Sobering

Sober Nixon had a second rehearsal with our new guitar player last night, and things are progressing swimmingly. He's learning our set list slowly but surely, and he plays really well. Or least he seems to play well to me. Even though I played guitar myself for a few years back in the '80's, I don't claim to be any kind of expert. I'm so excited we finally found a guitarist we like, though. As much as I love my karaoke habit, I miss my cover band habit.

I'd also like to develop a song writing habit, but we'll take things one step at a time.

Far more sobering than Sober Nixon is the earthquake in Japan. Never underestimate Mother Nature, gentle readers. The good news, in my world anyway, is that my mother in Honolulu is fine, given that the tsunami generated by the massive temblor did little damage by the time it reached Hawaii. We also sustained minimal tsunami-related damage here in Northern California, although some boats and harbors have been damaged, and one poor fellow in Humboldt County was swept out to sea when he and his friends decided to head to the shore to take pictures of the tsunami. He is presumed to be dead.

May I say again: never underestimate Mother Nature.

I think all my new books really are starting to overwhelm me. The problem is that I'm impatient. I've been buying so many books lately, and I want to read every one right away. Last weekend I picked up a copy of Dorothy Parker's Complete Short Stories, and I have had to sit on my hands to keep from tearing into it.

However, my slightly obsessive habit of reading books in the order I purchased them continues. To that end, Dorothy has to wait, and I have to work through the many novels ahead of her.

So in an effort to move the book queue along, I have started reading two books at once. Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem is my new public transit book, and Robert Goolrick's A Reliable Wife now serves as my at-home reading. Because I'm reading them simultaneously, however, I haven't made much progress on either, and I can't really tell you how much I like either one yet.

Do you happen to remember an episode of "Gilmore Girls" when Lorelei teases Rory about bringing so many books she doesn't really need to school that she can't fit them all into her backpack? I'm not in high school anymore, but I may be the adult, real-life version of Rory.