mustard bottle costume

I went to sing karaoke tonight, and I saw plenty of costumes. one of them was a girl as a mustard bottle. another notable one was a jack o lantern. but I am wondering how she got in and out of a car, when of course the puffy pumpkin was so big. I sang 'big river' by johnny cash, and 'matter of trust' by billy joel. I spoke with a dude for a while at the bar as he recognized me from doing stand-up.
    at work we had more job shadowing in the morning, but it was just two calls. then I had a meeting with my boss. there was plenty of treats for Halloween, including apple cider, and cups of popcorn. I had to wash out a soup can in a different sink since the first one was ripped out. I had to prompt a colleague that it was the end of the day when we were doing the email to the group, I saw no need to take too long with sending the message. looks like I have just one more of those 30-minute sessions in training, which is fine with me.
   in other issues, I went to the books are fun event at lunchtime. but much like seeing them at another job, not much was of interest to me. it is free to look though. I made it to the library to print some things, but ran out of time as I fell asleep and only had enough time to print three items on my list- by the time I woke up and drove there. when I got off the bus after work, I had to deal with an idiot when looking at a business that will be opening soon. but I know better than to argue with people, I am happy when the conversation stays short. I would much rather have peace than always win arguments, especially with somebody that I don't even know.

taco bell self-serve kiosk

I went to eat at taco bell tonight because of their promotion related to the world series. I liked seeing the self-serve kiosk on the wall there, makes it easier to place an order. I had seen some of these before, such as at mcdonald's. I decided to eat in because there was a seating area, but it didn't take long. I had three soft tacos. the main thing was figuring out the logistics as I was leaving. it was a cramped parking lot, so I pretty much left the same way I arrived. I did watch the world series tonight, as usual starting at home. the astros led 1-0 when I left for the performance venue. they were up 2-0 as I was leaving, and the nationals were ahead 3-2 during my drive home. I still like following a game on the radio whenever possible. then I watched the rest of the game at home, and the nationals beat the astros 6-2 to take the series 4-3. I was the first performer on after the MC. the Wisconsin couple was there as well. and there was some candy put out by the show runner.
    at work we signed into the system for the first time to see that it was working, but did not take calls. I was fighting to stay awake in the afternoon, I know this has happened before at this time of day, I call it 'hitting a wall'. some of what we covered was the language line, and the hard of hearing line. and this was familiar from when I did call center work before.

popcorn and cupcakes

I tried going to an open-mic tonight, but the venue was closed when I arrived. so I had some popcorn nearby at candyland since it was in downtown st. paul. this was on my way back to my car. before that I walked around downtown to the saints stadium and then union depot. I needed to go to the bathroom and figured I could do that at the train station, and I was correct. I passed by a few bars while walking downtown so I stayed aware of how the world series, game 6, was going. the nationals were ahead 3-2. I was watching it at home before leaving for the venue. then I stopped at a grocery store and got more limited edition cupcakes from hostess. on the way in I saw a fellow performer, the happy trumpet player. I asked what happened with the mic, and based on what he said and what I had witnessed last week, it sounds like it was equipment problems, same as about a month ago. I was still following the game on the radio and it was 5-2 by then. I got home and watched the rest of the game there. the nationals beat the astros 7-2 so the series is now tied 3-3.
   at work we are moving right along with training. it meant doing our time cards this morning, for the first time. then it was more about tax credits, and in the afternoon it was listening to recorded calls. so I liked being able to get back into the system, albeit a simulated one. although I needed to look at the manual to be reminded of the steps to get there. before the day started I was near the snack shack and I got annoyed with a colleague, who felt the need to say something I already knew. it was that we would be in the basement. I read the schedule, and we had a few minutes before the day started anyway. as the saying goes, not all who wander are lost.

chariton connections

i was riding the bus home after work and met a fellow Iowan, who had Chariton connections like me. but hers were closer than mine. we still had plenty to talk about. she said she was in school at st. paul college, culinary. she was riding with her young niece, who was about 5 or 6 years old. it all started with me saying I liked her shirt, since it was of the band known as my chemical romance. so we talked about music for a while, and this led to mention of slipknot.
   at work there was job shadowing this morning, but just three calls. all were related to address changes. and more going through understanding of various tax credits, as well as meeting with out accountability partner. in the evening I performed, and this meant mention of the coat story. I seemed to influence somebody who went on shortly after me. after the show there was a delay in getting off the main road by 8 minutes. I didn't know what to do aside from shut off the engine and get out of my car, to see what it looked like and of course if there was a feasible alternate route available. but I have said before how it needs to be a solution, instead of another problem, so it was why I stayed put for a little while. but I know well enough to stay close to my car so I am ready to go when I see movement in front of me.

judy (garland) movie

this afternoon I went to see the movie 'judy' at the Edina theater, about actress/singer judy garland. I watched the closing credits as well, it said the movie was based on a play, 'end of the rainbow'. so it is helpful to understand the 'source material'. the performance by renee Zellweger was good, but it was still hard to watch judy as a 'hot mess'. the storyline is of her London concerts near the end of her life. I liked her dry wit, and I laughed more than cried. I wiped away a tear when she sang 'over the rainbow'. it was no surprise at all that this song was in the movie, because it is about the star of 'wizard of oz' and it was that movie's signature song. when I posted on twitter about it, many others said the movie is Oscar worthy. and I concur. I really liked her assistant, played by jessie buckley. she looked familiar, and I found out she had the lead in 'wild rose', another movie I saw this year, the one about the british country singer.
   I did plenty today besides just see the movie. I also watched the bears-chargers football game. it started at 12noon, it was why I did not see the first screening of the day. bears lost 17-16, but they had their chances, such as 2 missed field goals, but also just one touchdown. after the movie and driving home, of course, I watched the world series. astros beat the nationals 7-1, so the astros now lead the series 3-2. I saw something in the background that caught my eye, the name of a player I did not recognize. I looked it up online and found out it was the team's 'ring of honor'. it honors not just the current team, but also earlier ones. both teams known as the senators, as well as the grays, and the expos, the fore-runner of the nationals. I am seeing them cover the history of baseball in Washington, DC, during the telecast. it is a big that the series finally returned to the nation's capital, for the first time since 1933.

look back in anger movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library this morning, 'look back in anger'. it is british, and I did not know many of the actors in it. I recognized the name of one, emma Thompson, but it might have been the first movie I had seen her in. this one was of interest to me as I saw it name-checked in another movie, 'mouse that roared', as a play being performed when the invaders arrive in new York. this play/movie did remind me of other shows I had seen, although some might just think of it as a soap opera. because of the drama in it. I was thinking of 'archie bunker' (all in the family) as well as 'glass menagerie', even 'streetcar named desire'. I am aware that two of those were by Tennessee Williams. one scene even made a subtle reference, saying that an actor looked like marlon brando. it all took place in a very small flat, or apartment. and it was a small cast, about five people I think. but I did like lines in it like 'the pain of being alive'. the british references in it weren't lost on me, such as Edwardian, as I know their eras are by who the monarch was. odd how they had to leave the room to take a call. I also knew that judi dench directed this version, and I know who that is, from the James bond movies. it was a thames network program, I know 'man about the house' was also thames, it inspired 'three's company'. in America it appeared to be shown on A and E. the show works for me, because of the passion and honesty in it.
   I have already done plenty or errand running today, because I have a gig tonight. it started with the post office, and the eccentric employee seeing a catalog sent to me and asking what I would be ordering. and I printed a few things at the library, and returned a movie, but did not get another one. looking at my upcoming schedule, I don't have a lot of time for watching them. after the gig, acting at a haunted house, I did some karaoke, but not at my typical venue. I wanted to find one that was closer, more likely to get on before the end of the night. I sang 'nothing else matters' by metallica. this will be memorable because I briefly left the stage and then returned, during a guitar solo. I had no choice, because I had to chase down somebody that was trying to leave with my coat. she came back to apologize, claiming it looked like her friend's coat. not even saying 'that's my coat' when I had the microphone was enough for her to stop. when I got home I checked the score of the world series game, found out the astros beat the nationals 8-1. so the series is now tied 2-2.

3 monitors, tax credits

at the end of the day at work, I had somebody help me get the three monitors set up. my laptop wasn't docked because it was too hard to figure out how the mouse would work on all screens. so it was nice that somebody stepped up to help. it was the one that is constantly making jokes, but I don't care who wants to help as long as I get done what needs to be done. then it was reading through more tax forms. I did not get to doing the figures, as I wanted to understand better what each tax credit was for. I haven't done ones like education credit on my own taxes, aside from student loan interest. I also decided to go a different direction while walking during lunch as I wanted to keep exploring the area.
   I watched the world series tonight, game three. the astros beat the nationals 4-1, but the nationals still lead the series 2-1. I left to go sing karaoke at the end of the 8th and the game was over before I arrived at the venue, as I was following it on the radio. I had to stop at an ATM first. I sang 'titanium' by david Guetta and sia. I saw a show runner from another venue just after I got my beer.

canada pooch

i was taking the light rail home after work and I saw some people get on with a dog that was wearing a coat that said 'Canada pooch'. but I don't think it was a service dog. I am aware that I will see all kinds of things on public transport, now that I am back at work. speaking of that, when I was checking email it was nice to be identified as a current employee. even though it was a rejection message. I am paying attention to what they are saying in training about not needing to wait a year to post for other jobs with the state. normally it is that long, in the private sector. we heard some more calls, three in all in the afternoon, taken by one of the trainers. I also had another meeting with my accountability partner, this was just after lunchtime.
   I responded to a message from my niece and she said she was giving a short response because she was at a chorus concert. I said I understand, and since it was early evening it was time for me to go eat. I laid down for a while, so I missed some of the Vikings-redskins game on TV. Vikings won 19-9. I had to be aware of the game due to where I would be driving to do karaoke. but even though I got a later start due to falling asleep, I passed by the stadium on the interstate just about when the game was ending so I avoided the after-game traffic. I sang 'come out and play' by the offspring. the karaoke jockey told me a story about giving somebody an uber ride from Fridley to Duluth, then seeing a comedy show up there. he said some of the performers were really young, like 16.

the snack shack

i made my first purchase from the 'snack shack' at work today. it was for some pringles potato chips, and it was 50 cents. so it was worth pretty much what I paid for it, since there wasn't too many. still funny when anything is referred to as a 'shack' since this is the definition of a small crude shelter for dwelling. I had my first meeting with my boss before midday, sounds like it will be a weekly thing. out of the 10 people in this new-hire training class, I may be the only one who was hired through a separate program. but I haven't divulged this yet because it is none of their business. it lasted 30 minutes, although the original allotment was 15. when I returned to the training room in the basement, a team building activity was happening. I saw pennies in a jar, I chose one from 1967 and as a history major I did my best to think of what happened that year. we are getting more exposure to the system we are using, and in this case it meant looking at a power-of-attorney.
   in other issues, I was sent some pictures of my niece, the one that called me when she was in the hospital. they were sent by my mom, and were done of her phone. there was seven, but some were a little blurry. I let my niece know on facebook, after I added her of course. I said it was likely the first facebook friend I had added before their 18th birthday. I understand these will be considered her senior pictures. I went to perform tonight, and I was the show closer. I told a karaoke story. actually it was a double one as one story reminded me of a similar one, an interaction in suburban st. louis. after the show I went to a nearby cub foods and picked up a few things. it included some pumpkin spice rolls, get them while you can this season. I caught some of the world series whenever i could. some of it was at the bar, but harder to do there. it was tied 2-2 after one inning. and, apparently while I was at cub foods, the nationals had a big inning and went ahead 8-2. I know this because I listened to it on the radio on the drive home from the venue. the nationals went on to beat the astros 12-3.

mic-check, open mouth night

I performed tonight, kind of. I was asked by the show runner to test the mic, there were some problems with it. so it wasn't the set I had planned on doing. the show ended early due to these equipment problems. this is why he called it 'open mouth night' but I also said some people may not need a mic to be heard. this is especially true in a small venue like the one we were in.
   at work there were panelists or guest speakers just before lunchtime. we heard from them about things like 'bidding' on a job. the second half of the day we went through the screens more, but I didn't like how the trainers were going too fast. there was somebody in the back that was helping me try to keep up. when I saw my boss at the end of the day I said this was a big takeaway for the day. sounds like we will have a 'one on one' soon. so I will have time to cover any issues. at midday it still was wet, and windy, but I wanted to get outside for a walk. it is hard for me to stay inside all day. I went into the website after I was done performing tonight to enroll in benefits. I didn't want to wait much longer to do so, afraid I would just forget about it. I requested coverage for medical and dental, hard to value the other offers like AD and D or disability. also at midday, while on the walk around the capitol complex, I saw a text message from mom about the memorial for an uncle. looks like it will be next month. I responded and said I will do my best to attend. I did so just before I left to go perform. I was watching the world series, which just started tonight. it was tied 2-2 when I left and it was still going on when I was driving home. the nationals beat the astros 5-4. this should be a good series, will have to find out how much of it I can watch due to my performing schedule.

lunchtime at library

it was raining at midday, so I did not do a walk outside during lunch. so I went to the library and found something to read, it was the 'explore Minnesota' publication. so now I have a few more ideas for places to visit. I am thankful that it was part of last week's tour, I just had to guess which floor. I knew it was above the floor I will be working on, and it is on 4th. the publication went back to September so of course some of the events mentioned there have already happened. the first half of the day was completing online courses. second half had some panelists where we could ask questions about the work. we also learned some about powers of attorney. so we are moving right along on the training, in day 4. I am thankful to have the online courses done and over with. my accountability partner showed up just before I had completed them, so I had them wait. I wasn't sure what we were to talk about, and a trainer said it was in an email. so we reviewed it and responded to the link.
   it was also nice performing at the comedy club tonight. it was a big deal to perform after the Worthington native, somebody I had opened for. actually he was moved up,  likely due to personal request, to shut down a crowd member. I covered some of the typical topics, such as going to a booya, as well as karaoke. one wasn't new, about families. I saw yemen native at the end of the night, he showed up after his gig at another venue was done. he was interested in how I went back to work as of last week. brawler spoke of doing another comic book or coloring book. I said to sub teacher that it would be nice to have his CD, he is having a release show this week. but when I have to think of my stage time first, it is unlikely that I will be at his show.

american honey movie

around midday I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library, 'American honey'. I was not familiar with any of the actors in it. I had heard of shia labeouf, who plays jake. riley Keough plays krystal, the boss, she is a granddaughter of musician elvis Presley. sasha lane plays star, who is the main character. this movie is long, more than two and a half hours. and even though it is about young adults selling magazines, very little scenes showing sales are in the movie. there is somebody whipping out their dick more than once though. and shooting off fireworks, at one point it was in the middle of a birthday cake. and the boss wearing a confederate bikini. it is also a reminder of why I no longer stay at motor inns, too noisy. the crew is shown staying at these kinds of hotels, such as motel 6. and people are always coming and going at those places. another takeaway for me was a scene in rapid city, south Dakota, where star is let in by young kids while their druggie mom is sleeping, and we see a bottle of shur fine ketchup when they open the refrigerator. I liked using this private label at a grocery store I once shopped at. I liked the weird and funny things with an exclamation point written on the label, specific to the kind of product. I still have a shopping bag with this brand name on it, and it says the brand 'inspires!' I like road movies, but this is not the best one that I have seen. I did like the scenery in it from the various towns they stopped in. at one point they talk about a song called 'American honey', which is where the movie's title is taken from. the song is by lady antebellum, I am not too familiar with this band, but I listened to the song on youtube.
    the only time I drove anywhere today was when I returned the movie to the library, and got another one. I also stopped at a cub foods on the way home and got another box of pumpkin snack cakes. I watched some of the bears-saints football game after getting back, bears lost 36-25. the Vikings-lions game was mostly happening while I was watching the movie, at least the first half was, Vikings won it 42-30. in the evening I liked watching 'the simpsons' Halloween episode, this tends to be the best one of the season. and after this I took a long walk around the neighborhood. It helped to clear my mind, about what I still needed to get done. and I found 22 cents to put in my change bank.
    this weekend I read an article about minor league baseball online. something about how it might change, possibly fewer teams. there was an 'answer article' to it, but it was too long and this made it harder to follow what points it was trying to make. I could have written a much better one. the most important thing is that the minor leagues are still needed to develop players, and having actual games and not computer simulations are the best way to evaluate talent. and since I watched plenty of minor league ball while growing up near des moines, iowa, I am aware of how it is popular in many areas because it is cheaper and closer, so it still helps in the promotion of the game. so I think this is why these articles are sometimes known as 'click bait'.

americanism, isolationism

I went to a lecture at the Minnesota history center in st. paul this afternoon. it was about the history of isolationism in America. and the term 'American-ism' was used fairly often as well. I liked seeing the handout that was available near the entrance to the auditorium. as a history major, I knew this was the kind of event for me. the title of the event was actually 'America first?' as this term has been used a lot over the years. and it is still used today. in the end it will be memorable due to the presenter using political cartoons by theodor Geisel (dr. seuss). like most people, I was only familiar with his children's books. the drawings did look a lot like the characters in the books I had read. it was nice to be familiar with some of the concepts discussed, from the history studies I had done in school. this included mention of the Monroe doctrine. and more recently, touring the Lindbergh home in little falls and learning about how he was part of the America first organization before world war two. I did not stay for the q and a, as I knew I was running out of time on the parking I had paid for. I paid with a card and the limit was two hours. I had other things to do anyway, such as get to the grocery store.
   the event at the state's museum was one of three I did today. the first was to get to a stamp show in Roseville, near the town hall and the ice rink. I bought seven items there. three were first day covers, and the other four were postcards. I think I had bought from this vendor before, as he is from iowa. of course I liked how he had plenty of Iowa postcards, all four I bought were from there. one was of the log cabin at Maytag park in my hometown of newton, a 'real photo postcard'. I guessed well on what ones I already had. the others were of the state fair butter cow, an aerial view of downtown Des Moines including the baseball stadium, and the armory at the university of Iowa in Iowa city, the college I attended. the first day covers were of the American legion, the VFW, and historic preservation sites, all from the 1970s or earlier. one of the historic preservation sites was the Decatur home in Washington, DC, so now I have something to look up. I liked how I was able to find both honoring the 'veteran groups'. my next stop was to the American legion on the east side of st. paul, for a 'booya' soup event. I got soup for five dollars, but there was no cake or pie there. but I did take a slice of bread and a small bag of chips that were on the table next to where the soup was being served. then I went to the nearby Walgreen to get a candy bar before I went to the museum.
   after I got back from the grocery store, I was tired so I laid down for a while. when I woke up there was a college football game still on. nothing unusual there, except it was in Spanish. but after a commercial break, it was back to being in English. I have seen this happen before, not sure why it does. then after the late local news I went to sing karaoke. it was 'don't look back in anger' by oasis. I liked how some people in the crowd were singing along with it. I like seeing people engaged with my performances.

truth about marriage movie

i went to a movie in st. louis park tonight, as part of a film festival. it was called 'truth about marriage'. most people laughed more often than I did. some of the things said, and depicted, in it weren't funny. they were just 'sad but true'. the biggest reaction was to the rapper who married somebody that he met in brazil. because he was the biggest personality of those profiled. some academics were interviewed about the subject of marriage. others were book writers, covering what works and what doesn't. much like other film festivals I have attended, there was a q and a with the film makers after the screening was done. there was mention of giving it a release next year around valentines day. this is likely the only movie that I am seeing at the festival. another one I wanted to see, 'international falls', has just one screening, on Saturday, and it is already sold out. I was annoyed about how the ticket taker wouldn't accept my advance reservation, was told to get it re-printed. couldn't answer why it was denied, so I called them 'incompetent fools'.
   I also did some karaoke, after the late local news. it was 'comedown' by bush. the song after me was 'i will always love you', probably the whitney Houston version. a woman approached me and tried to talk to me, about what I don't know. a man showed up, swore at her, I could tell he just wanted to leave. I said if that is her husband, then sorry I don't fool around with married women, please go away. she tried to talk to someone else, she was possibly drunk. I also liked hearing 'say it ain't so' by weezer, and a friend from another karaoke venue did 'perfect' by ed Sheeran. even the karaoke jockey asked me about what happened.
   we went a little farther with training on day three. we did more on the computer, and listened to some calls. I completed some online classes near the end of the day. we also did a building tour, and I made a note of how we saw the communications department. it might ne best way to be a part of performing arts there, since I think they do the videos there.

    

kind of like mistake pizza

i went to the annual spaghetti dinner at a community center tonight. I made it during the final 30 minutes of the event. a volunteer came around with another plate of spaghetti and asked if I wanted it, and I did. I was told that they had dished it up but they wanted something without meat. so it reminded me of working for pizza hut and sometimes a 'mistake pizza' was put in back for the employees. we will never know if it was on purpose. after the second helping, I kind of felt sick. but I think I was just full. when I got home I laid down as I was tired, and when I got up I felt fine. then it was on to the karaoke bar. I sang 'when will I be loved' by linda Ronstadt. at the end I found out it was written by phil everly, of the everly brothers. I had no idea. but it was a bigger hit when linda performed it.
   second day at work was ho-hum, not much orientation but still training. getting a feel of what is on our laptop computers. at the end of the day when I went to return my laptop to my cube to have it charge up overnight I was greeted by my neighbor. I asked if I was too loud. I found out they hadn't been there long, less than a year. I said we would have been in the same class, but I failed the first interview and it took a little while to find the courage to try again. I changed seats in the training room, as I wanted to get away from a classmate that I find to be annoying. we had another bingo to do, but it meant getting up and talking to people so this was hard for me to do at first. my boss brought in goodies around midday as they were left over from a staff meeting. I called them 'rapper cookies' as they were m and m cookies. I also asked my boss at the end of the day where I can find a bathroom where I don't have to badge in and out every time to use it. I was shown one where I only have to badge in to the floor when I want to re-enter. I have no idea why there isn't one on the floor with easier access. the I-9 was done this morning before I reported to class, as I wanted it done and over with. so that should be the last of the new-hire paperwork. a classmate, not the annoying one, said I shouldn't worry about it. but that could only be spoken by somebody who had already completed it! I have to do what is right for me. and at one point today during training, somebody did show up and said some of us- but not me- had forms to complete. so I would much rather do it on a voluntary basis so they don't end up hunting me down. I didn't like the attention about it on the first day anyway, too much like I was being razzed about it. I know I will enjoy the work more once I am actually performing it, but it sounds like training will last for a month.

dress code bingo

there was plenty to do on the first day back at work. although not much actual work, it was mostly orientation. this included a bingo game, coverall, about the dress code. most of this is no big deal to me, but it is still good to know. some of the people that spoke to us were from the union, since it is the state government. I brought my lunch, and we are getting a longer lunch during training than we will get on the floor, just over an hour. I went down to the breakroom on the main floor, as there are plenty of microwave ovens available. we were told that it was 20, but it was more like 10. at the end of the day I saw my boss and said there was a lot of information thrown at us, and this is true. I didn't bring my passport so it meant finding it after I got home so I can bring it in the next day. this is the I-9 form, a requirement for employment there. we were issued a laptop, not used to getting one as it is usually a desktop. but it just means we plug it into a docking station at out cube at the end of the day so the battery can recharge. I got a picture of the welcome message at my cubicle. I asked about it and was told this was fine. I got a text message and voicemail about jobs, but I like being able to turn them down by saying I found something else. the training room is on a different floor than where we will be working. I am one of ten in this new-hire training class, although it sounds like some may just be a transfer from another state agency. I think I will like being back into the routine of being at work, but it is still an adjustment as I have been 'on vacation' for more than 3 months.
   in the evening I liked performing, I was the show closer and it was nice to see the Wisconsin couple. I talked some about being back at work. he had a bit about a venison guy. there was a magician, but it was not magic man. the show runner was a fill-in, I have done his podcast before.

adult world movie

i watched a DVD on loan from the library around midday, 'adult world'. I recognized a few of the actors in it, john cusack as well as cloris leachman. it was about a recent college graduate that wants to pursue writing. cusack plays a writer that she wants as her mentor, and leachman plays her boss at the porno shop. so the movie title has a double meaning as the porn shop is called 'adult world' and she is now entering this world. the setting was Syracuse, new York, and the university in that town. one scene appears to be inside their famous athletic venue, the carrier dome. when I saw a 'Niagara bank' in one scene I wondered if it was buffalo, but it wasn't. plenty of art is on display besides just writing. a crossdresser is a big part of the storyline as well, somebody that the main character works with at the porn shop. no surprise how plenty of references are made to famous writers, including seeing a poster of Sylvia plath in the background every so often. it was a good story all around. I found it to be realistic, such as the struggles that a writer has- especially the rejection letters. since I am going back to work full-time on Wednesday, the writing about movies will have to be cut back greatly. I liked hearing how happy meal likes reading about them, and I said so in person last night.
   I stayed active today besides just watching the movie, as I went to get a parking pass for work. then I found out that public transport goes that way, with a simple transfer, so I will be doing a bus pass. I also looked around at a resale shop, and bought one book, CD, and DVD each. although it appears there are flaws with the CD, tried playing it in my car tonight and it was fine at first then it was ejected and it said 'error'. I paid just one dollar for it, so I am not out that much. it was nice performing tonight as well, I felt the need to answer a few things that the show runner said. but we know each other well, so all in good fun. I just wanted to respond honestly when it was my turn. it was nice to see airway near the end of the night, at first his plans were to just watch but he got into a freestyle rap. I know full well that 'the need to perform' is a real phenomenon. 

my all-american movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library today, around midday. it was 'my all-american', about a college football player at the university of texas in the 1960's, named Freddie steinmark. I was not familiar with his story, but I like the underdog story and a good football movie. I have said it before how 'you can't coach desire'. the team rallies around him when he is ill. and I am used to how there is a disclaimer in the closing credits saying 'some scenes and characters were invented for dramatic effect'.I was not familiar with any of the actors in it, not even the coach at the university. it is told in flashback, when a reporter is interviewing the coach. the title is derived from him saying 'he is my all-american' when asked who the most influential player he has coached. even though he was not an all-American player. many of the big events of the time are at least mentioned, such as the Vietnam war and the moon landing.
   there were no interviews or anything like that on the job front. I am ready to go back to work, it will be in two days. I sent an email with questions, such as where I can park. I performed in the evening, and somebody found me and said they liked how I talked about charlie brown and snoopy. also where one can find booya soup servings.

where's my roy cohn movie

I saw the documentary 'where's my roy cohn?' this afternoon at the Edina theater. as usual, I learned something. I mainly knew about roy cohn being an aide to joe McCarthy, but did not know about him knowing Barbara walters. there was clips of plenty of interviews he did in it. I had seen an earlier movie about this man, James woods played him, called 'citizen cohn'. in fact, I have it on DVD. in the one I saw today, in the closing credits it mentions that Donald Trump did not respond to requests to be interviewed for it. this was his mentor, and I think this is why the movie was made. I know this well as a history major- anything connected to the president is a big deal.
   I returned the rental vehicle this morning. I am fine with having it just one day, as the car left a lot to be desired. the steering on it wasn't that great, and too many things were beeping on it. it became hard to steer above a certain MPH. did I say it was a kia soul? not your typical vehicle. I would have preferred a standard car like a sedan. after that it was to the grocery store. then eventually it was to a booya soup serving. actually I went to two. the first one had just run out as I was arriving, but it was not even 1pm. I got a picture of the linus statue inside and I left. I had the list with me and knew there was another church having a booya, so I went to it. the second one was near the saints baseball stadium. it cost more for a single serving than last week's, $6 instead of $4. I also had some cake, and a can of sprite. the cake seller did not recommend the blue cake, so I didn't get it. it was announced that the Vikings-eagles game was on in the community room, on the upper level, so I briefly went there to check the score on my way out. there was a silent auction and flea market at this church, but I was just there to eat. then it was on to the movie.
  in the evening it was disappointing to find out that the baseball playoff game, yanks-astros, was not on fox even though the paper said it would be. it was moved to another network. I was pleased with findings I made about something that was mentioned in 'mouse that roared'. one scene showed broadway, and the play 'look back in anger' was on the theater sign. it sounded close to the title of an oasis song, although the band added a word to it. I found out it was a 'realist' play, and there have been some movie versions as well. and a david bowie song has this name. I saw the play 'glass menagerie', many years ago at the Guthrie, and liked it. so there is a good chance I will like this one as it sounds like a similar genre.

chimney sweep, not a monkey

this is what I was told when I did the tour at turner hall in new ulm as part of my annual visit for Oktoberfest. I guess I am not alone on thinking it looked like a monkey, but was actually a chimney sweep. the tour guide said it was a gift to the state after the berlin airlift of the 1940s. for some reason it then moved to new ulm from the state capitol. I still made it to turner hall in the early evening for a beer. as usual my first stop once I reached town was to the visitor center, as there is plenty of information available there. it was confirmed for me about the tours. I had picked up a green flyer last year that mentioned it, so it was on my mind to ask about it this year. a cover band I had seen there before was performing, church of cash. it was one of three times I heard 'ring of fire' by johnny cash. the second was at karaoke, and the third was on my car radio as I drove home at the end of the night. I took a good look around at the typical places I visit, such as german park and the glockenspiel. I made it to the last clock tower performance of the day, same as before. there are just three. I didn't make it to town in time for the first, was too busy during the second. I found one of the buildings downtown that survived the Sioux uprising of 1862, there are just three. it appears to be an auto repair shop now. after the clock tower, it was the side trip to sleepy eye to see the linus statue in front of the library. and have a chocolate shake at the hardee's across the street. some young men arrived shortly after me and the cashier asked if they had been pheasant hunting. they spoke of it being windy, and it sure was on the drive to the area. after a beer at turner hall, it was on to the karaoke venue. I sang 'born country' by alabama. I didn't like how the karaoke jockey just played recorded music for the first 30 minutes, so this made it a longer wait to sing than necessary. then it was on to the hotel, where I had bratwurst, beer, and german chocolate cake. I saw some of the musicians perform, but I got there an hour later than preferred. I left around 10pm, and then drove back to the twin cities. my first stop was my typical karaoke bar, but it was too busy for me to go on there. it appeared they were already booked up for the night with more than an hour to go. of course on the way to new ulm I stopped in st. peter to have the lunch buffet at godfather's pizza. I like the variety there, not just the dessert pizza but also fried potatoes, and hot dish.

mouse that roared movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library around midday, 'mouse that roared'. I laughed a lot during it, since it was a satire- or farce. peter sellers played three roles. it was silly how the tiny nation was able to take hostages so easily. I also liked how they said 'he is an idiot' and 'pish-posh'. the latter reminded me of Mr. Burns on 'the Simpsons'. also funny how he spoke French and then said he didn't speak French. the nation was called Fenwick, and this is the name of a department store in Great Britain. even what was done at the start was in line with what one could expect from a comedy like this one- a parody of the movie studio logo, Columbia. of course their logo looks a lot like the statue of liberty. the parody reminded me of the one in the movie 'Strange Brew', except that was from a different studio, MGM, so it was the lion. I watched the movie trailers, that were part of the special features. this included 'Dr. Strangelove', which seemed appropriate. it was another movie with peter sellers playing multiple roles, as well as being a satire/farce. 'Strangelove' was one I recall well, since it was part of a high school class. it is a big deal when a teacher thinks a movie is worth studying. although it was silly, I am aware of how there likely was some social commentary in both.
   I picked up some small orders at two different stores- Walgreen, later on Cub Foods. when I was checking out at the former, the cashier made a comment about the paper I was buying. the president was on the front page, having had a rally in Minneapolis at the Target Center the night before. I said I get the paper once a week so I have the movie times for the weekend, and that just happened to be the headline. I know I chose well on staying in for most of the evening, as it got colder. I had been attending some high school football games the past four Fridays. but there was a baseball playoff game tonight, nationals-cardinals, so I listened to some of it on the radio. I say some as I fell asleep during it. nationals won 2-0, I didn't like how one of the commentators got the score wrong twice. eventually I did go out and sing karaoke, it was 'take this job and shove it' by johnny paycheck. I was looking at the Wikipedia article for Minneapolis and it said the movie, of the same name, was filmed in that city. I mainly knew it as an Iowa movie, my native state.

last job fair, hopefully

I went to two job fairs today. hopefully these were the last, as I am due to start a new job next week. I said I would keep looking until it began, and there still have been no other offers yet. the first was at a venue I had been to many times before. I had hoped to see somebody I knew there, but was told that she would be at a different job fair. the second was a company I had already interviewed with this year. I was asked to have a seat but did so only after the form I was given was completed. there was a video about the company to watch in the seating area. all of those I spoke with claimed to be unfamiliar with how there was a tax credit form included with the application, which was odd. especially when voc-rehab was lumped together with felonies on this form. it left me thankful that I had already accepted an offer as they told me it would take weeks to find out if there would be an offer from them. both places had candy available. in the evening I went to the karaoke bar, and did 'when the levee breaks' by led zeppelin. it was longer than I recalled, but I still liked doing it since it mentions Chicago. it was longer because of the john Bonham drumming solos, which are really good. the karaoke jockey said he was used to seeing me much earlier in the night, and this is true. I said I had things to do. it was obvious that he was tired.

jarhead movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library this afternoon, 'jarhead'. it is a military movie about the first gulf war. I recognized some of the actors in it, such as jake gyllenhaal, Jamie foxx, and dennis haysbert. I was in high school during the time period being depicted. when they show the parades they are in it reminds me of how my hometown made the news for having a fourth of july parade for the first time in 25 years to honor those who fought in it. the Vietnam war being unpopular must have meant that there was much less interest in patriotic displays for a while. it was graphic at times, but as it has been said before, 'war is hell'. some of the shenanigans shown in it, such as a forced tattoo, led me to think it was just as well that I didn't attempt military service. my hat is off to those who do serve, but it is not for everyone. there were some sequels, but it is hard to say if I want to see those anytime soon.
  there was plenty of activity today. I went to the post office and there was one amazon order waiting, it was a music CD, 'beautiful trauma' by pink. around midday I went to the northwest airlines museum inside a hotel in Bloomington, near MSP airport. I spent a little over an hour there, wanting to take a good look around. as usual, I learned something. most notable was reading about the origin of the name of an airport, 'holman field', found out it was named for a northwest pilot, their first. it is an observation I have made before, how it helps to be first in some form in order to make the history books. I even banged the gong there. and there was a display about other airlines that have ceased to exist. there were some souvenirs, but I didn't buy any. I like postcards but there were none for sale. I was inspired to find this museum after seeing the play 'stewardess' at the history theater in st. paul, since there was a display that was on loan from this museum. I was wearing my 'up in the air' movie shirt, which seemed appropriate.
 after I was done watching the movie, I went to the gas station to fill up the loaner car and then turned it in as my car was ready. it was under warranty, which is really nice. and I went to perform in the evening. we had a longer lineup than typical. a few of the comics were from out of town. the one about last night's event went over well.

ghost world movie

I watched a movie on loan from the library this afternoon, 'ghost world'. it was based on a comic book, and I got the idea when I was looking at the movie soundtrack section at cheapo records. I recognized some of the actors in it, such as steve buscemi and scarlett johansson. at first I liked the Enid character in it, since she was nerdy like me. but that changed when she proved to be unreliable and disrespectful. it was funny to me to see the high school graduation having three sponsors- all kind of in the same industry. Tropicana, hostess, and dunkin donuts. I haven't read the comic book, but this movie did cover some subjects that others haven't. this included using a racial stereotype as art. it was all right, there were a few scenes I liked in it, but I think it is more for a younger crowd that can relate to the main characters more. still not sure how I felt about the relationship between Enid and Seymour, it was a little too weird.
    this was an active day, it started with an interview near the airport. it was an airport-related job, but I walked out of it early. I was one of five there, and two other people 'checked out' at the same time as me since the pay was misleading. the base pay was too low, and it was essentially a sales job so there might be commission. I looked at the postcard on the table and said it didn't make sense how they had this ID system at most major airports in America but not at Chicago O'Hare, one of the world's busiest. also odd that one of the moderators spoke about having the same ID system at sports arenas, and said he was thankful that the Twins lost because it has been a lot of work. one has to go with their gut feeling, and I knew full well it wasn't right for me. there is an airline museum at another hotel near there, I found it but it wasn't open so it means going back when they are open as their week starts on Wednesday. I also liked getting three items crossed off my list, the first was a community center in the east metro. but when I arrived and looked around I found nobody inside, some mention of renovation, so I picked up some brochures and I left. I looked around some in downtown st. paul as well, although it was a little disappointing at the places I stopped in. I was only allowed to get a picture of the snoopy statue at ecolab outside, and there was not much available at the souvenir shop for the st. paul saints baseball team winning the league title. I did pick up a Minnesota wild hockey schedule at the tria rink, but this was the only schedule available. even though some high school and college hockey is played there. a man at the desk advised me to go online to find those schedules.
   in the evening I was double booked on performing. I went to the loft literary center in Minneapolis, and I liked meeting some other members there before some of us did readings. I did one about my st. louis friend that died last year. I had to get assertive with a man when I arrived, who was trying too hard to be funny. I got some dinner at the nearby gas station after it was done, as I like their little godfather's pizzas. while checking out I saw school bouncer, I said I was headed to the next venue. I saw a performer I hadn't seen in a while, actually two. one of them was airway, and the other I almost recalled his name right, I was close. but it actually was the name of a major road in Eagan. the former did singing, the latter jokes, but after one about a DNA test that didn't land he left. I was in disbelief that he would end it so abruptly. I took notice of somebody who arrived near the end, since he had a hunting jacket on but nothing underneath. he had a plastic shopping bag with some dollar bills in it, and some open beer cans. I know we do get people wandering in from the street at times. but he went up to sing, actually rapping I think, and he sounded pretty decent. so some people can surprise you. I will admit that my tolerance for people has went up since I started performing. I had to adapt to my environment, when one is in public places more often we are around all kinds.
  when I got home I inspected the remaining pears from the food giveaway last week. it was tough to see that most of them were spoiling. they looked fine a day ago. so I cut off the bad spots from one of them and ate it, but the rest I did not. I felt bad about throwing out food, but at least I ate half of the pears I was given. I found evergreen trees in my neighborhood to throw each one under, seven in all, so I am hopeful that an animal finds them and likes having them. I wanted to spread them out as they were more likely to get eaten then just throwing them in a dumpster.

i'm with team coco

I went to the comedy club tonight and I saw some small buttons saying 'I'm with team coco'. I picked one up, and had to research it online. I found mention of a feud at NBC between conan O'Brien and jay leno, which I didn't think was all that recent. also found mention of a podcast. either way, I like buttons so it will go into my collection. I performed at another venue and I liked talking to mad hatter after the show about various subjects. also at the comedy club, I got to see brawler, who said he was absent last week due to a death in the family.
 I still don't know what to make of this day. my car started out in the shop and ended it there as well. I was thrilled to get it back in the afternoon. but shortly after leaving to get started on errand running, it failed on the interstate. a state trooper showed up shortly thereafter and pushed me into a strip mall next to a gas station. and I called the shop, who sent a tow truck. I am on a loaner car now, and then went to get the errand running done. first stop was to find two DVD movies. while there I printed some articles, one of them was about a news story on frozen pensions. it might affect me if it means getting an offer on a buyout. then I returned a movie that was due today, and went to the grocery store. it was a slightly smaller order than typical, since I had no choice but to get a few fill-in items while my car was unavailable this weekend. then shortly after getting home and unloading, it was time to leave again, for the comedy club. there was a phone interview at midday, not sure what will happen with it. I was asked if there were any other offers, and I spoke of how the same bank had interviewed me for a different role over a week ago but I hadn't heard anything yet.

star is born movie, barbra streisand

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library this afternoon, 'star is born', the 1976 version starring Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand. it is decidedly different from the first two versions, as those were more about actors. this one is more like last year's version, as it is about a musician. I am not sure if I had seen it before, but I do recall seeing it on a list of available movies when video stores and VHS tapes were just getting started in the 1980s. I was pleased to find out that some scenes were filmed at sun devil stadium in Tempe, Arizona, as I had seen two football games there in 2005 during a phoenix visit. I saw Schlitz beer cans in this movie fairly often. this one seemed to show more of the downsides of being famous- being mobbed by fans and being expected to have answers. a few things seen in it reminded me of how long ago it was filmed- seeing rotary dial phones as well as 8-track tapes. I recognized Gary Busey in it. now that I have seen all four movies with this name, I don't think I have a favorite. all four stayed close to one theme- the lady's star rises as the dude's star falls. what still might be left to do is watch one called 'what price hollywood', which had a similar storyline and was released before the original (1937 version) 'star is born'. but it does not appear to be at the library, so it means ordering it from amazon.
   at midday I went to my first 'booya' of the season. Besides having some soup, I also saw the st. paul police band perform there. I recognized some of the songs they played, such as ones by the beach boys. also some theme songs for the military such as 'semper fi'. the five dollars not used for beer last night were available for this event. four for the booya and one for a can of 7-up. it was windy at times, and I helped corral some sheet music that had blown away. I said I had done my good deed for the day. somebody sitting near me said many of the band members are former school band directors, so not necessarily police officers. I hope to get to more of these events by the end of the month, but it is hard to say how many. 

sleeping at car wash

I was walking past a car wash this afternoon, on my way to a convenience store, and noticed somebody in a Honda car with Wisconsin plates sleeping. I decided to 'Let sleeping dogs lie' and just kept walking. but it was odd to see such a thing. I am sure that if they were there long enough, that it would attract attention, such as from the police. especially when there are signs up saying there are cameras at the facility.
   I watched some college football on TV today, the leadoff game was my school, Iowa, playing at Michigan. Iowa lost 10-3, they had their chances but too many turnovers and QB sacks. I walked to the store after the game was over. and after I found out the 6pm news would not be happening due to the college football games, I decided to lay down and I slept for a while. I then went online to get a few things done such as dump more airline miles into an account from a survey site. I also made a few cuts from my Facebook page. but also added a page about acting auditions, when it was suggested since some of my performer friends were already on it. I am bummed that I will not be doing karaoke tonight, because my car is in the shop and will not be available until midday Monday. the venue is just plain too far away for me to walk to it. looks like my car will be ready just in time to get plenty of things done next week, such as get groceries and return a movie to the library. actually it means delaying my typical grocery shopping day because of it. but there are phone interviews and other events I plan on attending, such as an event at the loft literary center. this is just one of only two memberships I have kept since I was laid off nearly two years ago. I would like to think I can still get to Oktoberfest in New Ulm next weekend. I will likely rent a car to get there as I want to drive with confidence. I went to check my PO box for orders before I put my car in the shop. a state quarter was there, along with a Met Life Charlie Brown postcard. two CDs ordered from Amazon will likely arrive sometime next week.

poms movie, diane keaton

I watched a Redbox rental movie this afternoon, 'Poms'. this was one of three movies where I ordered souvenirs in order to use up points in my loyalty account in June, after finding out the chain's only area theater had closed. in this case, I got socks. this seems to fit for a movie about geriatric cheerleaders. I recognized many of the actors in it, such as Diane Keaton, rhea Perlman, pam Grier, Celia Weston, and Bruce McGill. Diane played the lead, somebody who left behind new York city to retire in Georgia. I said one line uttered by rhea fit her persona, as I recall her well as Carla on the TV show 'cheers'. Celia I recalled as Jolene from the TV show 'Alice'. she was an authority figure, an unlikeable one. Bruce was the 'security guard', and I have recognized him from other movies, usually in small roles. pam I saw in 'Jackie brown', a crime film. an early scene where Diane parks her car in a spot surrounded by golf carts was funny to me. along with a golf cart trying to do a police-style chase. I did not recognize who played Diane's neighbor in it, but it is a reminder of the time-honored formula that I say works in sitcoms on TV. the neighbor, or in-law, who is nothing like them, and the contrast helps with many of the gags. this neighbor played a sub teacher in it. the closing credits said it was inspired by actual events, and I figured if this was the case that it would be billed as 'based on a true story' like is usually done when advertising movies.
   I picked up this movie when I was out getting some other things. first it was to Walgreen, where I briefly spoke with the employee in the photo department I know there. before this I spotted somebody I knew from the clubs walking to a bus stop and I found her just before the bus arrived. then it was to Eagan to shop around some more for a book case or book shelf. I am still being careful with what I get, so I still haven't bought one yet. I looked at three stores in the area. then it was back closer to where my car was, and I picked up some items at a cub foods. this included some 'bat brownies', of course a Halloween theme. I would have preferred getting the pumpkin-shaped brownies that I saw at big lots, but they didn't have them at the cub I went to apparently. but I liked what I read on the back of the box, it spoke of how helpful that bats can be to the ecosystem, such as eating mosquitoes.
   near the end of watching the movie, I got a text message from my mom. it said that an uncle had died. I am told there will be a memorial service soon. I was on my way to a football game, and responded after getting back from the game, noting it said a memorial and not a funeral. I decided to find a song on youtube because of it, 'ode to my family' by the cranberries, as it got me through the passing of my grandma a decade ago. at the game I went to tonight, white bear lake beat Roseville, 35-13, it was 28-0 at the half. I looked at the roster for both teams, and white bear lake had a decided advantage on size. they had 11 players listed as weighing 250 or more, Roseville had just 3. size tends to matter on the line. WBL was also aided by turnovers, pulling down 3 interceptions, one of them led to a TD just before the first half ended. both halves ended on kneel-downs.  after a short time at home, I was out again, to sing karaoke. I did 'high hopes' by panic at the disco.

when the game stands tall movie

in the early afternoon I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library, 'when the game stands tall'. it is about a high school football team with a long winning streak, 151 games. I had heard of a school called de la salle here in Minnesota, but it isn't that one. it takes place in California. I didn't recognize many actors in it, just laura dern, who played the head coach's wife. there was a cameo by a pro football player, who was playing himself, maurice jones drew. there was a disclaimer in the closing credits saying 'some scenes and characters were invented for dramatic effect' and I am used to seeing this by now when it is 'based on a true story'. many things depicted in it are familiar from high school sports, such as the coach's son, as well as an overbearing parent. in this case, the latter seemed to be the villain in the movie, if there was a true villain at all. he would get loud at his son, wanting him to break the record for most touchdowns. I do like a good football movie, as I was on my school's football team. I understand well the importance of a good coach, and the respect that one has for their coach. I looked up a bible verse mentioned in it, James 4:10, it was at the grave of a player who had died. this disc wasn't typical, plenty of previews on it, even an ad for an insurance company. these were billed as wholesome Christian movies, which does seem to explain why I heard very little, if any, 'bad words' being used. notable to me was scenes at a veterans hospital, as well as when the coach was grilling burgers. the movie mostly depicts just one season.
   not much movement on the job front, there was a request to schedule an interview and I responded to it but no response yet confirming a time. I printed some things at the library in the late afternoon, and after that looked at some book cases at target. but I am still shopping around, so nothing has been bought just yet. looks like I am performing some stand-up this weekend, usually it is just karaoke. I hashed out some of the details before midday on facebook. in the evening I did some karaoke, two songs. it was 'amber' by 311, and 'losing my religion' by REM. some of the crowd members were really on board with it, which is nice that people were paying attention. there was a different bouncer this time, an older man with a beard.

carrots and pears

there was another free food distribution event, probably the last of the season. I decided to get a bag of carrots, as well as some pears. I counted 24 carrots and 14 pears. so I will likely have at least one of each per day to see that they get used up in a timely fashion. the rain made it less fun to be outside for it. I was offered a bag to put them in but said I already had one. I went there shortly after getting back from the dollar store. some of the display shelves were moved to give more space to working in the ceiling and I picked up three pennies that remained.
    I had an interview this morning, it was with a weight loss company. but it was misleading to call it customer service, as it was more like sales, so I said it wasn't the right thing for me. they wanted it kept quiet from the clients about being commission-based, not sure why when it should seem obvious to most people. then I went to my post office box, and there were 2 e-bay orders there. after the food event, I went to look at the used CD shop with my list but didn't get anything. this is not typical for me, but I have to justify it went money is tight. I got the postal mural stamps at another post office as the one in my neighborhood was out of them. I went to look at book cases at an office max, but the ones of interest to me, in a clearance sale, were not on display. so it means ordering them online and doing in-store pickup. when I got home I placed two amazon orders, both CDs- by pink, and Eminem. I still have some gift card money left, it helps that I don't order all too often from there.
   it was nice performing tonight, I responded to being introduced as a 'legend'. the show runner responded to my mention of karaoke. it was annoying that another performer called me out when I got up during their set, as I really needed to go to the bathroom. it was nobody that I knew really well though. after the show I went to a gas station, and didn't like seeing a locked door for a bathroom so I went to another one as I was getting tired of waiting. my loyalty card wasn't working, the barcode was too worn, so it means switching out cards. I was using the type that is on a keychain but it means going back to a card in my wallet.

mrs. taco man

I finally decided to use a download code for a comedy album I received over a year ago, it was when I saw the Wisconsin couple perform a fringe show. it is called 'mrs. taco man'. it was good all around, but there were four standouts for me. it was 'nice lady', 'taco and meth', 'donor', and 'romance novel'. I have some of her earlier albums on CD. I think this is just the second download, this one looked like a business card. the other one looked like a gift card. I made two attempts to download it, since one of them stopped in the middle and I was getting tired of waiting. I think it was a case of 'out of sight, out of mind' with the card, and I decided to look through a pile of things today that I hadn't seen in a while. nothing wrong with doing a little cleanup. it led to me spending plenty of time copying notes into notebooks from scraps of paper so I could put them in the shred pile. some of it was related to where I found mention of Emerson Hough books on Facebook sites. of course this is what inspired me to start the blog back in 2010, the western writer from my hometown in Iowa. no big deal to stay in for most of the day, as it was raining off and on.
   in the evening I went to perform, but it was not to be. I arrived at the venue and it was closed. so since I had already paid for parking for an hour, I decided to walk around downtown St. Paul. I made it over to the saints stadium, and window shopped at the souvenir store. I also found a plaque in memory of grant hart, a member of the local band husker du. and I stopped at Candyland, and got a small box of popcorn that I ate while walking around. I didn't feel like going home just yet, so I stopped at a grocery store and happened to see somebody from the mic who said there was some flooding at the venue and this led to some equipment failure. so he expects us to be up and running again by next week. I said it was best to add me on Facebook, and he did. 

cornbread, earl and me movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library today, 'cornbread earl and me'. I recognized some of the actors in it. Bernie Casey played one of the cops. and Laurence Fishburne was in it as the 'me' in the title, credited with a 'III' at the end of his name. it was about an 'officer involved shooting' and I was expecting it to be about a basketball star. it was curious to me that it was billed on the DVD cover as taking place in Chicago, although I saw a California license plate on a car as well as California state flags. I am aware that it was based on a book called 'hog butcher', so I understand why the name was changed as they were trying to sell a movie. this does explain how it would have a Chicago setting, at least in the novel, since Carl Sandburg wrote a famous poem calling the city 'hog butcher to the world'. weird to see a pickup basketball game happening despite heavy rain. I checked Wikipedia and it said Jamaal Wilkes played 'cornbread' but I am not as familiar with him as some of the other star players for the Los Angeles Lakers at that time. it was also a little silly early on seeing some basketball action inside a house. although for some this still might be realistic.
   there was not much movement on the job front, although I got an email invite to a job fair open house for next week. I went to the library to print some things, and this was one of them. also to get the schedules for 'booya' soup servings. this appears to be a similar circuit as the fish fries during lent- at catholic churches, bars, and veteran groups (VFW and American legion halls). I also searched about where to find book cases that are affordable, and the most common answer was office depot or office max. along with finding out the cost of storage boxes at u-haul, as it is time for a cleanup around my home.
   it was great performing this evening, as usual I did some karaoke stories. along with one about going to the aldi grocery store. I liked seeing some people I hadn't seen in a while, including opera singer, wee bit, and Arizona Chicago. opera singer said there may be another pop-up show soon, and I liked performing at it before.