Send in the clowns!
Just a quick post to let everyone know Darling Daughter and I will be marching in clown in the Drake Relays parade this Sunday (April 20). The parade starts at 2 p.m. - not sure where it officially starts yet (guess I should figure that out) but it does one lap around campus.
Daughter is really excited! This will be her first time clowning with me. She's going to do the "invisible dog on a leash" gag.
I'll be the clown in the pink hat!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Snookie's
Yes - we were crazy to go out in a snow storm to stand in line for an ice cream cone....but not as crazy as the people who camped out in line in a tent the night before.
Snookie's Malt Shop opened for the season at 11 a.m. Saturday morning and we wanted to be one of their first customers. Why? They take pictures of their first customers and display them in the window the rest of the season. We wanted to be on the coveted poster board!
We weren't alone - the aforementioned campers (two tents of people actually) beat us to it. We were there at 10:45 a.m. and by 11 a.m. there were about 20 people standing outside with flurries coming down around them waiting for their ice cream.
I'm not sure exactly what makes Snookie's ice cream so good - the killer chocolate malts? The animal cookies they perch on top of every cone? I think maybe it's the small town ice cream parlor feel. It's not Dairy Queen - and anyone who goes there doesn't want it to be.
Snookie's opened the doors to their small cafe area and we all crowded in, grateful to be out of the cold. We grabbed a booth while we waited for our friends to show up. The rest of the customers crowded the counter and ordered their treats. The owners were all smiles - as happy to see us as we were to see them. And yes, they did take our picture! I hope we make the poster board. Take a look next time you're at Snookies - you might see us in the window!
Snookie's is number 71 on 100 Things You Must Do in Des Moines
Yes - we were crazy to go out in a snow storm to stand in line for an ice cream cone....but not as crazy as the people who camped out in line in a tent the night before.
Snookie's Malt Shop opened for the season at 11 a.m. Saturday morning and we wanted to be one of their first customers. Why? They take pictures of their first customers and display them in the window the rest of the season. We wanted to be on the coveted poster board!
We weren't alone - the aforementioned campers (two tents of people actually) beat us to it. We were there at 10:45 a.m. and by 11 a.m. there were about 20 people standing outside with flurries coming down around them waiting for their ice cream.
I'm not sure exactly what makes Snookie's ice cream so good - the killer chocolate malts? The animal cookies they perch on top of every cone? I think maybe it's the small town ice cream parlor feel. It's not Dairy Queen - and anyone who goes there doesn't want it to be.
Snookie's opened the doors to their small cafe area and we all crowded in, grateful to be out of the cold. We grabbed a booth while we waited for our friends to show up. The rest of the customers crowded the counter and ordered their treats. The owners were all smiles - as happy to see us as we were to see them. And yes, they did take our picture! I hope we make the poster board. Take a look next time you're at Snookies - you might see us in the window!
Snookie's is number 71 on 100 Things You Must Do in Des Moines
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Clown therapy
So I admit I’ve been a little cranky lately.
BLOG READER: (spit take) Cranky? I didn’t notice.
DMG: Okay…so maybe cranky isn’t the right word. Irritable? Crabby? Grouchy? Whiney? Bit…
BLOG READER: BINGO!!!
With work being a nightmarish soul-sucking experience and winter dragging on and on and on thanks to all this global warming, my mood has been less than cheerful. So when the opportunity came up for me to do some volunteer clowning, I jumped at the chance.
Thursday night a clown buddy and I clowned at my church’s Family Fun Night to raise money for the pre-school program. It’s amazing what two hours of general silliness, balloon twisting and cute kids can do for a person. I even had some kids recognize me from last year.
Had a little difficulty finding my groove – went through a stretch when I couldn’t tie a balloon to save my life. As things picked up, my patter and my balloons got better. Acting goofy is never a problem. Once you put on the clown make up and walk around in public, there’s nothing that will embarrass you.
By the end of the night I was really tired but my mood was better than it had been in weeks. I’m trying to line up some more clown gigs. With the weather getting nicer and parade season picking up, there should be lots of opportunities.
So I admit I’ve been a little cranky lately.
BLOG READER: (spit take) Cranky? I didn’t notice.
DMG: Okay…so maybe cranky isn’t the right word. Irritable? Crabby? Grouchy? Whiney? Bit…
BLOG READER: BINGO!!!
With work being a nightmarish soul-sucking experience and winter dragging on and on and on thanks to all this global warming, my mood has been less than cheerful. So when the opportunity came up for me to do some volunteer clowning, I jumped at the chance.
Thursday night a clown buddy and I clowned at my church’s Family Fun Night to raise money for the pre-school program. It’s amazing what two hours of general silliness, balloon twisting and cute kids can do for a person. I even had some kids recognize me from last year.
Had a little difficulty finding my groove – went through a stretch when I couldn’t tie a balloon to save my life. As things picked up, my patter and my balloons got better. Acting goofy is never a problem. Once you put on the clown make up and walk around in public, there’s nothing that will embarrass you.
By the end of the night I was really tired but my mood was better than it had been in weeks. I’m trying to line up some more clown gigs. With the weather getting nicer and parade season picking up, there should be lots of opportunities.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
TIWIWTJSF?
The above is a new acronym I invented -
This Is What I Went To Journalism School For?
Work has been a little better but the malaise passes slowly. I've been able to spend more time on projects I enjoy and not so much on the ones that were ticking me off. More good news - I had lunch with a friend today who gave me good advice and a good laugh.
The above is a new acronym I invented -
This Is What I Went To Journalism School For?
Work has been a little better but the malaise passes slowly. I've been able to spend more time on projects I enjoy and not so much on the ones that were ticking me off. More good news - I had lunch with a friend today who gave me good advice and a good laugh.
Monday, March 24, 2008
It doesn’t matter…
One would hope we all are blessed with meaningful, fulfilling work – work you can be passionate about; work that excites you; work that has you rising eagerly from your bed each morning with an I-can’t-wait-to-get-started attitude. But alas, that is not always the case.
I am going through a spell at work right now where I have lost my passion. Work at best is meaningless and at its worst, stupid and irritating.
I’ve taken to amusing myself with little things – things that don’t matter but might give me a small chuckle at some point during the 8-9 hours a day my soul is slowly being sucked from my body. When that fails, my mental iPod plays show tunes (I don't know why - it just does). Below is a current fav.
So help me out – what do you do when you’ve lost passion for your work?
One would hope we all are blessed with meaningful, fulfilling work – work you can be passionate about; work that excites you; work that has you rising eagerly from your bed each morning with an I-can’t-wait-to-get-started attitude. But alas, that is not always the case.
I am going through a spell at work right now where I have lost my passion. Work at best is meaningless and at its worst, stupid and irritating.
I’ve taken to amusing myself with little things – things that don’t matter but might give me a small chuckle at some point during the 8-9 hours a day my soul is slowly being sucked from my body. When that fails, my mental iPod plays show tunes (I don't know why - it just does). Below is a current fav.
So help me out – what do you do when you’ve lost passion for your work?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Grinding mill
Heather Mills just scored $48.7 million in her divorce settlement.
Paul McCartney Ordered to Pay Heather Mills $48.7 Million to Settle Divorce
Sounds like Sir Paul was a jerk but from what I've read she's a psycho shrew. Maybe they should have stayed married - they sound like a lovely couple.
So what do you think Heather should buy with her new millions?
Therapy? A gold-plated leg?
Heather Mills just scored $48.7 million in her divorce settlement.
Paul McCartney Ordered to Pay Heather Mills $48.7 Million to Settle Divorce
Sounds like Sir Paul was a jerk but from what I've read she's a psycho shrew. Maybe they should have stayed married - they sound like a lovely couple.
So what do you think Heather should buy with her new millions?
Therapy? A gold-plated leg?
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Bad Day Part II - Find the Funny
I have a philosophy - When something bad happens to you if you can tell the story to someone in a funny way and it makes them laugh, then it must not have been that bad to begin with. I call it "finding the funny."
I can't tell you what happened this week that made me so mad. And unfortunately, I have yet to "find the funny" in my current situation. I did, however, find this video.
I have a philosophy - When something bad happens to you if you can tell the story to someone in a funny way and it makes them laugh, then it must not have been that bad to begin with. I call it "finding the funny."
I can't tell you what happened this week that made me so mad. And unfortunately, I have yet to "find the funny" in my current situation. I did, however, find this video.
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