That’s right folks, I just got back from a modeling session for the NY Times. Yep. Me, in a silk nightie on a sofa with a glass of wine. And a plunger affixed to my bosom. Look for me in next week’s paper.

Or rather look for the illustration that my talented friend, David Chelsea, is doing for the Modern Love column next week. A column that I, otherwise, have absolutely nothing to do with. David needed a model for his illustration and I live close to them. Also, I can balance a plunger on my bosom.

I promise that the plunger will make sense when you read the article.

My total payment? A glass of wine and a jar of pickles. Yes, I’m making the big bucks now. Seriously, his wife, -e-, makes really good homemade pickles. I’ll post a link to the article when it’s online so you can see the illustration.

The battery in our smoke detector died. I pulled it out and set it on the kitchen counter while looking for a new one. Rob wandered in, picked up the battery and stuck it on his tongue. While he claims that this is a valid method for testing, I don’t know anyone else who taste tests batteries. I’m sure it would discharge if it were not dead, so yes, valid test, but still!

Does anyone else find this odd?

This font emporium that I love, sent out a coupon as part of a celebration of World Book and Copyright Day. That’s today. Did anyone else know this?

The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Catalonia as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day. This became a part of the celebrations of the Saint George’s Day (also 23 April) in the region, where it has been traditional since the mediaeval era for men to give roses to their lovers and since 1925 for the woman to give a book in exchange. Half the yearly sales of books in Catalonia are at this time with over 400,000 sold and exchanged for over 4 million roses.

In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright day would be celebrated on this date because of the Catalonian festival and because the date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, the death of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Josep Pla, the birth of Maurice Druon, Vladimir Nabokov, Manuel Mejía Vallejo and Halldór Laxness

Before I unveil my contribution to International Pixel-stained Technopeasant Day, I’d like to make an important and relevant announcement. I’ve been posting my novel, Shades of Milk and Honey as I’ve been writing it. Among the people reading it, was an agent. I’m pleased to report that as a direct result of posting my fiction online, I have now signed with Jenny Rae Rappaport of the L. Perkins Agency.

And now, some more free fiction. In addition to the novel, I have a short fiction offering for you in two forms. You may read “Beauty Will Come” or you may watch and listen to it. By combining the old puppetry form of toy theater with my nifty new digital webcam, I’ve made a Pixel-Stained Technopeasant short film.

Happy International Pixel-stained Technopeasant Day!