TWAS EVER THUS

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50 states, 50 state route shields. Ordered by date of admission to the union.

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Can We Still Be Friends?

Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres, 8/12/84. It was a brawl for the ages, the likes of which we'll never see again. Highlights: 1. Pascual Perez, noted cocaine afficionado and all-around crackpot, backing out of the batter's box before the beanball from Lefferts was even thrown. Lefferts, clearly under orders from manager Dick Williams, immediately retreats. 2. Either MLB was in the midst of a male pattern baldness epidimic, or male pattern baldness was über-hot in 1984. Option 3: MLB teams rounded out rosters with drifters. 3. Bob Horner (1:55) is on the DL, yet suits up in uniform just to join the fray... only to be doused in fan beer (2:00). Man, beer used to be cheap. 4. A despondent Horner, post douse (2:11). 5. The voice of the late Skip Caray. 6. Best use of Todd Rundgren's "Can We Still Be Friends?" ever.

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Once again. North American Polar Vortex Tour, January 5–February 1. This is what it looked like outside every morning. : : : : : Day 1: Tucson, AZ / Best Western & Royal Sun Day 2: Abilene, TX / Wingate by Wyndham Day 3: Dallas, TX / Park Inn by Radisson Day 4: Houston, TX / Aunt Harriet's house Day 5: New Orleans, LA / Wyndham Day 6: Homewood, AL / Courtyard Marriott Day 7: Atlanta, GA / Bradford's house Day 8: Chapel Hill, NC / Sheraton Day 9: Chapel Hill, NC / Sheraton Day 10: Charlottesvile, VA / Holiday Inn Day 11: Hanover, MD / Red Roof Plus+ Day 12: Brooklyn, NY / Jeremy's apartment Day 13: Philadelphia, PA / Craig's rowhome Day 14: Somerville, MA / James's house Day 15: Somerville, MA / James's house Day 16: Montreal, QC / Leve's apartment Day 17: Toronto, ON / Drake Hotel Day 18: Pontiac, MI / Courtyard Marriott Day 19: Chicago, IL / City Suites Hôtel Day 20: Madison, WI / Sheraton Day 21: Bloomington, MN / Crown Plaza Day 22: Albert Lea, MN / Best Western Plus Day 23: Olathe, KS / Kevin's house Day 24: Norman, OK / Holiday Inn Day 25: Austin, TX / Andy's house Day 26: El Paso, TX / Holiday Inn Day 27: Tucson, AZ / Viscount Suites Hotel

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Words & Phrases That Must Be Banned Forthwith (Happy New Year Edition)

I get that

Work hard, play hard

Evangelical overuse of "awesome"

nom nom nom

Stunning

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Good Morning America

Post-European Western U.S. Tour, December 3–December 14. Once outside California, we saw snow every day, but we never once saw it fall. I shot the view from the nearest window every morning upon waking. This is what it looked like. : : : : : Day 1: Parc 55 Wyndham, Union Square / San Francisco, CA Day 2: Portland, OR / Dani's house Day 3: Portland, OR / Doug's house Day 4: Seattle (oops; besides, it was still dark out when we left) Day 5: SpringHill Suites / Boise, ID Day 6: SpringHill Suites / Boise, ID Day 7: Peery Hotel / Salt Lake City, UT Day 8: Quality Inn / Laramie, WY Day 9: Sky City Hotel & Casino / Acoma, NM Day 10: Staybidge Suites / Centennial, CO Day 11: Tom & Roxanne's / Surprise AZ (oops)

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It's Morning in Europe

European Tour. November 9–December 1. I shot the view from the nearest window every morning upon waking. This is what it looked like. : : : : : Day 1: Steve & Bronwyn's / Cardiff, Wales Day 2: Steve & Bronwyn's / Cardiff, Wales Day 3: Steve & Bronwyn's / Cardiff, Wales Day 4: Steve & Bronwyn's / Cardiff, Wales Day 5: London. I forgot. Oops. Day 6: Sandton Resort Bad Boekelo / Boekelo, Netherlands Day 7: Sandton Resort Bad Boekelo / Boekelo, Netherlands Day 8: Stayokay Hostel / Den Haag, Netherlands Day 9: Ghent, Belgium Day 10: B&B Het Eycken Huys / near Poeke, East Flanders, Belgium Day 11: City Residence / Bry-sur-Marne, France Day 12: Le Voltaire / Rennes, France Day 13: Adagio Access / Nantes, France Day 14: There was no waking and no morning. There was only a van, on a motorway, on this route. Day 15: Weissenhäuser Strand, Germany Day 16: Nadine's / Berlin, Germany Day 17: Nadine's / Berlin, Germany Day 18: Auntie Sue's / East London, England Day 19: Tom & Delmi's / Cardiff, Wales Day 20: Granary Lofts / Cardigan, Wales Day 21: Granary Lofts / Cardigan, Wales Day 22: Cate's home / Penboyr, Wales

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from unknown ancient German mountaineering film, as seen on after-hours French TV

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In which I move to Den Haag and open up a grab bag of eethuises.

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Everybody goes to Milo's.

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Jackson, Overgrown

The Sun-N-Sand, where all the state legislators stayed once upon a time Historic Farish Street Bailey Magnet School: the way God intended high schools to look

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Prunedale, California

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Another August, Another Tour

Motel 6, Clackamas, Oregon In Canada Jack (and Huw) at Pickathon, shortly before playing Offical JP/WF Tour Photo. Taken in Andy Granelli's backyard, Santa Cruz, CA.

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Hoover Dam, from above

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Desolation Planet

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Oregon