I haven't ever blogged, so I'm starting with a list

!. Finally downloaded The Hold Steady's "Boys and Girls in America."
Bloggers like to call them America's best bar band, but Springfield watering holes are more likely to play Soulja Boy over the stereo than pay any band whose singer's timbre vagualy recals Elvis Costello.

@. I enjoyed walking around Chicago like a wide eyed yokel this past week. Even the run down blocks of dilapidated buildings were more interesting than the run down blocks in Springfield. I go to Chicago about once a year, and every time it serves as some sort of magical motivation to find a way the fuck out of spfld. Even the music in (I'm assuming) non-trendy bars was heads and shoulders above that in spfld. A tequila lounge played a Beatles melody via sax over some trip-hop before drifting into the Beastie's "Get it Together" followed by Biggie's "Juicy" verses mashed on a Kanye beat.

#. "I'm Not There" was a disappointment. Blanchet played a man fairly well, but it felt more like that '80s teen flick where the girl pretends to be a boy and awkward moments ensue. It played homage to Dylan's self-myth making machine, blending fiction and fact in some scenes, but favoring straight out fiction in too many.

$$$. I hope to get more comfortable with this blog writing tone. We will see ...