Tuesday

... I watched last night's Heroes during my lunch break today ... Something that's quickly becoming a Tuesday ritual ...

Last night's episode -- not to mention much of this season -- had some of the best moments and twists we haven't seen since the show's glorious first season.

Claire got shot by her mother -- and of course, came back to save the day. Peter met his once-dead father and then watched Dad steal his powers. Hiro didn't exactly kill Ando. And the whole Daphne-Parkman relationship that we saw in the flash-forward a couple weeks ago has sprouted its roots ...

And Suresh. Man I'm sick of him. Stacy needs to freeze him useless real fast.

* * *

I thought I was coming down with something this weekend ...

I knew it when I awoke Sunday morning. My nose was stuffed so full I could barely breathe and I felt that lump in my throat. The kind that feels like a golf ball is blocking your airway.

Within hours, I was at our medicine cabinet, launching a war on whatever bad cells I acquired ... I was downing cold syrup as fast as the instructions allowed. I was filling myself with fluids ...

By Monday, whetever I had progressed, and I was on the brink of misery. It was evident something was going around our office because others complained of the symptoms too ... But I kept after it. More cold syrup. More fluids. And I was in bed unusually early Monday night ...

And today it's all gone. Ah, what a feeling.

* * *

I'm on a Mates of State kick again -- That adorably talented pair of musicians from one of my old stomping grounds in Kansas ...

I picked up "Re-Arrange Us" a few weeks ago -- finally! -- but didn't get much time with it other than a short drive home ...

But over the weekend, I was gathering another batch of music to give my friend Raechel for our latest CD exchange; we started this exchange thing several months ago to help each other discover new and different music, and I promised this month to introduce her to Mates of State ...

I'll admit, I told her, sometimes you have to be in just the right mood to listen to them. Kori can play a mean organ, but some of their stuff sounds like a couple of kids just yelling into microphones and making racket ...

Still, that's part of their charm -- along with the lush harmonies, and the beats and melodies that can be oh so fun to sing and dance and rock out with.

So I slipped in "Re-Arrange Us," and now I can barely get myself to press the stop button.

Unlike their older stuff, I can't find a song on this disc I don't like. The harmonies and melodies are as sweet as ever. Their chemistry blares through the speakers, and each song is packed with an emotional punch. I love it.

Here's a couple cool interviews I found of the Mates while bobbing around YouTube and trying to quench my latest kick ...




And here's a pretty sweet live edition of "The Re-Arranger." If I'm not mistaken that's the Headlights joining them on stage for the finale ...