The update: my cream of potato soup grades as a C, on the scale where C is average [as opposed to, oh, say, B+]. I found a good, simple recipe: potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, chicken broth, salt, pepper, parsley, milk, butter. Only one problem, which greatly dragged down the quality of my meal: the recipe called for 3 cups of chicken broth, and the broth I had comes in 14 oz cans. Those of you who have basic knowledge of conversion factors will see the problem by now. I didn't. So I filled one cup, poured it into a container of some sort. Filled another cup and, just as I had feared, essentially emptied the first can. That is, 1 can=about 2 cups. This left me three options: I could go with two cups of chicken broth, or I could pour a third cup of broth [and save the rest of the can for use at a later date] or I could empty a second can. I chose option three. Probably should have chosen option one. Result? A less creamy cream of potato soup. But it happens, and perhaps I've learned my lesson.
Is this convoluted? Usually is.

I think a sad development in the mid-nineties was Victoria Williams moving to the forefront as alt-country (or americana, or no depression, or y'allternative...I prefer alt-country)'s answer to Yoko Ono. You see, as I recall, Mark Olson, one of two songwriters/harmonizers for the Jayhawks, left the band in the mid-nineties, leaving his partner, Gary Louris, to become the band's de facto front man, or at least primary, SOLO, songwriter. From what I've heard [which is the second album after the dissolution, Smile, which featured the mild radio hit "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"], the new Jayhawks sort of suck. The old Jayhawks [Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow the Green Grass Jayhawks] were the anti-suck. In fact, they ruled.

So what does Victoria Williams have to do with this? Well, she's married to Mark Olson, and they've got this Honey Creekdippers [or something similar] band going. I've not heard them, so I shouldn't criticize. But I sure miss the old Jayhawks. Yoko!

As research for this uninformed rambling, I was just reading a few reviews at all music guide [a fine resource indeed], and somewhere it referred to the Jayhawks as friends of Wilco. I wonder if they're friends anymore. I doubt it. Seems Jeff Tweedy's too good for his friends. It happens.