Festival Shuttle Bus

    I am doing two festivals this weekend. It started right after work tonight. I drove to Little Canada and attended Canadian Days. There was the corn on the cob feed tonight, and it was free with the
festival button. After I was done with the ear of corn I also had a chili cheese dog, a slice of sausage pizza, and some maple nut ice cream. This year they had a shuttle bus from where I parked at, though I don't know if it saved any time at all when it made stops before getting to the park where it is held. I am a brisk walker.
   I knew I couldn't afford to stay for long when there was another festival to attend, Fringe, over in Minneapolis. I started making my way back to my car just after 6:15pm to get to a 7pm show, and no latecomers are seated. I made it to the venue, after finding parking, with about 5 minutes to spare. It was the play that Whopper was doing, about writings by God and surfing. I laughed a lot, plenty of Bible jokes in it. The best joke was about not praying about sports. I bought a four-show pass so I expect this to be the first show of at least four for me. I did pick up some cards after the show, but I couldn't stay there for long as they needed to start seating for the next show. I know they are on a tight schedule, shows are one hour long and the break between shows is 30 minutes. Many of the cast members tonight were familiar from the 'George' play I saw earlier this month in St. Paul.  

Acme Online Banking

    I wanted to do a funds transfer and found out the credit union preferred it be done through online banking. It still sounds odd to me when they are called Acme Continental Credit Union. After this was done I was inundated with emails, some of them didn't appear to be current as there was mention of 2013.
   I also made it to the comedy club tonight, Tetris and Postage Stamp were performing. It was also a contest night, with five contestants. I think the winner of the night had the joke about diabetes. He did seem to connect with the crowd better than others. Headliner was from the east, a writer for Saturday Night Live. It was hard to read my notes, but he did ones about the Grand Canyon, moving walkway, and fold laundry.
    Postage did ones about bike friendly city, comedy tour bus, pride parade, don't be a hater, a fake
million dollar bill, Ben Franklin, and George Washington. Others were about walk into woods, KFC recipe, measurements, learn Spanish, and vegetarian. Tetris did ones about blood plasma, his exes moving for work, slippery when wet, Taylor Swift, Spotify, Talking Heads, vending machine, City Pages, Windows 95, Best Buy ad, jar at Target, fake taxis in NYC, and face and voice match up. Another was about cartoon cats, Garfield and Heathcliff.

Best Buy Customer Service

    I am still trying to return a camera I bought at a Best Buy in Toronto while in town for the Pan-Am Games, as I don't need two of the same model. It has been hard to find someone to take ownership of
this issue. After speaking to some people in person and on the phone I finally decided to try social media, specifically Facebook. I got a response back rather quickly, about 30 minutes later. So now I am emailing my information to Best Buy Canada and will hope for the best. I had hoped there was a return and refund on the first camera, but it was not to be. Cameras really should last much longer than 6 weeks!
   I made it back to the comedy club tonight. I share the stage with musicians there mostly. I went through stories of visiting Toronto, doing last week's podcast, and my internet date last week. The show runner started off with ones about my regret in just one song, I'm broken now, I need you, caught up in mistakes, a Midwest girl, I'm a fighter, and don't take my man. A comic did ones about ripped jeans, age 24, dating a vegetarian, 1996, T-Mobile, U of M student, and from California. Then I heard ones about live on the shady side of the street, be anchor, wing, and blind but now I see. A rapper was wearing a Warhol and Einstein shirt. He did ones about it goes more or less, what you give is what you get, Steve Martin in the Jerk, hibernated, and meditated. Show runner and band did the song I Love Rock and Roll. Others were up all night to get lucky, then my set. This was followed by your love is kind of sweet, got the munchies for our love, and thank you for letting me be myself.

Ticketmaster Reviews

     I decided to check out my reviews of events I have attended on Ticketmaster. I was pleased to find out four people found my reviews helpful- for Prairie Home Companion, Maya Angelou, Eminem, and Incubus. So I like knowing some are reading what I write. I noticed how most of the existing reviews of the Pan-Am Games were of the opening ceremony, no surprise there. I probably should also enter one about the Janeane Garofalo show I attended earlier this year, she is listed as one of 80 favorites in my Ticketmaster profile. This includes performers and venues.
   At the comedy club tonight, International Falls did ones about IUDs, comedy for kids, cough syrup, interview neighbors, 10,000 words, 4th of July poem, baby on Facebook, and psychic babies. Magic Man did ones about magic at bar mitzvahs, motivational speaker, worked at Minnesota Daily, and I got a shut up shout-out. Rut-roh did ones about rhetorical questions, chopping onions, halfway house, bowl of rice, and Benadryl. Long Straw did ones about a driver test in Beloit, and a reformed bully. Sub teacher did ones about tiny Freud, Catholic wedding, vacation bible school, the rapture, and demon moral code. Big Dog did ones about Christian Mingle, suck air through teeth, burned undies, People magazine, hemorrhoids, playing Operation, and guns in bathroom. Stillwater did ones about 12/13 CDs, misdirection song, send the bill to my heart, and check IDs. Chalm-Skinn did ones about Applebee's, cracked urinal, and free fries. The Crow did ones about no transfer of heat, joke fight, and an apocalypse.   
 

Memorial Sloan Kettering

     I am looking at the back of my note pad that I use when I am at the comedy club and noticed it says memorial sloan kettering, a cancer center. I likely got it through the mail, as many non-profits send me small things in hopes of getting donations. There is a toll free number and a website. I did perform tonight, third time at this venue. Mason City shared a photo on Facebook that I was in, while onstage. It was mostly of the show runner trying to hold up his hand to block the view. I liked having Turtle Check sign an edition of City Pages where he is the cover story. It said 'Thank you for being a friend' but I gained from the friendship as well. I got reviews written and submitted at Ticketmaster  about the Pan-Am Games events I attended. I am still a top 50 contributor, at 41 reviews. This would be my first reviews since may of last year, when I saw the Lady Gaga show. At the workplace there was cake at midday, not sure what for.
     Also at the comedy club, one comic had microphone problems. he also did ones about a sex talk, a twins birthday, and an auto parts store. Ex-cop did ones about sleep apnea, a fad diet, condoms in Lakeville, and a dentist. New Ulm mayor did ones about Brave New Workshop, Full House on Netflix, a Fringe show, and Seinfeld. Note page did ones about herpes, magic mushrooms, e-cigs, hobos and suits, politics and slaughterhouse, Twitter followers, double dare, price is right, a cat lady, hoarder, and cook dinner together. Stillwater played guitar, and did ones about 12/13 CDs, and I got a shout-out when somebody yelled 'freebird' and I laughed really hard. He said it wasn't that funny. Others were about Waylon Jennings, send the bill to my heart, tight lipped ladies, ranch, and Harry Potter. Turtle check did ones about his double, second round husband, lot of hustle, not on menu, and signing bonus. I may have confused this comic with the button, not sure. I think I will call her one spoon as she has a joke about it. She also did ones about cheap and easy food, cookies, glitter, internet dating, Netflix, thrift store, too mediocre, and a therapist. Twin Peaks did ones about an HIV test, called hipster by Grandma, dyslexia, and diarrhea. Mason City did ones about riding his bike, Shawshank, donate plasma, passive dependent, understanding each other, you are awesome, save the pig, run by pigs, Steve Miller Band, and lamination.

Awake My Soul, Mumford And Sons

    I went to a St. Paul Saints baseball game today, because there was a mini bat giveaway. While I was walking around during the game I noticed somebody had bare feet, at least momentarily, due to the heat. There was a tattoo on one foot that spoke of 'Where you invest your love, you invest your life'. I was told it was from a Mumford and Sons song, an online search said it was 'Awake my soul'. Wikipedia said it was a British folk rock band. After listening to the song on Youtube, I checked to see if I knew any other songs of theirs (seemed to be the first time I listened to 'Awake my soul'). I did find 'I will wait for you' to be familiar. I also added a comic to the Ring of Honor because of this game- he had a boy scout outfit on, and he decided to do a selfie of us on his camera phone when he spotted me. Since we spotted each other at Saints games before- most notably last season at the final game at Midway Stadium- I said I considered it to be a 'Ring of Honor' photo. He is originally from Philadelphia, so it seems to be appropriate that he is number 76. The Saints beat the Lincoln Saltdogs 12-4. The game was a 5pm start, so it was hard to do much before the game besides laundry. I did go through some paperwork though, likely what I would have done Thursday but I had a date that night. After the game I got a pack of 24 baseball cards into the binders, but there is another pack, of 100, still waiting. The writers convention asked for my Twitter handle by email, another reminder of how the convention is coming soon.  

Inside Out Movie

    Tonight I went to see the movie 'Inside Out' at the Highland Park theater in St. Paul. I liked what I read about it, as it was a coming of age animated (actually Pixar) story from Disney about a little girl who is adjusting to a move from Minnesota to San Francisco. It was a roller coaster of emotions as it dealt with different moods. At times it was sad, but I laughed real hard at times as well. I liked Lewis Black as the voice of Anger, as he is one of my comedy influences. The voice of the sadness emotion was also good. At first I had wondered if I had walked into the wrong movie as it started off with a scene where two volcanoes sang to each other. This movie was well written, smart, a good 'message movie'. It is worth seeing.
   I am also thankful in more ways than one about going to the nearby Target Express store after the movie. I picked up a Charlie Brown and Snoopy window cling and spoke with an employee, who told me there are also Charlie Brown flash drives. I said I had one but hadn't used it yet, hadn't taken the time to figure it out. I felt like an idiot using this 'not I.T. savvy' excuse again so I went home and figured it out! I got a Pan-Am Games photo on it, and uploaded it to Facebook and Twitter. Then the seven headshots from October were added to the flash drive from the Facebook page, along with the photo from the North Star Ball in January. This was when I got to meet the governor, Mark Dayton. Next is hopefully getting the camera phone pictures moved to a place where they can be uploaded to Facebook, printed, or both.
   I also went to a postcard show in the afternoon in Eagan and bought 5 more Chicago World's Fair postcards. Before then I made some nice finds at a flea market in the parking lot of a grocery store, two of them were Charlie Brown items. One a small license plate from Camp Snoopy when it was at the Mall of America. The third item was a hockey trading card.     

Teen Spirit, Tori Amos

    On the date last night I was informed of how Tori Amos did a cover of 'Smells like teen spirit' by Nirvana. I listened to it tonight on Youtube, and it is best described as 'Haunting'. I found a version by Miley Cyrus, it was closer to Nirvana's in terms of style.
     I also made it to the comedy club tonight. Fantasia did ones about girls like jerks, and a snowplow wish. Postage stamp did ones about Bohemian, got game, welcome to NYC, pregnancy scare, and a loaded gun. Brawler did ones about baseball engagements, comic book nerd, and captain America vs. Batman. Bus fare did ones about dropping toilet paper, going to the Laundromat, made up of circles, Enya, 9/11, and Halliburton, Seinfeld season one, and yogurt. Whopper did ones about I am real, date with a vegan, and redundancy. Ice cream scoop did ones about summer school, communications, a Harvard sweatshirt, and Denny's and Perkins. Tortoise did ones about Grand Theft Auto, four by one block, dinner and movie and weed, think of something, atteroll dealer, the actor the rock, and go 9 by myself. Ragu had a Danny Brown shirt on, reminding me of the movie Jackie Brown. He did ones about a red shirt at Target, 50 cent, and Ja-Rule. Chalm-Skinn did ones about punt the dog, roller luggage, and Lou Gehrig. IED/IUD did ones about 6 months of sobriety, worst childhood, cock rings, a knife, a ballgag, minimalist, Wall Drug, Walgreen, contagion, refugee camp, rough sex, and health insurance. Rut-Roh did ones about chop onions, foot locker, cat in heat, cable bill, and how to shake a hand. School bouncer did ones about cocoa butter at your house, Ice Cube, the kids at school, the Canadian League, and say it in unison. Twin Peaks did ones about being called a hipster by Grandma, candy bars, blueberry condoms, and a Jedi. The sub teacher did ones about a baptism certificate, like a sponge, shooting a musket, and Kanye West. Poster artist did ones about catsup/ketchup, more than one meaning for Davenport, and werewolves. Nebraska did ones about sex while sober, internet dating, White Castle, Domino's Pizza, and homeless people out of control.

Canadian Football Cards

      I am still going through my bag of souvenirs from Toronto. I finally looked at the trading cards I got at the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Blue Jays stadium. I got one pack from the former, and two packs from the latter. One of the packs was Canadian football cards, so I like having them. Most of my collection is baseball cards, but I did have some football cards already. There are ten, with a blue border and a helmet with the CFL logo in one corner. I recognize the names of many of the colleges these players attended, but not the player names. I know the CFL is considered to be a 'Minor league' of sorts, those who still want to play in the pros somewhere but couldn't get signed by an NFL team. Five of these players are from the Winnipeg team, and two from Toronto. One has a cartoon rat in a football uniform on the back, called 'Jogo'. The card serves as a public service announcement, making mention that 30 percent of Canada's young people drop out of high school. Just three of these ten are listed as non-import players, the other seven  appear to be from American colleges. One of the stickers I got out of a vending machine at the Blue Jays stadium, which says 'Just saying', reminded me of my first visit to Canada, for two Montreal Expos games in 2002. The way it was packaged, one card protected by cardboard. I liked how these packs didn't cost much at the stadium, as I recall a dollar coin apiece. There is mention made of the now-defunct USFL on the back of some of the cards, and it appears these cards are not new by any means, from 1991. It is likely why I got them for real cheap, if they weren't selling in other outlets. I don't think I have seen this setup much in American sports arenas, I am used to buying these kinds of cards in stores instead of vending machines.
   I had a date tonight, first time in over four months. I had a BLT sandwich and fries, my date had a short stack of pancakes. I liked how the conversations flowed well, I said it as been hard to find somebody who likes me for me and can keep up with me intellectually.  

High Five Guys Podcast

    Tonight I recorded the High Five Guys podcast in Richfield. I like doing podcasts, it was my third to date. A fourth was sub teacher's radio show. This was an auction win from the comedy marathon in March. We did know some of the same people, like the late Bill Young, as I found out at the end of the session. Another was a theater guy I worked with who also does the Robin Hood show at the Renaissance Festival. But when we are all performers, I knew the odds were high that we might know some of the same people. Much like the one I did in January, it was in somebody's home, in this case the basement. Much like the one I did last year, we had a drink during the show. It was apple cider with a strong green peppers flavor. We went through restaurant pet peeves and news of the weird, among other things. I don't think I had met any of the three from this podcast before, but I did get a photo of them at the end of the session as I like documenting my comedy career. It meant giving up a night at the comedy club, but I didn't mind as this is the night that they offered me and I still count this as valuable stage time.
   I had a short lunch so I could leave work early and pick up mail at the post office that was being held when I was out of town. Most of it was junk, but there was 4 bills as well, as it had piled up for a week. It sounds like they were waiting to hear from me on resuming delivery to my home, though the online hold mail request expired on Monday per my request. Since this task is now done I am mostly caught up with things now. I did go through the bag of souvenirs from Toronto and sorted it some more, but I will need more time with it. 

Should I Gossip?

    This was the first night back at the comedy clubs. International Falls suggested I start to gossip about comedians in this forum, I asked if this made me Joan Rivers. Well the question is still who, and what? about myself? About which comics go to strip clubs? I do have a 'Manufactured rival', although it is not her. I am wondering what this comic will have to say after seeing my response.
    Also at the comedy club, International Falls did ones about casual sex, pro-lifer, licking armpit, black tights, and suicide girls. Chalm-Skinn did ones about in a magazine, tats, chain smoking, coffee and Lou Gehrig. The Crow did ones about clean room-do it, fast and furious, the song You Oughta Know, detox, and Pearl Jam. Blind Side did ones about car insurance, a small town hooker, Taco Bell, Robert DeNiro impression, pregnancy scare, and micro-managers. I did ones about what are the Pan-Am Games, getting popcorn there, seeing a snake in Toronto, people I met while performing at a comedy show there, a new camera, and re-book flights. Bathtub did ones about number of steps, grocery cart corral, awkward dater, and a model train museum. Fish noodle did ones about a car crash near miss, driving a semi to Illinois, sleeping in, and walk away from bad people. Note page did ones about pizza in squares, apple pie, and roll cigarettes. Ragu did ones about big dumb brown guy, a red shirt at Target, and broke rappers.

Maple Leaf Gardens, Ryerson

    I began the morning in Toronto at my dormitory on the Ryerson University campus, and this school now owns at least part of Maple Leaf Gardens, the former Maple Leafs hockey arena. I didn't do much this morning other than get breakfast in the dining hall, check out, and get down to Union Station for a train to Pearson Airport. One desk clerk said be really early for flights, which didn't make sense at all to me, and it would have been hard to be up as early as he suggested, something like three or four hours. The other one told me I didn't have to be all that early, the typical one hour prior, and I went with that advice. It doesn't take all that long to get through security, even before an international flight which requires going through customs.  It is hard to say what I liked most about being in Toronto, but seeing the history of Maple Leaf Gardens on display was nice as I attended some basketball games there as part of the Pan-Am Games.
   I had hoped it would be a ho-hum thing on getting home, but it was not to be. My adventure wasn't over. The flight out of Toronto was delayed one hour, and I missed my flight home from Newark. My layover in Newark was expected to be just over an hour. The flight was about to take off and they shut the door 10 minutes prior. I didn't want to wait six hours for the next available direct flight into MSP, and I was directed by the gate agent to customer service to be re-booked. The agent must have heard me, as I was sent through Chicago. It meant two flights became three. I still made it home earlier than if I had waited in Newark. I was thrilled to get on the first available flight to Chicago after being put on stand-by. I said I am thrilled to be getting on this flight, can't you tell? as I popped up from my seat right away. What helped was being flexible, as I told the agent I had what was on my back and what was in front of me (a backpack and a duffel bag) so I had no checked bags at all. It is why I prefer traveling light, easier to pick up and go when I need to. It was just a one hour layover in Newark, and most of the time was spent getting re-booked and finding the next flight so I was busy which is what I preferred. I had a longer layover in Chicago, about two and a half hours. I hadn't eaten much since breakfast and it was early evening by then so I had some pizza, a tall glass of 312 beer (appropriate for being in Chicago) and apple pie. I also let my friends know on Facebook how I wasn't going to make it to the clubs tonight. It was the first time I had noticed I-pads at airports for internet access, and I took full advantage of it in Toronto and Chicago. I did postings at both, after saying (and fully expecting) the previous day that it was likely my final posting about this pilgrimage.     

Steam Whistle Beer, Blue Jays

      I toured the micro-brewery before the Blue Jays game, called Steam Whistle. I liked getting a bottle opener as a souvenir, it is green. We got a sample of the product as well that we drank during the tour. There was plenty of art on the wall in the waiting room before the tour, where many were having a drink, on the lower level. We went to the upper level to start the tour.
     I liked how I had enough time to get to the game after the tour, the Blue Jays played the Tampa Bay Rays. Toronto won 4-0, aided by home runs. It was 2-run shots in the 5th and 8th. I was sitting next to a British man and he asked me to explain the rules of the game. I guess it isn't close enough to cricket. After the game I did get more souvenirs besides the game program, as I like keeping score. I liked finding some trading cards in vending machines, reminding me of the Montreal Expos game I saw in 2002. I got some decals as well. All were cheap, a dollar or even less. I walked around for a while after the game, wanting the correct change for it so I tried to find what was cheap at a souvenir stand and it meant getting a Blue Jays pen. I am thankful nobody said anything, but maybe it was due to moving the entire time or I hadn't been at it all that long. I am a brisk walker. Once I bought what I wanted I left the stadium right away.
    I knew I had plenty of time before the comedy show I would be attending in the evening, so I walked over to Fort York and Exhibition Place. There is a historic part of Fort York, an arch, but it is still an active military outpost so I got a picture of it and moved on. I got a photo of the Princes Gate once I reached Exhibition Place. It looks like it was being used as a Pan-Am venue as well since there was plenty of security around it. This is the site of the Canadian National Exhibition, it sounds like a state fair in America but a national one.
   I did perform at the comedy show I attended, there was church pews in the room. I kept the sign up list as it was left behind after the show ended. I was told by the MC I had a name like a Las Vegas lounge singer. I was a pretty big deal at this show once they heard I came from the Twin Cities to perform there, and what else I was in town for. One comic referred to it in his set, how the Pan-Ams scared away all of the Americans, except me. Since many of the people on his tours happen to be from Spanish-speaking countries during the Games. Another comic spoke about taking public transport to jobs, but didn't get the reference right. The dictator that made the trains run on time wasn't Hitler, but Mussolini. I mainly did a set about Toronto from an outsider's perspective, not necessarily about the events I attended but the things related to it. I didn't get many laughs but when I spoke with the MC after the show he said I was going fast. I tend to do this when I am not as sure of myself, and I hadn't performed outside of the Twin Cities much yet. I spoke at length about various subjects with another comic after the show. I like how one can find common ground if looking hard enough. Comedians will understand each other fairly well no matter where they go, the need to do comedy especially.
     I found a pizza place nearby after signing up, and an older woman was interested in how I was attending the Pan-Am Games. She asked about ticket prices, I said most tickets were very affordable. She told me of some events going for over a hundred dollars, I had to ask which ones and who was selling them, most likely the black market. I think she was confused or not paying attention to me as she spoke of a nearby retail building becoming condos soon. I said it doesn't affect me as I am not from Toronto. I thought I stated it clearly early on how I was in town for the Games. I wanted to make it to Chinatown but ran out of time. I have a postcard of it though, bought at a shop a few blocks from my hotel. This was the same one where I found a can of Coca-Cola which had some art on it about the Women's World Cup in Montreal, depicting the Olympic Stadium where the Expos once played. This was why I wanted the drink, another nice souvenir. It has been busy but fun here in Toronto. Well worth it to have made the journey as I have made memories that will last a lifetime.  

Pan-Am Games Boxing, Oshawa

    I saw 12 of 14 matches at the pan-am games boxing venue in Oshawa. I was late getting there on the train, it took longer to get there than Ajax as it was east of Ajax. I may still have seen more than a woman in my row as she was getting up often, either to pee or to get food and drink. once I got there, I stayed in my seat as I didn't want to miss any more than I already had. There were no knockouts, it was less likely to happen as this is amateur boxing so it was 3-round fights. I saw a few knockdowns and standing 8 counts, and the fight doctor looked at one fighter, shining a light in his eyes and giving him something on his forehead. One crowd member on the other side of the arena yelled something in Spanish, 'Que pasa, amigo?' I don't know much from this language but knew he said 'what is happening, my friend?'
     After the session I rode the train back to Toronto and liked meeting one of the venue employees, he gave me a souvenir keychain. I also got his photo, much like the previous night, though that was one of the baseball players. I found out the venue employee was my age, and besides that we knew what it was like to have a dad who worked in a factory as his dad worked at the General Motors plant in Oshawa. He showed me a video from an awards ceremony from the weight lifting competition, which was at the same venue but earlier. This was the first day of the boxing competition, one of the reasons why I chose it as it fit my schedule well. I took plenty of pictures of this venue, including all of the flags inside. Others were of the more permanent displays, like those who have played or coached for the main tenant of the facility, a minor league hockey team. I was interested in the upcoming events as well, like a curling competition and a Barenaked Ladies concert. I had seen this band perform when I lived in suburban Chicago, on a New Years Eve. Of course they are also known for doing the theme song for the TV show 'Big Bang Theory'.                                  
     This day started a little earlier in terms of events. I had a ticket for the basketball session which began at 10:30am. it was bought before I knew what teams were playing, and after finding out the US team wasn't playing I bought another ticket when they were playing once I got to town. I saw Argentina beat Venezuela. At halftime I got some souvenirs of the Games, a shirt and a program. I got more pictures of the archival photos on the walls there, including of Pierre Trudeau. I was told there was another section devoted to concerts, but I had to ask permission to look at those as it was in a secured area. I got to look at it for a few minutes but then had to move on. This venue had hosted the likes of Elvis Presley and the Beatles and Neil Young. There of course was the music. At the pharmacy it was Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms and Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane. I got a country music CD there, a wide variety of performers. This included Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, and many others. At the basketball game it was Tick Tock by Kesha, Can't Touch This by MC Hammer, Everybody Dance Now by C and C, and Lose Yourself by Eminem. Others I heard later included Since You Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson, Applause by Lady Gaga, Mmmm by Crash Test Dummies, Raise your glass by Pink, Swing your partner by Pitbull, and I knew you were trouble by Taylor Swift. After the game I eventually made it over to the railroad museum I had found the previous day, near the Blue Jays stadium. It was small inside but there was plenty outside, big trains all around. There was a kiddie train as well, rides were for a nominal fee but I didn't ride it. I liked finding an elongated coin machine there. I got change for it as it was one dollar and I had a two dollar coin. So I got one of these without having to tour the CN tower, which was more expensive. In one building I was a little surprised I wasn't alone when I made it in an room. There was a teenage girl with braces on her teeth. I said there were worse things than being surprised by the sight of a pretty girl. I said I had braces as a teenager, and asked how much longer se would have them. As I recall it wasn't much longer, I said hang in there. I also found a micro-brewery next to it, and hopefully I can tour it before the Blue Jays game.

Hockey Hall Of Fame, Toronto

    It was great seeing some Minnesota players honored at the Hockey Hall of Fame, including Herb Brooks, coach of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team. I bought an advance ticket for the Blue Jays baseball game as I was near the stadium. I will be attending on Sunday. After the purchase I heard some music playing. It was 'Heartbeat Song' by Kelly Clarkson, so I stayed to dance to it. When some passers-by noticed this, I said 'Love that Kelly Clarkson'. I also heard 'Shook me all night long' by AC/DC today while out and about. I liked seeing the Olympic-style flame near the stadium, which serves as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies. Other notable things included seeing another street performer, but this one was much more tame than the snake guy. It was somebody who was showing off soccer ball skills in front of an Adidas shop. He was likely hired to bring in customers, since it is a sportswear shop. I also liked hearing the story of one of the locals, who spoke of being a stripper. She was an immigrant from Palermo, Sicily, Italy as a little girl and hasn't spoke to her birth dad since age four. She also spoke of having ADHD and taking meds for it. I felt bad for her, but I know this kind of story is fairly common sadly. It is a joke I had heard at the comedy club before: strippers often have daddy issues. It made me think of the song 'We Can't Stop' by Miley Cyrus, as it speaks of a strip club- in reference to the act of 'Twerking'. I also thought of the song as another line in it was 'only God can judge you'. But I liked the one right after it more- 'forget the haters, because somebody loves you'. It also makes me think of the song 'Everybody's got a story' by Amanda Marshall, as she sang of how everybody has got a story that could break your heart. Then there's 'White Men in Black Suits' by Everclear, which also mentions a stripper in it. I thought of how as a comic I am not all that much different from her, as I am broken as well. It explains why I do comedy as it is a coping mechanism. Other notables were somebody who said his name was Raymond and for some reason I didn't think of 'Rain Man' but another movie, 'Forrest Gump'. Much like a visitor from Hartford, CT, we got started talking at a bar when I was having a drink. Time and again, I think of how deep down we aren't all that much different. I probably thought of 'Gump' as I had a hard time making friends for a while. But he spoke to me before others did. So I liked meeting this 'single serving friend'- which makes me think of yet another movie- 'Fight Club'.
   I went out to Ajax again today as I had another day-pass for the baseball games. The US team played the final of three games, so this was why I had plenty of time to do other things which was nice. The US team beat Canada 4-1, and I was outnumbered by Canadian fans in the stands. I didn't want to lose my seat as the stadium was nearly full, so I stayed there for a while but eventually I knew I needed to get food. Some food vendors made it into the stands, but didn't have what I really wanted. Near the end of the game, when the US was leading and a few people had left, I felt more comfortable leaving my seat to get food. I got a bag of popcorn. This made me a legend in the stands. as I guess some liked how my quest had finally been fulfilled. I said the food wasn't coming to me, so I went to it. This did remind me of the 'hot dog story at Wrigley Field' I sometimes tell. It was a valuable lesson about how sometimes you have to tell people what you want, and I learned you can't for people to just offer it to you. A man on the shuttle bus found out I am an American, and he started asking me about presidential candidates, and I got bored rather quickly. I said I would much rather talk about entertainers. Not sure why he asked, maybe since I am in the minority in terms of Americans who can name Canadian prime ministers. I had to read the paper to find out who is the current one, Harper. I could name some others from yester-year, such as Trudeau, Mulroney, Pearson, and Chretien.
    After breakfast and a shower this morning I went to the internet café. The shower was backed up in one bathroom in my section and the toilet was ready to overflow in the other. For some reason I flushed it twice, as I couldn't see where it was clogged. The staff came to clean and a plunger worked on the toilet. I made it to the hall of fame around midday after eating at an A and W, and before that having some massage therapy near the food outlet. My back can ache at times so it is helpful. I ate on a tin plate, and I am used to having hard plastic trays. The metal tray looked a lot like a little cookie sheet. The look of this fast food chain is slightly different in Canada, as the trademark or logo has an arrow encircling the A and W. And the menu includes the burger family, as in terms like uncle and cousin. I got a teen burger. At the hall of fame I got a few small souvenirs, one was a hologram postcard of the building along with a little plastic puck and some hockey cards. I liked seeing mention of teams and leagues I knew of, like the Iowa Wild and the Chicago Wolves. There was a wall of pucks near the entrance, it included a Chicago Cougars puck, a minor league team before the Wolves, in the 1970s. I was intrigued at how this team, as I read on Wikipedia, had to move some games to a shopping mall in the suburbs, Randhurst in Mt. Prospect, a mall I did go to when I lived there. But this place is a depository of many things hockey-related, so maybe this shouldn't surprise me much. I didn't want a picture with the Stanley Cup as it was an extra fee that I didn't want to pay. I had back to my hotel after I was done touring as I needed to get my baseball ticket. I made it to Union Station much earlier this time, and aided by an express train I was at the venue before the game began. But since I didn't want to wait in line for food, as I knew the game was going to begin soon, it meant waiting longer than I had planned on.    

Pan-Am Games Baseball, Ajax

   I saw the USA baseball team play at the Pan-Am Games in Ajax, a loss to the Dominicans. In the evening it was on to the basketball venue, the USA women's basketball team beat the Brazilians. The basketball venue is the former  Maple Leafs hockey arena, known as Maple Leaf Gardens. This name is still present on the façade, which I liked seeing. The arena is blocks from where I am staying, and is now a facility owned by Ryerson University.
   Early this morning I was woke up by swearing outside, as my room faces the street. There was 2 police cars, and the officers spoke to a few people. I couldn't find the internet cafe that the front desk told me about, it appears to be a Thai food place now. The front desk told me of another place, it is father away, and I passed by the U. of Toronto to get there. I ran short of time trying to do everything I wanted to do, as I needed to get the train to Ajax to see the baseball action. I did have breakfast in the dining hall before I ventured out, nice that this meal is part of the room charge. I saw a man and his young son at the table I was sitting at. He asked me to take my hat off, and I did. They were in town for a karate tournament, and are from Guyana, a nation he told me won its independence from Great Britain in 1966. I had heard of Jamaica winning it in 1962.
    The US team played the lead-off game of the day, starting at 12noon, and I didn't make it in time for the start of the game. The train left from Union Station and took about 40 minutes to get out to the Ajax station. Then it was a shuttle bus to get to the venue. The game was in the 3rd inning when I got there, and the US lost 6-4. The Dominicans had 2 home runs in one inning to go ahead. I got a hot dog and some water, then an ice cream sandwich. I started watching the second game, it was Cuba against Nicaragua. But after a few innings I noticed it was too hard to take pictures as my camera wasn't working properly. The screen had lines on it and was rolling between games when I wanted a photo of the porta-potties. It still took pictures, but they weren't good in most cases as I couldn't aim it. I called from one of the porta-potties to get a ticket for the women's basketball game in the evening. I went to the venue in person in the morning and was told the 2-game session was sold out but tickets would be made available about 30 minutes before the session started. The US team played the second game. This gave me more time to get back into Toronto for the game. Somebody opened the door and swore at me, I had forgot to lock it. So then I locked it and continued the call. Then of course it was a shuttle back to the Ajax station, and the train to union station. I like riding for free on the trains due to the Pan-Am games ticket for the day.
    When I got back to Toronto I found a place serving pizza as I was walking back to the hotel, and somebody on the street was talking in French before then. C'est vrai, oui. I knew this meant it's real, yes. I knew that much from French in high school anyway. Near Union Station I saw a copy of the Mona Lisa as sidewalk art, it was one of my pictures for the day. The hotel told me there was a Best Buy store a few blocks away. A comparable model camera was available but no exchange possible, as it was different countries. I needed one that worked as I wanted pictures from the basketball game I would be attending. I liked getting plenty of pictures inside, as there were many archival photos from when it was the Maple Leafs arena. One was of hockey player Tim Horton, same name as the donut shops. It was where I dropped the new camera and some of my change, so I wasted no time after it on getting a drink. It was Minute Maid apple juice in a bottle. For a while I sat next to a Brazilian woman at this game behind one of the baskets, close to Brazil's bench. She eventually moved, after I took a photo of her on her camera phone. later on she wanted one while she was holding a Brazilian flag, but I didn't take that one. I was pleased to find out the US coach is Lisa Bluder, who is also the basketball coach at the U. of Iowa, where I graduated from. The US team beat Brazil 75-69, and led for most of the game. Songs I heard at the baseball venue included Money for Nothing by Dire Straits, Rocking in the Free World by Neil Young (albeit an instrumental one) and it was funny to hear it during Cuba's game. I probably also heard a Taylor Swift song somewhere.

Kitchener Airport

   Two flights brought me to the Kitchener airport in Ontario, Canada, from the USA. Then a cab and two buses finally brought me to Toronto for the Pan-Am Games. I found my hotel and saw a comedy show in the evening. On the way to the hotel I saw somebody showing off a live snake downtown.
   This is my third visit to Canada, and my first to Toronto. On the flight the couple from Las Cruces liked the one about 'We can marry you at the airport' when I arrived back at MSP after visiting Great Britain in 2012. Since I was traveling with somebody I wasn't married to. But I said I didn't want to get married there, same as Mall of America, which has a wedding chapel. One kid was visiting family and his passport was around is neck in a plastic sleeve like a St. Bernard.
    When I arrived at the airport of course I went through customs, I said I do stand-up comedy but didn't expect to be paid for any performances in Canada, this was largely a vacation for me. My guess is I would need a work visa if I was being paid. This airport looked small, not many airlines service it. I chose it as I wanted to use miles from my American Airlines account to make it a free flight. I am not sure why it was hard to fly into Toronto unless it was the airline I chose, or possibly due to the Games themselves. I was smart enough to turn down an offer from a cabbie to take me all the way to Toronto, as it would have been well over a hundred dollars. What I found online said a van would be less than half this amount. So he ended up taking me to the bus station in town, 35 dollars. This still proved to be more than the buses that I rode the rest of the way into Toronto. I had wanted to find a place to eat but it wasn't possible due to various factors. One of them was the convenience store at the bus station didn't accept my Visa card, out of country maybe? And the ATM didn't work there either. So I ate nothing in Kitchener as I didn't want to be in town for long. I wanted to be on the next available bus when it left town, which was in 10-15 minutes as I recall. When I was walking a few blocks from the bus station to the bus out of town, as it was too big to pull into the bus station, I got a picture of a plastic flamingo. A construction worker who was directing pedestrian traffic in the area took notice, and asked to pose for one of my pictures with another flamingo. I couldn't hear him at first due to the construction but I turned him down, which is not typical of me, as I said I needed to get to Toronto. We had to wait for a replacement bus along the way as the air conditioning stopped working, and it was warm in the back of the bus. All of us moved, and I eventually went to the upper level as it was a double decker. When I got to 'Square One', and I understand I was in a suburb of Toronto, it was where I had to transfer for another bus. The name bothered me a little as I thought of the term 'Back to square one', but I took a leap of faith that I could still get to my destination without much fuss or muss and I did. It didn't cost much to ride the second bus, less than the first. I ended up in downtown Toronto near Union Station, and knew I needed to find a place to eat by then. I found a McDonalds in the lower level of a shopping area nearby, I think it was close to the hockey Hall of Fame. From previous visits to Canada I am used to how at McDonald's there is a maple leaf on the golden arches to let you know what nation you are in.   
     I am staying at a college dormitory at Ryerson University, but I don't need much while in town, as I expect to be busy for most of the time and just need a place to sleep. I noticed I had a low battery on my camera so I left it at the hotel to recharge and found a comedy show just a few blocks south of there. I had been recommended Time to Laugh and Yuk Yuk's but I wasn't at either of these. The show had two MCs, a man and a woman. She spoke of being a 'trans woman' and started off with jokes about Joan Rivers, a slut, and a hooker. A later comic spoke of finding an ex on Facebook. Another spoke of a kid's birthday. I heard the term 'Zed' being used, I do not hear it often in the USA but I know it refers to the letter 'Z'. I also heard a comic make on observation about rape jokes are fine, pedophile is not. I know I seem to notice this at most shows I attend. One comic was wearing a Clarkville Cardinals shirt and spoke of Plenty of Fish internet dating. A later comic spoke of 'Fist me', which I know can mean various things. Others were about handle me at my worst, and the movie Patch Adams. I also heard a reference to Bruce Jenner, and Jared from Subway, and rob a vending machine.
    After the show I spoke of being from the Twin Cities outside the club, and showed the list I was given. I was told of one place on Sunday where it was show up get up, so I think I will go to that one. What I liked about this venue was how clean it looked compared to many of the comedy venues I am used to seeing, where one can expect to see some graffiti in the bathrooms. But I did not see anything like that here. I found some ice cream at a nearby McDonald's, a different one than the one I have already mentioned. When I was coming out there was a lovers quarrel in the street, it was a middle aged couple. The woman was wearing a Maple Leafs hockey hat. She spoke of being hit by a chain. I didn't want to hear how it was going to end and got out of there right away, back to my hotel. And there was a panhandler outside the club, one comic gave him a coin but I gave him nothing. Bot of these things I witnessed reminded me of what I have observed before, how the difference between the 'Haves and have-nots' is much more pronounced in big cities. 

Disarm, Smashing Pumpkins

    As I was getting home from the comedy club tonight, I heard on my car radio the song 'Disarm' by Smashing Pumpkins. The songs by this band still do resonate with me, especially in this one with the line 'Killer in me is the killer in you'. As I was leaving the club and starting the drive home, it was 'Come undone' by Duran Duran. That one is all right, but I liked 'View to a Kill' more.
    This was a good show to see as it was the finals of the contest, and I knew four of the six finalists. This included Long Straw, Soap Opera, a comic I will call ice cream, and the rapper. Mason City was MC and International Falls was show closer as she won it last year.
    International Falls did ones about casual sex, street harasser, and a mom's day poem. Ice cream scoop did ones about looks like a basketball player, Harvard sweatshirt, Denny's and Perkins, pimp fashion, why they get ice cream, Ray Romano, TCBY, and Adam's apple. Long straw did ones about Tom Hanks, Coors Light, Forrest Gump, he is from Beloit, pyramid scheme, Scan Tron, Casey's stores, Sudafed bullets and moonshine, a Deliverance movie reference, foot fetish, catalog, Big Bird, a childhood insult, too many feelings, and a Little John song. Mason City made a Smash Mouth reference. Rapper did ones about fireworks, grand finale, 3 year old son, refried beans, Chipotle, Vikings stadium, chicken sandwiches, had to call her a ho, call dibs, and Donner Party recipe. Soap opera did ones about loves his mom, ex-therapists, watch One Life to Live, called by Dad's name, want a parade?, play flute, Lord of the Rings, and a fat Jedi.
    After getting home I still had plenty to do, like get my ballot in for an election with the AHA, American Historical Association. I did vote for a candidate that is an instructor at the U. of Iowa, my school. It also meant asking for flight preferences I will need for being at a writers convention later this summer. After answering surveys from E-Rewards, I noticed I hadn't redeemed survey money in a while, just over two months ago. So I requested miles for the American Airlines account. I found out they also have Southwest Airlines and I now have their frequent flyer account as well. 

Kellogg's Corn Pops

    This week the discount table item I bought at the grocery store was Kellogg's corn pops. It was a box full of 8 pouches, and two of them make a bowl of cereal for me. I am down to two currently, because it tastes good they have been eaten for more than just breakfast. It looks like it ended up on the table as it expired in February, but it is non-perishable and it all tasted fine to me. I got the box for just a dollar, as the saying goes, 'Reduced for quick sale'.
   At the comedy club tonight, Bathtub was show closer. This was one of ten 'Ring of honor' members performing, including a recently added one. Note page did ones about bread, tortilla, Twitter, cat lady, and Lund's. Belarus did ones about his tiger outfit, and The Hobbit. A newer comic did one about a video blackmail. Wee bit did ones about free like a couch, privilege, roses, oyster, dreams, and a dildo. School bouncer did ones about Omar from 'The Wire', hunt and fish, and throwback Thursday. Wisconsin girl did ones about wrestling, walk on animals, deer hunt, and 4H. Postage stamp did ones about welcome to NYC, secret service, ducks, haters, a million dollar bill, and not my problem. Worthington did ones about Eric Church, Blake Shelton, tough dad, cyber bully his dad, and wine and knives. Fever comic did ones about a Las Vegas cab, strip club, Sky Mall magazine, and Stand By Me. Maryland did ones about coasters, A.P. and Nike, Amazon, an unemployment office, Disney movies, and loyalty hos. Sub teacher did ones about Gone With the Wind, Simon Says, kittens, advisors, Pawn America, shattered dreams, and a Catholic wedding. Bathtub did ones about urns, robot, GPS, crystals, first kiss, role play, and played clarinet.   

The Duff Movie

   I watched another Redbox rental around midday, 'The Duff'. I liked a preview I had seen for it. The term is an acronym for 'Designated ugly fat friend'. I already did a Twitter posting about it saying I probably was a 'Duff', as I was equipment manager on the football team. It was an intelligent message movie. I liked seeing a clip from 'The Simpsons' in it, which explained her mom doing seminars. It was also funny to see her mom trying to drink wine while operating a riding lawn mower. It did remind me of some earlier high school movies I had seen, mostly 'She's all that'. The ending seemed to be a little too close to this earlier movie. Another was 'Romy and Michele'. Though 'Romy' was more about a class reunion, and told the high school experience through flashback. It was also funny
to hear the talk about all of the social media sites people use. There weren't many well-known actors in it, all I knew was Alison Janney, who played her mom. The scenes at the mall were also funny, when Bianca was there to try on outfits and get pointers on having a successful date.
   I also went to a comedy show in the evening, there was a prom theme and it was crowded inside the venue. I did show up wearing a dress shirt and the elephant tie given by my former boss and mentor. The lone female member of the turkeys was there, back from Los Angeles for a few days. There was a crowning of a king and queen as well.

St. Paul Pedestrian Mall

    I went to the Bastille Day celebration, done by the French Alliance, at the St. Paul pedestrian mall downtown. I found out the former Artist Quarter will now be called 'Vieux Carre' and it is owned by the Minneapolis-based Dakota jazz club. I get the reference, as I recall it is a section of New Orleans, which likes its jazz music, and it is the French translation of 'French Quarter'. I got plenty of pictures there, including of the musicians. One of them looked and sounded like Leonard Cohen, who first performed the song 'Hallelujah', as he had a raspy voice and because of the hat he was wearing. I know Leonard Cohen is French-Canadian.
   Before this event I did some errand running, like checking mail at the post office, paying on my Best Buy account after getting the new digital camera last month, and printing things at the library. A technician was here around midday as I called for service on my internet connection. The call woke me up but I didn't answer, when I responded he said he decided to work on another job first so I went to McDonald's to have a breakfast sandwich. He spoke of getting a bee sting on another job.
   In the late evening I went to a comedy show, it was improvised stand-up, and I knew many of the performers. This included the producer, New Ulm mayor. I liked getting a beer at Bryant Lake Bowl after the show. Nothing like drinking a Schlitz outside on a warm summer night among friends.  The songs after the show I heard was 'East Bound and Down' (from the movie 'Smokey and the Bandit') and 'Rainbow Connection' (from the Muppet Movie). Besides the mayor, I also saw resistable, Red, and poster artist perform. I added poster artist to my Ring of Honor tonight when we were having a beer after the show.

Bedlam Theater, George Play

   This evening I went to Bedlam theater in Lower-town St. Paul sand saw the 'George' play. A friend from the comedy circuit was in it, playing Washington, this would be Whopper. Also in this play was Ukulele, who played John Adams. At first it was in doubt as to if I was getting in, but some of the pre-sales did not show up so I got a seat on a 'Side stage'. Another actor, can't recall who, said he had seen me do stand-up so he wanted me in there. It made me feel like I was living in the 'Budapest hotel' movie where they said 'You're that guy' and it made all the difference. 
    I did make it to the comedy club after seeing this show, and I did get stage time tonight for the first time in a while. I did do the Budapest Hotel bit. Also at the comedy club, Postage Stamp did ones about the million dollar bill, Ben Franklin, Minneapolis a bike friendly city, and a 12-ton taxi. Tortoise did ones about the actor The Rock, Matt McConaughey, Grand Theft Auto, bowl of cereal, truth or dare, Domino's gorilla, and rapper at bus stop. Mr. Pibb did ones about tickets, Laffy Taffy, his dad, Pokémon, open mouth cough, Star Wars droids, and Woody Allen. Ragu did ones about a big dumb brown guy, red shirt at Target, and ask for out of boredom. Woody did ones about an ax shop, band of thieves, process of extinction, shower curtain, limousine, and get up or shut up. School bouncer did ones about Omar from 'The Wire', weapon and bait, Facebook flirt, throwback Thursday, and Terry Cruz. Note Page did ones about Twitter followers, wait at Lund's, cat lady, and cheap sandwich. Perkins did ones about African plains, bought a Craigslist bike, and crowd rap. Fever comic did ones about a stolen pizza, flashlight, waiting in line, weed too legal, cults, and he was Catholic. Stillwater did ones about French toast, breakfast soup, Columbus ships, it's dry heat, chili sauce, Beatles, Stones, Beethoven, and Mozart. Pottery Barn did ones about writing down wedding vows, related to each other, baptism certificate, and ex was a stripper. Ice cream scoop did ones about a 40's basketball player, less barely legal, working in a ice cream shop, no driver license, a list of heroes, social security numbers, and Ray Romano. I told Fantasia about a new comic, 'he lost me with the first one'. Fantasia did ones about girls like jerks, Michael Jordan, I want a desk, Legos, Bat Cave, McDonald's, JFK video, couples role-play, peek at you costume, Spiderman argument, and vocabulary. Duffel Bag did ones about choose body type, fluffy cows, like being reliable, jean shopping, and class reunions.

Great Waters Brewing Company

    I went to a 'stir' or 'mixer' event tonight, it was at Great Waters Brewing Company in downtown St. Paul. This is inside the Hamm's beer Building, I had been to other businesses there before like Park Square Theater but not this restaurant and micro brew. I liked being able to move around a little and talk to four others, I started shortly after getting my beer and some bread pudding. The first attendee I met didn't say much, and spoke of being in nursing school in Mankato. That is a long drive for an event like this. It seemed easier to speak to the other three, especially after I got started on what are my strengths- doing comedy. It also helped to cover fairly universal topics like favorite movies. On our nametag we were asked to write down a place where we want to visit before the end of summer, I said Walnut Grove. A little surprised how some are not familiar with it. I had to say it was made famous by the 'Little House' books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and then the TV show.
   Upon a check of the postal mail, most was junk but I liked seeing something from the History Theater, a place where I see one play a season. There was mention of a play covering the history of First Avenue, a music venue in Minneapolis where I have seen two shows. But it is at the end of next season, so not until April and May of next year.  I did watch a 'Big Bang Theory' rerun before I ventured out tonight, it was the one about Sheldon and Leonard weaving a tangled web of lies to avoid seeing a play Penny was in.

X-Rays Postponed

   I had a dental appointment in the early evening after work, and found out shortly after arrival that the X-rays were being postponed as the DDS was unavailable. So it was just a teeth cleaning tonight. I got out a little early, which was fine with me as I had enough time to get home and drop off some things before I went out to the comedy club. I did perform, and did ones about an old man who spoke to me at Super-America as well as one about my cousin's wedding. At another club I liked hearing live music, including a violinist. One of the songs she played I recognized as 'Clocks' by Coldplay.
    Also at the comedy club, the taller of the brothers did ones about crack skulls, studio apartment, it is your bathtub, already look homeless, sell guitar, and a bike on a train. Blind side did ones about Dennis Rodman, get hitched, Netflix password, Michele Bachmann, weather girl, and Bemidji and Saginaw. Ding dong did ones about an AARP card, here daughter's college fund, initiation, and storage wars. A comic who has been to Sturgis and likes holding the mic out did ones about a lucky number, Papa John's, security alarms, coconut, and sperm donor. Mr. Pibb did ones about Dad kisses, Pokémon, Star Wars droids, and Woody Allen. Radio personality did ones about a Wisconsin cabin, Rain Man reference, apple orchard, and a gangster squirrel. Laundry did ones about used hot dogs, dog whistles, fruit tray, honeydew, and Cub Foods potato salad. Godmother did ones about kids at movie theater, foot fetish guy, old tooth, pedometer, sleepwalk, married at first sight, sister an arsonist, and a panic room. Magic man did ones about on the milk carton, synergy energy, HR at college paper, chips and salsa, and an MOA bathroom. The shorter of the brothers did ones about a treasure store, Monopoly cheats, locked keys in car, old folks home, cat fell, sand castle, Sea World, fortune cookie factory, and needle in haystack. A special guest was an 88-year-old woman, about her dogs. Long straw did ones about being from Beloit, Scan Tron, Casey's stores, a Deliverance movie
reference, and Carly Rae Jepsen.

Soup With Fork

    In the main break-room at my workplace they have run out of spoons. I didn't want to go searching for one in a smaller break-room so I ate it with a fork. It wasn't entirely problematic, as it was chicken noodle and the noodles and chicken chunks were big enough to eat with a fork. I usually am not a big fan of consuming the liquid anyway. But I am hopeful that we get some spoons in soon.
   At the comedy club tonight, I did more jokes about attending my cousin's wedding. Some of them were inspired by the family pictures I saw there. I also got a photo of the beer cans I drank from tonight, a Hamm's and a Pabst. It is good as art. One comic, lunch lady, called me deep because of my beer choices.
    International Falls did ones about Go fund me, werewolf rescue, 4th of July poem, art for sale, ex's car, bathtub of blood, national bird, work in social services, goth style tights, suicide women website, and police dog poem. Fish noodle did ones about can't afford car wreck, sleeping in, get away from poisonous situations, make out at wedding, clink glasses, and drove semi to Illinois. Apron did ones about a bathroom plunger, and crowd work. Note page did ones about kicked out of AA, dangerously poor, sandwiches for lunch, and proletariat. Nebraska did ones about HCMC, Subway Jared and FBI, and yoga pants. Blind side did ones about being adopted, what he is worth, invest in IBM, a gay vampire, and Ann Coulter. A newer comic, who reminds me of a psychology term, did one about slice an avocado. Lunch lady did ones about being paranoid, facial hair, married to a cat guy, and duct tape not Spanx. Soap opera did ones about watch One Life to Live with mom, called by Dad's name, more ex-therapists, camouflage pants, and you doing ok? A newer comic, I think I will call ice cream scoop, did ones about working in an ice cream store, less barely legal, no driver license, and social security numbers.
  I found an insurance card after the show, very nice! I just had to keep searching in the FedEx bag where I keep health insurance-related items until I found the right envelope. So now if I need to enter anything I have the membership number available. I am the type that keeps what looks important, even if I don't look at it right away I know about where to find it when it is relevant. 

Angel Lush

    I decided to prepare the Jell-O vanilla pudding I had just bought at the grocery store from the discount table. It tasted fine and I am saving the other half for the next day, after dipping some graham crackers into it. A recipe for something called 'Angel lush', not to be confused with 'Angel dust', was on the box. Besides the pudding, it calls for crushed pineapple in juice, whipped topping, angel food cake, and strawberries. I don't cook much so I don't see myself making this dish, but I am the type that looks for knowledge everywhere. This includes reading consumer product boxes like this one. There is also mention of how to make classic pudding pie.
   At the comedy club, Maryland was there but did not perform. Yemen native did ones about student loan debt, Farmville, and art crawl. Bus fare did one about Chipotle. Tetris did one about a donut and bagel. Wee bit did ones about oysters, and dreams. Perkins did ones about Buddy Holly, dolls, and camping. Opera singer did ones about a tornado, space camp, and MacGyver. School bouncer did ones about The Wire, wells in Africa, and throwback Thursday on Facebook. Oklahoma did ones about a kids dream, and a bumper sticker. Worthington did ones about a tough dad, Eric Church, cyber bully dad, wine and knives, and Kid Rock. I got a shout out early in his set. Louisiana did ones about Jacks Pizza, trees, radio Shack, and swamp rats. Sub teacher did ones about the Titanic, Labor Day in China, and a tiny Freud. Postage stamp did one about a coin flip election. Fever comic did ones about sex fantasies, deer suicide, and birth control. University accountant did ones about Michael Moore, a vending machine, Target, and a presidential library. Laundry did one about used hot dogs. Extra murder was not on the original list but was show closer. He did do this joke, and after the show I said I liked hearing it again. Others were about ghosts and Flintstone. At the office the payoff report was lighter than typical for a Monday. 

Recall Transaction

    When I did my weekly grocery store order this morning I noticed when I was about to check out I didn't have a valuable coupon with me. So I was permitted to run back home, not too far away, to go get it. It was put in 'Recall transaction' for me until I returned. I liked how they were willing and able to do this for me. I did some other errand running after it, such as printing things at the library as it was closed on Saturday for the holiday. It also meant doing laundry.
   This afternoon went to another St. Paul Saints baseball game. This one was notable as there was a giveaway- a Bill Murray shirt. It is an orange one, celebrating the construction of the new stadium. I learned how CHS Field has the gates opening earlier than Midway Stadium, so I allowed for it today and was in line before gates open. Based on past experiences, I know if one is in line this early then one will get the item. I also got the one they handed out last year, where he is wearing a Saints hat.
   I didn't know what to do at first to stay occupied until first pitch. The first thing was the easiest, and it was walking all the way around the stadium. eventually I decided to go to my assigned seat, and watched some of the batting practice and then saw the batting cage being taken down. I also got a photo of the video board telling us about the giveaway item. I liked seeing the 'what's in the bag' between innings entertainment, much like at Midway. But it has a different sponsor now, it appears to be the nearby farmers market. The Saints won 3-2.   

Mortdecai Movie

     I saw the movie 'Mortdecai' as a Redbox rental. It was promoted at the comedy club as an advance screening, and I have seen all of them except the reboot of 'Arthur', which looked 'too dumb' to me. It was no doubt odd to see Johnny Depp playing a high-class Brit dude, especially when he came across as a 'Bumbling idiot'. A few times I had to go back a little to catch what he said due to the accent he had. It was also kind of funny to see his faithful manservant always seeming to be in the right place to get him out of a jam. I did like hearing the term 'Countrymen' being used. It was about art dealing and art thieves, my guess is this story isn't done as a comedy too often. I liked seeing plenty of actors in it I recognized, besides Depp there was Gwyneth Paltrow and Ewan McGregor. I made the right choice on seeing it as a Redbox rental, some movies are worthy of being seen in this format more so than at theaters. I would have been disappointed if I had seen it at theaters. I had this video for about 7 hours, long enough to watch it and get it back to the McDonald's it was rented from. A preview on the disc
interested me, the movie is called 'The Duff', a 'Teeny-bopper' movie as my dad would call it. When I returned the movie it didn't appear to be there, so it means researching as to its status. Is it coming to theaters, not yet on video? Since I am picky about movies I will be content with seeing it as a Redbox rental as well.
   In the evening I went to the St. Paul saints game, and a big crowd was there, announced at nearly ten thousand, for the 4th of July fireworks show. It sounded like it was the biggest fireworks show in town, since the Capitol is under construction and the Taste of Minnesota is no longer at Harriet Island due to flooding. I saw plenty of people on the other side of the fence looking in, waiting for the show to start. It was after 10pm since the game went into extra innings, the Saints lost to Fargo-Moorhead 8-7. The Saints scored first, going up 4-0 in the 3rd. There was back-to-back home runs to account for all of the scoring in the inning, both landed in the bullpens. I met a some people to talk to, and this included a fellow comic who was in costume, Whopper. He was promoting an upcoming show, will have to see if I am able to attend it. I got pictures of not only this comic but also somebody wearing a Lincoln t-shirt. Nothing unusual there, but it was Lincoln as a rock star, a guitar player. It does remind me of how this president became an icon, and I discussed this a little with who wearing the shirt. I had to study it as to why, and I said the most likely reason is he is a martyr due to the assassination. I brought out the Linus blanket, given away at a previous saints game, for sitting down during the fireworks show. I hadn't used it much yet. I had a standing room ticket, and walked around the stadium for most of the game.  

Comedy All Stars

    One comedy club I go to regularly was closed for holiday, found this out when I showed up as some of the servers told me. So I said I had already paid for parking, and I was having a beer before I went anywhere else. I went to see the comedy all stars at another club instead. It was a good show all around, School bouncer was MC, I also saw Opera Singer, Wee Bit, and Fever Comic perform. Opera Singer gave me what I will count as a shout out. At work it was a slow day, especially by afternoon, so it was a good day to get caught up on paperwork, and this meant printing old emails. If it is a year-old email, I get rid of it.
    School bouncer did ones about back from the cabin, kayaking, cousin a gang banger, comfortable with jail, a t-shirt, a hip-hop tattoo, Ice Cube, rap beef, kill you just cause, smooth jazz, talk radio, bed skirt at Target, thick thighs low self-esteem, 100 year old woman, kick rocks, Blind Side, and check the fridge. Wee bit did ones about rapping on the street, as real as it gets, gas station cookies, Christ was a carpenter, Rainbow Foods, and Foot Locker. Others were about bought condoms, trash can baby, studio apartment, pasta sauce, Right Guard extreme, Tony Hawk, generic cereals, got to do what you got to do, sniper rifle, just felt right, when I was afraid, Laffy Taffy, Great Clips, Super-America, stolen phone online, the shrug, had to buy it at Kohl's, bring girls, Johnsonville, and first dic-pic.
     Opera singer did ones about drinking in a basement, flax seeds and water, I do it for me, lactic acid buildup, Grateful Dead, multi vitamins, fish tacos, brother a re-enactor, he is at the fort, Bible drinking game, Phil Collins, Tarzan, Cap'n Crunch, Lunchables and M and M's, bartender, music school, Irish whore bag, cougar bait, and opera pick-up line.
     Fever did ones about arrested, drug dog, teach people to read, sick kids feel better, doing more cocaine, airport sandwiches, one guy in line, thrown off plane, luggage at strip club, Sky Mall magazine, Stand By Me, emergency landing, Home Depot, fight like a dominatrix, fundamentalist deer, football year round, birth control, dental appointment and floss, are you old? commercial, Netflix login, gambling is an American thing, and car insurance.

Johnny Cash Duets

    Tonight I went to the Family Dollar and got two items. It was mainly to get microwave popcorn, but I also liked seeing a CD of Johnny Cash duets as well. It has 14 tracks, and includes duets with his wife June, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and Willie Nelson. This is a compilation done in 2012. I looked at all of the CDs and DVDs, kept near the front of the store, some I knew better than others. I tell myself all the time- make it count- meaning get just one.
     It was nice to get caught up at the office, aided by having just three settlement letters to do. The
volumes are likely affected by the upcoming holiday. I will need to allow for it on taking the bus to work on Friday, as it is limited service, running on Saturday schedule.
    I liked getting some adds on Facebook friends, after seeing them in a 'People you may know' list. One of them is now a journalist in Michigan, and she tells me a studio tour- my idea- was part of the inspiration to pursue this profession. She is known as 'Peerless one' as I haven't found any friends that compare to her. I said thank you for the add, and how I liked a photo riding an elephant. Same friend who sent me the Twitter invite nearly a year ago. I finally accepted hers after turning it down a few times before from others.

Stuckey's Pecan Log Roll

    I like trying discount table items, and in this weekly grocery store order I bought a Stuckey's pecan log roll. The taste if it does remind me of the Pearson's salted nut roll. It was just one dollar and came in its own box. One of the reasons for choosing it was the memory of family vacations when I was young. I recall riding from Iowa to Missouri and often seeing signs for Stuckey's. I understood it to be a restaurant, but according to Wikipedia their locations may have even more services than this.
   At the comedy club tonight, I did more of 'my story through music'. Some of it was about attending my cousin's wedding, but also about seeing the band Nirvana still popular. I am still seeing Nirvana shirts and there was a feature on MTV that spoke of another album being released, of a 1991 concert. During a break in the show another performer said he liked the Nirvana bit as it was relatable.
   Also at the venue tonight, the show runner did ones about a Midwest girl, I'm a fighter, I got hopes and dreams, most beautiful thing about me, keep going to the river to pray, last love song I will ever write for you, and no more picket fences. After I performed the show runner did ones about a little unsteady, if you love me let go, and I was noticing what was on the TV monitor in the background. It went through facts about Pink the singer. I also heard 'because I am TNT, dynamite' by AC/DC. Then there was never been to heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma. what does it matter? A rapper did ones about mistake, neglect, and allow creation to inundate. A guitar player did ones about it must be love, I don't pretend, sunshine when you're with me, music is the reason why people laugh and cry, and walking in Central Park, singing in the dark.
    Others I heard were use me until you use me up, ain't no sunshine when she's gone, Mustang Sally, stop my Monday, Tuesday's just as bad, and give me one reason (I know this is a Tracy Chapman song). The performer I spoke with at the break did ones about don't live with regret, got me coming back for more, and last night a great night to last for all time. A guitar player spoke of being deported from Thailand, and did ones about dreams will tell you why, why did you kill the buffalo, and trap the beaver?
    The boss is out of the office already for the holiday. For the Wii walk this afternoon, we went to the Saints stadium, just a few blocks away.