Going dark for the next week or so, while I'm on vacation with my family. Have a merry Christmas, everyone, and a happy New Year!

Packages are wrapped, I'm heading for NJ.

Happy Holidays, all!

FYI Earthquake links:

Live Internet Seismic Server: [link] (Takes a while to load on dial-up.)

IRIS Seismic Monitor: [link]

The New World-Wide Earthquake Locator: [link]

I know we're all in the holiday fuzz still, but I'm helping ND, -t, and Heather to try to work out final details for the NOLA May F2F. Post with important questions and details is here: KristinT "F2F 3: Who's Bringing the Guacamole?" Dec 27, 2004 11:12:58 pm PST.

It may seem far off, but we're actually only five months from our gathering, which is a little close for comfort to not have an official reservation and booking yet.

Thanks!

Final chance to say yay or nay to the hotel before I sign that contract and pay the deposit for the May F2F....

All relevant details are here: KristinT "F2F 3: Who's Bringing the Guacamole?" Dec 29, 2004 8:36:02 am PST

Final contract details, also information about how and when to make reservations for the May F2F can be found here: KristinT "F2F 3: Who's Bringing the Guacamole?" Dec 30, 2004 3:50:48 pm PST

Thus endeth the bugging everyone until about Februrary, at the 90 day mark.

The illustration fans out there may want to know that multiple-Hugo-winning illustrator Kelly Freas died this morning, according to his agent. He illustrated Heinlein, Clark, Pohl, van Vogt and hundreds of others and gave us gremlins, the Skylab I astronaut patches, the cover of Queen's "News of the World" and the face of Alfred E. Neumann.

I've been trying to make some sense of my chaotic book collection, and have in the process discovered some duplicates. These two books are free to a good home. Email my profile address if interested:

Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian (first in the Aubrey/Maturin series!)
English Society in the Eighteenth Century, by Roy Porter (a pretty thorough overview, useful for writers)

The first is in very good condition, the second in good condition, though I got it from a UBS and its former owner marked it up a bit.

ETA both books have been claimed.

If any of you are interested in donating to the relief efforts in the tsunami hit areas, here is one option. One of my former swimmers is currently in Sri Lanka on a Fulbright. Though she is fine, she is feeling a lot of survivor guilt and looked for a way to get involved. She has become the webmaster for a local organization trying to get supplies. Below is the text of her letter, and the website for her organization.

"We really, really appreciate that people are giving so much care to our efforts. Right now there is a huge problem getting stuff through the airport and customs and sorting; we are using our funds to purchase goods not donated or received. Most of these things are available in adequate supply here in Sri Lanka. Additionally, when we buy aid supplies with donated money, we don't have to spend time cataloguing and processing shipments. We are glad to get them, of course, but the time- and personnel- and infrastructure delays are dramatic."

"The best thing you can do is donate money to our effort via our main website, www.sarvodaya.org, and encourage your friends, family, and any contacts you have to do the same. If you have any way to spread the word via websites, blogs, etc. we can use lots of publicity."

"It's natural to want to do something direct (like collecting and shipping supplies) but actually more useful to help get the word out about fundraising. I personally understand this tension: I am an American resident of Sri Lanka who's frustrated to be sitting in an office working on a computer when I could be riding in a truck handing out bottles of water and food supplies. However my minimal computer and web-developing skills make me maximally useful in the office. Perhaps later I can go on a convoy to the field, but for now, the photos and descriptions I am working with are nearly as far from me as they are from you."

"Again, thank you so much for your support and please help get the word out! We have many months of work ahead of us and your help will make it all possible."

Best Wishes, Rebecca Sarvodaya Web Team

Goooooooooooood morning, Buffistas....

Set your TiVos and make a pot of good strong coffee. This coming Monday morning, 10 January, I'll be on CBS "The Early Show". Cheering me on - I'm getting the "ageing middle-aged writer lady makeover" courtesy of CBS and the wonderful David Evangelista - will be our own Betsy and JZ. It's live to the east coast on CBS, 7-9 a.m.; same time on the West Coast, tape delayed.

Second thing, related? This will be going out live from my living room. I could use a couple more people here for this. So, any of the local San Francisco or Bay Area peeps want to eat posh pastries and drinks coffee, be nice and rowdy or grumpy, hang out with the CBS camera guys, and be on television? Let me know at my profile addy, ASAP.

Thanks!