Reflections from a week on the road

July 23rd, 2006 → 10:47 am @ // No Comments

The first week of the 2006 New England Monster Tour has included one rained-out Portland Sea Dogs game, two loads of laundry, three hotels, four readings, five continental breakfasts, and more than 600 miles added to a Hertz rental car. Some observations:

* Most, but not all, people can figure out how to pronounce Mnookin
* The Ford Focus is an excruciatingly uncomfortable car
* Hadley’s Hampton Inn is nicer than Manchester’s Equinox Resort and Spa (working phones, functional television remotes, and desk chairs really are important)
* Fans in South Hadley MA, Keene NH, and South Portland ME wanted to know who on the Red Sox was using steroids and why Theo hadn’t yet signed his contract; fans in Manchester VT did not
* It was very cool to meet Smoky Joe Wood’s son and grandson
* Older folks enjoy book readings
* It’s always fun to talk about the Red Sox, and it’s even more fun when you get to talk to lots and lots of people who care, and know a lot, about the team
* Amazon.com can be unintentionally hilarious
* Personalized inscriptions fluster some people
* The staff of the Northshire Bookstore has seemingly read every title they have in stock, and the Northshire is not a small store
* The staff of the South Portland Marriott is dressed in camp uniforms and serving s’mores because this is parents’ visiting weekend for overnight camps in Maine (make your reservations for 2007 now), and
* The Apple PowerBook G4 does not like to be dropped.


Post Categories: Feeding the Monster Readings

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