Monday. Driving back from Berkeley last night, listening to the car radio, I heard for the first time Tripoli had begun to fall. OK. So I listened to the radio and then dialed in Al Jazeera on the Roku box when I got home. Interesting times. You can't track the wars without a score card.

To bed then before ten, up this morning with the alarm, to breakfast and back in the usual routine, the sky quite overcast, the waffle I ate sitting uneasily in my stomach. Maybe a nap, maybe not, but the rest of the day is going to be practicing on the guitar. We missed out altogether yesterday. Such is life.

Later. Another nap, even with all the sleep last night. So be it. Still overcast, but still early before ten. Guitar now. Hup. Hup. Time for the day to (re)start.

Later still. Still learning on this practice the guitar business and I've learned a couple of things today. Relearned them actually. How many times to I have to relearn something before it sticks? I have no idea, but I guess I'm up for it or else I'd think to quit. I know that makes no sense, learned what after all? Still, about an hour on the guitar before going out for a cup of coffee at the usual place before returning to take another nap.

Felt a bit ocular migraine-ish as I was drifting off. Not sure why. What was it I ate today? Yesterday? Any of it on the list of foods to be avoided? That damned frozen mini-pizza last night!!? We'll let it take the fall. At least there's been no alcohol around to muddle the question. Sake for the moment is safe. The coffee? Ah right, Mocha coffee, which contains chocolate. Not much, but still. Grasping at straws.

Even later still. For about the eleventy-millionth time I looked up ocular migraines on the web and again read discussions about what they were, what the symptoms are, what foods to be avoided. And I'm thinking they have no idea what they're talking about other than having identified some few foods that can bring them on. Sometimes bring them on. One entry suggested you just get over it, treat them as a part of living and learn to get around without a lot of fuss. I'm thinking that one makes more sense.

Which means we're good again for sake, chocolate and sharp cheddar cheese!!!??

Cool you jets.

So more time on the guitar practicing the more complicated (for this beginner) blues riff assigned for this week. I seem to finally have it down. I've memorized the changes anyway, and go through them pretty much without error, although a lot more work needs to be done if it's to sound like something a musician would play. I have one or two very short riffs (from Layla and While My Guitar Gently Weeps) that I play over and over every day on my own as part of my scales, been doing this now for months, and I can look back and see how long it's taken me to get them to where people might recognize them if they were to hear them played. No big deal, but it doodle-dee-do take time, lots of time, although less for each new one as you go along. I'm obviously OK with this (I'm still at it, after all) although I bitch. A lot.

So what else is new?

Evening. More guitar while watching (well, listening to) the news on television, the third today of what I was planning to be four sessions, also taking time to add and change a couple of the Art & Soul pictures on artandlife. I guess I'm easily fascinated by simple tasks. No complaints. Who longs to make it harder than it really needs to be?