Tim Lott on writing: "Writing is mainly dull, and if you've got any self-respect you'll throw most of it away. It never gets any easier, although it is less frightening."

Reading Jamais Cascio's article on his new hearing aids was fascinating, but it also led me to <I>this</I> <A HREF="http://www.audiologyonline.com/theHearingJournal/pdfs/HJ2003_07_pg36-41…; on music and hearing aids.

The <I>NYT</I> commissioned graphic artist Andrew Kuo to attend seven Bright Eyes concerts and portray his highs, the lows, and the whatevers . . . .

Always dreamed of owning a classic car? If you want the bloom to remain on the rose, just don't make it your daily driver.

I mentioned that I'd had some trouble getting the Shure SE310 in-ear headphones to fit comfortably, and I wanted to experiment with different nozzle sleeves. Removing the sleeves from the SE310s took more effort than I'd imagined. Not that it was <i>difficult</i> like it can be difficult to carry a 50-lb amp up three flights of stairs, but more that it was <i>tricky</i> like it can be tricky to cajole speaker cable from a tight grip in a small space. I suppose it's a good thing that the sleeves hug their nozzles with such dedication. You wouldn't want them slipping off in your ear.