I had my first “real” session with the new chiropractor last night. If you’ve been to the “back cracker” you know the drill; at some point, therapeutic violence will be done to your musculo-skeletal system. And at that point, you’ll make a loud “Whuff!” sound and hear alarming crackling sounds transmitted not through the air to your ears from without, but through your bones to your ears from within.

Did that. Yep. No T-shirt, though. And I’ve been snap, crackle, poppin’ all day since then. My neck was temporarily loosened up last night (the masseur, Tyrone, went town on several “knots” in my back, shoulders, and neck). And today, it’s kind of tightened up again on the left side. All day at work, I consciously tried to sit right, stand right, and remind myself to relax the muscles in my arms and shoulders.

I was only partly successful, it was kind of a hairy (yet productive) day. Next week, however, my TL is off Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving me in charge. This does not make me feel relaxed and happy and all-powerful. No, I would say that this makes me tense, in all senses of the word.

Love my job. Love my job. Love my job.

Anyway, I went ahead and signed on for a series of “adjustments” with the chiro. She wanted to see me 3 times a week… well, that would be interesting, but painful, so no. I made 2 appointments for next week instead.

I think I can deal with that.

In the meantime, I was driving home last night from the chiro and from working out and heard this amazing song on the radio. It turned out it was Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven doing a live show for WXRT. The song was a cover of Ike Reilly’s “Duty Free.” It’s a cut on their album “Countrysides.” Damn, what a catchy tune – I started belting out the chorus as I drove, even though I’d never heard it before and only had a vague clue where the tune was going and what the words were.

It was absolutely the happiest, best “I’ve got to get the fuck out of the USA and back to Ireland” song I’d ever heard. I’m not sure, but I think there’s a little HoYay in there as well. Lyrics are here.

I had a chance to see Cracker live in Seattle about a million years ago at a KNDD Christmas Show (maybe the first one, in 1990 or 1991?). Great show, great act. Jeez, that really WAS one meeelion years ago. They played with Evan Dando (not sure if the Lemondrops were backing him) and… ugh, Urge Overkill. I remember Cracker as being quirky funny campy country punk, but the Camper Van Beethoven mystique hung over them as well. There was some mention in the radio palaver after the songs last night of another incarnation, “Ironic Mullets.

Anyway, the music I heard – raw, live and really good – took my mind off my wacky cracking back, and I was happy to hear that wacky Cracker’s back.