I have not gotten much writing done on this Spring Break so far, which makes me believe what most retirees say about their getting less accomplished after they retire than previously. I am determined not to let that happen, but I have always found that most vacations and summers are less productive than I would like them to be.

For example, yesterday afternoon we drove to Flemington to buy sneakers at the outlets, then we stopped at a strip mall where I bought a book at Borders. I also did a lot of cooking, making pea soup before we left and pizza afterwards. I liked the new dough machine, and am looking forward to finally making homemade pasta noodles this summer.

Currently reading: C.J. Cherryh is one of my favorite writers. She writes both serious fantasies and far-future space operas which are strongly character-oriented while also examining how life would be in both human space and on alien worlds. Finity’s End is a coming-of-age novel about an orphan from a space station who is transferred to a space ship in which all the crewmembers are one large family, of which he is now a reluctant part. Good stuff.

Currently listening: I am a big fan of progressive rock, but very little of it is in the forefront of contemporary rock music. One of the exceptions is Radiohead, whose Kid A is a bit esoteric to be a good introduction to prog rock, but for devoted fans it is highly recommended.