Chey Cab

Back to work after touching water.

2026 MEA Travel Trend: early surveys of clients suggest families aren’t doing the usual MEA break travel destinations. They are instead going to random places like Memphis and Vermont to see and stay with family.

After seeing Ashish K Jha’s thread my post from earlier this year seems relevant.

I’m not saying we don’t take the plague seriously, but I’m also saying I don’t trust Russia or this administration weeks before the midterms.

Four Kwik Trip locations in Wausau are experiencing a bedbug infestation from two now banned customers.

Western Wisconsin school district that I consider a suburb of the Twin Cities, is considering distance learning because diesel prices are going to crash their budgets.

The 2024 Election was an open book test and 77 million Americans failed the test. No child left behind? We left a whole country behind.

Man who designs gun ranges says he sees what we are seeing out there in terms of the wealthy beefing up security and adding panic rooms. Says they’ve recently done several residential ones. A 30ft indoor range runs about $70k, but 120k + with the needed soundproofing.

The economic blow is still rippling through the local economy. With more closure announcements coming before year end. I drove some small business folks yesterday in hospitality, and the conversation should’ve been recorded for the Library of Congress.

Feeling very optimistic about the new hotel coming to Lowertown Saint Paul.

There’s a strong likelihood that we are living in the last period of normalcy in this world. Politically, economically, meteorologically, water and food security, and so on. So yes, do the things and say the things. And do your best to plan for what is difficult to plan for.

An emerging theory on why attendance is off the charts? For some dumb reason, lots of schools started this week/next. So families don’t have another week of summer.

Upper Iowa River

The Upper Iowa River. One of my favorite paddles in the region.

Good News: I’m seeing signs of a slight return to corporate hiring after nearly 24 months of quiet job carnage. Bad News: Many businesses in the SMB space are hinting they might have to shed jobs due to dropping revenue. And if you are over 55 it’s still going to be rough.

I’ve been yapping about Delta being a mess and a rapidly deteriorating service since May on the other platform. Now the data is finally backing that up. x.com/garyleff/sta...

From my DM’s

I just told a guy I hope his porn algorithm isn’t as racist and weird as his Facebook feed. Yes I did. Don’t care.

If you find yourself passing through Fairfax Minnesota(Farm Fest maybe?)… You need to visit the combo wiener + bakery shop. Lolo’s. This is their beautiful Seattle wiener. And they do have Wiener Wednesday specials!

Being careful not to run over the farm implements in this Minneapolis driveway.

Where are the best mussels(not muscles!) in Minneapolis right now?

Word on the street today is that Des Pete Stauber’s chief of staff left abruptly last week. Source says it’s unclear if she quit or was fired.

For the first time I’m seeing recession indicators in the upper end of the k-economy. www.tiktok.com/t/ZTBdX1VUK/

More proof, if needed, that very left isn't always right 😉

I kid you not a client got off the plane a little tipsy bitching about klobie saying she wasn’t going to win. So I asked, who do you think will win if not her? Him: “Peggy” I reminded him Peggy is running for a DIFFERENT office. Him: “oh” Mpls very left leaning client.

The one I thing I most want to discuss my observations on, I’m not at liberty to speak about. And that is the changes in the behaviors of c-suite following the Brian Thompson killing. It’s fascinating.

I asked two virologists about it and their reaction told me I didn’t need to add hantavirus to my list of pressing concerns at the moment.

I’m not sure if I should read into it or not, but some of the biggest MAGA boneheads on X have started liking my anti Trump posts. I’m also a little confused and wonder if we should check their temperature.

www.salon.com/2026/05/09/w...

This is big. Takes courage.

Heads up. For two automotive tips today on engine oil. Going up 150% + companies like NAPA are anticipating shortages and putting in purchase limits.

So should I add a TSC(Trump Service Charge) to the billing of my Republican clients(34-40% of clients), or should I add a cc processing fee and a fuel surcharge?

Do any of you have a Paddle North kayak? Thoughts? Need something sturdy, inflatable, and something to fish from as well.

UCare started releasing about 250 million dollars in owed monies this week. Reports are that some care providers have started seeing these monies.

Man top of his career field tells me all he has at home is an old cat and a crabby wife. But then spends ten mins talking about the old cat. I saw through it, he’s a cat daddy who loves that old cat.

Picked up a nice Boomer couple in Savage. Man tells me his handle on Twitter, and says that I’m his one liberal friend on the internet.😉

Could the age of easy and affordable international travel be coming to a close? What some European economists warned me of a few years back. We’ve already seen airlines and hotels shifting to the higher end traveler. www.tiktok.com/t/ZTkad4PwM/

Jenny in the City Great shop in Cathedral Hill. Mpls-St.Paul merch and stickers Great cards Fun clothing (+ plus sizes!) I’ve seen increased interest in city merch from visitors and VIPs. It’s been great to have a place to take them.

I did not put the O’Hara tea on Twitter. But I did do a wee TikTok. My audience is small over there, and as long as something doesn’t go viral, it can reach just the interested folks in our community. The MAGA’s from Wright County don’t deserve any tea😉

Something Haunting Fintech company is operating at breakneck speed because they figure they only have 2-5 more years to sell their (NEW) products and cash out. Who do they sell their (financial adjacent) products to? Small businesses.