We made it to the west coast! I had written a delightful blog post a few days ago, but Colorado swallowed it up midway through when the internet suddenly disappeared as we entered The Rockies. I had to sit in the car for 17 hours without proper reception! Those mountains just don't fill the hole in my soul when I can't check my email.

some purple/beige mountain majesty in Utah

It's breathtaking to look at, but I do not like the drive between Denver and Los Angeles. The desolation leaves me feeling small and anxious. I have a reliable car, but I can't help but fantasize being stranded on I-15 amidst the tumbleweeds. I'll get eaten by a rattlesnake, but even sadder, I will miss the rest of tour! It could be the altitude, but I'm pretty sure my breathing goes shallow for hours on end in between the sparse rest stops of Utah and Nevada. So the lights of California are a welcome relief. They drown out the deep darkness and endless starry sky that leave this city girl unsettled and bewildered.

House concert CAKE!

The adventures so far have included seeing a guy arrested in Lincoln NE and an accidental detour in Las Vegas while hunting for a Chipotle. The man who was handcuffed seemed super amicable, which further reinforced the stereotype of people being friendly in this part of the country. The Chipotle Debacle ended with no Chipotle in my face, but I did see Transformers and the shit show that is downtown Las Vegas. It's also really blurry there because it's so hot.

Accidental run in with Las Vegas Transformers and a tiny Iron Man.

I am so glad to be meeting new fans and playing new music all over the place. Last night's show in Los Angeles was especially delightful. All the bands who played at Witzend were super talented. I really enjoyed the band Flagship Romance. Their act harkened back to Mitch and Mickey from the film 'A Mighty Wind', very romantic, very sincere, and very tight harmonies. It bordered on cheesy, but in a good way. It was clear they just loved each other and making music. They even had a special microphone welded like a 'T' with the mics on the top of the T. That's going the extra mile right there. I'm going to get a mic stand made of cats.

OATMEAL! My foster kitty from years ago who relocated to Los Angeles is thrilled to see me again.

Today I'm headed down to San Diego to SEE a show. W00tstock is a nerdy variety show that kicks off the annual Comic Con. Among loads of celebrities and technical geniuses, I will get to see my friends Marian Call, Molly Lewis, AND The Oatmeal take the stage. Tomorrow I get to PLAY with Marian Call and Molly Lewis. I am such a lucky lady to have been embraced by the nerd music scene. This weekend is going to be a blasty blast. Every day is kind of the weekend on tour, but I'm pretty sure today is Thursday. Pretty sure.

view from my Los Angeles crash pad