We've been working on this day in and day out. We're optimistic that we can still pull it off, but the action of the Senate doesn't help.

I'm not expecting any of Auburn's commitments to jump ship on signing day. That would come as a shock to me and as a shock to those associated with the program.

The wind made it very tough to play in spite of the warm day.

It was hard, I love coming into the gym every day, but it is hard coming in every day and working your body so hard. It was especially hard since sometimes I felt like I was working and wasn't working towards anything.

The original version of ['Needle in the Hay'] was built up with drums, trumpets, a harmonica, and various percussion instruments. In the end Elliott decided to tear back down the arrangement and go for the more starkly acoustic version that we know today. In a tribute to the original version, I added new instrumental sections that produce a mournful and heavy quality that depicts the sad nature of what must have been Elliott 's life and inner mind. The music is pretty but underneath there is a grave solemnity. It is the best tribute to Elliott that I can pay.

I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet, so I don't know if she's interested or not. No one in the district has approached me about the job yet, but that doesn't mean there isn't interest.