This is totally nonmusical news, but y'all are my friends, so I want to celebrate by sharing my happines with ya....

I have been offered, and have accepted, a new job in Networking Services here at USD, as a Communications Network Analyst, which is a couple of rungs higher in career service (and a good chunk of change higher in salary) than my old job as the primary network support person for Residential Life (I run the ResNet, the network in the "dorms," full of Napster users and porn surfers no doubt :-)). I'll miss my old department, but I'll get to work on all kinds of new and nifty network stuff in my new job, such as Internet 2!

So, I'm grabbin' one of the comfy chairs, and a draught of Guinness. C'mon in and what's your poison? It's a Friday night in the Mudcat Tavern, and the craic'll be ninety....

First song is my new "theme song," a la Ally McBeal (and yes, I've been singing it under my breath the last couple of days). Somebody back me up on harpoon, if you please....

Guy Clark "The Cape"

Eight years old with a flour sack cape Tied all around his neck He climbed up on the garage He's figurin' what the heck He screwed his courage up so tight That the whole thing come unwound He got a runnin' start and bless his heart He headed for the ground

CHORUS: Well he's one of those who knows that life Is just a leap of faith Spread your arms and hold your breath And always trust your cape

Now he's all grown up with a flour sack cape Tied all around his dreams And he's full of piss and vinegar And he's bustin at the seams So he licked his finger and checked the wind It's gonna be do or die He wasn't scared of nothin', boys He was pretty sure he could fly

CHORUS

Now he's old and grey with a flour sack cape Tied all around his head And he's still jumpin' off the garage And will be 'till he's dead All these years the people said He's actin like a kid He did not know he could not fly And so he did

CHORUS * 2

Trustin' my cape,

Chris