I love that I spent all week anticipating Andy’s return from Germany, doing everything possible to make his homecoming pleasant and relaxing — i.e., laundry, vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, bathing the dog, etc. — and not thirty minutes after he arrives, he gets stung on the toe by a wasp.

>_<

Speaking of unfortunate events, Lemony Snicket was on ABC last night. I enjoyed it even though it was kind of sad the whole way through, I suppose because there was an undertone of comic relief and optimism. Both child actors were excellent — I even think I would have preferred Liam Aiken as Harry Potter — and of course so was Jim Carrey, despite being rather creepy.

Anyway, since I just watched the movie, it seems fitting to post my favorite part of an interview with Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), which I read a few days ago.

I use a quote a lot that Miles Davis supposedly said to John Coltrane when John Coltrane was in his mode where he would get up and he would solo for five hours. And he was playing with Miles Davis, and Miles Davis said, “Um, you really, you have to keep those solos shorter because we’re trying to have an evening.” And John Coltrane said, “I don’t know what to do. I just put it in my mouth and I keep playing and I don’t know how to stop.” And Miles Davis said, “Take the horn out of your mouth.”

And I always think that when I’m too in love with my own work that I feel that I can’t change it. You know, when I think, “This passage is too long, but every sentence seems glorious. What in the world can I do?” And I think, “Just take the horn out of your mouth.” There is in fact a way to change something. And the fact that you feel sad about it is not necessarily an excuse.