Swinging back into things. Ryan Adams' first solo record is even better than his new one. It brought Samarrah in here asking to borrow "Stranger's Almanac." I got up at about noon, wrote a review of the Strokes record, and wrapped up my trip journal, just as a familiar voice called down the hall - "bonjour." Joel got me to get up and out and we walked through yet another sunny October Sunday the long way around to the Countryside Market, where I think I ordered the same thing as last spring with the Blechers. "Kohlberg Hall," black bread with granny smiths, emmenthal, swiss, turkey, and a Strawberry-Banana smoothie, which was way too thick and creamy and sweet and salty. On the way back we talked about Obie and Yale culture, passed Kitao, and ran into Alex and David, back from the AIDS walk. We co-opted and carried more plastic bags home.

Last night Liza came over bearing a box of lentil pilaf, which we augmented with vegetables and Annies for a hearty, tasty gruel that we couldn't eat more than half of. I was a little bit apprehensive about being with her before we had our dis cus sion but it was fine, she frolicked but didn't try to touch me, it was pretty natural. She had been more or less expecting it, and was somewhat dissapointed but pretty much okay. I told her a lot about the Beta Band and my grandparents. She talked about assorted artists and ideas, or mumbled rather, she talks so quiet sometimes it drives me crazy. I played "Frontier Psychiatrist" for her and she remembered having seen the video on MTV a while ago. I don't understand that since the album hasn't even come out in the States yet, but whatever. I found it online and we watched it; it's a really cool video for a great song, check it out. That inspired me to show her some of the Bjork videos from Volumen. I couldn't get the computer hooked up to the TV (a piece is missing), and it was making weird squeaks for a while. Then she left to do her polysci work and I read about orgies in Pynchon.