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Things do, of course, look better in the morning (and after payday!)--the tropical storm downed a couple trees but didn't do much of anything else, and pending the results of blood tests, I can say that I am Not Dead Yet.

Also: Three-day weekend!

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"Why on earth do you care what the author's political position is, if he writes well, and the book's not overtly ideological?", I have heard. And also, of course, "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written."

The thing is, I don't want art that aligns with my personal ideologies.
(Okay, sometimes I do, to persuade myself that I'm not utterly alone. Moving on--)
I want art that is true. I find myself in agreement with John Gardner:

No one with a distorted view of reality can write good novels, because as we read we measure fictional worlds against the real world

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The good writer sees things sharply, vividly, accurately, and selectively (that is, he chooses what's important).

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I knew this icon would come in handy.

My fair city has a club for people who ride their bicycles really slowly.

Not that I'll be joining in this weekend, 'cause they're doing a 50-mile ride, but maybe I'll get in on one of their rides soon.