Big Playground was neutral territory, at least in theory, and the Lobes were loosely confederated with the Gothicks; Bobby had fairly solid affiliations with the Gothicks, but retained his indie status.  Barrytown was a dicey place to be an indie.

Those who develop Hereditary Evil Syndrome have no known cure to their condition.

On the same shuttle as Syllibus travels Kelly McCannon – “the last country singer in the Universe”.

All these different lines and verses combined into a single overpowering impression, riving her soul with a pang of such keen anguish that the tears started from her eyes.  She might have remained there indefinitely, weeping and comfortless, had not someone just at that moment come up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.  She turned to look and saw that it was –

But if you wish to know who it was, you must read the next chapter!

(Cao Xueqin really wants me to read the next chapter)

Because of TUSK, I got to make YOGA HOSERS (which is turning out nicely).

The lion shape has been recognized – and though the word “lion” has not yet been detected, the “lion” word-trap is tentatively firing … and so are the traps for cub-licking and antelope-chasing.

Graham seems to conclude that it’s a loss that kids want to read lines like “At first, Kronos wasn’t so bad. He had to work his way up to being a complete slime bucket” instead of “In olden times, when men still worshiped ugly idols, there lived in the land of Greece a folk of shepherds and herdsmen who cherished light and beauty.“

“What’s that ugly piece of crap?”  Inoshiro gazed contemptuously at the minimalist torus.

Life and health are pleasurable and enjoyable, and that is what is wrong with them: “they make no such impression” on the self because “we were not made to acquiesce in life and health.” Pain and danger, by contrast, are “emissaries” of death, the “king of terrors.”