presidential beer ad

 i decided to get out a book about presidents, it was published in the 1990s. i was intrigued by one page showing a beer ad, for schlitz, with two presidents in it- ben harrison and grover cleveland. of course these were 19th century presidents. one does not see presidents endorsing products now. although i do have a postcard of a cigarette ad with reagan in it, but it was before reagan was president. i have beer postcards, the two schlitz cards were found at an antique mall near the xcel center. i understand the photos used in the book are from the library of congress. what prompted me to get out this book was due to ex-president carter being in the news since opting for hospice care. his niece has been representing the family, doing the interviews i am seeing. the notable carter photo in this book is with the older martin luther king. as expected, it was still hard to know how to fill in the time, day 6 of being on leave. i did some more word finds, then the walgreen appointment was in the mid-afternoon. i made it home just after 'jeopardy' had started, and i was pleased how things went well at the appointment. i am headed back to work in the morning, notified my boss. in the early evening i picked up some items from aldi. during my walks i found 63 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon had disputes. the first was with penny, who got 'three strikes you're out' and it ended with her calling his mom. it was followed by the one where howard is given sheldon's parking spot after being in space. 

penny press word seeks

 a big part of the day was filled with word finds. there was an extra copy of a penny press word seek i bought more than a year go i hadn't worked on in a while. i have been buying them every two months as they have had a charlie brown theme. some of the themes of the word finds do interest me, most recently it was one about famous aviators called 'pilot program'. i am also doing online surveys in the morning. when i have enough for airline miles for the month on one, i go to the other. it took longer this month because some surveys give nothing if one doesn't qualify. so i am more likely to skip those when they let you know in advance. and the mount for a survey given if not qualified went down, to 20 cents, it had been 25. so i am more likely to do surveys every day when this is the case, previously i was fine with skipping a day here and there if i was tired after work. there is also the recurring unanswered email going to the junk folder. this one said 'trying one last time'. when my name is there and not just the email, it did lead to more than just hit delete and not read, which is what i do with most in that folder. something like four times i have been asked if i am interested in chatting about franchise ownership, i am not. when i tried to unsubscribe the screen didn't look right to me. as i recall there was mention of finding me on linked-in. i haven't updated my profile in a while there, and i rarely chat with anyone on that site. sometimes i would get emails from that site inviting me to connect with an ex-coworker. except i don't miss most of my ex-coworkers. 

as expected, day 5 of being on leave wasn't much fun for me. i called the clinic in the morning and i didn't like how i was advised to try something that would no longer be helpful. in the afternoon i called my boss, said i have another appointment at a walgreen scheduled. what i didn't like was how i could hear my boss asking someone else the same question about work that i had already answered. during a walk in the evening i found 25 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when we meet ramona, who is helping sheldon be more productive but is keeping him from his friends, hence playing the song 'be my yoko ono'. it was followed by the one where penny had a partner in a class, but leonard is jealous of him. then alex hits on leonard but he doesn't take it seriously.

supermarket and museum

 i was waiting for word on getting to walgreen around midday, so i passed the time by watching some charlie brown DVDs. there were two discs with valentine specials on them. one had 'no time for love', where some of the friends mistake a supermarket for an art museum. normally these aren't on the list for my annual viewing. these two were 'be my valentine' and 'charlie brown valentine'. it is likely because this isn't my most favorite holiday. i still didn't go to get a redbox rental, this can wait a little longer. i made it to hy-vee in eagan in the mid-afternoon after the walgreen appointment. when i went on a walk in the evening i found 1 dollar, all in quarters. the news had an interview with a ukraine-born conductor who was in town for a show. this time they finished airing it. tried watching it the previous day but it was pre-empted by a press conference about breaking news. 'the simpsons' was about carl and a belt buckle.

operation market garden

 there were so many things i wrote down and re-copied from my notes for the day, getting them onto a larger page. one of them was mention of 'operation market garden', found it online this week. this was a battle in world war two in europe in september 1944, in the netherlands. the air part was the 'market' and the land part of the battle was the 'garden'. guess it served some of its purposes, by liberating some parts of the continent, but not all. but we still know how the war ended. i don't recall this battle being in the history books i read. it was after d-day, and of course d-day, storming the beaches of normandy, gets plenty of attention. but i am constantly interested in learning so i am still willing to learn what i can about history, my college major. there was just two times i ventured out all day. in the morning i went to the post office, one e-bay order was there to be picked up. in the evening i placed some more orders, two on e-bay and one on amazon. the latter was for a lyle crocodile book, the one out of nine i don't have yet. the e-bay orders are still of foreign coins. i also went out late in the evening for a walk, and found 49 cents. i had a ticket for an event in the afternoon, the annual meeting of the credit union, but did not attend. i haven't been tested yet and figured it was still a good idea to skip it 'out of an abundance of caution'. i am still proud of what i got done, as the reviewing of notes had been on my list for a while. and i liked getting some things looked up, even if it was quotes from writers i couldn't read well because my handwriting can be sloppy at times. i know if it is about writing, it is likely something i found on writers almanac, from garrison keillor. another part of my notes is upcoming events, including movies of interest to me. 

i never promised you a rose garden

 i finished the book i had re-started this week, 'i never promised you a rose garden'. at times i had to stop and reflect on what i was reading, even looked up some of the words in it. but i am thankful i made it to the end. there is a movie version from the 1970s. according to wikipedia, dennis quaid and clint howard (ron's brother) are in it as baseball players. based on what i have read about the movie, it is hard to say as to if it is worth my time as it is likely hard to find. typical of going from book to movie, some things are changed or taken out. i recall finding this book when looking at resale shops when i first moved to minnesota in 2004. at some point i actually had two paperback copies, sometimes that happens where i buy a book i already have a copy of. i think what spoke to me was the title, as it is close to a song title. then it was reading the synopsis of the book, about mental illness. and we all know how mental health can be a delicate thing. parts of it are quite relatable, such as making friends with those who understand the struggle as they are going through it as well. or how sometimes it is tempting to just give up or quit because life can be hard at times. but sometimes we must fight for what is rewarding. day 4 of being on leave- hopefully the final day- meant calling to my boss to say i had an appointment to be re-tested. i was told the check shop was closed on thursday due to the weather, which is rare. it meant another day of watching 'jeopardy'. the mind exercise from this game show made being off work for a few days more bearable. i went to hy-vee in eagan in the evening, had a mask on when inside the store. lent just started, i had a place picked out each week in terms of finding a fish fry but of course this week's was scrapped. and i watched a DVD in the afternoon, 'farewell to arms', starring gary cooper, based on the hemingway novel. i had bought this disc at a gas station during one of my travels back from iowa but i think this was the first time watching it. there was plenty of previews after the film was done of other shows this company has, many of them cartoons. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when the friends had an intervention for sheldon, who needs to learn how to drive. it was followed by the one where we see two different 'star trek' actors on 'fun with flags'- wil wheaton and levar burton- and amy, as the director, doesn't like either. 

tow-truck for a semi

 in the morning i went out to move my car for the snow ordinance. i knew it would take some time to shovel around it to get it out, so i didn't turn on the car right away. as usual, i am aware of how i don't use that big shovel too often. but i am thankful i have it whenever it is needed. in the early evening i went out to move my car again, and this is when i saw a tow truck for a semi. there are signs nearby saying 'no parking for commercial vehicles' but some do anyway. i not only got a picture of my snow-covered car in the morning, but also two of the tow truck and the semi. i drove a few miles to the gas station in the morning and then it was into my parking spot for the day. there were no calls to or form work, nothing for me to call about. clinic was closed when i tried to call, was trying to confirm the recommendation as to what day to re-test. after this i scheduled for sunday morning. there was a text from the branch manager saying the branch was closed for the day. i saw an email saying the branches at the credit union i have the car loan with would be opening late. proof of how each place is different with how they are handling the winter weather. i read some more in the book i re-started this week, 25 pages, there are about 30 left. 

another way i stayed occupied on day 3 of being on leave was listening to a lecture on zoom in the afternoon, from the american historical association. it was a 'book talk' with the author himself, an instructor at the u. of texas. there was also a moderator, as well as two other instructors who had read the book. it was about 'america's unfinished fight for democracy', trying to tie things back to the civil war of over a century ago. i was agreeing with the commentators, one of them from st. olaf, who were pointing out the flaws in the book. the author said he was writing for his students, well i am not one of them. so it sounded like he was writing for too narrow of an audience. but as a graduate of the u. of iowa, i am familiar with the old adage about college instructors: 'publish or perish'. i did take three pages of notes so there are some things that were mentioned where i can look them up and learn something from it. 

another thing of note was, as a baseball fan, seeing more spring training news from the regular email i get from MLB. there was mention of justin verlander, the only active pitcher close to reaching 300 wins, currently just under 250. it made me wonder about clayton kershaw, but he is just under 200 wins, same as adam wainwright. i am aware of how the most recent 300-game winner was randy johnson, and the 'big unit' made it with just over 300, at 303, and retired 13 years ago. there are various factors i am aware of as to why fewer pitchers reach this plateau now, although 18 of the 19 in the 3,000 strikeout club have reached that feat since the 1970s. 24 members in the 300-win club, and 10 of them added since 1982. during my walks i found 75 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when raj did a photo shoot for people magazine. it was followed by the one where sheldon and leonard use a 'chess clock' because the two weren't on the same page. leonard re-wrote penny's paper for a history class, she rejects it but then has bernadette and amy write it for her. sheldon is afraid of why steve hawking hadn't played in a while in their scrabble game. 

brief merit meeting

even though it was day 2 of being on leave, there was still calls to and from work. some of those as expected were from my boss. as usual, he sounds disappointed when i miss work, even though i rarely do. it explains why i was asked to move up my next appointment. well i would like to be back at work right away too. and i feel fine enough to be there, but was still advised to take it easy this week. in the afternoon, after my boss heard from payroll, there was a brief meeting about merit increases, i am getting 3 percent. i was surprised there would be such a meeting when the performance evaluation was done a few months ago. also heard from my vacation replacement in the morning, who had a question about the refund checks. and said he was likely the only one in the building due to the snowstorm. i am aware of how many do like working from home. i am doing my best to make the most of this week, by resting some of course. also read some more in the book i re-started a day ago, a hundred more pages so now there are just over 50 left. i found some clips on youtube from the movie it inspired as well. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when penny got addicted to a computer game inspired by 'conan the barbarian'. it was followed by the one where howard returned from space, but his friends and his mom were all too busy for him. most of his friends were doing games like pictionary, when he found them they were doing a pie-eating contest. 'the conners' was mainly about finding out harris is pregnant, and the family's reaction to the news. still some cast members such as louise are not seen, or even mentioned.

get out a book

 after getting an early call, just minutes before i was headed to the bank, i wasn't sure what to do. the clinic said i was ill, do not go in. so i called my boss and had to figure out how else i am to fill in the time. i had noticed a book near my desk for a while, which once was in my lunch bag. i think i had been reading it a little at a time in the jobs i held while 'in the wilderness' before i landed the current gig. it looks like i was near the end, based on the bookmark placement. but i decided to start over from page one and read a hundred pages, nearly half the book, in the first day. it also meant another episode of 'jeopardy', the high school reunion tournament. as usual, i knew some of the answers, and this included the shakespeare category. since i know some of those plays, but not all. and in the evening it was 'night court' on NBC as i had already seen some of the local news coverage on the winter weather. good story where the judge is stuck on the subway, while there are olympic athletes visiting the court. the 'snow ordinance' is not in effect yet but it will be soon enough. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when the friends went to the ren-fest. then leonard and penny come back from their dates at the same time and compete in the hall for who kisses longer, leonard's date being lesley. it was followed by the one where sheldon gets an assistant, alex. it led to a line where i laughed due to amy saying to penny, 'that skank is your problem, not mine'. since alex likes leonard. 

on the line movie

 around midday i watched a DVD movie, a redbox rental, 'on the line'. i recognized mel gibson in it. this was about a radio shock jock in los angeles. a caller claims he has taken the radio host's wife and daughter hostage. usually i like thrillers, but this one not so much. liked an early scene with mel driving a vintage mustang to the studio, while the song 'can't stop' by the red hot chili peppers is playing. i got this rental at my second-choice place, a cub foods, as the machine at the first place, the gas station, wasn't working well. hard to get the arrow moved around on the screen where i wanted it to go. so sometimes once must line up alternate plans. while at cub foods i saw discounted boxes of rice krispies cereal, left over from valentines day, and i bought one. in the morning i went to an appointment at the clinic, had two swab tests done. i was advised not to perform at the open-mic tonight. then i picked up some things at a walgreen, and saw an old friend there who had transferred from another location. late in the evening i went on a walk and found 1 dollar 12 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were both about trying to keep secrets. penny didn't want leonard to know she didn't finish college, it led to sheldon saying he had to move. it was funny because both raj and then howard tried to take him in and got annoyed with him, then said 'tag you're it' to the next person. it was followed by the one where penny wasn't sure if she wanted to keep dating leonard, then sheldon and amy talk about it in the movie theater. since howard is still in space, stuart becomes the replacement in their circle of friends.

home all day

 this seems to be the best way i could describe it, as i was home all day because i am ill. runny nose, sore throat, so of course it wasn't much fun to eat as it was painful to swallow. good thing i already have an appointment lined up. i knew i wouldn't enjoy seeing a movie at a theater in this condition, my original plan. i stayed in and watched a DVD, it was a charlie brown special, 'it's a mystery'. this was inspired by the recent visit to the sherlock holmes exhibit. i hadn't seen it in a while, it is on disc of specials from the 1970s. it is kind of funny how snoopy blows bubbles from his pipe and they keep bursting on woodstock. i did very little, aside from viewing the disc. i watched the news, i watched 'the simpsons',which was about flanders going into business with fat tony. i have had plenty of cough drops, i rarely get sick, i trust that i will be on the mend soon.

sherlock holmes exhibit

 i spent much of the day at the minnesota history center. first half was for a lecture about king philip's war. then i walked to the restaurant district near the xcel center and had some pizza. my first choice was not available, door was locked. so i went across the street to a place i had been to, but not in a while. then it was back to the museum for the sherlock holmes exhibit. i had done lectures virtually before, but this time i did it in person as i wanted to get to this exhibit. i was pleased that they had some displays of how the character influenced pop culture, including charlie brown artifacts. one was an ad with snoopy, the other was a plush woodstock. both had the deer-stalker hat on. i was reminded of how there was a charlie brown special, called 'it's a mystery', where snoopy becomes a detective. i learned some things while there. they had a section about the time period the character was created in, with all of the technology available. and there was mention of the stories becoming popular due to the inability of the london police to catch jack the ripper. there was also mention of an actor named ian fleming doing sherlock movies. had to look it up, not the same one who wrote the james bond books, just the same name. there was a poster of the sherlock show i was most familiar with, called 'elementary', where sherlock comes to new york and dr. watson was played by lucy liu. i made it to the post office before the museum, but no orders to pick up. i laid down for a while after getting back from the museum, then went to aldi for my weekly grocery order. during my walks i found 2 dollars 96 cents. there was a paid program after the late news about kirk cousins, the vikings quarterback, getting the bart starr award. i had heard of some of the previous honorees, including kurt warner.

ty squish-a-boo

 i went to hy-vee in eagan for my weekly grocery order and saw some kids hugging stuffed animals. later on i found a display called 'ty squish-a-boo'. this was likely what they had. so i got a picture of the display. i saw some things likely left over from the super bowl as well. there was a snickers display in the shape of a goalpost. and near it was a big m and m holding up some candy. i did find some valentines candy there, but not a lot. i bought three pieces of russell stover. and a box of chocolate cheerios, with 15 little packs inside. i still plan on eating it like breakfast cereal. the cheerios wasn't discounted though. at work there was a spike in volume on a check file waiting for me in the morning. some days it is just over a hundred, but this time it was nearly two thousand. in spite of this, i still got nearly a thousand california tax forms sent through the machine, and one box is empty. so we are moving right along with the special project. near the end of the day the copier kept jamming when trying to print overnight labels so i decided to send them to a check printer instead. because i just wanted to get out of there. before i went for my grocery order i went to the liquor store near me and got a can of michelob, so now there are four beers waiting. later in the evening i went on a walk and found 2 dollars, mostly in quarters. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon tried to learn chinese in order to talk to a restaurant owner. leonard and penny go on a date and penny said 'the cat is alive'. it was followed by the one where howard lied to his wife, and mom, while in space. sheldon brings raj on his date with amy.

first date stories

 when i was driving home from work tonight i had the radio on to a country music station. there was a story about a first date where the man met a single mom and she brought her kid with her, left him in the booth next to them, but didn't tell him in advance. there was mention of comments on their facebook page, so i found it and i did. i saw 90 comments on the posting, and one of them was from somebody i knew. i said i was fine with dating somebody who has kids, but to be honest and up front with me about it. at work i am moving right along with the special project on the california tax forms, since it was a lower volume day on check printing i was able to get just over two thousand run through the machine. i was given a box of illinois forms as well, but there has been no comment yet on sending a sample of the illinois form. i was asked to scan the tickets on the refund checks, not a big deal to me. main thing was to swap out the big binder clip for a rubber band as the clip made the scan too dark. there was a canadian check to set aside, but it wasn't for the tax specialist. and after a two-day wait, i sent a check regular mail to the PO box as i am unable to overnight a check to a box. i let the business line know because i can't hold onto checks for long once printed. i drank the bottle of grain belt with the evening meal so now three beers are waiting. later on i went on a walk and found 98 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when howard said 'don't toy with me, woman' when penny said she'd fix him up with one of her friends as part of the planning on a surprise birthday party for leonard. it was followed by the one where howard gets married to bernadette and then goes into space. 'young sheldon' has sheldon looking for paige at a frat party. i did get some discounted valentines candy at the walgreen at work, but there wasn't as much as i expected. i also got a hot wheels car as it was a ford mustang. 

nerf mini football

 at the end of my lunchtime i went to a nearby CVS pharmacy to see what discounted valentines candy they had. when i saw a heart-shaped box with a nerf mini football i said i had to have it. there is a goal post included with a suction cup. inside the box is gummy candy hearts. i decided to get the dunkin donuts bag of coffee flavored jelly hearts as well, along with two reese's peanut butter hearts. getting to multiple walgreen locations is next in my plans. at work i got started on the tax form special project in earnest, as just over a thousand california forms went out at the end of the day. i was asked to run 'test forms' for illinois, those arrived just before midday. i ran some forms through the machine whenever there was 'down time', before or after running checks through in the morning or afternoon. i had to hold onto the refund checks as that department decided to work from home due to the expected icy road conditions. still saw my boss though, who asked about the special project. i had hoped to make it home in time for the start of a meetup event, an open-mic for a writing group, but it was not to be. there was some trouble getting logged in through zoom. i shared a story about being unlucky in love, just before the final performer. during my walks i found 26 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon's sister visits. it was followed by the one where howard finds out the space mission was moved up, conflicting with the wedding to bernadette. 'the conners' was about darlene and job interviews. i still haven't seen louise lately on the show and would like to see her more. 

too much confusion

 there was an I,M, this morning asking about a ticket on a check printer. i was confused, thinking it had been closed over a week ago. almost forgot how there was a ticket opened on both printers recently. so i said the spare fuser arrived and i was fine with closing the ticket. after it was closed i added a note saying the fuser arrived and it was confusing about the two tickets, this led to it being re-opened. i added a note saying it didn't need to be re-opened, please close it again. it led to getting an email to clear up any confusion, and the ticket was closed again. so there was too much confusion for a little while. re-printed tax forms from payroll arrived just before midday. in the afternoon i did a test run of ten forms and those have the address showing fine through the window. so i will get those done when i find the time throughout the upcoming workdays. i saw the fish fry list from the st. paul paper so i have more ideas about where i can eat during lent. with another venue i found the event on facebook. near the end of the day i spoke with who picks up the mail tubs, who said he was taking eight weeks off to visit africa. late in the evening i went on a walk and found 5 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when the friends bought a movie prop, a time machine. it was followed by the one where howard has his bachelor party and we hear bernadette say 'you are not going anywhere, three-way' to raj. 

alaska airlines label

 late last week the energy park mailroom asked if i wanted some inter-office envelopes from california. i said i could use them. well they arrived just before midday, found at the branch. it was in a hard plastic mail tub, much like what i use to send things to energy park. and i noticed there was an alaska airlines label on it with the LAX airport code. it is a reminder of how these tubs are well-traveled. another notable thing about the workday was getting the go-ahead on dumping all of the california tax forms from last week. so once i was caught up on my normal duties, i sent them to the shred bin in the shop. at the end of my lunch i went over to walgreen and got a charlie brown valentine card. it was the same kind of card i had seen at hy-vee, but was sold out when i was going to buy it a few days ago there. so when i picked it up at walgreen i said 'get while the getting is good' as there weren't many left at this store either. and i got a bottle of dunkin donuts iced coffee. i knew full well i was going to get more than one item. on the way back i heard somebody arguing on her phone, and i decided it was best to ignore it and keep moving. i performed at an open-mic in the evening, after i left the showroom a fellow performer said he liked hearing about the redbox rental movies. and said he once was an employee of a public library. this is the older man who likes to do folk songs. later on i went on a walk and found 80 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when the friends got lesley to fill out their quiz bowl team, going up against sheldon. it was followed by the one where sheldon polished belt buckles for howard, and wore a french maid costume, all to meet steve hawking. 

iggy and clueless

 i watched the super bowl, chiefs beat the eagles 38-35. best commercials all year, although one i had to look up. it was for an online retailer, and at first i said it looked like an iggy azalea video. i hadn't seen 'clueless' so i was unaware of iggy's 'fancy' video being a takeoff of 'clueless'. although iggy isn't the first to copy a movie in a music video, as madonna copied a marilyn monroe movie, 'gentlemen prefer blondes', in her 'material girl' video. i had seen 'grease' as well as 'caddyshack' so i was familiar with some other ads being parodies of those movies. as usual, plenty of ads for things that men like- cars, beer, and snack foods. there were some movie trailers as well, for me the standout was the one about the air jordan basketball shoe. i am a 'box score' type, and two of the telling stats in box scores said a lot about this game. this was penalties and turnovers. a defensive TD kept the chiefs in the game, and another TD was set up by a long punt return. i am proud of the things i got one before the game started, no need to watch the pre-game show. there was a college basketball game that i listened to on the radio, starting at midday, iowa hawkeyes playing at the minnesota gophers. iowa won 68-56. then i went to fed-ex office and got copies, although it wasn't the typical visit. one printer was down so i had to go to the color copier, and refunded on the difference. i also listened to a CD i had bought from e-bay, the 'prairie home companion' soundtrack, and on youtube i watched a video about the st. louis cardinals.it was a recent one about the record breakers, the wainwright-molina tandem. i went to the liquor store and got a can of steel reserve, and i drank it during the game at halftime when i had the evening meal, so there still are four beers waiting. later on i went on a walk and found 58 cents.

survivalist movie

 this morning i watched a DVD movie, a redbox rental, 'survivalist'. i recognized john malkovich in it. i think this is the third movie i have seen about the pandemic, and the second that would be best described as 'dystopian'. there is a radio commentator, and her show is called 'doomsday daily'. it is about a former FBI agent trying to defend his farm and home against a group in a 'war wagon'. an escapee from a camp shows up at the farm, and this is why the marauders stop there as well. there is some back-story, told in various vignettes, about the main character's dad, who had gambling debts. it is not too often where i end up talking to a movie, but i did this time. i said 'shoot him!' because there was plenty of un-necessary talking at times. during one of the scenes with his dad, i was able to see what kind of beer was in it, the label read voodoo ranger. i have heard of it but haven't drank it yet. also in the background of a scene was a poster for 'the mailman' if i am not mistaken. i searched online and found out there is such a movie from 2004, but i had never heard of it before. 

  after the movie was done it was time to do the errand running. first was dumping the movie at the gas station. then the post office, both orders from e-bay were there. then target where i got a tube of aim toothpaste. then i briefly went home, and it was time to venture out again for lunch. i went to jersey mike's and had a sandwich there, as i like getting the airline miles. then i went to aldi for my weekly grocery order, and laid down for a while. as expected, after having some pizza for the evening meal, it was easier to get some things done by deciding to have the TV off. i wanted to get my income taxes done, but much like previous years, i did them online but don't like the fees they charge. so only the federal taxes were filed, i can do the state tax return myself manually. i made a stop at the liquor store and got a bottle of peroni so now there are four beers waiting. late in the evening i went on a walk and found 1 dollar 36 cents. 

reese's peanut butter muffin

 after going to hy-vee in eagan for my weekly grocery order, i stopped at the holiday gas station as i realized i still needed a little bottle of milk for the morning. there was a sign on the doors saying there was a contest on what location will sell the most cookies. i considered getting cookies along with the milk, but saw the reese's peanut butter muffins and got one of those instead. i like most snack foods that have peanut butter in them. i ate it in the car so it was gone before leaving the parking lot. notable about the hy-vee order was getting some microwave popcorn, as i wanted popcorn for the super bowl this weekend. at work it is proven how there is rarely a dull moment. i was sent an email and an I.M. about overnighting a check, from a business line that doesn't ask for it that often. i said the tracking number would be sent when it is available. their email sounded a little ambiguous so i had to confirm that i was sending to the address on the check, instead of 'return to business line'. they were a little lost about the second option, but that wasn't the one they wanted anyway. near the end of the day my boss asked if i had heard anything about the special project for payroll, and i said i hadn't heard 'word one' all day. i was waiting to hear more about the envelopes, hadn't sent any out yet. sounds like a re-print will be done. i was pleased that it was the first time i could recall asking a colleague about two things- one of them being supplies. was getting low on pens that work, then after being advised i reminded myself where the supply cabinet was on another floor. the other was about an inter-office envelope, from the previous day. i wouldn't send it because there was no mail code on it, found out it was fine what i did, put it back in that department's slot. late in the day i went on a walk and found 1 dollar 71 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon got a young rival, just as obnoxious as himself. it was followed by the one where sheldon broke a star trek toy, and raj got a little dog. it led to bernadette saying 'metrosexual, my ass'. this line is still funny to me. 

late plea, intercept check

 there are many days where i am asked to intercept a check. today there was two requests, and the second was really late. i said it would be really hard to find as i had already run the file through the machine. i figured this would be the end of it but a branch manager in phoenix made another plea for me to find it. i did, but it meant flipping through hundreds of envelopes in a mail tub to find it. something about an account closed by mistake and didn't want to do a stop payment. i ended up with points in my account and when i saw this i laughed as guess they were paying attention to how this was 'above and beyond' for me on cleaning up other people's messes. hadn't been given points in a while, guess i have enough to order another amazon gift card. in the morning the tech arrived to work on the copier, and now it prints full pages again after being cut off on the right side for a while. i spoke of my boss using an air can on the toner cartridge and was told that doesn't make things better. during this time there was another visitor to the shop, dropping off california tax forms. i tried running some through the machine but noticed the bank's logo pushed the address down further. at first it appeared the last line of the address wasn't showing through the window, but it will if the envelope is tapped. i had run just 27 of these through when i asked to be advised about it. and i am still waiting to hear more. the payroll manager claimed one of them as an example, and my boss wanted to see them so i sent a scan of two. what it looks like when tapped and when not tapped. i drank the can of modelo with the evening meal so now there are three beers waiting. late in the evening i went on a walk and found 1 dollar 91 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon was sick so the friends go to a 'planet of the apes' marathon. penny takes care of him until leonard tries to look for his glasses. it was followed by the one where sheldon doesn't want to go with amy to a birthday party for her family member, and penny teaches her on how to make a scene. we hear 'cracking the whip' multiple times. 

special project reduction

 in the afternoon my boss showed up in the shop and said a special project sending out tax forms for payroll department would be starting soon. we already had the envelopes ordered for it. earlier in the day there was an email saying another special project, involving remediation checks, wasn't going to the 50k but less than half that amount. i said we can use the check stock but i guess we won't have to order the envelopes for that business line for a while. most days that business line sends us just 10-20 checks. so i guess overtime will not be needed to complete it in a timely fashion. i decided to overnight an i-pay check even though it wasn't stamped to do so because i noticed it was for over a half million. i didn't want any complaints about how it didn't get there. shortly after this my boss arrived, around midday, and asked about cost centers on the overnight labels. we had to review the app and i noticed it is stamped in there for me, it was something i was taking for granted. and a weird thing was happening in the check printing app in the afternoon, where the numbers or digits wouldn't enter at all. but it would work in other apps. so eventually i shut down the app and re-booted it, and everything was fine. i wasn't sure if that was going to be enough. sometimes one needs to search for things in that app; late in the evening i went on a walk and found 17 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon and leonard lied to penny and then tried to cover it up with saying there was a homeless drug addict cousin. it was followed by the one where sheldon started to play bongos because he was picky about who would cut his hair. howard was having a rough time with the space training. i liked seeing more of dan in 'the conners' tonight, but it was about having insomnia. 

no branch access

 near the end of the workday i was taking overnight packages out to the drop-box. i saw somebody who asked me if i had access to the branch, i did not. i think the branch had closed to the public just a few minutes earlier. this man claimed to be an employee, but i spoke of how i got used to working in the building during covid and keeping my badge with me as i knew nobody was coming to help if i got locked out. i was too busy to care what happened to him as i wanted to finish up and leave. less than an hour prior i sent an I.M. to the customer service manager and said a box was picked up from the branch, and i saw they were offline so i was going to keep it in the shop. then i got a response saying 'i am here' so i sent it up. i was shown pictures from her phone of a clock on top of a fireplace mantel, as well as of a bulldog, and a cat. when i got home i added an amazon gift card to my account. while looking at the site i checked and it looks like a book i am interested in is in a price range i can live with. hard to say why, most likely due to more copies of the book becoming available. so i will want to order it soon. and i figured out one thing i can do this weekend to fill up the time more- get my income taxes done online. it is the time of year when i do so. and i like how it takes much less time for the refund to arrive as i ask for direct deposit as well. sometimes i get out some scrap paper during the workday and write out ideas of things to do or to look up. late in the evening i went on a walk and found 31 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when howard films sheldon and leonard fighting at a presentation, and the video has 'three blind mice' playing. it was followed by the one where we see the 'bestie portrait' of amy and penny. and we see sheldon and kripke try to decide who wins an office on a basketball court. 

dishes before emails

 i knew what order things had to be done tonight after getting off work and having the evening meal. it meant doing dishes, a weekly thing but delayed a day, before i went online to check email. because otherwise i knew there was a good chance that the sink would stay full for yet another day, and that would have been wrong. like most things, it doesn't take long once getting started. it is just a matter of when one gets started on it. and as expected, not too many of the waiting emails were important. i did a survey but that was all in terms of what was notable. with the postal mail, it was a reminder of how i can get started on doing my income taxes this weekend if i am looking for something to do. since i got more tax forms, this time from the health insurance provider, about my flexible spending account. when i was recapping the weekend with a colleague i said i didn't have anything booked yet for saturday but nothing wrong with wanting to rest after doing chores and errand running, something i often do. guess it was in contrast to how i had plenty booked over the weekend. at work the notable thing was early in the day, the check stock order arrived. i used all four carts available, although i noticed the handle was coming off one cart. i have been just putting the screws back in when this happens. in the evening i went on a walk and found 69 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon leaves with raj's date, a dentist, because raj was 'drunk and boring'. it was followed by the one where sheldon is told to go on vacation and tries to work in amy's lab. howard is told bernadette wants a pre-nup. 

russian art museum

 this afternoon i went to the russian art museum in south minneapolis. this was an idea i co-opted from meetup, after finding out a self-guided tour would be cheaper than their offer of a 'docent'. it is in a former church building, and there was three floors of art to look at. early on i saw a collection of stamps and coins from the former USSR, including a special edition of coins for the 1980 olympic games. to me it was a big deal to see beer bottles on display, as the stereotype being that russia's drink is vodka. there was a section of antiwar cartoons, saying it will be on display until the current war in ukraine is over. and there were posters about perestroika. i bought some postcards in the souvenir shop, even though some depicted art not on display there. one was of don quixote. and i got a magnet about a dance festival from 1936, we all know i like festivals. before i made it there i went to uptown minneapolis and stopped at the place called 'up-down', a game room and bar. i had these tokens from there that i kept finding on my walks. i tried various games there, including skee-ball and shooting baskets. the doorman recommended a beer-themed game where i was moving a little steel ball into slots. and i played two music-themed games, led zeppelin pinball as well as an aerosmith video game. i wanted pizza but they were out. so i went to a nearby gas station, the speedway, and got some pizza there along with a smoothie. then it was on to the museum. in the morning i did laundry. after the museum i wasn't home for long. i went online to check email and ate, then it was on to the performance venue for an open-mic. nice seeing cul-de-sac and his lady friend there. i performed just after c-d-s. i was tired, only chore i didn't get to was doing dishes, so i guess it has been moved back a day. during my walks i found 2 dollars 65 cents. the museum visit prompted me to order two coins from e-bay. another souvenir from the day was a photo booth strip from the game room. i stayed a little longer playing games after finding some more tokens near the booth. i used ten tokens there and i arrived with only four, and didn't need to purchase any while there. 

plowing through play

 this afternoon i went to burnsville and saw the latest play in the 'church basement ladies' series, called 'plowing through'. this one takes place in 1975-76. still amazed about how the five actors handle all of the roles. of course there is slapstick, often by mavis, and this actress is also listed as the script writer. i knew this play would be wrapping up its run soon, in less than two weeks, so i decided it was time to get there. as expected, it lasted about two hours and had one intermission. this was relevant as i was double booked for the day. i let my college roommate know i could make it for dinner after the play was done, and my estimation was correct on making it at 6pm. i went to a liquor store near the venue and got some paulaner beer, and liked seeing an old-timey cash register on display near the door. then it was time to get on the road to farmington. we had stir fry and for dessert it was ice cream, i chose the triple berry jam, home made, for the topping. there was some disbelief about me doing stand-up so i said i had sets on youtube and we ended up watching some of them. this included my roommate's sweetie. after i was done i drove home and didn't do much else for the rest of the day. during my walks i found 13 cents. it was notable about having to move things up due to not only the play but also my roommate. this meant going earlier to aldi for groceries, but not a big deal. in the morning i watched a DVD movie, a redbox rental, 'lyle crocodile'. i had seen it at theaters. then i dumped the movie, dropped off recycle near the capitol, and went to the post office. there was one order to pick up. by then it was time for lunch, i prepared some rice, and added chunks of spam in the skillet. 

karaoke birthday party

 this evening i went to a bar i had performed karaoke, as well as open-mics, for a friend's birthday party. it was the first time i had done karaoke in a bar probably since covid hit. the song i did was 'memories' by maroon 5. i liked having a cupcake as well, as some were at the table. it was valentines themed, and i claimed one with a plastic ring on it saying 'bee mine'. the lot was full, and i didn't feel like waiting for a spot to open up. so i parked across the road at a grocery store, cub foods. the birthday girl was the youngest in our group, she was there with her husband, and she was unmarried when we last performed as a group. actually i think it was the former jockey who brought the cupcakes, and at the end of the night she refused to let me walk back to my car and gave me a ride over to it. guess it was subzero, and i am thankful that somebody cares enough to offer, as not everybody does or will. there are many times i said i missed doing karaoke, but still wasn't going back to it for whatever reason. so i very much valued my time with these friends. of course memorable was the songs i heard besides just the one i did. hearing 'my immortal', one i have done before. or 'be my guest', as it was parodied on 'the simpsons'. or 'umbrella', as well as some movie songs. 'hopelessly devoted to you' from 'grease', and 'always remember us this way' from 'star is born'. it was crowded in this bc room, so i was thankful that one friend in the group offered me her seat. i made it there after i did my weekly grocery visit to hy-vee in eagan. 

of course i went to work as well. it started with me parking across the street to have an oil change. and there was two visits to change the codes on the doors to the check shop. the second one i was found in the breakroom, still on lunch, so they decided to come back at the time i expected them as they were early. branch manager asked me to take own some of the covid signs in a bathroom, saying they were out of compliance. during my walks i found 11 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when we meet penny's friend, the 'whore of omaha', howard is interested in her. it was followed by the one where howard gets the name 'froot loops' and sheldon causes a power failure. 

deer crossing

 on the commute home from work i saw two deer cross just before me. i waited for the third to do the same, but it didn't move so i guess it was waiting for me. so then i went further. i was nearly home by then. at work i sent two emails near the end of the day about some rare things. one was about testing the quality of the newer check printer. i had a form saved from doing this before so i liked how it didn't take long to get it entered. the other was asking about how many mail tubs can be sent per day, as the special project is coming up later this month. the most i have ever sent is five, and that is rare, only when i need to get caught up. i wasn't home for long after work, basically just long enough to have the evening meal. and since i knew i was heading to the performance venue, i didn't have beer at home. i made it just in time to get signed up. i recognized a few of the other performers there. this was a micro-brewery, a place i had performed at before. but i don't think i had previously performed at the open-mic there. i had three minutes so i told stories about working at the bank, all of them recent ones. i didn't stay at the venue for long after the show ended, as i was tired. during my walks i found 1 cent. the 'big bang theory' rerun was when leonard hooked up with lesley. and we see lesley flash freeze a banana. 

school house rocks

 i was expecting 'the conners' on ABC tonight but a show honoring the 50th anniversary of 'school house rocks' was on instead. it was for a full hour, and some of these i hadn't seen before. i was most familiar with 'bill on capitol hill' as it had been parodied on 'the simpsons'. some actors, including kal penn, had football jerseys on with the number 50. also liked seeing some muppets as presenters, kermit the frog and fozzie bear. so this meant i didn't watch the news either. i liked mention of one fact, where people are more likely to remember something if it is set to music. it explains why i still like the commercial for a car dealer, 'RB honda'. or 'music box dancer' being part of a commercial for homemakers plaza. at work there was two meetings in the morning, one was the team huddle. i was asked to enter a work order for changing the codes to the check shop. after it was a dial-in, covering various subjects within the company, including the recent acquisition. i wrote down something about buying company stock as part of the retirement account, as i haven't looked at my account much since i started. in the evening i went on a walk and found 32 cents. the 'big bang theory' reruns were when sheldon's mom showed up to help him get his job back. it was followed by the one where leonard and penny get back together, having sex after fighting. i did some more moving around in my foreign coin collection, between the tin and album. wanted to get the coins from the same nation together, and a USA dime is now in a smaller coin holder so it stays in place better.