beast of burden, rolling stones

i went to the karaoke venue tonight and did 2 songs. the first was 'beast of burden' by the rolling stones. it was what somebody requested last week when i was in the bathroom. i like the 'pretty girl' lines in it, along with it asking plenty of questions that end with 'enough'. the second one i did was 'alive' by sia. it was one that i had no problem singing with passion, as it reads like my life story. the show runner said our mutual friend, the button, had been losing weight. but i hadn't seen her in person  lately, only some facebook messages. the harmonica guy brought his lady friend, and the song i saw him do was 'c'est la vie' by bob seger. 

   i scored 219 tests at work today, slightly more than the previous day. sounds like there is no Saturday work being offered, i had avoided making plans until i had heard anything. i ordered a ticket for the college baseball tournament, as the Minnesota gophers are hosting one of the 16 regionals. i will be attending the lead-off game on sunday. i won't know right away what teams will be playing, but game 5 will be an elimination game. i just want to see a good game. the gophers were the subject of a feature on local TV as it is rare for them to host a regional. it said their game in Friday was already sold out, so i figured it was best to get a ticket early especially if i want to keep the price low and want an actual seat instead of standing room. it does raise some questions on what i was given, though, as the section is not listed on the stadium diagram for siebert field. temporary seating maybe? since i ordered from the gophers i know this has to be the likely answer. since i haven't seen the college world series in Omaha in a while this is a good event for me to attend. way cheaper and closer for me. 

herr's pizza flavored cheese curls

i decided to get the last bag of herr's deep dish pizza flavored cheese curls from the vending machine at the performance venue tonight. they tasted good, as expected, as I like pizza. i also had a slice of domino's pizza as well, pepperoni, as the show runner had some and he said it was fine to have a slice. i had a bag of herr's snack foods recently, during my weekend in st. louis, as there was some in a vending machine at the airport/ before the show i saw the show runner outside and i shared a story about being a transfer that got a response of 'save it for the stage', so he must have thought it was a good comedy bit. he did take the stage at the end of my set as he wanted to riff with me, and i enjoyed it. he even tried on my hat. i think one joke i did would be considered a 'pun' as i spoke of how i liked that he was the background music during one of my sets before, playing the same 'riff' on repeat. another performer liked my bit about a recent visit to a video store.
   the check engine light was still on with my car this morning, so i went to the mechanic before work and he said he was too busy today. but he told me i should be fine on getting to work, and i was. this of course was a hold-over from the previous night. he said part of it was likely due to the rain. i scored 215 tests.

myths and legends

i was impressed with a young performer at the first comedy venue i performed at tonight. he asked me about history, and it was about myths and legends that are still around. i said there were plenty, of course the ones in American history about Washington and Lincoln are best known. i even spoke of a grant wood painting in reference to it, as he did one called 'parson weems fable'. i was surprised to find out he was still in high school, he said he was only 15. i said 'be careful' as there are some perils with performing. i took off my hat to him as it is a big deal that he is performing at such a young age. i think he is the one that has played guitar before. i also spoke with his dad, i guess this was his ride.
   I also called my st. louis friend tonight, sounds like she received my letter about my recent visit and liked reading it. It was shortly after getting off work, i had scored 173 tests. there was some training, about 45 minutes, but it still felt like a lackluster day, as i was tired.
   i performed at two venues tonight, it felt great to get back to both after having to skip due to a twins game, and a saints game. i even made a joke about the show runner at the second, in reference facebook activity. notable tonight was all of the rain, so i didn't want to spend as much time walking between venues when it is so wet.

rihanna drag brunch

i found things to do on my day off for memorial day. i went to another 'drag brunch' in downtown Minneapolis, taking the light rail there to see them do the music of Rihanna. one of the dancers had been on a ru-paul show, according to the MC. another one of them looked a lot like prince. the MC even did a turn dancing for us. naturally i liked hearing 'umbrella' a lot, as i like emoting (not emo) to it- the 'under my umbrella' part. i was hungry as i had just a banana before i departed for the venue. i ordered the 'rude boy breakfast'- eggs, sausage, potatoes, toast. my drink was hamm's beer as it was cheaper than the bottomless mimosas. i said i would attend another one of these events if they do the music of Sia. except i was unaware of a suggestion box being onsite.
   when i got home i knew i still had some chores and errand running to do, namely laundry. i also checked facebook and noticed there was an invite for a comics softball game, on short notice. so i said i would get to the game after doing laundry. i made it around 5:30, about an hour after it began. at first i just spoke with somebody on the benches, but said i brought my little league glove. one team was a player short, so i went in. as i recall i was 3-for-4 at the plate, one run scored. i was wearing my rain jacket while playing left field, there was a rain delay for a few minutes where we waited it out next to the school. some said they were going to a bar after the game, but i wanted to go eat my evening meal at home and then go perform. and i did. i spoke about the warm weekend, seeing 2 movies, the dollar store, 2 saints baseball games, and the 'drag brunch'.
 

let the sunshine in movie

this evening i went to see another movie at the lagoon in Minneapolis, 'let the sunshine in', a French subtitled movie. i am not used to them starting the credits as early as they did in this one. but i liked seeing an etta james photo in the background, and this was a foreshadowing for them playing etta's song, 'at last'. i know this isn't the first movie i had seen it in, as it is also in 'rain man', one of my favorites. at times i just threw up my hands when faced with what the main character was saying, as she either was hesitating to answer a question, or was just plain frustrated and there seemed to be no logical explanation for it. as expected, i understood a decent amount without relying on subtitles, about half. there was a lady that asked me what i thought of it after it had ended, she said the only French word she knew was 'oui', or 'yes'. 

   there was plenty that i did today. i was way behind on getting comedy souvenirs into binders, about a month, so i devoted plenty of time to it and got caught up. also did the shredding of junk mail, behind on this as well as i was out of town last weekend. and i finally read bank statements dating back to January. in the mid-afternoon i knew i was hungry, and had to figure out logistics for taking care of it. and it meant going to the nearby dollar store and picking up a microwaveable meal, along with some other items i needed. they were closed when i tried to go last night, something about electrical problems according to what was in the window. today there was a half-aisle blocked off and i noticed some water damage to the false ceiling above it. i also went to a video store, the one having a liquidation sale. i bought another video there, it was 'invincible', the one where marky mark plays the eagles football player. 

  then, finally, i ended up at the saints stadium, and i went as i like the food truck outing they have on memorial day weekend. the saints lost to gary 3-2. gary never trailed in it, and their first score was on a solo home run. it was warm and there were advisories about it. i took care of it by drinking from the water fountains often, while walking around as i had a standing- room ticket. i also got an ice cream sandwich there. then after the game i went to the twins truck, 'taste of target field', and had a chili cheese dog as well as some Gatorade. i wanted to see the fireworks but didn't have the time as i wanted to get to the movie. they have fireworks often, so i will have some more chances this season. 

beast movie

i had some appointments this morning, then in the afternoon and saw the movie 'beast', a british thriller, at the lagoon in uptown Minneapolis. i liked how it kept me guessing, such as at one point they said 'it's over'. but then i said 'wait a minute' as the movie kept going. i do like a thriller every so often for this reason. there are limited screenings, two per day, so i am thankful i am going now. this happens often with the 'art films' i like to see, as i know sometimes it means just one week, and usually just one theater is showing it. there was a domineering mom in it, i know something about that.
   the appointments were to get my car in the shop for an o-2 sensor issue, even though it just went off again. then i called an advisor, my college roommate, from the car before i left for my next one, a job interview in shoreview. but i am not sure if i would want it if offered. this is something i learned from a seminar i did through the state. sometimes one finds out things at interviews that make the job less appealing. so if one is not going to be happy, nothing wrong with turning it down.
   i went to the library to print some things, then on to a gas station in Minneapolis that has pizza i really like, godfather's. grew up with it in iowa. after the movie i drove home and sent a text to my st. louis friend. then i was out again to get groceries. i did karaoke tonight, but not at my customary venue. i showed up after watching the news and there was nothing onstage, so i found an alternate place to perform at. i did one song, 'soul to squeeze' by the red hot chili peppers. i know it is a movie song, from 'coneheads', but as far as i know i haven't seen the movie. a man in a cowboy hat was there and we briefly spoke, he said he had seen me perform there before.

alternate card at pump

i had to use an alternate card when paying at the pump this morning as it was rejecting my credit card, so i used the debit. this card has been re-issued various times, something about anti-fraud measures. guess i need to activate the one they sent me recently.
   at work i scored 254 tests, so slightly more than the previous day. we were dismissed 5 minutes early, likely due to the holiday weekend. i got annoyed finding out somebody opened the door on the microwave oven i was using, then failed to reset the time. i said 'common courtesy went out of style years ago'. felt the same way about wiping up a spill on the floor. i was taught to clean up your own spills. but then i also was a dishwasher and janitor for a while.
   this evening i made it to another karaoke bar. at this venue i did 2 songs, sometimes i arrive late and do only one. i did 'jump around' by house of pain, and 'sos' by rihanna. the first one was inspired by seeing a regular on my way in, and he made a comment about my outfit. so i eventually recited a lyric from it, 'word to your moms, i came to drop bombs'. i also noticed a small TV monitor on the darts machine.