Big Macedonian event last night - famous Macedonian pianist, famous Macedonian viola player, famous Macedonian singer all perfoming to an invited audience of about 400, followed by usual diplomatic nibbles and drinks with live Macedonian folk music and exhibition of antique Macedonian embroideries on display. This was to celebrate Macedonia handing over the EU the response to the questionnaire they were given a few months back by the European Commission to assess their suitability for membership. It was a really jolly occasion, and the Eurocrats I spoke to who are dealing with the Macedonian case were genuinely thrilled by it - interesting that simply arranging a decent cultural event and inviting the right people can do wonders for your image. It was also nice to be able to bring Anne and visiting members of her family - people who don't especially have much to do with Macedonia but went away with a real buzz.

But I still haven't completely shaken my bug. Not sufficiently bad to keep me at home today, though.

brief survey from talking_sock.

(Thanks to daegaer.)

My take, having already looked at the preliminary list:

( Novels )

I see the voters removed Conquistador by S.M. Stirling, and the jury added Cloud Atlas - a good call. I've read three of these and enjoyed them all. Paladin of Souls of course won the Hugo last year.

( Novellas )

Pruned by the voters: two weak stories, "Off on a Starship" by William Barton, and "Sergeant Chip", by Bradley Denton; one I hadn't read, "Time Ablaze" by Michael A.Burstein; and, I was sorry to see, "Arabian Wine" by Gregory Feeley. The Asaro and Willis stories are both pretty weak. The Vinge won the Hugo last year; I also liked the Williams. But I liked the Troy-Castro even more.

( Novelettes )

The voters pruned "Paying It Forward" by Michael A Burstein, which surprised me a bit as it's not noticeably inferior to the two fantasy stories at the top of the list. I still liked the Rowe and the Sanders best.

( Short Stories )

The voters took off Robert Sawyer's silly silly story "Shed Skin" and the jury added the Gunn story which seems to have been well received. The only one of the others I liked was the Rosenbaum.

and not in any of the dodgy post-Soviet states either. See also here.