I was pleased with Alien Planet, even though it departed quite a bit from Barlowe's book storywise. But you really should find a copy of Expedition and read it, because there is much more depth and detail there.
I am so not ready for birthday -1. Not even nearly. That's what happens when you allow your unsightly twenties to slosh over into the depths of your thirties. These things get ugly. The existensial shock of temporal progression and all that. Our inherent powerlessness before the indifferent flow of Time. There's a link, though. for them what wants to help lessen the infernal sting.
And here's an amusing little thing.
Wonderful storms last night. They woke me about five, I think, and then crept into my dreams. Later, kiddos...