flexagon | Defensive systems... *clunk*... engaged, cap'n.

I'm not sure there's anything weirder than having to field a 10-minute conversation with a guy who invariably comes around to the topic of interpersonal relations and how I should read all these books and get better at it, yet insists on sarcastically belittling any achievement anyone ever relates. (As a typical example, he saw my wedding rings a while back and reacted with that's it?) I don' t even react to this person as a person anymore... just a system I have to deal with using rules I've found over the years. It tires me out to deal with it though. He's like some bizarre walking mockery of friendliness & mentorship made by an unkind sculptor.

iTunes for Windows is transforming my working experience this week, though. About eight people here have it already (it was released last Thursday), and since it allows sharing-not-copying of ripped CDs over a LAN, I suddenly have gigs and gigs of other people's music I can easily listen to. I've spent almost my entire workweek listening to new-to-me stuff. I'm burning albums to my own drive too--today's big additions are Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis and Hysteria by Def Leppard. Yup, those go together well. <grin>