And Done!

Just finished the last book in my Christmas pile this morning, a good 4 days in advance of my deadline. In addition to the books listed back in December I also found time for

Nobody's Perfect, a collection of Anthony Lane essays from the New Yorker
Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner
Oops! 20 Life Lessons from the Fiascoes that shaped America by Martin J Smith & Patrick J. Kiger
Mission to the Stars and The Book of Van Vogt by A.E. Van Vogt
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril by Paul Malmot
Soon I will be Invincible! By Austin Grossman
All-Star Zeppelin Adventure Stories edited by David Moles and Jay Lake
Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Eat Cake and Step Ball Change by Jeanne Ray

This is not counting comic books, graphic novels and gaming material (or a large number of children's books read over and over, though I steadfastly refuse to read the baby Pat the Bunny). And I feel like I've forgotten one or two.

Now I just have to wait to see what I get to read between my birthday and Christmas.

Almost wore my Superman T-Shirt today

Because nothing says United States of America like an extraterrestrial created (in part) by a Canadian. 

In other 4th of July news, I think the general ignorance of flag display that I see around me is as good an example as any as to why Americans would suck at ritual magic. In general we want the effect (and any intellectual, moral or patriotic seniority that we can claim from it) with none of those hassles about doing anything properly or obeying traditions. So all you would be patriots with the tattered remnants of a flag on your car antenna that date back to September of '01: CUT IT OUT!

Fortunately our flag is all-weather, since the rain started while we were out, and it's well lit. But it's near sundown and time to take in the colors. 

Hope all my fellow citizens of the United States had a nice 4th of July.