CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Dear Milwaukee,

It is 4:10 a.m.  Monday and I just finished answering interview questions for the upcoming Chicago show. These always end up being very revealing, sometimes you don't realize what your stance is until you've already told other people, as if you're finding out for the first time as well.

Saturday night at Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines was fantastic; love the venue. Decently sized crowd, extraordinarily enthusiastic. Not only were they totally tuned in during "Pedestrian Drama," they also stomped and burst into a chorus of "ba ba bops" during the "Timing!" It was out of control, a room of people yelling "ba ba bop" at the top of their lungs, it felt and sounded like a crew of cartoon seagulls. I couldn't help but burst into amazed laughter.

Woke up bright and early to drive two hours for a Sunday coffeeshop show in Hiawatha, Iowa. This was mostly a collection of friends and friends of friends that couldn't make the last Cedar Rapids area show in October 2009. Discovered the "dirty chai," which is a chai with one shot of espresso ... delish!

Spent the rest of the day relaxing with friends, I feel like I'm home here, talking vinyl, holistic medicine, and human interaction ... listened to demos from next album, a collaboration with LMNTlyst and got feedback from friends. I'm REALLY excited for this release, it's a new direction for the both of us, we're growing here ... making soup, not sandwiches.

It's late, but I'm really looking forward to my first day sleeping in tomorrow! They have a piano here, that spells trouble...

Dear Milwaukee, I hear that you're clutching the Dead Sea Scrolls. Hold on tight, I want to see!