smaller, simpler, the end

Do you ever have one of those weeks? I'm having one of those weeks. Hope slides around but summer keeps giving way to rain, to every morning with these little black birds hopping around in the wet grass. I was beginning to feel a lot like this kid.

{Above: a classic Stella drawing.}

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But then, some good news: I've found a publisher for my short-story collection, and it will finally see the light of day in 2010. I'll be more forthcoming when I have a contract, but in the meantime it's nice to go on vacation with this in mind.

{Above: abstract pen and ink, which C really hates for some reason.}

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And finally: no internet for a month, my friends. It is, after all, the least of all things, the thing we never knew we needed until it became so necessary, until we began reaching for it every day. I'll take the ocean, no cats (yes!), long walks with C, some Scrabble, some schnapps, a cigar in the dark night air before bed. So, until August, this is ...