Horrible disturbing feeling. True, I said I'd ignore the story until tomorrow. But that doesn't mean the TV won't be left on. I just had a horrible feeling. Earlier the TV said one dead. I looked at the computer, looked up later. Two dead. And I just looked up at the TV again, and it said three dead. It's a horrible feeling.

[Music| Artists For Life - What's Going On]

I just finished my America playlist. I open up a new Internet Explorer window, and see a headline saying someone was shot at the Los Angeles Airport. Well.

I turn on CNN and click the link, but then mute the TV and leave the page. I'd rather enjoy America than wallow in sadness on this Fourth. And I'll ignore the story until I read it in tomorrow's paper.

[Music| Weezer - Island In The Sun]

I haven't had a thing to say for a while now, and then all of a sudden I get a lot to say.

There's some times when nothing on TV is better than PBS. Last night (late last night, of course. Like four AM.) was one of those moments. I flipped past PBS, and they had American Scientific Explorers or whatever it's called on. I stopped and watched. I actually like that show the few times I catch it. If nothing else, I can laugh at Alan Alda. They had a thing about memory, and then a thing about an astronaut who was on Mir, and then a thing about mountain climbing sickness. It wasn't all that entertaining, but it was better than my choice of two Richard Simmons infomercials.

After that, PBS got better. British comedies. I've flipped past many of these, and even stopped to watch for a bit, but I always turn away within a couple minutes, even though I knew British comedy was supposed to be very good. So I watched an entire one this time. It was called "Waiting For God", about, basically, a nursing home. Didn't sound great, didn't sound bad.

They had a lady, Diana, who made fun of everyone. One of the best characters I've ever seen on a TV show. She was hilarious. That said, the whole show was hilarious. Certainly worth looking into.

Prior to "Waiting For God", they showed a commercial for "The Boss", another British comedy. The commercial really made me want to see it, but, alas, the commercial said it aired at 10:00 PM. Damn. But after "Waiting For God", they showed "The Boss". I was happy.

I was even more happy after I saw the show. T'was brilliant, with excellent characters. And for me, new to the show, they make the show quite easy to hop into. I plan on watching tonight at 10:00. Yes, both shows had jokes that would be far funnier to Brits, but they do just fine in America. I don't see any reason for me to watch an American comedy ever again. Really.

9:30 AM. Up and at 'em. Grandma, visiting from Florida in her motorhome, wanted me to direct her to Fort Snelling National Cemetary. I know how to get to nearly anything in the Minneapolis area, and if I don't know exactly how, I can make one hell of a guess. No problem getting her there. We went to the cemetary, payed our respects, and then Grandma noted that she wanted to go buy flowers. I'm not all that familiar with the Bloomington area, so I didn't know where to go. So we drove. Eventually, we found shopping mecca: The Mall of America. "Let's try there" said Grandma. Alright. Of course, we go inside and didn't find any flowers anywhere. Though when she's only willing to go down one side of the mall, you can't expect to find anything.

What surprised me was how many new stores there were in there. It had only been about three months since I was there last. We go quite a bit, seeing how it's close. But in just one side of the building, two of the four levels, there were about seven new stores. When my uncle gets to town in a couple weeks we'll go to the Mall of America, and a further examination will be done. But how there could be that many new stores in just three months was astounding.

Unfortunately, a cosistant stop at the Mall, The Drug Store, is gone. Replaced by Ocean Store. The Drug Store had 69 cent cans of pop! And now it's gone!

Then again, Met Stadium was demolished for the Mall of America. Ch-ch-ch-changes.

We took side roads home, and it was less stressful than taking the highway. Which made me realize that highways suck. When I get my license, I won't do much highway driving. The side roads are for me.

We stopped at The Diner for lunch, and had a greasy Philly Melt. I love Philly Melts. I didn't love that one. Horrible thing.

Found our way home via Downtown. Downtown Minneapolis has to be my favorite place in the whole world. I've yet to see a skyline more beautiful than the grand yet modest skyline of Minneapolis. And on the ground it's nice too. In the winter, you don't have to take a single step outside, and in the summer there's benches and tables and all sorts of places you can just sit and enjoy summer. Nicollet Mall is the best idea this city has ever had. And Downtown is the home of the Minnesota Twins, and there's nothing like a drive with the windows down through the vibrant Saturday Minneapolis streets, right down Hennipen, after a Twins win. Nothing like it. I am truly blessed to live in such a wonderful city, such a wonderful state, such a wonderful country.

Happy Fourth. Love your city, state and country as much as I do mine, because you could have it a lot worse.