When my daughters were very small, I treasured every moment I had to myself. Fifteen minutes of quiet time to read or sew were more precious than any jewels. As they grew older and more self-sufficient the time I had to spend as I pleased became more plentiful, but there still never seems to be enough. Tonight I had about 45 minutes to have dinner at a local cafe while Caitlin was at karate class. It still didn't seem like an adequate amount of time caught between the worlds of work and home.

The cafe has recently installed an enormous aquarium between the two sections of the dining area (the restaurant is part of a large independent book and music store). The fish are grotesquely large, almost enough so to appear deformed. There are about a dozen of them in the tank, representing three or four different varieties. This evening the ones at my end of the aquarium, that look like parti-colored overgrown goldfish, but rounder, were attacking each other vigorously, their mouths gaping open, their eyes full of aggression (as much as fish eyes can be full of anything). Then again perhaps they were just flirting and I've forgotten what mating rituals look like.

Books: Loser Goes First by Dan Kennedy has been added to my wish list, after reading a very positive review in Salon.

Music: My radio station is about to start their fall fund drive. This follows on the heels of their summer solstice, midsummer, late summer, right before Labor Day, and back to school fund drives. I've always thought I'd be far more inclined to contribute if there was a secret radio frequency that they would only reveal to people who pledge. But, because I'm strongly motivated by guilt, I donate to them annually and switch to CDs during their numerous fund drives. I stopped giving for a few years in protest of their "commercial free" tag line, which was an outright lie, considering the volume of "Cowboy Bob's Tattoo Ranch is a proud supporter of WXPN" sponsors that were mentioned on air. When they finally changed their slogan to "member supported", I restarted my membership in their CD of the month club. Most recently received CD: Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Unclassified. I haven't listened to this one yet.

Movies/TV: The incessantly beeping organizer episode of Seinfeld. "War, what is it good for" is also prominently featured. Georgy Girl just started - one of those 60's semi-classic movies that I've never seen.