And they leave the door open for a sequel

I have no regrets about enrolling at a law school on the West coast. From what visiting lawyers came and told us at school, the environment out East is a lot more stressful, somehow more competitive and quite pernicious. One Vancouver lawyer even told us that he could tell where a lawyer was from just from a few words on the telephone. Obviously he could divine a stress level from the timbre of a voice - either that or he heard foghorns in the background and took a wild guess.

Anyway, it wasn't until I found out this news that I felt a tinge of regret. The Rolling Stones and Beck. "Torn and Frayed" and "Nicotine and Gravy" in one concert. It's like someone kidnapped Santa, pumped him for information about what I wanted, and then ransomed it out in Ontario. I'd at least hope Santa puts up more of a fight than Jack Bauer's assault team member did during his torture in the season finale of 24:

"Give us a na-"
"Jack Bauer!"

More lighthearted musical news: Louis XIV seem more like Spinal Tap each time I turn and look. Recall this classic conversation from the film:

Derek: You know, we've grown musically. I mean, listen to some of the rubbish we did early on, it was stupid...
Marty: Yeah.
Derek: Now, I mean a song like "Sex Farm," we're taking a sophisticated view of the idea of sex, you know...
Marty: ...and putting it on a farm?
Derek: Yeah.

Now read how Jason Hill, frontman for Louis, explains that songs like "Paper Doll" from an album with this cover, are actually love letters in adoration of women. Ten bucks says this band has a tough time at airport security screeners. That said, I still love their music.

From the same site, a good interview with Eels frontman on how to achieve "twinkliness" on an album. (Still no Rolling Stone review for the album - an injustice. And I mean that in the full legal sense. Punishable by up to life in prison. Which puts Pitchfork at about ten dozen concurrent life sentences.)

Finally finished the mammoth tome that is Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Any book that goes on for 800 pages runs a risk of failing to deliver an ending that is sufficiently satisfying. Clarke thankfully escapes that fate. How does it end? Naturally, Strange catches Norrell at the airport at the last minute before his plane departs, declares his love, and they kiss as the screen fades to black.

So, after Safran-Foer, Gladwell, Diamond and Doyle, I'm aiming for Elmore Leonard's new book. Damn, he stole the title for my autobiography.