I still enjoy "Burn to Shine," but that's mostly for the quiet sort-of-a-concept album of the stages of a relationship vibe that it gives off. I felt it was more effective than "The Will to Live" (though "Faded" is probably his strongest song), but "Diamonds on the Inside" just killed any sort of momentum for fandom.…

"Goodness, they merged successfully… my heart… was in my throat."

@Preparation Heche - Really? Crap, I'd been avoiding her articles for years already because of her shrill, unfunny stylings… now I've got extra ammo.

I cant recall which episode it's from, but "edumacation" is firmly etched in my brain - and I'm a teacher.

I bogged down in "Anathem" the first time during Apert - I just couldn't quite get into the headspace at the time. (Granted, I was trying to read it during the busiest and most upheaval-heavy phase of my life - teaching, directing, and becoming a parent of twins.) I started over on Christmas holidays the same year…

"How to Disappear Completely" by Radiohead
It's guaranteed to be on any mp3 player I'd own, and it seems like a perfect song to fade out to. If time permitted, I'd hit up "[Sulk]" from "The Bends" - if only to see if I made it through to "Street Spirit (Fade Out)," though I'd have my doubts on that one…

If you've got the DVD, never, ever listen to the commentary. It's the most phoned-in, indifferent crap commentary I've heard. (Granted, I really only listen to "The Simpsons" commentaries, but still…) I'm not sure that the production team cares about "Top Secret!" that much in retrospect.

All it takes is reading that and I've already hit it up on Youtube. Gosh, I still love that song and video.

Porkchop sandwiches!

@Someone Who Knows: January 5th? But I want it now…

Friendly suggestion: make sure you've got a decent exit plan from grad school, too. Will the degree help you in the long run? Or are you just marking time (and, likely, idiot first-year papers)?

It'll spoiler some things, but jump forward to watch one of the classics from mid-run to get an idea of whether it'll work for you or not. I always recommend "Afternoon Delight" since it's probably the least dependent on characters or continuity of the other greats, like "The Immaculate Election" or "Good Grief."

Man, now I want to watch "Cause and Effect." I wonder where the reruns are on Space…

Curse you, Flaubert Cooper!

There's a few essays in "How to Be Alone" that are worth the price of admission. I'd rather read Franzen on lit and reading than BR Myers. And the essays on prisons and the post office were pretty decent.

Sommalian Sommelier - I think he's got a new one out for September. "README" or something like that, if I recall, is the title.

Eh, Lukin's alright. There's better stuff on "No Code."

Pearl Jam "Bugs"
If the key word is "derail" for this article, then "Bugs" on "Vitalogy" has to be up there. This isn't to take anything away from the horror of "Heyfoxeymophandlemamma, thatsme" at the end of the disc, but "Bugs" still makes me gnash my teeth all these years later.

More "damn you VanDerWerff" sentiment -

Ben Folds Fan - There's few things better than essays about Sedaris's brother… and those few things are essays about Sedaris in French language school in "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and the essential Christmas-in-Holland essay "Six to Eight Black Men" from "Dress Your Family…" I have to remember to dig that one out to…