• Location: Nicholson Crater
• Mood: relieved
• Music: R.E.M., "These Days"

Amanita is the name, they cover over everything.

Yesterday, I marched quite a bit farther than expected, 2,383 steps, which by my personal standard (the only one that can matter in this instance) makes it a very good marching day, indeed. All the way up to the top of that steep final hill and most of the way back down the other side. When I made camp, I could see my goal so clearly that I almost decided to push on. But I was exhausted, and my steps would have been faltering, at best. I might have twisted an ankle in the dark. I might have done a shoddy job of THE END. Better that I have waited until today. No looking back, and there can be only joy and relief at the conclusion of this very difficult four-month march.

A question from activistgirl regarding "Untitled 20," which appears in Tales from the Woeful Platypus (reprinted from Sirenia Digest #2):

Halfway through Tales from the Woeful Platypus and it's been great! "Untitled 20" is my favorite thus far, if I have to pick. Were you thinking of The Postal Service's or Iron and Wine's version of "Such Great Heights"? Kinda mundane question but I think it makes a difference...Sorry if you've answered this one before!

I was thinking of the version by Iron and Wine. I've not answered this one before. And "Untitled 20" happens to be one of my favourite pieces from Sirenia Digest, though I could not explain precisely why. I'd love to see hear more reaction to Tales from the Woeful Platypus, by the way. Don't be so frelling shy.

Yesterday, I came across a blog somewhere out there in which Elizabeth Hand was described as the older, less-annoying sister of Poppy Z. Brite and Caitlín Kiernan. I probably should be used to this sort of thing by now, these peculiar, almost unfathomable insults from total strangers. I mean, I guess this is meant as an insult, in that I am declared "annoying" (though I frequently am, annoying that is). On the interweb, all self-styled smart cookies will have their say.

Spooky spent most of yesterday working on her first owl doll, which I think is going to be one of her best yet. She also posted a new ditl ("A day in the week they murdered my favorite tree."), in which I make a couple of guest appearances. After dinner, I had a hot bath, and we watched Werner Herzog's My Best Friend: Klaus Kinski (1999), then read Chapter Four of A Slight Trick of the Mind. Very late, after midnight, a marvelous wind arose, roaring through high branches and across rooftops. I read Chapter Eleven of In the Wake of Madness ("George Black"). I think I was asleep a little after three, early for me.

I should repeat the eBay announcement from yesterday's entry:

Please take a moment to have a look at the latest eBay auctions. There's a copy of the ARC of From Weird and Distant Shores, one of the last I'll be able to offer. The same is true of the copies of "On the Road to Jefferson" and Candles for Elizabeth. There's also an ARC of the Subterranean Press edition of Low Red Moon and a copy of The Five of Cups.

Anyway, yes, the platypus bleats once more.