Earlier today I finished the first draft. The working title right now is “Sample Case.” I’ll keep that for awhile and see if I still like it. I re-formatted all the stories, putting them in random order using numbers from random.org. This took a while, because I had to cut-and-paste them one by one into a new document. But it’s finally done and I can start revising using this new document whenever I’m ready.

Seeing all 100 stories in a new order for the first time since composing them is delightful. Just scanning through them all quickly I noticed themes and repeating motifs that I never saw before, nor was conscious of while I was writing. I started this project in early September of last year.

Now the rest of my evening is free and I’m not sure what to do with myself. Katie is having a party later on tonight, and she lives really close by. I could go to that. Steven said he might be going. He gets off work at 8. Maybe I could go meet him & we could hang out till the party at 9.30. I don’t know. I could rent a movie but I sort of feel like mingling. I’ve been alone most of the day. Having a beer or two doesn’t sound either bad or good, but it’s something to do.

Andy called and said that he went home sick from work tonight. He was supposed to close at the store. It’s good that he went home. He said that he’s just going to try to rest and sleep tonight, soup and hot tea. Actually, something hot sounds better to me right now than beer.