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 Your Hey Mercedes weblog. The Cast: Robert Nanna Damon Atkinson Todd Bell Michael Shumaker Dan Keehn Chris Bickert Norman Arenas Ryan Snyder 
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October 28, 2000
Robert: The good news: They seem to have set a release date for the Cannonball Run DVD. The bad news: LOOK AT THE DATE! Will people still be using DVD's then? October 27, 2000
Robert: Oh yeah, one more thing... i did not have a chance to try out Macster last night. However, I've been told that without a DSL hookup, the downloading times are unbearable. Awesome. The roommate that is taking care of getting us hooked up is right now on tour... Hence I may be able to download short punk rock songs for now, as opposed to huge classic rock Queen-esque opuses. Or would the plural of "opus" be "opi?" or "opusees?" I'd imagine Bohemian Rhapsody alone might take a good week to download with my awesome connection. Great. That's just great.
Robert: Well, well, well. Only a long half an hour to ago and i'm outta here and outta Chicago for the weekend. Woohoo! I'm pretty exhausted again, but I'll catch some zzzs on the train. I don't mind seeing the sun SET while i'm in a car. In fact, I like that a lot... Since I'll be gone, I may not have a chance to get here and keep everyone informed on my glamorous to-do's and whatnots... you know, who i've been hobnobbing with and the sort... rubbing elbows and other pleasantries... huffing, puffing, blowing houses down... but i'm going to try... This is such a restful way to while away the days here at work. I have yet to be as concerned with the weekends! Whatever, I'm rambling.... Before I bid farewell for now, I'd like to let you in on the "nightmare" that i had mentioned previously. Now I know you think it must have something to do with either the strangers in my living room or Costello, but it doesn't. I woke up from a deep sleep and saw that a man was dancing in my room! Swinging around a hammer! I yelled at him. But then i REALLY woke up and wondered if I actually had yelled out loud. We'll never know now, will we? Any thoughts on a dream such as this? A slightly invisible man dancing with a hammer. Actually that was almost the name of my band. Kidding, of course. You walked in. I woke up. I never seen such a pretty girl look so tough.....
Robert: Well, the situation here at work has gotten a little bit easier to stomach (see previous days), because i've managed to see a funny side to all of it. Recall how I likened him to Scotty from Boogie Nights? When I was a kid, my uncle and grandfather LOVED legendary comedy team Abbott & Costello, so I've seen a good 90% of their movies (the best being Hold That Ghost, by the way). Now....I have become Bud Abbott, the straight faced man. My adversary is Lou Costello. See one of their movies and you'll know what I mean. Together, we're like a comedy team. Me, losing my patience while i try and teach the slow, goofy jokester. When I think of it that way, it makes me smile... So I guess he makes me smile, now. You see how I've turned this around? I've made a potentially explosive arrangement a pleasant comedic episode. Yuks all around.
Robert: Workin' for a livin'. Livin' and a workin'. Takin' what they're givin'... More technical problems here at work today. I'm glad to say that i unwillingly caught up on my sleep debt last night. I started my nap at about 6 and woke up at about 1 AM. I didn't mean to, but sometimes you just have to play the cards as they "lay." I got up and walked around a little. I did also notice that there were 4 strange people in my living room! Actually, I found out that one of them was Jonah Onelinedrawing, whom I had met some years ago in San Diego when Braid played with his old band Far. I was pretty groggly to say the least at 1 in the morning, so "hi" to you. I wish i could have seen your show last night, but i was right in the middle of a nightmare. More to come on that. October 26, 2000
Robert: Crash. It's happening just like i though it would. The day has started to drag and so have I. I actually wrote a few scrolls worth of train of thought garbage to try and let off some of this blah syndrome. When i looked back over it, I hit delete faster than you can say "i need a nap." Speaking of nap, I just read that the Macintosh version of Napster, Macster is now fully operational. I really can't wait to dive right in and see what all the hubbub is about. I got asked more than a few times on the last tour (soon to be added to the HM FAQ page) what i thought of Napster and I always prefaced my answer with: well, I haven't even tried it or seen Napster in action... Talk about missing the boat, but it sounds like an absolute dream! So i always said (and still do) that i have absolutely no problem with any of my bands songs being there. In terms of promotion and the such, it seems like a pretty valuable tool. People can hear Hey Mercedes songs or whatever and if they like it, they can come to the shows. Anyone can tell you that nothing beats the feeling of actually going to see a band in the flesh. And besides, we're always writing new songs, so no one will get the full HM experience just by logging on to Napster. And most of all, it just seems fun to me. That's my two cents. Now, tonight, I'll probably try and do the whole download for my Mac so i'll let you know what i REALLY think a little later! Chances are, i'll hate it, right? I promise i won't go Lars on everybody!
Robert: Vegetarian chili hitting the spot at the moment. The more crackers the better. My computer still isn't at full steam, but it's good enough to cruise around and post to da blog. Our #1 guy, Dan Keehn will be posting some stuff soon, once he straightens out his conflicts with Blogger... so that should be a welcome change of pace from my incessant ranting... Big night ahead of me tonight. I'll finally put up our little personal web profiles and i've also got some 4 track business to take care of. I'm going to be out of town all weekend galavanting incognito, so i'll be turning around all of this email that's been a-pilin' up. Doin' the bull dance. Feelin the flow.
Robert: As the other guys can verify, there is nothing more sickening to me than being in a car during a sunrise. The whole idea just creeps me out for some reason. Maybe it's that i've been traumatized by too many overnight drives on tour. That big hot sun coming over the flat horizon between Albequerque and Austin is just disgusting, especially when it's foggy or rainy. The car doesn't have to be moving either. I distinctly remember an earlier tour which had us run out of gas in west West Virginia in the middle of the night. We had to actually sleep in the van at a gas station waiting for it to open in the morning. I'm getting the chills just thinking about trying to contort myself in the drivers seat, using the wheel as a nice hard plastic pillow, sweating as the windshield magnifies the ugly sunrise over some Appalachian mountain. I think I'm going to be sick... This is what happened this morning... except on the train from Milwaukee. I woke up at 5:30 and got to the Milwaukee train station at 6, to catch the train to Chicago at 6:20 so I can be here at jolly old work at 8:15. The packed hour and a half ride was made somewhat bearable by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, but I was plagued by one of those sunrises again. Foggy, rainy, and worst of all, bright as i'm trying desparately to squeeze in a few minutes of shut eye. I got in at 8, so i had to take a cab here. I'm surprisingly in a good mood, given my train rides and my 5 hours of sleep. I'm sure my world will come crashing at about 2 PM. Hopefully I can tell you all about it... By the way, my little work issue (see Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00) has gotten a little better. There's a big project to be worked on today, so we're keeping him busy... meanwhile, the only thing that works on this computer is the internet, so i can't do any real work. Personally, I can see an up side to this.
Robert: This is unreal. My computer here at work has decided to turn against me. We've got the necessary people looking at it. I'll be back. October 25, 2000
Robert: Fan of DVDs with a lot of extra goodies? Me, too. In fact, a nicely stuffed DVD can even make an OK movie (like Fight Club) a necessity to have on DVD... Now speaking of David Fincher, New Line Cinema will be releasing a two disc version of his classic movie, SEVEN, which I happened to thoroughly enjoy. There is a website that tells you all about it, and it's pretty darn exciting... although the Surf Watch here at work prohibits me from clicking on the "lust" link. What a joke.
Robert: Blah. I would be a really bad teacher, because my patience is at an end. Actually it was at its end early yesterday. (See Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00). It's not like i expect this guy to "get it" right away, it's just that he's not taking notes, he's not listening, and he's constantly interjecting personal stuff while i try and explain. "Wow, that's a really cute girl." "I used to weld on a boat" and more of the such. It's frustrating. When I first learned this job, it was as a temp. I had no background and was pretty confused, but i took notes and within a day, i knew it. This guy was HIRED, which means he supposedly should have some kind of background, but he seems to know less than I did. Oh mercy me oh my please make this easier for me! Immediately after work, I'm going to be taking a cab to Union Station, where I will get on a train to Milwaukee for practice. I'm then going to stay in Milwaukee, get up really early, take a train back and go straight to work. Holy hell, this will be interesting. Hopefully I can sleep on the train (both ways). Wouldn't it be great if i had a laptop, so i could constantly give you the scoop as i'm hauling along the railroad? when you wish upon a star... i want to make it happen. I'd watch a DVD or two, as well. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm really tired and hungry, so i'm going to go get a falafel sandwich from the State of Illinois building. Maybe they'll throw a goldfish in, as well.
Robert: The coffee has just drained the life out of me. Maybe someone slipped a mickey in there. This setup is really getting worse. I'll tell you about it at lunch when i actually have a second to myself.
Robert: If you were wondering what i actually do here at work, well i just got the word from top brass - my title is: Security Box & Receipt Clerk/Window. and i thank you... Also, I may not be as quick with turning around emails lately. Sorry about that. I usually take care of all of that at work. But you understand (see Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00). Actually I have him working a little project that might free up some time for me. Thanks for the idea, Norm.
Robert: Feeling OK today. I'd feel better if i was sleeping. Didn't find that precious scrap. I think i can look harder if i tried. i also tried to get here to the blog before my nemesis came a-callin' (see Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00). But no such luck. As the computer was loading up, I looked up to see his face, framed in the customer window, giving me that "good morning, let me in" look. In the words of the mortal Howard Jones, "Things can only get better." This situation has put me right back on the coffee caravan. I need it now every morning. It's pretty damn disgusting when you find yourself around a person who makes you not want to be as healthy. Ever feel like that? It's no good. Speaking of things unhealthy, the Golden Nugget restaurant on Clark St. in Lincoln Park (Chicago). Unhealthy. I've only eaten there a couple of times, and thought the food was pretty good, the menu was colossal... Anyway, I read today in the Chicago Tribune that the place got closed for insect infestation! and i quote: "Inspectors found live roaches in the kitchen and basement... inadequate food storage practices because some perishable foods were being stored at temperatures above 40 degrees." Just a quick safety note for you Chicagoans. Apparently at the State of Illinois building down the street, they are giving away free goldfish for "take a goldfish to work day." I'd go get one, but I've got nothing to put it in. Maybe my coffee cup. That would stop my caffiene urge. I just noticed that my albatross has terrible breath, too. Howard was wrong. It's getting worse. October 24, 2000
Robert: I am now rocking out to Shiner's wonderful album "Starless." I kind of feel embarrassed saying that it's wonderful cause Farm and Todd played it constantly in the van. The whole time I gave them a frowning of a lifetime. But a few nights ago, I grabbed it from my roommate's shelf as i was out the door and into a car. It was between the Lawrence and Nagle exit, sitting in traffic on the Kennedy Expressway, when I found myself swaying back and forth. I was inadvertantly "getting into it." At first, I scolded myself, but eventually gave in. Two nights ago I had a similar experience listening to Modest Mouse's "The Moon and Antarctica," which, apart from 3 songs, I absolutely despised at first. I still don't think it's the bees' knees, but i made it through this time scot-free, ironically, again on the Kennedy Expressway. Maybe, for Todd and Farm's sake, I should listen to Queens of the Stone Age while cruising that crazy conduit... cause I've been resisting. Kevin awakes without his clothes... I know what you're thinking. Bob is avoiding the big clean, the super scour of the room for that important scrap. But that's where you're wrong... I was planning on watching Keeping the Faith (with Ed Norton's commentary) while combing the area... and then i realized that the damn TV that i have in my room isn't even compatable! So I'm now in mourning. It should pass, but I need something to keep me busy as I wait. I feel like i'm getting sick. My head is burning up. It's flu season, isn't it? Maybe it was that extra pumpkin slice I had at work. Hey, I deserved it after braving that pure horrible hell (see Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00). I know what you're thinking. Bob's developed a physical reaction to counter the need to clean. But that's where... If you happen to see a piece of yellow paper with a bunch of names on it, let me know. It's rightfully mine and i've been looking for it.
Robert: Listening to Radiohead's wonderful album "The Bends." It's working. For the past half hour or so, I haven't thought about you know who (see Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00). Maybe the guy will grow on me. Like mold. He reminds me of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character in Boogie Nights. Now, please don't confuse the situation by remembering that Mr. Hoffman is arguably the greatest actor on the big screen (and stage!) today. I couldn't check email or do anything online today at work because he was always right there. Like a hawk over my shoulder. Watching everything I do. Reading over my shoulder. Talk about invasion of personal space. I may have to speak up about this situation. Again, I digress, because i've only known this guy for two days now, and with my luck, he'll probably read this and get even more in my face. That sort of thing happened when I did (as adam called) the epic Braid European tour diary. Because of my brutally frank description of a certain situation that i was uncomfortable with, a certain person has decided to never speak to me again. I didn't even give a name or anything! Who would've known? Anyway, it's no biggie. I should just be wary that people tend to find their way to these far away corners of the internet and take things way too personally. Like i should talk. Without any further ado, i'm going to clean up my room in a desparate search for a very important piece of paper. Needle in a damn haystack. I am the most unorganized person I know. Last week, I took these mandatory "personality" tests to learn how to best interact with others at work... You know , you answer 56 questions and then like magic, it tells you who you are, like thanks. But mine was pretty accurate. It said I was a 4 foot 3 carpenter from St. Louis who wished he was a plumber. No, wait, that wasn't me... It said that I am more apt to be "people-oriented" as opposed to "task-oriented," and that i'm more likely to be unorganized with piles and piles of stuff everywhere. Anyone that knows me can vouche that that's pretty true. But I'm changing, you know. I'm on the mend. I'm working it out. I just hope I find that important piece of paper or i'm going to have a rough time tracking down a bunch of people.....
Robert: Why is this blog called "are you wearing a wire?" Good question. It is a line in the Hey Mercedes song "Wearing a Wire," which we have never played live or recorded. It's a work in progress, just like everything in my life, but I like the title so much that even if the song doesn't come to fruition, at least this blog will help the memory live on. All four of us, plus our roadie and all around swell fella, Dan Keehn, have access to this page, so hopefully they will chime in as well with whatever is on their minds. I know that they don't have computers where they work, so it most certainly will not be as often as i do. I sit in front of a computer all day. Every spare moment I have - I'm on the internet, checking email, updating the Hey Mercedes website... Basically keeping busy without doing any "real" work. It's a good job, I'd say. Except when they assign me to babysit a buzzing pest (see Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00).
Robert: Welcome. Unfortunately, I've got this annoying bug flying around me at the moment (see Hey Mercedes news 10/24/00), but soon i will fill this space with so much useless information and ramblings, you may want to add this to your Surf Watch Forbidden Website program. (Speaking of which, they have this Surf Watch Program at my work and it does a great job of keeping me from reading websites about Ron Sexsmith or Dick Cheney. I'm serious.) Actually, this may be very informative and engaging. Yeah right. At the very least, it will be a daily updated log that you can check 20 - 25 times while wearing away (like me) at a crappy day job. So thanks and on with the show. |