For the Record...

YES: I am finishing the reviews of Episodes I-III of STAR WARS.

Episode II is already written; the hold-up is finding the time to get all the screen captures I need. Besides the ongoing storm that is being a parent I'm coordinating two national system roll outs for my company simultaneously, which wouldn't be as hard if my boss hadn't decided to take a 2 1/2 week vacation right smack dab in the middle of it. So I'm back and forth to Phoenix a few times over the next couple weeks, then Baton Rouge, LA and Houston, TX before coming home for a week and then going back out to Austin and then Seattle.

YES: I did buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.

But I didn't stand on line at midnight on Friday - I walked into a store like a normal person on Saturday afternoon where there were no lines and thousands of copies left. I got half off the book a and a free poster. The Missus always reads the book first, so while I'm away she's re-reading Book 6 and then plunging into Book 7. I have a stack of about 15 books I'm dying to get to before Deathly Hollows, so unless I find it impossible to close my ears to all the talk (which may be likely), I don't intend to read it for a least a month or two.

NO: I STILL haven't finished a mix tape for Sean to critique.

This is purely my bad. I'm lazy and every time I begin to make one, I can;t agree on a unifying theme or sequence. Plus, I'm trying hard to choose songs I think he'll like AND that he doesn't already know. I have a plan now and should have something ready soon, and the hope is to make it available to download for any of you who would like it for yourselves. I personally guarantee everyone will enjoy at least 2 songs!

YES: I finally found an independent music store that specializes in Metal.

And it's not even in Manhattan! It's smack in the middle of Long Island, only a mile or so down the road from my house, and will most likely be the bane of my wallet and ears in due time. It called Slipped Disc Records, and they have an enormous Iron Maiden poster in the window. I found an import of the new Akercocke record and the re-issue of DBC's Universe, which I listened to nonstop almost 20 years ago and thought was gone from my life forever. There's documentary (believe it or not) about the store on You Tube you can watch here.

NO: I would think the answer to that is obvious.

That why my hands are always shaking.