I'm in Stockton, Calif., now, which is this interesting contrast with Berkeley, Calif. In Berkeley, I host parties and actually enjoy them, since there are lots of interesting friends and acquaintances around, and I feel in-control. In Stockton, my parents host parties and I tire of the socialization after about three hours or less.

But I'm coming back tomorrow, and then my classes start. Hurrah. I think I start off with handball and Russian.

Why does SFGate's ePicks have the categories "Movies, Music, Theater, Art, Events, Lit, Queer"? (cue Sesame Street music) One of these things is not like the others...

My party on Thursday night was unexpectedly crowded, which was flattering, but I'm afraid my guests didn't have the time I'd hoped. I have a small apartment, so fissioning of guests doesn't work as well as it would if I had, say, a large kitchen and patio AND a living room conducive to separate conversations. I enjoyed the copyright law discussion, but I'm not sure everyone else did...

Errands. I'm doing some laundry right now and trying to keep the amount of clothing that I take back to Berkeley as low as possible. I'd prefer to take only the minimum and thus force myself to do laundry, say, every two weeks. That'll be more manageable.

I'm also listening to Moxy Früvous for the first time in three months. I missed you! I sang some Moxy songs on the boat back from the Solovki Islands to keep my mind off of my seasickness. Oh, yeah, rough seas -- that's what you call 'turbulence' when it's not in an airplane.

All the while I'm thinking about a story I'm going to write. This will be my first attempt at fiction in almost a year.

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Originally published by Sumana Harihareswara at http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2001/8/25/21415/2194