Will I ever learn the lessons that come my way

* CVS employee refuses to fill Texas women's birth control prescription. an excerpt:

"A first-grade teacher says she is troubled that a pharmacist refused to fill her birth-control prescription, citing personal objections to contraception.
...
"The pharmacist told her she could go to another store, but Lacey said driving there and filling out paperwork as a new customer would have taken too much time. When Lacey's husband went to the CVS a short time later, the pharmacist continued refusing and said birth control 'was not right' and that the pills cause cancer, Lacey said.

"But a store supervisor apologized and said CVS would examine its policy, Lacey said, and an employee delivered the pills to her home Monday night. She said she is not sure if she will remain a CVS customer and plans to file a complaint about that pharmacist with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.

"State law allows pharmacists to decline filling prescriptions if the medication could harm the patient but not for moral reasons, according to the board."

* New York Times on the return of the suburban novel. Namechecks to both richard yates and a.m. holmes. [via maudnewton]

* Interview with Smile muse van dyke parks. an excerpt:

JH: The early-American genre, as is made obvious by your litany above, is just one of the many genres you incorporate into your music, of course. Another artist who uses esoterica and eclecticism, as well as sarcasm, is Beck. Are you familiar with his music?

VDP: I've heard enough of Beck to realize his references for pre-existing idioms. I'm grateful that he directs his audience to them. I've also met him, and can tell you that he seems like a very smart fellow, with surprising modesty, considering his fame. I like him.

JH: Why is George Carlin thanked on "Moonlighting?"

VDP: George asked me to let him know whenever I performed, so I did. He came to the Ash Grove the night we recorded that CD. I've always admired George Carlin tremendously. He's right up there with Lenny Bruce in my book. It floored me when I learned he'd had triple-by-pass surgery just 3 days before that concert. I was touched, and wanted to salute him publicly. George shoots straight from the hip in his best-seller "Brain Droppings". Funny, if that's the right word, how comedy can come out of such crisis.

JH: And wrapping up, back to the first question and your concept albums: would you ever consider launching a theatrical production, like your friend Randy Newman did with "Faust?" And, if we can play hypothetically, which masterpiece of literature would you most want to put to music?

VDP: Of course, I'm still intrigued with American folklore. From this field, my favorite topic is the tales of Br'er Rabbit. Without the slave (introduced by Joel Chandler Harris), these works stand the test of time---what Mark Twain called "Our most precious piece of stolen goods."

* I like my job but would love this one. [via sarahspace]