Reading: Cemetery Dance by Preston and Child
Music: random bluegrass
TV/Movie: It Happened One Night (1934)
Link o' the Day: Bruno



We continue on our path toward home ownership. The latest manifestation of that journey appeared last night in a meeting with the banker to sign a stack of forms so high we had to look around it to see each other. I was less concerned with the idea of signing my life to a standard 30 year mortgage than I was with the fact that my signature started to morph into something even I couldn't recognize as my own. I comfort myself with the idea that this is a typical phenomenon and that the squad of bankers, lawyers, underwriters, bureaucratic demons, and inspectors will understand this.

But we're that much closer. We'd have been finished by now if the house itself wasn't a flip and current law requires 90 days between original purchase and sale. Despite all the horror stories about flipped houses that have been in the news lately, this doesn't appear to be one of them. The home inspector gave the place a very good review, and what minor things still needed attending, the seller is taking care of prior to closing, and our avenging angel of a real estate angel is on this like a pitbull after a baby carriage. (Too far? Should I reel that one back in? Seriously, I need to know.)



So far...so good. Moving is still going to be a huge undertaking for us packrats. Still much purging to do. Still much packing. Switching utilities. Post office notifications. Etc. But in the end, we'll have a little place to call our own and I'll have an enclosed back porch I can sip coffee from in the wee hours of the morning before descending into my "man cave" to work.

It's the American dream.

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Work seems to be progressing pretty well, and only a little bit behind schedule. In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have taken Monday off like the rest of the country, but then again--I think I deserved it. If I keep nose to the grindstone today and maybe pull some extra work in over the weekend, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be sitting well come Monday. As it is, I've gotten some projects out the door. Character Kings officially went to the printer yesterday as expected. I also delivered to the printer the June issue of the medical journal, and today will likely be sending to the printer the 2nd edition of the Agatha Award winning book Private Eyelashes: Radio's Lady Detectives by Jack French.

The Design Integrations book will go out on another proof this afternoon--most likely its last. The same with the Van Alexander book. The SFWA Bulletin will be getting closer to publication. Rogue Satellite Comics also. All today. Should be a good day.

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Today's link goes to a now-defunct online comic by Christopher Baldwin called Bruno. There are several years worth of archives here telling the story of a young woman (Bruno) and her journey through life looking for philosphical answers and psychological peace with self. Bruno reminds me of several folks I knew back in college days, which may be why I have such a soft spot for it even tho she sometimes descends into a maddening inability to make any real decisions about things.

But it's a "thinking person's" comic, and a bit different from the typical webcomic of today. There is some talented writing and artwork here, and while Baldwin has done a number of other comic projects since Bruno, this still remains my favorite of his. It's worth checking out.

Cheers!