[F]or those wondering just what it is that is keeping me busy in the days leading up to my vacation, here are just a few:

• Preparing for two big presentations at the day job
• Delivering two big presentations at the day job (both of them tomorrow, as it turns out)
• Application design work for the day job (storyboarding, data-flow diagramming, flow charts, and other fun stuff like that)
• Writing my July book review column for InterGalactic Medicine Show (the books are read, the column still needs to be finished).
• Work on two non-fiction articles.
• Proofreading galleys for a story coming out in August.
• Reading critiquing stories that I’ve promised to comment on.
• Continuing my daily fiction-writing streak (now at 119 days). Last night I wrote just over 1,000 words and the story is moving well now.
• Responding to personal emails that have been sitting around for too long.
• Responding to day job email in preparation for being away on vacation.
• Various planning tasks for our vacation (road trip planning, booking hotels, etc.)
• Seemingly endless amounts of reading.

This is all above and beyond the usual run-of-the-mill events of my life. Times are just busy right now. Even my sleep is suffering. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to vacation. Less than 48 hours to go.