Six things

1.
I've been fighting a war against the oak pollen. It's been touch-and-go at times, but I'm determined to win.

2.
Or, I should say that I'm determined not to lose. It's a war of attrition.

3.
But of course, the oak trees will probably outlast me. So I should say that I'm determined not to lose for at least the next four decades, give or take.

4.
I wrote a little bit over at Vouched about one of the sessions from the Oxford Conference for the Book. If you're so inclined, you can read it here. It's about internet publishing, so maybe if you're here, you'd be interested. Seeing that you're on the internet already and everything, I mean.

5.
I feel rather haunted by the news about self-immolation by Tibetans, especially by the death of Tsering Kyi, who was only twenty years old. From what we know, Tsering Kyi's recent decision to light herself on fire was largely in response to the change to Chinese-language textbooks in Tibetan schools. There are no photos of Tsering Kyi's death. According to the New York Times:

When the police arrived, they forced witnesses to remain inside the market and returned Tsering Kyi’s body to the bathroom. Then, after collecting everyone’s cellphones, they methodically went through the devices and deleted any photographs of the incident.

6.
Here at home, I can smell the smoke of nearby wildfires.