Martin Lawrence has NO talent

<<< This is Mark >>>

Just been looking over the next few days drives. Pretty nuts. The really crazy stretch starts just after Jill joins up with us in San Francisco. It goes: 10 hr drive, 9 hr drive, 17 hr drive, 9 hr drive. The routing is crazy, but that's the way it goes on the west coat apparently. Just sitting in the back of the van now. We stop for food in St Louis in about a half hour, Then my driving shift starts. I'd love some more audio books for the ipod. The other day when we were driving to Urbana IL we had 'Get in the Van', Henry Rollins journal entries from his 4 or so years with Black Flag read by Hank himself. Quite apt tour listening I thought. It was cool, although every other line was either "They're so fucking weak!" or "...and then they beat the shit out of me". Henry is an intense dude and he certainly was very angry back then.

So we were in Chicago longer then we thought we'd be which was a tad annoying. Our host Steve is such a great guy though, I wish he could come on the road. We were hanging out with Dan Sullivan and his lovely wife Edra too. Out drinking margaritas till all hours last night. Good skit. Got to witness Dan's band, the mighty ARIVER rehearse. They are surely destined for greatness.

And I got another guitar. I had fully intended to take my time with choosing another one and maybe even wait till California where Fenders are supposed to be 40% cheaper then everywhere else. I know I wanted something with humbuckers though so that pretty much rules out Fenders. I was in Midwest Buy and Sell with no intention of buying when i spied a really nice '89 Gibson Les Paul Jr. plugged it in to a few amps and it played and sounded great. I had been talking to the aforementioned Dan about how cool this very type of guitar is just the previous day. So I said fuck it and handed over the credit card. I haggled $100 off and it came with a kick ass hard case. Paid $300 less then I had budgeted for too so my eye is still open for bargains.....

Must eat and drive. More later, maybe.

So, it's later and we're in a hotel outside Springfield Missouri. Cheap and comfy with free wireless internet. YAY! It got dark really quickly and we saw the most amazing skies around St Louis. We ate in a well dodgy Chinese place tonight and now I feel gloopy. We've left ourselves with 4 hours on the road to Oklahoma City tomorrow. Nay bother.

There is a Martin Lawrence Stand up thing on the TV. It's about as funny as food poisoning.

Big thanks for all the Birthday shout outs! And hello James Lillis!