Word count: 120476 | Since last entry: 1818 | This month: 4044 Nothing on the novel today, but a very productive day on the unicorn story with Sara (with a bonus of a fine dim sum lunch at a new place on Division — Wong’s King, I think it’s called, and it’s definitely a keeper). This collaboration thing is tons of fun and I think the story is turning out great. It’s something that neither of us could possibly have written alone. Two more sessions like that, I think, and it’ll be done. I only hope we can get it in below 7500 words — below 5000 would be better. One other note: as I was driving home from work the other day the “MAINT REQD” light on the dashboard came on, which the owner’s manual claims means the car needs an oil change. But I got the oil changed just over 1000 miles ago, and I happened to notice that the light came on as the odometer passed exactly 5000 miles, which made me suspicious. And indeed, when I took the car to the friendly local neighborhood car mechanic who’d changed the oil, he confirmed my suspicion that the car just needed to be told it had had its oil changed — but since they don’t have the shop manual for the 2005 Corolla yet, they had no idea how to do it. The two of us together managed to find it, buried in the back of the owner’s manual: turn off the ignition, then turn it on while holding down the trip-odometer reset button for five seconds. Ah, the joys of car computers. (But wait! There’s more! Some luxury cars with Bluetooth cellphone integration may be vulnerable to computer viruses…)