There's a new Steven Millhauser story in the New Yorker, which can be read at that link. (Thanks, Barth for the pointer.) Steven Millhauser is wonderful, and if you haven't read him before this is as good a time as any to start. His works are like spun glass spiderwebs, held in place by words that serve as tiny perfect filaments. And he's excellent at both the short and the long form, per recent discussions elsewhere.

Gavin's put up a bunch of interesting things on his non-journal machine. Must sees include: fancy new diagram-like links page and the phenomenally killer covers for Sean and Jennifer's books. Those who look will see that there's going to be a hard and trade edition for both this year. I'm especially fond of the cover for Sean's trade, but these are all great covers period. OH, and Quimby's will be hosting a big LCRW reading.

Anna Kisselgoff writes about the North Carolina Dance Theater's new production, which involves classic ballet and a live bluegrass band and sounds excellent. Though not as excellent as NASCAR Ballet.

Barb links to amazing art by Clare Rojas that I covet, oh how, I covet. If I were rich, I would be full of largesse and send all of you a painting by her. (Though obviously the sloths are spoken for.)

Go about your days now, people of earth.

worm: "California," Luna

thingy/s to check out: What happened? Was it simply that my mind had been concentrated wonderfully by the prospect of a hanging? Or might it be that the more you work, the more you can work? I think both factors probably played a part. Whenever the going gets tough, my friends typically hear me mutter James Burnham's mantra, "If there’s no alternative, there’s no problem." I must have said it at least a couple of hundred times last month. But I also believe that simply by virtue of the fact that I had been exercising my writing muscle so regularly for so extended a period of time, the act of writing came more easily to me. -- a fascinating post by Terry at About Last Night

namecheck: Maud "You Really Should Read the Science Fiction, You Know" Newton*

* This is a joke and Maud should read whatever she wants; though I might have more thoughts later on good things based on the other names she mentions.