I'm Still Here

I managed to burn myself out this summer, I'm afraid, writing so hard. Since then, a number of things have distracted me from focusing as much attention on reading and writing as I like to -- the election, for instance.

Also, I got brought down by the death of DFW, a unique writer, probably a great one, to be remembered for many years to come. I'm not usually affected much by tragedies not touching me personally, but this one really got to me. I won't stop to analyze why. It's pretty obvious when you think about it. But the intensity of my own feelings still caught me by surprise. Such a damn shame.

Other distractions -- busy, busy at work. Busy, busy at home. Wave after wave of pre-school crud. And good stuff: Thing One and I have been checking out model rocketry and model aircraft clubs, special interests of his. And this last weekend, he and I began building a rocket we hope to fly with these guys next weekend.

And I've still managed to get some reading done:

• Elizabeth Moon's The Speed of Dark
• Frank Portman's King Dork
• James Lee Burke's The Neon Rain
• Gregory Mcdonald's Fletch's Fortune
• The Paris Review Interviews, vol II
• Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest
• Dashiell Hammett's The Dain Curse
• Theodore Sturgeon's More Than Human

:-)

And I don't make smileys about just anything.

My Favorite Song of 2008

Here's hoping this is still funny tomorrow night.