I'm listening to a new CD right now: Panic at the Disco's second album, titled "Pretty. Odd." From the 2 or 3 songs I had heard on the radio from their first album, they came off as musically interesting but kind of, well, snotty -- forgivable, since they were teenagers just out of high school at the time. If not for the recognizable voice, I might have thought this second album was the product of a completely different band. The songs move in directions from rock to folksy to a very harpsichordish ballad. I am particularly fond of tracks #1, #2, #5, #8, #13 and #15 (that's a lot, I know, but they're good!). I highly recommend it as somewhat eclectic rock. These kids are talented; I hope to hear more from them in the future.

Listen to "Nine in the Afternoon"


In the world of literature, I've just finished Colleen McCullough's The First Man in Rome. This hefty tome (896 pages) of historical fiction details the military and political career of historical figure Gaius Marius (157 BC - 86 BC) alongside the history of Rome during his lifetime. It sounds dry, but it was actually quite fascinating. It just took me ages to get through because there is so much detail -- not to mention learning Roman naming conventions, which are at first very confusing, and keeping track of the many, many characters. I think I've just learned more about ancient Rome than I ever learned in school -- which isn't difficult, since it was probably nothing. Although I've finished the body of the story, I'm still working my way through the 94-page glossary (slightly dry, but it is helping to round out my understanding of the Roman world). Oh, and there are six more books in this series, so yeah. Wish me luck.