Good morning!  Welcome to this writer’s workspace.  Here’s what’s happening liiiiiiiiiiiiiive at Miranda’s desk:

What I’m working on:  I’d love to be able to report that words are flowing from my fingertips like a BP oil spill, but that would be a lie.  With just two weeks until fall classes begin, my focus is on course prep.  I’m teaching a new class this semester (Aztec, Maya, and Olmec) and I’ve got a bazillion lectures to prepare.  I am getting a little writing done each day, but it’s rather slow.  Safest thing to say is that I’m inching my way towards the end of the rough draft of ABSENT.  Not great, but inching is better than flat-out stalled.

Snippet from the screen: “Emily followed Nick down the long slope from the ziggurat to the expedition house.  Dark clouds scudded across the sky, and to the west a streaky sheet of rain could be seen falling on Nasiriyah.  Winter had come to Iraq.”

On the iTunes: just the sweet sounds of silence (broken occasionally by the bus pulling up to the stop out front)

In my mug: Numi Chinese Breakfast tea

Out the window: from my awesome new office, I have a lovely view straight out the window.  There’s a big old Maple tree, snatches of sun and sky, and lots of light.  I love it.

Keeping me company: since the move, Mr. Ramses seems to prefer lounging in the sun by the big bay window in the living room to hanging out at my desk.  He will occasionally come and drape himself across the glass desktop, as if to say ‘never forget, I am King”, but mostly he snoozes on the sofa like a hibernating bear.

A little procrastination never hurt anyone: rather than share links with you today, I’m going to ask for your recommendations.  So:  if I only surfed the web following your suggestions, where should I go?  Please share your favorite links in the comments!