Finally, I'm already a lurker except in this thread anymore, but even that will soon diminish a bit more as my four glorious though very cashpoor months of repose is over. I got a job (but haven't started yet). And it will allow like zero fun computer time (it's a startup/in-transition graphics company that barely has desks much less cubes or walls or any privacy). Boo!! But more money (even than I was making before). Yay!!

Awww, tina, I was just about to email you today to check in with you - it'd been so long since I'd seen you posting here. But then I realized I probably had your old work email. Anyway, glad you've got new work, but wish to see you around here more often.

Awww, tina, I was just about to email you today to check in with you - it'd been so long since I'd seen you posting.

Thanks, Hec. I hope to be around in the evenings at least. I can't be without the dear and wonderful buffistas! My profile addy is and will probably always be good for any who need to contact me.

And who knows maybe this job won't "take" and I'll be back on the blessed unemployment in a few weeks with all the 'net time I could want!

Music story sidenote: On my b-day last week I had a bunch of people over and we were in my apt. pool and it was midnight or so and we were drinking champagne out of the bottles and no shit, the song that came up on my iTunes (my crappy laptop and speakers were our music source) was "Nightswimming" by REM. I didn't even know it was in there and had never heard it come up before. Out of 1,357 songs. I love my iTunes. It was surreal and perfect - I'll never forget it.

Music Magic! I had a very indie pop day, with much influence from Tina. Loaded Shins, Postal Service, Sufjan Stevens and Fiery Furnace on my compute at work. Listened to Shins taking Emmett to camp this morning (it's still great) and Sufjan on the way home (mostly very lovely).

Postal Service is awesome.

I'm currently listening to the best of Jona Lewie. Which is great fun, it's like an extended musical joke. (And early techno!) Though Louise was my favourite song for some years. (When I was at school I worked out these things, and did not change them lightly.)

Aw, Tina. I'm happy that you're making more money, but can't they factor in the slacking-off so that we can see more of you?

It's always worth getting some Hank Williams out. The man wrote & recorded so many great (and sometimes harrowing) songs that it's hard to believe how short his career & life were. There's a reason that the other greats idolize him.

Joe, I just checked, and it looks like my spamfilter's been overprotective again. I think I fixed it, so if you could re-send ...

I just re-sent it, erin. Let me know if you get it. Maybe the attachment was the problem.

The caller right now to the Leonard Lopate show is a German guy who apparently learned to speak English in Australia. What a strange accent. And this is even kinda on-topic because "word maven Patricia T. O'Conner" is on for her monthly visit. Erin, this should be your gig. O'Conner never has anything useful to say. Caller A: "What's the etymology of the phrase ___?" O'Conner: "I don't know. I've always wondered that, too." Caller B: "___ is often used to mean such and such, but I thought it meant ___. Is that an acceptable usage?" O'Conner: "I've never heard the word. I'll have to look that up." Do I expect her to know everything? Of course not. But if she's going to be promoted as a "word maven" and have a regular gig as an authority on language she should be able to answer a friggin' question on occasion.

I had something to say about music but have forgotten it in my irritation. Lopate's back from the PSA & is playing Sarah Vaughan's "Three Little Words". Very nice. I feel much better now.

The caller right now to the Leonard Lopate show is a German guy who apparently learned to speak English in Australia.

I once bought a carpet off a Turk with an Australian accent. It seemed the least I could do.

Some songs are holy to me, and therefore, using one of these holy songs to sell soda seems blasphemous. One such song is the Rolling Stones' You Can't Always Get What You Want.

Led Zeppelin's Rock n' Roll also should not be used to sell trucks. It's the only song to which I will play the air drums at a stop light. It is therefore holy and should not be used to sell a truck.

I'm making a mental list of songs which are holy. Baba O'Reilly by The Who. The Cars' All Mixed Up, though I like the Red House Painters' version just as well. Supremes' I Hear a Symphony.

Sweet Jane. I'll Be You (Replacements). Dilate, Ani DiFranco.

These songs are holy and make me not want to buy your product when (if) you use them, because you have blasphemed and caused me to associate your product with a song that was previously associated with a gorgeous memory of something both good and pure.