing up in Iowa, explaining why I chose the team I chose as my favorite. It led to discussion of demographics where I also saw the Chiefs a lot on TV. He then said he liked some of their players like when they had Christian Okoye and Barry Word. So once again it is proven: we should care more about what unites us, not what divides us. It was nice that we did find some common ground.
    The syndicated rerun of 'Big Bang Theory' was when the 4 friends went to the North Pole. And
I noticed how Sheldon says 'Bazinga' a lot in this episode. 

Campus Pizza, Minneapolis

    I went to perform at Campus Pizza in Minneapolis tonight, first time at this venue. I did crowd rap with belarus and then I was on shortly after. I liked doing some recent jokes like the girl who said she was freezing at the bus stop, along with roasting another comic after I was told I hadn't said anything bad about anyone.
    The MC did one about a sperm donor, and state of the union. Mr. Pibb did ones about Hooters trivia, who is princess Diana?, near-beer and quit smoking, cinnamon Altoids, wine key into palm, and name of the band. Two brothers performed, as far as I know they are anyway. The first did ones about already looking homeless, studio apartment, and a kazoo player. The second did ones about treasure at a triple-X store, fighting a midget, chucky cheese, scrabble, and adopted himself. Belarus did ones about least favorite movies, and why did somebody say Die Hard? Magic man did ones about not knowing sports well, being paid for a St. Cloud gig, and going to tennis camp. Opera singer did ones about is he out puking?, all you can eat pizza buffet, Warren Buffet about Congress, and illegal things in car commercials. Bus fare did ones about a horse death, most pets don't love you, McRib leaving the menu, and foot stomping. DC did ones about 10 months sober, orphanage without compassion, the number joke, weight loss challenge, being kicked out of baseball games, and you're not a nerd. I got a shout-out as well. Show closer I think had been to Australia. He did ones about the broom only being for the wait staff, dreaming about BBQ chicken, maybe pregnant, and wallet chains. He went without a microphone.   
     One of the songs we danced to at Wii dancing at the office in the afternoon was Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf. Another was Pump Up The Volume, and a third was an instrumental one about the World Cup tournament.

Saginaw Michigan, Lefty Frizzell

     I thought of a good friend of mine who is now a journalist in Michigan, and the TV viewing area covers Saginaw. So it prompted me to find the song 'Saginaw, Michigan' on Youtube. It was first performed by Lefty Frizzell, and was a number one hit. It was also covered by Johnny Cash, as well as George Jones. I liked the story in the song, likely why it was a big hit. The main character has the last laugh. I recall my dad singing just the first verse every so often when I was young, which was 'I was born in Saginaw Michigan', and all I could think of was Dad was born in Iowa.
   I did perform at the comedy club tonight, the stage is bigger there now. I got to everything on my set list except one bit, which is good. The DC native showed up later on to perform. I also came full circle when I spoke with one comic, we started and ended with this song I mentioned earlier.
   International Falls did ones about snowplow poem, street harasser, mom wants grandkids, IUD pain was karma?, dog rescue, and police dog poem. Brew did ones about a police escort, and his ex was drunk. Nurses aide did ones about dating her boss, finding a guy with goals, meet me at the bus stop, retirement plan, and talking to her dog. Another was about IUDs causing suicidal thoughts. The crow did ones about the 'You Oughta Know' song, 16 year old love songs, smoking crack at a strip club, and being beaten with his own belt. A newer comic did ones about working at a junk mail factory. Another newer comic did ones about Special Olympics, and not wanting 'dic-pics'. Blind side did ones about quitting a job and buying a gun. Others were about living the dream, and no loitering at McDonald's. Long straw did ones about Sudafed, bullets, and moonshine at Casey's. Others were about a massage at Mall of America, veggie burgers, and a Cubs urn. Poster artist did ones about a football playoff game, you get lonely in this world, is Kid Rock staring at the same moon?, cannibals and scavengers in Detroit, and bacon can make anything good. DC did ones about 3 days with family, gaps in ornaments, and his sister is a lawyer. Others were about being a comedian or teach English in Costa Rica, leaving Las Vegas plan, and commentary about a date doing the Lord's work. Bronze did ones about losing a tooth, and reading Paul's letter. Cookie color did this joke as well as duffel bag with meat, Internet dating, Netflix, dating a guy with one spoon, cigarettes weed and Taco Bell, and you're awesome from phone. A comic I had seen before, possibly the show runner at an open-mic I did at the comedy marathon last year, did ones about slut shame, Ru-Paul, and Samuel Jackson.

Babes In Toyland Movie

      I had the day off from work and watched the other DVD on loan from the library, 'Babes in Toyland'. I did enjoy it way more than the play version I saw last month. I was left with the feeling that I may have seen it before, or a similar movie. I say this because of the scenes near the end at toyland, when the machine at the factory explodes due to going too fast. It did remind me at times of 'Wizard of Oz', and the original operetta by Victor Herbert did have some of the same people work on 'Oz' as well. But it also reminded me of a later story, 'Shrek'. Because of the fairy tales mentioned in it and of course trying to stop a wedding. Tommy Sands was Tom in it, not too familiar with this actor. I had heard of Annette Funicello and Ray Bolger. I did like the villain and the hired goons, like when they said let us pussyfoot, or let us lurk. But of course some already know about this where lurking means something different for me, a private joke.
   I did make it to the comedy club tonight, after returning both movies to the library and getting a few items at Goodwill. One was a book written by Sparky Lyle about the Yankees baseball teams of the 1970s known as the Bronx Zoo. I also got 2 CDs, by Coldplay and Incubus.
    At the comedy club, the MC did ones about working construction, once working at a grocery store, and it just felt right. Blind side did ones about a double agent, Shaq, and a Robert DeNiro impression. Turtle check did one about hard to sniff. Maryland did ones about 'Friends' on Netflix, dog on patio, and a hockey fight. Others were about no mold, meth lab, Nike, and a high horse. The university accountant did ones about Kentucky Fried Chicken, Cheetos, streaking, and 7 dwarfs. Tetris did ones about a jar at Target, and a peach. Wisconsin girl did ones about her mom's meds, an Improv class, ointment, and a beer gut. Extra murder did ones about the system works, glasses, and 80's sitcoms. School bouncer did ones about vanilla Oreos, throwback Thursday, and the movie 'Blind Side'. Bathtub did ones about a petting zoo at a wedding, sunscreen at night, the movie 'Far and away', and a hipster. I got a shout-out from Perkins, who did ones about braces, mom as time traveler, an old bed, and cranberry soda water. Laundry did ones about fruit trays, melon, and potlucks. Louisiana did ones about Neosporin, a Subaru, and tree seeds. Sub teacher did ones about MNDOT, FDR, NRA and abortion, the movie 'Remember the titans', and unfit athletic directors. Postage stamp did ones about Yoda, lord of the flies, street preachers, and Jehovah Witnesses. Three by three did ones about a monkey ancestor, anorexic burglar, burnt tires, and being a wedding performer.         

Grumpier Old Men Movie

     Around midday I watched a DVD copy of the movie 'Grumpier Old Men' I found at the library. I wanted to see it as I had found an online article stating the grocery store scene was a Cooper's in St. Paul, a location I had been to. This scene was early in the movie, and there were signs saying 'Cooper's Super-Valu'. The closing credits said it was entirely filmed on location in Minnesota, but this was the only article I had found so far in terms of what the filming sites were. Near the end there was a scene where the two neighbors, played by Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, were rushing to get to church for a wedding. I noticed an old Standard oil sign in it, not Amoco.  I am aware this movie was released in 1995, so things have changed in the world since then. I also noticed product placement like cans of Schmidt beer. I had seen the original, and I liked this one more. One of the reasons was less feuding between the main characters, which got annoying. The two worked together for various reasons, one of them being not wanting their bait shop to become an Italian restaurant. And of course the marriage of their kids. This brings me to another scene where I would have wanted to know were it was filmed. It was an Oktoberfest scene, I like going to the one in New Ulm. It seemed to be evident that it was not originally released on DVD based on the special features being brief, and still frames. But I know DVD releases were not common until a few years later. There were two Johnny Cash songs listed in the closing credits, one of them was 'Ring of Fire'. It was hard to recall where in the movie I heard them, unless it was just snippets and instrumental.
    After the movie was done I went to have a sandwich at Subway. Then I watched some of the pro football playoff games. Seattle beat Green Bay and New England beat Indianapolis. I did take a break to watch The Simpsons in the evening, it was a crossover episode with the cast of 'Futurama'. The show found ways to laugh at itself, like how the robot seemed to look a lot like Homer. Then I went out again to the Family Dollar and got some microwave popcorn. I was pleased to find a Charlie Brown and Snoopy book there, a dollar just like the popcorn. One DVD movie was of interest to me but I didn't buy it. This was a road movie about a music fan trying to find the grave of musician Hank Williams. I like road movies, hopefully it will be there when I visit again but I am there infrequently. I also noticed copies of 'Up In The Air', a favorite movie of mine, available. Some were previously viewed, and asking price was $3. Another was $5.
     In the morning I listened to Oklahoma's comedy CD, and shared a review on Facebook as well as on Amazon (where I bought it). I was the first reviewer. I then ordered another one on Amazon, by Michigan. It will likely be the last one for a while, as I am running out of ideas of CDs done by comics I know. I am also running out of Amazon gift cards. But it would be number 20. Before I started doing stand-up comedy I didn't have many comedy CDs, I think I just had the two by Bob Newhart. So it is a big deal that I have this many, especially when I would expect that most people in the Twin City comedy circuit have fewer than me. But this is my circle of friends. Then it would likely mean waiting until more of the comics I know release some CDs, and it sounds like some have them in the works. 

Dangerfield's In Shakopee

     I went to see a show at Dangerfield's in Shakopee tonight. Bathtub was performing as headliner, and Sub Teacher was feature. The ex-cop was MC. First time at this venue, drove past Valley-fair to get there. When I was driving home after the show I didn't get far before I decided to pull off to the side of  the road. The moisture on the windshield made it too hard to see, and it wasn't going away with the wipers or the heater being used. So it meant doing it old school and getting a rag out of the trunk of my car. Sub teacher did ones about Williston, ND, Labor Day in China, Moe from 3 Stooges, Lady Gaza and Gaga, brides-men and mimosas, Little Caesar's and Snap Fitness, old lady and terrorist names, Michele Bachmann, Shakopee cougar, Berenstain Bears, overweight AD's, his lady and MNDOT, and a get well card to the couple.
      Bathtub did ones about Last Comic Standing, Dad's kale chips, Mom activating rivers, summon buffalo at Yellowstone, cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving, moped rider and motorcycle helmet, selling a car on Craigslist, Valley-fair in winter, and his dressed-up dog. Others were about a gorilla escape at the zoo, cable wire fell down, two hundred dollars and a reset button, threw away a bird's nest, pepper plant, a one-year-old's birthday party, stole a horse named potato, proposing in the sand, pulling himself over, $41K in couch, and aggressive cuddler.
   This was a day of errand running. It meant going to the post office to pick up some E-bay orders, 3 in all. This includes the one from France, 'Up In The Air' movie promo cards. I turned in change at US Bank, just over six dollars, and deposited it in savings. I went to the library to print things, and found two movies I wanted to see there, 'Grumpier Old Men' and 'Babes In Toyland'. I also made it to a nearby Savers store were I found more Charlie Brown encyclopedia volumes. I had two from the 1980 edition, numbers 1 and 12. I added four more: numbers 4, 8, 10, and 13. Fifteen books are in the series. I ordered two more from E-bay tonight: numbers 5 and 6.
  After the library I went to Minneapolis and had a little Godfather's pizza at Bobby and Steve's. Then
I went on to The Loop where there was an Iowa Hawkeye basketball game watch, the Hawks held on to beat Ohio State.  

Don't Get Me Wrong, Pretenders

   After the comedy show tonight I heard the song 'Don't get me wrong' by The Pretenders. I got a tingle in my lower body. I know it was in the movie 'Gung Ho', and it reminded me of my hometown since it was also known for manufacturing. I really liked the line about 'if I come and go like fashion'.
    I finally listened to a podcast recorded in July and posted to the website in September. It was the Burn and Brew podcast. It was prompted by hearing my boss had listened to the most recent one, Magnotronic. Burn and Brew had a longer running time, nearly an hour. For some reason I don't like the sound of my recorded voice. But at tonight's comedy show I found out I am not alone.
    At the comedy club tonight, Extra murder did ones about existential crisis, wearing glasses, 80's sitcoms, and Woody Allen movies. Tetris did ones about sad fella, a jar at Target, and a Chipotle burrito. Long straw did ones about Target and Trader Joe's, Greek yogurt and frozen pizza, a Cubs urn, and 8th grade insults. Postage stamp did ones about imagine naked, zombie apocalypse, recess and street justice, and an office colleague. Bus fare did ones about calling Jimmy John's, Insane Clown Posse fans, spilled coffee on Monday, Garfield the cat, cat owners get laid, and don't poop in this bar. Nebraska did one about lying on applications. Tortoise and Hare did ones about his lady and actor The Rock, Grand Theft Auto, the movie 'Grease', and 9 by myself. Grizzly Adams did ones about Taylor Swift and a sick beat, don't use condoms, and lumber-sexual. Apron did one about grand theft nachos. The traveler to Greece did ones about one eye and light out, Sex World, and magical masseuse. International Falls did ones about birth control pills, stopped dating Christian dudes, snow plow poem, and street harassed. Mr. Pibb did ones about boys don't make babies, Hooters trivia, who's Princess Diana?, near-beer, and pizza and beer at art school.

Charlie Hebdo Research

    Recently I have been researching the publication known as 'Charlie Hebdo' after the massacre at their offices in Paris, France. I have found that a good place to research many things is on E-bay. I did find many back issues available there, going for various asking prices. Based on what I have found out so far, there were no sacred cows to the publishers. I am of course going by what is on the covers for the listings, many of them would be considered X-rated and obscene by Americans. I would be mainly interested in what they have to say about American presidents, and there were plenty of covers about them. One of these had Reagan riding a naked woman. Bush 43 was being mocked for the Iraq war. I also found ones that mentioned Nixon, Carter, and Obama- but not Clinton. I think most or all of the Bush covers were 43 and not 41. Not sure if the Ford was president Gerald Ford, not necessarily. The caricature didn't seem to suggest it was to me. Naturally I wasn't familiar with all of those who graced the cover as political leaders in Europe, especially France, would be discussed as well. Another curious thing I found, but not many, was a 'Cahier', I know this means 'Workbook' from taking four years of French in high school. I was outbid on one of those I wanted. Another appears to be a book of a thousand covers. I know some magazines publish such a book. I heard about 'The Onion' doing this before. Even though The Onion is known for satirizing, its satire is not on the same level as Charlie Hebdo's. I need to research some more before I buy anything on E-bay that was produced by this publication. Usually I say just one, so that means make it count. I also saw cross-references to other French publications, especially 'Mensuel Charlie', which Wikipedia states is where Charlie Hebdo got its name when it had to be changed. I had heard the name is derived from Charlie Brown, a character from Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strip. Some of the covers for Mensuel Charlie did have Charlie Brown and Snoopy characters on the cover. I also saw mention on Wikipedia about an Italian publication called Linus, after another Peanuts character. So I am likely just as interested in those two publications since I like most things Charlie Brown and Snoopy. It appears the main connection is the name, I would expect the content to be way different when comparing Charlie Hebdo to the other two.
   I did place some E-bay orders, tonight was a good night for me to get caught up on paperwork. I ordered a postcard of the Armour stockyard from South St. Paul. I have seen the gates, the one thing preserved from the site. I also ordered the Florida and Colorado state quarters from the current national park series as I already have a collector's map. I haven't seen some of these all that quickly in circulation, not the first time I ordered them online. Good thing I found some that are just above face value. I got my St. Paul Winter Carnival button registered as well, so I am now eligible to win prizes. And I did watch 2 'Big Bang Theory' episodes tonight. Syndicated rerun was when Penny got a big online order for her 'Penny blossoms'. Prime time episode was when the ladies went to Las Vegas, the guys wanted to get serious work done but watched 'Ghostbusters' and 'Back to the future' instead.

Bar Basketball

     At the workplace there is a game room cubbyhole, and one of the games is bar basketball. I played it while waiting to do Wii dancing in the afternoon, but the fill-in event coordinator was stuck on a conference call. I played 4 games and left, usually I just do two. I cracked the century mark for the first time, at 113, in my second game.
    I did a guest set at the comedy club tonight, Worthington was headliner and Opera singer was feature. The MC was from Pennsylvania. I liked trying some new jokes, it went well. I filmed myself for the first time in a while. It meant going to Walgreen before heading to the club. I needed another memory card and fresh batteries for the video camera. I also picked up a sandwich and drink while there since I hadn't eaten dinner yet. I ended up in somebody's camera phone photo after the show, and I am adding IED/IUD to the 'Ring of Honor'. A crowd member liked the patriotic shirt I was wearing, this was why I did the photo with them. It was intentional to wear this shirt so then I could do the joke about it, where I have been to all of the places depicted on it. Another joke was about famous people I had met recently, Governor Mark Dayton as well as WCCO sports reporter Mike Max. With Mr. Max it was just last night at the Gopher basketball game. It felt good to get such a coveted gig, especially after hearing who was getting the same slot after me- some were professional comics. Another was about a recent visit to Taco Bell.

Hormel Wiener Winner

      I went to the Iowa-Minnesota basketball game tonight at Williams Arena and liked hearing a promotion from Hormel meats, the 'Wiener winner'. It reminded me of the Twins baseball team doing this promotion, 'Great for lunch, great for dinner' but the Twins no longer do this segment. Iowa won 77-75 but it shouldn't have been this close. Iowa led by 11 at the half, and by as much as 17 in the 2nd. The 3's kept Minnesota in the game, as Minnesota was beat on the fouls and rebounds. Iowa shot well from the foul line, and had more attempts. Minnesota had 10 fouls in the first half so the double bonus was in effect. A last-second shot was waved off, the Minnesota player released it right after the backboard lit up red. It worked well on driving over to a parking lot that was two light rail stops from Stadium Village, way cheaper to park there.  Since Iowa was doing real well for a while, I had the Alfred E. Neuman attitude (what, me worry?) until Iowa's lead dwindled to less than eight in the second half. Iowa did trail, but it was by no more than four. Iowa's lead was built by hitting high-percentage shots. I had some Old Dutch BBQ chips and some bottled water there, and got a simple program for two dollars. It was basically an oversized brochure, it had the rosters for both teams on it along with some ads and little else. No big deal, it takes up less space than those programs that were printed before.

Poetry Magazine

    I got two items in the mail tonight, one was from Poetry magazine, likely a subscription offer. I had one before but I didn't read it enough so I let it expire. I did this with some other writer's magazines I had, and think this was the first one I let expire. I had subscriptions to four different writer magazines, then decided to go down to one, known as The Writer.
    At the comedy club tonight, the MC did ones about how it just felt right and about working in construction. Another was just go and wait. I was challenged to do a roast joke for Mr. Pibb. Jersey video did one about duck hunting. The bartender did ones about 'Taco-cat' and tater tots. I am unable to read my notes for Turtle Check. Mr. Pibb did ones about online banking, Princess Diana, and Hooters. Red-faced comic did one about how you now work here. Laundry did one about attending a wedding. Sub teacher did ones about FDR, and enemies closer. Extra murder did ones about 80's sitcoms, and an eye chart. Fever did one about birth control pills and cake. School bouncer did ones about sex receipts, a godfather and a 'Some assembly required' bike, as well as Obama and Clinton.
Three by three did ones about animal crackers and the happy birthday hand wash, along with doing a show in the UP of Michigan. Tetris did ones about writing a monologue for Fallon, as well as one about Taylor Swift. Maryland did ones about his dog, a hockey fight, NBA flop, ice fishing, Amazon, and one night stands. Perkins did one about a metal mouth, a time traveling mom, and Dad as a word problem. Opera singer was show closer, and did ones about the history factory, WWF, Barbie dolls, and Hot Wheels.  

Night At The Museum Movie

     I went to see the movie 'Night at the Museum' this afternoon in Eagan. I had seen the previous two. I will admit that at first I wondered if I had walked into the wrong movie as after the previews I saw what looked like a scene from an 'Indiana Jones' movie, an archeological dig in Egypt in the 1930s. Eventually this scene made sense, and shortly after it I saw the movie title. I watched the closing credits as usual, and there was a dedication to not just Robin Williams but also Mickey Rooney. I don't recall much about the previous two as it had a been a while since I had seen them, but this wasn't a big deal as each one is decidedly different. The main setting was in different museums- New York, Washington, DC, and this time London. I had seen one of the actors on a national talk show promoting the movie, it was the London security guard. As a history major I was unsure what to think of Robin Williams as Theodore Roosevelt quoting other presidents at times, presidents that were after his time in office. But this was a way of showing something was wrong, and in other characters they had other ways of showing that the Ben Stiller character needed to act to save them all. It made sense to add a character since they were in London, in this case it was Lancelot from the Knights of the Roundtable. I had been to London in 2012 to attend a wedding and some scenes there were familiar, as I recall the Tower of London and Trafalgar Square. The British Museum scenes were a little familiar, like the elephants painted bright colors and a round, double staircase.
   I liked seeing the previews as well, this included the Charlie Brown movie and it sounds like it is due out in November. For some reason I expected it to be much earlier. A poster inside the theater showed a hash tag on it saying 'Good grief'. Another was 'Unfriended', it had a simple poster and is due out in April. There have been some social media movies before this one, like 'Social Network', the Facebook movie, and Jason Reitman's 'Men Women Children' more recently. Another preview I saw besides Charlie Brown was for a sequel to 'Mall Cop', I didn't see the first and this one doesn't appeal to me either. I liked getting most things on my to-do list for the weekend crossed off, 8 out of 10. The other two can wait, a standing invite to a friend's comedy show and finding an older movie on video at a library.
   After the movie I went to a Target store across the street and got some popcorn. While there I decided to look around the entire store and at first was going to get baseball cards. Then I told myself I had greater needs than this, and put them back. so I got a large frame for the Vivian Maier poster, and a pair of socks. It was nice that I could ring up these two non-food items when I paid for the popcorn at the snack bar. 

North Star Ball

     I went to the North Star Ball this evening at Union Depot in St. Paul. This was an inauguration party for Governor Mark Dayton. I made it there after I was caught up on errand running for the day. I made a to- do list and was pleased with what I got done. This included paying for my antivirus
protection at Best Buy, then doing laundry and getting groceries. I was in line for a while to get a picture with the governor and his running mate. Plenty of food there, and I got a bottle of Summit beer. After I parked my car I had to walk a few blocks to the venue. Somebody saw my Chicago Bears coat and started to talk to me about the team, asking me if they will keep Jay Cutler, their QB. I said I needed to read more about it. I didn't stop walking during this exchange as I didn't know who it was and really needed to be somewhere else. And it is still winter, so all the more reason to avoid standing around outside for long.
   I liked finding 2 CDs I wanted at Best Buy. One was comedy, the other music. First was Robin Williams- Night At The Met, second was Eminem's Eminem Show.
   Notable about doing laundry was who I saw there. It was a man who had a blue duffel bag, placed on a small appliance cart. He had a bag of hamburger buns and a bottle of Hawaiian Punch. When I left he was still there. I also saw as I was leaving he had a cigarette liter and a small pair of scissors. We didn't say word one to each other while I was there. I liked the challenge of trying to fish out what was caught between two washers, eventually I got out a snow brush from my car to reach in far enough. It was socks, and I threw those in the trash. Also found a quarter, and some paper from a roll of quarters. I used the quarter right away, for drying.

A Magic Postcard

     I got a paper and orange juice and a breakfast bar at a convenience store in the skyway this morning before work. I also liked finding a cool postcard, it said magic on it. There is a man wearing a purple coat with crescent moons, and holding a tube with what looks like a sun at the top of it.
   I also liked eating at Chris and Rob's in the evening, the Chicago hot dog place. Hadn't been there in a while. After it I found some pumpkin pie frosted cookies at a nearby grocery store, discount bin.
    At the comedy club, software developer did one about a vanity plate, and monsters. Rut-roh did ones about Apollo 13 and friends with benefits. Tetris did ones about Mars rover, snap chat, Paul Revere time capsule, and porn hub. Fever did ones about no I am just horny, flashlight, arrested in Iowa, dog fix te light. Nurses aide did ones about college like relationships, and this job. International falls did ones about extra birth control pills, snowplow poem, mom is a hypochondriac, Pinterest of funeral, cartoon of ex, and sleepwalking. Big apple did one about a new lucky number. School bouncer did ones about Tinder, Obama and Clinton, Rodney King, lost and found from school, and kid in field. Perkins did ones about Dad and word problems, kinds of apples, mom as time traveler, I am frolicing, and portly woods man. Long straw did ones about one of the ood ones, and pro golfing. Dictionary did ones about no can opener donated, and Target and Wal-Mart shopping. Mr. Pibb did ones about order dessert, magic doesn't exist, trivia at Hooters, who is princess Diana, and IUD was poking.

Incentive Program Meeting

     At work there was two meetings today, and one of them was about a new incentive program. It was a quick one, I wrote down five minutes but it was more like two. We got ballots to vote our colleagues for awards each month. But I see this as problematic as it may just become a popularity contest. For a long time I have said I am here to work and not win a popularity contest. The first meeting of the day was done by my boss's boss, I like her meetings as they are to the point and don't take long. It was mainly a recap of the changes we encountered from the previous year. I was mentioned for the letters I now do, settled and paid in full.
    Tonight was a good night for staying in and listening to comedy CDs done by friends. One of them was Mason City, the other was the Batman fan from Fargo-Moorhead. With both there wasn't much that I didn't like or didn't laugh at, but I liked some jokes more than others. I am quite familiar with Mason City's comedy. I had listened to his CD before but did it again in order to know what to write for an Amazon review. With the latter I said the jokes I liked were largely due to them being relatable. Unsure if it is a good or bad thing- that I can relate- but I know we comedians have plenty of shared pain.
    Tonight I watched 2 Big Bang Theory episodes. Syndicated rerun was about Penny borrowing money from Sheldon and prime time was about Sheldon and Leonard crying when their ladies shopped for clothes. Raj and Howard were about to visit a Hindu temple. I liked chatting with somebody who had a baseball book on the bus in the evening, it was about Bill Lee, The Spaceman. 

Chicken Payback, The Bees

    We did Wii dancing at work for the first time in a while this afternoon. One of the songs was 'Chicken Payback' by The Bees. It was weird but kind of catchy. Another one we danced to was 'Can't hurry love' by The Supremes. I requested that one as it is a Motown song and I saw the Motown play recently. I also know it as a Phil Collins cover. A third was 'Kung Fu Fighting', which reminded me of the movie 'Wayne's World'. And there was the 'Woo Hoo' song by Blur. Found out since lyrics are on-screen they aren't saying 'Hand jive'.
   At the comedy club tonight, Neck Tattoo was show closer. He said his podcast would resume in the spring. He did ones about fat bags of chronic. Others were about cheap gas and jail, putting a dog down, cookie van at day job, kid as bullet proof vest, show me sex test picture, and discount hookers in winter. Two pictures of me were posted on Facebook, but more of me can be seen in one over the other as it is a just a side view for one of them. Tonight's MC has moved from San Antonio, spend money to make money, and late opening a liquor store. Ding dong did ones about can't cross road, taken from college fund, and do not go with ice cream truck. The crow did ones about bereavement discount, banned from Maplewood Mall, and crack at strip club. Locks of love did ones about sleeping naked and ghosts, 8-day marriage, and a Betty Ford diet. Godmother did ones about Christian music while driving, doctors without egos at urgent care, my string addiction, discount brand names, homecoming duct tape, and yoga at church. A newer comic did one about a duffel bag of meat. Others were about cheap and easy like mom, dated guy with one spoon, and save the date shrug. Perkins did ones about math word problems, a kind of apple, he and mom have braces, she time travels, big league chew, and nurse grad party. Blind side did ones about price tag adoption, double agent, and learned from porn. Radio personality did ones about house guests, trash truck driver, and special needs kid shirt. Laundry did ones about Siri is phony, calligraphy, snow shovels for kids, and roundabouts. Bartender did one about an eye appointment, tater tots, is it a gay bar?, and gold bikini.

Smokey Bear Bookmark

     At work today I claimed two items left in the breakroom. Both were related to Smokey Bear, the public service ad campaign. One was a bookmark, where Smokey tipped his hat and said thank you for listening. The other was a bumper sticker saying support your local bear. I stayed a few minutes later to finish up what I was doing, but I didn't have much to do in the evening after work. The main thing was going to the Best Buy at Mall of America to have my laptop looked at. I got bounced, so I am still trying to evaluate my options. Then it was on to the comedy show, and I performed there. One of the jokes was about being at Best Buy. Another was about the recent problems with UPS. And I did ones about a tax accountant, and somebody with a winter coat open.
     International Falls did one about a snowplow poem. Fancy comic did one about the Cain and Abel story. Pizza philosopher did ones about drink and drive, and an investigation. Blind side did ones about being adopted, and a double agent. Others were about learn from porn, and teleconference. Apron did ones about no shanks, and a China visit. Morton salt did ones about change in meaning, and word order. Long straw did one about a golfing dream.  

Elephant On Bus

     While riding the bus home from work tonight I saw a young woman with a big plush elephant in tow, so big it got its own bus seat. I wanted a picture of it and lucked out that she got off at the same bus stop as me. So I got one when we were waiting for the traffic light to change. It was nearly as big as the woman.
   A good show at the comedy club tonight, Bathtub was show closer and did ones about Craigslist and a couch with $41,000 in it. Sub teacher did a history joke, and of course I like those. It was about FDR and who he was married to. Another was about his lady working at MNDOT. The MC did ones about working construction and how it just felt right. Maryland did ones about Nike, mold, an orgy, hockey, and a flop in the NBA. Apron did ones about JFK and somebody who should be the coach. Nurses aide did ones about her dog, and a retirement plan.  Yemen native did ones about a Wal-Mart checkout, un-natural, and Detroit. Tortoise and hare performed, but I can't read my notes. Bus fare did ones about a super-villain, and a bathrobe. Mr. Pibb did ones about Macy's, and Grandma's voice. D.C. native did ones about the movie Top Gun, and a weight loss prize. School bouncer did ones about he will be next, a godfather, and a some assembly required bike. Laundry did one about a Highland Park deli. Red-faced comic did ones about too much fun, and makeup. Perkins did one about apples. University accountant did one about a phone book. Fever did ones about a flashlight, and airport sandwiches. Postage stamp did one about a self dryer.

Magnotronic Podcast

    I did the Magnotronic podcast this afternoon. It was a fun thing to do and went by rather quickly, as the recording was done in about 35 minutes. I spoke about some of my experiences in doing and documenting comedy, including the show I went to last night in Rochester. I showed off the CD and shirt I got there. I liked discussing the blog, and the 'Ring of honor'. Some of the subjects discussed were related to photos on my Facebook page, like going to the Laura Ingalls home in Burr Oak, Iowa. I spoke of seeing the Field of Dreams on the same visit, this was in 2012. I brought a photo album since it had pictures of Charlie Brown and Snoopy statues, but we didn't have the time to cover this subject. I did show them one I got at the Lady Gaga concert last May, it looked like a photo booth picture since there was four poses. I got a shirt for appearing, it is light blue and has a robot head on it and says 'Borderline Inappropriate' under the podcast name. After the show I found a postcard I liked in a Keys Cafe along with a magnet which was a parody of the 'American Gothic' painting- 'Got hot dish?' One of the hosts was the comic I call 'Conga line'. This comic was part of the most recent adds to the 'Ring of honor'. There was three hosts, and giving all of us time to talk explains why the time went quickly.

New Britain Rock Cats

    I went to a Minnesota Twins pro shop in Roseville this afternoon to get a ticket for the Fan-fest later this month. I saw some things on the discount table, including items from the New Britain Rock Cats. No surprise to see this team there as the Twins have signed up a new Double-A affiliate, in Chattanooga, TN, and did not renew in New Britain, CT. But I know some working agreements- or player development contracts- don't last long, sometimes just two years.
   I kept hearing the news about a wind chill advisory tonight, relevant to me as I went to a comedy show out of town, in Rochester. But I hoped for the best and it went fine. There was some blowing snow that made it less than ideal driving conditions, but I didn't have to go any slower than 40 mph. I could usually see just fine, so I have driven through worse. Toughest thing was finding a bathroom while driving home as it was late at night, and many places were closed since they were small towns.
    The show was a good one, I got a CD from one of the performers, the 18th from friends, and a shirt as well. This is somebody I had performed with in June, in the 'Ring of honor' photo he was wearing a Batman shirt and he is from Fargo-Moorhead. I did not know the other performer, but he said he knew me so he must be a Twin City performer.

Valerie Loves Me, Material Issue

    After the comedy show I liked hearing a song and eventually was able to determine it was 'Valerie loves me'. On Youtube the version I saw first was by Material Issue. I also found one by Hole, and there was something about Larry Flynt from Hustler magazine in that video. It is a catchy song, hard to explain why. I am surprised I missed its time as a hit, but it is all about what music I listened to at the time and what those radio stations played. When I went off to college in Iowa City I heard a much wider variety of music than I did in small town Newton. Wikipedia said the band Material Issue is from Chicago. The live version I found on Youtube was from the Dennis Miller show.
   I was at the post office around midday and got a look at the stamps in the display case. I said to the kid next to me: I am leaving, you stay here. But the kid didn't listen and got out. Then an adult chased after the kid.
   At the comedy club tonight, a comic with a rapper alter ego did a shoulder flop rap and then jokes. The nurses aide did ones about the wrong stage, retirement plans, and backrubs. Happy Meal did ones about Grandpa's advice, and free stuff. International Falls did ones about birth control pills, a snow plow poem, friends sharing pictures of their babies on Facebook, and hug a cougar. Postage stamp did a Rodney Dangerfield knockoff. Ragu did ones about a truck stop, a pillow addict, Call of Duty, Insane Clown Posse, and Sex World. A comic who has been to Greece did ones about an elevator talk, and the band Styx. Bartender did ones about tater tots, a gold bikini, Nebraska, and taco-cat. Blind side did one about Fat Albert, along with the shows The Simpsons and Cops.  

Nerd Alert Comedy CD

    I found the time to listen to a comedy CD done by friends this afternoon, after a date. It was Nerd Alert, 8 of the 13 performers are in my ring of honor. I shared a review on Facebook and then wrote one for Amazon as well, where I bought it from. I then ordered another CD, by Oklahoma. It had been on my list for a while. I got an award for hanging Christmas decorations at my workplace and decided to put it towards a $10 Amazon gift card. Some have already liked the Facebook status, no surprise there.
   Yes I did have a date, in the early afternoon I went to eat at a Red Lobster in Roseville, it was with an accountant. We had a hard time figuring out schedules and found out it was best to wait to meet until after the holidays. I said this place so I could use up a gift card. Now I have three, as I got two for JC Penney from family in the Christmas cards. The third is a gas card from Shell, now I need to find a nearby Shell station to use it. This was from a company that sent it as incentive to ask for an insurance quote. I checked the balances of two others online, and confirmed that both had a zero balance before cutting them up tonight. It was a Vanilla Visa card, used to pay for a grocery order in July, and the other was Applebee's. I had those restaurant gift cards for a while, I don't value them as much as clothing store cards especially while I am single as I prefer eating at sandwich shops. Now that I know Amazon is another option there may be even less motivation to get restaurant cards. I had heard of a new program from Wal-Mart where gift cards from other companies can be turned in, but usually for less than face value. It makes them sound like old-man Potter in 'It's a wonderful life'. I will buy out your bank balance at the Building and Loan, but will only give you half.
   Even though it was a night of getting caught up on paperwork, I did watch some of my favorite TV shows. The prime time episode of 'Big Bang Theory' was the one where Sheldon agreed to a romantic Valentines Day date on a train but then ignores Amy Farrah Fowler for much of the time on the train. I hoped to find some of the college football bowl games but I don't have cable and may have missed some due to the date and then listening to the CD, followed by watching 'Jeopardy'.