Inhumi....the what, what???

One of the cool things about the new year is that it sort of comes with a clean slate. Yesterday it was January first. I was good, so no hangover, and hadn't had time to screw anything up! The day went brilliantly, beginning with great progress on the new Relic piece and ending in wondrous fashion with Orion and I sitting outside in the darkness, listening to a whole parliament of owls.

It's oddly rainy and dark and chilly today. I like it. A lot. But it's not quite enough of what my head needs. I'm not done with winter. I must have a bit more cold air and snow to finish what I'm working on, I think.

This morning began early, with coffee and the last twenty pages or so of Gene Wolfe's Exodus from the Long Sun. Pete has dogged me for the last month as I've traveled through 1500 pages or so. He's caught me at a number of plot turns, nasty surprises and what-the-hell-is-going-on-here rants. His glee at my discomfiture would earn him a good monkey outta nowhere if not for its innocent jubilance. He's been watching me take a ride he loved. He missed today's brain noogy. He was away when the last pages of Exodus took everything I thought I'd learned, twisted it, turned it inside out, painted it blue and stuck a cherry on top.

I understand only now why he wanted to see it, so this post is especially for him.

I adore Gene. I'm having a great time working with him and getting to know him better. If not, I'd be inclined to kick him in the shin. As it were, I'll hug him and tell him I'd like to kick him in the shin.
Sheesh.
Still, I've got to say, if you enjoy a good ride, it's worth the aneurysm. I will indeed go on to "On Blue's Waters."
If I have any advice to offer first time readers, it would be thus:
1. You don't know Jack Shit.
And
2. They're all bastards.