Sparky, I didn't get the email but we are around if you want to meet for coffee or some such.

Just took a shower, which was exhausting but felt awesome. Tom's in there now.

Thank you, my friends in the box, for listening.

I'm just bummed that we can't hang with our friends here from Austin. We had an awesome day planned out, including: lunch at August, a trip to the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, sushi for dinner, and then an awesome pub quiz at our local fave beer bar!

Doesn't that sound like so much fun?

I am feeling better! It must be the sympathy! I went on my first Big Outing today. I made it to all of Arby's and the bank. I was also going to hit a hotspot and the hobby shop, but Arby's and the bank were my limit.

I wasn't actually quite well enough yet, but with the big potential snowfall coming in for the next two days, I figured if I was going to get snowed in there was no way I wasn't going to get cabin fever after having been in sick for a week. We'll see.

Anyway, it was nice to get out, and it's sunny today, and my favorite wood vendor still has wood available and is coming over this afternoon, so we should be all set for the storm tomorrow.

You know what's the worst part of this job? The back aches - we have terrible chairs & desks.

CASS! So I watched Top Gear USA finally and I LOVED IT!

Totally awesome, right, Liese?!?!

I mean, it's got a subpar Stig but all Stigs not Stig 2.0 are subpar Stigs. But it's a really fun show.

OMG Cass, SO AWESEOM!!1!

True. There is no Stig like the real Stig. And I know people were complaining about the slavish similarities to the UK version, but what I missed from the UK version were the interstitial bits to what the Stig was listening to while driving very fast. Hee.

But seriously, the Swag Wag beat all comers! Whoo! I really enjoyed the show and totally will be watching. So thanks for the rec, because I was totally going to skip it.

I'm a big fan of Top Gear:UK, but have avoided the US version just because. But maybe I'll start watching it now.

My fave UK ep is the one where the guys bought British Leyland cars with their own money and then were reimbursed by how well the cars performed in the various tests. Only James ended up in the black, mostly due to the way his car handled being filled up with water and driven around the track. Second fave was probably the "drive from Switzerland to Blackpool on one tank of gas" challenge. Did James ever make it at all?

Our friend Aaron Gold is a consulting producer on the show and he is really digging it. He's a hyper-nerdy autojournalist and is loving having a TV gig.

And I know people were complaining about the slavish similarities to the UK version

Honestly, most people not us haven't seen the original so I accept that they are going to borrow while they try to get an audience.

Second fave was probably the "drive from Switzerland to Blackpool on one tank of gas" challenge. Did James ever make it at all?

They all made it. I have no idea how.

Someone must have been replaced their gas tanks with menorahs.

what channel does Top Gear: US come on? i'm kind of intrigued.