Lauras 24, 31.

- Yesterday was training at Northwestern, and we spent much of the day reviewing our benefits package, which is more complicated and comprehensive than any I've ever seen before. This is going to be both the most involved and serious day job I've ever had. It's good for being a responsible adult and husband; as always one has to (aggressively) carve out the time for writing and research beyond this.

My research plan for Urbantasm has held for over a month now, though I am behind in a few key areas. Basically, I'm up on researching similar media (uber-long novels), and on the math, but I'm behind on prosody, and there's a theological component that will have to be engaged to credibly assert that the main character is the/an antichrist that I just haven't sunk much time into yet. I passed a quiet evening alone last night, working on all of this, which is illustrative of my schedule always. It is essential that writing and research be fun, because by the time I've accounted for my job and my writing career, I've devoured fourteen or fifteen hours of the day. Even walking to the bus and while I'm exercising: I'm reading/researching.

- QUOTE OF THE WEEK -
"Dorothèe wept again, and then, taking up the veil, threw it suddenly over Emily, who shuddered to find it wrapped round her, descending even to her feet, and, as she endeavoured to throw it off, Dorothèe intreated that she would keep it on for one moment. 'I thought,' added she, 'how like you would look to my dear mistress in that veil; - may your life, ma'amselle, be a happier one than hers!'"
- Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho

- QUESTION OF THE DAY -
Are you watching the Olympics much this week?