Kathy and I saw “Avengers: Endgame”!

Avengers: Endgame is the best superhero movie I’ve ever seen.  Endgame could be the best movie I’ve ever seen!  I don’t cry often during movies, but I sure did cry during this one.  If you have not seen Endgame, go see it as soon as possible, as you will be extremely satisfied with this epic movie.

This is a link to a beautifully written story that I recommend reading.

Along New Tides: A Ponies After People Story

Not only do I love this excellent story, the best one in this shared universe; I also have had a good time practicing my editing skills by double-checking Merchant Mariner’s grammar.  With all that talent, I hope that Merchant Mariner will someday become a professional writer.

These are the basement floor lofts I saw while I toured the Redstone Lofts Open House!

This basement kitchen has plenty of kitchen countertop space, unlike my apartment.

The basement window views have much to be desired.  However, that enclosed crawlspace, between the clear windows in front and the stained glass windows behind them could be a space for children to have fun, imaginary adventures.

With an older building, new plumbing pipes sometimes need to be on the outside of the walls.  That electrical line leading into the access cover is for a sump pump installed within a specially constructed sump pit.

These are the top floor lofts I saw while I toured the Redstone Lofts Open House!

The kitchen of one of the south-facing, top floor lofts overlooking Superior Street.

A digital clock installed in the oven that I think is neat!

This is the view of Lake Superior from that same loft.

The north-facing lofts have ordinary views of homes and apartments.  In fact, my apartment view is much better than these views.

I revised my King Manor Buy a Basket Co-op poster

I spend at least an hour each day practicing my writing and visual arts skill sets.

Streetcar tracks see the light of day for the first time in many decades

Streetcar tracks in front of the Fond-du-Luth Casino, looking north

Streetcar tracks in front of the Fond-du-Luth Casino, looking south

The reconstruction of Superior Street, Season Two has begun!

A view from South Lake Avenue and East Superior Street, with big machines able to dig up the old pavement in a few days

Two backhoes facing each other in front of the Fond-du-Luth Casino parking ramp

Two backhoes facing west in front of the Fond-du-Luth Casino parking ramp

King Manor’s Fruit and Vegetable baskets for April 23, 2019

Five dollars buy this much fruit

Five dollars buys this many vegetables

I found this “You can do it!” encouraging meme message on my way to Super One.

It was written on the front steps of the First Presbyterian Church of Duluth, East 2nd Street, Duluth, Minnesota.  That message encouraged me to post this image to encourage others to make honest attempts until you succeed at your goals.

My poster for the King Manor Residents’ Club, Easter meal for April 20, 2019

As President Barb requested, this is a simple message without any images.  I also drew inspiration for my text from a World War Two, United States rationing poster.  If you are a writer or artist, you need to observe all possible sources of inspiration to make your written text or art more impactful.  You never know where an inspirational idea may be, waiting for you to find it.

I bought this beautiful, boxed drawing set for Rainbow Center amateur artists.

If those amateur artists know that they are using the same tools that college art students and professional artists use; that may give them the confidence to create better artwork.  It is possible that my gift might make a Rainbow Center artist into the next famous folk artist similar to Anna Mary Robertson Moses, known by her nickname Grandma Moses.

More cool photos of those protruding, brick electrical outlets at Redstone Lofts.

This is the first time I’ve seen protruding, brick electrical outlets anywhere.

I wonder why Heirloom Property Management made these protruding, brick electrical outlets that only make placing furniture along the walls more difficult for renters.

On Friday February 22, 2019 - I toured the Redstone Lofts Open House!

Here is the outside of the Redstone Lofts on East Superior Street, which was originally constructed as a duplex.

Here is the impressive banner on the rather wide porch overlooking Superior Street.

Heirloom Property Management salespeople sure do use advanced equipment to sell their lofts.

This is a fireplace mantel built for a television, over an electric fireplace.

Very nice, modern kitchens were constructed for this rebuilt apartment building.

This is a bricked up window that is now a rather large wall niche.  Did you notice that the electrical outlet on the left is in protruding brickwork - while the one on the right is flush to the wall?

Members of the King Manor Residents’ Club had fun at Josh’s 38 Birthday Party!

This is the super delicious, Super One cake I bought for Josh.

This is a happy Josh with his cake!  Josh could not stop smiling at his modest birthday party - which had a total of 8 participants.

This is my Happy Easter poster created for King Manor’s Residents’ Club.

I am seeking to move up from being a talented amateur to become a talented professional.

I remember when I was a child when I called the Woodland bus the W bus.

When I was a child, my family lived in the Woodland neighborhood, within sight of Woodland Middle School that is now demolished for the College of St. Scholastica - Health Science Center at Bluestone, Woodland Avenue, Duluth, MN.

As a child, I was unable to pronounce the name Woodland.  Thus, I called any Woodland bus a “W bus”.  I wonder if any other child has called the Woodland bus the W bus.

The snowstorm continues in my hometown

While the strong winds have decreased, the constant snowfall has increased.

The Kenwood bus is one that I sometimes take to get to UMD and back.

Late-season snowstorm will rock my region through Friday evening.

I’m sure that the Superior Street reconstruction will be delayed until Monday.

At least the city buses are still out and helping passengers to get to where they need to be.

Duluth’s Thursday snowstorm appears to have fizzled.

As of two PM, I see only a light snowfall and powerful winds around my apartment building.  And, for the protection of their customers, the Rainbow Center is closed today.

Just a reminder that (6, 7, 10H, 11, 12, 13, 20 & 22) city buses will detour around the Phase 2 of the Superior Street reconstruction project.

The big snowstorm will come Thursday and stay until Friday.

I thought that the winter of 2018 to 2019 was over!  I am not happy that the snowfall amount predicted is 10 to 15 inches!

Kathy and I saw Shazam!

This is one of the best family-friendly movies that nearly anyone can love that I’ve seen in a long time.  Kathy and I both loved this movie.

I got a bag of free Fannie Rose popcorn at the Second Phase kickoff event today.

I sometimes buy neat treats at this nice candy shop.  If you are ever in Duluth, you should stop by this shop, as it will be worth your time to do so.

4 to 8 inches of snow is predicted to fall on Duluth this Thursday.

I am not happy about the return of winter into my life.

I attended the Season 2, public kickoff event in front of the Tech Village.

This is the Super Street sign telling people of the upcoming street reconstruction.  I think that the light rain kept many people from attending this event.

This is a sign about the kickoff event on a big truck.

This is the Superior Street ceremonial groundbreaking event with several community leaders.  My friends told me that I had too many redundant photos in my Season 1, public kickoff event visual essay.  Thus, I’ll limit the number of event photographs this time to three.

I played a fun game of Team Fortress 2

Has anyone noticed in these first-person shooter video games that when you are an effective player, most of the bots on your team also play better against the opposing team bots?

A collectible card game that allows players to practice their job interviewing skills

I rewrote the important sections of my resume as if these were part of a collectible card game.  The points are awarded by the game referee, who plays the role of a disinterested employer, by the strength of each argument for each card played.  Each player gets up to one minute to argue their case for each card.  Each card gets one point for each successful argument; while the game is won for the first person who gets seven points.

Each player gets three cards from their deck at the start of the game.  The player can play one new card each turn.  When the player runs out of cards in their hand, they draw three more cards from their deck.

Having a simple point system would not start arguments such as, “If your Marketing major is worth 500 points, then my Business major is worth 1,000 points to an employer.”

I can imagine this game as a good method for two job seekers to create and then rehearse selling their skill sets during practice job interviews.  Both players can learn how to maximize their strengths, while realizing how to improve upon their weaknesses.  I think this puts a new spin on the phrase “dueling resumes”.  Moreover, this would be a good game to play on bus rides to and from job fairs.

Copyright © James Patrick Buchanan, 2019