Driving Tips /Unashamedly Racist Motel Review

Let me get the review out of the way.

First I should say that I have worked with many people from India and some are great while others are the kind of people ou want to run out of town--much like any other ethnic group. I consider white people an ethnic group as well, even though the definition of "ethnic" has come to mean all those not of european decent.

The Indians previously mentioned--the group that ought to go away--seem to buy up motels like crazy. Only one in two hundred fifty nice ones go into the hospitality business. Especially in the south. Please note, however that the Mr. Patel who runs a motel in Ponca City is not only hospitable and friendly, but he also maintains the place in tip top condition, does not pretend he "already gave you" the senior discount, AAA discount or other discounts advertised, when quoting a price without knowing if you are senior or have the AAA card.

The bad people do all of those things. They give you the rate, then you say you have AAA, if it is advertised, or you ask what age is considered senior. Then they say, "Oh, I already discounted it. The normal rate is 5 or 10 dollars more". Liars. And they are so cheap they set hot water temperature at roughly 98 degrees F.

Those people give foreigners from that part of the world a bad name. They cut every possible corner then wonder why people don't flock to their unkempt hovels. They soley prey upon the poor and ignorant, like me. I bite my thumb at them!

On the driving front, if it is raining cats and dogs, foggy and overcast, and you can hardly see two feet in front of you, turn on your lights! It may not help you see, but it goes a long way toward helping others see you. And don't do the parking lights routine. That is not for driving. It has been shown that for some reason you cannot judge the distance of parking lights on the front of a car as well as headlights.

Besides, when trucks kick up massive mist, or it is just foggy and rainy, headlights are a lot easier to see. If you have to be told to turn on your lights in the rain, and that it is so people can see you, you probably should just stay home and give your car to a veterans' organization.

Finally in Florida, toward the upper part. I cannot wait to get to the Keys. You can have the rest of this place. And after that I can't wait to get back across the Mississippi. It is nothing but traffic in the east.

I'm really being tough on the place. I'm sure it is only being overly tired that makes me this way. Memphis can do that do you all by itself. Except my friend's restaurant and a few things. The town just doesn't agree with me. Something about the mojo or vibe or joojoo or something.

I know I stepped over the line with the motel review, but you tell me you do not know what I'm talking about and that you do not feel relief when the inn keeper is more ethnically American. Any race or nationality can be that. It is a way of doing things, not a racial imperative. Oh hell. If you of are a certain mindset you would never get this anyway. Just telling the truth.

It poured rain all day from to the bottom of Alabama and Georgia. Part of the time I was in a tornado warning area, part of the time tornado watch, the rest just sheets of rain slapping everything around.

No Jams Strange Days

No use going into it but it was a day like that.
Anyway the jam just didn't work out on any level. People have lives and some have more drama than others. Often one can get sucked into the aftermath of such things, carting people to and fro, carrying Christmas trees on your car against your will.

Out of here. Soon. Not soon enough.

Memphis and Restaurant Review

G1, for various reasons will not be able to jam tonight.

Last night I was able to get by his very nice house for the amp exchange. One pristine Mesa Boogie Blue Angel amp with 4 10 inch speakers in the cab--it is all one unit --for a 1966 vintage Fender Bassman amp with a Mesa speaker cab with one 12 inch speaker. Speaker cord and amp cover included. For some reason the bassman lends itself better to the harp, although I did like the Blue Angel.

But what a bear that Mesa was to load and unload in my car. Since it was one big unit, maneuvering it to fit in was a task. The new rig is two smaller, lighter units, and much easier to carry.

It looks like no electric jam tonight but probably a little acoustic get together with the bass player and his friends at his house, in the back yard by a big fire pit.

This brings me to the restaurant review. Bass player and his lovely wife bought a building in the artsy Cooper-Young district in Memphis. They converted into the coolest restaurant in the area. For whatever reason, they only serve breakfast and lunch, but they do cater night time parties and group events on site at night.

I had breakfast there this morning and was caught by surprise in every respect. The place is immediately comfortable and hospitable. It is hip without the usual over the top stuff usually done around here to announce that the place is chic. Those places end up being uncomfortable except to the special regular crowd of posers.

Stone Soup--the name of this establishment--is extraordinary in that it is ultra clean, very relaxed and has the sharpest, most competent staff I've seen just about anywhere.

All the bread and biscuits are made on site from scratch. If you know Memphis, the lady who used to own Buns On The Run now works at Stone. My tour included the kitchen which looks like the kind you see on those chef shows, except it may be cleaner.

The called it "oats" on the menu. I call it oat meal, and it was the best I have ever had; served with a side dish of raisons and one of brown sugar so you can doctor it up how you wish. Eggs cooked perfectly, in butter, I think. Something made them better. The biscuit was good enough that you could eat it without butter or anything and not complain, although I added butter because I could. I sampled the toast that was a slice about 2 inches thick, at least, and it was also good enough without adding a thing. They make great bread.

Another clue for me about a place is how they handle the simple task of cooking potatoes. It is surprising how most eateries struggle with that while pretending they are doing a good job. M hashbrowns were neither greasy nor undercooked. Not overcooked. I don't knw what they do but it comes out just right. Usually you have to pie on pepper or salt or something to make them edible. Like the bread, the hash browns are great as is.

Most of the time, places cook potatoes on whatever was used to cook greasy meat things and you can tell it. Here they don't tend to have that bleed over from one item to the next.

All I can say is that whether you are carnivore r not, this is THE place in Memphis for lunch and breakfast. Most likely they wil grow into a dinner joint, too.

Since breakfast and lunch are my favorites, I guess a place like this suits me better than most. If you are in Memphis, try it you will like it. Just south of Cafe Ole on Cooper.

Fighting Climate Change

Another early start today because I heard that high winds and probable blizzard conditions would hit Amarillo and part of Oklahoma starting at noon. So, I left very early before the sun was up--but I did not see the sun all day, so who knows.

Leaving the Albuquerque area, it looked hopeless. Snow and sleet was blowing so it was coming at me in a straight line rather than down like it is supposed to. It was foggy and cold as well.

I guess the trucks with salt or whatever they put on the road had been there just ahead of me on 40. I saw different ones taking exits in front of me. I think they even plowed a place or two.

It was a little dicey but fun. After awhile the winter stuff gave way to constant rain. It was like that all the way to Arakansas, with a ceiling of maybe 150 feet. Really. I passed a couple of those modern windmills--the stuff of windfarms and bird death--and you could not see the top blade for the clouds. It was a day of low visibility but since people in this part of the country are nuts I drove 70 to 80 miles per hour anyway, most of the time.

Too tired to comment much on the points of interest, but couldn't see too many of them. It made for a great ride. No time to get bored. I guess I like this sort of thing. I believe I covered more miles than yesterday, and as it proves out, it may be that gps lady did not lead me too far astray. Yesterdays scenery was well worth the mystery of where I was or whether I'd ever again see civilization. Highway 60 is a trip worth taking in AZ and part of New Mex.

The radio was saying not to travel or go out if you didn't have to. Once I got close to Amarillo, I was ahead of things enough that the rain quit changing to sleet and snow and the temp was above freezing so the threat of ice was no concern. Just wind and water and driving blind.

They were right, these Pirelli tires are good in wet weather. The time and miles flew by. I must have been in another dimension. I was never sleepy so I don't think I napped. But where did the time go? Must be true that it flies when you are having fun.

Only 200 and some miles to Memphis. Over 750 miles today. That is not a thing I would have planned or promised. So I arrive a day early.

My car is cleaner and shinier than it has been ever. Driving fast in hours and hours of rain will do wonders.

That's how you fight climate change--you haul ass down the road to a place where it is less threatening to your plans.


PS: by the way, I don't care if you think the globe is warming or going into an ice age--you are not going to change it, and I am highy skeptical of the notion that you or any other human has caused it. Whatever It is.
I know, what about the polar bears? So, where were you when T-Rex bit the dust? Huh? How about the buggy whip?

Me Not Sure GPS Lady Not Crazy

So, I somehow left the atlas at home. I had a couple of google directions for different routes printed out but decided to trust the gps lady.

She took me through Tonto national wonderland or whatever it is called. Now I see a short jaunt up 77 would have hit I40, or Thee forty, if you prefer.

By the time I finally got to 40 I was talking like Tonto and ready to do something Tonto-ish. I don't know what that means.

It is possible I lost no time. I can't tell. I know I covered almost 750 miles today, and averaged a decent speed. I did not stop much, and when I did, it was not for long. My eyes complained, but held out until I found lodging that wasn't part of a casino emporium. Tonto no throw hard earned wampum in one arm bandit's mouth. Bad medicine. Tonto want to cut out him guts when bandit take money, give Tonto nothing.

One thing I will say, highway 60 is not short on really great scenery. Lots of snow covered mountainous canyon stuff. Snow covered plateaus, and platitudes.

I have no idea if I forgot something important when I left this morning. I do have the big amp that I am trading, some clothes, and a few other things. No tent. Too cold for that. I'm set if I need to make the car a short term dwelling though.

Remind me to raise hell with Subaru of El Cajon when I get back. It appears Gus, the mechanic, only replaced the top radiator hose, but I paid for top and bottom. The lower one is harder to see and I think he didn't do it. They always replace the factory crimp clamps with screw strap hose clamps. Ain't there on bottom hose.

I know they gave it to Gus because I heard the service writer say, I'm giving this one to Gus, pull it in his den of iniquity.

It'll be OK for now. But, I will insist they find a way to prove to me certain other items were done, which you can't tell from outside looking in. If I do this right, it could be a very good leverage item. I do not think this is standard fare for the other guys. Gus, however, is on my list and if it costs him his job, he would deserve it. It is all in writing what was requested and what he claims he did.

I am not one to go for firing people, but I have zero tolerance for intentional liars and thieves.

OK

Trying to beat it through Amarillo tomorrow before the snow hits.

Now that I revisit the maps site and add up the miles, I think Ms GPS Lady may have run me about 35 or 40 miles farther than need be. I refuse to believe it could be an more than that. Still, it may have cost time. I need that wire that hooks it up online to update her attitude and knowledge of modern roads. But this was by far the better way for less traffic, often 10 miles or more with absolutely no traffic, and for the better view.

The Spirit Hits

I'm almost in the mood to do backflips down the aisle of the Holy Roller Tabernacle Church of Imbalanced Sinners and Saints. The hope of seeing all the clan down in the FL keys, and some old friends along the way has finally sparked a bit of cheer in my heart.

I've accepted the fact that I won't get my house cleaned and spotless and totally uncluttered before I leave. I won't do the backlog of laundry--I'll be bringing the dirty clothes with me. There will be laundry facilities wherever I stay in Memphis, and in Tavernier.

I remembered to retrieve my Audix Fireball mic from my pal K, who owns the PA and practice place Copper Creek uses. I just leave the mic there most of the time.

This way, I can better experience the new amp when the trade is made in memphis, and I'll be set if a jam with the guys is possible. I know the bass player and drummer are up for it but G1, living a complicated life, may find it difficult to work in. Hopefully we'll all be able to play. He sounded really good last time, and as much as I have groused about him at times, it is not the same without him. I guess absence does sometimes make the heart grow fonder, even with cantankerous friends. Which of us that applies to probably depends upon the day in question.

Like Joel. Now there is a cranky dude. Yet, bright as he is, he would put that tag on me. Go figure. Another musician who plays stringed instruments, as well as little harp in days past. I figure it is a guitar thing--they just can't see that I am always right, and that my ego is justified, whereas their egos tend to cloud their world view.

Excitement is something I try to cultivate when I can. Age can make your outlook so dulled that you scoff at excitement and wonder. I think that is not the way to maintain vitality. I know I am less prone to feel those things than I once was, but I like to embrace awe and excitement when I can. It probably triggers some good brain chemistry.

When it comes down to it, I like this season. I'm all peace on earth, good will toward men, and especially, of course, toward women and wimmins. Not so much toward those who screwed up the language by taking universal pronouns absurdly personal. And maybe not toward those who continue to paste laff tracks in shows that have the potential of being OK on their own.

Maybe the eye scare has made me appreciate what I have a little bit more, and want to waste slightly less time than I do.

The Tourmobile is all set and ready to roll. I do like that car. When I get rich, I'l still probably drive that car or something Subaru. And maybe a Toyota FJ. It is FJ, isn't it? Well it is two letters of some kind.

The wind here is horrendous, so it looks like I'll have a hell of a head wind to start, unless it lets up soon.

Eye eye, Matey

So, Dr Pokeye says I passed the thumb in the eye test with flying colors and can resume normal activity. I didn't think to ask what is normal activity, but I did ask if there was any reason not to embark on a ballistic tour. He pretty much said to have at it, so I will.

Memphis friends expect me there on the 21st. It seems prudent to depart California sometime before that date.

It took being told that I've healed up splendidly for me to now feel like I am in trip mode. I consider myself fortunate in more than one way. They caught the eyes anomaly quick so they could fix it. I was able to pay them, although they would have worked just about any terms I could handle. And I was able to get the car maintenance up to date and find a way to take off down the road. I realize that the freedom and ability to take advantage of it are lucky things.

You never know what lies ahead, but for this moment, life is good enough. Some aspects of my existence to tend to confuse me a little but I probably should chalk that up to immaturity and being very slow to forget the sting some circumstances can bring. I'm like a guy who got burned by the stove so now I am overly cautious to the point that I am afraid to cook. Worse things befall people.

I wonder what I'll do when I get back. It doesn't seem like the status quo will be acceptable, or is acceptable, any more. When I consider the possibility that it may be as strange to be anyone else as it is to be me, I wonder how the world has managed to survive as well as it has. It certainly explains all the occupy activity, the political tangles, and other nonsense that hear about on the street. Those people just find it strange as hell to be alive and don't know what else to make of it.

Some people I know seem pretty content in a way that gives the impression that they do not find it strange to be who they are. This may take further study. Not sure how to measure it in the way I think of it. You can't really take their word for it because you'll get whiners and those who think we are talking victimization. Then they'll compete and the study will be totally bogus.

Clearly I need about a billion dollar grant to do this thing properly.

The Shining Gets a Laugh Track

This just goes to show how influential a laff trak can be. Here we see how a horror/psychopathic killer can easily be mistaken for a clip from a sitcom.
Now, I would watch this kind of show with a laff track, but in general, if a show has canned laughter, I skip it.

If something was written as a comedy and can't stand on its own without telling me when to laugh, then the producers either have no faith in the material, or they assume the target audience is a bunch of morons who won't know how to react.

Many shows cue you to laugh at things that really aren't very funny. It conditions people to think like shallow Hollywood trash balls who think bratty disrespectful kids and adults are the stuff of humor. There are too many of those in real life for it to have much worthy of laughter in slapping their smarmy faces on the screen.

The end.

Snakedocs

My old band, the Memphis Snake Doctors (snake doctor is a dragon fly--country slang) now have a new site: http://www.memphissnakedoctors.com . They used my graphics from the Sun Studio CD, and the MP3's are ones I recorded with them.

The tough part is seeing some of the venues they've played since my departure which I would have loved to play. Can't have it all. I am vain enough that I always hope they miss me. They said they did when I was in Memphis last summer and we had a little jam session.

Looks like I'll be there again next week, provided I get the all clear from Dr Pokeye tomorrow. I doubt there will be a chance to jam, but maybe there will be. I hope so. At an rate I plan to leave with the amp I used at that jam. I'm trading a very nice Mesa Boogie Blue Angel for it. G1 sold it to me at a bargain, and now I'm trading it back to him for the Bassman rig which is more primo for harp. It should all be OK.

If you go to the site, hit the "about us" link, and there you will find the mp3's you can stream. On Chain of Fools I am there but very much in background, which was appropriate on that song. On the others the harmonica is way more up front. The keyboard guy on Fools was very good. He's played with all kinds of names which I forgot.

I should not be reading and writing much yet. Just thought I'd give them some publicity here in case anyone is curious. And feed my own ego, since the crazy purple dragonfly stuff was what I drew, and the harp on the mp3s being mine warms my heart.

Now I know I am an ego maniac because I find myself wishing they had more pictures of me instead of the new guy, Gary. I'm in one pic which says something about Sun studio. Sad to be so starved for attention. My mountain group, Copper Creek, likes to post pictures of me on their facebook accounts, but I am not very big on FB. I think it is the devil.

Often, gossip which you may prefer not be there gets put out and in my odd life, it can be a bit troublesome at times. Even so, I wouldn't mind if we had more chance to play. Maybe in the coming year we will.

Old Movie Review

Two movies that I still like even today are El Mariachi and the amped up sequel, Desperado.

The thing about Desperado is I like the music as much as anything. It has that Mexican electric stuff going as well as the acoustic. Killer soundtrack.

So, for a really well done low budget flick, El Mariachi, and for a super surreal, Mexican shoot em up with great music, and Salma Hayek, who was fine as fine can be in ---damned nine is giving trouble again so I have to write it out -nineteen ninety five.

I think I would love to own the Desperado soundtrack. I'm a sucker for that Spanish sound.