I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide

Actually, I'm just in Texas.

I redeemed some frequent-flyer miles for a week of Lone Star sightseeing and ballgames, okay?

After my plane touched down Sunday night at the gi-freakin'-normous DFW -- bringing my states-I’ve-visited total to 33 -- I dined at Taco Bueno. (Bobby Hill loves TB, but I didn't realize it was an actual place!)

Then today I crammed my face at other chains of various sizes, ones not indigenous to the Northwest: Waffle House for breakfast, a cherry limeade at Braum's, a killer BBQ beef sammich at Sonny Bryan's, and a Whataburger at Whataburger (sorta like eating a Burgermaster at Burgermaster). I also took a whiz at Texas Stadium, did some research at the Dallas Public Library, and visited TBN in Irving (I've previously been to Paul and Jan Crouch's similarly gaudy facilities in Orange County and outside Nashville).

My motel is a 20-minute walk alongside Six Flags Over Texas to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, where tonight I witnessed the M's snap a six-game skidmark by beating the Texas nine, 5-4. Ichiro was awesome, going three-for-five (including a three-run, stand-up triple), falling a homer short of the cycle.

Yep.