FBO: 'Lamenting Mortality of Post Cards'

Email. Twitter. Facebook. FAXES! Text messages. Skype calls.

All is fine and good. But it spells the death of the post card.

Not long ago, travel was about postcards. Shopping for bad ones shot by photographers in the '70s and repackaged in print throughout the '80s and Gin Blossoms-era '90s. We'd sit around on trains, in parks, on beaches, at hotel breakfast buffets WRITING, physically writing, post cards to let people know you are there, and they are not.

That's done.

At least we have the free Braum's e-card.

FBO Admin
Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY

FBO: 'In Melbourne'

The Failed Bands of Oklahoma are in Melbourne, Australia, to gauge prospects of a performance in Victoria. Melbourne is an interesting city. Taxi drivers have no idea where they're going, for one thing. Today a cab went the opposite direction of my destination -- refusing to use the GPS system to find a location he clearly had no idea where it was; 'it's my second day,' he explained. Finally had to exit, flag down another taxi, get his map and direct him -- practically block by block -- to reach a fairly well known neighborhood.

Last time here, I saw a dead kangaroo on the road to the airport.

FBO Admin
Mobile HQ -- Melbourne, Australia

FBO: Tall Tales to Play 2nd Show in 16 Years

TALL TALES, FBO Member #001, will perform - in concert - on August 14 at the Deli in Norman, Oklahoma. Bassist Mitch Newlin promised there 'will be a surprise.' It's not yet known if it will be a four-piece or five-piece version involving Robert E Reid.

Meanwhile, the first recordings of new Tall Tales songs are underway. One song is called 'Fingernail Biter.'

Dan Fallis explains, 'I put every ounce of my emotion into a two-minute song. I probably won't do that again.'

In other news, you can vote on one of the three (possibly) cutest photos of all time at ReidOnTravel.com.


FBO Admin Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY

FBO: 'Detroit Red Wings'

Not often you get snubbed by Stanley Cup athletes in an elevator. It's happened, to the FBO, in Pittsburgh.

Here on a brief fact-finding mission to West Pennsylvania, FBO happens to be sharing a hotel with Red Wings players, who arrived today -- along with beards and big red bags -- to a hotel on the Allegheny downtown. Two players approached our elevator, and we kept it open for them. 'No, it's OK. We got that one,' pointed to the next elevator.

We hope the Penguins win.

Meanwhile, Kenny Chesney played the Steelers football stadium on Saturday night, and a nearby sidewalk vendor -- standing with a cane -- was selling cowboy hats and Confederate flags. Asked if he normally sells the latter. "Not here, no."

This man was not invited to the Failed Bands of Oklahoma Panhandle show.


FBO Admin
Mobile HQ -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

FBO: 'Trying to Save San Diego'

More cross-blogging...

FBO member Robert Reid spoke with San Diego's FM 94.9 about how to save San Diego today (listen here) and released a director's-cut video-feed of the process.

FBO Admin
Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY

FBO: 'Travel Meets Politics, Has a Drink'

Travel to some Tulsa hotels, clearly, overlap into the world of Drug Travel (see post below). Others clash into politics. FBO member Robert Reid discusses so on World Hum today.

FBO Admin
Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY