Random Thoughts From Sula

  

• I've run into several transplanted Montanans lately, who, when they found out I'm from Texas, immediately blurted out "There's no good barbecue up here."
• You don't hear many classic rock songs that feature the banjo.  Squeeze Box by the Who has a banjo solo, and Take it Easy by the Eagles has a strong banjo accompaniment.  Old Man by Neil Young has some banjo playing, but I don't consider his music rock, and his singing sounds like a mosquito buzzing around your ear.
• I just got my copy of Faulkner's Go Down Moses.  I'm looking forward to reading it, but I have to be in just the right frame of mind to read Faulkner.
• When I was in elementary school, I hated any kid that had the big 64-color box of crayons with the built-in sharpener. I always had a third generation hand-me-down box of 8 colors, and all the good ones, the red, blue and green, were either missing or worn down to a little bitty nub.  The only new crayon I ever had was the white one, which was still in mint condition when I got it because nobody ever used it. 
• It turns out Mari was one of those kids with the 64-color box with the built-in sharpener.  I think we can work through it.
• Speaking of crayons, when I was in second grade, I was disappointed to discover that the purple one didn't taste like grape.  Maybe that's why my favorite candies now are Jolly Ranchers and Skittles—because they taste like crayons should've tasted.