I'm off to the big city today to meet with the editor of our magazine. It's a tad chilly out, overcast skies, as I get ready to walk over to the inter-city bus stop on the Via Dutra and grab the next one coming down the interstate highway. It will stop at the Tiete bus station, where I'll hop the subway station downtown. I'm carrying magazines and our weekly bulletin from Sao Jose dos Campos.

Over a dish of pasta, we'll talk about issue themes, writers, deadlines, as well as life in general: his wife's touch-and-go pregnancy, our huskies, our kids, and faith (not necessarily in that order).

A good time with a friend.

I hope you have one, too.

here's the sight that greeted me. I wheeled up the street just below the soccer field inside our closed condominium, scooted up the hill and took two pictures on my digital. This was the best one.

New computer, new direct hookup to the Internet. My life is changing a little, hopefully for the better. At least, some things are showing up quicker, and that's a plus. Maybe you'll even get a quicker response from me, reckon?

Some days just don't seem to produce much, others are fair and decent, then one comes along and you feel like you're really going lickety-split. Well, I just had one of those high-octane days today. Really good, got tons of things done, writing flowed well. All-around five-star.

Now, what do I do to have another one tomorrow?

After lunch at the veggie restaurant, I resolved to walk off a few grams and head downtown to the post office box. Been a week since I passed by there.

The box was full. Let's see, Eddie Cloer sent more material, starting the book of Acts now in Portuguese. Got a box of 20. Heavy to lug back to the office, but I did it.

Bunch of magazines, most of them in Portuguese; Editora Vida with new formats of their NVI version of the Bible. (It's the Portuguese equivalent of the NIV, but a little more conservative.) A letter and bumper sticker for signing up to a Internet news alert list. Some church bulletins from Arkansas. Personal bank statement. Dobson's monthly newsletter. And, hey, whoa ....

The first Brazil edition of The Voice of Truth International! (Read more on that at BZeal.)

And, ta da! The Spring and Summer 2002 issue of Möbius, The Poetry Magazine, with not two of my poems as promised by the kind editor, but three: "Young David," "No Great Love," and "New York, September, 2001."

This 60-page issue features 155 poems by 108 poets. Looks very interesting. Will make for some good reading.

Let's see, so far my poems have been published in Times of Singing and The Voice of Truth International, with another forthcoming in Chattels of the Heart. Besides a number of webzines and sites. Okay, so I'll quit bragging. For now.