is Sting's superb song "Shape of My Heart". Go listen:

"I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier I know that the clubs are weapons of war I know that diamonds mean money for this art But that's not the shape of my heart That's not the shape, the shape of my heart

And if I told you that I loved you You'd maybe think there's something wrong I'm not a man of too many faces The mask I wear is one Those who speak know nothing And find out to their cost Like those who curse their luck in too many places And those who fear are lost"

I had read descriptions of, and discussions on Thomas Tallis's music in the Richard Powers's novel "In The Time of Our Singing", earlier this December but I had never gotten round to looking Tallis up until this afternoon. This is okay because "Spem In Alium", a choral piece Tallis wrote for eight five-person choirs, i.e., forty people, is a breathtaking classical piece to discover, and listen to, on the first day of the year. Listen to Tallis Singers perform this nine minute long piece (the embedded audio file is down on the page), and begin in a space of beauty.

A few hours ago I was in a dark mood but now it must be insomnia as another year ends coupled with the discovery of "Curry and Rice Girl" put out by the Fobbed Out Entertainment crew*, which has me in absolutely belly-aching splits.

"Few times I checked the magazine ads, I even tried in the Indian chat coz I really want to find the right girl. I want a curry and rice girl. I asked my dad and I asked my mom put my biodata on Shaadi.com coz they want to find the right girl, they really dont want a white girl"

* Is it only me who wishes that he still had, or at least could summon at will, that spicy FOB accent?