Expenses Without Receipt

Starting from Tuesday, October 27:

• And from here we go back to Thursday, October 22.  Miller Amusements, who may or may not be a vendor at The Minnesota State Fair, announced they were planting their trailers at the local grocery store to sell Fair food for one final weekend.  Given how close they are to me and that they're closing down until (I'm guessing) the summer, I figured I would commemorate by eating there.  They had three trailers, and I think most of the items they sold overlapped each other.  So, given my OCD, I bought a footlong hot dog and one trailer, went several yards away and bought ranch cheese curds at a second trailer, and walked several yards back to get a large lemonade.  I tipped a buck at each trailer, so the grand total of my after-work early dinner was: $29.
• On Wednesday the 21st MC Lyte was performing at the Dakota.  This falls under the "Would I go to see an artist for that one song I know from her/him/them that I like/know?" conundrum I blog posted about when I saw Digable Planets.  And because the price point was reasonable enough, the answer was yes ... and I'm glad I did, because even though MC Lyte spoke a lot, she is a master storyteller -- and by that I mean literal storytelling, as she looked back on her life and engaged us with stories about growing up in New York and how she's about to get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  She would be a great visiting professor.  So I once again paid cash for the ticket ($61.61 in actuality, but the box office person didn't need the penny), then paid cash for the alcoholic "cappuccino," the Wild Acres duck rice plate, and lemon ice box cake.  With tip I spent a total of: $141.60.
• To Tuesday the 20th where, somewhat at the behest of ******a, I went down to see her at My Favorite Stripclub (Cover Edition).  I was glad to keep her company on a typically slow Tuesday at the strip joint.  They were short-staffed, however, so no server came over to get me a drink.  ******a let me take her bottle of water; Buddha bless her.  Cover, tips for the strippers (and ******a) on stage and 20 table dances for ******a equals: $224.
• I later went to my football game-watching hangout downtown to let the manager, who works Tuesdays, know how things are going that and the following Saturday.  I ate dinner there.  With tip: $33.
• Monday, October 19 -- for the previous few days I wondered what I would eat as I watched Monday Night Football.  This night was the night I decided to try Chipotle's chili lime chips, which are good, but leave a residue of dust on my fingers.  I had it with guacamole (and, I should say, I paired that up with Taco Bell I got at the drive-thru after I parked to buy my Chipotle because I was about to lose my free chalupa if I didn't use it in time).  With tip: $6.60.
• Tuesday, October 13: ******e came over.  Thought she moved to Vegas.  Didn't.  Glad she didn't.  For the HJ: $120.
• Afterwards I went to this local Mexican place.  It was going to be a different Mexican place close by me, but the road to get there was closed that night for some reason, so I went to this other local Mexican place.  I like it because the heap the proteins there, but they always put on an extra "salsa bar" charge even though I rarely use it.  I was perturbed that night over it, so I thought I might as well pour some salsa over my tacos if I'm paying for it (even though I think Mexicans as a rule don't put salsa on their tacos; it's an American thing).  I'm also peeved that these guys round up to the nearest nickel.  With tip: $15.34.
• To Saturday, October 10, where I went to get my car washed for the first time in a while.  Charged the wash, so this EWR is tip only: $5.
• I then went to my game-watching hangout with fellow alumni.  With tip: $39.
• Friday the 9th -- I had the day off to see the guy shutting down our sprinkler system.  I went to The Minneapolis Institute Of Art mainly to see the crop art pieces, most of which were at The Minnesota State Fair.  No lines that were 2 1/2 hours long, thank God.  On my way out of MIA I made a donation of: $10.
• When I went to MIA I parked close to Glam Doll Donuts.  I bought one donut and a bottle of apple juice before I went to the museum, and on my way home, I decided, for the first time ever, to buy a half-dozen of them.  I used to go to this place so often when it was open late on weekends, but now that they close by the evening (and I have a full-time job), I only go there at most twice a year, so I bought a lot of donuts to make up for it.  The cashier threw in an extra donut, which gave me even more of a reason to sit down and eat one of them before I left.  Oh, and one of the bakers from when I was there late at night was there working.  We recognized each other and said hi.  Haven't seen that dude in years.  Plus tip: $19.
• On Wednesday the 7th ******a came by.  Yes, I was a naughty boy: $150.
• And on Monday the 5th *****y came by.  We don't do the naughty boy stuff; she just wanks me, and wanks me good: $150.
• To Saturday, October 3, where I went to the gas station and picked up Powerball tickets for Father.  He has me buying lottery tickets even though the jackpot was (and, as I write this, still is) below a billion dollars.  Don't know why he's having me do this.  Cost: $10.
• I was working the Gophers football Game, so I got to our game-watching spot in downtown Minneapolis a bit late.  The server seemed busy and indifferent, so I finally waddled up to the bar to get a Pepsi and Angry Orchard.  She finally got around to our table, so I was able to order a steak salad.  All that with tip came out to: $40.
• Thursday the 1st ... I was able to finally get ******e to come over.  She was great.  She used the bottle of coconut oil ******a left for me years back when she massaged me, but ******e used it to concentrate on my pee-pee until I lost all control.  The problem with this is she charges way more than I'm comfortable giving her.  This was a probationary HJ, and frankly, that's as far as I'm willing to go, even though she worked me over like a pro.  Paid her: $150.
• Afterwards I went to Applebee's because I wanted to try that cut-in-half burger that's plunged into a skillet filled with queso.  Obviously the cheese turns solid once it cools down even a tad, but I'm glad I ate its gooeyness.  I was able to eat and drink at a bar that was showing the Thursday Night Football Game and MLB and WNBA Playoff Games.  If I had ever been to this Applebee's, it was maybe a decade ago.  With tip: $34.
• Going back to Tuesday, September 29, where I was going to see a movie at the Trylon and I had time for a beer, so I walked to Arbiter Brewing for a pair of four-ounce glasses.  Good place in a lively area of South Minneapolis.  With tip it came out just to: $10.
• I went to the Trylon several times over the previous weeks because they had a themed festival for which they offered this program whereby if you saw enough movies in this festival and got this punch card they gave out punched enough times, you would get free popcorn, a free ticket or, if you ran the table and saw all of them, a free multi-ticket discount card.  This was the final night of this festival, and by going on this night I was able to get a fourth punch and thus get my popcorn free.  The movie was Je Tu Il Elle, by slow cinema pioneer Chantal Akerman.  It was less than 90 minutes long but, because it was slow cinema, it felt twice that.  I had to pee when it came to the scene where the truck driver guy, who picked up the hitchhiking main character (played by Akerman, who subsequently gave him an HJ), confessed that he was turned on by his daughter.  I know French-language auteur cinema frequently is risque, but I kind of checked out at that icky scene.  I thought that when I went to the bathroom to give myself a mental cleanse, I was only half an hour through the movie.  Turns out there were only 15 minutes left, so maybe that example of cinema wasn't that slow.  Anyway, I paid for the ticket and a bottle of Mexican Coke, so with the free popcorn that all came out to: $11.
• Saturday, September 26 -- went to Nelson's Cheese for a KC Beef sandwich and a large clam chowder.  With tip: $15.
• Went to my college football Game-watching hangout downtown.  With tip: $41.
• Thursday, September 24: ****e finally stopped by.  Wanted to get down with her for a long time, but she was the one who continually insisted we do something with another stripper girlfriend.  This time she came alone, and she was quite calm, compared to the times she leaped onto me and went after my genitals with the quickness.  I think I paid her more than I wanted to because I didn't have a $10.  Hope she doesn't use that as a floor through which I can never go down; otherwise she's getting too expensive, too: $160.
• Finally, on Wednesday the 23rd I finally got to Mara, the well-regarded restaurant at The Four Seasons in downtown Minneapolis.  While I had planned to go there at some point this year, I didn't think I would go there on this night.  I planned to see David Straithairn in Waiting For Godot at The Guthrie Theatre, and I walked there thinking I would be in time for a 7:30 show.  Much to my surprise and chagrin, the performance started at 7.  I did not want to attend a play a half-hour late, so I decided to go another time (I went the following week; great show!) and instead, on my way back to my car, this was the perfect time to try Mara.  Maybe I ordered too much food, but I was only mildly impressed with the bar selections I got.  The potato croquettes, the first meal I ate, probably was the best.  With a Mara Bloom cocktail, walleye sliders, a pistachio opera (it's a dessert) and tip, I spent: $100.

I continue to vow I will do these more frequently so these won't be so long.

Good through October 27.

Oh, He's A Character!

I knew when he started motoring his mouth a mile a minute and said, "No, I won't yell at you" that he would ... well, he didn't yell at me until the end, but calling the people I dealt with Saturday fools and wanting to choke out the referees kind of made him out to be a liar.

This is the type of guy I see a lot in this business: A person who has these grandiose ideas about how the production should go, and while he wants you to help, he really wants you to contribute to his vision.  If you do something you like, he'll go, "Hey, that's brilliant!!!"  And then you go ... silent, and you think you're disappointing him.  He's like a child.  Or, maybe he's autistic, so invested in his passion that he'll completely ignore you if you don't measure up.  I think I see that in him.  I mean, he wrote a lot for a job that lasted only 3 1/2 hours.

For all I know he'll make sure I never work with him again, or work there again, period.  I'm too old to deal with enfantes terribles like him.  Need to memory hole him ... until he comes around again, sheesh.

By the way -- when I saw him leave, he had a huge stay on his shirt where his belly button is.  How in the hell do you do that?

Hand's Gettin' Worse

My carpal/ulnar tunnel syndrome might be worsening.  It's not ever-present, but a few times over the weekend or so I have felt a very uncomfortable tightening or twinge whenever I hold or push or grab a certain way with my right hand.  And not too long ago I felt it going numb.

I'm seeing my doctor soon.  I should bring it up with him.

Glad I Didn't See That Shit In Person!

So my alma mater's football team lost last/Saturday night.  Got their asses kicked, actually.  They've been underachieving for, well, Decades now, but on paper at least this team should've won.  They didn't, not even close.  It boiled down to three things: Offense, Defense, and Special Teams.

Most of my fellow alumni who live here and who attend the Game-watching events I organize went to Wisconsin to watch in-person.  I declined when I had to make the decision, which, for logistical purposes (when do I buy a ticket?  How do I get there?  Where would I sleep?), was just before Labor Day, and I did so for a myriad of reasons.  I didn't want to think about buying a ticket and getting a rental car and finding a place to stay, especially in this economy and considering the fascistic practices of this government settling in places like, oh, airports.  Also, and this is a bit of a cop-out, I wanted to host the Game-watching event here.  (Turns out that didn't happen because I accepted work last/Saturday night; if I knew, say, in the late summer I would have the opportunity to work last/Saturday night, I would've jumped at the chance to say yes to the gig and no to the trip.)

But my team losing made me realize a deep-seated fear, and probably the real reason I didn't want to go: I ... well, didn't want to see my team lose in-person.  That fucking blows.  And consider everything else that would go into the losing.  You plan everything, buy the ticket, arrange lodging, get a rental or tune up your car, tell all your fellow alumni in Minnesota you're going across the border and/or meet alumni at events in Wisconsin, and then you get there and your team shits the bed.  Sure, there are other things to do there, namely parties that would/should be fun.  But speaking for myself, I wouldn't remember any of that because the point of going is going to the Game and seeing my team win, and if that doesn't happen, I would think all of this would be a tremendous waste of time and money.

I harken back to last Year when my team was in town and lost to Minnesota (the Loss was of the collapse variety, not the blowout variety -- damn, my team loses every which way).  I was only out the (pricey) cost of the ticket, and sure, the pre-Game party was fun, but my team lost, and that sucks royally.  Now, as a counterpoint (sort of, maybe), I went to Las Vegas a couple Years ago to see them play LSU ... and they won!  I took a risk, and I think that if they would have lost, I would be metaphorically hitting myself in the head for holding out hope that they would win.  But there are extenuating circumstances to that trip.  I didn't have to pay for housing; I just went to my parents' condo to stay (and to go through their mail).  They also taught me that I could go anywhere in Vegas via public transportation for $20.  Finally -- and I think I spoke about this here on WAF before -- I defrayed most of the cost of the expensive ticket to that Game because I had a credit through SeatGeek from, if I recall correctly, a ticket to the Frozen Four being held in St. Paul that fell through.  Unfortunately, I was told that I could only use it in one fell swoop, so if I didn't use it all for one ticket, I would lose the rest of the credit.  That is garbage, but it gave me the idea that I could use all that money for a ticket to see my alma mater's football team.  I think I hate wasting money more than seeing my team lose in-person.

So, under those principles, I decided I didn't want to go to Wisconsin.  Don't tell my friends who did go, but ... I made the right decision!

I Might Not Be Good At This Job Today/Saturday

So for the Game I'm doing today/Saturday, I am in this new spot that's a little more important than my usual position.  They're relying on me to relay information that they need to know -- like, really need to know, and in real time.  I did that earlier this season with, I'm sure, mixed results.  Moreover, I don't remember the last time I've been at this position for this company, if ever.

One thing I vowed from the last time was I needed binoculars.  I just bought them this week.  I hope this makes me more confident in getting the information on my own so I can relay that quicker and, hopefully, more accurately.  But I should be under no illusion that I just might suck at this job and this could be the last time I'm in this gig.  Hopefully it won't be that bad, or bad at all, but hopefully I won't think I can do this job just because I bought binoculars.  We'll see (shrug)

Oh -- Another Busy Weekend

I am working this weekend, both today/Saturday and tomorrow/Sunday.  Gopher football today/Saturday, Vikings tomorrow/Sunday.  If I really think about it, I'll be tired and intimidated.  So I don't.

This is not the first time.  In fact, it's not the first time this season.  It's the third time I'm doing a Golden Gopher-Viking weekend, actually, which makes me wonder why and how both football teams have home games scheduled on the same weekend at least three times this season.  I mean, isn't there any communication between the NFL and the Big Ten to not do that?

I've noticed another thing.  For the first two weekends, the same network was broadcasting both games.  I did not get the feeling that the crew for each game was ever in contact with the other.  On the one hand it makes sense since they're such a big network.  On the other hand they are in the same department, so they have had to at least bumped into each other at their home base.  Wouldn't they be at least curious enough of the co-workers who happen to be working in the same metro area to talk, or maybe even to hang out?  By the way, it was one network doing both games on the first weekend and a different network doing both games on the second weekend, but on this weekend, they're split -- I'm doing one game for each network.  I hope I don't wear the other company's clothing when I work.

Anxiety (Somewhat) Allayed

Yeah, so I was going to blog post about my anxieties over our Game-watching event tomorrow/Saturday night.  It's on at the same time as this other Game whose alumni regularly takes over the bar we go to.  Moreover, this Saturday most of the people who attend my event are actually going across the border to watch the Game in person.  Finally, I probably will not make it to the Game because I decided to pick up a gig at the Gopher football Game.  It starts about four hours before the Game-watching event, but considering how traffic leaving the parking ramp was ridiculous, there's a good chance I won't make it.

Well, considering that my main worry was whether the event should be somewhere else, I'm not as freaked out.  I went to our bar earlier this week and the manager said that the crowds for this other alumni group are not as big now as they have been in years past.  Don't know why -- this program doesn't seem to have fair-weather fans, but they're not having a great season and they have a new Head Coach.  Regardless, this manager said that if someone comes early enough, they can find a table and a TV.

OK.  I told everyone who might come that's the plan.  Most of the regulars and I won't be there, but anyone who wants to watch in public now knows what can be done.  Not many people are going to show up; that's the bottom line.  But hopefully we'll get through this.  My problem now is next week -- everybody will be in town to watch, but our Games will be on at the same time, again.  Le sigh.

The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#-1: Gopher volleyball (Last Week: -1).  This club is at least racking up the Wins.  They extended their winning streak to four in a row after beating Michigan (in four Sets) and Maryland (a sweep) at Maturi.  This gets them firmly in the NCAA field; whether they will cause a ruckus once they get in, well, that's something we can ruminate on another day.

They will get a pair of very stern tests this Week.  They go to 12th-ranked Purdue tomorrow/Friday night, then host 21st-ranked Washington Sunday afternoon.

#-2: United FC (Last Week: -4).  Since May 9, the Loons had won only twice spanning all competitions.  Meanwhile, since that same time span, St. Louis was undefeated in their past 21 Games in all competitions.  So of course MNUFC won at home for the first time since May 2, duh!

Look, I anticipated a dreadful showing from the home side, a probable final nail in the coffin for a team that, at least on paper, was begging to be put out of its misery.  And United FC obliged, allowing City to score in the 4th and 10th Minutes, and by the way, both Goals were pretty fuckin' soft.  After that second Goal (scored by former Loon Sang-bin Jeong), I started concentrating on my phone and wondering if I should skedaddle early.  Glad I didn't, because MNUFC mounted a comeback I haven't seen from any local team since ... well, the Vikings over the Packers in Week 1.  Still, it was impressive -- AZ Jackson (thank goodness they brought him back -- now do Christian Ramirez) in the 49th to give the XI some life, Kelvin Yeboah (he's quietly having a great Year) in the 68th to tie it, and then Marcus Caldeira (elevated from the reserve club over the summer, he's rapidly become a mainstay and an important piece of this squad from here on out) with a beautiful individual effort (with the help of a cross-field bomb from Joaquin Pereyra) in the 86th to win it.

The odds are still stacked against them; with only four Matches left in the regular season, the Loons remain five Points behind ninth place and the last playoff berth.  But in a very forgiving format, where half of the MLS teams qualify, they're not out of it.  But it's incumbent upon them to beat the Dynamo in Houston Saturday night.

#-3: Timberwolves (NEW SEASON!!).  Smashed the Heat in Miami by 17 last/Wednesday night to start the season off with a Win.  Could've used without the bullshit no-call when Lamelo Ball took, like, six steps to get behind the arc for a Three-Pointer that went in.  Ball spearheads the new look this franchise has.  The hope is he can take play-handling duties off of Anthony Edwards so Ant has more time maneuvering and scoring from the off-Guard position.  The thinking of this team is to outscore opponents.  But they'll have to defend anyway, and they traded their 4 & 5 guys, Julius Randle and Naz Reid, in order to get Melo.  How can they overcome their lack of (or no) depth in the frontcourt?  And who's to say that Ball can shake off the injury bug that has become a feature of his career?  Great start to the season, but who knows if, when and how those Achilles heels (I don't mean the actual injury, I just use that term as a stand-in for "problems") will haunt this T-Wolves team?

The Wolves start out the Year busy -- this Week they visit Orlando, host Toronto in their home opener, travel to Cleveland and host The Bastard Philadelphia Warriors.

#-4: Wild (Last Week: -3).  Held off St. Louis and Columbus at the GCA, then came storming back from 3-1 to force a draw but, sadly, lose the Game in Overtime in Edmonton.  But at least they're tied with The Bastard Winnipeg Jets for first in the Central.

The Wild are busy with their annual trek out to the Pacific Northwest and The Prairie Provinces of Canada.  This screening Week will have the final four Games of the Wild's five-Game road trip, with tilts at Calgary, Seattle, Vancouver and said Utah Mammoth.

#-5: Gopher women's hockey (Last Week: -2).  I keep saying that only the Games versus Ohio St. and Wisconsin count for this program.  That's still true, so I want to give dap that they managed to split against the then-top-ranked team in the nation, the Buckeyes.  Moreover, they dominated Ohio St. in Friday's opener, whipping them 6-2.  They lost 6-5 the next night; the Gophers came back from a three-Goal deficit with three of their own, then took a 5-4 lead early in the Third Period, only to cough up back-to-back Goals 42 Seconds apart.  With that being said, I looked at last Year's schedule, and sure enough, the U. beat both the Buckeyes and the Badgers last season.  They just didn't win in the NCAA Tournament, when it really matters.  OK, so I may have moved the goal posts for this club.  I'm sorry to concentrate this program's success on whether or not they can beat the two real blue-chip programs in women's college hockey when I wasn't cognizant that the U. has beaten both teams on a not-uncommon basis.  Maybe I should say that they need to flip regular season victories over the Buckeyes and Badgers to tournament Wins.

Anyway, they host freshly-minted top-flight program Lindenwood (I believe they're based in St. Louis) for a pair this/Thursday evening and tomorrow/Friday afternoon.

#-6: Gopher men's hockey (Re-Entry!).  I have to keep telling myself to give Bret Larson a mulligan this Year.  Otherwise I'd gouge my own eyes out seeing they got emasculated Friday in Duluth by then-ninth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth, 7-1.  The U., by the way, I think was ranked 20th.  They won an extra Point Saturday after the Gophs came back from a Bulldogs 2-0 lead to tie it up and send it to a Shootout that they won, but I shouldn't expect anything from this squad this Year.

Ah, rivalries of yore: The Minnesota Golden Gophers host third-ranked North Dakota tonight/Thursday night and tomorrow/Friday night.

#-7: Gopher soccer (Last Week: -6).  Oof.  A 1-0 Loss at Wisconsin Sunday afternoon extends their losing streak, and scoring drought, to three Matches, and it looks as though bracketologists have pushed the U. off the bubble.  Time's running out to right the ship; this Week they finish out the home portion of the schedule, playing 12th-ranked Washington tonight/Thursday night and Oregon Sunday afternoon.

Damn, I almost forgot about doing a blog post today.  Erg ... I want to save this for a lengthier post when I can pour more thought into it.  But I will say that I just remembered to e-mail the only two people who might go out and watch my alma mater's football Game at our regular bar.  Otherwise, it's kind of a shitshow that is still giving me anxiety for Saturday.

But I am going to a jazz club now.  Hopefully I'll be able to forget my troubles.

Addendum To: Gas Follies

Oh yeah, so I made it to the gas station before work.  Car got there, no problem, no stalling or anything.  I gas up ... and it stopped at 8.4 gallons.  My tank (supposedly) holds 10.6.  You're telling me that I lose all 20 bars and that low gas indicator light goes on when I have 2.2 gallons of gasoline left in my tank??  I could've gone to work, came from work to home, gotten dinner (which I did last/Monday night), then gone to the gas station, and I probably would've been fine.  My fears were unfounded because apparently, my car dashboard is a lie.

Dammit, I knew I freaked myself out.  And because there was so much traffic backed up where I wanted to go, and I didn't want to wait in traffic, I took the side streets and thus was late for work.  And now I figure that I probably didn't have to be late because I probably didn't have to stop for gas in the morning.  So stupid.