The journal

September 30, 2023 · 71 words

The In Crowd

Standing before one of the secret doors in the library, it’s this year’s Rio Hondo workshop: Walter Jon Williams, Kim Jollow Zimring, Rosemary Claire Smith, Diana Rowland, Michaela Roessner, Barbara Ferrer, Alan Smale, Alex Jablokow, Rick Wilber, David D. Levine, Oz Drummond, Rachel Swirsky. Together we survived high a

September 29, 2023 · 0 words

Truchas Sunset

September 28, 2023 · 77 words

Getting High

Rio Hondo I think may fairly claim to be the only writers’ workshop to offer high tea. Nor was this my idea. Oz, Alan, Barb, and Rosie put this together while I paying attention to other things. We had scones, cucumber sandwiches, crumpets, and trifle, accompanied by various teas, clotted cream, double cream, jams, and

September 26, 2023 · 37 words

Wilt Thou, Walter, Take This Library . . .

This week is the Rio Hondo workshop, and we are at Truchas Peaks Place in Truchas, NM. The top floor is composed of a library, complete with hidden doors and secret rooms. Perhaps I am in love.

September 22, 2023 · 42 words

Starr Time

The other night we went to see Sir Richard Starkey, MBE, and his charming little orchestra. He achieved worldwide headlines by tripping and falling during his final song, but I blinked and missed it. I hope I’m that spry when I’m 83.

September 22, 2023 · 0 words

Local Sunset

September 10, 2023 · 117 words

Maybe Not Russian

In the previous post, I identified my spammers as Russian, because much of theirs spam was in Cyrillic. But since I cleared my Pending file and erased everything in the spam file, and only enabled comments on maybe half a dozen topics, I’ve been getting a little trickle of spam that seems to be in […]

September 5, 2023 · 215 words

Six Thousand Russian Spam

I apologize if you tried to post a reply here in the last few weeks, because as your post was waiting for approval it was buried under nearly 6000 Russian spam. I was delating the spam as fast as I could, but I could only delete one spam from the Pending file at a time, […]

August 31, 2023 · 401 words

Screaming Oppie

I finally saw Oppenheimer, and it’s an absolute achievement of a film. It’s not to be enjoyed— there’s very little joy in the movie— it’s to be experienced. A terrific script, an absolutely great ensemble of first-rate actors, and it’s surprisingly faithful to the history. Lots of special effects, but none

August 25, 2023 · 53 words

I Am At Bubonicon

Bubonicon, New Mexico’s finest SF convention, is in progress, and so am I. Come by and say howdy. My schedule: Friday Reading, 5pm, Cimmaron Panel, 6:30pm, Salon A-D: Time’s Making Changes Saturday Panel, 11 am, Salon E: Alternative History Signing, 4:25pm, Salon A-E. Sunday Panel, 12:30pm, Salon E: Writing in the Near

August 24, 2023 · 600 words

Injure. Heal. Repeat.

I’ve been having a frustrating time with one leg injury after another. I’m guessing it began three years ago, when hip replacement surgery resulted in a tilted pelvis, which resulted in my right leg seeming longer than my left. Also, because my spine wanted my head to remain atop my torso instead of pointing to [&helli

August 18, 2023 · 435 words

Time Off

I’ve spent the last four days at a cabin in the Sacramento Mountains, a property shouldered up against the Mescalero Apache reservation (who, contrary to standard practice, managed to get some very good land out of the American government). The cabin is about 100 years old, and is owned by the extended family of Louy,