Th 6-19 Noon
I couldn't get out of bed early enough to do my fifteen minutes before school as planned. Shirelle came over around midnight and spent the night. McGoo and I went to the Dodger/Angel game. It was a good homer-filled see-saw battle in which the Los Angeles team prevailed at the end on Billy Ashley's eighth-inning, come-from-behind shot into the bleachers. Zeile, Mondesi, and Salmon also homered. I had a brief conversation with a nice looking gal about my age and her friend. She said she lived in a loft downtown. "Oh, in a loft? Are you an artist?" she said she ways. I talked about Oliver a little bit. "So what's fun to do downtown?" I asked. "Nothing," said she. "We're going to the Tiki Lounge," I offered. "That sounds fun," she replied. "We'll meet you there."
When McGoo and I got there, though, the little lounge was full with a line out the door. We decided to skip it.
My camera started working on the way home from school, so I skipped the battery chore. I photographed a Hebrew National Wiener billboard and a seven-story Michael Jordan/Bugs Bunny Space Jam banner unfurled down the side of the Records Storage building on Highland. I also took a picture of a woman peddling oranges among the palms on the median. I got all my writing done and baked some pasta. Today I'll cruise down Cahuenga. I'll get margarita fixings. I need a cover to put my golf clubs on the train. I've got to call the registry for Mao's wedding. Tomorrow is my big interview. I've got to find a Pier One Imports or Robinson's-May to get a gift for the Ball wedding. I've got to pay my bills tomorrow. Thing says he'll take me to the station Saturday and we can stop at the Pantry for breakfast on the way. Tonight my students are coming to the house to celebrate the last day of class. I can't let them stay late, though, because I need to be sharp tomorrow. I have to turn in my attendance and time card tomorrow, too. Today I have to go to the LACAS office to pick up my class's test scores before class. Tomorrow, Shirelle's friend is throwing a party in a Hollywood mansion. I guess that'll do for now.

6-18 W 11:37 A
I'm subbing in Mrs. Munseri's class at Point Avenue in Pacoima. These may be my last couple days here. It looks good that I will get that job a couple of blocks from my house at Wilshire Hill. I showed the Disney documentary "Jungle Cat" after we went over the math homework. I read the newspaper while the kids saw a couple of jaguars harass sloths, crocodiles, peccaries, seven-foot fish, anteaters, monkeys, and a three-hundred-pound anaconda. Only the anteater escapes with his life.
I already typed my fifteen minutes this morning. Everything is on schedule so far. On the way home I'll stop at the batting cages and get a battery for my camera. Maybe I'll spot a photo op as well. I still might drive down Cahuenga. Paul Li may score some shrooms for me. I cleared my desk last night. I'll read Steppenwolf during lunch. After lunch, I'll take the kids out for a kickball game. When I get home, I'll do '92 and my one page before class. We should get out early tonight after the test. Then what? Shirelle invited me up to a party at a mansion in Hollywood Hills where her friend Christina Cessna is housesitting. I don't know if I can take anymore of Shirelle's bats in my belfry, though. I almost put a whole nother page to Jim last night. Maybe I can get up to page twenty-nine tonight. Page thirty would be great to have done before I get on that train Saturday. Maybe I ought to get a travel bag for my clubs. What else? I'll sub again tomorrow. I'm going to need five or six hundred bucks to fix the steering on the Chrysler. I wonder if Mac will pay any of the money he owes me. Urg. What else? I went to McDonald's for a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit, a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, hashbrowns and an orange juice. Tonight, I'll make spaghetti. What else? There's a button missing on my shirt. The sky is bright white. To infinity and beyond! It's not flying; it's falling with style. I'll skip lunch today. One more line. What can I say?

6-17 Tu 12:35 PM
Time to finish another book. I'm at the McDonalds on Van Nuys in Pacoima. I just chowed a Number Four: Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, fries and and iced tea. The cashier gave me a cup full of mayo to dip my fries. I'm subbing for Sunseri who's out now because she has Alzheimer's. After school, I'll stop at Larchmont and pick up my asthma medicine. Maybe I'll drive down Cahuenga and stop by the pot shop. I'll type and go to class and type some more. Maybe I'll rent some videos at Blockbuster. I have to sub again tomorrow. I have to call Amtrak. Actually I have to decide if I want to spend the night in Portland or not. A guy is wearing a t-shirt that says in Biblical-style script: Blessed are the losers, for they determine the winners.
 I've already read the newspaper, but I haven't finished the crossword. I took from the shelf Annie Proulx's THE SHIPPING NEWS, Wallace Stevens's THE NECESSARY ANGEL, and a book by a woman named Bonnie Friedmann called WRITING THROUGH DARK. I read a chapter about "writer's envy", which I don't think I suffer from acutely, though I may bemoan my lack of progress compared to that of other writer's who've had success. Like I told Sharon that I was jealous that she was able to write, produce, and direct her own feature film. I envy her organizational skills. Organization is probably my biggest weakness. Ms. Friedmann says the only antidote to envy is to keep working. Does this count?
 It's ten to one. I better go and finish this at school. I picked up some free Hercules posters to give to the kids with the most stars. Nothing like Disney promotional giveaways to bribe good behavior from children. This might be the longest it's ever taken me to finish one of these journals. I'm letting the kids watch "Space Jam". Tonight the Dodgers and Angels play. What else? Julia said not to squander my talent. What else? I can't think with this movie on. I should have taken the kids out for P.E. What else? THERE'S A NIGHTMARE IN MY CLOSET by Mercer Mayer. It was in Spanish. Michael Jordan wins again. What else? What else? All this kid chatter--More bats in the belfry. I drove to school with the top down on the Chrysler on the way to work this morning. I had to buy a hairbrush at the liquor store where I buy my newspaper. I told Principa Cicada about my interview.