online census questionnaire

I completed the online questionnaire from the census bureau. I knew I had seen some mailings stating they wanted a response by April 1, and that is coming up. it didn't take long to complete it and I got a long confirmation number. there weren't many questions to answer. I had just completed a survey from the census bureau back in December. I even accepted an offer on working as an 'enumerator' but that is on hold due to the virus. I completed this online form as I wanted to avoid any visits that were not necessary. I don't get many visitors to my home and I am fine with this.
   in the morning I had a phone screen, it was kind of brief. it was for a call center job for a health insurance company. hard to say if I will hear more, but they told me the next interview would be a virtual one. I spent much of the day filing applications with two different banks. I was asked to do an assessment for the call center job, and it was odd that they claimed I 'flunked' it even though I have done call center work before. I also sent follow-up emails to places where I had already interviewed or filed applications. I got a response to both, but not the one I wanted to hear. I also heard from the agency rep in the Carolinas for the first time in nearly a week. I said I was getting calls with no caller ID on them and not answering them, can't be too careful. sounds like he was the one calling. I was getting no voicemail from them either. I responded to his email and text messages. I was told that the ssn is needed to get submitted, I am not big on giving it out. so I did some checking on my end with the agency, two different offices. one local, the other where he is. the local one was aware of who I was working with and directed me there. I left a voicemail with the other one and got a response while I was out doing a long walk late in the afternoon. I picked up 4 cents. I also took a few pictures along the way, such as all of the junk at a bus stop where I found one of the pennies. I was still doing one thing today that I have done fairly often lately- laying down and sleeping when I don't know what else to do while waiting for the phone to ring. when I did this in the afternoon my phone kept having activity so it was harder to rest then.

job application assessments

I filed plenty more job applications on indeed this afternoon, about 30 I think. with some of them it led to doing assessments. I like it when it is one I have already done, and I can press the button saying 'send previous results'. I had about three of them, and one was math functions on a spreadsheet. I was guessing a lot on that one. with others I could figure it out, just give myself enough time. such as ones where it says 'what is the next number?' I have said that looking for jobs should be more like what a stage performer does, having to audition, show off your abilities. so I don't mind doing these, although it still can be tedious at times. I also heard from an advisor, who was doing a check-in as promised once a month. I had to do a recap of the past month, which wasn't flattering at all. I also got an email from an agency asking about submitting my resume for a role, and I was fine with it. but I know well enough to avoid getting my hopes up, as what would happen is this would happen, oh, countless times and then a month or two later, still no word on if the client was interested. I am most impressed by results.
   I did get out an about today. I went to a Walgreen after checking online what locations would most likely have toilet paper. it was one I hadn't been to much before. I arrived and there wasn't any. I did get a 3-pack of bar soap, something I was still in need of. there was postings about social distancing guidelines, in this case there was markings on the floor saying 'stand here in line'. I got a photo of it, and thankful nobody said anything as a cashier saw me do it. I then walked around the area a little before going back to my car. it was near a karaoke venue. not many people out there. this was before midday. then late in the afternoon I went out for a long walk. I picked up some coins, a total value that was slightly less than the previous day. 21 cents today, 36 cents sunday. I went on basically the same route. it all goes into the change bank. I passed by a bank. it said the lobby was closed, and drive-up was available. so using the change counter is likely not possible for a while. not a big deal. my cousin shared an article on facebook with a photo above it being from the movie 'breakfast club'. it was about generations, and some of what was in there was relatable. this included mention of 'latch key kids'.

history of soap

during the late local news, there was a segment about the history of soap, relevant due to the virus. I liked seeing what was in it of course, being a history major. seeing mention of serials being called 'soap operas' since soap companies usually sponsored them, along with seeing ivory soap, made by procter and gamble. then there was granny making soap on 'Beverly hillbillies' and the brad pitt character also making soap in the movie 'fight club'.
   I found some things to do, but it was still a slow day. in the morning I made finds on two different sites for postcards of interest to me. one of them was a bid-on, but I was the only bidder and it is already paid for. it is another one of famous people meeting presidents, on e-bay. the other was from a site I don't use as much, checked history and it was the first order in six months. it is charlie brown cards, but I am still waiting for the invoice on that one. I checked the weather report online and waited to go out for a walk due to expecting rain. so I laid down for a while and slept. when I got up it was late afternoon and I went out for the walk. I found some coins along the way. another notable thing was seeing somebody when passing by a closed fast food outlet, I think he was taking pictures. I said 'this is sad, it has been vacant for nearly two years'. I turned on my phone as my walk was starting as it is my 'de facto' wristwatch. I noticed there was a voicemail waiting, my dad called me just before midday. so I called in the evening. this time it was under an hour, he said he needed to pick up a neighbor. he asked me how I was doing during this time of the virus. sounds like it is not much different in small-town Iowa, where most places are closed except for grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies. he likes his liquor and he said liquor stores are open there as well.
   after the walk, I tried going to the dollar store to see if there was any toilet paper, and there still isn't. the other item of interest was bar soap, but I had just over a dollar in change and the two-packs were sold out. I didn't want to put such a small amount on a debit card so I left. I heard somebody in another aisle, possibly an employee, talk about the virus and it was annoying as I don't need to hear everyone's opinion about it. this is why I am thankful I am getting out for walks, still being active. also why I can't watch the news all day, too depressing. 'the simpsons' was about a corrupt rehab facility, and I watched a later program on FOX since there was an ad during this show. it was a benefit concert, hosted by Elton john, and including performances from the front-men for foo fighters and green day. it was sponsored by I-heart radio. I didn't know all of the performers but it was a good lineup from different genres.

one percent milk

I usually get skim milk when I got to the grocery store for my weekly order, but for the second straight week it was not available. so it meant getting one percent milk instead. it still tastes fine to me. the order was smaller than last week, just 13 items, and the amount paid was smaller as well. in many ways it is due to cutting back on full meals. at midday it normally meant a canned food item heated up in the microwave oven, but now I am doing some peanut butter at that time. hopefully cutting back on food means losing weight. I have been going out less often anyway due to the virus. today it meant going to the post office, besides the grocery store. one e-bay item was there, along with another postcard about guidelines due to the virus. already got it in my main mailbox this week. two other items were postcards from the same place, about a class action lawsuit. except it was for the former 'occupant' of the PO box and I have had the box for over 5 years! so those were tossed in the trash. thankfully no rain when walking to and from the post office, but had to dodge the raindrops when going to and from the grcoery store later on in the day.
    for the second straight week, I have enjoyed watching a time-life music ad after the 6pm news. not just the music itself, but also what can be learned. in this case it was the song '6 days on the road'. found out it was a hit for dave dudley back in 1963. first time I heard it was a version by steve earle, for the movie 'planes trains and automobiles', in 1987. there is a french version as well. I am also enjoying the latest song by the dixie chicks, 'gaslighter'. found it on youtube. it is a wonderful anthem about empowerment. at some point it might be a good idea to see the movie that inspired the term 'gaslighting', it is from the 1940s. like many things, it is available on amazon. the news said that taco bell is offering a free taco next week. sounds like their stolen base promotion during the world series.

interview in bed

these are weird times we live in. the evidence I am offering up is how I did an interview in bed this afternoon. I wasn't even expecting to have one today. but I had been laying down and the phone rang, and I ended up doing a phone interview right then and there. it was for a mailroom job, not sure what company, but I will admit I will be fine if they pass on me. they weren't up-front about the pay in the job description on indeed, and it is too low. much like the previous day, if more information was given in the job description, I would have said 'don't bother'. I was out and about before then, dropping off recycle and then picking up some items at Walgreen and then cub foods. there was some points to use at the former, I have been racking up plenty of them because it is my birthday month. social distancing was hard at the latter, as I had to wait for the employee to finish up in the frozen section as I wanted some TV dinners. sometimes it also meant having to 'jump out' because of other patrons. I got some walking done just before midday, and in the evening as well. looks like there will be plenty of activity at the abandoned gas station as there is a fence surrounding it. since it was daytime I got some better pictures today, my second attempt.

relevant interview question

I had a phone interview just before midday, and I found a relevant question to ask early on. when the job description spoke of the number of hours over a certain number of months, I had to ask if it was full-time or part-time. the latter was the case. this should have been in the job description, and I would have passed on it if it was there. it is with a school, and I haven't worked at a school. so I don't think this one is going to happen. but all is not lost. I saw multiple emails about who is hiring, and one of them landed in my junk pile. I applied to a role, that isn't a cashier. the company is best known for retailing. I got a response fairly quickly, asking to set up a phone interview, so I chose something early next week. I sent off a healthy number of applications today, despite indeed being 'stuck'. I have to stay hopeful about somebody calling me soon. even the news spoke of who is hiring at this time.
   much like the previous day, I only went out in the evening for a walk. one thing I noticed is that the abandoned gas station now has construction equipment next to it. so it appears to be a demolition that will be happening soon. I tried to get pictures of it but it can be hard to do at night. I know I will be more active on Friday as there are things to go get such as my weekly order at Walgreen.

card sheet re-deployment

I was looking for things to do while waiting for the phone to ring, and reminded myself how there was 27 charlie brown baseball cards not yet in a binder. so I decided to look at the binder with pocket schedules and business cards in it, to free up enough space. I found enough cards to take out, and of course I have said it before, stressing quality. in one case I decided to double up, in another I noticed a duplicate. I also decided to get the more recent pocket schedules on the same page.
   I got a response to the application I emailed from the previous day, and it wasn't the one I wanted to hear. it was how the company is at a standstill due to the virus. there was a call I was expecting to get today since I emailed my availability, but I never was called. this is the one from the carolinas, it started with sending a resume over the weekend. near the end of the day I completed some more applications with an insurance company. and as usual, when I don't know how else to fill in the time, I decided to lay down for a while in the afternoon and slept. actually I didn't go outside until late in the evening, to take a walk. nowhere I needed to go before then. so I had pj's on for much of the day.
   during the walk there was a posting at the liquor store about the governor's order that takes effect on friday. but it appears that most of the places mentioned on it are already closed. it looked like an employee out for a cigarette break was near the store. first time during these walks where I actually spoke with someone. except I was annoyed when he spoke of the grocery store closing early, something I already knew. a sandwich shop nearby had 'open' spelled out in their window in big letters, using white paper. of course much of what I am seeing I getting captured in pictures.

completed application, 3 steps

I wanted to get an application sent on a job I had already interviewed for, and I decided to go to fedex office to get it done. when I arrived I noticed their computers were unavailable due to the virus. so then I wondered what I could do. then I saw some signs next to a copier that said items can be emailed and printed out. so I went home and got that done. when I got the email saying it would be printed, I started my drive back to the shop. I had to pay separately for the printout. then it was on to completing the application manually. it didn't take long as it was just 3 pages. after this I got right to scanning it in a copier, and emailed to my personal account. I like how the copiers were self service and user-friendly, so I was able to figure it out on my own. around midday I was back home and then forwarded it to the employer. so there we go-3 steps. email it for printing, scan, and email to forward it. I liked how I found a way to get it done, it is good to be resourceful. I have learned this before, how it is best to just try to line up alternate plans when plans are canceled. I also left a voicemail after sending it, still waiting to hear from the employer.
    I got some other things done, work-related or otherwise. one of those was going through my postcard collection and taking out five cards in the name of stressing quality. all of them were free ones, no way do I throw out ones I paid for. I also got called by somebody who called me 7 times on Friday, no joke. they claim to be an employment agency, and although they cut back on the number of calls- one each on Monday and today- I finally told them I was no longer interested because they were calling me too much. one can't be too careful. I sent off more applications through indeed as well, along with one I had done multiple job fairs but applying directly through the company and not indeed. I decided to change my profile a little to get my most recent job on there, as I was unable to upload a newer resume. again, one must be resourceful.
   when I was taking a walk in the evening, I noticed a message on a bus idling near a mcdonald's. it was a hash-tag saying 'stay home mn'. a sandwich shop had a 'sandwich board' out front saying they were open, although they were already closed for the night. this was one of my pictures of the day, along with what I was seeing at the fedex office.

wearing a scarf

I went out for a walk late in the evening, and I was wearing a scarf covering my mouth and nose. it was a scarf knitted by my late grandma, haven't used it much lately. I don't mind how the foot traffic is light when I am out there. I mostly just see people walking their dogs. and I am still getting pictures of signs about what is happening. at a dollar store it called itself 'an essential business' because of course it has food. it may not have perishables, but there is food in a can or box. and I have picked up plenty of canned food there. in fact I ate one of them at midday, dinty moore beef stew. it tasted better than another beef stew from last week that was from the same store.
   this became a fairly active day on the job front, at least I was on the phone a lot. it started off with one call I had scheduled, but on the first attempt I had to leave a voicemail. when I got a callback I was told he was 'putting out fires'. actually I let it go to voicemail as I didn't recognize the number, it was a different one from what I had called. he was giving me some pointers, mainly about how the resume makes a world of difference in terms of how much activity one will get. there was another call later in the day, after I had submitted a background check and a different version of my resume. an advisor from a workforce development center had helped me with the other version, and I hadn't used it much yet. a caller from last week's interview with an agency gave me an update as well. I am saying that I am not overly picky, as it would be wrong to close too many doors at this point. later in the afternoon I laid down for a while and slept, and when I woke up it was by a call in reference to an application on indeed. they are setting up an interview for later this week. then when I looked at my email again, I saw one from the Friday morning interview. they wanted a background check and another application. if I had applied on indeed there as well, this would be why. it is annoying to hear that it doesn't count to apply on indeed. then why let me apply there? I was able to complete one of the two, the background check, but said I would likely need to go to a fedex office in the morning to do the application as I think my laptop's security settings were preventing me from getting started on it. hopefully I can complete it there, and it will mean trying to bring as much as possible with me such as phone numbers of places where I have worked previously. no offers yet but all of this looks promising. it is nice how there is an increase in activity, sometimes one just needs to wait it out.

you don't know jack movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library around midday, 'you don't know jack', about dr. jack Kevorkian. good cast, I recognized al pacino, john Goodman, and susan Sarandon in it. I do recall him making the news a few times, such as CNN asking if the inventor of the suicide machine should be charged with murder. I think this was shortly after his first assisted suicide in 1990. and I recalled when he was charged with murder in 1998, after showing a video of one of these suicides on '60 minutes'. this movie was produced by HBO, might explain why I hadn't heard about it when I don't have cable. but I am aware of how they do make some compelling movies on cable TV. the closing credits said it was based on a book, makes sense when this is often the source material for a movie.
    I tried to return the movie to the library, but even the book drop is closed now. the sign said the due dates have been changed to may 1. I still have another one to watch. I got plenty done when I went out for errand running. first was to get more air in one of my car tires. then to drop off some recycle, then the library, then to find an office building. I wanted to see that the job I was emailed about is on the level, and it appears to be. final stop was at a cub foods to get a TV dinner. when I got home I was about to lay down. I had just turned on my phone and there was a message waiting. it was from the dry cleaner, and my pants were done, sent them there for a zipper replacement. so I drove over there and picked them up. the attendant was telling me about other services being offered. she also spoke of the previous owner letting homeless people sleep there.
   I went out late in the evening to get in a walk, there was some light rain. I got the dishes done, still an important thing to do. and I let an advisor know how things were going. I will also admit that I have been searching for more baseball videos on youtube to pass the time, found some about bench clearing brawls. and when I was driving home I liked seeing a sign saying 'you are not alone' so I got a picture of it. I gave been getting plenty of pictures lately, wanting to capture what I am seeing out there much like after 9/11.

peanut butter search

there wasn't much to do today, but one of those things was go for my weekly order at the grocery store. I like going to aldi. I hadn't bought much peanut butter lately, so I had to search the store for a while to find it. and it was at the end of the aisle, with two choices- creamy and crunchy. I decided to get the latter. I actually was saying 'peanut butter' out loud in hopes that another shopper would help me out, but nobody did. this is a small enough store where I figured I could it eventually if there was any in stock. there was bananas this time, so there is just one item to get at another place- a TV dinner. I understand having enough food being a priority at this time. it is no big deal to stock up a little, usually I just get what I need for the week. but now I am up to nearly a 2-week supply on canned goods.
   the other errand of course was going to the post office. one e-bay order was waiting, a caricature of lady gaga. I walked there, giving myself enough time to make it before their midday close. so it meant giving my car the day off. I have written down stops I want to make on sunday though.
  on the job front, I did email a resume to a place that said there was something available at the end of the business day Friday. I didn't want to let too much time pass on that one. I did it after getting back from the post office. and it meant scheduling a phone interview, for Monday morning. this is what helps me out, trying to keep a routine, a reason to be up in the morning. in the afternoon I laid down for a while and slept, this is a simple way to pass the time. after the news in the early evening it was nice to see a 40-minute ad about time-life music, for country music. a few of the songs on it were Kenny rogers, who just died. I am thankful I saw him in concert at a casino north of the twin cities, in Hinckley, in 2005. I had to go because I knew I might not get another chance. same reason why I saw willie nelson that same year, at a different venue. although I will recall Kenny well as an actor, as I liked seeing the movie 'six pack' when I was young.
   actually I did two walks today, the second was later in the evening, before the late local news. I was kind of watching 'Stanley and iris' on a movie channel, and when it was done I went out for the walk. there was light snow falling when I was out there.

toilet paper found

I had been checking online to see where toilet paper could be found, and a Walgreen had some. so I got a single roll, and I have been anything but carefree with it lately. I think I have enough now where it will last a month, hopefully longer. while there I bought a few other things, since it is Friday it meant getting the paper. although I noticed the sports section was much thinner, and of course no page in the 'variety' or 'entertainment' section with movie listings. the other items bought were food, including a can of tuna. this became the weekly 'fish fry' meal, along with some chips, although I will admit it wasn't that great. the news had something about a catholic church in the east metro still having 'to-go' fish fry meals, will have to check how many are offering it. I believe in mastering the possibilities, and with the media attention I am aware they might be a little busy. before I went inside the Walgreen I looked around the area a little, and got pictures of signs posted by businesses. when I got to one restaurant I saw somebody coming out, and they said 'photo'. I am used to this by now, where some say 'what are you doing?' when I use my camera.
  I had a phone interview this morning, and I feel like I did well, but no idea if there will be an offer. there was two interviewers, but one of them did most of the talking. she said there was a great need at this time, since it is a finance company and interest rates are down, but still couldn't hire which doesn't quite make sense to me. will have to hope for the best, but I still have to keep looking when I know so many places have delayed things 'until further notice'. one agency annoyed me, kept calling me and wouldn't give me a chance to respond, so I started ignoring them. I have to be cautious, and anybody who does this could be a scammer. I went to a 're-employment session' scheduled for this afternoon, but upon arrival I was told it was canceled. still don't know what this means in relation to any unemployment insurance benefits. I was instructed to leave a message on the hotline, saying I showed up, but the outgoing message said it was no longer being answered. late in the day there was an email from an agency I had just spoken with this week, saying there may be something soon. they asked for a resume and I will see about getting this done over the weekend. I first wanted to check the office address to see if it was 'on the level'- but it appears to be. surprising how it was the same agency, but a different rep, who told me the company wasn't hiring, at a 'standstill'. but I am aware of how things can change quickly.
   I called my college roommate this evening, it was nice to hear from him. I asked if he was being recalled by the national guard due to the national emergency, but he said he is too old for that. I know he had been recalled before. he gave me a few more ideas of who might be hiring. and I did do a walk later on, moving it up a little on the start time as I wanted to watch 'blue bloods'. still pretty much deserted out there, but it stands to reason at that time of the night.

per the guidance of

i went out for a walk in the evening, although it was shorter than previous nights as it was wet out there and a little windy. I passed by a caribou coffee shop, already closed for the night, and got a closer look at their notice. it said 'per the guidance of', which I guess is nicer than saying 'by order of' in terms of their seating area being closed until further notice. I also got a look at an oil change place, and noticed their seating area is closed as well. this was posted on the windows to their working bays. and below it was two small American flags. so now I am seeing a connection to the pictures I was taking around 9/11. I am also aware from these walks how some places were already closed, two in particular. one was a gas station, the other was a restaurant. the former I am not sure when it closed for sure, but a big tip-off when going past was seeing no prices listed for gas. along with the nozzles being ripped out of the pumps. for the latter it said it closed their doors in September if I am not mistaken. I had said this before how I sadly have to write off empty buildings as 'economic darwinism', where the strong survive. with facebook postings I liked how others are checking in and asking how people are doing. it sure beats some of the negative energy I had been seeing. one was from a writer friend in phoenix. the other was from a fellow comic, somebody I had opened for, a native of Canada. another notable one was a posting about a cemetery where famous people are buried, from a former co-worker. as a history major of course I liked seeing it. for a while I didn't know he had been a history instructor, I knew him as a sales rep.
   I am thankful I am still getting out to exercise, and not watching the news all of the time. I am still watching some favorite TV shows such as 'young sheldon' as well as shows I grew up with on the rerun channel. actually both 'sheldon' episodes tonight were reruns. one was the neighbor kid's birthday party, the other was about two chickens and the preacher getting married. I am aware of how I am around comics, being one myself, and some are still making jokes. but it was a little un-nerving when one said 'marshall faulk' and I know it was meant to be a 'stand-in' for 'martial law'. the former of course was the name of a football player. I have read about the latter in history books, and happening in other countries, as well as governments imposing curfews. this hasn't happened, yet. and I hope it doesn't happen. although the news had something about the national guard being on the streets of new York city. I did also get out to pick up a few items at a Walgreen, although not my typical one to visit. I saw something online about them having TP, except when I get there they were still out of stock. I still got some food, as well as shaving cream. one article said it was a good idea to stock up on some foods, one of them being soup. I am already doing that one. another was peanut butter, and I did get some JIF 'to-go'. although after buying it I noticed it had expired. so I decided to eat two of the three small cups today. it still tasted fine. I am still hearing about some job leads, although others are on hold even though they need people, according to one agency rep. something about not wanting to bring in people for training, fear of infecting others. so a virtual 'standstill' at one company. I did file applications with two others, have to keep it up until there is an offer. I confirmed a phone interview today for Friday morning.

cover letter at fedex

an employer was asking for a cover letter, so I checked and found out fedex office was open even though the libraries are closed. I was up to the challenge since I had taken some writing classes. it took me about 30 minutes to get it typed up and sent as an email attachment. I wrote it out at home, wanting to minimize my time there at the shop. not thrilled about having to pay for the service, but it will be worth it if I get the job. I called and left a voicemail once it had been sent, and got a response later in the day. I think I was on my way to the laundromat when it arrived, as I checked my phone while there and saw the missed call. looks like I now have a phone interview for the position on Friday morning. it will not be in-person because of the times that we live in. I did point out how I had applied for multiple roles with the company, including two more earlier today, so I am hopeful that I am being considered for as many roles as possible. that is correct, I made another visit to the laundromat. I knew there was a dollar off all washers today, so I decided to wash two big blankets, for the first time in a while.
   before doing the laundry, I stopped at the dollar store and got more canned food. I got three cans, and I am noticing how the shelves in that section look more bare than typical. I saw a grandma while there with two kids, at least she called herself grandma. one of the kids was being whiney, and she threatened to not take the kid out again if that continued. when I went out for a walk later in the evening, I noticed their store hours had changed, now closing earlier, at 8pm. I noticed some other stores had changed their hours as well. or in the case of restaurants, drive-through and take-out only. I had been seeing the culver's fish fry ad on TV, but then I checked the website and noticed they are drive-through only. I hate the sound of my car's engine idling so if I want to keep doing fish, it more than likely means finding a frozen meal at a grocery store.

cleaning, part two

I did more cleaning today, this time laundry. it was time, as the basket was full. I often say 'bed strip' because I am taking the sheets off. I have noticed that laundromats are staying open, but people still need clean clothes after all. there were a few other people there when I went, but I still get antsy and spent some time offsite just walking around the neighborhood. I have it timed well so I know when to be back. I did this errand after getting back from an appointment this morning. It was with an agency and I submitted another application. I knew I had been there before, more than two years ago, but I didn't want to admit it. all that they told me was that the file said 'incomplete application'. there was different personnel this time, which also likely helpful. near the end of the day I heard my phone ring when I was driving in my car. I let it go to voicemail and responded to it when I got home, after turning off my car. it was about an application I had submitted a few weeks ago. they are asking for a cover letter and I will see about getting that done at a fedex office location. I went to the library but it was closed, in the name of 'social distancing'. so I am trying to line up alternate plans. after the appointment with the agency, eventually I got the background check email and completed it.
   I am getting plenty of pictures of what is happening. I saw an old pickup dressed up for st. Patrick's day. others were of the closures due to the virus. one place in a strip mall I saw a couple try to enter a cell phone shop and they couldn't. some other pictures were during my walk in the evening. I am thankful I am still getting out for a walk, as it helps clear my mind. I also saw an email saying the test scoring project I agreed to at the end of the month has been delayed. no surprise when many schools are closed right now. but since I am working on other leads it may not be too big of a deal. there still are more applications that I can submit online of course.

bathroom cleanup

I did one thing in my home that I hadn't done in a while, a cleanup of the bathroom. I guess I just got tired of the way things were looking. so it meant getting out a sponge bought at Walgreen and it worked well throughout. much of it appeared to be dust that had gathered. it looks way better now. and it didn't take all that long to do. this is true of most things- just a matter of getting started.
   I had an interview this morning, they told me I was the first one and no decision would be made for a while. I made a wrong turn, I found out, but just went back the other direction and I still made it there early. there wasn't much traffic on the interstate at that time of day, which helped. it was with a bank. I called some other places, but I got no response. I was told by one agency that the interviewer was in meetings and I would get a call at some point. I also went to a convenience store and got some trail mix from the discount bin, as well as some paper towels. since I want to ration the toilet paper, I am better off using something else for blowing my nose when needed and have a limited supply of napkins for this purpose. it is also helpful to have them for washing out a plastic container once I have eaten microwaved soup out of it. I have a wooden dispenser to put it on, it has been vacant for a while. always a good idea to plan ahead.
   as the day wore on, I saw on facebook, as well as in my Hotmail inbox, more of the venue closures. then there was the governor's press conference about closing the bars and restaurants to the public. it wasn't entirely surprising, since some other states had taken this step already. for this reason, I stayed in for most of tonight and did not try venturing out to perform anywhere. the news said it was still a good idea to go out and take a walk, and I did do this later in the evening. there was some activity out there, but not a lot. there was some mention of doing a comedy show on facebook but when I tuned in there wasn't anything happening where I was expecting it. unsure what this meant.

teen spirit movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library around midday, 'teen spirit'. I did not know any of the actors in it, but it said elle fanning played the lead role. it was about a singing contest in great Britain. there are some other movies with a similar storyline to this one, and a music movie still works for me. a former opera singer became her manager. notable songs in it was 'just a girl' by no doubt, as well as the Barbie song. I understood how it was necessary to show more than just the scenes of her performing to tell the full story, but of course the ones of her singing were the most fun. as a performer I already knew how there are plenty of things that are involved with performing. some  of it was subtitled, as she was playing a polish immigrant. this was especially true when she talks to her mom. this is another common theme in this kind of movie- having to convince parents that chasing a dream is worth it.
   I went to the dollar store and picked up two items, some toothpaste as well as a can of beef stew. the latter was from the discount aisle. it does raise eyebrows to see the toilet paper aisle being sold out. I went to a few other stores and found out this is rampant. in fact it was 8 this weekend, including 2 convenience stores. I think I will be able to get by for a little while with my current supply. there have been some articles about 'panic buying' this item, because people are used to having it. in the late afternoon I went to the library to print some things, return the movie, and I picked up 2 more movies. it seemed that the number of movies on hand was down a little. I am aware how it became a 3-week loan as of January, up from one week. I am still trying to get them back after one week, so it means the most I get is 2 at a time.

purchase limits

i went to the grocery store in the early evening and it was an eye opener to see how many sections listed 'purchase limits' at the aldi. like many other stores, it was hard to find paper products. there wasn't much bread either. when I was in the checkout line, somebody in front of me tried to buy three cases of bottled water but the limit was two. in the end, I was able to find most of what I normally get. they were out of bananas, and I found them at Hy-Vee. I needed to go there anyway because aldi doesn't have banquet TV dinners. I got some pictures of the signs at both stores. so if the only thing that raised eyebrows was the banana section, then not a big deal. I think I had seen them run out of things in the produce section before. and of course an aldi store is much smaller so they are going to run out more quickly.
   there was the other errand running earlier in the day. first stop was the post office, just one item there, a postcard about the cardinals magazine. then on to the bank to deposit a payroll check, that had just arrived on Friday. finally it was to Walgreen. as the saying goes, 'selection varies by store' as I couldn't find the razors I wanted the previous day. I got more food there as well, a chimichanga which became the evening meal. I laid down and slept for a while in the afternoon after getting back from it all. there was somebody at Walgreen that was told just one hand sanitizer bottle per person. and there was a man doing what I often do-pictures of some of the displays. one of them was of the magazine section, which had on the cover something about being prepared for the corona-virus. the gossip magazines had articles about it as well. after the late news I went to sing karaoke, a place I hadn't been to much lately. I did 'sign of the times' by prince. I said that line when I was at the grocery store, so of course it was on my mind. I saw a few people I recognized besides the karaoke jockey. another was the server, a young lady. there was another singer there, a man in a cowboy hat, but we didn't talk. I found him to be annoying. there was a man after me singing a charlie daniels song but wearing a kiss shirt.

be you, they will adjust

I went to sing karaoke tonight and I saw a lady who is becoming a regular there. she was wearing a sweatshirt saying 'be you, they will adjust'. I said the message was relatable to me, since I am a performer as well. she sang my chemical romance, and was on right after me. I sang 'thunderstruck' by AC/DC. it went over well, I saw some singing along with me.
    there was some activity today on multiple fronts. I was a little surprised to get a call from the laundromat about the pants I dropped off for the zipper repair, I said I still wanted it done. looks like I have an interview for early next week, in relation to an application filed on indeed.
    I went to the airport in the afternoon about the flights scheduled for this weekend. delta was the only one I couldn't cancel online, and the wait was too long on the phone. it sounds like I am getting the miles back on both the delta flight as well as American airlines. although I still got a text message about it and it is still on my online calendar. when there was mention of 'failure to appear' I cared a lot about trying to keep the miles if I could. while waiting in line I saw somebody that claimed to knew me from performing, but I didn't know him. I was behind somebody in line that I think had a flight to Tokyo, so me trying to get to Chicago for the weekend wasn't as big of a deal. I said I could still go, but it would be no fun since the event I wanted to attend wasn't happening. sing karaoke and watch TV? I can do that at home. there was an article found online about refunds with stubhub for the event tickets. I haven't inquired about it yet since it was the lowest priority compared to plane tickets and hotel rooms.
   after I got back from the airport, I laid down and slept for a while. it was the evening by then, so I went to get dinner at mcdonald's. naturally it meant a filet-o-fish and a shamrock shake. I had kind of planned on going there this week instead of a fish fry anyway, easier to do when I had expected to be out of town. four more Fridays left, still need to figure out which one I am going to next week.

   

edge of 17 movie

i watched a DVD movie on loan from the library just before midday, 'edge of 17'. the song of the same name was not in it, this was a little disappointing. the movie had its moments, such as woody harrelson as the history teacher. but in the end, it was hard to like the main character, a teen girl, because she kept self-destructing. kyra Sedgwick was also in it, as the mom of two teens. of course I like things history-related, since it was my major. I liked seeing some oversized stamps on the wall in the back, postage stamps honoring some historic events such as the articles of confederation. woody also puts in a movie for the class, it was 'young mr. lincoln', starring henry fonda. that was one of three Lincoln movies made during the 1930s. I noticed it had some connections to 'the simpsons', as I saw the same production company logo on it, gracie films.
    I went to see a friend at a restaurant in the early afternoon, after mailing two letters. it was brawler, and I said it was a big deal I made it as it is rare to see comedy friends outside of the clubs. only other one I could think of was yemen native, when he helped me find an outfit for a date. the TV was on to the sports news there, and it was hard to ignore. I said 'I was seeing the writing on the wall', about plans for the weekend. the event I wanted to see, minor league hockey in suburban Chicago, hadn't been called off just yet. but I went to the library after I was done there, and checked the news where it said their league had called off the season. so most of my reservations for the weekend are canceled now. not much of a need if the main reason for going is not available. I liked hearing what brawler had plans for, such as make a repair on his electronics, as well as counseling since he is getting married soon.
   I went to the karaoke venue and did two songs. it was 'everybody needs somebody' by the blues brothers, and 'different drum' by linda Ronstadt. hard to ignore what is happening in the world as the bar normally had sports on. but right now it is sports news.

zipper repair

I finally decided to take a pair of pants into a laundromat that also does dry cleaning. I called them in advance and found out there was an ownership change. I try to avoid buying new clothes if I can so I am hopeful a zipper repair will do the trick. I didn't wear them for a while because of this, then found a way to get back on track. well it broke again earlier today when I was getting ready for an interview. it was with a bank that I had interviewed with before, in fact in the same building just last week. although this time it is through an agency. I am reminded of how I already had an offer to do test scoring again, but it doesn't start again until the end of the month. then after the laundromat I went to the library to print some things, and filed more applications through indeed.
    I went to perform in the evening, but did not have beer tonight as a bartender snapped at me before I had even ordered anything. it was in reference to them changing the channel on two TVs and they briefly had it on spring training baseball, something I preferred to see. it was way out of line to snap at me but at the same time I didn't want to make matters worse by verbalizing who could and couldn't serve me tonight. some people are cranky and there is no changing them. the fancy comic showed up after the show ended but there were still some people in the showroom so the show runner was fine with him performing. he even asked me to give him a word, I chose 'hey', and then he did a rhyme related to it. when he left the venue I noticed he was driving a late-model Cadillac. another comic is a producer at twin cities live, a local show, and we discussed that for a short time after the show as I like being in the crowd as there are plenty of things they give crowd members. although I also said I haven't attended the show in two years. it is easier to do when I know my work schedule farther in advance and have vacation days to use.

didn't want a bag

i went to a dollar store to get two items today, bar soap as well as sheet protectors. I let the cashier know I didn't want a bag, but got one anyway. I guess they don't listen well, but I didn't want to make too big of a deal about it. I also went through a stack of business cards to get more job leads. one place asked for a resume and said few others get his name right. I also let a place know how I have an interview for Wednesday and was unable to attend their appointment, had to call their hotline.
    I went to perform this evening and it was nice to see the show runner in a good mood, as I know this is not the case every time. he made his rounds when I was offstage, having a beer at the bar. I saw airway as well. he said he needed to be someplace right after the show ended, so shortly after his performance was done he was out the door. I could tell the show runner was having fun with me when I was onstage as he claimed I had never lived in a certain neighborhood. I was on near the end of the night. I liked seeing somebody do spoken words where the 'refrain' was 'not enough' as it felt relatable to me.

in and out

I arrived at the office and met with my boss right away, and was told the job was over. didn't bother me much since no formal training was given, the proverbial 'set up to fail'. i was in and out in about 10 minutes. looks like I already have an interview lined up for this week, calling somebody from last week to let them know my status had changed. unlikely to mention the job on the resume, since it lasted just 4 days. 

   I performed at the comedy club tonight, and it felt good as usual. i think i got more crowd members this time telling me they enjoyed it. sometimes just one or two, but this time i think it was about 10. i like reflecting about my set shortly after completing it, and when i came out of the showroom i saw happy meal. i said it worked well, getting to all things on my list. although one was a last minute change, where i spoke of a review on a hotel online. i knew it was going to work better, as the saying goes experience pays. i spoke with brawler for a little while after the show. 

ernie davis movie

I watched a DVD movie on loan from the library around midday, it was a bio-pic about Heisman trophy winner ernie davis. I am used to 'based on a true story' meaning there are scenes and characters invented for dramatic effect. I recognized dennis quaid, who played the Syracuse coach. I checked the closing credits and noticed another name. chadwick boseman played Floyd little, a tailback at the same school after ernie. of course mr. boseman later played Jackie robinson in another movie. then it was time to take it back to the library, where I printed a few things.
   in the evening I went to a history show in uptown Minneapolis, my annual visit to this event. good crowd on hand, likely aided by it being 'one night only' this year. after I got home I called my dad, as usual the call was long.

unitarian whodunit

a late add to my plans for my birthday was attending a play. it was a 'whodunit' at a unitarian house of worship in st. paul. I had seen a flyer for it at a place where I sometimes sing karaoke. i let them know what promotion worked for me. it was called 'mystery manor'. the actors were young people. memorable when looking through the program was seeing a listing for the rubber chicken, who doesn't have much stage time. what I liked was seeing the thieves move the hands on the clock just before they pull off their thievery. there were a few good laughs in it. the investigating cop was a 'bumbling idiot', balanced out by another cop. the plat lasted a little over an hour. it was all right, for community theater. and I liked getting a good look around at the artwork in the fellowship hall. the front desk said when I was departing that it changes once a month. 

   there was plenty of birthday wishes on facebook, about 20. since it is the weekend i still needed to do some of my typical errand running. the stop at the post office box yielded two e-bay orders. i stayed home after that and watched some of the state high school hockey tournmanet on TV. hermantown tied it with less than a minute left in regulation, but mahtomedi won it in OT. i actually fell asleep and missed much of it, but knew i needed to get up and watch it when it sounded like the game was almost over. then it was to the grocery store. i wanted to see it was done before attending the play. after the play, eventually i went to a second grocery store, hy-vee, to get a few items that i couldn't find at aldi. and i sang at a karoake bar, it was 'live forever' by oasis. final stop of the night was to see a once a month comedy show. i arrived while the show closer was on, somebody i had done a fringe show with. as usual, it is nice to see people i know. once the bartender found out it was my birthday, it was decided that we would do 'grape ape' shots. although i said i knew very little about liquor, as i mostly drink beer. 

colin powell leadership academy

i went to a fish fry tonight at the American legion hall on the east side of st. paul. I noticed there were some young people working the event from the colin powell leadership academy. I said I could remember that name as the man worked for both presidents named bush, and he was portrayed on Saturday night live for this reason. ketchup for the fries seemed a little spicy. besides the fish and fries, I also got some macaroni, as well as corn. there was baked beans, but couldn't find any place for them on my plate. after eating there I picked up a few items at a nearby Walgreen. later on in the evening I did some karaoke, it was 'something so strong' by crowded house.
   at work I spent more time studying. my boss works for home on this day of the week. I think I understand things a little better, but I have a ways to go. I got an I.M., and responded to it. I said it was going better than the previous day because of being able to read the manual. so far I think I have only been shown what is important to get my work done, but I like to have an understanding beyond this. so I spent a big part of the day looking at every line with an attachment, so I could understand what documents were there. and it meant teaching myself what part of the file is shipped to the investor. I didn't bother to ask before, but I also know there are plenty of acronyms and I don't have a cheat sheet yet to understand the meaning of all of them. so I didn't do all that much actual work in the file, but what I did do was valuable. sometimes the important thing is to understand what is not shipped as much as what is.

where is the manual?

at work I felt lost trying to attempt my normal duties after doing orientation off-site this morning. it meant having somebody look at what I was doing. then I said I was used to seeing a manual, and my boss emailed one to me. I ended up reading it for much of the afternoon, as well as the checklist once I printed it. so I would like to think this will make a difference. it was 56 pages, although I noticed the last three were blank. I showed some of it to my shadowing partner. the second half is loans I haven't seen yet. the first half included something that wasn't familiar to me, and I was told we didn't do that kind of loan in this department. my boss sent an I.M. asking how it was going, I said not well. so this is when I asked to be the one driving and then have somebody advise me at my desk. although I am aware that my shadowing partner leaves earlier in the day than I do. this was also a factor in the shadowing itself, as I took a later lunch.
   I made it to the karaoke bar tonight but did just one song tonight as I was tired. it was 'desperately wanting' by better than ezra. I heard it on the radio on the way there. and memorable was the lyric about 'i remember running through the wet grass'. I liked seeing a big dude there for the first time in a while, we have decent conversations about music and sports. I liked how the karaoke jockey was able to find the song for me. I wasn't sure of the title. but he has a smart phone and was able to speak into it with the lyrics given. I can do this on my laptop-enter key words- but of course that stays at home.

on phone in minivan

i went to mail a friend's birthday card tonight and I saw it as odd to see someone on their phone in a parked minivan. when I went to leave to run the errand, as well as when I got back 10 minutes later. but I mind my own business and kept moving. I was prompted to do that because the friend had sent me a card. I stopped to get the card, and some cough drops, at a Walgreen after I was done performing. as usual, I had a karaoke story to share.
    I went to perform after printing some things at the library. at work I had 8 pages of notes from job shadowing. I had to spend some time looking them over as my handwriting can be a little sloppy when going fast. so it meant rewriting a decent amount to see that I could read it. I got a look at two loans today. it sounds like this is the only kind of training to be held, not anything in a classroom environment like what I am used to. I got the direct deposit form entered. much like the I-9, I wanted it done and over with. because I wanted an important document sent home. will see soon enough how well I understand what I am being shown.

beeps from dumpster

i was walking past a dumpster and heard beeps coming from it, had to get closer to confirm it. naturally this is a weird thing. not sure what was causing it, but I decided to keep moving. I have seen enough movies to know where something ticking is probably going to explode soon.
   in the evening I went to perform, and it was a much shorter lineup than last week. there was a fill-in show runner as well, who is also the techie. I didn't mind about fewer people this time, as I went onstage unlike last week. still a big deal to me when the bartenders say they like my performance. I am surprised when anyone is paying attention to what I am doing.
    I had an interview in the morning and then drove across town to my first day at work at a mortgage company. I did plenty of online classes, 15 in all. and the 'orientation' was the first 30 minutes or so, with the I.T. department getting my computer set up. I got my I-9 form done with HR, they only needed a copy of my passport. but I still need to do the direct deposit form. I found out my work station is close to where my boss is.

disturbia movie

i watched a DVD movie on loan from the library this afternoon, 'disturbia'. i did not recognize any of the actors in it, and it had nothing to do with the rihanna song of the same name. at least the song was not in the movie. it was a thriller, and I like thrillers. it was all right. this movie was about a young man who go house arrest, and saw some disturbing things in suburbia. so it made sense as to the choice of the movie's title. it reminded me of a 'simpsons' episode, based on a jimmy stewart movie, where somebody was stuck in a house. 'rear window' if I am not mistaken, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
   I was to have a phone orientation for a job this morning, but found out it was to be done at the office. so I called my boss and was informed to start on Tuesday, so a one-day delay. it was confusing to me, and I figured it would be like when I do phone interviews.
    I saw that I got plenty of loose ends tied up, including doing another interview that was already scheduled for later that morning. also made it back to the library to return a movie and print some of the attachments related to the new job. but I have a good idea of what is needed to do the I-9 forms, so I am not sure if I needed to print all of them.
    in the evening I performed, I was on near the end of the show. and after it I decided to get a bag of potato chips as I had found enough small change today to get one. and on the way to the library I got some more sheet protectors for baseball cards. it took care of most of the backlog on the charlie brown cards, 117 out of 144. actually it was 147, but I took out three once I noticed they were just checklists. there was the same image on the front- so I kept one of the four.
   

bone tomahawk movie

i watched a DVD movie on loan from the library this morning, 'bone tomahawk'. I recognized kurt Russell and david Arquette in it. I was excited at first about it being a western, but 'tombstone' this isn't. this becomes a mission to bring back somebody abducted by cave dwelling savages. it gets graphic at times, hard to ignore somebody getting scalped. this movie was long, more than 2 hours. a compelling character in it was a 'vain' man, played by matthew fox. he is often using a spy glass while the four men are on their mission, and his actions are often called into question. this movie wasn't that great.
    it was a busy day for me, as after I returned the movie to the library I got another one. then it was on my way to a baseball game at the Vikings stadium. my school, the iowa hawkeyes, was playing in the cambria classic, hosted by the Minnesota gophers, six teams in this tournament. iowa beat duke 7-5, but duke scored 2 in the first inning. those who like the long ball weren't disappointed, as there was four home runs, two for each team. although Iowa's home runs were both 2-run shots, and duke's were both solo shots.
   after a brief stay at home, then I was venturing out again, this time to a pro wrestling event in northeast Minneapolis. when I get to the venue I recognized it as one where I had seen a fringe show. I knew two of the wrestlers in this event, one of them the mad hatter, who was also playing music. it was nice seeing some performers I recognize in the crowd.