"Skip a life completely"

It's easy to forget that when Václav Havel became president of the still-united Czechoslovakia he wanted Lou Reed be appointed U.S. ambassador. His desire was politely declined by the first Bush Administration. I was tempted to write "wisely declined," but who knows?

So, Lou Reed doing Velvet Underground's Pale Blue Eyes is our Friday traditio. Under the circumstances, it seems quite fitting. I also forgot that this song is a Willie Nelson-esque country song, which is a good kind of song, at least in my estimation.

If I could make the world as pure and strange as what I see/I'd put you in the mirror/I put in front of me.

I was happy to find a live cover of Pale Blue Eyes that REM did way back in 1984.