I've got one paper (Milton) fully drafted, but really need to get to work on the other. (I feel like I'm cheering myself on.) I don't think I'll touch my second paper until tomorrow, though, as I also have a lot of Daniel Deronda left to read before 4pm tomorrow. I think I got excited about the prospect of reading whatever I wanted in the summer a little early... My brain is not allowed to switch off for a few more weeks. There are still things to juggle before I get to lie still.

A friend I correspond with is in Chile at the moment. Though he doesn't have time to go to the Atacama desert (the desert I most want to visit) I'm still very jealous. He's near the Atacama. It's got me dreaming of nomadism. Another friend is about to go to Europe for seven weeks. While her trip sounds a little too whirlwind for me (I like to travel slow, talk with people, do a little bit of wandering, a little bit of gazing at artistic things, a little bit of relaxing...) I am hungry to get out of town for a bit. But just writing "Atacama" makes my mind rove... Panama draws closer by the day.

I want to read the New Yorker, do crosswords and drink coffee. Not much longer!