Stephen Mejias

...All configurations that have previously existed on this earth must yet meet, attract, repulse, kiss, and corrupt each other again.

— Heinrich">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Heine">Heinrich Heine

Here in the office, on Christmas Eve Eve, it's just me and the crickets. Wes Phillips, man">http://blog.stereophile.com/wesphillips/">man of many links, tells me that crickets">http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,9830,1648623,00.htm… are known to shed a leg if they get caught in a sticky situation, but only if they have had sex first.

During that brief, but sad, period when the">http://www.donewaiting.com/nyc/archives/002253.php">the Multi-Purpose Solution wasn't making music, I spent some time booking shows at the now gone, but not forgotten, Jersey City rock venue, Uncle Joe's.

"Do you want a ride to work?"

"What?"

"Are you going to Manhattan?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want a ride to work?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've got my car over there. I'm going to 58th Street, but you need four people in a car to be allowed to drive into the City. You wanna ride?"

"Nah, man. You're a stranger. Good luck with that, though."

"You know what I want for Christmas, mom."

"What?"

"I'm not asking you if you know; I'm telling you that you do know."

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'What'?" You know, right?"

"How would I know?"

"Mom, you always know."

"Not this year, Stephen. This year I don't know. Tell me."

"I don't want to tell you. I want you to just know."

"Stephen, I'm telling you: I. Don't. Know."

"Yes, you do."

"Stephen!"

"Mom!"

"Just tell me, boy."

"Nope."

"That's it."

"What?"

"You're getting socks."

There are currently no "Y" words in the Audio">http://www.stereophile.com/reference/50/index1.html">Audio Glossary, so my contribution should induce no unnecessary pushing or shoving.

Madison Avenue is normally a nearly impenetrable fortress of buses. Crossing it is a choking, weaving, stuttering adventure; a New York City version of Chutes and Ladders.