doonesbury
KICKING BUTTS

Took two wellbutrin on the same day, for the first time. I'm told the customary reaction is overstimulation and insomnia. As usual in my history with pharmaceuticals, it's having the opposite effect on me. I've been feeling much less dopey on the morning pill but I'm sleepy from the dose I took a couple of hours ago. It seems to be having a tranquilizing effect - although I'm still smoking, I don't feel anxious about stopping in a week.

I had another practice run at not smoking socially by sheer chance tonight. I was on my way to the corner store when I ran into my dear friend Patty, who is up from Fort Lauderdale for the week and went to City for drink with her without any cigs in my pocket. I didn't panic nor did I walk the three steps into the store to buy some. We had a great visit and I ran into my old co-worker Kevin O'Rourke besides.

Timely in that Kevin and I both bartended at the old Baystate Hotel and he and Chris Collingwood used to play together in a couple of the various temporary incarnations that formed between the members of about four permanent local bands. I was talking to Kev tonight about the Grammy nominations - unfortunately they didn't win in either category - and I found out that Fountains of Wayne were never just a local band and that Chris was actually signed to a major label and was already kind of famous when I met him. He and Linda just live here.

Who knew. I haven't followed the popular music scene since 1973. My entire collection is almost solely comprised of local groups, dead people and defunct bands. I didn't recognize half the names on the winners list and I'm sorry Chris's band wasn't on it. They play their songs on the local radio. I always liked their music. Glad to know I'll still be running into Chris and Linda though.