Idol Observation

More of tonight's contestants impressed me than last week's. Junot was bluesy on "Hey there, Delilah." Scott McIntyre resurrected "Mandolin Rain" and I liked it a lot. Lil Rounds really sailed and closed the show on a high. Nathaniel has to go. He's gone from overly dramatic to incredibly skin-crawly.

Heads or Tails #24 -- Getting There

I may be in the minority, but I love Amtrak. I use it on occasion to travel on business, and every time I go down to Springfield to visit Honest Abe. It's often cheaper than driving (just $12 to visit my client downstate) and it's great for people watching: Families going down to Springfield to see the Lincoln sites, soldiers going home from Iraq or Afghanistan, business people, students going to and from college ... I prefer the leisurely pace, too. If you like watching the scenery go by, sipping "affordable" wine in the snack car without worrying about driving drunk, and eavesdropping on your fellow travelers, I recommend Amtrak. (Warning: Sometimes I suspect they view their schedules as mere "rough estimates," so make sure you give yourself enough time.)

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Tuesday Tunes #16

New Releases
This unintentionally became The Bruce Edition.

Do you preorder new music or do you wait and buy it at a store on its release day? Usually, neither. I tend to download a song or two first and then decide to buy -- unless it's Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen. Then, like the fanatic I am, I snap it up on release day. I don't preorder because what if the mailroom misplaces it?

What's your most anticipated release this year? Working on a Dream. Brooooce! The Boss! Yea!

Have you ever been so excited about a new release only to have it disappoint you? If so what was it? Devils and Dust. By the aforementioned Mr. Springsteen. I've only listened to it once all the way through. Hated it.

Have you ever expected the worst of a new release and then were pleasantly surprised when the album was better than expected? Working on a Dream again. I love this one, and The Rising, too. But I really didn't care for Devils and Dust or Magic, so I approached this one with some trepidation. It didn't help that the opening track ("Outlaw Pete") is kinda silly. But then I fell in love. Specifically with "Queen of the Supermarket," "This Life," and "The Wrestler."

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