Wow, it seems like I have doing this series for almost as long as I was on vacation. So to speed up the process, I am just taking selective tweets and elaborating on them and their meaning.
By the way, if for whatever reason you haven't read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3, follow the links.
a guy on the street asked me for 23 cents today. i think he was a big lebron fan. #vacation #whimsy 9:29 PM Aug 3rd
dear #memphis if i go off on the next panhandler, its your fault. you have a problem in your city. 9:47 PM Aug 4th
These tweets, although a day apart, definitely go together. If there were two negatives in Memphis it was the mosquitoes (worse than in Florida), and the beggars. By Day 2 I realized wearing my Rays made me an obvious tourist. So did going to the ATM, carrying souvenirs, wearing a blues-related t-shirt, or generally being on Beale St. It is one thing to be asked for a dollar once in a while, but the Memphis homeless do nothing short of harass people. I know the economy is rough, but my kindness has limits.
Greetings once again from #memphis. @ gibson #guitar factory. why no cameras allowed? 1:02 PM Aug 4th
Question not asked @ #gibson #guitar factory: where do they make air guitars? 1:47 PM Aug 4th
Being that Memphis is one of America's music capitals, it only makes sense that someone build instruments there. And there is no missing the Gibson Guitar plant. Although they don't really make clear how to buy a ticket, the plant is definitely worth checking out. Did you know a majority of the time it takes to make a guitar is spent on painting and lacquering? And that when a mistake is made the Gibson Guitar people don't fret?
Just ate @ rendezvous in #memphis. damn good ribs. 9:42 PM Aug 4th
No trip to Memphis is complete without a visit to Rendezvous for some ribs, so said several people when I told them of my pending trip. With so many recommendations, I had to check it out. It did not disappoint. Fantastic. And to boot I sat next to two locals who told me about the city, the landmarks, and suggested several things for me to do while in town. Did I mention Rendezvous was around the corner from my hotel? Great times, indeed.
thanks #rays tweeters. on vacation, following the game thru you guys. 10:25 PM Aug 4th
come on #rays tweeters give me good news. i'm on beale st and i dont want the blues. 11:40 PM Aug 4th
if i am drunk before the #rays win, we have a problem. i started drinkin in 8th inning. #rays 11:53 PM Aug 4th
oops not trying to jinx, i meant whenb #rays end. stupid beer tweeting there. 11:58 PM Aug 4th
yay #rays i'll tip a shiner bock for ya. thanks #rays tweeters! 12:14 AM Aug 5th
My use of Twitter while in Memphis wasn't just commenting and pushing opinions. Through Twitter I was able to follow along as the Rays took on the rival Boston Red Sox. Rays fans such as @RaysIndex, @m_weber, and @draysbay provided plenty of real-time updates throughout what would eventually become a 13 inning marathon. Although I could have sought game updates on ESPN.com or some other sports site, reading along on Twitter made the experience much more authentic. Like fellow Rays fans were right there alongside me.
Tune in tomorrow as I discuss my trip to Sun Records, the Stax Museum, and Graceland, home of the King.
