  As I travel during an exciting weekend of shows with the Ataris we got to experience thunderstorms! You know, rain, the thing that people in CA and AZ just can't comprehend and because of this we all run indoors to avoid melting. Because of the wet stuff, I got to hang out on the I-10 towards Phoenix for a couple of hours while a turned over truck full of bottled water was eventually shoved off the road and then I got to drive once again. Now that it's around 7am, I'm feeling a bit tired and now get to look forward to minimal sleep before a festival show later that day. Of course, "the rain" started falling out of the sky and the show was cancelled. How wonderful!
I can grab a nap and go out for some fun later that night. No, that wouldn't be the case. We set up a show indoors so that we don't all melt in the rain. Oh yeah, all this on about two hrs of sleep. We all know that "Sleeping is for Fags". With this knowledge, I drink all the Redbull in sight and it's time for a big rock show.
The show goes off just fine, the kids go mad for it, circle pits, slam dancing, crowd surfing and all that fun stuff. Now it's back to the hotel that I've been jonesing for the entire day to get a little shut-eye. I have an early morning flight that requires me to be in the lobby at 6am. The Super Shuttle guy arrives late, and I get to ride to the airport in a big blue van with huge yellow writing (I know how to travel in style). Then comes the usual airport security and fun that we all love with our HOMELAND SECURITY. Check in, head to gate, strip down to the basics (no metal objects of course) and put everything into little tubs to travel thru x-ray.
Then the front line security guy says "removing your shoes may' reduce your chance of extra screening". I, lacking sleep and being stubborn don't remove my shoes and continue thru the metal detector. No alarms go off and I head over to get my stuff spread out in various tubs. Result, I'm thru and on my way to the gate. Not so. Mr. TSA says "Please step to the side for extra screening".
"Did I set off the Alarm? " "No" (as he's staring at my Vans) To me, no alarm=no more hassles. Not the case. I guess shoes just can't be worn thru security checkpoints in Phoenix. After my extensive search with the metal detecting wand (didn't I just walk thru a larger version of this?). Mr. TSA found all of my piercings and even a couple of buttons on my shorts and nothing around my shoes, which I never took off during the extra screening.
Wasn't this the point of extra screening, to see if I was carrying a bomb, gun, box cutter, ginsu knife, leggos, or some weapon that'll take down a plane. After all this, I got onto my flight with screaming children. Oh, the sweet sound of music. Lesson learned: Become one of the mindless fools thru security checkpoints and you'll have less run-ins with Mr. TSA. Or, just walk thu wearing only your underwear and no shoes. I think I'll only wear my undies next time.
Just make sure that they're clean, you know that mom would be proud. 
