Like this:

Links of interest (to Eric in particular):
Beta-carotene could help slow the natural decline in lung function
And ABC has been doing a several stories about adults with autism: Here and Here.  The second is the better of the two, though the on-line videos are the best presentation.

Tired.

After jogging yesterday morning, I discovered that it was possible for me to go out and play pick-up.  I figured I’d go out throw around a little, play a few points…  I was there until last point, and the white team definitely had the speed advantage.  At least girl-wise.  I think I might have touched the disc a total of three times.  And then I went out today to run against Cayla.  And the new guy.  Who I scored on.  I only feel a little bad about that because he did poach in on the throw to Eric, and therefore wasn’t near me when Eric threw it to me.

So.  Do I start reading Model Species from the beginning once again?  Or do I play around with the ending, which is long overdue?  The first option would be much more palatable if I could read it somewhere other than at my desk.  Perhaps writers love laptops so much because they mean that re-reading can be done somewhere far away from their desk.  Or at least across the room from their desk…

Like this:

Our car insurance informs me that “there is no coverage for loss to any vehicle due to fungi.”  That’s not much of a problem here in AZ, but I can see where it might be an issue in the Gulf Coast.  What is surprising to me is that “there is no coverage for loss to any vehicle that results from nuclear reaction, radiation or radioactive contamination, or the accidental or intentional detonation of or release of radiation from any nuclear or radioactive device.”  So, mental note, no transportation of nukes in Hefty…

Like this:

Link o’ the day:  (well, actually I found it a few days ago…)
Astronomy for Science Fiction Writers

Like this:

Yesterday and today, Eric and I got up early to go running with Chris.  Eric made an effort to keep up with Chris yesterday, and his muscles have paid for it.  I jogged at my putzy pace.  Three miles yesterday, 2.25 miles today.  Being up early is strange.  Here it, quarter to nine.  I’ve exercised in the cool of the morning.  I’ve eaten breakfast.  I’ve checked up on email and forums.  Now I need to open my files and get to work..  ‘Cause I’ll probably want to go to sleep by 10 tonight…

Went to see X-Men: The Last Stand on Saturday.  I liked it.  It had it’s problems, but it was ambitious  and that’s to be applauded.  It could have been better.  Rented Murderball, which I also liked.  We hadn’t rented a ‘left-field’ film in a while, and as usual, it paid off.  Chris has also left us with Band of Brothers.  We couldn’t get disc one to play, but we watched both episodes on disc two.  It’s…okay.  Maybe a little too maudlin for me.

Like this:

Stop Chasing High-Tech Cheaters 
I’d like to think that, ideally, Mr. Socol’s point is that high schools and universities should be teaching a student how to think rather than teaching a long list of ‘trivia’ to be memorized.  That’s a goal I can get behind, even if it would have made me an academically ‘dumber’ student.  But the problem is that quick information access is also making students lazy.  I’d say at least once I week, I come across a post like this:  “I have a test on Jane Eyre tomorrow!!!  I so need help on the essay.  I know the teacher is going to ask about major themes.  Help, somebody tell me about the major themes!!!”  (Well, like that, only not as well written.  There aren’t spell checks on most forums, and the poster wouldn’t have bothered copy/pasting over to Word to give it a check.)  And this poster doesn’t want help, this poster wants to be told what Jane Eyre is about.  Preferably, he wants someone to give him an essay to paraphrase.  Never mind that he could have looked up the Wikipedia entry on it.  Or, he could have spent the time, read the book, thought about it a little, and come up with his own ideas about the book’s major themes.  But then, the teacher is probably just looking for a check list of certain phrases to be used in the essay, so if the student comes up with something original, he’s probably screwed anyway…

Like this:

Back from my 11am dermatology appointment  At 11:25  Dr. Love, a gentlemanly 50-ish man, took me to an exam room and asked what my problem was.  I explained about my spot including that, in the past week, it had flaked off and was no longer as lumpy as when I made the appointment.  He didn’t seem surprised about that.  He took a look at it, the other side of my face and the exposed bits of my arms.  “Your skin is in good shape.  The spot is nothing serious, but is precancerous.   I suggest freezing it off which will leave no scar.  We can do that today if you’d like.”  I saw no reason why not to do it today, so Dr. Love left for a moment and came back with a cup of, was it liquid nitrogen?  Anyway, “This will sting,” dab-dab with a swab, and I was out of there by 11:35.  “I won’t even schedule a follow up.  Keep using your sunscreen.”

Like this:

U. Florida cops ask fiction writer for fingerprints, DNA  is going around.  Thanks, sailormur for pointing that one out.  Kinda makes me want to call for a “blog a fictional violent crime” day.

And Barbara Bauer is back with more publishing drama.  For those of you who weren’t following along, Ms. Bauer is on this list:

The 20 Worst Literary Agencies

• The Abacus Group Literary Agency
• Allred and Allred Literary Agents (refers clients to “book doctor” Victor West of Pacific Literary Services)
• Barbara Bauer Literary Agency
• Benedict Associates (also d/b/a B.A. Literary Agency)
• Sherwood Broome, Inc.
• Capital Literary Agency (formerly American Literary Agents of Washington, Inc.)
• Desert Rose Literary Agency
• Arthur Fleming Associates
• Finesse Literary Agency (Karen Carr)
• Brock Gannon Literary Agency
• Harris Literary Agency
• The Literary Agency Group, which includes the following:
  -Children’s Literary Agency
  -Christian Literary Agency
  -New York Literary Agency
  -Poets Literary Agency
  -The Screenplay Agency
  -Stylus Literary Agency (formerly ST Literary Agency, formerly Sydra-Techniques)
  -Writers Literary & Publishing Services Company (the editing arm of the above-mentioned agencies)
• Martin-McLean Literary Associates
• Mocknick Productions Literary Agency, Inc.
• B.K. Nelson, Inc.
• The Robins Agency (Cris Robins)
• Michele Rooney Literary Agency (also d/b/a Creative Literary Agency, Simply Nonfiction, and Michele Glance Rooney Literary Agency)
• Southeast Literary Agency
• Mark Sullivan Associates
• West Coast Literary Associates (also d/b/a California Literary Services)

I wasn’t going to post this list before, but hey, if we’re going to lose internet resourses due to the drama, I might actually want it for reference in the future.

Okay, off to work for me…