MEMPHIS (OR, IT'S LIKE NEW ORLEANS, ALMOST)
Yesterday and today are pretty much free days for Michelle and me, with Voodoo on Sunday. The only thing we have to do today is head down to AutoZone Park to check in for the booth.
Yesterday we ate breakfast, then went to a nearby mall and did a bit of shopping. It was kind of weird because we visited the Journeys shoe store there and I remember sending packages to that place when I worked for the Journeys on the Westbank. We also went to American Eagle, where I bought a long-sleeved shirt, the only one I could find that didn't have the American Eagle logo on it.
After we made it back to the hotel room and I made some phone calls, my Memphis Voodoo contact pointed us towards Shangri La, a great record store in Memphis. They had so many records it would've taken weeks to go through everything. They also had a few used comics, so I went through those. I bought the trade of Frank Miller's RONIN for $3.99, some older Howard Chaykin First graphic novels called Time Squared for $2.99 each and Tim Truman's TIME BEAVERS for $2.99.
From Shangri La we went to this place called River Records, and they had a TON of records and comics but had no real rhyme or reason behind their filing system. Most of their stuff was scattered about. They had a few old people behind the counter debating who the best vocalist ever is while a Paul Simon song played on the radio. "I think Paul Simon is the best vocalist ever," said one man. Without missing a beat, the other said, "Elvis." The one man said, "No, I think Paul Sim..." "ELVIS," the other man said. "Paul Simon wrote his own songs," the one man said. "ELVIS," the other man replied. And on and on they went. Two old guys arguing about Elvis in Memphis. Who'd've figured.
After River Records we stopped at Comics and Collectibles, the most maddening comic shop I've ever been in. I'd stopped there before, when we were still evacuated here, and was completely annoyed by their filing system and display tactics. It shows you how much I love comics, I guess, that I'd purposely go through aggravation to get what I want. Their new comics are all laid out on shelves, but they're not alphabetical. Sometimes, indy comics are in one place while some other indy comics are in another. They have all Superman comics in the "S" section, along with all the Spider-Man comics, which sort of makes sense, except they just ignor the big A in ACTION COMICS or AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Then you can't tell if the direction books flow is left to right or up and down. It seems to change every few rows. Standing in front of these racks, I decided it wasn't worth my time and remembered why I said to myself that I wouldn't give those guys any more money to support their stupidity, so I left without buying anything.
We then went to Wal-Mart to buy some water and toothpaste for the hotel room, at dinner at Outback (I know, why not go to a "Memphis" restaurant? We were tired and in Southaven, Mississippi, so we ate what was around), then went back to the hotel room, where we watched TV and went to bed around 10. Exciting night, huh? Today will be more poppy, I promise.
Yesterday and today are pretty much free days for Michelle and me, with Voodoo on Sunday. The only thing we have to do today is head down to AutoZone Park to check in for the booth.
Yesterday we ate breakfast, then went to a nearby mall and did a bit of shopping. It was kind of weird because we visited the Journeys shoe store there and I remember sending packages to that place when I worked for the Journeys on the Westbank. We also went to American Eagle, where I bought a long-sleeved shirt, the only one I could find that didn't have the American Eagle logo on it.
After we made it back to the hotel room and I made some phone calls, my Memphis Voodoo contact pointed us towards Shangri La, a great record store in Memphis. They had so many records it would've taken weeks to go through everything. They also had a few used comics, so I went through those. I bought the trade of Frank Miller's RONIN for $3.99, some older Howard Chaykin First graphic novels called Time Squared for $2.99 each and Tim Truman's TIME BEAVERS for $2.99.
From Shangri La we went to this place called River Records, and they had a TON of records and comics but had no real rhyme or reason behind their filing system. Most of their stuff was scattered about. They had a few old people behind the counter debating who the best vocalist ever is while a Paul Simon song played on the radio. "I think Paul Simon is the best vocalist ever," said one man. Without missing a beat, the other said, "Elvis." The one man said, "No, I think Paul Sim..." "ELVIS," the other man said. "Paul Simon wrote his own songs," the one man said. "ELVIS," the other man replied. And on and on they went. Two old guys arguing about Elvis in Memphis. Who'd've figured.
After River Records we stopped at Comics and Collectibles, the most maddening comic shop I've ever been in. I'd stopped there before, when we were still evacuated here, and was completely annoyed by their filing system and display tactics. It shows you how much I love comics, I guess, that I'd purposely go through aggravation to get what I want. Their new comics are all laid out on shelves, but they're not alphabetical. Sometimes, indy comics are in one place while some other indy comics are in another. They have all Superman comics in the "S" section, along with all the Spider-Man comics, which sort of makes sense, except they just ignor the big A in ACTION COMICS or AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Then you can't tell if the direction books flow is left to right or up and down. It seems to change every few rows. Standing in front of these racks, I decided it wasn't worth my time and remembered why I said to myself that I wouldn't give those guys any more money to support their stupidity, so I left without buying anything.
We then went to Wal-Mart to buy some water and toothpaste for the hotel room, at dinner at Outback (I know, why not go to a "Memphis" restaurant? We were tired and in Southaven, Mississippi, so we ate what was around), then went back to the hotel room, where we watched TV and went to bed around 10. Exciting night, huh? Today will be more poppy, I promise.
posted by AntiGravity: Your New Orleans Alternative at 8:04 AM
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