This month we finish Colorado and head to Minneapolis. It's our biggest show of the year. My computer is in the shop so I had to type this on a couple of stand-in computers. Unfortunately it's gonna keep my pictures down to minimum if any at all. We'll see as time goes on.
Ok, time has gone on and I've checked my back-up archive drive. I backed everything up before bringing the computer into the shop but somehow everything is there except my picture files. That could really suck if they wipe my drive. So, no pictures this journal.
The drive was easy enough from Colorado to Minnesota. We left around noon on Wednesday and arrived in Minneapolis around noon the next day. We tried to sleep at a rest stop but didn't have much luck. It was a little too cramped and the dogs were not happy either. After a couple hours we gave up and continued our trip. It worked out well since we got there so fast.
The first few days in Minnesota were exactly what we'd expected and hoped for. We got recognized by locals and had to sign autographs and pose for pictures. After ten weeks of being a salesman and construction worker, it sure was nice to be a pseudo-celebrity again.
Hopefully the trend will continue into the weeks to come. After the season of rain we had last year, an up year would be great. We'll see.
The first couple of weekends have gone very well. Tips are solid, merchandise sales are good and our R rated show is rockin'! The opening weekend was the best one the fair has had since 2004. That's a really good sign.
I do have to mention something on a sad note. Joe Kudla, the man that played Thomas Snot of the Puke and Snot show died of an apparent heart attack the week before the show opened. These guys blazed a trail for the rest of us. They proved that Ren. Fairs could support headline acts of their caliber. They further brought the craft to a whole new level. His death was very sudden and unexpected. He will be sorely missed.
The one ironic fact in this whole story is that I met him socially and chatted with him for the first time in Colorado only weeks before his death. Furthermore, the first weekend of the show his daughter (I didn't know he had one) approached us and said how much respect he had for us and our show. Wow, how weird is that? I was speechless. I can't say how much it meant that she shared that with us.
Ok, enough of the sad stuff. I've told you about my computer woes and the death of an icon. But, not all is bad out here.
Sharon and I are staying with some very close friends. My friend Omar was nice enough to open his home to us for the second year in a row. It's in Maple Grove. It's northwest of downtown Minneapolis. We really love the area. We've found all kinds of new places to hang out and eat, but since we're saving money I doubt we'll take advantage of it too much.
Omar is a computer programmer and has been a consultant for Best Buy for years. He just took a job at Ubisoft. They're a big video game company. He moved out to San Francisco. He's gonna rent his house out, but was nice enough to wait till we leave. I wish him the best. He's a freakin' genius and will do well out there. And, it'll be cool to have another friend to visit on the west coast.
His girlfriend Theresa is still here living with us. She's so sweet and very accommodating. It's gotta be tough having a family of two, plus three dogs move in after her man leaves for the other coast. We all get along great. I'm bummed we're gonna have to find a new place to stay next year. If you know of a cool short term rental place or some reasonably priced furnished apartments let me know.
Well, that's gonna do it for this month. I hope the lack of pictures wasn't too boring for you. I promise I'll have something for you next month. Just do me a favor and pray for my computer. I don't know what I'll do without it if it's gone much longer.
