NP: Interpol, Turn On The Bright (MP3)

I seem to be shrinking.

Well maybe not really. Let me explain. Most of my adult life, I've worn extra large shirts. However, I'm noticing more and more that these are too big for me, to the point where I'm strongly considering having some shirts taken in when I get some extra cash. The other, more likely option is that with America getting bigger, XL ain't quite what it used to be. Particularly with mass merchants, which is where I just picked up a couple of large shirts that fit quite nicely. I have a hunch that it's a case-by-case thing, but it's sort of annoying being stuck in the middle there.

(Cue that "no longer a girl, not yet a woman" Britney tune, just not from my personal CD/MP3 collection, thankyouverymuch)

Taken in a larger context, as I am prone to do, I shouldn't be surprised. I like straddling different lines, I like more "hybrid" products that suit different needs, and now it looks like the current, and most promising job opportunity is going to reflect that. Going in, I thought I might be above the analyst gig and beneath the manager position, so the latest word is that they've recast the job as "Senior Analyst," which I think suits me. Anyway, it's still not a done deal, and if we've learned anything from the Brian McBride-to-Fulham move this week (what do you mean, you don't know about that?), it's that you shouldn't assume anything is done until the ink is dry.

Speaking of assuming, it makes me very happy that Iowa confounded the media so thoroughly, although I was a little disappointed not to see a "Kerry On, Wayward Son" headline. Granted, I didn't really look. I'm going with the conventional wisdom that Dean and Gephardt's negativity right when everyone started really paying attention did both of them in. The way this is starting to play out, Kerry and Clark could meet the same fate in New Hampshire, as there's been considerable sniping back and forth between those two. As for our current White House occupant, the New York Times' resident grouch, Paul Krugman, articulates a lot of what I was saying a week or two ago about Dubya's strategy, calling it "confuse the middle, satisfy the base."

Last night's news teased that 14 million Americans will watch the State of the Union address tonight. My question is, how many of them will be surprised that 24 isn't on, then just be too lazy to change the channel? Another part of me wonders if Fox would have cut to the speech an hour later if it had interfered with the premier of American Idol. What I'm trying to say is, I'm not really convinced that this qualifies as "appointment TV" for, well, anybody. If they could get Simon Cowell in the audience, though...