Please let the weekend be cool. Please, please, please... Proving once again that no good deed goes unpunished, I am currently without A/C. The motor in the A/C unit was wearing out; it made a terrible 'screech' noise whenever it kicked on or off. It still worked just fine, but the noise I'm sure drove the neighbor's batty. Anyway, I decided to get it fixed, and as fate would have it, they had to pull the old motor/compressor out only to find out that they can't get the part until mid-next week at the earliest.

I should have waited until October to have this done... What an idiot I am.

Anyway, while I'm baking away this holiday weekend, here's some pictures from Day 9...

Yesterday was kind of overcast and gray, but it was still a fun day -- pictures from Day 8.

Some night pictures from Day 7 at the fair. I went over in the evening, right after some thunderstorms rolled through. If there's a theme to today's pictures, it's about reflections in the puddles on the Midway... Also, I didn't add any captions because I didn't really need to...

My Dad is coming over today, and possibly some more people from work... What will today bring?

Yesterday wasn't a terribly exciting day for photos, so there's a smaller gallery for day 6... I'm going to try to go over tonight and see if I can't find some more exciting 'night' pictures. I also slowed down the timing of the automatic slide show bit, so just hit "next" if you want to move faster...

And here's day 5 pictures...

It's too late to post pictures from today, but I'll get around to it tomorrow sometime... I just got back from seeing Har Mar Superstar at the Teen Fair stage. Somebody's probably going to get fired for booking this one. His music and show is a little more, shall we say "adult", and his stage show is probably not the most conducive for general family viewing. He just finished a tour where he opened for The Strokes and he'll be opening for Incubus starting next month. Of course, that makes it even more hilarious. But, since Har Mar is from this neighborhood (he takes his name from the Har Mar Mall just about a mile up Snelling), it's only fitting... It was a fun show.

By the way, he's playing again tomorrow night at 8:30 if you want to check him out...

In the meantime, check out the Strib's audio/video library...

Registrating for the 2002 Minnesota State Fair 8K Milk Run and getting the covetted #14 spot in a field of 1500... $18

Ace ankle bandage and a borrowed pair of crutches... $12.95

Feigning an ankle injury, convincing someone else to run in my place, and then giving up the ruse and goading them on at the finish line... FREE!

Really upsetting those who thought we would "suffer this" together...

Priceless!

Ah, what a fun day. Here's the rest of the pictures from day 4...

Everyone things it would be "fun" to spend a day at the fair with me. Think again. Why, just ask the Dutchman who become my latest victim of ridicule. Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha....

Okay, here you go, day 2 pictures...

Okay, here's the REAL pictures from yesterday... I'm still ironing out the details, but this gallery is much improved. I haven't made the trek over today yet, so even more will be coming over the weekend...

UPDATE: Hot DAMN!!!! I got my camera problem figured out. It isn't the camera at all! It's the card reader I'm using that's corrupting the images. It's too late to post more pictures now, but tomorrow I'll post some more pictures from today... Be patient, you'll get to see all of them...

I am soooo relieved. I got some fun pictures today, and with this little fiasco behind me I can now move on and enjoy the rest of the fair. Things are looking up.

Okay, some good new and some bad news for the first day of the fair.

First, the bad news: My camera is flaking out on me. I'm not sure what the problem is, but the majority of pictures I took today were corrupted. They look fine in the thumbnail view, but when I downloaded and viewed them (in several different programs, I might add), they're completely unreadable. Don't worry, I'll be looking into this.

The good news: It was a good day. Here are the pictures from day one that DID turn out. Also, I had a good time. I saw three bands -- Faux Jean (alternative pop), Big John Dickerson (blues), and Shangoya (reggae). I ate My Pronto Pup. I had a cold, frosty Summit beer. I saw bits of a talent show. I saw some goofy people walking around and doing not much of anything. So, that's got to be the focus. I'll work on the camera problem, but I just have to remember that it's not about the damn camera. It's about the damn fair.

Also, it was refreshing to see a BIG crowd on a Thursday night. The new food building is totally different, but still just as packed as it was before. More tomorrow. I've got some work to do...

Check out this Strib gallery of historic State Fair pictures.
(use the arrows in the upper right-hand corner to navigate)

Twas the night before State Fair, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, except for my mouse;
The Maalox was opened on the counter with care
In hopes that St. Pronto Pup would soon be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of cheese curds danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my Speedo,
Had just tuned in to Tennessee Tuxedo,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the lawn, brightly colored with spray paint,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to my heavenly Saint,
Some bumps in the moonlight, it appeared much like Braille,
It was a Budweiser wagon, and eight plodding Clydesdales,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
And a coat made of cornmeal, impaled on a stick.
More rapid than greyhounds his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

Now, COTTON CANDY! now, MINI-DONUT! now, CHEESE CURD and PRONTO PUP!
On, PORK CHOP! on CORN COB! on FRENCH FRY and PIZZA-IN-A-CUP!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

They clip-clopped, and clip-clopped, like stallions they strode,
And whinnied with beer-breath as they approached my abode.
So up to the house-top the Clydesdales they flew,
With the wagon full of beer, and St. Pronto Pup too.

I leaped to the wagon, and St. Pronto Pup handed me a Bud,
"I love you man", I said, then tumbled with a thud,
As I feel to the ground, nearly squashed by a horse,
"Dude, you alright?" said one, talking of course.

We cruised o'er the food building, then past the Bazaar,
Sampling cookies, homemade wine, and pickles in a jar,
He flew past the Midway and we tasted everything in sight,
Before flying me home on his Budweiser flight.

He dropped me off on my spray-painted lawn,
And away they all flew, tiny specks, then all gone.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY STATE FAIR TO ALL, AND TO ALL A BUD LIGHT!"

Rock stardom in one easy lesson.

Hackers beg boring people to stop encrypting e-mail.

Bad Fads.

And that's it for now. The real fun starts tomorrow. Notice the counter? Less than 24 hours to go...

Where does a fella put his money when times are tough? Try the Vice Fund! It invests in cigarettes, beer, and gambling.

Idiot.

Here's a pretty fun looking record collection from some guy's Grandma...

Fascinating pinhole pictures here. Fascinating pinhead pictures here.

George W. Bush's Amazon Wish List.

A rather good weekend, I must say. Saturday I drove up to my Mom and brother's cabin and we did a few fun things to celebrate Mom's birthday. 1) We had meatloaf dinners at the Viking Cafe in downtown Fergus Falls. 2) We feed some ducks and geese at Lake Alice. And finally, 3) we spent the evening in Vining, MN (population 67) to watch the big parade for their annual Watermelon Day celebration. Now this may shock you, but this is a HUGE parade -- thousands of people turn up.

I took lots of pictures, but something is awry with my memory cards. About 25% of the pictures I took didn't turn out. It's not the camera, because I had the same problem with both cameras. I think I got some flakiness with the memory cards. Anyway, don't fret. I'll get it figured out by fair time... I'll try to post some Watermelon day pictures, but I still have to sift through all the photos...

The Star Tribune now has a whole section with the complete State Fair coverage. Check it out, and don't forget to bookmark it...

Less than a week to go...

Well, this weekend it's off to Fergus Falls for a weekend with the family. Yesterday was my Mom's birthday, so we're going to spend some time by the lake, grill some brats, spit watermelon seeds at the kids, etc. If the weather is agreeable, we'll shoot over to Vining's Watermelon Days. All the watermelon you can eat, PLUS a parade. Vining, MN is pretty close to the cabin and they have a big foot...

You know what the State Fair needs? One of these!

You know why I fly Vanguard airlines? Because they serve the best chicken wings! Seriously. That's the only reason I fly them. You know. For the chicken wings.

Things I wish I'd said.

I like these guys. Why? Because, Dean and Nigel blend in...

About a block from work, they're just finishing up with the long-awaited Block-E redevelopment. One of the nicer touches (aside from the Hooters) will be this new Meridian Hotel. Check out the room details. Spiffy, eh?

Hate garden gnomes? Not as much as this guy...

I'm curious to see Stephen Soderbergh's new movie Full Frontal. It's shot in DV (digital video), so I'm curious to see what this medium does to an art film. DV camera's are getting much cheaper, and if the technology keeps progressing I just might be able to afford one. And you know what THAT would mean. I would mean that I could release DV featurettes on my State Fair excursions--interviews with carnie-folk, man on the street observations, etc. It's the next logical step for this site. Sure, maybe this won't happen for a year or two or three, but I'm thinking long term here...

Friday's are always fun at work. Take last Friday, for instance. The folks down on the 6th floor have a monthy gathering with various themed foods to help entice us "7th floor" people to come down and visit. Sure, it's a little pathetic, but it works.

Last week it was a State Fair theme -- with all foods on a stick. Little Corn Dogs, candy bars on a stick, etc.

As this picture clearly illustrates, from the right distance, Mike's head is the same size (and consistency) of a mini Corn Dog.

And here's the effeminate Mike wistfully inquiring as he daintily eats his cheese: "Do these pants make me look fat?"

And this is Jan. She put a paper plate in front of her face when I took this picture, but thanks the miracle of "digital photo processing" (to you laypeople), I was able to reconstruct her face to almost an EXACT likeness. Computers can do amazing things these days...

So, that was Friday. Yesterday I went waterskiing, and that was quite an experience. You really don't think about the buttock muscles all that much until you try an activity such as this. And then today, I've been playing around with a new software program that let's me build photogalleries and slide shows. Yes, I plan to use this "new technology" when the fair comes around...

You can see a sample SLIDESHOW of the fun we had yesterday... Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of Penny or Courtney, so next time around I'll have to be more considerate and humiliate them as well... Enjoy.

Well, I'm back from the great Salt Lake. Something about that name just reminds me of a big margarita, but it was a pretty decent trip.

Last night we drove up into the mountains and had dinner in a pretty spectacular setting. Hummingbirds were feeding on the deck of the restaurant (amazing little creatures, hummingbirds), and some sort of furry little varmint scampered across my foot. It could have been some kind of Mormon squirrel or something. I don't know, but it kind of freaked me out. Oh, here's another shot that I took on the way down the valley...

Flying back this morning was rather interesting. I was nestled snuggly in my aisle seat, sitting next to a tree hugger and hippie chick couple, and I used the time to read some interesting articles about screenwriting. Meanwhile, Tree Hugger and Hippie Chick were busy working on some MadLibs that the Hippie Chick brought along.

Hippie Chick: Noun.
Furry Tree Hugger: Ummmm. Meatball.
HC: Plural Noun.
FTH: Plural Noun?
HC: Yeah, plural noun. More than one...
FTH: Hippos
HC: Adjective.
FTH: Adjective? Ummm. Coquettishely.
HC: That's an adverb.
FTH: Huh?
HC: Coquettishly is an adverb. Pick an adjective.
FTH: Okay, like, Whatever... Yellow.
HC: Okay. Now, a food item.
FTH: Meatball.

Anyway, it was a long flight listening to these two goofballs. But it did get me to thinking. I don't need to read any stupid screenwriting magazines to find a good story. I just need one of them MadLib books...

Well, later today I'm headed out to the Mild, Mild West -- Salt Lake City, UT. Yee haw! I can hardly wait. I'll try to do some updates from the road, but we'll see...

In the meantime, feel free to check out VH1's top 100 videos of all time. Compare this list with MTV's version. The thing I like best about the MTV version is that the Replacements (about as anti-MTV as you can get) actually made the cut with Bastards of Young at the 96 spot. This should have been higher on this list. In true 'Mats form, the entire video consisted of a still show of a stereo speaker. Four minutes later, as the camera is slowly pulled back, there's the back of a guy's head (staring at the speaker) and smoking a cigarette. THAT was the entire video. Classic. The Austin Chronicle had this to say:

MTV's status as a visual panoply of texts no longer than five minutes meant rock stars now had to devote considerable energy to their image. A few artists protested this new order. After trashing MTV in song on "Seen Your Video," the Replacements' 1985 clip for "Bastards of Young" consisted of a single still shot of a stereo speaker playing the song. But this was an anomaly.

Here's some classic live 'Mats performances from their hey-day...


Also, here's some pictures from my niece's 2nd birthday... (You have to register with an Ofoto account to see them)...

Looks like MyProntoPup.Com got the full moon, courtesy of the assotron. And Mom, if you're reading this, your OTHER son sent this to me.

Salman Rushdie has an interesting idea for what to do with the WTC site.

McSweeney's Graffiti of Minneapolis. My favorite? Eden Prairie Sucks!

And lastly, the Pop Up Book of Phobias.

The official web site of Steve Wilkos, Jerry Springer's bouncer. Is it just me, or does he look like Uncle Fester?

Want to lose weight without all of the hassles of Heroin addiction? Try Punk Rock Aerobics.

Oh, this makes me feel safe. Vinny Barbarino is now flying as a pilot... for Qantas.

Over 40 British schoolkids attack Captain Swantastic. Bloody good job!

James Lileks has a daughter the exact same age as my niece. This description pretty much sums up a 2-year-old's birthday party.