Semi-long time lurker, first time e-mailer (as if it makes any difference at all, it just seemed appropriate). I just thought I'd try to be helpful in a couple ways. I believe you reported incorrectly that "Guards! Guards!" was playing an episode a week. In reality, they're airing the episodes daily, beginning last Friday and concluding this Friday (August 12th). The first two episodes are available in the "Listen Again" section now. I wouldn't want anyone who was looking forward to it to miss them due to a misunderstanding.
As to your recent printing issues, I sympathize. There is a way around that, although perhaps not one you'd like to hear. They sell mobile printers now (HP does for certain, at least), which would let you avoid hotel printers in favor of your own. The battery life is quite nice and I think the HP mobile deskjet 450cbi comes with a adapters for both 110 and 220 currents, assuming you choose to forego the battery entirely. Of course, this means adding another four-odd pounds to your laptop bag, but if you only want to print from hotels then you could store the printer in your suitcase and save your shoulder.
Keep writing and I'm sure we'll all keep reading.
- Jean (adding to the probably small South Dakota readership)
Thanks so much for mentioning the Guards! Guards! thing. Daily, not weekly. Right.
You aren't the first person to suggest I travel with a printer, and 13 or 14 years ago I used to (the printer back then weighed 4 lb. The power adapter for the printer weighed about 6lb. I could never figure that one out) but I believe, possibly wrongly, that nice hotels with business centres ought to have printers that work. And that even if they don't now, they will one day. It's this cheery optimism that gets me through life.
My daughter Holly's fondness for Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty is legendary.(Well, it is in my house.) I'm thrilled to see she has taken it to new heights by winning first prize in their 2004 competition. Hurrah for the mysterious Holly G.
Hi Neil. Thought maybe a mention of Jill Thompson's new manga The Dead Boy Detectives was in order, considering that it hit the shelves last week. I work at a Borders in Rhode Island and happily put a bunch on an endcap for all to see, and hopefully to scoop up and enjoy. It's another Thompson treasure. Truly fabulous. Have a lovely day, can't wait for Anansi Boys!
Beth
You're right -- and it's been getting lots of lovely reviews too, which I've been meaning to post here and have forgotten to.
Here's the one from Booklist:
Thompson, Jill. The Dead Boy Detectives. 2005. 120p. illus. DC Comics/Vertigo, paper, $9.99 (1-4012-0313-2). 741.5.
Ghosts Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland, introduced in Neil Gaiman�s fourth Sandman opus, Season of Mists (1994), and featured in Thompson�s At Death�s Door (2003), are still avoiding Death and still finding time to run their own detective agency. Their latest case brings them stateside to a girls� boarding school in Chicago. While undercover, they work their way through the clues to find an absent classmate. They and their new friends at the school suspect the worst, and the teachers� mysterious attitude about the missing girl isn�t helping. Thompson�s cute art, distinctive while remaining within traditional manga-anime conventions, fits a story full of well-written over-the-top screwball comedy and featuring cameo appearances by Death and the Sandman. Sandman series fans may be a little disappointed (it�s too cute), but manga mavens will be in heaven. ��Tina Coleman
Meanwhile, the Germans have been told they can't reserve things on beaches with towels any longer.
I was trying to find information on whether I'd broken the law by taping up the side of my passport where the plastic had started to come away, and all I found was a thing telling me not to smile on my passport photo in future.
I rather like the banner I saw on Locus's page when I went to look at the Hugo winners.
"God is dead... Meet the kids... Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman."
Who comes up with these tag lines?
Grin.
Hitmouse
Me, for that one, I'm afraid. Although it's not meant to have ellipses in it. I've been waiting to use it since I came up with the idea of the first couple of chapters of Anansi Boys in about 1996.