I find myself exhausted at the end of a long day in which I accomplished a few important things and allowed myself a few unimportant indulgences, and so there is not much time for contemplation. Still, I wanted to note here, for the record, how fortunate I feel at this moment. A year ago today I didn’t know a soul in this city I could call a friend, and now there is more than one bright spark of comradeship in my life here, more than one hand holding a glass raised high to clink against my own. It’s a good, sweet pleasure to begin to find them, these folks; the ones who will make this place kindly.

Besides which, Tom just took the most wonderful photograph of a friendly praying mantis, and that is also a good sign if ever I saw one in my life.