Thanks to Mercury Rev for stopping by the studio today for a Minnesota exclusive. Did you catch it on the air? As I came back to the office from a lunch meeting I saw their big bus parked outside MPR - really made my day. I didn't see them unload, but evidently there was enough gear for the Excel Center. I had a meeting in our basement conference room, though, and I couldn't hear them through the four floors separating us, so how much could it have been? The audio should be up on the website momentarily.

Tomorrow we have Willie Wisely and Monade coming in.

Yesterday I went up to Walker, Minnesota to meet with some of our regional station folks. I went with another MPR colleague -- we made a presentation about MPR's educational outreach program (check out our teachers' web site, called Sound Learning, to discover more). We got talking and driving and talking and driving and the next thing you know, we had driven to Alexandria. In other words, we missed our turn-off by about 50 miles. So, we took the long way around through Wadena, Park Rapids, and the back roads. Had a stand-up lunch at a nice burger/ice cream stand in Wadena, and, after going about two hours out of our way, managed to get to our meeting on time (only because we had left early with plans for a leisurely lunch). Spring has sprung in northern Minnesota and it was pleasant seeing the soaring birds of prey, sparkling waters, and beautiful pines of the north country.