A cinema cafe called the Alamo Drafthouse hosted a sing-a-long of the "Once More with Feeling" episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  The last of the four screenings was at 9:45 tonight, and I planned to go with Gypsy.  We were both really looking forward to it, but no one told me how popular the venue is, and no one knew how popular the show would be, so I neglected to buy tickets in advance.  We got there -- after paying $5 for parking -- and found it sold out.

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on January 7, 2005]

Hi, folks. I've left my wintering ground behind, but I'm still in Austin until tomorrow. Just thought I'd give you a quick update while I have Internet access!

Austin is not as crazy about donuts as north Texas is -- there are only a handful of donut shops in the whole metro area -- but there's a Krispy Kreme about a mile from where I've been staying.  About two weeks after I got here, I rode to the local bike shop to get a new helmet-mounted mirror, but I was 15 minutes too early -- they hadn't opened yet.  I took the opportunity to visit Krispy Kreme, whose "HOT DOUGHNUTS NOW" sign was lit.  (I maintain that if they're going to spell it that way, their slogan should be, "Putting the 'ugh' back in donuts!")

Here's my annual newsletter from January 2005, summarizing the first half of my 2004-05 bike trip.

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on Dec 23, 2004]

Merry Christmas, everybody! And a happy belated solstice to those who prefer. Or vice versa, for that matter.

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on December 13, 2004]

Hi, folks! I saw another chiropractor last week, and he helped tremendously... My joints are feeling much better, and I'm riding every day again, just running errands around the neighborhood. So any doubts about whether I'd be able to continue the tour can be put away now.

I had a follow-up appointment with the chiropractor this morning, and I stayed in town afterward to meet Brigitte for lunch.  Something I had eaten was disagreeing with me, so I was in a cranky mood and not very patient with her.

I mostly worked on WorksCited.Net today -- got two more pages up and running, only three more to go!  Rich & I also watched Run Lola Run, which was fun.

In the evening we drove down to the southern part of town to see Abi perform at Artz Rib House.  Gypsy met us there, and we all pigged out on barbecue.  We were seated behind Abi and so didn't get to see her charming stage presence, but we all enjoyed her music.

I met Abi Tapia this afternoon at a coffeehouse in the trendy party of town -- the same coffeehouse that Brigitte took me to yesterday.  Abi has been so busy promoting herself as a professional singer-songwriter that I felt privileged to meet her one-on-one, though no one asked for her autograph.  She even invited me to come bicycling with her and her girlfriend when I'm on my wheels again.

Aside from that, I just sat around and watched movies all day...

This morning I called Mom & Dad expecting their big news to be Grandpa's coming to stay with them, but the big news was that Mom has just been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).  I took Kenny for a walk and we had a good long talk.