Dear Marion,

It's Christmas Eve, Heilig Abend, and your once esteemed cousin
has metamorphosed into Ebenezer Scrooge. Kein Weihnachtsbaum,
keine Weihnachtslieder, nicht einmal ein Schallplattenkonzert
des Weihnachtsoratoriums. Just possibly an advanced state of
progressive spiritual atrophy. Thank you especially for your thoughtful
analysis of music as social activity. Concerning this we are on the
same wavelength. Thank you also for your card with the Christmas Puffin.

With respect to the effect, if any, of abdominal mass on respiration,
I invite the scientist in you to a simple experiment. Making every
attempt to maintain the same respiratory rate, measure the oxygen
saturation after 5 minutes of standing straight, upright. Then
lie down horizontally and after 5 minutes measure the oxygen saturation
again; perhaps repeat the experiment lying also on the right and on
the left side. Please let me know the results. And please continue
to keep me informed about the details of your health, to provide me
with data to fuel my obsession.

Klemens tells me that Nathaniel's first Eroica lecture went well,
that there was an audience of about 25, including an English professor
who both endorsed and augmented what Nathaniel had to say. I missed
the occasion because I have a lousy memory and I neglected to check
my appointment book. I suspect I was not reminded because Nathaniel
was understandably more comfortable in my absence. I'll have to
inquire delicately whether he prefer that I not show up for the 
da capo on Thursday either.

Thank you for looking at my website. If you look again, - and I don't
know why that should be necessary, - don't be confused by the circumstance
that I've tried to unclutter the screens with a bit of hierarchical
rearrangement. All the documents are still there. If you're interested
in a really good text, look at Klemens' undergraduate thesis, which I've
added.

After some meditation concerning the optimal investment of my time and
energy, I've decided narcissistically or otherwise, to expand my 
do-it-yourself Internet server with diverse files of questionable
quality presently in the computer as well as with pre-computing
i.e. pre 1983 typed and handwritten texts, letters and other documents
that are stored in many boxes scattered through the house. I may 
decide to protect with passwords items that I consider unsuitable for
public scrutiny. I'm even now drafting an uptodate preface to explain my 
rationale. I'll send you a copy when it's ready; and as always, I 
will welcome (harsh) criticism.

That's all I have on my mind just now. There may be more later.
Froehliche Weihnachten!

Jochen