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.
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