1. Neko Case didn’t disappoint. She wailed for an hour, played fantastic NEW SONGS from an album coming out next March, and made charmingly awkward small talk between songs. My favorite? Introducing a song by Harry Nilsson, she said, “I like to think that his spirit haunts pinball machines.”

2. I have the day off! I’m going to try to finish a dress, so I have a new fall dress to wear immediately after Labor Day, just like the movie Picnic.

3. Science news of the week: Researchers have discovered that crows (and probably other corvidae) can not only recognize and remember human faces, they can hold a grudge. Don’t piss off a crow!