Carrie on personifying
In 2007, influenced more than I cared to admit at the time by Molitva, I acquired Alice, a clarinet.

At the very start of 2009, influenced by my failure to get far on piano but the continuing determination to learn an instrument, I acquired Billy, an acoustic guitar. Haven't even mentioned that one, because I got even less far there. That's a project for the summer though, and so is Alice come to that.

Yesterday I acquired something else which will be incredibly useful for me if I gain some semblance of coordination; to wit, a bicycle. Continuing the hurricane-season convention of maintaining alphabetical order and alternating gender, I have now named it Carrie. Elphaba, Fiyero and Galinda all follow in this order if I get that far...

Already, I have a real sense of progress; tentative riding around Southampton Common and on a couple of quiet roads went well and I believe I will be ready to use the bike readily as a transportation option for all appropriate distances before the year is out, possibly well before.