This evening, sitting around talking to Jeff and Rebecca, telling stories, the idea of "half my life ago" came up repeatedly.

We were listening to And I Feel Fine: The Best of the IRS Years 1982-1987, the collection of the best years of REM. I recalled how one particular girl in my science class mentioned she had "that Rem album" and how event that marked the beginning of the end for REM, in my mind. Until that moment, REM was the poster-child for "alternative music." With Green, they'd become simply radio stars.

I then realized that this all occurred just about half my life ago. I did about as much living before that moment as I have since it.

So I decided to burn this evening into my brain as a new half-way point. Tonight will be the night I remember when I'm 66 (in 2039), thinking about where I was half my life ago.

In lieu of useful public radio to listen to, I've been cranking the following on the iPod...

• Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (thanks to Dan)
• Ray LaMontagne: Till The Sun Turns Black
• Mike Doughty: Skittish
• Radio Citizen: Berlin Serengeti

I've recently started using iTunes on the G5 hooked to the speakers, instead of the iPod connected to them. Today I realized that I hadn't been listening to anything at all, because iTunes simply never made it to the front of my stack of windows. With the physical iPod situated in front of me, I'm more apt to pick something to listen to.

Digital isn't always better. Sometimes a big-ass knob on a distinct device is functionally better than a whizzy-bang brushed metal UI without a dedicated knob.

Yes, I know the iPod doesn't have a knob. It has an iKnob (aka, the clickwheel with the nipple in the middle). But it's knobesque nonetheless. And the screen is always visible. No repeated command-tab to find it. It's just right there. On the desk.

Last night at the Best Buy, I picked up Phish's NYE'95 show, which is quite a nice 3-disc set. As my attorney says, wouldn't it be great if every show was like a New Year's Eve show? While listening to it, I started surfing and found a nice tidbit about a show with Phil Lesh Friends in Asheville. Mike of Phish will be there along with the recently-blogged Benevento/Russo Duo. That's awesome.

I pinged my attorney, and his wife is letting him out of the house for a jamband road trip up to Asheville. I remember the days of it being difficult to get Dead tickets (though, I've been close enough to see Jerry sweating all over his guitar) so was quite pleased to find tickets still availlable for this Asheville show. Alas, through Ticketmaster. But after being suitably brutalized by their "service fees", I've got 2 tickets en-route.

(And yes, referring to my school buddy as "my attorney" is an affectation and reference to Hunter S. Thompson.)

Last night I managed to pick up Best Reason to Buy the Sun by the Benevento/Russo Duo. Purely instrumental, they are an odd cross of Medeski, Martin Wood, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Bad Plus. For me, at least, it's one of the best CDs to sling code or manipulate a spreadsheet to. I'm amazed at what two guys can do. There's the guy on the drums, and the guy on the keys. And it's a wall of intricate sound much of the time.