Finished Cryoburn the other night. Even knowing a particular character development was destined to be coming up, even seeing all the foreshadowing for exactly what it was, that was quite the gut-punch. No wonder I put off reading it. ( Cut for a spoiler that really isn't a spoiler, since Bujold had said all along that the next book would contain this particular element. )

Also, an epilogue composed of self-contained, exactly 100 word drabbles? With a definition for the unfamiliar of what a drabble is? Stroke of genius. Admittedly, if someone did that in fandom, as we're so accustomed to drabbles and drabble-series, it might not have gone over quite as well. But it was such a surprise and the format worked so well for what she was doing that I just loved it.

In other news, orientation at work proceeds apace. I definitely prefer working the floor to supervising, despite the fact I'm basically just pushing pills. I apparently have two more weeks of orientation scheduled, plus the iv certification class that hasn't been scheduled yet. But I'm definitely feeling more confident about it all.

The 3rd annual wintercompanion Summer/Holiday fest has started with a lovely bit of Jack/Nine hurt/comfort. I'm looking forward to seeing them all. Very cool approach they took with the prompts, too, using the "psychic password" format we encountered in "The Doctor's Wife" of a color, a number, an emotion, and an aroma. Very effective and evocative, and the prompts are open for people to write/draw/create other things throughout the month, which should lead to seeing some intriguing variety on how people run with them.

I think I'm about over my "What the hell was I thinking?" attack re: my femslash11 assignment and have moved into research mode, which is a very good thing.

And now, time to run around and do stuff to get ready for this weekend's Anadikia retreat. Coming up with appropriate offerings has been rather challenging. (I got it into my head that I needed special liquor offerings for each of the Temple patrons. Ginger liqueur for Zeus and Oracle of the Sun Shiraz for Apollon were easy enough to find. I'd wanted retsina for Pan, but nobody around here even knows what it is, much less carries it, including the place Tim found it a year or so ago. So I went with Bully Hill wine that has a goat for a logo. *facepalm*)

Have a great weekend all! Don't break the intarwebz while I'm gone!