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Avatar Anna by IKEA

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You said: What is your name?
Anna said: I am Anna, the IKEA USA Online Assistant.

You said: How old are you?
Anna said: (wincing) I prefer not to discuss my age; let’s talk about IKEA.

You said: what color are your eyes?
Anna said: For which product would you like to know which colors it is available in?

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Boycott Jewel? Huh?

Heard on NPR about a gun club boycotting Jewel for donating money for Chicago’s gun buyback program.

What is this guy smoking? The aims are orthogonal. He wants to train new responsible gun owners. The police dept wants to get them away from owners who suspect they might NOT be responsible, and that might just need [...]

Honk Jr.

Fun play starring our ex-neighbor Steven Rausch and a cast of 47 kids for the Woodstock Summer Youth Theater. Daniel was in it too. Wonderful story, great play. At the Woodstock Opera House.

Rusted Root – Minnesota Zoo Ampitheater

Great show. Sarah used to like them and I inherited Remember and another. Hot. Cool venue — small, lots of bathrooms and beer sales. Overlooking a small lake and neat rocks lit up behind the band. Part of the “Music in the Zoo” series — what a great idea!

Rule 1. Bring earplugs. Even in an [...]

Lifetime Fitness Triathlon

Sam ran in the Minneapolis Lifetime Fitness Triathlon. So hot. The elite athletes ran the full course, but the amateurs had 3 miles from bike course and 3 miles from running course removed due to weather. Still lots of fun.

Why do paper towels get stacked up in the bathroom?

Ever go into a washroom, and towels are stacked on the counter? I cannot think of a more inefficient way of distribution. They all get wet, you get several at a time. Use a dispenser, one at each station.

Congo

Heard NPR story on Congo. What separates the US from places like Congo? The rebel groups are fighting each other, dying everywhere, no food, military out of control.

We don’t (in general) have to hunt for our next meal. That helps. But the big difference is hope. I think the current US administration is a bunch [...]

Chris Rausch’s Senior Music Recital

Chris used to live near us — we have known him a while. He wrote “In a Smile” for Sarah. Someday we’ll get a copy. Nice song.

This kid can play.

Beethoven – Sonata #1
Purcell – Sound the Trumpet (duet w/Steven Rausch)
Michael Head – A Summer Idyll
Chopin – Nocturne in E Minor
David Gray – This Year’s Love
Stephano [...]

Hazel’s 90th at Grand Victoria

For Hazel’s 90th, we had lunch at the Prairie Rock Brewery and then took her birthday stake over to Grand Victoria Casino to blow it. She has more sense than I, and spent some, but saved some to take to the Iowa casinos — better machines, I guess.