The day that was Saturday.
written by Julie R. Neidlinger 9 comments link this postSaturday was a good day.
The season of playing music at weddings was behind me, and a month of focusing on flying lessons loomed. I had breakfast with my parents and brother's family before the left for home (they were up for my niece's wedding).
I then headed up to the capitol for the art fair: A Capitol A'Fair. It was decent, but, like most art fairs, you have to go through 80 percent sameness (many booths of bead jewelry, for example, or wood craft items or fleece blankets) to find the truly unique things. I did find some unique items, though, and got a few as Christmas presents for my sister and friends. I avoided the cheese curds, though they called out temptingly. I finally succumbed to the Coldstone Creamery cart and bought some completely unhealthy ice cream. I then sat in the grass and listened to Cottonwood, a local bluegrass band of excellent quality.
Later that afternoon, I met Troy Sterling Nies in person at the Barnes and Noble cafe. Earlier this year I featured an email interview with him on this blog, and it was nice to put a face to the email conversation. We talked about music, movies, art in North Dakota -- all things I haven't had a good conversation on for a while -- for over three hours. Being in a bookstore meant we capped it all off with recommending books. I, of course, recommended A Canticle for Leibowitz, which I still can't get over. Nies gave me a copy of The Dunwich Horror, a radio play on CD that he provided the soundtrack and sound effects to, which is full of fabulous ephemera (maps, clippings) that I can't stop going over. I've not listened to the radio play, yet, but I'm working up to the "right time" to do it. I was thrilled to get a copy of it. It was a great afternoon of conversation, and I enjoyed it very much.
I then went to see the new X-Files movie, which was not what I expected, but pleasantly surprised me. I liked it, though, as I've told a few people who asked what I thought about it, I found it to be less about the X-Files and more a character study of Scully and Mulder.
In fact, the only bummer of the day was that I realized too late that Jeff Dunham was at the Civic Center that night and I missed it. (Dunham, of "Achmed the Dead Terrorist" fame). I wondered why there were piles of people and cars around the Civic Center and spilling over into the mall parking lot, and now I know. Sniff. The day before, after the wedding, my nephew and I were rephrasing Achmed's lines for the situation at hand, and getting plenty of laughs out of each other.
It would have been funny to see Dunham. I am that lame. Puppets kill me. Which is appropriate, since Achmed wants to basically kill you. I see that Alice Cooper* will be at the Civic Center tomorrow night but...not really my thing.
Otherwise, despite the last little bit, it was a great day of family, new friends, and film.
* Now if it were Led Zeppelin...
Labels: friends, movies, my life
Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger 8/04/2008 12:26:00 PM
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9 Comments:
What. No dog show? The Bismarck Kennel Club dog show was this past weekend also.
Jeez.
By 
Sarah Regan Snavely, at
4/8/08 14:42
I was aware of it, actually, but "neglected" to go.
I'm sure this surprises you.
By Julie R. Neidlinger, at
4/8/08 15:13
Oh, bead jewelry is bad?
Oh
By Anna, at
4/8/08 20:21
Yes, that's exactly what I was saying. That's also why I OFFER SEVERAL BEADED JEWELRY PIECES ON MY OWN WEBSITE.
I'm glad I was clear on that.
By Julie R. Neidlinger, at
4/8/08 20:44
At least I now know not to buy beaded jewelry as does everyone else reading this blog. Whew.
By Anna, at
5/8/08 07:23
Come on, Julie. Release your inner self.
The bead-stringer wearing, Pomeranian-carrying one.
You know you want a little dog to carry around in a "artist" hand bag.
Set down your chainsaw and embrace life.
Stop fighting it, girl.
We won't laugh.
Much.
By Sarah Regan Snavely, at
5/8/08 08:50
I love the chainsaw too much.
By Julie R. Neidlinger, at
5/8/08 08:59
Husqvarna groupie.
By Sarah Regan Snavely, at
5/8/08 13:30
That's too obtuse.
By Julie R. Neidlinger, at
5/8/08 15:45
