i just had a conversation with my father for the first time in, ummm, i'd say almost seven years. i'd characterize it as having been peaceful. but disturbing too, on some things-happening-totally-out-of-the-blue type-level. i'm supposed to be getting work done now, but, ah, i'm not quite back there just yet. i feel much more like chain smoking. what he most wanted to know was whether i'd been writing.