Reading: old Ranma manga
Music: John Hartford's "I'm Still Here" and New Grass Revival's "On the Boulevard"
TV/Movie: The Big Lewbowski, Chasing Amy, Zulu
Link o' the Day: Earl kemp's latest issue of eI, aptly called eI9

Ack! John's been absent again! What ho?

Well, I found myself entering hermit-mode over last weekend--possibly due to Pretty Maggie going out of town to visit family (but I'm not blaming her) and I've been playing catch-up ever since.

So what's hermit-mode? It varies. Sometimes it's a short period of time, usually only a couple of days when the only words I speak out loud to another person is when I'm buying cigarettes or dropping off my laundry. This past hermit-mode also included me sitting down and watching a lot of movies. Sure, I did some writing, but nothing very passionate or even overly useful. I filled in other time doing some freelance typesetting (I just got in the raw articles for the next SFWA Bulletin--crunch time cometh!).

But the hermit-mode has passed. I've caught up on most of my e-mail. I've caught up on some more writing--and better writing now. I've even done some more work on SoH#2 which I've promised people will be with me at Torcon. If I show up without any copies, they're gonna tar 'n feather me and beat me about the head and shoulders with a rolled up copy of Fancylopedia II and back issues of Mimosa.

Tonight has been pretty productive and feel-good, which is good. Now the weekend doth come again and I have stuff planned, but I should still find time for writing, typesetting, and 'zining. All Good Stuff. Pretty Maggie and I are going to have a nice dinner to celebrate her recent birthday and we're going to the Washington County Fair this weekend to scarf down lots of unhealthy food, tease farm animals, and throw up on midway rides. (This is _my_ plan at least.)

Man--Torcon is right around the corner. In less than two weeks I'm going to be sitting in some suite at the Resnick Listserv party. Going to see a bunch of folken I've not seen since MilPhil, and see some new folken I've not met in person yet ever. And this time, when I got to the fanzine room, I'll know people! Hey, how cool is that?

I'm just a little alarmed by the number of people who seem to _not_ be going. I've been hearing that DNA publications won't have a presence at Torcon, and probably not Black Gate either. There's something about the tax duties or somesuch when going over the border that American publishers (at least those who are on the small side) are having a problem with. And the program is still not available. I'm wondering if they're finding some program participants have dropped out, so now they're scrambling and trying to rearrange anything. (I've not heard any response to my offer of panel participation, but I may be too small potatoes for them this year.)

But I'm sure it's still going to be a great con and worth all the money I'm dropping on it. Besides, I've never been to Canada before. I hope I can find the bathrooms. Everythings going to be in Canadish.

Okay, rambling mode off. I have a few more things to take care of before turning in. Today's link is another fannish one. Earl Kemp's put out the latest issue of eI, aptly called eI9 (also available in PDF format here. Some good pieces in here by Dave Locke, Arthur Hlavaty, and more--plus a letter column!! This is a huge issue, and too many names to name. For those who got a kick out of the Hidden History of Pornography (my caps), there are more stories to be told. (not for the faint of heart or the narrow of mind).

Enjoy!