Halloween is upon us, and you can almost taste the sugar and cheap chocolate in the air. Ryan is a skeleton, Pat is a bat, Hannah is a mouse, and Cole is wearing a wolfman mask. Half of the fun of Halloween—for me at least—is the candy bartering that ensues between the kids after trick-or-treating. Its like a sucrose bazaar. And now that the twins are in school, their negotiation technique is sharper and more sophisticated. Shrewd. Wily. I love it. Gone are the days when Cole or Hannah could take advantage of them.

In fact, even their comebacks are more deft. Well, they're getting there. Cole did something to Ryan that Ryan objected to, and Ryan admonished him with, "You're going to be paid for that." Then halfway down the hall he corrected himself: "You're going to pay for that." I was incapacitated with laughter for about a minute.

I've been watching too much television this week. Scary movies mostly. I'm a B-movie junkie. There are worse addictions, but I'm not so sure this one is harmless. The guilt from investing two hours into such a silver screen classic as "The Devil's Rain" is inversely proportional to the satisfaction gained from sitting through it. I'm attempting to atone for it by posting here before two months have gone by.

I am still cranking out tunes for the band to undertake when we finally get to practice again. I think the last time we played was the gig on Sept. 27th. I don't like month-long stints without playing together, because I always feel like the attrition of my abilities is glaringly obvious when we finally do get to jam again. That is one of the things that brings me down the most. Just as I was getting sick, I bought some jazz theory books and started practicing every day. I learned a lot of new scales (the modes of the melodic minor scale), and was really getting my chops back in shape. I was playing with a jazz combo, and seeing encouraging progress. Then ALS took a hand—literally. I can't even staighten the fingers of my left hand anymore, much less spread them apart. I am still typing well, though, so I can compose with the tools I have on my laptop. That counts for a lot. Hopefully I will be able to compose until a cure is found, and with all the access software and hardware that is currently available, I expect to. While my shrinking abilities are not easy to accomodate, the really hard part will be my recovery. I say that because I know myself well enough to know that I will never be satisfied with the pace of rebuilding my body. I will be frustrated and discontent with what I will view as meager progress. Of course, one of the upsides of my disease is learning patience. Patience has been a staunch ally so far in the course of my disease, perhaps it will remain so during my recovery.

And yes, its still "when I recover", not "if I recover".

Replies: 43 comments

Hello! Good WORK! -generic xanax

Posted by xanax @ 03/04/2006 04:05 PM CST

I enjoyed the time i spent on your website, thank you very much for that.

Posted by valium @ 03/03/2006 11:17 PM CST

I got to see this website when i was searching the google, its absolutely incredible.

Posted by xanax @ 03/03/2006 06:57 PM CST

Nice work! I`m shocked! -purchase tramadol with online prescription

Posted by online tramadol @ 03/03/2006 03:08 PM CST

Hello bro! Good work! -buy xanax online from us pharmacy with fast consultation

Posted by buy xanax online @ 03/02/2006 10:11 PM CST

Nice work! GOOD! -cheap tramadol

Posted by cheap tramadol @ 03/02/2006 09:57 PM CST

This is my first time on this site, and it is very interesting. Your site helped me so much! Many Thanks

Posted by diazepam @ 03/02/2006 01:07 AM CST

GOOD!! Really good work bro!! -hot gay guys

Posted by gay guys @ 03/02/2006 12:29 AM CST

It's Nice Site! Cool design! Thanks!

Posted by phentermine @ 03/01/2006 10:03 PM CST

Good Site! Thank you for such sites! :)

Posted by tramadol @ 03/01/2006 07:53 PM CST

Hi bro! Nice work! -gay boy sex

Posted by gay boys @ 03/01/2006 10:31 AM CST

hetast amator aktion ## hetast amator dildo ## hetast amator ejakulation hyggelig amator gruppene ## hyggelig amator hold ## hyggelig amator kjonnsliv emootio bukkake ## emootio elokuva ## emootio homo masturbacja free bondage ## free bondage masturbacja ## masturbacja free butelka w masturbacja free bi sex ## free bi sex masturbacja ## masturbacja free big coock

Posted by sexy_thing @ 02/28/2006 08:28 AM CST

A newspaper in Iran is now holding a cartoon contest called Holocaust Cartoon. Iran made Holocaust denial government policy when Iran foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in December that remarks made by the Iran president that the Nazi mass murder of Jews during World War II was a myth. The move left investors both optimistic and over-extended -- as became apparent at the end of last week, history of diamond earrings when the rally hit a roadblock -- and the stock market could be due for a bit more selling in the short term before attempting another run up, analysts say engagement rings http://www.gold-custom.com/

Posted by engagement rings @ 02/26/2006 10:04 AM CST

Hello! Very good site! bontril, buy xanax online, glucosamine, cheap phentermine, buy valium online, http://bontril.galeon.com/ bontril, http://maxpages.com/buyxanax/ buy xanax online, http://users.domaindlx.com/glucosamine/ glucosamine, http://cheap-phentermine-375.20six.co.uk/ cheap phentermine, http://maxpages.com/buyvalium/ buy valium online

Posted by bontril @ 02/26/2006 05:39 AM CST

Excellent blog, very helpful, thank you for sharing, keep up the fine effort and excellent job. Click out: morgage or morgage rates and morgage site, morgage calculator or by visiting at: http://www.i-morgage.com/

Posted by Morgage @ 02/25/2006 09:54 AM CST

Excellent blog, very helpful, thank you for sharing, keep up the fine effort and excellent job. Click out: loan calculator or mortgage and engagement rings site or by visiting at: http://www.a-loan-calculator.com/ or at http://www.a-mortgage.biz/

Posted by Loan Calculator @ 02/24/2006 01:34 PM CST

Hello! Good work! I like it! -gay black men having sex

Posted by gay men having sex @ 02/22/2006 02:37 PM CST

Namaste? Glad to find this beautiful home page. Thanks a lot. Good luck...-ativan side effects
ativan withdrawal

Posted by ativan @ 02/22/2006 05:18 AM CST

Hello! You have a very good site! I really like it! -order xanax online

Posted by xanax @ 02/22/2006 02:29 AM CST

Namaste? Glad to find this beautiful home page. Thanks a lot. Good luck...-ativan
buy ativan

Posted by ativan @ 02/22/2006 02:26 AM CST

Hi! Good work! I like it very much! -anal sex gay

Posted by gay anal sex @ 02/20/2006 06:24 PM CST

hi check this :
online poker
poker chips
free poker
poker tables
poker table
poker hands
poker rules
video poker
world poker tour
poker online
party poker
world series of poker
strip poker
poker game
poker room
play poker
casino poker
poker tournament
pacific poker
internet poker
online poker game
texas holdem poker
texas holdem
holdem poker

Posted by online poker @ 02/20/2006 05:41 AM CST

Good site, thanks. party poker, tax forms, house plans, cheap phentermine, xanax, http://www.20six.co.uk/party-poker/ party poker, http://www.20six.co.uk/tax-forms/ tax forms, http://www.20six.co.uk/house-plans/ house plans, http://www.20six.co.uk/cheap-phentermine-pills/ cheap phentermine, http://xanax-buy-online.20six.co.uk xanax

Posted by party poker @ 02/20/2006 04:07 AM CST

Hello! You have a very good site! I really like it! -xanax addiction

Posted by xanax @ 02/19/2006 07:18 PM CST

percodan online pharmacy

Posted by online pharmacy @ 02/17/2006 09:25 AM CST

Earthlink DSL, Earthlink DSL, dsl Earthlink, dsl Earthlink, dsl from earthlink, dsl from earthlink, earthlink dsl service, earthlink dsl service, sprint dsl earthlink, sprint dsl earthlink, sprint earthlink dsl, sprint earthlink dsl, earthlink high speed dsl, earthlink high speed dsl, earth link dsl, earth link dsl, dsl earth link, dsl earth link

Posted by earthlink dsl @ 02/17/2006 06:44 AM CST

Diesel Jeans at http://www.diesel.ws

Posted by