I've half started an entry a few times this week, but haven't been able to complete a thought. I've been reading quite a bit, but I don't feel like putting a lot of energy into reviews. R. Scott Bakker's "Prince of Nothing" is the start of a promising fantasy series similiar to George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones". Barbara Kingsolver's mainstream novel "Prodigal Summer" was a richly descriptive story about three people living in a forested area of rural Kentucky. Patricia McKillip is a well established fantasy author who lately has been writing beautifully worded short novels which can best be described as morally ambiguous fairy tales. "The Alphabet of Thorn" is the best of the series so far, and I liked "Song for the Basilisk" least.

Saw Shakespeare's "The Tempest" last night at another free performance (quite different venue though - a small village fifty miles away from the city park where "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream" was performed). Although the language was very impressive, the characters seemed over dramatic and the ending was a bit flat. I think it was worth going to though, and I may try more Shakespeare in the future.

I'm continuing to work on my computer linked piano lessons. I average a little less than 1/2 an hour per day. I've got the first five keys down and can do a number of tunes, but I'm going back and focusing on developing my rhythmic skills now. This means consciously counting 1,2,3,4 for each measure while looking at finger placements numbered 1,2,3,4,5 and skipping and holding for half notes and whole notes where appropriate.
So the music might read
3,3,4,5, - 5,4,3,2 - 1,1,2,3 - 3,2,1(hold),
but while thinking about placing my fingers according to that scheme I have to count
1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4.
It's a bit confusing but I'm working at it slowly.

I'm a bit upset with the new dentist I went to. I switched because my old dentist had screwed up fixing a broken tooth three times. This new one just pulled out the old root and was making arrangements for a partial plate to cover the gaps, but she decided that one of my teeth, which did not have any new cavities, needed the old filling replaced and a porcelain crown put on. Since this tooth was right next to where the partial plate will go, I figured I might as well get it done. However, in the process of removing the old filling, she dug too deep and exposed a nerve, so right in middle of her work she suddenly informed me that I will need a root canal, essentially because of her decision to put in the new filling. I think once the root canal is done, I am done with her. There wasn't really anything wrong with the tooth. What she was doing was supposed to save the tooth from future problems, but instead created a much bigger problem.

Slow week at work, which means I didn't put in any overtime like I normally do. This coming week I have a number of hearings lined up. On Tuesday I give a presentation to our board of directors on the drug treatment court we are setting.



Probably going on a hike today unless the girlfriend wants to do something. Thursday, I'm taking half the day off to go the State Fair and see "Yes" in concert with my brother 6 of 12. Should be fun.

Ok. that about covers it. Another exciting week in my life.