The Wild Collapsed

Went to the Minnesota Wild hockey game tonight, they lost to Nashville 5-4 after leading 4-1 at one point, and by 4-2 with 4 minutes left. It was a monumental collapse. But I did get 4 more Charlie Brown and Snoopy statue pictures at the "X', 2 before the game, 1 during the first intermission, and the last one after the game ended. The last one was hardest to find, as it was near a stairway that dead-ended. There were 5, and the other one I got a picture of earlier. It was one of the more common, and camera-friendly, events at the Xcel Center, so it made sense to have it as the outing for the pictures. There was a giveaway for a winter hat, so now I have another Wild item. I had a pair of socks, which I was wearing during the game, and a bath towel, which I had used last week. I saw a coworker there during the first intermission, letting him know I would be at the the game. He has a manufactured rivalry with a friend at work, because they like different NFL teams. A fan near me early in the game noticed I was wearing a Blackhawks sweater, I said it was durable and was holding up well since high school. I invited him to get me a Wild jersey, but I know they are expensive. I liked how a coworker, not the one I saw at the game, made it possible as I bought his season tickets for the night. On the way back to the car we saw some of the bronze statues in Landmark Park, and passed by Rice Park where the ice sculptures are for the Winter Carnival. But we didn't have the time to see the sculptures, will plan on doing so this weekend.
    On the bus on the way to work this morning I heard somebody doing a customer service call that was going nowhere. We had nearly reached our destination when they finally asked for a supervisor, and the ride to work is about a 20-minute bus ride. Why is it taking so long to refund my money? I kept hearing it and it was annoying.

Chasing Buses

Not to be confused with 'Chasing Pavements', a song I've heard before. Saw a regular rider of my bus board at a stop after me, usually they are already on before I board. When we reached our destination I let them know this. They alluded to how they had been chasing the bus for a while. If I miss it, I wait for the next one if I have time or I drive into work.
    At the comedy club tonight, there was an MC for the first time in a while, and I saw 2 people booted as they went over their time. I can usually tell who will be, as they aren't paying attention and don't know where the time light is. It is still a big deal to see 2 in one night, usually one is enough to wake up the others.
   This was a rare night in terms on not getting the 'Superamerica special' for dinner, as I wanted to finish up a Little Caesar's pizza I had bought over the weekend. I like having pepperoni, especially when it's cheap, and the shop is nearby. I've told myself how I like getting there once a month. Sometimes I just get pizza, this time I also got a bottle of Lipton brisk tea. Sometimes it means waiting a few minutes until one is available, no big deal. What was a big deal was how I had to cut some of the slices myself, as they were just partially cut.

Pool and Hotel Postcard

I think it is well known how I still have some ambivalence to my hometown of Newton, Iowa. But it is notable when I just bought 2 old postcards of my hometown from Ebay earlier today. One is from the Maytag pool, where I received some swimming lessons, The other is the Maytag hotel, now known as the Midtown building, near the county courthouse. I like postcards as they are small and cheap souvenirs, simple to store them. I do have some postcards from Newton already, as I recall I have 2 of the same kind. It has 4 smaller pictures on it, including the Maytag home office, county courthouse, county museum, and the town's welcome sign. It is nice to have postcards of properties on the National Register of Historic Places. I know the courthouse is listed, and so is the Maytag pool, as it is inside Maytag park. I also have cards of Emerson Hough school, but those are much bigger, and of course not postcards.
   On saturday I made it to the Metrodome to see the Twins fanfest, liked getting some small souvenirs there at what somebody once called a 'convention for baseball nerds'. Well that makes me a baseball nerd then, and proud of it! It included a piece of the Dome roof, a button from the 1987 World Series, and a patch of the now-defunct Minnesota Fighting Saints hockey team. Even though they played just 5 seasons back in the 1970s, sometimes one still sees plenty of their merchandise as hockey is popular in this state. Last but not least was the mini-helmet, signed by former Iowa Hawkeye quarterback Brad Banks. It was available from the Bob Feller museum in Van Meter, Iowa, which I toured the year it opened, in 1995. The salesman hoped I would get the larger Hawkeye helmet, life-sized, but it would have been way more. This is easier to store anyway, either at the office or at home.
   This evening, after chores like laundry were finished, I made it to Edina and saw a movie, 'Carnage', directed by Roman Polanski. I liked the John C. Reilly character in it, a reviewer called him 'affable' and this description is apt. Another accurate term would be an 'everyman'.
    As usual, I mark the time with music. At the fanfest, I heard 'Champagne Supernova' by Oasis. At a dinner later in the evening, at a Ruby Tuesday in Edina, it was 'Daughter' by Pearl Jam, a song that reminds me of being in college as it was popular then. At the comedy club Friday, it was 'Live Your Life' by T.I. and Rihanna, and as usual I point to myself saying 'my life' in the chorus, much like when I attended the Rihanna concert in June. This of course is in contrast to No Doubt covering 'It's My Life' by Talk Talk, where I point to the radio instead of myself when I hear it. I think this is due to the following line being 'don't you forget'.
   

Replacement Comedy Night

I attended a friend's comedy show tonight, the late show. He was MC, much like on open-mic night. It will largely replace a show next week that I am unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. I liked the feeling of knowing 3 of the 4 performers onstage tonight, I knew all of them except the headliner. The feature was somebody I had seen do coemdy before, but not in a while. I liked their joke about dropping off a foreign exchange student at a Subway, who got upset when finding out it was a sandwich shop and not a train station. I hated the feeling of beign tired during the show, but I know this has happened before when I attend a late show. At the same time, I know it tends to be an easier ticket so I like going the 'path of least resistance' especially when I knew somebody who could get me in free. There are some nice perks to doing coemdy and having comedian friends. After the show I asked for a picture with the MC, as I didn't have a comedian friend in the 'ring of honor'. I don't count a tagged picture on Facebook from a show in Faribault last year, especially when the picture of me is a little unflattering. I do want a better one with that comic soon, I just need to ask for it when they're available.
  During lunch I walked over to Rice Park and I liked seeing the ice scultpures at the winter carnival. First time I can recall seeing them while still in progress so of course there were chainsaws nearby. I wanted to move up seeing them when I expect to be busy this weekend. In addition, I don't know how long they will last. If it warms up into the 40s, and it has before, then those things start melting. It was why I bought pictures taken by a professional photographer one year. Later on when I have more time, like the second weekend, I can go see the displays inside the Landmark Center. It hads given me some ideas of what buttons I wanted from previous years.

Chuck the Puck

I decided to 'chuck a puck' at a high school hockey game tonight. Cretin-Derham Hall played Stillwater at Charles Schulz Arena in St. Paul. Cretin won 6-4 despite trailing 3-0 after one period. Wasn't that good with the puck, but it cost just a dollar. The puck fell short of reaching the circle at center ice.
    Normally I like watching 'Big Bang Theory' tonight, but I had been checking the schedule online and said I wanted to get back to Schulz Arena. It was a big deal when I was there last year for a playoff game in February, as it became a rare Facebook posting. Tonight's game also became a posting. As a big Charlie Brown and Snoopy fan it made sense to get to this venue, since it is named for their creator. It's also nice to see the Snoopy statue inside. I know somebody who doesn't like seeing the statue roped off, as it leads to a less desirable picture, but I think it's due to wanting to discourage kids from climbing on it. I did see a kid climbing on it but didn't say anything. Another notable event, which came as no surprise, was hearing the 'Zamboni Song' by the Gear Daddies. It is a popular one to play at hockey arenas, especially when the machine is clearing the ice. When another spectator saw my Iowa Hawkeye coat I said I was a native of the state, he spoke of having an Army buddy who was an instructor there but I didn't know him.  

Flanders at the Nuthouse

Tonight I saw a syndicated rerun of the 'Simpsons' that may be my favorite episode, it was when Flanders went to the nuthouse after a hurricane destroyed his home. There are so many good jokes in it, like being asked to be carried to his room kicking and screaming. Then there was the U of Minnesota spankalogical study, and how he's cured because he said he hates his parents. Of course Homer provides a good foil to Flanders here, bringing out his true feelings as Homer pushes him.
   I like finding music on Youtube, and found a version of Pearl Jam's 'Smile' that I like. The visual was of a Charlie Chaplin movie, made it more fun. Also decided to watch Chaplin's 'Great Dictator' final speech. This led to seeing 2 versions of Lincoln's Gettysburg address, recited by Jeff Daniels and Johnny Cash.
  I found out later on it made sense how Daniels would do one of these I found, as he was in a movie called 'Gettysburg' that I may have seen part of. I've seen it for sale before in stores.
  At the comedy club tonight I saw a friend who was in town from California, let them know I knew about their show Saturday but was unable to attend, already had dinner plans made. So I said I could be their 'superfan' tonight.

Gameshow Skit

When I was at the comedy club tonight, a comedian friend did a gameshow skit as MC of the show. I arrived just as he was doing the skit. I don't like being late at all, but it's hard to balance this with wanting to get things done after work. Another comedian friend did a joke about somebody who wanted to be a life coach, I said it made me think of a card that was given to me at the workplace where there is a toll free number for the 'health coach'. I guess this is a byproduct of a culture that loves sports, where somebody who helps you is often called a 'coach'. Same friend has been doing a joke about the Penn State scandal, that seems to be better than the others I've heard. He refers to the Sandusky interview with Bob Costas, how this accused man has now taken away the word 'horseplay' from us. I inquired about his performance schedule coming up, but at this point I am unsure as to what shows I can go to, especially when some are out of state and I don't know what days are still open in my schedule.
   The MC later informed me about being onstage at the same club for the rest of the week, so I will have to see about getting to another show. Since I already have plans on Saturday, then Friday works better. In many ways it 'replaces' a comedy night next week that I will have to skip as I have tickets for a hockey game.