I'm not sure what I've done to deserve this, but here's the situation. I will be attending a conference in Minneapolis that starts on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. I want to drive there and back, because I'm yearning for a road trip. However, the spring tour dates for Nine Inch Nails were just announced and they'll be playing at a little venue near me on the Friday and Saturday of Memorial day weekend.

See, Trent Reznor hates me.

I have a few options:

• Drive like a madwoman. It can be done, according to a reliable source, but it will involve two very long days. Not at all the gentle sightseeing I'd envisioned. And the quickest route on the way there would involve travelling alone through a part of Texas. I doubt I'm welcome in Texas, except for in Austin. I could have a leisurely trip back, though.
• Fly to Minneapolis and rent a car to come back. Eh. Not my first choice. This gets expensive, and I'd probably want a car in Minneapolis, too, to do some sightseeing. I'm assuming there is some sightseeing. Am I being too optimistic?
• Skip the conference altogether. Um, no. One of my TAs and I are already planning a presentation and I've never been to Minneapolis or anywhere else in that area. Me wanna go!
• Skip the concert and gamble they'll add more dates after the European summer tour. I could do this. I could bring my And All That Could Have Been DVD to watch in hotel rooms and lust after Trent without all the little boys getting creeped out by an old lady while they're weeping through Hurt. To make up for the loss, I could plan an extra day to spend in Rocky Mountain National Park, which has been calling to me since my visit last year.

See the quandary I'm in? But if I complained to Trent, what could he say, but:

don't think you're having all the fun
you know me, i hate everyone

From the song "Wish", no less. Bastard!