I took the day off. This morning, I finished Gibson's Virtual Light, which I highly recommend. This afternoon, I walked to the top of Solano, ate an early dinner at the Cactus Taqueria, and visited the bookstores. I stopped by the grocery store on the way home. I walked in the door just as Patxi and Esther were about to start playing A Beautiful Mind, and I watched it with them. I thought the movie was very well done, both in the story and in how it was presented. I would compare the movie to the book, but while I have the book on my shelf it is still unread.

I bought used copies of old favorites at the book store: Asimov's Foundation and Modesitt's Magic of Recluce. I was surprised to find so many of my reading friends have never read Foundation, and I bought that book as much for lending as for re-reading. Loaning books is half the fun of owning books.

• Currently drinking: Earl Grey