It's kind of an eerie night up here on the hill, overlooking the black, black sea with its spangled trail of ...spangles, oh, yes, I am inspired tonight. I Googled Oscar Wilde's Ballad of Reading Gaol instead of working this afternoon, which I believe now entitles me to the title of Poetess. And if it doesn't, I'll just note your dissent in my Perceived Slights Log and turn back to gazing out the window.

This house where I'm staying is lonely at night, and while I'm not normally skittish, the full-ish moon is making me jumpy. Well, the moon and the high winds, mixed with the fires south of here. But the moon is especially brilliant tonight, highlighting the bobcats and murderers flitting about in the shrubbery. (Potential murderers. Let's not get carried away, here.)

In honor of that, let's all listen to some Lucia Pamela. She is absolutely so joyous about the visits she claims to have taken to the moon, that one can't help but look at the night sky and wish to fly up to her outer space recording studio to sing back-up on her next intergalactic hit. Look: she even has a coloring book you can download. Go to town, and pretend you're in the YEAR 2,000! The distant future, y'all. Don't worry about staying within the lines.

In other news, I declare this song by The Poppy Family the official song of staring out the window on a moonlit night.

If I really wanted to freak myself out, I could put on Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and read some Anton LaVey, but I'm trying to keep it together.

Why, it's a moonlit night right now! I think I'll go stare out the window.

Star of the day. . .Terry Jacks