So, we got back from Boston yesterday. Well, Tewksbury anyway. We went to visit Pat. I really should call Charles the next time we do that trip and see about getting together. I know he's in that area somewhere.

It was a nice trip. We played games (Ebola Monkey Hunt and Hell Rail specifically), watched some anime (Love Hina -- very weird stuff), watched a movie (Chicken Run -- speaking of weird).

We also went to the New England Aquarium, which I had been looking forward to forever. It was great. I got to see a monkey-tailed skink at the live animal presentation, I discovered sea otters are related to ferrets (both weasels), which upon watching them becomes very obvious. I also got to see a green moray eel. It was floating on top of the ocean tank, an event which is apparently rare. All in all it was an excellent visit to one of my favorite places. The only downside was that we went on a holiday Saturday and it was PACKED. At least we got to skip the line at the entrance since Pat had a membership, but everyone had headaches by the time we got home.

Since Monday was Memorial Day Brian and I also attended a barbeque at his father's house. We just drove there from Boston. It was kind of funny. Still it meant I didn't have to cook after the long drive so I was happy. And the food was quite good. There were steaks, corn on the cob, salt potatoes, salad. A veritable feast!

There's less than two weeks to Clarion now. I'm going to ship out the stuff I don't want to carry with me tomorrow. I suspect I have horribly overpacked, but I've never gone anywhere for six weeks. Usually I'm moving and I buy everything (other than books) when I get there, or I just need an overnight bag, so I was a little unclear about how much stuff I'd need. And I hate doing laundry.

Still, I'd rather have too much stuff than not enough. It can be expensive to buy temporary replacements and if there are things I really don't need I can always ship them back.

I think other than clothes my biggest indulgence was books (though there are an awful lot of stuffed animals packed too). I have several that are written by the instructors. However, I misplaced my Waldrop book and ordered a different one. I hope it arrives soon so I can read it, but I have at least one book by all the others. There are three by Maureen McHugh and two by Nalo Hopkinson because they were in a lot of books I bought off Ebay in an attempt to get ahold of some out of print novels I need for my thesis. I'm also bringing a few science books I've been muddling through for story concepts. There's some on physics and genetic engineering. I probably don't need them, but they may inspire something.

So, I'm trying (and failing) to read something by each of the instructors before Clarion. So far I have two finished: THINK LIKE A DINOSAUR by James Patrick Kelly and NEKROPOLIS by Maureen McHugh. This is evidence of my poor planning as these are the last two instructors. Howard Waldrop, is, of course, the first, if I remember correctly. In my defense I am most of the way through TERMINAL VISIONS by Richard Paul Russo and partly through STRANGER THINGS HAPPEN by Kelly Link. So far I think Russo and Kelly (James Patrick not Link) are my favorites, but I haven't even gotten a chance to look at Waldrop and Hopkinson yet. Also, from what I've heard NEKROPOLIS is not one of McHugh's most liked pieces. I'm going to try to read something else of hers too, probably while at Clarion if I get time.

Anyway, lots planned before I go. I still have to get one of my medicines refilled so that I have enough to last while in Michigan, Finding Nemo comes out Friday and Brian and I will probably go, we're helping Nancy unpack Saturday and having dinner at the new house, and next week Nancy, Brian, and I are all going to see a musical called 1776. It should be fun, but boy am I going to be hopping.

Well, it's better than being bored! Bye for now, all!