How is this for a slap in the face: I spent six weeks in November-December writing the first draft of a novel, which I spent the past month revising. Yesterday afternoon I sent it to a good friend for critiquing. Immediately afterwards, we went to see the movie Source Code, which we both enjoyed, but whose premise closely replicates one of the important scenes in my novel! I'll have to decide whether the scene can remain or needs to be totally revised.

Currently reading: Recently I have been re-reading two novels which I first read and thoroughly enjoyed when I was in college, and both of them hold up very well and which I recommend highly. One is Poul Anderson's thought-provoking Brain Wave, and the other is Alfred Bester's romp The Stars My Destination (which was based on the classic Count of Monte Cristo).

Currently listening: Friday we went to see Steve Forbert in concert, and he put on a very good show, highlighted by many of his best songs. Afterwards, I bought a copy of his three-cd set Down in Flames, the centerpiece of which is a 1982 album which his record company rejected, and which Forbert finally released 2 years ago. It is well worth the long wait, being a wonderful album, showing the short-sightedness of the music industry. The second disk contains extra recordings which did not fit onto the first disk; and the third disk is a live recording from a year later. Highly recommended stuff.