Things I Think About While Driving Across Misery

My job has me driving about an two-hours round trip 3-4 days a week. That's a lot of driving with no one to talk to. I have many internal dialogues that must be heard. So, prepare yourself for the randomness that are my thoughts as I traverse through Misery.

The new Devendra Banhart record is weird, uneven, but somehow very compelling at the same time. I was sort of let down upon the first listen. The production is rather lo-fi compared to Banhart's last release, Crippled Crow. However, after listening a few more times, the 1950's groove and Jewish doo-wop has me intrigued. This album should be in heavy rotation as I drive all over Misery in the coming weeks.

Misery's rural communities located along I-70 are the perfect breeding ground for meth addicts. Besides being too bored to get in trouble in any other way, kids have other factors playing into the meth rage in Misery. With so many farms in lightly populated areas, meth-heads and connoisseurs of crank have ample opportunity to steal chemicals and supplies necessary to make all the ice they want. Besides that I-70 provides the perfect conduit for the meth trade in Misery.

A lot of bands must travel through Misery on a daily basis. Besides meth traffickers, I've noticed numerous vans and tour buses pulling trailers of what must be musical equipment. There are several cities located all along I-70, so one has to figure that bands must drive between gigs through Misery regularly.

Sunset Rubdown's new disc is a major disappointment. It's no Wolf Parade. That's for sure. There are some things (screeching guitar solos, cheesy keyboard flourishes) that should have died along with the 80's. There are moments of brilliance, but it's all over the place. Did I mention bad 80's influences?

One can generally get away with driving 80 on I-70. I typically drive right around 80 mph to and from the schools I visit and have yet to be stopped. Of course, now that I've blogged about it, I'll probably get pulled over tomorrow morning.

I have not been keeping up with the blogs like I used to. I'm OK on this blog, but my other three blogs and the two to which I contribute have been tragically neglected. Either I need to cut back on the blogging...or the work. Hmmm.

It's too bad that so many people use their kids as excuses not do the things they did before kids. Now, let me be clear. We have many friends who have had kids and haven't missed a beat. Sure, they don't go out as often as they used to, but they don't make the rest of the world bend over backwards for their familial lifestyles. I have spoke to several teachers I work with who are frustrated with co-workers who don't pull their weight and use kids as an excuse. I know of other parents who have held those around them hostage simply because they don't feel like getting a sitter. Most of the parents we know don't do this, but I keep meeting parents who do, and I've vowed never to be that parent.

Misery-ans love their holidays. I've never been around so many schools that stop educating for Halloween or been in a store that had Christmas stuff displayed before November. Some of you might think I'm crazy, but just you wait. It's amazing how many Christmas sweatshirts one can wear between now and December 25th. I'm amazed at how many folks suddenly turn Irish (and how many shades of green one can wear) as St. Patrick's Day approaches. Easter is even a huge deal here. Hell, a guy I taught with always passed out trees to plant on Arbor Day. This place is crazy about the holidays.
I'm sure I've thought about more pressing issues during my drives to and from remote schools across Misery, but this what I blogged about. Maybe I'll get back to something with more focus and more to actually do with living in Misery.