There are times when I wander around feeling like I have way too many things I want to blog… and then, the more I think about it, the more I realize I’m wrong about that, because all those shiny topics basically break down like this:

• 40% things that are too personal for blogging.
• 40% things that would take up too much of my free time and sanity points (for example, a list of all the ways the Vatican blows my mind, seriously, WTF?).
• 20% things that are boring as nails.

As you can see, I’ve chosen the boring as nails category for this post.

(Incidentally, not all nails are boring. For example, mine. Also, come to think of it, Spike’s.)

(You see what we’ve been reduced to here on the blog?)

Truth: I don’t have anything to blog today, this week, or possibly this eon. Except for these two little things I want to share:

1. Above is the cover of the Complex Chinese character edition of Graceling, published in Taiwan by Gaea Books and scheduled for May. Click to see it bigger (as I hope you did with Spike to better appreciate his nails). Like it? I do, very much. Gray Tan, my Chinese-speaking co-agent, was kind enough to translate the text for me. Basically, it says, “Some people are born with extraordinary gifts, as if they are graced by gods, and Katsa’s Grace is to kill…”

2. Have you seen any of the photos of the volcanic eruption and things related? Stunning, and occasionally crazy. There’s something creepy about deserted airport check-in desks, or the departure board at Charles de Gaulle showing just about every single flight canceled. My sympathies to everyone affected. Especially poor Iceland! Iceland deserves a break. And by that, I do NOT mean a broken economy or an enormous new crack opening up in its tectonic plates. (Just in case the gods are reading and decide to do some creative interpretation.)

That’s the scintillating news for today. I’ll blog again when I actually have something to say.