It looked like the Patty Griffin show nearly sold out tonight.

As I talked about this concert over the past weeks, everyone had to ask who she was... I was afraid there wouldn't be much of an audience.

But it was one of the most eclectic crowds I've seen in awhile -- and another successful booking for Mr. Oswald.

Hooray.

After two evenings of network news, I've heard too much of the wrong stuff about the price of gas already. Gas is not going to get cheaper in the short or long term, so get over it, Vilsack and all.

I've been places where gas is double the price we pay in Des Moines, and chaos did not reign in the streets. In fact, such places were enjoyable.

Those cities were not vast pads of concrete. People were seen together on trains and buses, or they were walking and riding bicycles to get wherever they needed to be. Riding bicycles... what a novel idea.

But even if a whole lot of people decide to move their feet this week, I suspect there will still be stories to tell about the price of gas and the inconvenience of being American right now.

Time to find something else to think about.