Had a weird night last…

Had a weird night last night -- after the high-energy Kriti meeting (getting close to event!), my head was buzzing, and though I tried to go to bed around 11, I gave up around midnight and went up to join Kevin and David (math colleague) on the deck. David's visiting for a few days. I curled up with Kev under a blanket and tried to be sleepy, but their math talk failed to lull me. There was other chatting interspersed with the math talk, about academia mostly, and that part was fun enough, though I would have rather been sleeping. Around 1:30, we came back downstairs, and I got my computer and a book of essays and went to work in bed. Got most of my comp. syllabus nailed down; just need a few more readings. I think I finally fell asleep around 3. Just too much going on, and too many deadlines. My brain can't quite keep up.

This morning, try to finish the comp syllabus, send some Kriti e-mail. This afternoon, go back to working on student papers for Vermont. This evening, buy groceries. Tomorrow morning, hopefully revise chapter 3 of novel. Tomorrow afternoon, more student papers for Vermont. Tomorrow evening, clean-up house in preparation for brunch Sunday. Sunday, take day off, cook and eat and socialize with friends. Monday, go back to work.

It's a good life -- actually, it's a great life. I'm doing pretty much exactly the work I want to do, and I really do love doing it. But maybe another day or two off would be okay. I did it to myself, so must just bang head against the wall in reminder that I must not take on any new projects. None. Not any. Nope.

Of course, on the other hand, some projects do turn out gorgeously. A belated happy birthday to Strange Horizons, now celebrating five years of weekly, professional, innovative, award-winning operation! Publishing more poetry than anyone else in the genre, publishing more new fiction authors than anyone else, probably publishing more nonfiction than anyone else, though I won't swear to that one. But plenty of nonfiction, at any rate! :-) Consistently a delight to read, and still free to the public, with increasing support from the community every year. So pbbbbt! to all the folks who told us five years ago that nobody was going to read or send stories to an online magazine (and a non-profit, donor-funded one at that), and who confidently predicted that we'd fold within six months. Hah!

Thank you to the authors and artists, thanks to the readers. We need you all. But mostly, thanks to the incredible volunteer staff! I'm just so proud of you guys! And it's especially lovely that you all go on working so splendidly without me, and I can just admire from afar. :-)