Word count: 119459 | Since last entry: 0 | This month: -2718 In honor of the Solstice — a phenomenon which has been going on since before there was life on this planet and will continue long after humanity has departed (assuming we don’t blow the damn thing right out of its orbit) — Kate and I celebrated in our usual fashion, with pepper-salted squid at Thien Hong and a movie (in this case Flight of the Phoenix — a little implausible, perhaps, but I liked it). We held a kitchenwarming party this weekend. Large numbers of people attended, from all our various interest groups (neighbors, co-workers, science fiction fans, writers, square dancers, and various others even more obscurely connected), and they all seemed to find something to talk about with each other. Many were the oohs and aahs over the new kitchen. We made and bought massive quantities of food and drink, which of course guaranteed that everyone would also bring plenty of same. I figure we’re set for something to bring to the next five parties we attend. No work on the novel since the last post. I have a pile of manuscripts to critique, but since putting the novel in the mail I’ve been focusing on various other holiday traditions, notably decorating the tree and buying presents for friends and relatives (just about done with that, unless I change my mind). One bit of writing news, though: my story “Tk’Tk’Tk” will be in the next issue of Asimov’s. Happy Solstice to all!