two-er [tour]

I am laying in my own bed. Hallelujah. Good night.

things you learn on tour, pt 1 (or some basic tips for life)

+ do laundry everywhere you can. does your hotel have a self-service laundry room? use it. every time. doesn’t matter if you have 2 pairs of underwear or 10 pairs of jeans (who takes 10 pairs of jeans on tour?) you should ALWAYS take advantage of it. always.
+ always keep the sharpies handy. always. somebody’s going to ask you for one. every five seconds.
+ book your hotels on hotwire or priceline, get good deals. but be sure to call ahead and confirm the number of beds in your room, or someone will end up on the floor.
+ keep healthy bars handy. somebody’s bound to get hangry, and if you have a bar to throw at them, you’ll avoid many a sitch.
+ listen closely. it’s easy to gloss over details, and there are lots of them to keep track of.
+ have fun (wherever / whenever you can). you probably won’t have time for a theme park or a nice dinner every day. make your own fun.
+ stay positive. you don’t have to be polly anna (in fact, avoid that one at all costs), but keeping a smile on your face will make a world of difference.
+ keep calm. it may feel like EVERYTHING in the moment, but it’s probably (nothing) five minutes later.
+ own up. if it’s your fault, apologize. upfront. honesty is the best policy. always.
+ STAY ORGANIZED. this is obvious, but seriously…if you want to stay somewhat sane, you have to keep everything in OCD levels of order.
+ count. re-count. repeat. be sure you know what you’ve got at all times.
+ never assume. ask questions about everything if you have a shadow of a doubt.
+ bananas for the car. after so many bags of nuts and granola bars, you’re going to be craving something fresh. bananas help.
+ eat as healthily as possible. drink lots of water. your body will thank you.
+ know your day. give yourself a few minutes each night and morning to mentally go through the day (and know your routes / timing as early as humanly possible). it will keep you and your crew happy and sane.
+ embrace silence. when you’re driving 7 hours every day, you don’t need to talk to fill the space. let it be. check in every once in awhile, but then go back to your own little world.
+ bring podcasts and music for the car. be open to listening to new things. two of my favorite podcasts for tour: radiolab and this american life. two favorite albums for tour: strange negotiations by david bazan and suburban nature by sarah jaffe.
+ keep your phone and laptop charged at all times. keep important numbers handy.
+ pack a ton of underwear. just do it.
+ be kind to yourself. if you eff up, get over it. apologize if necessary. move on.
+ nobody needs a nervous nellie. move thoughtfully. think out your words.
+ read books. i didn’t read enough. i already regret it.
+ SMILE (more than you think is necessary). it’ll make a difference.
+ a million other things. i’ll do a part two if i remember enough of them.