All I have to say is...

...that I wrote 2418 reasonably well-considered words today for a client. And I am severely irritated with my computer.

Why is that stupid black-and-gray box arousing my ire? Simple. I was trying to download some recordings from a website today (quite legitimately) and it wouldn't let me. Every time I clicked "download," it would throw the songs right into Quicktime (not even WinAmp, which I prefer) and play them, but not save them.

Grrrrr.

So far, all the help facilities are no help at all. I wasted too much time on this.

I wanted the tunes so I could listen to them over and over and derive arrangements from them. They are very unusual -- jazz, played by a woodwind quintet with added drummer, bass and harpsichord -- and incredibly neat. I smile when I hear them.

I know, given enough time and familiarity, that I can boil them down and make something different -- but still neat -- for me to play.

If, that is, I can ever get them on my computer for repeat listening.

There are gifted people who can listen to a tune three or four times and write out accurate charts. I've met some. Unfortunately, I'm not among them, and have to memorize everything and listen again and again to correct my mistakes.

Finally, after getting incredibly frustrated, I dropped that project for the day and went on to what I was supposed to be doing.

Tomorrow, being the last day here before I head off to Daytona Beach, will be busy. Housecleaning, laundry and, if possible, a few other errands.

I heard today that it may be a wet weekend there, which is going to complicate things.

Nothing is simple anymore.

And that's how it was today....