2 Quick Ones and Another

First off:

1. Happy Birthday James Andrew Collins.

     You're old now.  And yes, I may be older than you.  And I may always be older than you.  But that does not change the unmovable, unalterable truth that you are old.
   
   
2. Secondly.  Yes, the comic has not come out yet.  Work has been a little hampered by some stuff this month, including a spotty, semi-unresponsive keyboard.  That should be fixed soon.  If I can, I will make it up with two issues in one month.  One can be dedicated to the aforementioned James and his aforementioned birthday.
   
   
3. and Third.  All good things come in three.  Quickly put, I'm trying to do that whole betterment thing.  I've been hanging out with some of you more recently and as a result, remembering some of the dynamics of how our friendships (and associations) work.  The cynics and the fascists and the narcissistcs (who am I kidding... who in this group is a narcissist... well, except maybe...).  But I can't recall anyone being an optimist except me at the closest.  And I'm more a realistic optimist than a true optimist.  Anyway, that bit aside, to test whether I could actually retain that optimism (if it's still there) I need to push myself toward more optimist-sapping stimuly.  This is more of a request for James and Jimmy:  I need a suggestion of several books that I should read.  I have been bad about reading in the last few years, and I have a personal goal (yes, what a waste, blah blah blah) of reading twenty books before the end of the year.  If others have suggestions just for the hell of it, post them and I will pick and read.  Or not.  We all know how "personal goals" go.