Well, I started learning piano some months ago. I wanted (another) reason to get out of the house; when one is retired, that's usually a good idea. Plus, I wanted to have some more exercise for my brain since I'm no longer pondering IT issues everyday.

I knew it'd be work, but this stuff is WORK. Trying to get my fingers to do what I want them to do, as opposed to what they want to do. And I could sort-of read printed music before, but now it's a job trying to remember all the names of the notes on both clefs.

Fortunately we have a wonderful teacher, Isabella Ancira, down at the Hip Cat Music School in Bloomington. She's incredibly patient and knows her stuff. I'm up to working on a simple piece by Bach, so I'm apparently making some progress!

Practice, practice, practice, and now I should get back to it!

"The Sky is Falling" is a 1973 science-fiction/fantasy novel by Lester Del Rey, published as an Ace Double, and expanded from a short story published in 1954. The other side of the Ace Double is "Badge of Infamy", also by Lester Del Ray. Being published in 1973, this was one of the last Ace Doubles published. Also, interestingly enough given Lester Del Rey's long career in science-fiction, this was the only Ace Double he appeared in.

The story begins, in media res, with Dave

the entire universe sings the praises of god
help me to open to that meeting for worship which is everywhere and all the time
save me from my own sense of right and wrong
but lead me into the depths of wisdom
which