Can I just tell you how much I hate my computer? I HATE MY COMPUTER! I have been trying to burn CDs and it just keeps crashing, or telling me that it's failed for some reason or another, etc. But what's amazing to me is that my computer knows when I'm burning a CD because it is crucial to my music career to do so, and that's the only time it decides to crash on me. Invariably every time! If I just want to burn a CD for my own personal use, it will work fine. But when I have to get a CD to someone important, or when I've promised a CD to someone, it won't work. I am SOOOOOO FRUSTRATED!!!!

I need a Mac. I need a Mac. I need a Mac. I need a MAC!

I even put my ever faithful office mascot -- my limited edition Wonder Woman Barbie -- up on my computer, hoping her super powers would seep into my computer by osmosis, but noooooooooo....

So I hear that MP3.com may be taken down this week. That's really sad. Well, it's sad if you were an artist there during the glory days, back when it was accomplishing what it was supposed to accomplish. It began as a great place for indies like us to be heard. It marked the beginning of the internet revolution in the music business, and it was going great guns until (shocker), Vivendi Universal bought it and made it ugly. Now it's just a big corporate machine that doesn't do anything for those of us whom it was supposed to help. So in that sense, I say, "Good riddance" because it wasn't doing anything but taking up internet bandwidth anymore... it's the last of the big sites to fall victim to the RIAA/music industry conspiracy to squelch indie music and consumer freedom of choice.

So speaking of corporate music, there are some really good releases coming out this month (finally). Seal is putting out his new album ("Seal IV") and has teamed up with Trevor Horn again for this one. David and I love Seal. What a great artist... what a cool voice. I can't wait to hear it. And John Mayer releases his record on the same day (I'm gonna be broke on the 9th!), which I'm really excited about... I totally LOVED "Room for Squares." Brilliant. Jann Arden's new record also drops on the 9th. Emmylou Harris releases her follow up to Red Dirt Girl on the 23rd, as well as Dave Matthews Band. There are plenty more this month: Lyle Lovett, Rufus Wainwright, John Gorka, Van Morrison, Edie Brickell... Gawsh, I'm gonna be so broke. But thank God there is good music in the world... finally.

Oh, and "24" is coming SOON to DVD! This month! Yeee-haw! I can't wait. We're gonna be so stuck to our TV for that one... we couldn't stop watching last season.

Well, it looks like there's no reason to leave the house this month, now that I think about it. Yeah, buddy... swallowed up by entertainment. Well, if we didn't actually have to *work* for a living, that would be fun.

Looks like it's gonna rain.

I need to go fight with my computer more. Anyone have a sledgehammer? Anyone have a MAC?

NP: David Gray -- New Day at Midnight