Thursday, October 21, 2010

Live from Appleton...

Here are a few of my thoughts from yesterday, gathered in retrospect as I sit here sipping coffee and thinking about how I should probably be drinking water...
  • There is a lot of farmland in the Midwest. This as I flew into Minneapolis-St. Paul. Big squares of brown, and dark brown and corn colored fields and fields of wheat. Also silos and big red barns. Also, sploches of intense red trees and rivers that looked like pieces of yarn that had been flung down. I wish I had an abstract painting of this view. Someone would say, "Oh look. Squares of brown and black and green," but I would know that it was a painting of farmland.
  • Hello! Water! Many, many, many lakes. Little circles and some shaped like tiny fish. Also, rivers. Also, water coming from the sky,  known as rain.
  • Holy Old Fashioned, Batman! These midwesterners know how to drink. And by that I mean, a Gulp sized drink made of brandy and god knows what else. For $3.50. And the whole bar was lit up like Christmas. And some guy in a button-down shirt was dancing next to the bar. To Simon & Garfunkel. 
  • Did you know that there is a drink size at 7-11 called The Gulp? This is the small. Then there is The Big Gulp, which is apparently a medium. This is apropos of the above "Gulp sized drink." I only know this because on Tuesday, when I felt a little high from my massage, I had to stop for a Cherry Coke and I got a Gulp, not Big Gulp, size. 
  • Sushi. Apparently you can get good sushi in Wisconsin. Also, I had sake.
  • Talking with my friend last night, I got several good ideas. Which reminded me that when visual artists and writers get together = KABOOM! So I need to be thinking these collaborative thoughts more often.
  • In room coffee = gack! Even if the label says "Wolfgang Puck."
  • The Wisconsin Fish Fry: ubiquitous. Apparently I am in for a treat. I can't wait to get to the VFW on Friday night, even though I am not Catholic and I think Friday is a fine time for rare steak. Also, I guess I have to drink beer from a can with it. 
  • More later.

3 comments:

Lisa B. said...

Who thinks it is awesome when Dr. Write blogs? I know I do. Also, I think maybe it was at that Wisconsin museum that I saw a Georgia O'Keeffe painting that was roughly what you described--farmland from an airplane. Or at least that's how I remember it.

Nik said...

The midwest is dangerous for its drinking ways. You need the fish fry to soak up the booze.
Tell the people I know there hello and happy Wisconsin days and happy reading!

Clint Gardner said...

You should go to Seattle for in-room coffee nirvana: my hotel room featured a French press and a big-old bag of Starbucks coffee.