No writing yet today, but I've done a myriad of small tasks, as well as some exercise and a lot of online class work. So far, it looks like the online class is going to take about twice as much time as the in-person class. Interesting. We'll see if that continues. I watched an episode of Bones in the middle of the day, without trying to do anything else at the same time -- so decadent! Also finished reading Tepper's The Margarets, which I was simultaneously delighted and really frustrated by, which is par for the course for Tepper and me these days, it seems. Sometimes I wonder why I do it myself. And then I go re-read the True Game and am reminded.

Kevin's sister sent along some photos -- Aunt Susan, cousin Brooke (who is five months younger than Kavi, but you wouldn't guess it!) and my Kavi. Does she look like she misses me yet???

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Well, Kevin and Kavi are off to California to visit his folks, and no, I don't miss them yet. Soon, I'm sure. :-) But right now, I'm reveling in the lack of responsibility. It's just me and Ellie, and y'know, I can pretty much handle feeding the dog and taking her out for a walk twice a day. Oh, and feeding the fish. And watering the plants. But still -- I feel like such a slacker.

So far, today has been all about me. I went and got a haircut. Then Lori came over to work, but we mostly watched her dog play with Ellie, because we could just stay here and work since there's no Kavi to worry about, so she brought Ursa. So cute. But I did buy my plane tickets to Toronto for the festival, and booked a long-overdue check-up at my doctor and wrote some e-mails for the online class. And this evening, I'm going to get a pedicure and my eyebrows done. 'Cause I can! And I'm going to make fish for dinner -- smelly, smelly mackerel that makes Kevin ill when I cook it with him around. I'm going to smell up the whole place!!!

Okay, I'm a little giddy. :-)

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Guys, I'm not even going to do the big spiel again, because you've heard it for eight years running now. Eight years! I can't believe it. My little baby has gotten so big...

Strange Horizons is extending its annual fund drive for just a few more days -- they're just $500 short of their $6000 goal. I've been listening to NPR relentlessly fund-raising for the last week, and last I heard they'd raised something like two million dollars. Which is lovely for them, but it makes me think that surely, among all those folks who love sf and fantasy, there are a few more able to chip in $5, or $25, or $50 to help us make it to $6000?

Every little bit helps, folks -- if you can, please help put that rocket ship over the top!

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Thought this was really interesting: Five Geek Social Fallacies. I found myself really defensive, reading each one -- yet while I am a little annoyed by the particular examples given of various people who smell bad (an inconvenience, perhaps, but not likely to cause a real social problem), in large part, I have to admit that I've seen all of these behaviors carried out to destructive social extent.

I definitely suffer from all of the fallacies, to a mild degree, and have been almost pathologically bad about #1 (at conventions, especially, leading to unmanageably large dinners), and #4 (in college, where I made the math guys and the bisexual support group hang out together -- that went over well).

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The Gulliver Travel Research Grant

The Speculative Literature Foundation is accepting proposals for the Gulliver Travel Research Grant from July 1st 2008 until September 30th 2008.

SLF travel grants are awarded to assist writers (speculative fiction, poetry, drama, creative nonfiction) in their research. They are not currently available for academic research. We are currently offering one $600 travel grant annually, to be used to cover airfare, lodging, and/or other travel expenses.

Our travel grants will be awarded by a committee of SLF staff members on the basis of interest and merit. Factors considered will include:

· a writing sample in the proposed genre (up to 10 pages of poetry, 10 pages of drama, or 5000 words of fiction or creative nonfiction); please note that the writing sample must be a solo work (work completed only by the applicant).

· a bibliography of previously-published work by the author (no more than one page, typed); applicants need not have previous publications to apply.

· a one-page written description of the project in question (maximum 500 words) Think about

- Where you intend to visit (be as specific as you can)
- When you intend to travel (including the completion date)
- What you will gain from field rather than desk research via a library or the internet

If awarded the grant, the recipient agrees to write a brief report of their research experience (500-1000 words) for our files, and for possible public dissemination on our website.

PLEASE NOTE: This grant, as with all SLF grants, is intended to help writers working with speculative literature. If you're not sure what areas that term encompasses, we recommend referencing our FAQ (question #2).

Travel Grant Application Procedures

1. Send the three items listed above to our travel grant administrators, Colin Harvey and Tiffany Jonas, as an attached .doc or .rtf file in one e-mail, to travel@speculativeliterature.org. Include a brief cover letter with your name and contact info (e-mail, phone in case of emergency). If you have questions, direct them to that same address.

2. You may apply for travel to take place at any point in the following year (from October to the following October).

3. Travel may take place from any country to any country, or internally within a country; the grants are unrestricted. Funds will be disbursed in U.S. currency (but can be sent through PayPal if that is more convenient for international recipients).

4. Travel grant applications will be considered from July 1st to September 30th, annually. Applications received outside that period will be discarded unread.

5. The grant recipient will be announced by October 15th, annually. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application by that date.

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