As Bloomsday gets closer I become more
and more pensive. I suppose part of that is
regrets at not being able to attend the
conference in Dublin. The paper I was
supposed to present on Joyce and the
Music of Tin Pan Alley gathers dust on
my bookshelf. I received my JJ Newestlatter
on Saturday but didn't want to read it. Went
to the library for a distraction and ended
up with two Joyce related books in spite of
myself: The James Joyce Murders by
Amanda Cross and Coetzee's "biography"
on Elizabeth Costello, fictional author of The
House on Eccles Street.

Adding to my pensivitivity is the knowledge
that I have barely a chance of purchasing
Joyce's glasses at the Sotheby's auction.
Barely a chance....I guess there's an atom
of hope in me somewhere.