Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy

So, we’re in Chicago now after about 12 hours of driving. After having made record time, we were held up in rush hour chicago traffic for an hour. Sucked. But the driving was more or less relaxing, except for the aforementioned traffic and the few times we thought we were about to be pulled over. So, all is well. Now, to sit back, drink some beer and prepare for tomorrow’s long day. On the itinerary: party at the Hard Rock Hotel (dont ask how we even got on the list…), interviews with Chi from The Go! Team, The Black Lips, and The Octopus Project. Not to mention seeing black lips, go team, grizzly bear, cat power, css, and RADIOHEAD perform. Should be a full and interesting day, we’ll have pictures and maybe some video as soon as we can.

-jason.

Oh, hello there. Elliot, 1/2 of Team Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy here. Just making sure our blog works, and venting some thoughts prior to our trip. So, if you’re of any significance to either Jason or myself then you already know the story. We’re headed on a roadtrip, documenting our trip(video,pictures,blogs) in exchange for a 700 dollar grant from a PBS program called roadtripnation, and talking and interviewing people we meet on our travels. There. Sooo anyways, i’ve been getting told a slew of things from a lot of people as this trip approaches. You get your usual cliche advice and comments, “positive mind blahblah”, “spiritual journey asdfasd”  from the  well wishers. In the next basket you get the veiled cynical remarks from the less likable people, “You guys are gonna be around each other ALL the time” and “Gas is going to cost soooo much money”, as if these were things that we probably overlooked and should take into account. I listen to what all these people have to say, neither accepting or rejecting it. I simply let it wash over me then away like water on the shore. So then… what do I expect of this trip myself? Hard to say really, you’d probably laugh if i told you that i haven’t really thought too much about it, but then that would also be the truth. I think the reason being that i’ve developed some sort of thing where i don’t like looking into the future and premeditating what i should think or feel. Expectations for the future can be quite deflating really, as you create this fantasy that you just end up chronically comparing to reality. So yeah, i plan to just go w/ the flow of the trip, see where it takes me and let it define itself as i always do. I’ll take the breathless moments in stride with the shitty ones and as long as i don’t have to use my bear mace/get mauled by a bear in wyoming i’ll be stoked. Money will be tight, food scarce, girls pretty, and the road long. i’m so excited, see you out there.

-elliot

so, its the night before the trip, and we’re in new jersey at elliot’s. we start the 800+ mile drive to chicago in about 7 hours. elliot’s zen attitude towards this trip is doing me a world of good because, honestly, my nerves are shot. earlier i actually wanted to throw up from the stress (which elliot found hilarious…) but im starting to feel better. elliot had it right about expectations. a friend of mine once told me that vacations are (and im going to butcher this quote) about 40% expectation and 40% nostalgia, meaning the before and after seem to be the biggest parts of the whole thing. at this point i agree, my anxiousness is a testament to that. but i really feel that as the miles tick by, my stress will go with it. and besides, there are more important things to be worried about besdies the trip in an of itself. like bear attacks, car wrecks, making a fool of myself in front of some of my favorite musicians… ughh, my stomach… good. great. grand. theres that uncomfortable feeling again. then again, if i wanted to feel comfortable, i could just stay home. 

-jason. 

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”