Welcome to the pond

Yay for productiveness!! I did my homework/studied for a test, had some time to chill out after dinner, and even got quite a few pages done in "The Two Towers." I'll probably finish it by the end of the weekend, if I get my rear in gear. The thing I love about that book series (Lord of the Rings for those of you who had no idea what I was referring to) is how you can get completely wrapped up in the world of Middle Earth. "Rings" is a reading experience unlike any other I've ever had.

I found a great music group again. Like so many others, they came to Eugene but I never had the chance to see them. But I read about them, and am now finally discovering how good they are AFTER my chance to see them has passed. Well such is life. Anyway, the group is called Nickel Creek, and they are a trio of young Americans who play the "newgrass" form of bluegrass. Actually, listening to their songs, I realize they may have brought us something very new. It's kind of a rock/pop-ish sound, but with bluegrass instruments (mandolin, violin, guitar). The singing doesn't sound at all like bluegrass or country, and I like that. Their sound is pretty subtle. It just glides along, not banging you in the head with the sounds of the instruments but letting the music flow in peaceful bliss. I recommend the two songs "when you come back down" and "the lighthouse's tale," both very soft songs with catchy singing and lazy, moody strings. Oh, and they have a site: Nickelcreek.com

And now I think I'll answer a few questions from The Topics Blog

What is the best way to deal with stress?
Listening to good music, for sure. The style all depends on how stressed you are and what you need to get rid of it. Sometimes hard rock is good for just screaming and letting the hard pumping sounds and guitar riffs push that stress away. Other times, softer and quieter sounds will do it. You'll be relaxed again. I recommend the song "Aqueous Transmission" by Incubus for that. Other times faster music is good, stuff to get you dancing. Whatever you choose, music is a good stress reliever.

Sleep is a definite yes. When you wake up from a nap, you feel good. Everything stressful seems to go away for that moment. Oh and we all know that a bit of self pleasure works too ;)

What do you consider the requirements of a good restaurant besides good food? If you could own a restaurant, what kinds of cuisine would you serve?
Service is a must. That means not rushing the person's meal decision; refilling drinks and taking notice of apparent needs (such as missing silverware or too much clutter on the table); and of course a smile and sense of humor are both good ways to make the customer feel at home. Cleanliness is another good thing for an excellent meal. As for what food I would serve, I'd probably serve American stuff like burgers, pizza, stuff like that. Steaks, chicken. Good old home cooking. Norwegian foods (well, not the weird stuff) would also be a possibility. We would serve many kinds and varieties of lefse, for sure!