I’m now a few weeks into my summer research sojourn in the wilds of suburban Ohio, here are a few things that I’ve learned so far.
 
Pax River NAS is way more choice than Wright-Patterson AFB.  I’ll take F-18’s taking off right next to my building and Maryland crab shacks over tanker planes taking off on the opposite side of the base and the suburban hell of Dayton filled with Olive Gardens and Chili’s.  Boo.
 
Much love to Joss Stone for making a traffic jam during a thunderstorm in Tennessee actually quite enjoyable.
 
A big fuck you to my hotel for forcing me to use a dialup internet connection.  It’s 2004, you’re a hotel that caters to engineering-type business travelers.  Are you kidding me with no broadband connection?  It’s a good thing I’ve got OLN and FX on the cable to watch the Tour and Nip/Tuck, or I’d have burned the damn place down.  And it’s a very good thing I didn’t get an Xbox or Playstation2 to bring here, since the television has no input plugs.  Bastards.
 
Operation Survival To Six is well underway.  Not so sure if the results will be as good as I’m hoping (genetics are a bitch), but I’ll be lean and mean for my return to Atlanta, and hopefully, my return to the rugby pitch.
 
I must say I’m kind of shocked that most of the contenders in the Tour de France got dropped so badly in the Pyrenees this weekend.  Good thing I didn’t put any money down on a lot of these guys.  Of all the riders to give Lance a ride for his money, I’m glad it’s Ivan Basso, he’s good people.  And OLN’s Tour coverage has been awesome, especially the Travelogue segments with Paul Hochman.  I’d almost forgotten how ridiculously gorgeous France is.  And the Credit Lyonnais podium girls too.
 
Yes I’m a moron, but finding out that the Meijer Fresh across the highway stocks Ryvita crispbread and Marmite made me a very happy man.  So sad.

Read Learning How To Die, the new Wilco book by Greg Kot, over the weekend.  Not worth it if you’re not a Wilco freak like me.  It should have been a very interesting book, but Kot just isn’t objective enough.  I found it mostly pretty boring.  A missed opportunity, definitely does not match the level of the fantastic film documentary about Wilco, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.