Weird Posts

Duluth Brands

I’m from Milwaukee, and when I travel, there are usually some brands/products from my region around to remind me of home. If there are motorcycles, there’s a good chance there’s Harley. If people are drinking shabby beer, there’s probably Miller. If there are toilets, there’s probably Kohler (from Sheboygan). And of course, there are a lot of smaller ones too.

What are some Duluth brands, large/small/in between, that I could expect to find around the country/world? I’m looking for anything from the obvious to the obscure.

Homemade Duluth Music

A couple days back, when I asked for get-me-up-to-speed-on-Duluth book recommendations, I was regaled with the collected consciousness of PDDers — I’ve bought a couple to read pre-arrival and will buy more when I arrive (Book Store at Fitger’s, right?).

Next question — music by artists from Duluth. What should I listen to as I prepare? Any/all genres. Contemporary, classic, anything in between. Also, if there are lists/resources that collect this information already, please point me in those directions too. Thanks!

Getting Ready for Duluth, in Three Books

So, I’m definitely going to be doing the parachute/suitcase project I mentioned on PDD last week (thanks for all the feedback by the way!). I have slightly more than a couple weeks before plunging into 31 days of Duluth, and I figure I’ll have time to read a few books before arriving. Any suggestions on books that might help me prepare? Non-fiction, fiction, collections of essays, or anything that will help me get my head wrapped around the city. (Also, ideally the book will be available on Amazon.)

A Parachute Project in Duluth

I’m an independent radio/media producer currently living and working in Milwaukee. However, for a variety of reasons, I find myself strongly drawn to Duluth (I’ve visited a few times and a couple close friends currently live in Duluth).

Something funny happened on the way through the drive-thru

Drive thru difference letter - Life 97.3 FM Duluth

Here’s an actual photo of a letter that someone I work with received this week. She was just going through the drive thru minding her business when the car in front of her paid for her coffee and egg sandwich, anonymously. It definitely brought a smile, which I guess is the whole idea.

Perfect Duluth Day’s 10,001st Post

Last night’s “Lost Grey Cat in Lincoln Park” post was the 10,000th post on Perfect Duluth Day. We didn’t realize it at the time, and forgot to drop balloons from the ceiling.

Quantity is no substitute for quality, so let’s celebrate by linking to favorite posts from the past. Dig into those archives and find your favorites. And find that lost grey cat, too.

Wild Bill Cooper documentary coming soon

One of my hobbies a few years ago was researching the adventures of “Wild” Bill Cooper, which resulted in an article for Minnesota Monthly that focused on his criminal history and purported demise.

Filmmaker Mike Scholtz picked up where I left off, and is producing a feature-length documentary that tells the whole Wild Bill story. In addition to the trailer above, there’s a Wild Bill’s Run website and Twitter feed. You’ll have to wait a few more months to see the final product, though. Watch for updates.

Zombies invade UMD Oct. 27

Join us for a zombie-themed symposium that is free and open to the public. Six UMD professors will give talks about how their work relates to zombies. Refreshments appropriate for the topic will be served. BYOB (Bring Your Own Brain).

Give me your Twin Ports Halloween events!

I will post them on HauntedDuluth.com for free! If it’s a major Halloween bash or a tiny haunted garage on Halloween night, I want to add it to my site!

Post your event info as a comment in this post, or email me from the HauntedDuluth.com contact page.

Tom Russell – “Mesabi”

Have you ever seen Duluth
when the Great Lake waves were pounding?
There must be some way out of there
You might end up lost or drowning

And the polkas at the Polish dance halls
And the carnivals of Spring
Rock and roll on that upright piano
And the kids make the high school rafters ring

Duluth, Kansas

Most people who live in Duluth, Minnesota know about Duluth, Georgia. Just today, however, I discovered that there is a third Duluth — Duluth, Kansas. I had no idea.

Mr. Nice: August 30

Matt the Electrician at Amazing Grace

Matt the Electrician is coming all the way from Austin, TX to sing to us Duluthians.  He has toured with Erin Mckeown and the Weepies,  and apparently his uncle publishes the Duluth Shipping News.  

Sunday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m., Amazing Grace.  $10 suggested donation. matttheelectrician.com

Gravity on display in Duluth

Yesterday I was driving down some side streets near Chester Creek Cafe with my family when we watched a soccer ball cross the street in front of us. At first, it just seemed to be out on a walk, or a roll, I guess, as it headed down the street and on its journey toward the lake. A few seconds later a young man appeared from behind a fence and ran — looking for cars and being careful — after his ball. It was a close contest but the ball was finally intercepted a couple of blocks down the hill.

It got me thinking about the other hill-related events I’ve witnessed over the years and thinking serious work should be done in documenting such events. (Plus, I’m procrastinating on a big project I should be doing.)

Hell has frozen over, Eric Dubnicka has a blog!

Inspired by a previous post, and feeling a desperate need for external validation, I figured it’s about time to formally introduce my blog to the PDD community.

ericdubnicka.com

An angst-ridden New Years drove me to finally get a website going, and shockingly, I update it with new artwork near daily, commentary and links to art, design and oddities that I’ve come across.  It’s a work in progress and I encourage any comments and suggestions you may have.