dunce cap not available

while in training, some people are still forgetting to lock up their computer before walking the floor. and today the trainer decided to get out a hat that will be worn by whoever is guilty of this next. I said 'dunce cap not available?' as this one is more colorful and not pointy. I liked getting more practice in, better able to recognize non-reviewable claims so it means I am spending less time on each case. there was another online class to complete. sounds like 'one on ones' with the manager will be soon. the trainer said she is running out of stickies to use when people forget this task. but not me, I learned that lesson a long time ago.
    I went to the karaoke bar in the evening and sang 'hazy shade of winter' by simon and Garfunkel. it seemed like a good one while it is winter. and I heard about a paul simon movie this week, 'one trick pony' from 1980, it was one of the hits I found when wanting to look up the term online to see if I was using it correctly. a regular wanted to make a joke about the delay on me getting to the stage, but the bar was packed so I had to wade through the crowd. but shortly after I was done singing, it cleared out. go figure.

lock before you walk

more than once today, I saw people get dinged at work because they did not lock up their computer before leaving the training room. it led to the trainer leaving plenty of stickies on their monitor, which said 'lock before you walk'. we were reminded of how important it is related to security. I had hoped to close more cases than the previous day, but it was not to be. I closed two cases. I had hoped it would be three, but I asked to be checked at the end of the day and found out it was non-reviewable. so I felt bad about how much time I spent looking at it. it was one of two that happened to be non-reviewable. but I think this will help with learning what to look for, although I wish there was a better way than trial and error. the trainer had hoped to see fruit in the breakroom this morning, but it was not there. but it was there around midday. and some of it was pears, in addition to the apples and bananas. I already have bananas at home, so I have been getting an apple a day. some were late due to the weather, a hold-over from the snowfall overnight. I was still early, but not as much as before so it meant doing no reading from a book. no big deal to me. it is hard to tell how many people are still in the class, the trainer said when there was a visitor that there was 12. we started with 14, so I am not sure if they were just absent for the day or had already been cut. I guess I am a little paranoid since my last job was with an agency and it ended way too early. but all I can do is show up every day and do the best I can. and tell myself that we still have plenty of time to practice things before it counts. we got a 'mentor' in the afternoon, so now there are two people who can check cases.
   at the performance venue tonight, I spoke some about the new job. it was great to see magic man, he went on near the end of the show. I tend to go on early at this show. All I care about is being part of the lineup so I don't mind going on early, this week it was third. I also spoke about a junior high teacher in my set. A later comic tried to roast me with the story and of course it didn't land with me. for one thing, he didn't pay attention to the story. I get annoyed with anyone who can't get their facts straight. I actually arrived at the venue before the show runner did, as he was finding his way from a show he was a part of across town.

shot in the melon

there was a man that wanted to talk to me after I was done performing tonight. he asked me if I had heard of a certain open-mic, I had not. later one he found me again, and spoke of being shot twice, one of those was in the melon. then he spoke about an open-mic, maybe the same one. I said there was one I had performed at in that area, and it sounded like the same one. but I was referring to it as a re-purposed building and not its current name/occupant. so it was weird without a doubt, but I am used to meeting some weirdos when I am at the performance venues. the show runner it sounded like has sweatshirts for sale, which explains why I saw some on a table near the microphone.
   at work I asked to work independently on practicing with claims, as it was hard to find anyone to pair up with anyway. I feel like I learn more this way. one classmate wanted a private talk with the trainer early in the day, then she ended up leaving early. I was able to notice how the door shut to a conference room as I was passing by. I was able to close two cases. I did say that I have to motivate myself more at my age to get through learning a new process as I end up thinking, 'I am a rookie again?' we all like being experienced at things but it means going through being a rookie. and I know I am willing to learn and just need to be given the room to grow.

signing a hat

i performed at the comedy club tonight, and after the show I met two couples that wanted to talk to me, saying they liked my set. one spoke of wanting to get a show going in another town. and somebody wanted me to sign their hat. this was a big deal to me, first time it had happened. I had to look at who else had signed before me, and said I am not a headliner. but not all were. so it was kind of cool, getting this recognition. I hesitated to sign as I saw who was already on there, mostly headliners. but I am starting to see plenty of evidence that I belong in the same company as them. whenever the opportunity presents itself again, I am unlikely to hesitate. but I was trying to think of other times when this has happened in my performing career, and I was hard-pressed to find one. I can only think of when I was co-MC with the big dog many years ago, and I signed a cartoon rendering of me on a poster that included all of the other performers of the show. and I know this was around the time of the death of twins baseball player harmon Killebrew, which is relevant. since he spoke of teaching younger players how to sign legible autographs. so I decided to take some cues from it, since my signature on a bar receipt usually is not legible and just looks like scribbles because I go really fast with it. I talked with them more than the other couple, as I found it to be a mixed bag. the one wanting to be an event coordinator was fine, that is who I gave my business card to. but the other I found to be annoying, was trying too hard to be funny. and I get bored with those who think they know me well enough to try to talk for me, when we just met. this is not a 'one size fits all' world and I am not the typical comic. it is still a question of when or if I am ever contacted about stage time, of course. as sometimes it goes nowhere.
    we did more practice at work today, starting week two. but it went much slower than I would have expected. but I am also aware of how they are still rolling  out things we need to become familiar with and the most important thing is to get the practice in now while still in training. just learn whatever you can and the rest will take care of itself.

your cheatin heart movie

I watched a DVD this morning, 'your cheatin heart', an order from amazon. it is a bio-pic about hank Williams, the musician, from 1964. the credits say that his son, hank jr, performed the music in it. I recall saying 'somebody is going to get punched' more than once while watching it. I was familiar with some of the story as I had already seen a more recent version, called 'i saw the light'. I think the only actor I recognized in this one was red buttons. it had the same feel as many other bio-pics from the black and white movie era that I had seen earlier. the highlights of their life were given, and sometimes this is done by showing newspaper headlines. I think all of the songs of his that I am most familiar with are in the movie.
   in the afternoon I went to the library to print some things. not long after I got home it was time for prime time TV, and I watched two 'simpsons' episodes. one was about letting more people into heaven, the other was about lisa reading the book 'to kill a mockingbird' and the episode becomes a parody of the book and movie. I put in another DVD after this, 'purple rain', the prince semi-auto-bio. so I didn't see much of the Oscars. I read online how 'bohemian rhapsody' won 4 awards, which is cool. I saw the movie at an advance screening in October. I of course am reminded how the movie 'wayne's world' from 1992 made the song popular again, I saw it at the theater. according to what I found on twitter when I did my weekly posting, there was a 'wayne's world' reunion during the award show. it made sense since mike myers has a role in 'bohemian rhapsody'. 

north by northwest movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library this morning, 'north by northwest', the thriller by Alfred Hitchcock and starring cary grant. I didn't know much about the storyline aside from how it takes place at mount rushmore in south Dakota. it does, but only at the end. it moves around a lot before then, starting in new York city. an early scene in the movie seems to show the director himself being unable to get on a bus as it was leaving. I am familiar with how 'alf' as my dad called him liked to make cameos in his movies. it was a spy thriller, and a pretty good one. cary grant had some good lines in it, and I like a dour actor as I tend to be dour as well. eventually I figured out at least part of the movie title, as 'northwest' seems to refer to the airline.
   after that I went to the post office to check my box, as it was closing for the day soon. five items were there, including one of the two amazon orders. I think I will want to pause on the orders for a little while, since I am now back at work and have fewer opportunities to get to the box. then it was on to a job interview, at a hotel near mall of America. odd how I applied on indeed and still was asked to complete the hotel's application as well. I did this before meeting with the interviewer. I did not like having the session out in the lobby though, near the front desk. hopefully if there is a second interview then that one will have more privacy. I was given plenty of information about what the work will entail, and for this reason did not have many questions to ask at this time. I said my next stop was for a late lunch. I went to the IKEA but their snack bar only had cheese pizza. so I continued on to a speedway convenience store and had a chili dog. a little while later it was on to the library to return the movie and to print some things. I arrived about 30 minutes before closing, so I had to make some choices about what I was able to get done. there is always sunday of course for what is left over on my 'to do' list. for the rest of the evening the plans are to perform a guest set at the comedy club.

utz valentine pretzels

at work I am finding plenty of food available on the floor. today it was utz valentine pretzels, plenty of packets in a box. not a big fan of pretzels, a little salty, but I still ate them. I liked the packaging, saying they are x and o shaped. also has hearts on it, saying 'to and from'. there was some trivia on the back as well. this brand has name recognition as it is a snack food common in the east. I liked having utz potato chips when I am in new York city.
    it was nice getting to the end of the first week of training, although I may have over-reacted when I was unable to reach my kronos report and the payroll reporting system at first. with one of them I didn't listen to directions well enough, with the other it was a matter of guessing what I had to change the password to after the first log-in. everything is fine now though, just a matter of getting started. we got more practice in on the cases, I was in a group of three that included Maryland. the other one was somebody in a different row that likes to spend time on her phone. on the way home I tried the freeway but it wasn't moving that well so I went to secondary streets rather quickly. I just want to be moving at a decent clip. in the evening I went to Walgreen to pick up a few things, including the paper, but there are no movies at theaters right now that I want to see. this is why I get the paper once a week, to see the movie times for the weekend. later on I went to sing karaoke, I did 'shooting star' by bad company. it was crowded at the venue, at least in the room where karaoke was being done, but we were moved from the typical room. I had some popcorn as usual.

alternate kronos machine

I liked finding out there is a second kronos machine at work, where the line can be shorter to stamp in and out. kind of like in college, how I was willing to go to another floor when I needed the bathroom and the one on my floor was being cleaned. or when I am at the airport, there might be a shorter line for the security check if one is willing to look around for it. I have walked the floor at this office quite a bit already and I know where most everything is. the trainer said some things in the system are 'muscle memory' and this concept can apply to various things in life. Maryland gave me a DVD, the movie 'purple rain'. now it means finding the time to watch it. we did more practicing on looking at claims, and there was a guest speaker about HIPAA violations. some weird stories were shared by this guest speaker, some extreme cases of when violations happened. but I understand why, as we must be on alert for what works and what doesn't so we stay in compliance.
   I did some karaoke tonight, two songs. 'closer to fine' by indigo girls, and 'i'm still a guy' by brad paisley. I saw the truck driver and his lady tonight, she did a smart phone photo with him and he gave me the bunny ears in the photo. but we needed three tries before she got one that she liked. he shared some of his social media videos from his smartphone, clowning around while on duty as a driver. he was wearing a bra in one of them. it does remind me of how I like to ask people about their life experiences, as I am constantly wanting to learn and understand better. so it would be a good story to tell if I ever get a chance to ride in one of these 'big rigs'. of course, if they allow passengers and when I have the time for it. I likely don't have paid time off available for a while. they left the bar shortly before I did, and I saw them driving away in a chevy impala.

my first roast show

I was thrilled to be at the comedy club tonight, as I was a performer at my first-ever roast show. I did not know the main roastee but I accepted his friend request on facebook and I went to that forum to get ideas about what to say. when I arrived I found out I was to roast more than just one comic, and finding material about those I know better was no big deal. I did my set near the end, and I said I was thankful to the yemen native for the stage time when others wouldn't book me for a roast. they claimed that I hadn't said anything bad about anyone, but the way to get me to do something is to tell me that I can't. I liked how I grew as a comic because of doing this show. it is truly a case of relying on your wits if one wants to roast a dozen comics. the main roastee is originally from SW Minnesota, and was an all-American wrestler in college. many of his friends from work, and from his hometown, were there and a few of them went onstage to help with the roast. after it was done I headed to my typical venue for the night and it was nice to see the button there. I also wanted to see the headliner, who I had done a fringe show with. I don't think she has a nickname yet, but I got a shout-out when I laughed at her joke about throwing things.
   I found a different route to work and the commute was no big deal this morning. I left earlier and it moved fairly well despite the snow. I spent some time in the breakroom before I had to report, and read some from a book that was in my lunch bag. I probably hadn't read from it since I did the test scoring job. at lunchtime I got a fruit pie, banana cream, from Maryland. he said he was on the phone with another comic, the Philadelphia native that has a Stephen hawking shirt. we are moving right along with the training, and I look forward to learning more about coverage on pharmaceuticals.

controlled fall on ice

I went to perform this evening, and after the show I saw what looked like a river of ice on the sidewalk going down a little hill. I tried walking on it anyway, and felt myself falling so I braced myself. I liked how it became a controlled fall on the ice, kind of just sitting down on it when I knew it would happen. I then made it back to my car without incident. notable was a man wearing a millennium falcon shirt that wanted to talk to me during my set after I spoke of les paul changing music. I asked if we could re-convene after my set was done. I then said 'WTF?' after the show ended and heard somebody talking loudly and found out it was the same man. eventually I saw the show runner say to him to get his guitar and leave. it wouldn't surprise me at all if he was under the influence of something. he claimed he was being disrespected. I saw no need to see much more when the situation seemed to be under control so I left. it was nice to see the new orleans native, he was onstage when I arrived.
   I did some more online classes at the new job, 6 in all, but it sounded like I just needed to do 4. I saw more of the screens we need to become familiar with by the end of the day. so I like how we are moving right along with the training. the commute was problematic this morning, and I had to call an audible on the route and I still showed up late but was not alone. so I still need to figure out what will work. it may mean trying another route, but I know I want to find a way to make it work.

long strange trip

it was my first day at work in Edina. and it was weird to see somebody I already knew, in the same training class as me- Maryland. hadn't seen or heard from him in a while. when I first saw him I said 'eventually I will tell the long strange trip it has been to what led me here today'. of course I meant jobs like these, a day job, and not performing. I said I think 'long strange trip' was the name of a grateful dead album, and it was- a compilation, or greatest hits. as expected, there wasn't much real work on the first day. I ended up doing 8 online compliance courses. no surprise how we have plenty of them when we will be handling health insurance. we had an hourlong lunch and we were sent home a few minutes early.
   I went to perform in the evening, and before that I saw brawler at the comedy club and spoke about who I saw on the first day at work. I also spoke about seeing the movie 'lucky number slevin', which he had recommended, and how I picked up another one, 'north by northwest'. so there will be another one to talk about in a week from now. the stage lights were bright tonight, so it was harder to see the show runner with my cue that my time was up. he sang a version of leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' as well as one about a scotsman's kilt.

lucky number slevin movie

I watched a DVD on loan from the library around midday, 'lucky number slevin'. this was a thriller that was recommended by brawler. I liked how it kept me guessing for a while, until the end. at first the story seemed a little too weird, a case of mistaken identity. but there was more of the story to tell. so it is correct to say how the movie started off slow but got better after a while. I like bruce willis, he is in it. he is good at calmly telling a story, much like in this movie. it was a good cast all around, with lucy liu, morgan freeman, and ben kingsley as well. it takes place in new York city, but I saw the closing credits where it shows that it was filmed in Canada mostly, Montreal and Toronto. no surprise on Montreal, since I saw plenty of French names in the credits. a big part of the story was rival gangs, and it took a while to explain how all of the characters were inter-related.
   watching the movie was one of a few things on my list today, the others included getting to the library to print things and doing laundry. since I am going back to work on Monday I figured it was time to do laundry again. I know it had been a while. when I was 'on vacation' I didn't feel the need to change all of my clothes daily. there were a few weirdos at the laundromat, the first asked me about sandwich shops but was a little impatient with me, then left. guess he wasn't doing any laundry. the other was doing laundry, with his wife and daughter possibly, and at times it looked like he was mocking me to get a reaction out of me like when I was checking voicemail on my phone but I knew better than to take the bait. while I was there I went to a nearby grocery store and got some day-old pastries for a dollar as I went through those little Debbie brownies quick, bought the previous day at Hy-Vee. when I got home I was watching 'the simpsons' while putting away laundry. marc maron was on this one, I think the big dog has opened for him before at the mall of America venue. I did dishes, then called my dad, saying hearing a beatles song this weekend, 'want to hold your hand', made me think of him. he said he heard it while in Minnesota on national guard duty. I liked how he told some family stories and stayed away from politics. he said my grandfather liked connie francis. and I heard some more about one of my immigrant great-grandparents. when I spoke of how I missed out on hearing more about them when I was younger, such as my first-ever plane ride to Arizona to visit his aunt, he said he has a wide range of interests as well. so I think he understood that part about regret, but at the same time it didn't mean enough to me then. I had to wait until I was old enough to care about these things.

bottleneck after annual meeting

i attended my third spire credit union annual meeting this afternoon, at a mega-church in eden prairie. there was a bottleneck after the meeting, but I noticed it was no big deal after I got past one of the doors from the venue where people were leaving. people wanted their $25 and it meant turning in their ticket. I still wanted to look around at their tables, which I was unable to do before the meeting as it was starting soon. I asked about their visa card, but it doesn't appear to be any lower on the APR than the card I already have. they were out of st. paul saints baseball schedules as well. I got some water and a cookie before the meeting. circus juventas performed there.
  I got some errand running done before I made my way there. this included turning in some change at the bank, over two dollars. one employee asked how the job search was going, I said I would be starting on Monday. she spoke of a younger sibling liking video games, and said she felt old. I said age was a state of mind. then it was off to the library to print some things. this included the show announcement for the roast I am doing next week. on my way home I stopped at the post office, and the postcard from Israel finally arrived. it is of French currency, before they adopted the euro of course. of course there are some orders on the way, and more ideas after that.
    after I got home from the meeting I waited to go grocery shopping, knowing I was tired. so I laid down and eventually went to Hy-Vee to use a gift card that my dad sent for Christmas. I liked how I was under the $25, it helped that there as a special on the orange juice. I am thankful that I stopped to find my new workplace on the way home from the meeting. it should be no big deal getting there every day, depending on how well the traffic flows on the freeways. then I went out again to sing some karaoke. I did 'video games' by lana del rey. it was packed at the bar, it explains why the PBR was sold out and I had to get a busch light instead. also how there was not much popcorn left.

leinenkugel beer cozy

I went to perform karaoke tonight and I picked up a Leinenkugel beer cozy that was on the floor. I guess the venue was giving them out. I found a use for it already, as I put it on a can I have kept as a souvenir from a visit to Canada. I sang 'lightning crashes' by live, and some people wanted to interact with me while singing. I liked the popcorn there as usual, and for a short time I sat down and watched part of an ultimate fighting match.
    I can my car into the repair shop this morning, after a check engine went on this week. not thrilled about it when the previous repair is not yet paid off. but sometimes one has no choice in the matter, as I want a reliable car that will get me to work and to the performance venues. then I went to a Walgreen and picked up various items. there was plenty of valentines day candy left over, and now it is half off so I got a box of chocolates as it had a charlie brown and snoopy theme. of course I also got the paper, as I get it once a week for the movie times. in the afternoon I printed some things at the library, getting ready for going back to work on Monday. I was called by the agency while I was there, so I paused my computer and walked around until I found a good place to take the call. I decided on the hall next to the bathroom. there is a form to sign about the attendance policy. then I was sent the email about the first day, and I will present the signed form when I arrive.

the loft movie

I watched a DVD this afternoon, on loan from the library, 'the loft'. it is a thriller, and we all know how I like thrillers. it is about a loft apartment shared by five friends. it starts with a woman found dead in the apartment, and then the story is told about what happened. I liked how the five friends were decidedly different personalities, although I didn't recognize many of the actors in it. the only one I did is also on the TV show 'modern family'. thrillers usually have sex and violence, and this one is no different.
   I had an interview and math exam for a state government position this morning, and the lot was full so I had to park at the hospital ramp nearby. I also got called about an interview, from the same agency, but had to turn it down as it is next week when I am not available. in the evening I went to the karaoke bar, and did two songs. it was 'fire water burn' by bloodhound gang, and 'i was wrong' by social distortion. it was important to me to get there this week when I couldn't make it last week. I found out I was not alone on staying home, according to the karaoke jockey. I had a nice surprise as I was leaving the venue tonight. I got a flower from the flower salesman and he said 'happy valentines day' and I said 'thank you'. this made it a more memorable V-day than typical. it has been put in water, in the same vase I was given when I attended my grandma's funeral over a decade ago. 

nobody's fool movie

I watched a DVD this morning, 'nobody's fool', a redbox rental. I had a free night code to use. this movie was promoted at the comedy club, and I usually try to see them, although usually it is this way. I understood the storyline well, although I didn't like the main character's sister at all. a big part of the storyline was the on-again off-again dating relationship. many of the scenes were at a coffee shop. I didn't recognize many actors in it, just whoopi Goldberg (as the mom) and chris rock (who had a small role). I also didn't recognize many of the songs in it, even after looking at the closing credits. the only one was by janet Jackson, and it was early on in the movie. the friendship between the main character and an office colleague was compelling on some level. definitely more compelling than the two sisters, who were opposites.
     I went to a job fair in the afternoon, and I had been to one at the same place last month. this time there seemed to be more about claims, so I am more hopeful compared to the previous visit. then after I was done I went to the library to print some things. and I performed in the evening, I was fourth in the lineup- after the MC, of course. I moved my car for the snow ordinance this morning, so I was up earlier than typical. and since I was already out there, I checked my PO box and two orders from e-bay were waiting to be picked up.

celebrate small victories

i went out to do some errand running this afternoon, including returning a DVD to the library as well as printing some things there. when I got back home I was thrilled that I didn't get stuck anywhere. sometimes it is a good idea to celebrate the small victories. it helped that I was willing to shovel the snow around my car before I got started, of course. my wheels still spun a little when I was trying to get out of the spot, but not much. I may not have used the shovel much once I bought it, but I still like having it available. one never knows when it might be needed. and then I am less likely to need any help from others. a good rule of thumb, naturally, is to be careful when out and about to avoid any peril. but whenever it is in doubt on how far I will get, I have noticed that I often say 'keep going' in hopes of getting through. and I will admit that I am more likely to avoid stopping at signs as well, when I want to avoid getting stuck. all about playing the percentages.
   I drove around a little when I got home in the evening after performing as I wanted to avoid parking spots where there was too much snow. it was a lesson I learned from delivering pizza one winter in college. it is best to choose the parking spot that one can more than likely get out of, not necessarily the closest one.

black swan movie

i watched a DVD on loan from the library this morning, 'black swan'. I recognized many of the actors in it, such as natalie portman, mila kunis, winona ryder, and Barbara Hershey. I didn't know much about the movie before watching it, aside from mention on an online list about how it depicts mental illness. I found out this movie was loosely based on the well-known ballet 'swan lake'. what made it more engaging to watch was mention in the movie of what the ballet is about. it does have a decent number of ballet scenes in it, but I liked the ones away from it more. it in many ways reminded me of a 'big bang theory' episode inspired by 'lord of the rings' where the main characters take on roles from the movie, such as Sheldon becoming Gollum. I think the word I am looking for is 'embodiment'. where it made sense, once it is explained that 'black swan' refers to the 'evil swan' that mila kunis embodied the evil swan. and natalie portman's character was even told how she easily played the white swan but playing the black swan was harder for her. of course it was hard to like the domineering mother of natalie's character, but as my dad would probably say, you're not supposed to like her. so I liked knowing how never having seen 'swan lake' wasn't a hindrance to understanding or liking this movie. although the scenes depicting the delusions or illusions were hard to watch, but I understand those likely were necessary for telling the story properly.
   I made it to the library in the afternoon to print some things, and when I was coming out I was approached by a man that wanted a ride and I turned him down. I said I don't give rides to people I don't know. at first I said I had no money to give, which is what I am used to hearing as a request from panhandlers. I was kind of timid while driving as it was hard to forget my car spinning out twice this past week. it was nice to talk to chalm-skinn when I got to the comedy club, I had a drink while we talked. then eventually it was on to perform at another venue. I like seeing the mad hatter perform there, besides me getting stage time of course. he does music as well as comedy. also some wrestling, but I haven't seen any of that yet. I also spoke with whopper while at the comedy club about the upcoming fringe application deadline, I got some helpful advice about it. one never knows when I will get comedy material inspiration, in this case tonight I got an idea while signing up for stage time due to the conversation I had with the show runner. 

uninvited movie, 1944

I watched a DVD on loan from the library this morning, 'the uninvited', a black and white movie from 1944. it was about two ghosts haunting a house in great Britain. I was not familiar with any of the actors in it. but I liked how it kept me guessing for a while. for some reason it reminded me of a movie I saw that was more recently made, called 'the haunting'. it was a little annoying when there was a problem with the disc, where it stopped or 'froze' for a short time. I don't think I have seen many ghost movies before, but I watched some of the special features which said it was different in terms of earlier ghost movies were comedies and this one is more serious.
    I wanted to watch one of the DVDs this morning as I had plans to get to the library to write an entry in a contest for my school, the university of iowa. it was called 'write now', where one is given a premise and one has 48 hours to submit after that. I got it typed up and submitted with 20 minutes to spare. I liked having some fun with it, as I chose the 'fantasy' premise. I like how this kind of writing is challenging me as I hadn't tried writing much dialogue before, usually I go with narrative. I am thankful I went with my typical 'protocol' of avoiding freeways during the winter weather, as the news had plenty about the pile-ups out there. it might take longer when going on secondary roads, but I care more about arriving unharmed. I prefer being on secondary roads during a snowstorm as it is easier to stop when necessary as one is going slower, especially when there are lights and signs to stop at unlike on freeways.
   I didn't do much after getting home from the library, it was early evening by then. I had a meal, and watched 'the simpsons'- it was about homer learning to dance for marge. then it was doing dishes and deciding to lay down for a while. I expected to have missed most of the late news, but it appears that the news was late due to the grammy awards. I am aware of how there is that disclaimer how 'award shows can run overtime'.

tony montana sandwich

i went tio an event at can-can wonderland in st. paul at midday and ordered a tony montana sandwich. I hadn't heard of such a thing before, but guessed it was named after a movie gangster and was correct, the character played by al pacino in 'scarface'. it tasted good. I also had some of their in-house root beer, as well as some twist ice cream. I had hoped to do the golfing part of it, but I needed to get on the road to another event. also notable, as a history major, was seeing a drink named 'boone and crockett', after the pioneers. I was recognized by a fellow performer there, a children's entertainer that dresses in bright-colored outfits. she did some amazing balloon animals, including a monkey. usually I just see a clown do a 'dog balloon'.
    the second event was a hockey game at Charles schulz arena, also in st. paul. I like seeing a game there annually as it is named after the charlie brown creator, and there is a hockey-themed snoopy statue in the lobby. it is the home ice for cretin-derham hall, who was playing Stillwater. according to my binder, in 2012 this was the same opponent. Stillwater won 5-2. they led 3-0 at the end of the 1st, a goal about 2 minutes in, then close to the midway point, and then with about 2 minutes left. they led 4-0 at the end of the 2nd, the only goal in that period was with about 2 minutes left. cretin got on the board in the 1st minute of the 3rd, then got another one with just under 2 minutes left. but Stillwater got an empty-net goal with 10 seconds left, and that was it. I am thankful I made it back, I skipped last season, guess I forgot since I was unemployed then and it wasn't high priority to look up the schedule. I chose this one as I knew I was running out of time this season, as cretin has one more home game after this one and it is on a weeknight. I did the 'chuck the puck' event during the second intermission, but my throw was way wide of center ice. I liked seeing a poster on the wall of 'peanuts on parade', the first year of the statue series. I got food out of the vending machine, didn't want to wait in line at the concession stand. I got some TGI Friday's chips. the other item, snack cakes, were taken home and eaten as part of my evening meal.
   I went to aldi for my weekly grocery order after my evening meal and watching the 6pm news. then I was online for a little while and was tired from the events of the day, and laid down for a while. but I knew I wanted to get up and go out again, to sing karaoke. I did 'you learn' by alanis morissette. 

windshield washer fluid

my first stop this morning was to a gas station to get some windshield washer fluid. I used most of what was in the big bottle. it is hard to say how effective it is, as after I got out of an interview I noticed the sun had helped break up the ice more. there was three appointments. first was a phone interview, second an in-person interview. the third was with the back-to-work program. I spoke of accepting an offer that starts in just over a week from now. so I am pleased that there are no plans for further appointments with this advisor. in many ways I learned that I had to 'take charge' of the situation, be proactive. no surprise how there was more activity coming my way when I started applying more often. but at the same time, the accepted offer was with an agency, so I liked not having to interview for it. but I also became wary of agencies as they usually can't 'put their money where their mouth is' about opportunities. this was an agency that got my hopes up numerous times in the past year. but when there are no other offers at this time, I must go with what is available. the advisor said his wife had worked at this office for a while, once I found it in my printed forms what organization they will be sending me to. naturally it is a question of how I keep myself busy next week when I am going back to work soon. I am fine with still going on more interviews as I have the time. and then let things take care of themselves after that, in terms of if there are any more offers.
   in the evening I went to a karaoke bar. this was an important night as I know full well how I get antsy when I have to skip a night of performing due to the subzero weather. I did 'lullaby' by shawn mullins. I liked the name-checking in this song, this was why I wanted to do it. but also since there is mention of something really true about performing in it. how 'everybody has a plan'. it is a nice way to cap off the day, that for a while was my service anniversary at work with a place I 'called home' for well over a decade.

tilex bottle

I looked through the cabinet under my bathroom sink when I was looking for possible fluids to help with getting the ice and frost off my car windshield tonight. one of the items found was a bottle of Tilex, but there wasn't much left so I dumped the small remaining amount in the toilet. I had hoped to get to the karaoke bar but it was not to be. getting the snow off the car, and shoveled away around it, was no big deal. but the ice was thicker than usual. I worked on it for a while and decided to just stay home because I knew it would be hard to find a good parking spot after I leave the one I am in. best to wait for the snow plows to do their job. I went out to my car four times. first was to clear off the snow. then it was to clear the frost. third time I tried dumping water on the windshield and back glass, but it was only limited success. fourth time was after watching the 10pm news. during my first trip to work on the car, I fell on the pavement so there must have been some thick ice as I wasn't going that fast in my walking. I am still not sure how long ago that I bought the bottle of Tilex, but it looked like it had been a while as some of the lettering on the bottle had faded.
   I had no problem staying in when I saw how much snow was falling. I was to have a phone interview this morning, but the call I got was to move it to the next morning. he said the system was down. I still ended up with another phone interview, in the late afternoon. and now I have an in-person interview Friday morning as well, related to the phone interview that took place today. I spent some time applying on indeed, otherwise I laid down for a little while. then I had a late lunch when I woke up. and I did more online surveys for airline miles.
   

perks of being a wallflower movie

I watched a movie on loan from the library this morning, 'perks of being a wallflower'. I recognized some of the actors in it, mostly the ones playing adults. this included paul rudd, melanie Lynskey, and joan cusack. I liked how the setting was Pittsburgh, although the city's name is never mentioned. but I saw things like the green road signs saying 'fort duquesne' and things like a steelers logo on a coat, as well as talk of the penguins- so two of their sports teams. it is a coming of age story, and what made the mental health issues easier to stomach was how it is depicted on a limited basis. only a scene or two was in a mental hospital. of course I like the setting as I have been to Pittsburgh and would like to make a return visit. even a scene at a Kings restaurant reminded me of being there, as I ate at one near my hotel. I correctly predicted there would be a fight, in a cafeteria scene. I saw it as odd to see a pickup truck in it being used by the main characters, since one doesn't see them much in big cities. I very much enjoyed the music in it, one of the songs was 'low' by cracker.
    in the afternoon I went to the library to print some things and get two more DVDs to watch. in the evening I went to perform, and sub teacher was the show closer. I said I was at the bar when the show runner called for me. I was unsure where I was in the lineup, but at this show I am usually on early. a comic I hadn't seen in a while said he had a sunday show, I said I had been to that venue before. not much activity on the job front, but I got an email inviting me to another phone interview, it will be on Thursday. I am still looking at what is out there, even though I have accepted an offer it is something that doesn't start until more than a week from now. 

it's a group home

i had a job interview at midday, but it seemed less than professional to me on their part. for one thing, I had to contact them a second time to confirm that the appointment was agreed to by them and where it would be. although I found their website, I prefer to hear it from them. so about 2 hours prior, they got back to me. and I found out upon arrival that it was to be in a group home, and the interview was in the basement. it was also hard to understand this interviewer, and I am told there will be no benefits for this position. and I have no experience working in group homes. I spoke of having family that worked in nursing homes, but when the job title said 'administrator' it was confusing as this usually means 'in charge of everybody'. so it is no big deal if they don't hire me, as I don't think I would want the job anyway. I went to the drug test in the afternoon, and I needed help to get the sample as it was at a time of day when I didn't need to go to the bathroom. so I was given some bottled water, and drank some more from the water fountain, and eventually I was ready to go. first drug test for work in 20 years. it was in west st. paul, close to a costume shop I had been to before. I was expecting to get a call mid-morning about yet another job, but they never called me. so I am not sure what that means, but I also know he called me on Monday after I said by email that I didn't have time to talk right them so I already don't have a good impression of the company.
    I made it to the family dollar in the evening after my meal as I was still hungry, and needed a few other things besides food. I got some peanut butter crackers, potato chips, and the non-food items I bought were soap. I noticed how snow removal was happening near the store even though it hadn't quit snowing just yet. then later on I went to perform. and it meant a lot to get to this venue as I skipped it last week, too cold. I didn't recognize the fill-in MC, but caught their cue being kind of like another show runner doing the 'daunte culpepper gesture' as a way of 'lighting' me.

10 years on facebook

i saw a video celebrating 10 years on facebook today. I shared it and I said '10 years at anything is a big deal'. it was just under a minute. I got started fairly early on things, with wanting to get to the library to return a movie and print some things. I did a 180 in my car on the way there as it was still icy out there, and thankfully nobody was coming in either direction so I didn't hit anything. then I got ready for an interview in the afternoon. it was hard to understand the interviewer as he had a heavy accent. then I had another appointment, but it didn't take long as I was at an agency that wanted a passport copy and a tax form completed. I made it interesting by missing my turn on my way there. I performed at the comedy club tonight. yemen native gave me a ride back to my car after the show. there was a weird lady in the bar area after the show. I noticed she was wearing a bart simpson shirt, and had some gaudy yellow sunglasses, which made me think of what Elton john would wear.

never been kissed movie

I watched a DVD on loan from the library this morning, 'never been kissed' starring drew Barrymore. I do recall hearing about this movie when it was released 20 years ago, but this was the first time seeing it. there was a good cast besides just drew, as there also was john c. reilly, molly Shannon, and garry marshall. I liked the mention of the Shakespeare play 'as you like it' in this movie. the part about being more confident when becoming someone else rings true with me as I know this describes being a performer well. I found it to be predictable in some places, but such is the case when it is a movie about high school. especially when it comes to clashes between cliques. I just knew that a prank was coming, and I was right. naturally I liked how the setting was Chicago, as we all know how I have an affinity for that city. david Arquette, playing her brother, added plenty to the movie as well, even though his character was a dimwit, a slacker. I also liked what drew's character said about going back to high school, as it was her job to find a story as an under-cover reporter.
    in the afternoon I went to see the st. paul winter carnival, as it was the final day for it. I got my button pinned on to my coat. it had to move to Kellogg park as rice park is still unavailable, due to construction. it might have been a good idea to see the ice sculptures a little earlier, as they were starting to melt. but one never knows what the weather will be like. it was kind of muddy walking around there. before I entered, I dealt with a man who wanted to give me a beaded bracelet for a donation, but I said I didn't have any money so I gave it back. one of the sculptures appeared to be a teapot on wheels. I also tried to look at the heritage exhibit at the landmark center but it was locked. I liked looking around at the front desk of the building, I picked up a few brochures. there was a button there as well, 'bold north', so I got one as I like buttons.
   I made it home well before the super bowl began, and I started off with popping some popcorn. I recall my dad eating popcorn when watching it many years ago, the first one I saw when I was very young. the patriots beat the rams 13-3. later on I did the dishes, and I looked for more sheet protectors to shave from the binders. I freed up three more, and have re-deployed one of them as I filled up another page of my set lists from performing. the others will likely get re-used quickly.

you smell barn, ames center

i saw a church basement ladies play at the ames center in Burnsville this afternoon, 'you smell barn', the seventh in the series. what made the show for me was the new character, an Irishman. some of the jokes worked for me well, such as mention of hotdish. I also know it isn't the first time where meeting a catholic was a big deal when they are Lutherans. first time at this venue, the previous plays I had seen in the series were all in Plymouth. But I am aware of how the troupe had to move. there was two stages there, and I was sitting in the back row in the corner. I could see most things well except for if it was something at the actor's feet as we were on 'risers'. I am not sure which stage is larger as I did not see the other one. there was an art gallery as well, but it was vacant. looks like the most recent display had just closed. I liked having plenty of parking nearby in a ramp.
   after the show I drove home and watched the news. then I needed to get to the grocery store. but I don't mind going through when it is less than an hour until closing time, as it is less crowded. I went to a comedy show tonight, the crow was performing as well as laundry comic. hopefully I get stage time at this show again soon. then I went across town to do some karaoke, and sang 'fell on black days' by soundgarden. I am thankful I still got to sing, as it was in doubt based on the announcement I heard from the karaoke jockey when I had just arrived. but I got my song request in right away, although I usually arrive much earlier.

benchwarmers 2 movie

i watched a redbox rental today, 'benchwarmers 2', using up a free night before it expired. I got it because it was a baseball/softball movie. but I saw it as largely a rip-off of 'the bad news bears'. and one scene in it was a rip-off of 'the natural'. jon lovitz is in it, he was the only actor that I recognized. I checked Wikipedia and I was unfamiliar with the original movie, but noted how it had more actors I am familiar with, such as david spade. I said 'farce!' multiple times while watching, as it was no doubt ridiculous and unlikely, the true definition of the word. this was a 'straight to video' movie that had just been released to redbox apparently, and it is just as well as some movies are more worth the time when they are on video as opposed to seeing them in theaters.
   more things happened on the job front, as there was an interview this morning. but I didn't like the vibe of the place. for one thing, they said I had to leave my cell phone in my coat and hang it up. I am not used to hearing this. and it sounded like 'bait and switch' in terms of what I applied to on indeed, compared to what I was interviewing for. in the afternoon I joined a conference call about the offer I just accepted, and then was sent onboarding documents by email to complete. there was also a phone screen, this was after the conference call but with a different company. the interviewer wanted to move it up a few minutes as I was told there was a 'no call-no show'.
   in the evening I went to a friend's comedy show. it was an album release party, and yes it was on LP record. there were some others that I recognized, including one from a fringe play I did. I even liked getting a shout-out from the headliner. nit sure if he has a blog nickname, but I think he will be called Dracula after the name of his album.
   in other issues, I have an email that may lead to the end of this blog. but it is too early to tell. some mention of google plus going away in a few months. but I need to find out more. I also performed karaoke, one song. it was 'joey' by concrete blonde.