This is the May 2004 update of my New Year's Resolution.

QUICK STATS:
   STARTING SF-POINTS^©: 149
   SF-POINTS^©EARNED THIS MONTH: 41 (QUOTA: 31)
   YEAR-TO-DATE SF-POINTS^©: 190 (YTD QUOTA: 152)

PREVIOUS MONTHS: Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr  

DATE READ	STORY	AUTHOR	YEAR WRITTEN	SOURCE	RATING	TYPE	POINTS	YTD POINTS
05/01/04	The Peacemaker	Gardner Dozois	1983	Armageddons edited by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois		SS	1	150
05/04/04	The Screwfly Solution	Alice Sheldon writing as Raccoona Sheldon (a.k.a. James Tiptree, Jr.)	1977			NV	2	152
05/05/04	A Pail of Air	Fritz Leiber	1951			SS	1	153
05/07/04	Inconstant Moon	Larry Niven	1971			NV	2	155
05/07/04	The Last Sunset	Geoffrey A. Landis	1996			SS	1	156
05/07/04	Down in the Dark	William Barton	1998			NV	2	158
05/11/04	Agents of the Moon	Jack Williamson	2000	Terraforming Earth and Science Fiction Age - March 2000		NA	4	162
05/12/04	The Ultimate Earth	Jack Williamson	2000	Terraforming Earth and Analog Science Fiction & Fact - December 2000		NA	4	166
05/14/04	The Missing Mass	Larry Niven	2000	Analog Science Fiction & Fact - December 2000		SS	1	167
05/17/04	Black Destroyer	A.E. van Vogt	1939	The Voyage of the Space Beagle		NV	2	169
05/18/04	Descending	Thomas M. Disch	1964	SCI FICTION		SS	1	170
05/18/04	War of Nerves	A.E. van Vogt	1950	The Voyage of the Space Beagle		NV	2	172
05/19/04	Paying It Forward	Michael A. Burstein	2003	Analog Online		NV	2	174
05/19/04	Discord in Scarlet	A.E. van Vogt	1939	The Voyage of the Space Beagle		NV	2	176
05/20/04	M33 in Andromeda	A.E. van Vogt	1943			NV	2	178
05/21/04	Diamond Dogs	Alastair Reynolds	2002	Diamond Dogs & Turquoise Days		NA	4	182
05/23/04	The Dandelion Girl	Robert F. Young	1961	SCI FICTION		SS	1	183
05/26/04	Snowball in Hell	Brian Stableford	2000	Analog Science Fiction & Fact - December 2000		NV	2	185
05/27/04	Among the Wild Cybers of Cybele	Christopher L. Bennett	2000			NV	2	187
05/29/04	Eden Tag	Stephen L. Burns	2000			NV	2	189
05/31/04	Robots Don't Cry	Mike Resnick	2003	Asimov's Online		SS	1	190

KEY:VI=Vignette (.25 points), SS=Short Story (1 point), NV=Novelette (2 points), NA=Novella (4 points)

NOTES:

• Miscellaneous reviews follow

Descending by Thomas M. Disch
[Read: 05/18/04]
[Rating: ]
[Source: SCI FICTION]

	Synopsis: A down-on-his luck man rides a descending escalator for which there is no bottom.
	Review: This reads like one of the old twilight Zone episodes. The descent is a metaphor for the man's life as well as survival. Good stuff.

Paying It Forward by Michael A. Burstein
[Read: 05/19/04]
[Rating: ]
[Source: Analog Online]

	Synopsis: An aspiring SF writer receives writing advice through email from his favorite author?who just happens to be dead.
	Review: Excellent, clear writing; an interesting premise and a dash of poignancy to boot. This is good writing. Well done.
	Note: Nominated for the 2004 Hugo for Best Short Story

The Dandelion Girl by Robert F. Young
[Read: 05/23/04]
[Rating: ]
[Source: SCI FICTION]

	Synopsis: A man falls in love with a time-traveling woman from the future.
	Review: Another (I also read Thirty Days Had September) nicely-done and memorable poignant story from Young. Slightly predictable surprise ending, but so what - the writing takes the reader along for a good ride.

Robots Don't Cry by Mike Resnick
[Read: 05/31/04]
[Rating: ]
[Source: Asimov's Online]

	Synopsis: A space scavenger and his alien partner find a 500-year-old and robot who feels emotion but is unable to express it.
	Review: Good story with a touch of humor. A fun, quick read reminiscent of Isaac Asimov's story Robbie.
	Note: Nominated for the 2004 Hugo

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday June 01, 2004 at 12:00 AM
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