Trying to recount a few things I made mental notes of stuff that I should remember. I keep swearing I'm going to keep a notepad on me. Maybe tonight when I go grocery shopping I'll stop by the over priced school supplies section and pick up a few small tablets I can keep in my back pocket. I know there's a made up band name or two that I've already forgot (Rick or Ali, feel free to remind me... again).
Kentucky Bourbonfest. Went there for the first time. Rick had been talking it up, I decided to see what it was about. Kinda like a Mascoutah Homecoming except with a fenced in area for bourbon consumption. And the Kentucky Headhunters playing (now I can check them off my heard them list). And well, frat looking guys who were also fluent redneck. You rarely get that last one in Mascoutah. It was definately an occasion I'll have to repeat again. Definately made up for missing the Homecoming (again) this year.
There's a saying that there is a certain element that attends college for the "Misses" degree. While I believe it to be true, I could never figure out where they took those classes. The other day I figured out where. The courtyard at the Law School. Figures.
Since when did the Beer Sellar's clientele go home to the trailer park? Nevermind how in the hell do you mismanage the Beer Sellar into the crappy state that it now enjoys? Yeah, start by getting rid of the jukebox (you know the one, as Rick reminded me, they used to advertise as being "bitchin"). Let's face it, I'm pretty sure most of the people there that night were pounding back the Bud and could care less about the other 98 beers they offer. Most of the people looked like they'd kick your ass for ordering a hefe or forbid, a Belgian. It's hard to imagine attracting the wrong crowd with 99 beers. Then again, the Flying Saucer has not been up to the quality it once enjoyed in the past year+ either.
Here's a take home lesson for the day (and I still can't help but chuckle). If you at the last minute recruit a player for your softball team whose only bat swinging experience is playing cricket you'd do well to explain the basics. For those of you that know anything about cricket you can see where this is going. For those of you that don't, well, hopefully you know a bit about baseball. Needless to say he swung and hit... and instead of running for first, charged the pitcher... with bat in hand. I think he still made it to first safely. The opposing pitcher seemed to be ok after what I'd consider a traumatic experience. Most of the time when a batter charges the mound fists start flying. Thankfully the other team had a good sense of humor (and they should have, they beat us).
I took a trip this past weekend to visit friends in Conway Arkansas. I-40 was its usual crappy self (especially on the drive back). Arkansas was pretty much how I remembered it on the family trip to Memphis back in my grade school days. Boring. I rolled into Conway (I keep wanting to think there's some sort of trucking reference there, guess cause it sounds like convoy) around 5pm and found the place deader than a cemetary. Of course, the hurricane remnants were in full effect drenching the place. Got to hear an honest to goodness tornado siren in full effect for the first time in many years. Nashville's don't elicit the hand of God impending doom the way a true air-raid style tornado siren does. We ended up at a neighborhood book club with some university types. All of which had kids. It was romper room most of the evening, though very little screaming. What was funny was hearing adults read Sedaris' Rooster story knowing that in the next room were many impressionable childern (and well, a couple of kids in the room not grasping enough words to know what they were hearing). Kinda surreal. And for whatever reason I've not read Sedaris, well, he's on my ever expanding list of stuff to read.
Driving around Conway on Sunday, I noticed a guitar outside leaned up against the house. Probably could dump a bucket of water out of the thing since it was out for deluge the night before. One has to wonder though, how does a guitar wind up propped against the side of the house. It's not like this is a side that appears to get a lot of use/traffic (every house has that side). Part of me was like, this is Arkansas, maybe it's holding the house up. However, this was in the good part of Conway (which to some people sounds akin to the good part of East St. Louis) and the area was noticably devoid of towable housing apparatus. One of these days I'll come up with a good story as to how the guitar got there. Until then I'll be pondering the significance on my afternoon run (which starts as soon as I submit this update...)
As seen on a wheeled mail cart outside one of the buildings at work. One of those times I wish I had a camera on me, or gasp, a camera phone.
It looks like I'm not going to make it up to STL to see one last game at Busch before the house that Auggie built is torn down. Shame because the Cardinals are on a tear. And can the Cy Young please go to Chris Carpenter? Clemons may have the better ERA but he's got a collection already. Carpenter dominates in just about every other category and better yet (nevermind wins, how about complete games?), is having the season of his life. I fully expect it not to happen. With luck Pujols will get the MVP since 'roid rage (aka Bonds) has been kept in check this season.
Labor Day was pretty low key given the insane gas prices. Funny how the prices started coming down by the end of the weekend. I guess they realized they priced themselves so high no-one was buying into their gouging. Now, a week later prices are down upwards of 30 cents. I had plans to go to the lake on Sunday but stayed in Nashville. Coming to find out traffic on the lake was not too bad. Figures.
The new New Pornographers album, Twin Cinema, is nothing short of excellent. Not only an instant favorite, but they wrapped up all of the best parts of Electric Version and Mass Romantic into one tidy package. Songs are really catchy and there's not a bad track to be had. Amazing stuff.
A lot has happened in the world since my last update. I'm fustrated at our leadership, they've stooped to levels I thought we'd never reach. I've yet to hear those in charge state anything that sounds like they have a plan. Saying we're with you says absolutely nothing. It sounds nice and I'm loathe to use the word, compassionate, but the fact of the matter is it's nothing but weasel words for photo ops and soundbites. All I'm asking for is to sound like you're in charge. And no-one from the Fed has stepped up to date and given me that feeling.
Sign on Fairfax here in town: "Our troops are in the wrong Gulf".
The band Katrina and the Waves kinda takes on a whole new meaning. And it's going to be a long time before anyone feels like they're "Walking on Sunshine".
Just finished reading "On The Road". Pretty good. Just started Chuck Klosterman's "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs". I'm into chapter 3 and I find it pretty funny.
Made up Band Name of the Day: Edmond Fitzgerald and the Nautical Miles