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Friday, June 13, 1997
We're in Ocean City. It relieves me of the responsibility of writing, a source of both relief and guilt. I swore I would use part of my time here brainstorming ways to improve the story. We'll see how much I really follow through on that.
I don't feel very focused today. I forgot to bring a number of things I normally would. The back of my head hurts, and I have this constant feeling of eyestrain. Kvetch, kvetch.
I'm trying not to think about when I'll hear from Social Security or whether it'll be good or bad. I'm not succeeding, but I'm trying.
I'm trying not to think about all the things I could or should do after Social Security turns me down. (I mean, if they turned me down, if!)
I try not to think, in general, about bad career moves. Bad career decisions. Bad careers. Should I be an attorney? Or what?
I hope I can forget all this stuff while I stare at the egrets and the water and the firemen. The firefighters convention is in town next week. Along with all the June bugs. I can just see all the local lawyers rubbing their hands together with glee, in anticipation of the tidal wave of criminal defense work that is sure to come from this volatile crowd of delinquents, juvenile and otherwise.
Lightning has been flashing up the sky for the past couple of hours. The bay waters are choppy. I can hear a boat banging against one of the piers. Now and then, about slides by the window, heading out into the bay, defined only by points of light. Red, starboard. Green, port. The Phillips crab continues its interminable neon dance in the distance.
Saturday, June 14, 1997
I was wrong. Red is port. Green is starboard.
Rained most of the day. Walked the boardwalk a little tonight. Orioles won today and last night.
The water on the bay was incredibly calm tonight. It seems quiet for a Saturday in June. Good.
Monday, June 16, 1997
Well, I did do some brainstorming on the story. I didn't come up with much, and it makes me want to just stick with what I have, rather than trying to rehash the beginning again. Maybe I need to keep my focus on the middle, where I seem to be making progress.
The Orioles lost to the Montreal Expos in the first games of the firs interleague series at home (the second one overall—we just got through sweeping Atlanta in the first series at Turner Field). The good news—the Mets beat the Yankees in the first regular-season game between those two teams, 6 - 0. Gotta love it.
Today, we went biking for a couple of hours. I stayed in, while Rick hit the convention center (that's when I did the aforementioned brainstorming). We ate at Outback Steakhouse. It was the usual and customary steakhouse thing. Meat and lots of it.
Tomorrow, we'll go to Assateague with the bikes. I should get ready for bed, because we'll be getting up early.
