Bonus picture!

I know this is a little late, but whatever. I hope you guys all stayed warm over Christmas, because I did:


This is all I have to hang onto now that I'm back in the cold lands of the north. Oh sunshine, I miss you!

I know these fast cars will do me no good

So last weekend's trip to the auto show in Detroit was awesome. It could have been a little warmer (anything above 10 degrees would have been welcome) but we were indoors most of the time anyway.

Inside those doors were many expensive cars. I was a big fan of the $458,000 Rolls Royce mostly because it it was just such a giant slab of conspicuously consumed metal. There's nothing subte about it. On the other end of the spectrum, there were a lot of fun little cars, too. I got to check out the new smartcar and see the Mini Clubman. Mini also had a twin of Sir Ranulph on display. This one had a white roof so I guess they're fraternal twins.


Most of all it was fun to see Michelle. She's been busy all all get out lately, but she and Mike spent the day looking at cars with us. Later, we went to sushi and Michelle used her tiny magic fingers to align our backs and such. It was awesome. Here's a picture of Michelle at the auto show. She's in a new BMW that's a relative bargain at $100,000. I'll take four!

The teachers tolds us, the Romans built this place

I'm getting ready to head up to Detroit for the auto show, but I thought I'd do a quick post before I left. I have some things I want to say about cocktails and how they're made, but I think that's going to have to wait for another day. Today I'll just tell you about my next album.

In a sad break with tradition, I listened to Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994 on my new iPod, Abbey, and not Declan. It all makes me a little nostalgic.

What doesn't make me nostalgic is the album. I find the older I get the more I like The Police and the less I like Sting's solo work. In high school, I didn't really like much of anything by The Police, but there were several Sting songs I liked. Now, everything by Sting sounds like a giant yawn to me. Even "Fields of Gold" which I've always loved despite it's massive overexposure sounds stale. I don't know why, though. Does something happen to your ears after you turn 30?

I can see it now. It's only a matter of time until all music "sounds like noise to me" and I'll complain endlessly about all the crap "kids are listening to these days." (I already do a little - emo, anyone?) I just didn't think it would start with Sting.

On the other hand, it could just be that Sting is boring. I'll stick with that.

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.

**********

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!