My Week in a Stolen Moment

Since Monday, Valentine's Day, is not a good date day, Amy and I had our Val-Day date on Saturday. First we went to the Cincinnati Library, and, while I took notes on El Amarna from a reference book, Amy read a book on "the white image in the black mind" in the early 20th century. Afterwards we walked around downtown and got Indian take-out for dinner (me: chicken vindaloo, she: vegetable jalfrezi). If you are inclined to think this is a dull V-Day outing, then you are young, foolish, and altogether unmindful of how difficult it is for two married scholars to get some time together.

Tuesday the temperature got up into the sixties, and I took a walk in a short-sleeved shirt (!). I was surprised at the ecstasy I felt; you don't realize how bullied you are by the winter and the permacloud until both show signs of leaving.

Yesterday was New Comics Day. I never cease to be amazed at the quality of the writing, especially the dialogue, in some of the comics today. The Runaways, based on the one issue I've read, is a good example. Fables is also a terrifically good concept. After getting the new comics, The Lad and I played some hoops; at this point my height, cunning, and shamelessly fouling defense are a match for his youth, vigor, and superior skillz. But "he must increase, and I must decrease."

I also picked up a record yesterday. (Do people still say "record"? My kids laugh at me for calling a CD a record; but I figure if something is recorded, it's a record.) It's by The Last Town Chorus, and I highly recommend it. Two instruments, lapsteel and acoustic guitar, with the female voice, produce some tracks of otherworldly beauty. Their website is here, with a generous number of free mp3's. Check it out.

I promise I will get back to cudgeling Garbini before the week is out; stay tuned.