In the process of continuing to clean this office up, I was trying to reduce the volume of some 'souvenir and journal' boxes. I found scribbles from the late seventies. Twenty-two or three years ago. You will be happy to know that: I weighed less than 150 then (and was dieting al the time); I said, "a successful business or a backyard pool are probably more hassle than enjoyment." Reading these old journals makes me aware that I have accomplished a lot of things that I dreamed about, that I'm still fundamentally the same person.

FFP and I plan our New York trip. We find out Branford Marsalis will be at the Village Vanguard on a night we won't be listening to opera. We prowl around for restaurants with pre-theater menus. We look at maps. FFP gets a couple of reservations pinned, sends e-mail to the people we are going with and to some people we know in New York and want to see.

Dad and Mom come over and I loan them one of my office chairs. It's usually only me working in here. It will keep her from buying anything else just now if she is happy with it.

We get ready to head out to East Side to meet our friends the film girls. The purple truck belonging to our friends the blacksmiths pulls up. A most excellent hat tree appears from their truck. From design to steel. I'll have to get pictures when there is time.

The girls are full of adventures and ideas. They are going to start a program in media at Johnston High. One has been in New York, the Hamptoms actually, hanging out with celebrities and doing decorating jobs. They've both waited tables at the best places and we gossip away about the restaurants and the staff. Of course, David Garrido's trip to Washington comes up, too.

At home, I have good intentions. I will work on my current clean-up the office tasks, do some work for the office. But it doesn't happen. I end up dozing over newspapers and watching not one but two old 'Law and Order' episodes. TV is a black hole sometimes.