Well, we’re in the hotel now. I made a slightly foolish mistake in putting my guitar with the other guitars because I can’t get to it now until tomorrow. So I have no way to rehearse tonight. I’m really very nervous about tomorrow’s show. I’m not a big fan of my solo show and now I’m about to perform it in front of about 2000 people. I have no idea how it’s going to go over. I had an idea of a cover song to see if Amy and Emily wanted to do backing vocals, it wouldn’t be too difficult. I mentioned it to Amy in Cleveland and she said she wouldn’t mind but they’re worn down I think from this particular tour. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Emily about it so I’m not sure it will happen. It would be a big boost to the crowd response if they could do it; it’s like getting a stamp of approval from the Girls.
I just got back from walking around town. Iowa City is a college town, with all the benefits and negatives that implies. Amy thought it was really funny this morning on the bus when we were getting off the interstate and I said, “the thing that confuses me is that I don’t see a city…” I’d call it a town, but I suppose Iowa Town just sounds silly. Anyway, I spent time walking around by myself, not something I normally do. I’m a little too self-conscious, okay, way too self-conscious, and walking around by myself makes me uncomfortable. But I tried to make myself feel invisible for the sake of being here. I grabbed lunch and now believe that if you want to find the slackers in a college town (you know, the people who you’d actually want to hang around) you go to the pizza place and watch the employees. I found a used CD store and bought a couple of CDs I shouldn’t have, financially speaking. Then I found the indie bookstore and got a copy of McSweeney’s 8. I ran into Amy at one point and we went into a vintage clothing store, but all I came away with was a little round Mod pin. But that’s a good thing.
Now I’m going to rest a little, I haven’t really rested in any normal sense since leaving Atlanta, so I could use an hour or so of just lying on the bed and watching TV. Those of you waiting for email from me please be patient, one perk of this room is that I have an ethernet connection so I’m connected permanently, or at least until I leave tomorrow afternoon.