Liked the Navigators Saw them at PJ’s Played after they did I’ve never seen the headliner not play last We were closers I felt like a pitcher, throwing strikes G threw the split-fingered bass balls Couldn’t hear a thing, even with the side fills Never going without ear monitors again Floor wedges are for n00bs, Dusty.
I’m getting ready to pack up for Buster’s. We’ve hired a couple noobs to help work the auction in Lincoln tomorrow in my stead. I’ve been watching Deadwood every waking minute I’m not at work. I sure haven’t been posting web logs, that much is certain.
We’ll be playing with Anthony Farrar at Buster’s tomorrow. Better look up.
Ron Clark: "You don’t see many out-of-towners here, do you?"
Lady behind the counter at the liquor store in Orlando, FL after asking to see Lucas’s ID: "Yes we do."
I want to go home. There is too much sun here. There are too many close-to-naked girls outside of my window by the pool. There are too many single, gorgeous women auctioneers who make soooooo much more money than I do.
I’m averaging $10.00 per day on coffee, to say nothing of food. It is quite enjoyable, though, sitting outside Tower III at our usual table every night, watching people try to walk through the disabled automatic door after 10:30pm. We got kicked out of the hot tub on Tuesday before I even made it all the way in. We almost started a fight at the sea food joint when an unnamed associate of mine realized they added the gratuity to the ticket. I wondered about the equivalence of that argument to the arguments we get from the old curmudgeons about the buyer’s premium.
We get to dress up tomorrow for one more day of classes, a big party, and a ludicrously early wake-up call the next day for the flight back to civilization. This roughing it stuff is for the birds. I can’t wait for San Diego next year.
Last night’s descent into Orlando went without incident. Aaron [McKee] drove us back to the Carib Royale where Ron and I, after having acclimated to the nicest resort accommodations I’ve ever experienced, had a pizza, a sandwich, and two drinks for about $30. Aaron convinced us to go with his family and him to Epcot today instead of the Kennedy Space Center to which I had full intentions of going.
Until about 3:00pm, I hated him for that. The rides, while quite stimulating, were not by any means educational to a science geek like me. However, after half the crew went home and we remaining troupers began walking the ethnic half of Epcot, I flip-flopped my position like the Democrat I am.
While part of Epcot is dedicated to be a technology smörgåsbord brought to you by the likes of Kodak, Nestle, HP, and GM, the northern half is an ethnic tour of several countries. It’s arranged in a large circle around a lake, and in the center of the lake, several black and burned barges sit, ready to astound the passers by and the onlookers as soon as the sky darkens.
We hit the United Kingdom for an appetizer and a beer sampler, France for some real wine, Morocco for me to take a picture with a weird hat next to a camel, Japan for some Sake, and we got as far as the German beer before the sky rendered us awestruck. The entire park was wired for sound, with large, two-story pillars of speakers and can lights spread equidistantly around the perimeter of the lake. Through these speakers played the soundtrack to the fireworks. The pyrotechnics were larger and more awe inspiring than anything I’ve ever seen in the Midwest, and they, along with spotlights, building lights around the lake, and the three story tall globe video screen, were synchronized to the music playing through all the speaker towers. I can’t imagine the engineering behind the show. All I know is that I’m a little shell-shocked from the events of today.
It’s 2:51am EDT and I’ve about had enough. I have to be in class tomorrow at 8:00am, so I’ll just slip away.
I’m so high right now I’ve always wanted to say that and mean it
It’s either 8:55 or 9:55pm. I honestly don’t know if it’s CDT or EDT. I haven’t flown since I was 3 years old, which I obviously don’t remember. For all intents and purposes, this is my first flight. Ron and I are cramped in the back of a Boeing 737 and are somewhere at a cruising altitude over the Southeast. I guess I expected the planes to be nicer, newer. I guess if I can cut wheat in a machine from the early 1980’s, Southwest Airlines can haul people around in planes from the 1980’s. The only difference is that if I crash my combine into a mountain or ocean, people don’t die.
One of the reading lamps is burned out on the seat in front of me. I don’t know why I find that so funny. I sure don’t find the drink prices funny at the airport and on the plane. A small coke costs $2.50. I didn’t ask what a nice Scotch costs. The cheap ones are $4.00 on the plane and $5.00 at the airport.
"78 degrees as we start our descent to Orlando. Fasten seat belts, turn off all electronic devices…"
Typing one out at G’s Still trying to recover Late return from the studio last weekend Haven’t had much computer play lately Put Vista on my box at home Runs like an old lame dog Just got sound back last night
We cranked out four new songs Learned how to play five of six more Came back with a CD of 18 originals The CD sounded like a four-track Made by running a PA through a floor wedge monitor and putting a microphone in front of it Technology these days
Putting some shows on the books Ok, nobody uses books these days It’s all electronic We enter shows into a form on the website Some of us do, anyway
Third day of wheat cutting Finally climbed up in the cab At 10:15pm I spent the day as Mr. Mechanic
Started at 8:00am Two bearings on Dad’s combine Wobble box on mine Took the truck to Nashville (Kansas, Dusty, Kansas) Got back and Dad’s auger hosed itself Had it fixed by 10:15pm I got to cut until 10:45pm Filled up to capacity
Yesterday wasn’t much better I’m so tired I can’t even remember what we did Let the good times roll
See that man? He’s just a hilljack. A redneck republican in a pointed hat.
The die has been cast. Harvest has officially came for me. While both combines are still down and we have yet to put the header in the wheat, the aches in my muscles tell me the fun has begun.
Anyone know of a good bass player who won’t upstage me?
Thanks to Josh for the place to set up and work during his party. Thanks to Egging for the help and the documentation. Now I can’t convince G it was all in his head.
I made it back in time for Logan’s wedding. I scrambled home to change and begin working on the Masseys. We blew a header reel lift control hydraulic line on one machine and the other still has a broken header reel hydraulic pump. I put together the generator I bought Thursday at the auction. It finally started when I put oil in it. It didn’t work so well until I did that, though had I arrived at the realization a little earlier my arm would probably hurt a little less right now.
I changed and went back to Medicine Lodge to catch some of Logan’s reception and some of the Dorfus Cracktractor show. Big crowd at June Fest…drunk hilljacks made up the better part of the crowd, but it was nostalgic nonetheless.
What a wild weekend Jefferson City Dr. Kyle Dohm’s wedding It’s weird to have your best friend get married I’ve known him since his mother taught us preschool Now he’s an optometrist and a Navy Lieutenant Tyler and Stan and I were the only guys in the wedding party without papers Weird. I wish I remembered the last hour of Saturday night. The stories I hear aren’t exactly becoming. I am becoming a big fan of bridesmaids, though. I wish more of my friends would get married.
Today G and I drove to Sharon. We picked up the equipment for the Mike McClure Band show in Solomon on Friday. Everyone is invited. Email [email protected] or call 620.886.1538 for details and directions.
We got back to town and knocked out one of G’s aforementioned sad bastard songs. It’s going to be good.
