I woke up this morning from a cinematic dream about riding in a Jeep through a jungle, coming from someone's wedding. I was with an old boyfriend, who was wearing a tuxedo and was very apprehensive about the wild environs. I recognized that the conditions were less than pristine, but still I was irritated by his fussiness. We passed an abandoned, decrepit glass and concrete skyscraper with giant letters reading HYATT HYACINTH on it. It looked like a 1970s hotel. As we passed, I thought, "There's the Hyacinth House," as if I'd been there before. (And as if it was akin to the Hyatt House on Sunset Boulevard, known to �70s rockers as the Riot House.)

I imagine you're familiar with the legend of the hyacinth, as popularized by Greek legend and Jim Morrison, of the Doors. Hyacinthus, beautiful, young, nubile Hyacinthus, had the poor fortune to attract the attention of two gods: Apollo and Zephyrus. He loved Apollo, which caused Zephyrus to pitch a jealous hissy, and when Hy and Apollo were playing discus, to blow Apollo's discus off- course, conking Hyacinthus in the head and killing him. Here is an illustration of the dramatic moment:

ILLUSTRATION

Apollo is on the right, and Hyacinthus is the one fainting in coils on the left. You can�t see Zephyrus, because he is the wind, and who can see that? Neither you nor I. Oh, the pathos!

Today, the two survivors would air their respective grievances on Jerry Springer, but back then, they took a more lyrical approach, and so from the blood Hyacinthus spilled upon the ground, Apollo made a beautiful flower grow. (That flower would be the hyacinth, for those of you not 100% following along.) Preachy summation: And so we see that from the death of something beloved can arise something beautiful.

So, I�m thinking today about what I have lost, and what has taken its place. I have many ideas about this, but they are private. (Which means I will print them in tomorrow�s entry, most likely.)

When I woke up, my first thought was the refrain from an unpleasant Elton John song I'd heard in a store the other day--I think it's called "Grey Seal," but in the interest of not learning any more of the lyrics, I don't want to look it up to confirm. The song has been in my head all day, causing me to nearly groove along to it by accident, just out of familiarity. Teh-hell me, grey seeeeeal! (What the FUCK, Elton?? Can you not just retire, and live out the rest of your days in the front row of Versace fashion shows? Why do you torture us?)

And then at work, a little more torture, of the Chinese water kind, in the form of this e-mail:

Hi, Violet,

Do you remember the article that came out about people being more ecological or something. I think there were quotes by [coworker Fred Shaheen] and there was a picture of an electric bike I think. I need that picture to put in the Eco Policy I'm working on, but I don't remember when the article came out or the title or what not. Do you remember anything more? Is there a way we can do a query in the newspaper website? I think it was within the last couple of months.

Oh, yes: THAT article. The one without the title, on no particular subject, that came out at some point.

I do not have this article. I do not intend to look for this article.

Do you have a copy of it? And if so, can you forward it to me?

Teh-hell me, grey seeeeeeeeal!

Star of the day. . .Jeff Buckley