Well, after I made my venting entry, I decided that I owed y'all (and myself) a happier one. So, here is a list of my current reasons to be happy, despite everything:

1. I had a really wonderful and inspiring time at the World Fantasy Con in Tempe, Arizona over the weekend. I hope to post a fuller account soon, but the short version is: California may be where I live, but science fiction and fantasy is my home.


2. Thanks to World Fantasy Con, I have an enormous pile of good books to read, most of which were "free" (well, included in the price of my con membership). I was smarter this year than last year - I gave away or swapped for better books everything that I wasn't likely to actually read.


3. One of the books I bought at WFC was John Clute's Scores, a collection of reviews which is smart, opinionated, erudite, occasionally vicious, and very ocasionally completely incomprehensible. It's vastly entertaining, and I feel as though I'm learning a lot from it, though how much I'll be able to put into words or practice remains to be seen.


4. Daniel. Need I say more?


5. Starbucks is serving Christmas drinks now. The world is a better place after a peppermint mocha.


6. The Cute Barista took my order for a peppermint mocha, and recognized me as a regular, though he didn't remember my name.


7. While I was at WFC, I figured out how to fix a story that's been bugging me for a long time. Fortunately/Unfortunately, it means a fair chunk of research, but it beats trunking the story for lack of ways to fix it.


8. Some of the trees in the courtyard here at work have turned an absolutely stunning shade of red. I should bring my digital camera and get a photo.


9. I still love my job.


10. I have nothing in particular planned to do this weekend, except to spend an afternoon curled up in a comfy chair with a pot of tea and a book.


11. Peet's tea.