Re the last post - don't worry everyone, no harm befell my lovely wife. However, I am waiting, camera in hand, for an opportune moment when I shall have my revenge. If I could get a pic of her drooling on the pillow - something like that - that would be just GREAT. :)

Personally, I think the picture of my good self below should be on the front page of Wal-Mart's website captioned: "Interested in a career at Wal-Mart? This could be you!" As you can tell from the picture, however, one nice thing is that they're not all that bothered if you shave. Or, going by some of my co-workers, if you bathe regularly, or can read, or walk in a straight line. I know, I know... that's mean... but I just got back from a reaaaally looong shift, so I hope you'll forgive my misanthropy. They don't mind that at Wal-mart either - because none of them know what it means!! Ha ha ha ha!!! Okay... I'm seriously stopping now. Wal-Mart is not a bad place to work per se, but the particular job I am doing is exqusitely dull, but exhausting too. Plus, Amy and I are finding it really hard, especially at the moment, to be apart at night, and I would hate to get to the point where I spend my few waking hours of the day either yawning or feeling grouchy/depressed. I did that for three years in England, but I wasn't with Amy then, and wasn't where I wanted to be. Still, we are extremely short (think Danny DeVito with a stoop) of money at the moment, and Wal-Mart have a little money set aside which, apparently, they are willing to give a bit of to me if so long as I keep turning up and putting things on their shelves. So, that's cool. And it WILL be worthwhile. And on my lunch break I have taken to parking in front of Radio Shack with my favorite music on, and have found that for some reason it's a really awesome place to think about Brian. The hope I am finding in all this is certainly not human. After all, a weight is a weight, and I accepted it upon myself, and indeed felt it hit me very hard. Yet, like the man who stands and walks from the wreckage of a plane, I am not crushed. And I don't know why, except to say that I have a feeling daily as if something, or someone is replenishing the love within me, or perhaps shielding its flame from being blown out.

So, I just scrolled down and looked at those photos once more. Two things: one, don't you think the Maddie and Sammy one looks like a stand-off that just went on too long? Secondly, I now feel that I should apologise to you all myself for the photo that Amy took. No-one deserves to be exposed to my chest hair, in full color, without warning, or a memory-erasing device (you might know it as a large measure of a strong drink.)

Lastly, I don't have the time to write here as much as I used to, so I am going to indulge. On my way home from work today,I drove through the early morning and listened to this song. It's one of my favorites, and I wanted to share the words. (Sing along if you know it...)

"Redemption Song" by Bob Marley

Oh pirates, yes, they rob I,
Sold I to the merchant ships.
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong,
By the hand of the almighty.
We forward in this generation,
Triumphantly.

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom ?
'Cause all I ever had,
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery,
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Some say it's just a part of it,
We've got to fullfil the book.

So won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever had,
Redemption songs.
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.