Dear Seth,

Hey, guess what! I am getting my just desserts. (I've never understood that saying.)

Last night I was in a very awkward social situation and I felt like I was snubbed. What's more, these were my friends.

Rather than get worked up about it, though, I left and got a burrito. A good burrito goes a long way toward assuaging the pain of a wounded ego.

Then I got up this morning and bought a $29.99 DVD player. And some chocolate covered strawberries. And a whole giant 24 pack of Charmin.

So here's what I've learned: acquisition of material goods really does make it better.

*

I have 7 types of cheese and 5 different pork products in my refrigerator.

I have quite a few non-sequiturs in my back pocket.

*

Tony Tost requests I discuss a song from the new BPB. Coming soon.

My initial impression of the whole album: this may be BPB's most traditionally beautiful album. There are moments here (sadly, no entire songs) that equal anything in his career. However, the record has a, for lack of a better word, sterile feel. There's no warmth, despite the beauty. Instead of making the listener feel the emotions being sung about, the songs here stand apart from us. We observe someone else sad, yearning, resignedly savoring small moments of joy. But it's not US. It's this crazy bald dude with a big-ass beard.