Greetings from Casa de Parents
Sunday we drove and drove and drove through Pennsylvania and Maryland and West Virginia and Virginia... wait, have you ever realized how friggin big Virginia is? I mean, it's not big compared to the western states of course, but for an unassuming mid-atlantic state it's quite the big'um.
Especially if you drive down that western edge of it - just keeps going and going and going.
But it was a pleasant trip with nice weather and lovely scenery. We rented a car - a Ford Taurus - and hooked up the IPOD to the stereo and it was a fun time.
Observations on stuff outside large cities:
1. Pickup Trucks are too big.
2. "convenience stores" are convenient but that is about it - their selection in snacks are disappointing (but I am just someone who is used to the basic NYC deli that has every product in the world in a 200 square foot space)
3. Stopping at Arby's was a bad idea. It was "today is everyone's first day" day.
4. SUV's are too big.
5. Left lane is for passing, not cruising in an over-stuffed station wagon.
6. If you are towing another truck, and both trucks are full to their rims with stuff, and you are going 25mph on a 75mph highway - hazard lights would be a good idea (this happened like three times).
7. Those "never-lost" GPS navigation systems they put in some cars really work - and they are fun to watch.
Today is Christmas
My lil brother and his wife are here and we are celebrating Christmas today. It's fun. I got some sweaters for myself and one for my IPOD.
And other goodies.
The family is all here - it's all good.
Suburbia on the MTA
Saturday night we are on the subway going to get our rental car and these 4 guys get on. They have the grungy, hippy look with Phish band patches all over their jackets. They are going to 34th street and can't figure out how they will know which stop it is. We are on 14th - Mrs. Robot says, "it will have the stop name on the station wall".
They seem perplexed by this idea - "how far away is the stop?", they ask.
"well, we are at 14th, so it should be two more stops or so".
These two similar aged girls are on the train, and one of the guys yells from halfway down the car to her, "Hey momma - you going to the Dave Matthews show?"
"no, that's really not my thing", she replies.
"yea, that's cuz they suck", he says.
(It was interesting to note that this girl seemed to enjoy being addressed with "Hey Momma" - single guys: make a note of this)
And this starts a tirade about how much Dave Matthews sucks and their fans aren't part of the "family"... and then how much Abercombie and Finch suck (I am not looking up the correct spelling for that shit)
"Dude, I call them Aber-zombie and finch - huh huh".
I am sitting there listening to them and began to think, "who cares?"
Dave Matthews and Phish both suck I want to say.
They totally have this "us against them" mentally and I fully expect they would call me a Dave Matthews fan if I told them to shut up.
They are also kind of cocky and aggressive, which is a trait I am not used to in neo-quasi-deadheads.
Oddly, as we are driving home that night, we realize that Dave Matthews is playing at MSG, which is at 34th street. Were they really going to see Dave Matthews, but were dissing him anyway?
Is there some sort of suburban Dave Matthews / Phish war? And if there is, can we encourage some sort of total annihilation of both sides?
Are all Phish fans this annoying?
idiot subject line of the day
Do not show ugly website to people! Make cool website.
