Tennessee, Punks & Ice Cream

Saturday, 6:00pm - finally taking advantage of some Wi-fi (or, as we now refer to it, wee-fee - thanks to Rikky, Marisa and Michael's French roommate Antoine) on a street that's very similar to Tennesee Street in Tallahassee - college town gone to sleep for the summer.

Florida is finally a distant memory, after a show in Pensacola (where we played at Sluggo's and ate delicious free burritos, lusted after yachts and stayed in yet another Red Roof Inn) and an amazing 2nd show in Tallahassee where we played alongside our friends Ben, Spike and their respective bands. Before the show we hiked through the Florida woods, picking blackberries and stopping to watch sleepy armadillos emerging from their holes before taking an amazing swim with our friends in the 'Sisters' sink hole. So, so incredible. The 60 degree water was so clear that I could see the goosebumps on my toes. Afterwards we felt reborn.

Last night we played in Birmingham - Alabama is awesome, and Cave 9 (where we played) is especially awesome. Our show was sort of under-attended thanks to a last-minute Jello Biafra performance down the street. Highlights: Meeting a bunch of amazing Bama hardcore kids, cooking rice and tomatoes at the venue, selling a CD to the ice cream man who was selling treats outside the club, staying with our friend Robert's INCREDIBLE sister Rebecca, who has a lovely apartment and woke us up with the sizzle of honey wheat pancakes. Alabama is beautiful.

The drives are getting better - we're learning to be more efficient, stopping less and seeing more. Today we stopped at a cheese farm - bought cheese, ice cream, and pecan honey jelly. I wanted to go somewhere called 'Lost Sea,' an underground lake, but we didn't have time. We also were excited to listen to an episode of 'This American Life' entitled 'Road Trips,' but it was the most BORING EPISODE EVER.

Tonight we play Knoxville, and with any luck some of my family will be able to come.

We miss everyone in New York. I miss Tom especially.