I bought an iPod. I wanted the new 40 gig version, but nobody in town (or in nearby towns) had those in stock. And since I wanted it for the trip to North Carolina, I gave in and bought a 20 gig one. That still holds plenty of music and will serve nicely to backup all my fiction and poetry, since text files are small. I'm quite in love with the iPod. I bought it on Wednesday, and spent that afternoon wandering around Lake Merritt and environs, listening to music, and writing poetry and working on the Bridges novel. Good times. For the trip to NC I've loaded up the iPod with some audio stories, mostly found via John Joseph Adams's Locus audiobook column. I especially like Jim Kelly's Free Reads, and must remember to put some money in his tipjar when I have a chance. That, plus the many many many hours of music I have on hand, should make the plane ride more tolerable than usual.

For ink-on-paper reading on the trip I picked up The Wasp Factory by Iain M. Banks (which I've wanted to read for ages) and Devil in the White City. And I'll take whatever else is lying around the house that I haven't read yet -- there's always a pile of stuff in the living room waiting to be read.

Not much else to report. Writing proceeds in its usual undramatic and interesting-only-to-me fashion. I'm working on more poetry lately -- and doing so far more seriously than I have in a long time -- and it's like flexing muscles I haven't used in years, the sudden rememberance of forgotten strengths and frailties. I finally got to see Nick, at China Mieville's reading on Wednesday. I also met gadarene and andyhat and strangebint. Good reading -- it made me like Iron Council more! We went to Intermezzo afterward, which was fun.

Otherwise, I've mostly been playing Grand Theft Auto III on the Xbox, which is rather like driving around in Oakland, only with more violence...

We're leaving for the airport at 5:15 a.m. tomorrow, and I don't know if I'll be able to update during the blessed week of vacation. If not, y'all have a nice beginning of August.