THE DAY
First things first: again woke at 4; couldn’t sleep; started thinking about the book. Finally dozed off again and was comatose until about 7 or so when the husband got up. Thankfully, no migraine today. So that was an auspicious start. I really got to cut this out.
As for the rest . . . well, what an interesting day it’s been. I had pretty much resigned myself to not getting much writing in because I had to take care of finally getting my AL license if I want to vote. Thing is, they make it hard here. They’re understaffed at the DMV–I mean, we’re talking TWO folks to process licenses, period–which means that you have to sign up for an appointment online several weeks in advance (I signed up six weeks ago). You still wait when you get there, but it’s not as long as the poor souls who show up and are then put on a wait list.
So it was a question of just how much I could get done before I knew I would have to leave. At first, I figured, okay, work a few hours, go work out, and then hang at the DMV, write more later when you get home because the husband was going to be out this evening. Except when I got to the actual moment of leaving, I’m thinking…jeez, don’t do that; you write best in the morning, so keep writing.
That’s what I did. Kept on until, yes, I HAD to go: first to the post office to wait in the line that moves at a glacial pace; and then the DMV where I then waited for another 45 minutes past my appointment time. That was okay; I’d brought the Surface to catch up on correspondence.
Then the DMV thing: nice people, but they do love to yak with one another and take phone calls and yada, yada. So that was another half hour for a) a picture, b) a three-second eye exam, and c) a credit card swipe. Again, nice people, but…
I also learned I get to go through this again in a year or so when I need to get that silly STAR thing so I can pass through TSA in 2018. If you don’t have it, you have to bring a passport to board. Ridiculous. It also means going through the same rigmarole again: the social security card, the passport, the driver’s license, and two bills. Mind you, I had to bring the SS card and passport and birth certificate and old driver’s license to get the new one. So why I now need to duplicate efforts again is beyond me.
My taxpayer dollars at work.
Gymed but for not as long, because I needed to get back for a UPS thing (I should know by now that they NEVER arrive before 6 p.m.). I was kind of pissed, but it turned out to be all right because on the local NPR affiliate I heard about a talk on the civil rights movement in Huntsville that would be happening this very evening that I hadn’t known about. So I’m thinking…well, that’s pretty interesting and I had some questions about the German engineers’ contributions (spoiler alert: they made absolutely none, and despite what everyone here might tell you, von Braun never said anything until 1967 and only under pressure from NASA and well after integration had already come to HSV in 1963–and the blacks who were alive at the time and were there tonight told me so).
So I blasted home, worked some more, then turned around and went back to the library.
Great program. Just so happens that the author of a book I’ve got on my to-read list was there, too. He’s 85; interesting guy. His son was there, too, and a bunch of black folks who were around back then as kids. Also met a very interesting woman who’s writing a thesis on civil rights and HSV and when I asked about the German engineers, she turned me on to a book that actually addresses the very thesis I’ve developed but for which I’ve no data–well, until now. So that was just great, and we exchanged contact info. Another older black guy there who knew a lot of the Jews who were around at the time told me who to contact at the local shul. Also met a historian and archivist at the library who offered to help.
So, although I didn’t get TONS of writing done, I learned a hell of a lot.
WRITING OUT LOUD
Dark Side of the Moon
Day 1: 4326 Day 11: 2500 Day 21: 1800 Day 31: 745
Day 2: 2085 Day 12: 500 Day 22: 0 Day 32: 0
Day 3: 3011 Day 13: 1000 Day 23: 2700 Day 33: 4000
Day 4: 2652. Day 14: 3700 Day 24: 3500 Day 34: 2800
Day 5: 3210 Day 15: 5630 Day 25: 1500 Day 35: 4500
Day 6: 3450 Day 16: 1060 Day 26: 0 Day 36: 4800
Day 7: 0 Day 17: 130 Day 27: 0 Day 37: 0
Day 8: 2756 Day 18: 0 Day 28: 380 Day 38: 450
Day 9: 4580 Day 19: 3000 Day 29: 390 Day 39: 1000
Day 10: 2670 Day 20: 2600 Day 30: 380 Day 40: 2500
Day 41: 2600 Day 51: 1000 Day 63: 4800 Day 73: 1500 (edit)
*Day 42: 830 Day 52: 1600 Day 64: 3300 Day 74: 250 (sick)
Day 43: 3600 Day 53: 2600 Day 65: 2500 Day 75: 3000 (edit)
Day 44: 5000 Day 54: 3600 Day 66: 1200 (edit) Day 76: 2500 (edit)
Day 45: 2600 Day 55: 3200 Day 67: 1000 (edit) Day 77: 2500 (edit)
Day 46: 3000 Day 56: 4000 Day 68: 3000 (edit) Day 78: 2000 (edit)
Day 47: 2800 Day 57: 1200 Day 69: 1000 (edit)
Day 48: 2500 Day 58-60: 0 Day 70: 1000 (edit)
Day 49: 1000 Day 61: 3500 Day 71: 1500 (edit)
Day 50: 4600 Day 62: 3000 Day 72: 2500 (edit)
Blog Post: 900
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What I’m Watching:
The Chosen. It’s like a good-looking guy: easy on the eyes. Not COMPELLING. But not horrible, and I like that they introduced a couple different characters.
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What I’m Reading:
Pet Sematary. Whatever. It’s like The Chosen: mental dental floss.
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What I’m Listening to:
The mind was too full to spare any space.
