I'm Back, Baby.

This morning as I was walking into town, I, for the first time ever, was listening to some preliminary mixes of songs from the upcoming School for the Dead album, "Telephone Built For Two".

My back wasn't hurting. My head wasn't spinning. I felt pretty much normal, so much so, in fact, that I wasn't even thinking about my physical self at all. I was just listening, and I was very pleased with what I was hearing.

Normally the first run of mixes is more of a downer than an upper. But, man, this time, everything sounded really great. I only heard the first few songs as I crunched my way along the frozen sidewalk but what I heard made me really happy. The mixes were pure, you could hear everything just right and the singing was much better than I had previously thought.

I noted a few things here and there to turn up or down, or a spot where a glockenspiel could be advantageous, but for the most part, things are sounding very finished. What a great way to start a day.

I found myself walking slower than normal so that I could hear more of the album. At one point while I strolled through the wintery neighborhoods, there was a break between songs and I heard a strange violent squawking above my head. I turned to look up and saw, about ten feet above me, three crows chasing and pecking at a huge hawk. They disappeared over a snowy roof and through some barren branches and I continued on, realizing that I didn't feel woozy or dizzy from turning and looking up like that.

I believe I visibly smiled as I realized I was starting to feel like myself once again. Knock on wood. Seriously. Find some wood and knock on it right now.

Thank you.