I feel ill. It started with a sore lip and moved onto my gums. It made one of my teeth hurt so much, I thought I'd have to have the thing pulled.

Then it moved to my nose. Rhinoviruses are not a fun thing to have over the Thanksgiving break. Oh well, at least I got four days off work, which was nice. Downloading mash-up remixes and relaxing.

One small pleasure over the weekend was filling the bird-feeder and squirrel-feeder in the back garden. As far as the birds go, we have titmice, chickadees, cardinals, finches, juncos, woodpeckers. A few pigeons and they're all scared by the crows. It's great to watch how quickly they come and go.

Here. Look for yourself!

Listen - I Feel Crazy (Gnarles Barkley and Donna Summer) - Party Ben ... Don't Bring Me Down (Audiodile's Breakdown) - ELO & Audiodile ... Man I Hate Your Band - Little Man Tate.

The Democratic Party did win a majority in the House and the Senate, and Bob Casey did win. So I'm happy, because that means maybe we'll be able to hold someone accountable for this mess in Iraq, this mess in New Orleans, this mess with the environment...

...and now we look towards Christmas. I wouldnt mind an iPod Nano, and maybe one of those Rabbit corkscrew thingies, and a US footie shirt (or 'jersey' as they call them here). If someone wants to get me the Thom Yorke CD, or the one by Beck, or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, or maybe even She Wants Revenge, or The Killers new album? A Kurt Vonnegut book would be nice. Or something funny, something like "The Areas Of My Expertise" by John Hodgman.

Or just world peace. I'd go for world peace. That would be nice, for a change.

Listen : Harrowdown Hill - Thom Yorke ... Nausea - Beck ... These Things - She Wants Revenge.