• 02:08 I like this whole “vacation” thing. It’s nifty. #
• 20:57 Just walked past our house in Portland. It makes me melancholy. #

Thanks to David de Beer for pointing out a plug-in so you can now edit your comments if you spot a typo after hitting submit. Yay!

One of the things I’m loving about the new Nebula Awards site is that the editor, David de Beer, is bringing in guest bloggers on a variety of topics. Check out this basic introduction to Aztec mythology by SF writer Aliette de Bodard.¹

This article is intended to serve as a primer to some of the basic ideas of Aztec mythology. I’ve appended a brief bibliography at the end, should you be interested in finding out more.

The Aztecs, one of the most well-known people of Mesoamerica, were in fact relative newcomers to the Valley of Mexico: the founding of Tenochtitlan, their capital city, took place in 1345, barely two centuries before Hernan Cortés and his conquistadores toppled an empire at the height of its powers.

Just in case you skimmed over that, let me point out the word bibliography. Aliette has done your research for you. Go, enjoy!

1. Hm… Maybe I need to add a “de” to my name too. Mary Robinette de Kowal? [↩]

I just realized it last night. That I don’t actually have to meet any deadlines right now or do anything except sleep in and hang out with friends. I think this is what a vacation is, right?

Yesterday -e- and I went out to Sauvie’s Island, picked blueberries, ate a peach straight from the tree, picked flowers and then headed back into town. I had tea with Judy Straalsund, of Tapestry Theater and then went from there to the Fireside Room where I met up with a bunch of old writer buddies.

I got work done, but not in the way that feels like working. Stories that I wanted to edit, got edited. It was nice and relaxing.

In the evening, we headed over to the Barley Mill and it was lovely to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Karen, Joyce, Carol, Aimee, Kai and Evan .

Today consists of hanging out with more friends.

.

.

I’m in the airport in Cincinatti waiting for my connection to Portland.  I’ll spend the day in town and then head down to Lincoln City for a writing workshop hosted by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.  Their guest instructor is Sheila Williams.  As you might imagine, I’m excited about this.

Even more exciting, I’ll get to see lots of old friends.

The workshop rules say that we can’t blog about it while there, so expect scanty entries from me until at least Monday.  I’ll be in Portland until the 18th and then back to NYC.  At the moment, my plan is to do a get-together at one of the McMennamins once I have a better idea of my post-workshop schedule.  I’ll keep you posted.