PERSPECTIVE
8/8/03. 1:40am EDT. Mark & Susie's house.

Last night I left work, went home & loaded the truck, kissed Gloria & the cats "so long" and drove to Springfield. Slept at a Red Roof Inn on the cheap -- got there about 3:30, more construction than I'd expected. Today I'm up at 10, shower, reload truck, check out, gas up, merging onto I-44 at Glenstone at 10:30.

I don't stop until a Steak & Shake in Effingham 4 hours later -- was hoping for that good cheap buffet and missed the exit -- where between the meal & refueling I'm off the road exactly 30 minutes. Construction delays in every state, finally get to Susie's place at 9:45ish.

Used the hands-free cel attachment for the first time; listened to recent Sue Grafton audiobook acquisition ("E") & comps (last night's soundtrack was the comp Gloria made me for the trip [she rocks], which is excellent)... right now it's Flogging Molly, who Susie & Mark saw at Dublin, Ohio's Irish Festival.

We've discussed about 7 or 8 things to do when I come back thru Columbus on the return trip Sunday. I feel a little bad about the resumes and applicant calls I left hanging -- departmental upheaval has lasted 3 weeks now.

This week Oklahoma Music magazine #3 was supposed to come out, but didn't; I'm still not sure, then, if I'm in it; also I got word that I had to be cut from the September edition of the Perpetual Motion Roadshow because a guitar is apparently a red flag for US-Canada border guards. Later, after I have cursed all those terrorists for flying all those guitars into skyscrapers, it is pointed out to me that it's mostly a work-visa thing, which makes a lot more sense.

Right. So I'm tired and a little downtrodden, but mostly upbeat because, if nothing else, I'm on vacation. And I plan to do a lot of book and record shopping in the next 4 days. And I have, waiting for me back in Tulsa, two awesome cats, and a woman I love more every single day.

(But I'm still kinda pissed about the magazine and the tour.)