I don't wanna work in a building downtown

My resolution for the new year? More blog posts! I promise. I know only four people read this blog, but I'm positive that they want to know what I'm up to. So in an effort to catch readers up on weeks and weeks of my life, I give you bullet points:

• I got a new iPod for Christmas! I haven't decided how this will affect my effort to listen to all my music, but it will probably just make it longer. Abbey is a 160 gb silver iPod classic. Don't worry about Declan, though. He's still getting use in my car.
• I saw Atonement last night and I recommend it to everyone. Read the book first if you get the chance, but if you don't, go see it anyway. It's worth it just for James McAvoy. Between this one and The Last King of Scotland he's quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. Maybe he's the new Ewan McGregor?
• Speaking of movies, I really want to see Cloverfield. I feel like it might be a sci-fi Blair Witch Project, but would that be so bad? I think not.
• Jeff and I are going to Detroit next weekend to see the North American International Auto Show. We'll get to hang out with my friend Michelle and check out all the fancy cars. Should be fun.
• I'm a little bummed that the college football season is over. I'm glad Ohio State lost in the national championship game, though. They need to be taken down a notch. Only eight months until next season!
• It's only two and a half weeks until Lost finally premieres. I'm not sure we'll get a whole season any time soon what with the writer's strike and all, but I'll take what I can get.

So that's all I got for now. Tune in soon for a list of some of my favorite new music and perhaps some photos from Detroit.

Oh, Discovery Channel

You are the home of nerd shows like Mythbusters and Planet Earth. Did you not think anyone would notice your poor grammar? Really?

Love is like a bottle of gin, but a bottle of gin is not like love

Contrary to popular belief, I am not curled up in the fetal position crying and my head has not exploded. Yes, Missouri lost, but I refuse to stoop to the level of all those Michigan and Miami fans who freak out the second their team hits a rough patch. I've been through lots of bad times as a Missouri football fan, so I choose to reflect on all the good the last couple months have brought.

Besides, basketball season has already started!

Sooooo excited!

The Missouri v. Kansas game is only days away and I can't wait! I have decided to celebrate in the tradition of my ancestors and watch the game at a bar with beer and greasy food. It might be the only time I get to watch a Mizzou game on a BIG screen. Usually I have to beg and they turn on some nine inch television that's mounted about 20 feet in the air. I could get used to these winning ways.

Want to read a story about the horrible history behind the Missouri/Kansas rivalry? I knew you did! It's right here.

Chase Daniel - It's not just a name, it's a sentence

If you haven't had the thrill of talking to me in person lately, you might not know how excited I am about Missouri football. (If you have, I'm sorry about talking about Missouri football all the time.)

Anyway, you may not have noticed that my beloved Missouri Tigers are 10 and 1 this season. They're ranked in the top 5 of college football, but it seems a lot of people out here in Big 10 country haven't noticed.

When I was in school at Missouri, they hadn't been to a bowl game in 13 years. When they made it to the Holiday Bowl, people acted like they won the national championship - this year they have a chance to actually win it.

All the Ohio State and Michigan fans around here don't really understand my enthusiasm. They have teams that are expected to contend for a national title every year. What's happening at Missouri this year feels like a once in a lifetime event. Will they ever be this good again? Who knows, but right now I'm really enjoying the chance to make fun of all those loser schools like USC and Ohio State.

So next week is the big showdown between Kansas (?!) and Missouri for Big 12 North dominance and possibly the #2 spot in the nation. No matter what happens, I'll enjoy the moment and hope it will be like this next year, too.

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Every week I read The Onion's AV Club and this week has an especially good article, Tighten Up: 21 Good Albums That Could Have Been Great EPs. I agree with most everything on the list. If you're a music fan (and you really should be) check it out.

More ice skating in public

Jeff, Melissa and I went to visit New York last weekend where we crashed tenement style in Harlem with Josh. (Seven people, one bathroom? No problem!)

I shot a little video of ice skating at Rockefeller Center that you might enjoy. Come for the low quality, stay for the funny ending.

And now the moment you've all been waiting for...

I got my camera back today with all the photos on it from the end of my Texarkana trip. So here's what's left:

First, my favorite room from Graceland. Check out the awesome monkey statue. What you don't see is the purple lightning bolt on the wall with a big "T.C.B." for Takin' Care of Business. It's a nice touch. Subtle.


I took a little tour of Texarkana the day of Summer's wedding. Downtown looks as hopping as it's always been. It's a strange little time capsule of shuttered buildings and odd shops.


And right there in downtown is the famed Texarkana post office where you can get your picture taken with one foot in Texas and one in Arkansas. Oh yes!

I would give my life to find it, I would give it all

If you're like my parents, you might think I was kidnapped by a band of Arkansas hillbillies. Mostly, though, I was just too busy enjoying the wonders of Texarkana to post anything. Summer's wedding was awesome and it was fun meeting her bridesmaids and seeing her family. I got to tool around town a bit, too.

Unfortunately, I can't post my favorite picture from the weekend, because I lost my camera in Texarkana. The good news is I got an email today and it will soon be on it's way back to me. One of Summer's bridesmaids picked it up. So hang in there and soon I'll have a photo of me standing with a foot in Arkansas and one foot in Texas. Trust me, it will be worth the wait.

The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar

I'm now officially in the South with a capital S - the land of access roads, barbecue and red dirt roads. Today I took some back roads through Kentucky on my way to Memphis. I took the interstate down to Elizabethtown then headed out across country past Lincoln's birthplace. (That would be in Kentucky, not Illinois, even though they get all the Lincoln credit.)

I've been meaning to mention that when your drive Sir Ranulph on the interstate, the view from the rear view mirror often looks like this. Those SUVs get right up on my little hatchback.


It might be too blurry, but that's a Texas sticker on the front of that truck - I'd almost forgotten about Texas drivers.


I made it to Memphis in the late afternoon, checked into my hotel then went to check out the sites. I drove by Sun Studios then had dinner at Rendezvous Barbecue downtown. It was awesome! Then, it was off to Beale Street for an after dinner drink. I just kept thinking about how Memphis just looked and felt "Southern" and what exactly that meant. I'm not sure I came to any conclusions, but it was fun to consider (over a beer).


This is what the Mississippi looks like out of the sunroof of my car.


So tomorrow it's off to Graceland, then on in to Texarkana. Elvis and Catfish await.

MTV, what have you done to me?

Check it out, I'm in Louisville tonight AND I'm blogging. It's like I live in the future!

I left for my Texarkana road trip this evening and kicked it off with a lovely drive to Louisville. I hope the weather stays this nice for the rest of the trip.


Then, I checked into my hotel out in the suburbs ('cause it was cheap). Let me just say that Microtel is not lying. Their rooms are teeny tiny (like my car). Did I mention it was cheap? The place was clean and has free breakfast, so I've got no complaints.


The Arcade Fire concert tonight was lovely. LCD Soundsystem was super fun but I pretty much feel the same about them as I always have - great party music. Arcade Fire, though, made me love them a little more tonight. I've not really been a huge fan, but I heard their live shows were good. There were a ton of musicians on stage, but the whole wall of sound effect wasn't overwhelming. They're lyrics also struck me as very political - something I'd never paid much attention to.


Anyway, I've got to get to bed so I can head for Memphis tomorrow. There's some barbecue waiting for me!