Good morning from Jackson, TN. Today all we have to do is drive to Houston, TX. It's only 727 miles or so from here. The good news is that i have a friend anxiously awaiting my arrival and a free sushi dinner at my favorite restaurant in that town. Yeah!! I'm already getting excited just thinking about it. Can't do that or i'll go buggy cooped up in the car. I don't know much about Jackson, TN except that they have a Hampton Inn next to a McDonald's. We walked past that to the O'Charlies for dinner and then stopped at Shakey's frozen custard for dessert. Only Shakey's chocolate machine was broken so we could only have vanilla with chocolate sauce mixed into it. It was still pretty tasty. With that, i need to pack the computer so we can get going.~w

Not only is there internet access in the dorm, it's a T-1 line. Cool. Anyway, the show last night was a blast. This is one of my favorite performances to do because every year i am amazed at just what a great audience is here. The staff and students are wonderful to work with and make the show a lot of fun. Usually i hate staying in a dorm, but it really doesn't bother me here.

Today we have a show back over in Dunbar, WV and then start our drive toward Texas. I'm having a hard time waking up for some reason...~w

Besides the fact that i'm a wee bit run down today. I'm feeling pretty good. We only have an hour drive between our two shows today and simply switch from the hotel we are at to the dorm room they are providing for us. Tomorrow we drive back here for our last show in West Virginia and then start our drive toward Texas. I believe the plan is to stop in Jackson, TN. I may not have internet access in the dorm tonight, so i probably won't update again until tomorrow night. The show we're doing tonight has been one of my favorites over the last coupla years. The students at West Virginia's Governor's Honors Academy are usually a lot of fun.

Today...for me, my goal is to laugh into submission the part of my brain that keeps trying to compare me to other people. You know that little voice that distracts you from doing what you do because it's trying to tell you that a million other people could do it better. Or as your driving down the street it starts chattering at you about what an awful driver the person is that just passed you and distracts you from the fact that you are driving through a red light. If i could just get that little voice to shut up and leave me alone today, i think i'll be a very happy person. The key is to be able to laugh at yourself for doing things like forgetting to fill up the gas tank before handing the keys to someone else so that fifty miles down the road when it makes funny noises and the driver looks at you and asks "What's wrong with this car?" you don't blame them for forgetting to notice that the gas tank is on "E." But, it has to be laughter and not blame that you give yourself as well.~w

One show down today in Charleston, WV. Now we just have a 4-1/2 hour drive to Brookpark, OH for our 7pm library show. Then we'll drive 4-1/2 hours back to this hotel to be in place for a show here at noon tomorrow. Sound like fun?

I can watch huge dump trucks load up dirt from my hotel window. Fortunately i'm far enough that the sound is only a dull roar. They go up and down and up and down the hill all day and all night. I wonder where they're moving all the dirt to? I read at the Yeager airport last night that they had to move 3,100,000 tons of rock & dirt to make the airport here in Charleston. It's a little hilly for landing a plane naturally. I don't think they're building an airport though. Near us there is already a 24 hr Super Walmart, Sam's Club, Cinema, Staples, & other strip mall needs. I'm guessing they are building another plateau for the 4th layer of strip mall in the area. Let's see...they have Circuit City, Books a Million, Target, Lowe's...this must be something like Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Home Depot. Oh, and don't forget Big K-mart, Office Depot, and another cinema. Everyone needs choices right?

Even though i'm being sarcastic today...i'm in a really good mood. Just feeling a bit mischievous.~w

I'm packed to go and i think i managed to do everything except mow and weed. But that's nothing new. I pick up my car at the airport in half an hour and then hit the road for the week. I will be doing 7-1/2 hours of performances in workshops over the next 7 days. Not a bad life you'd think. That is until you add in the number of hours spent driving in the car. Today we start with an easy 5-1/2 to Charleston, WV. It just gets better from there.~w

I'm off and running early today, so that hopefully i'll have enough time to fit everything in the day. My treat if i do is to be able to enjoy a friend's band, The Dead Poets, play outside this evening at UNC-A. Wheeeeee!~w

Yesterday went smoothly. Now i just need to get started on today. I'm moving a little slow it seems for what i intended. I guess it's not a hurry kind of day. I woke up at 5am this morning after an odd dream about a phone call and riding in a car. The house seemed exceptionally warm at 75F. It was actually cooler outside. I feel sort of out of sorts i think. Speaking in fragments even after coffee. Things to do. Must get moving.~w