permafrost serial

I listened to a CD I recently acquired, called 'permafrost'. it is a serial in 13 segments. the main theme was about a lake and going to the state capitol to get it recognized. the narrator was a college student that wanted to tell us about her hometown. it seemed to be a very Minnesota type of story, and why I was willing to buy it. I had seen some of those 'don't hug me' plays, as well as 'how to speak minnesotan' along with 'church basement ladies' and this story does make me think of the others. each segment was 2-3 minutes.
   I got around to a few things today, but not as much as I wanted to. I went to the xcel center and got a ticket for a hockey game next month, a warmup for the Olympic games. I tried to watch a DVD but I fell asleep during it so I will have to try again soon.
   I made it to the performance venue tonight, and it was memorable to say the least before I took the stage. early on in the show a feud started while one comic was onstage, and the other performer wanted to continue the feud during their poetry performance. both performers left before my set. I did ones about a fork in the road, did I scare you, 2 more songs to do at karaoke, dex phone books, singing at the ATM, and furniture at an auction. I did not perform at the first venue I made an appearance at, but it was nice to meet a comic from st. louis there. he shared a story about the movie 'up in the air'. how a friend had a small role in it, as well as seeing snow in the neighborhood where the wedding scenes were filmed even though it was spring. I spoke of finding many of the places where the movie was filmed. still on my list is seeing the inside of the high school that actor john goodman attended, so I can see where the basketball scenes were filmed. if I want to see a game there, it means going there in winter and my annual visit is usually in the summer for baseball games. one of those 'someday' things I guess.

coors special at alary's

I went to see the bears-packers football game at alary's, a bar in downtown st. paul. it is known where Chicago bears fans will congregate. I had the beer special while there, coors in a plastic cup. the bears couldn't move the ball that well and lost 23-16. some will hang it on a challenge that backfired in the first half. I didn't understand the challenge at all. the bears had the ball first and goal, but wanted the call reversed and be granted the touchdown. but it led to the call being a touchback, and the bears lost the ball. fans were booing injured packers QB aaron Rodgers, bot sure why. but he was shown often during the game.
   the resistable comic had another open-mic in the late afternoon and I went to it. I did ones about the world war one exhibit, singing at the ATM, and a katy perry song. I picked up a CD as well, it was in their lost and found section. they say they put these items up for sale once they have been unclaimed for 6 months, so why not pay two dollars and see what I get?
   'the simpsons' episode was about marge becoming mayor. I fell asleep shortly after it, but then I knew I needed to get some things done. so it meant doing dishes and getting more items into sheet protectors, mostly for my comedy binder. another page of my weekly comedy notes was completed.

dare to be different movie

I went to see a movie at Bryant lake bowl in Minneapolis tonight, 'dare to be different', it was part of a film festival I had just heard about for the first time. I had been to this venue many times before, but this was the first time for a movie screening. it was a music documentary about a radio station, WLIR on long island in New York, that played many of the 'new wave' bands of the 1980s before most others did. three songs I heard in it were ones I recognized as ones I had done on karaoke nights. these were: 'back on the chain gang', pretenders. 'private idaho', b-52's. and 'tide is high', blondie. I had seen 2 of these 3 bands in concert, the first two. actually it was at the same concert, in 1998. then I saw the pretenders again a few years later. it inspired some of the songs I did at the karaoke venue tonight, especially the first two. 'view to a kill', duran duran. and 'desire', U2. the third I did was 'take this job and shove it', johnny paycheck. in the closing credits we see joan jett, and it appears the movie title is also the title of one of her songs, but I am not familiar with the song.

frescados tortillas

I found another adventure, by having to rent a truck to get the other two furniture items moved from the auction site to my home. also pleased with what was on the wagon-themed table, an ad for frescados tortillas. it calls them 'premium' and has the slogan 'the tortilla you've been waiting for is here.' and it shows somebody holding a filled tortilla. much of what was on the table I had no use for, and left behind. as there was boxes of plastic containers there, likely for baking as this was in the bakery department. not sure if I have had this kind of tortillas, but it is cool to have this kind of ad. I measured it in case I ever want to frame it, as sometimes I do frame things like posters. it does remind me of a science building that I worked in as a janitor in college, as there was some artwork on the wall and it depicted food made by old el paso. as it has been proven by andy Warhol painting Campbell soup cans, most anything can become art. having the rented truck and appliance dolly to haul things away was really helpful, as I should have known it would be hard to move these items as most file cabinets and tables don't have wheels. looks like the second file cabinet is locked, so I may have to drill through the lock on this one.
   I performed at two different venues tonight, first was a comedy venue as I was part of a contest and like all other contests I have been in I did not advance. I was mainly thankful just to have the stage time. then after a little time at home I went to do karaoke, and the balloon artist was there as the MC and made a balloon for me as I was leaving. I did one song there, 'hands clean' by alanis morissette.

online auction, bidding extended

I decided to participate in an online auction today, and no, it wasn't from e-bay. I noticed how bidding could be extended multiple times for the items listed. I had looked at the listings in the past week, there was more than 400. I found 12 items of interest to me, and the 3 items I won were the only items I bid on. and I was pleased to get these items for low prices- a table and two file cabinets- for a total of less than 20 dollars. worth it! I have already picked up one of them, and I have until Monday evening to pick up all items. I found out I needed to have a copy of the invoice, and it was afternoon by the time the auction closed and I got my paid invoice as I had to get it printed at the library. it does remind me of seeing some auctions when I was young, growing up in iowa. these were mainly ones where I was related to the property owners, grandparents of mine. some items weren't bid on at all. and it was a little surprising as to what can get the most attention. in this case I noticed how a payphone was part of the auction, I have no use for one and no space for it. I found out it sold for 35 dollars. well I guess they are becoming a collector's item now, since there aren't many left.
   I stayed a few extra minutes at the library as I saw a display about some of the stereotypes that kids at school are dealing with. in the evening I went to the performance venue and did two songs. it was 'the one that got away' by katy perry, and 'it's my life' by no doubt. of course an advisor inspired the first selection. a friend of a friend did 'sos' by abba, not familiar with it. as I was leaving I heard 'talk dirty to me' by poison, a reminder of attending a class reunion. a man who had lived in Chicago was there, first time in a while. he said he likes the bother the karaoke jockey. on the way to the venue I liked hearing a program on public radio that I would call 'book talk'. the author spoke of his bio about general/president grant, and it sounded like it was being broadcast from the fitzgerald theater in downtown st. paul.

the one that got away, katy perry

I went to an advisor, for the same reason why most do- I had a dilemma. eventually I was asked if I was familiar with the song 'the one that got away' by katy perry. I said I was. then I went to watch the video on youtube. this is a haunting song, aided by a sampling of a johnny cash song near the end, a version of 'you are my sunshine'. of course katy name-checks johnny cash in the song. I know I have said this before, how 'Eleanor rigby' by the beatles was also a haunting song. in this case, like most people, we know what it is like to have 'the one that got away'. related to dating relationships of course. where the relationship just didn't work for whatever reason. even though it probably could have. I got choked up while watching this video, and this is rare. reminded me of how I felt when I found out bill young had died, as I had an ashen face then. but I am thankful I watched the video, as it is a story that needs to be told. and I said to the advisor that I have found another song to do on karaoke night. since I have done 'Eleanor rigby'. some of the images in the video are unforgettable, such as seeing a vintage ford mustang car crashing.
  I made it to the performance venue tonight, doing ones about the world war one exhibit, the dex phone book, is it a beatles song?, a text message abut voting, and the katy perry song.

life inside out movie

I watched the second of two movies on loan from the library at midday, 'life inside out'. it is about a middle-aged woman who decides to go back to performing her guitar at an open-mic. and her teenage son proves to be good at it as well. notable is she wears a coat onstage that was made out of drapes by her sister, and her sister is trying to make money from scrapbooking. there are parts of the movie that I didn't enjoy, such as when her teenage son is being picked on by his two brothers. it was a little too familiar from my own upbringing. but I am thankful I saw it, some of what was depicted I could relate to as I am a performer as well, especially since I go to plenty of open-mics. I didn't recognize any of the actors in it, but not a big deal as I still liked the story a lot. in fact, there was just one name I did recognize at all in the closing credits, as kevin nealon, who performed on 'Saturday night live' is listed as a producer. there was one off-the-wall performer at those open-mics, as I recalled seeing a lady wearing white pantyhose on her arms and trying to play a kazoo.
   I voted in the early evening, but not much on the ballot, just mayor and school board. at first the election official couldn't find my name, but the pages were stuck together. even on the last day I saw some campaign ads, albeit from text messages.
  I made it to three different performance venues tonight, performed at two of them. I got airline miles at the first but did not perform, great to see the big dog there as MC. also got the new comedy CD from mason city. second one is my typical place, though I wasn't there the past two weeks. I did ones about having my leg pulled, text messages about voting, a dex phone book, and the world war one exhibit. I also did some callbacks to some jokes I felt the need to answer. third venue was for karaoke, although the button wasn't there, having left just before I arrived. I still had a beer and did one song, 'only time' by enya, and I spoke to her friend as well.