Another lesson 'bout a naïve fool who came to Babylon

Karaoke. MY GOD. WHAT HAVE I DONE.

• "Guitars, Cadillacs" (Dwight Yoakam)
• "Don't Cry Out Loud" (Melissa Manchester version)
• "The Wild Boys" (Duran Duran)

The first song was supposed to be Rush's "Limelight" but sadly it kept skipping so I started off with my #2 pick. This was supposed to be a "gross-out" competition ("The Wild Boys" being my entry — don't get me wrong, I love Duran Duran but I frigging hate "The Wild Boys") but I felt overwhelmed by the choices by my brother's girlfriend (a brilliant performance of "Waiting for a Star to Fall" complete with extensive interpretive dancing) and my brother, who did "I've Got the Music in Me" and completely put everyone to shame in the history of the world, ever, from the past and now into the future. It was that unbelievable.

Of course my brother easily took the gross-out title with his rendition of "Here Comes the Hotstepper," which was, quite simply, wrong and uncalled for.

Phony phone phone

So against what will probably turn out to have been my better judgment, I went ahead and switched from AT&T Digital One Rate to AT&T GSM National, or whatever. People across this great nation of ours really seem to hate it, but all the reviews I've read of it locally have been really positive. Also, I've always gotten good reception off of AT&T around here in places where my Sprint and Verizon-carrying family members get like none, so we'll see.

I'm Forever Nokia's Girl so I got one of these. My poor ancient 3360 has been acting up ever since I, uh, dropped it on the concrete repeatedly the day we were getting moved out of California, breaking it into two, three and six different pieces each time. It still works, but it's just a little angry at me. I'm going to miss my bitchin' paisley cover though. Thank goodness this new phone has switchable covers (XPRESS-ON!) — I don't know what I'd do without them. And no camera or video or any of that crap. It does have exciting FLASHING LIGHTS however.

I did the whole thing online since I abhor having to interact with actual humans. I hope that won't turn out to be a Big Mistake. I've been a customer since 1999 and I've been month-to-month for over a year. You'd think that would inspire them to give me a big fat incentive or something. Oh well. It's incentive enough that I'll be paying $20 less per month for the same minutes/free roaming/free long distance as I was getting before with free night and weekend minutes on top of that.

Of course, maybe I'll wind up hating GSM and giving it back before my 30-day trial is up.

Or maybe they'll decide to kill off my 917 number and give me a local one without warning me first.

And maybe they'll keep charging me for two different plans in the meantime. Or forever.

OK, now I'm worried.

Captain Douchebag has left the building

ROCCO DiSPIRITO famously opened his namesake restaurant in a reality show last summer and was famously thrown out by his partners in July. Now he has been removed from a second restaurant, Union Pacific, once the jewel in his crown, which will close at the end of the year.

Starting next week Mr. DiSpirito will no longer be the executive chef at Union Pacific, where he first made his mark when the restaurant opened in 1997. Main Street Restaurant Partners, his partners in Union Pacific, said yesterday that it would close on Christmas Eve, and until then Laurent Tourondel, the chef at BLT Steak, would act as a consultant. That leaves Mr. DiSpirito without a kitchen to cook in.

Rocco's on 22nd closed last week. In July, Jeffrey Chodorow and China Grill Management, its owner, were granted a court order barring Mr. DiSpirito from the kitchen, even though his mother, Nicolina, remained and made meatballs.

The rest of the blah blah blah: Rocco DiSpirito Is Out at Union Pacific (NY Times)

Five awesome things

"Raw" is on and I've got a new Enquirer waiting for me (Britney's drug dealer tells all!) so I'll just be quick about it.

• I finally saw Shattered Glass the other night. It was really good! Was it a horror movie? Practically everything about it gave me the creeps. He's asking to see somebody in his OFFICE! I fidgeted through the entire thing. Oh no! He's gotta go home and get his NOTES! AHHHH! Anakin Skywalker is really a decent actor when he's not Anakin Skywalker. I enjoyed his accent. I was also happy to see the girl from Heavenly Creatures who wasn't Kate Winslet. Recommended!
  
  
• AT&T Wireless has finally clinched my continuing loyalty with this, because every time I look at my dusty old neglected Motorola Talkabout I want to cry. Now I just have to hope they'll let me renew my 917 number here, and then I'll keep loving them forever.
  
  
• I love how much it rains here, and how that rain waters my plants and makes them happy, and then it makes me happy. YAY
  
  
• Gedney State Fair Editions: the world's greatest innovation in pickles and preserves. I mean it.
  
  
• Chris and I went to the Minnesota Zoo yesterday with my folks and it was the funnest fun time. They had two tiger babies and they just kept rolling around and gnawing on one another and were just the unbelievably cutest things ever. I want one! Maybe I'll just go there all the time and watch them and pretend they're my pet tiger babies. That way I won't have to feed them or get sick of them or wind up gruesomely mauled.

In a yellow taxi turn to me and smile

Oh! Tonight was karaoke. WHAT ON EARTH DID I DO.

• "Deacon Blues" (Steely Dan)
• "Fly to the Angels" (Slaughter)
• "The Way" (Fastball)

Slaughter could have been better. Steely, I don't think it could have been better if I was D. Fagan himself. Fastball, I've done it before, so yeah.

My brother did "Kashmir," it was flipping insane.

I'm terribly sleep deprived. I'm sure Mark Slaughter would recommend I get more sleep next time I attempt his most magnificent work of art. (And I'm going to do it again. Oh yeah. It was HOT.)

And another thing

My husband was watching "Cheaters" (this is entirely my and my brother-in-law's fault) and I overheard him saying, "Yeah, you go," and "That's what they did to R. Kelly." To the TV. I'm not kidding.

Oh, and I added a few pictures over here.

Sell everything you stand for

Hi! You might have noticed that I got into the iTunes affiliate program, right. Which is awesome and I love it. But I just can't bring myself to link to iTMS stuff in the course of daily blog action, as it feels so very wrong and out of place.

See, I like linking to stuff, all kinds of stuff, fun stuff even, and I don't want you to wind up thinking, "Oh, I'm not going to click on that link because she may be trying to sell me something" and oh, the nerve. Not that I'm trying to sell you anything. I'm really not! Honest!!! I'm just trying to point out things that could result in the awesomeness and happiness of awesome and happy living. And God. And the Bible.

Like, I could link to stuff for sale other places on the Web, right, and I certainly have with no damage to my conscience whatsoever, but I feel uncomfortable linking to stuff where the sale of that stuff might result in me getting a tiny bit of pocket change in return. This is clearly why I have no money, ever. Because I have shame. SHAME, people. I know that if I could somehow convert my Emitt Rhodes search visitors into pennies, I would have a nice pile of coffee money. (I drink a lot of coffee.) But I'm not someone who would ever write something like, "I can't believe what Britney Spears did yesterday!" where the link is to buy a remix or something. You know me better than that. Yes you do.

Doing consumer-y stuff that could result in my being rewarded by the sale of goods and services, that'd be like bringing you here under false pretenses. And false pretenses are wrong, no matter what Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald says. That's why I give you Recommended by Ruby Trax — because one under-updated blog is simply NOT ENOUGH.

I've seen it before

Just got back from KARAOKE! Here's what I did.

• "Cold as Ice" (Foreigner)
• "Work to Do" (Vanessa Williams version)
• "Plush" (Stone Temple Pilots)
• "Xanadu" (Olivia Newton-John)

"Work to Do" was a total disaster, despite my ability to recall the rap (which was provided on the soundtrack but not onscreen) rhymed "frankfurter" with "shotputter." It was such a disaster, I was throwing in ad-libs about Radio Shack and Rick Fox. Never do that one, ever. That is my advice to you. You know I rocked the STP and the ONJ though.

That's all, I need water and sleeping for tomorrow I do laundry.

Not a cigarette was seen

Encouraging better smoking etiquette — a much more effective guilt-inducer than those "Welcome to Crazyworld" ads that make me want to go out and huff entire cartons of cigarettes around, say, nurseries and hospitals and puppies and kittens. (Maybe not kittens.) These cater directly to my inner insane control freak. (I can just hear Chris saying "What do you mean 'inner'?" Oh ho ho ho ho.) I'm also a sucker for picto people and cars and hooty owls and oh man, I can't stop reading them. Now if only someone would make a series of these to illustrate how to properly wait in a line, I'd think someone was living inside my head. (Thanks kung-foo.tv.)

Things

Feel free to snoop around our house a little.

Someday you will ache like I ache

How can anyone be sick all morning, yet still go out for a night of karaoke, drink a pitcher's worth of beer and get White Castles on the way home? Aw yeah. That's really a light evening for me, though, I'm on the road to recovery here. And I don't drive. Which reminds me, a kind gentleman gave me his Jägermeister shot at closing time since apparently he didn't think it was a good idea to drink it for the road. Syrupy! I still don't get "the deal" with that stuff, it doesn't really "work" on me. Although it does lead to quotation abuse, apparently.

Oh! But what did I sing?!

• "Show Biz Kids" (Steely Dan)
• "I Can't Explain" (The Who)
• "Island Girl" (Elton John)
• "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" (Def Leppard)

"Bringin' on the Heartbreak," oh man. I've wanted to do that one for aaaages. There was hardly anyone there (hence how I managed to get four turns) so I figured if it was awful, there would be hardly anyone to remember it, but I think I did OK! Join me next time when I realize my 15-year dream of performing Slaughter's "Fly to the Angels" in public. I'm going through the canon of great 20th century songcraft now, see.

Also my husband did "Doll Parts," which was really quite magical.

If you get stabbed in the face with a metal rod, then we'll KNOW.

This is just a quick PSA to say that if you aren't reading these, you are missing out on one of the greatest things ever.

Trust me with a secret you can't keep

Thank you iTunes, here's my top ... let's make it 15! For the last couple of months. It's the Fun 15. Yes.

1) "When I'm With You" - Sparks
2) "Don't Stop Me Now" - Queen
3) "Barabajagal" - Donovan
4) "One Vision" - Queen
5) "Yesterday's Not Here" - Pete Shelley
6) "(Millions of People) No One Like You" - Pete Shelley
7) "The Wild Ones" - the Push Kings
8) "XL1" - Pete Shelley
9) "Young Girls" - Sparks
10) "Thunder Road" - Bruce Springsteen
11) "Papercuts" - Broadcast
12) "Death on Two Legs (Dedicated To ... )" - Queen
13) "Play the Game" - Queen
14) "International Feel" - Todd Rundgren
15) "Guess I Must Have Been in Love With Myself" - Pete Shelley

The words were never worth the wait

Hey! We've been busy.

So we more or less moved in the first week of August, which means we've been here for like a month and a half, and as you can plainly see from the following photos, we've done a fabulous job of getting the place in ship-shape. Click to enlarge!

I just took those pictures tonight. I'm not kidding. So yeah, we've got some work to do. Check out the hot leaded glass window in my little baby office though.

But we've been busyyyyyy! Honest. If you get to Minnesota in the middle of fair season, you're going to be totally preoccupied. Someday I'll show you the pictures of foods beyond anything you have ever imagined. Guy Captain and the World of My Butt has got nothing on batter-coated, deep-fried bacon. Wait for it.

So the Mr. detailed our trip to Minnesota with great, uh, detail here, so if you are interested and haven't already read it, maybe you could read it! I really have nothing to add other than that when we got caught in that storm in Nebraska, I really thought we were going to be at the very least seriously injured. Nothing against Chris' driving ability, because he is a genius, but we were smack in the middle of like a 50-mile red zone and had no business being out of doors, let alone on a strange road! in the dark! in a car! attempting to go 65 mph! and anyway, you get the picture. If this weather had happened on the East Coast, I swear it would still be on the news. I thought I was gonna puuuuuuke.

Oh man, they're showing that Star Wars documentary on A&E again, over and over and over again, and they just showed the part where they froze Han Solo and man, when I saw that at the movies (The Brainerd Twin!) I just cried and cried. I really haven't seen these movies since I saw them at the movies. Maybe I should see them again, if we can figure out where Chris stashed the Laserdiscs. Oh man, they're finally putting out all three That's Entertainments on DVD so now I don't feel so special anymore for having the Laserdiscs. I'm getting off track? Oh yes!

So the thing is that the iPod is a really helpful tool in a long-distance travel situation, and you had better hope that you have a cassette player in your car, because the awesomest thing to do is just get a cassette adapter and hook it up to the iPod and voila, you have instant stereo hotness for the road. I don't trust those iTrip things or whatever, and besides, clearly all you need is the sweet 1986 technology. So yes, get you one of those. And then you can do fun things, like keep track of all the songs you play on your trip so you can put them in your blog later. Because it is very, very, very important to preserve such information.

This is what our trip looked like, then. I'd try to mess with the tab-spacing to make it a little clearer, but you know, you can figure it out. You know.

7/27/04 8:45 PM Tone Burst Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 8:48 PM Our Trinitone Blast Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 8:54 PM Pack Yr Romantic Mind Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 8:57 PM I'm Going Out of My Way Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 9:04 PM Golden Ball Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 9:09 PM Pause Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 9:27 PM Jenny Ondioline Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 9:32 PM Analogue Rock Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 9:38 PM Crest Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 9:41 PM Lock-Groove Lullaby Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements
7/27/04 9:45 PM Who Loves the Sun Velvet Underground, the Loaded

At that point we were driving past ARCO Arena in Sacramento, so the lyrics, combined with my lingering Vlade pains, were oh so very apropos.

7/27/04 9:50 PM Sweet Jane Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 9:54 PM Rock and Roll Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 9:57 PM Cool It Down Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 10:03 PM New Age Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 10:06 PM Head Held High Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 10:08 PM Lonesome Cowboy Bill Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 10:13 PM I Found a Reason Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 10:16 PM Train Round the Bend Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 10:24 PM Oh! Sweet Nuthin' Velvet Underground, the Loaded
7/27/04 10:27 PM Sunday Morning Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 10:32 PM I'm Waiting for the Man Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 10:34 PM Femme Fatale Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 10:40 PM Venus in Furs Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 10:44 PM Run Run Run Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 10:50 PM All Tomorrow's Parties Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 10:57 PM Heroin Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 11:00 PM There She Goes Again Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 11:02 PM I'll Be Your Mirror Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 11:05 PM The Black Angel's Death Song Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico
7/27/04 11:13 PM European Son Velvet Underground, the The Velvet Underground & Nico

This was when we crossed over into Nevada. All that singing along helped me get through the Donner Pass. Spoooooky

7/27/04 11:18 PM Dark & Long 7" Underworld Dark & Long
7/27/04 11:38 PM Thing in a Book Underworld Dark & Long

Here's where we stopped in Reno for the night and Chris proceeded to win $250. Yay

7/28/04 1:20 PM Spoon Deep Underworld Dark & Long
7/28/04 1:31 PM Dark Hard Underworld Dark & Long

Arby's? Delicious.

7/28/04 2:19 PM Dark Train Underworld Dark & Long
7/28/04 2:28 PM Burts Underworld Dark & Long
7/28/04 2:34 PM Silk Skin Paws Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 2:39 PM The Finest Drops Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 2:43 PM The Queen of Ur and the King of Um Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 2:47 PM Free Falling Divisions Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 2:51 PM It's a Boy Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 2:58 PM Boiling Boy Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:02 PM Kidney Bingos Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:05 PM Come Back in Two Halves Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:09 PM Follow the Locust Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:14 PM A Public Place Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:18 PM The Queen of Ur and the King of Um (Alternative Version) Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:25 PM Pieta Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:32 PM Over Theirs (Live) Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:40 PM Drill (Live) Wire A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck
7/28/04 3:48 PM Metronomic Underground Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 3:53 PM Cybele's Reverie Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 3:57 PM Percolator Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:01 PM Les Yper-Sound Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:03 PM Spark Plug Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:09 PM OLV 26 Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:12 PM The Noise of Carpet Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:31 PM Tomorrow Is Already Here Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:36 PM Emperor Tomato Ketchup Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:39 PM Monstre Sacre Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:43 PM Motoroller Scalatron Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:47 PM Slow Fast Hazel Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:52 PM Anonymous Collective Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup
7/28/04 4:57 PM The Word Girl (Flesh and Blood) Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:01 PM Small Talk Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:05 PM Absolute Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:10 PM A Little Knowledge Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:14 PM Don't Work That Hard Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:19 PM Perfect Way Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:22 PM Lover to Fall Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:27 PM Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:31 PM Hypnotize Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:36 PM Flesh and Blood Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:43 PM Absolute (Version) Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:49 PM Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (Version) Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 5:55 PM Hypnotize (Version) Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
7/28/04 6:00 PM One Plus One Is One Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:03 PM Easy Love Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:06 PM Summertime in Wintertime Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:10 PM This Is That New Song Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:15 PM Another Devil Dies Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:17 PM The Blossoms Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:22 PM Year of the Rat Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:26 PM Four Leaf Clover Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:28 PM Fewer Words Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:32 PM Logic of a Friend Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:35 PM Stockport Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:38 PM Life Turned Upside Down Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 6:43 PM Takes the Glory Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 7:09 PM Holy Grail Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One Is One
7/28/04 7:16 PM Medicine Show Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite
7/28/04 7:20 PM Sony Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite
7/28/04 7:26 PM E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite
7/28/04 7:31 PM The Bottom Line Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite
7/28/04 7:37 PM A Party Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite
7/28/04 7:42 PM Sudden Impact! Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite
7/28/04 7:47 PM Stone Thames Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite
7/28/04 7:52 PM Bad Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite

Dude, driving through Nevada is FRICKING BORING. It's breathtaking and beautiful and all but after about 10 minutes you're like, "Ugh, seen it."

7/28/04 7:58 PM Papercuts Broadcast Extended Play
7/28/04 8:02 PM Belly Dance Broadcast Extended Play
7/28/04 8:07 PM Where Youth and Laughter Go Broadcast Extended Play
7/28/04 8:11 PM Dave's Dream Broadcast Extended Play
7/28/04 8:16 PM Illumination Broadcast Extended Play Two
7/28/04 8:23 PM Unchanging Window/Chord Simple Broadcast Extended Play Two
7/28/04 8:26 PM A Man for Atlantis Broadcast Extended Play Two
7/28/04 8:29 PM Poem of Dead Song Broadcast Extended Play Two
7/28/04 8:33 PM Drums On Fire Broadcast Extended Play Two

That was the soundtrack to us driving through Utah all white knuckles, wondering if we'd make it to the next gas station before running out of gas. That was fun! Let's never do it again! P.S., Utah? FRICKING BORING.

7/28/04 8:55 PM Remember (ESCM 12" Mix) BT Rare & Remixed
7/28/04 9:05 PM Nocturnal Transmission BT Ima
7/28/04 9:11 PM Quark BT Ima
7/28/04 9:18 PM Tripping the Light Fantastic BT Ima
7/28/04 9:23 PM Embracing the Future (Embracing the Sunshine Mix) BT Ima
7/28/04 9:30 PM Deeper Sunshine BT Ima
7/28/04 9:40 PM Loving You More (BT's Garden of Ima Dub) BT Ima
7/28/04 9:43 PM Loving You More (BT's Final Spiritual Journey) BT Ima
7/28/04 9:52 PM Poseidon BT Ima
7/28/04 10:03 PM Embracing the Sunshine BT Ima
7/28/04 10:08 PM Blue Skies (f/ Tori Amos) BT Ima
7/28/04 10:42 PM The Delphinium Days Mix BT Ima
7/28/04 11:25 PM Sasha's Voyage of Ima BT Ima

Here's where we turned in for the night right after crossing the border into Wyoming, at a Days Inn run by a dude covered with prison tattoos. It was humid in there, man. It was weird.

7/29/04 11:24 AM Divinity BT Ima
7/29/04 11:33 AM Melody Gainsbourg, Serge Histoire de Melody Nelson
7/29/04 11:35 AM Ballade de Melody Nelson Gainsbourg, Serge Histoire de Melody Nelson
7/29/04 11:36 AM Valse de Melody Gainsbourg, Serge Histoire de Melody Nelson
7/29/04 11:38 AM Ah! Melody Gainsbourg, Serge Histoire de Melody Nelson
7/29/04 11:42 AM L'hotel particulier Gainsbourg, Serge Histoire de Melody Nelson
7/29/04 11:45 AM En Melody Gainsbourg, Serge Histoire de Melody Nelson
7/29/04 11:53 AM Cargo culte Gainsbourg, Serge Histoire de Melody Nelson
7/29/04 11:57 AM Utopia (Genetically Enriched) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
7/29/04 12:02 PM U.K. Girls (Physical) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)

This must have been when we stopped at Little America. YAY SOUVENIR PENGUIN COFFEE CUPS

7/29/04 1:47 PM Human (Live) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
7/29/04 1:52 PM Human (Calexico Vocal) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
7/29/04 2:00 PM Utopia (Jori Hulkkonen Remix) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
7/29/04 2:08 PM Utopia (Tom Middleton Cosmos Vocal) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
7/29/04 2:13 PM Utopia (Tim Wright Mix) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
7/29/04 2:21 PM Utopia (Sunroof Mix) Goldfrapp Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
7/29/04 2:26 PM Utopia (Plaid Mix) Goldfrapp "Magic" Promo
7/29/04 2:33 PM Not Over Yet (BT's Peyote Dub) Grace 10 Years in the Life

This is probably where we hit the summit rest stop with all the cool stuff about the Lincoln Highway. We were busy LEARNING!

7/29/04 4:55 PM TV Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 4:59 PM Show Business Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 5:04 PM Kissing the Machine Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 5:09 PM Lifestyle Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 5:14 PM Crosstalk Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 5:23 PM Information Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 5:28 PM Esperanto Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 5:33 PM Overdrive Elektric Music Esperanto
7/29/04 5:39 PM TV2 Elektric Music TV
7/29/04 5:44 PM TV Elektric Music TV
7/29/04 5:48 PM Television Elektric Music TV
7/29/04 5:59 PM The Girl With the Sun in Her Head Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 6:05 PM P.E.T.R.O.L. Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 6:11 PM The Box Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 6:18 PM The Box Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 6:27 PM Dwr Budr Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 6:36 PM Adnan's Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 6:47 PM Out There Somewhere? Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 7:00 PM Out There Somewhere? Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 7:08 PM Times Fly (Slow) Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 7:48 PM Sad but New Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 7:56 PM Times Fly (Fast) Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 8:03 PM The Tranquilizer Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 9:22 PM The Box Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 9:26 PM Satan (Industry Standard) Orbital In Sides

Somewhere around here, we crossed over into Nebraska. I was half asleep. Ooh, look at all that heat lightning up there! Hahahahahaha. Ahahaha. Uh.

7/29/04 9:33 PM Satan (Live in New York City) Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 9:37 PM The Saint Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 9:48 PM The Sinner Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 9:57 PM Halcyon and On and On (Live) Orbital In Sides
7/29/04 10:09 PM Everything in Its Right Place Radiohead White Label
7/29/04 10:17 PM Call & Response Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 10:36 PM Mind Weaver Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 10:43 PM Haunted Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 10:52 PM Technical Warfare Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 11:01 PM Love & Hate Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 11:09 PM Capital D Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 11:16 PM Dubstar Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 11:25 PM Wanton Conduct Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 11:34 PM Concealed Identity Source Direct Exorcise the Demons
7/29/04 11:42 PM Call & Response Source Direct Controlled Developments

I just thought of something! If you're making a movie about being caught in a car in the middle of a terrible thunderstorm with sheets of torrential rain and zero visibility while you're being pelted with giant hailstones, Source Direct is probably the perfect soundtrack. I would advise against Source Direct in a similar real-life situation, however, because it will make you want to crap your pants in terror. What was Britney thinking?!

7/30/04 11:35 AM Tryouts for the Human Race/Beat the Clock (Hot Tracks Mix) Sparks Hot Tracks 12"
7/30/04 11:41 AM When I'm With You Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 11:45 AM Just Because You Love Me Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 11:50 AM Rock 'n' Roll People in a Disco World Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 12:25 PM When I'm With You (Instrumental) Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 12:30 PM Young Girls Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 12:34 PM Noisy Boys Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 12:38 PM Stereo Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 12:43 PM The Greatest Show On Earth Sparks Terminal Jive
7/30/04 12:49 PM Inspiration Information Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 12:54 PM Island Letter Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 1:00 PM Sparkle City Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 1:04 PM Aht Uh Mi Hed Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 1:05 PM Happy House Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 1:08 PM Rainy Day Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 1:10 PM XL-30 Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information

We were really tired so we pulled over to this rest stop to nap, right, and there was this pond with little fishes in it and oh, it was ever so exciting.

7/30/04 1:45 PM Pling! Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 1:47 PM Not Available Otis, Shuggie Inspiration Information
7/30/04 1:52 PM You're the Best Thing Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 1:57 PM Have You Ever Had It Blue (12" Version) Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:05 PM Money Go Round (Parts 1 & 2) Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:11 PM My Ever Changing Moods (12" Version) Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:16 PM Long Hot Summer (12" Version) Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:20 PM The Lodgers Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:23 PM Walls Come Tumbing Down Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:27 PM Shout to the Top! Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:30 PM Wanted Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:35 PM It Didn't Matter Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:38 PM Speak Like a Child Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 2:42 PM A Solid Bond in Your Heart Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council

TACO BELL, BABY. Are we in Iowa yet? I don't remember.

7/30/04 3:54 PM Life at a Top People's Health Farm Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 3:57 PM Promised Land Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 4:01 PM How She Threw It All Away Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
7/30/04 4:05 PM Waiting Style Council, the The Singular Adventures of the Style Council

P.S., how could anyone ever put out a Style Council singles compilation and not include "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" or "Heavens Above"? That shit makes no sense whatsoever.

7/30/04 4:14 PM Tears Are Not Enough (Extended Version) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 4:22 PM Alphabet Soup (Extended Version) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 4:25 PM That Was Then but This Is Now ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 4:33 PM How to Be a Zillionaire (Wall Street Mix) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 4:38 PM Be Near Me (Munich Disco Mix) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 4:45 PM Poison Arrow (US Remix) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 4:53 PM The Look of Love (US Remix) ABC The Remix Collection

You know, maybe we got to Iowa somewhere around here, because I remember there was some rush hour traffic and whatnot.

7/30/04 5:14 PM Ocean Blue (Atlantic Mix) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 5:21 PM The Night You Murdered Love (Sheer Chic Mix) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 5:29 PM King Without a Crown (Monarchy Mix) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 5:36 PM One Better World (Garage Mix) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 5:41 PM The Real Thing (Frankie Knuckles Instrumental) ABC The Remix Collection
7/30/04 5:45 PM Telephone Operator Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 5:49 PM If You Ask Me (I Won't Say No) Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 5:54 PM What Was Heaven? Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 5:59 PM You Know Better Than I Know Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 6:02 PM Twilight Shelley, Pete XL1

Iowa really does look like one gigantic Grant Wood painting.

7/30/04 6:06 PM (Millions of People) No One Like You Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 6:13 PM Many a Time Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 6:16 PM I Just Wanna Touch Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 6:19 PM You and I Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 6:23 PM XL1 Shelley, Pete XL1
7/30/04 6:36 PM Telephone Operator/I Just Wanna Touch/If You Ask Me/No One Like You (Dub) Shelley, Pete XL1 Reissue
7/30/04 7:01 PM Foto Stat (Under Exposed Mix) Saint Etienne Bronx Dogs Mixes Promo 12"
7/30/04 7:10 PM Sylvie (Bronx Dogs Mix) Saint Etienne Bronx Dogs Mixes Promo 12"
7/30/04 9:29 PM DJ Yoda & Greenpeace - 22 June 2003 Essential Mix

Are we in Minnesota yet? We are? OH MY GOD

7/30/04 11:48 PM Kleinenberg, Sander - 8 Jun 2003 Essential Mix

WE'RE HOME