I just ordered Philip Glass' "Orphee Suite" from Amazon. I like the idea of sitting here in the coffeeshop ordering things on the Tare Panda Laptop. (I was always thrilled and envious when Alessandra at bel_ebat would sit in geology lecture and order a Canon Powershot sd1000 on her new MacBook) Having a laptop that I'm actually able to go mobile with is still a new thing for me--- I still have a sense of novelty in ordering things from a table here.

My plan is to--- finally ---buy an iPod next week. Then I'll have to download iTunes and learn how to use it. I wouldn't mind having most of my CDs loaded onto it. As much as I like listening to the ambient channel on Epitonic.com at work, I like the idea of listening to old synthpop favourites while drafting pleadings there at my desk. I'm still daunted by the one how-to-use-your-iPod book I've seen. Why would the book need to be twice as thick as an average novel?

Still--- I am sending out a call here for playlist suggestions. I'm always open to suggestions for new music. I've been in a trip-hop/ambient/electronica phase, but I'm open to most things.

Last night Sundance Channel showed a documentary about Sigur Ros--- brilliant shots of terrain in Iceland, lovely interiors of Icelandic farmhouses. The Vanished (and deeply-missed) Christian Alexander at McEarstix went to Iceland once and posted photos of herself with a small, shaggy Icelandic pony. I did love the photo--- all the best countries have small, shaggy ponies. The Sigur Ros documentary--- lovely music, too. I'd never really heard them before. I might have to listen to them. And I really want to see the documentary again just for the landscapes...

The leggy Sarah at sarahmarie02 is a fan of Sia. I will have to look into her music. The descriptions at Amazon do sound intriguing.

It occurs to me that I've never actually heard an Interpol song. I recall seeing one Interpol video long ago--- the video was with the young Anakin Skywalker: lots of massed clone troopers and fades to Lord Vader in his armour. Does anyone recall the name of the song/video? I always hesitate to tell Lissy at emigree this, but I've just utterly lost touch with indie rock. I think the pettable little K-dot at citydress is aware of my tenuous grasp on alternative music in the last few years. I tend to go back to the synthpop/electronica/darkwave music of my Lost Youth, and to ambient/experimental music and Japanese jazz. (Let's not even think about me at two in the morning, dancing alone in my rooms to Sisters of Mercy or early Duran Duran. At least I don't wield my katana against lawn furniture any more) Well, suggestions are always appreciated. I need to be open to new things. Sometimes I do just have to get out of my rooms.

Arthur Phillips' "Prague"... I always liked it that the story is set in Budapest. The idea of course is that the circle of American expats in Buda are convinced that all the really hip and cool people are in Prague, that it's Prague that's the new Paris-in-the-Twenties and that they're stuck in Budapest while the Hip Scene is elsewhere. (Remember Emily Listfield's early-'80s novel about the East Village scene--- "It Was Gonna Be Like Paris"?) I suppose that if you'd gone to Prague in the early '90s you'd have watched a Hip Scene flower, but that even in Prague, Tallinn or Helsinki may be the hovering Next Big Thing--- the place just over the horizon that you're missing out on.

Buenos Aires--- isn't B.A. the certfied Next Big Thing these days?

If I'm going to start dowloading music and films, I'll need headphones. I think--- think ---that I may have a set. Back last fall I bought a portable DVD player. It's there in a shoulder bag on a small table in my bedroom. (Yes-- I know: since I have it, I might actually want to watch films on it while in bed) I recall going to Radio Shack and looking for headphones, so there may just be a pair around.

I can ask Lissy at emigree about music. I'll ask Sarah at sarahmarie02 as well. Caitlin at kissmecaitlin has a solid grounding in arcane and obscure music, too. And I rather think Ginny at ginny_mccoo might have interesting tastes. I hope many a lovely clever wicked reader-and-correspondent will send playlists and music recommendations. I haven't had luck with subway maps and postcards from distant cities, but it's always possible that playlists will come in.

I'd meant to go up to my former suburb today and check my old mailbox. There are things there I need to check. But I didn't get to sleep 'til vur' late, and when I did wake up I just didn't care. I can always go next Saturday. The post office windows there are open from 0900 'til 1100 on Saturdays, and my box has probably overflowed. So--- go pick up stacks o' mail at the window, buy more stamps, walk across to the Big Box store next to the post office. It's really just a matter of finding the energy--- which is surprising, given that every workday for years I drove from there to here, and that on any given Saturday for years and years I'd get up and drive from the suburb down to the university without a thought. Gasoline wasn't four dollars, of course; that may be part of the reason. But I do have to get up to my postbox. I really do.

I can hear the ditdahditditditditdah of telegraph sex in my head. That may be a clue to go find lunch and then go hope and nap...or lie out by the pool and read.

Anyway--- I hope lovely wicked clever readers-and-correspondents will send playlists... And that people will both read "Prague" and watch "My Blueberry Nights" and tell me their thoughts...