As I was getting ready to leave for workshop tonight, I was feeling happy, I was in a good mood, and then I started to think of the world and war and then I actually had this thought: I shouldn't be in a good mood at a time like this.

The thought was quick and fleeting. I didn't take the thought to heart, but yet it was there, sitting like an elephant in the living room.

How terrible and wonderful that each person is a individual universe walking around, a bubble around another world. Little worlds within one big world. Because of these little worlds, there can be happiness, hope, gratefulness, and, yes, war. There can be hate, murder, despair, and, yes, peace. There can be love.

I don't have to (and probably shouldn't) be blissfully ignorant. The big world is there looming like the fading day into night. While I might cringe at what's happening to other lives in other places, I can still focus on my goals and look to the future. There will always be fear, there will always be doubt. I can be happy, I can be glad, I can be thankful for what I have in my life--those feelings, too, will always be there. The big world is awfully small for all these little ones.

And I gotta keep moving on.

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Anyhoo, came home with five stories to critique for next workshop. I have five more to read for the Nexus group a week from Thursday. Busy.

Sounds like Jay Lake and Scott Carter had a great and productive time at the two-week Oregon Coast Workshop. Jay was highly productive which is no surprise. He wasn't at the workshop tonight but I hope we'll get to see him soon.

I'll be moving forward with the novel rewrite, so that I can (soon!) write some stories to hand in to the workshop.