John Scalzi: Holden Caulfield in middle age. Like Scalzi, I never got the appeal of “Catcher in the Rye.” And my reasons were similar to his: I grew up reading science fiction.

If you were going to give me a teenage hero, give me Heinlein’s Starman Jones: He traveled the galaxy and memorized entire books of log tables and became Captain of a starship (for procedural reasons, granted). All Holden did was bitch, bitch, bitch.

I stepped over one of the cats this afternoon and she panicked and bolted and I changed the direction my foot was coming down and she changed her direction and I stepped on her a little bit and nearly fell on my face and she bolted out of the room.

That was eight hours ago and we have not seen her since.

I’m sure she’s plotting to kill me.

I’ll be sleeping with one eye open.