The Windmill Posts

Got to the park and ride (UofM) between 8:15 and 8:30. Maroon lot was only about half full. Bus isn’t crowded, and lines for security were non existent. If you have a phone charging power bank, it will set off the detectors, but they’re wise to that and asking people if they have one. So I didn’t get a bag search.

Went to whatever Heritage Square is called now, but it was around 8:30 and nothing was open. Except the beer place. Wandered to the coliseum to see vendors, most of them open by then. Cows were being judged. From there went to International Bazaar, which was not open yet. There was a line switching back and forth by the horticulture building. People waiting to get in line to see crop art. Easily 200 people in line. Crazy.

Wandered quite a bit, ended up at RC Cola stand, ordered one large and an XL t-shirt. Both kids working froze and looked like deer in headlights. One of them figured it out and explained that the owner didn’t sell shirts because it took up too much space. Extremely valid point given the size of the booth. I told her I would apply to work there next year, and once I got a shirt I’d take a break and run for it. She said she’d keep my eye out for me. Neither of us knew if the other was joking or not. I wasn’t.

Got milk. Got second milk. Wandered not too far, got third milk. I asked what percentage it was – it’s only 2%! They must fluff it up or something. Went to DNR fish pools. Watched sturgeon break the surface of the water and expose their backs and tails. Seemed like odd behavior, and I saw other fishing doing it too. After asking every single DNR person I could find. (Literally, all of them, social anxiety be damned). None of them knew. So I wandered away, asked Gemini and found out that it’s to communicate with other fish, and to occasionally gulp more air for their swim bladder. Fascinating! I was going to go back and let them know at the DNR but by then social anxiety had caught up with me. Apparently it got stuck behind a family with one of those huge baby boxes on wheels.

I went searching for a corn dog – it’s harder than you think. Also, the app is garbage. You can search for a corn dog stand, and it’ll give you a list, but heaven forbid you want a map to see which one is closest. You have to drill down and figure the addresses yourself.

Up toward machinery hill, where it’s a little less dense, I noticed that the fair can be like the waves of the ocean. When they hit the land they’re tremendously loud. Exciting. But occasionally there is a moment between waves where it becomes impossibly quiet. Well, the fair always has noise from rides or people or booths blaring music. But sometimes, rarely, everything quiets at the same time and it’s peaceful. Short lived, but peaceful.

Checked out the grandstand. The spectacle shoppe had a $59 frame special only at the fair. I brought my prescription, but everyone seeing frames didn’t seem to have the experience I needed. Also, they were super busy and really didn’t have time for “special” people like me. My nose is a slightly odd shape, so glasses always fall down. I want someone who knows enough to guide me to the right frames. So I’ll go to their uptown location and get the time I need, I just won’t get the fair deal. I thought it would be fun to tell people I got my glasses at the fair.

As I get older, other older people are interesting to me. If I see someone ten years older than me, it is easy to think of them as having been old all of their lives. But go back 40 years and I’m in high school and those people are in or finishing college. They would have been the cool people! Same goes for people my age, just that they would have been my peers. And you can see those that won’t let go of their youth with the way they dress, do their hair, or even dye their hair. (We can tell, you know. When you look 70 and you have shocking black hair. We can tell.). There are others who have moved on, but still have some remnant. A concert t-shirt, a hairdo, or one of those “tell it like it is” attitudes ready to say they’re still cool. And finally there are there who must be some sort of vanilla, young or old. You squint and can’t see anything. Like they’ve looked like this all of their life. Which is possible. But it really gives me pause when I do anything that appropriates my style or habits from back then. But I’ll still wear my Moby t-shirt proudly, thinking it makes me look cool.

In the end I had an RC, 3 milk and a corndog /w coke. I walked 4.49 miles. It was something like 73 when I got there, and 80 when I left. Hot!

Time for a nap.