I don’t write in a journal everyday, but I have accumulated many entries over the past 50+ years beginning in 1966. Some items evolved into longer works. Among the leftovers little pieces survived. I thought a collection of these with a piece culled from the same date in a past year would make an interesting yearbook. The consistencies and inconsistencies of mind, skipping back and forth across time, provide varied perspectives. It is difficult to remember the context of the past we’ve lived; we also make suppositions about times that predate ourselves.

The few alterations from original drafts were to improve clarity. The worst of my work is not included. There remains enough mediocrity and immaturity to make me feel humble and you feel smart. There are also moments of accidental insight and incidental humor.

Author Stephen Crane referred to his little pieces as pills…apparently they were small and somewhat hard to swallow, but good for you.


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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Social Science and General Business


August 22, 1974  (I was 29)

Social Science and General Business
When I was in 9th grade Mr. Drobnik wanted to know
what a city manager was or
if you didn’t know that he wanted to know
the price of eggs in China
If you didn’t know he wanted to know
what did you know in no uncertain terms
You knew this was high school
He wanted to know specifically
how to balance a checkbook
and how much you paid for eggs in China
if you paid by check
We studied occupations then did oral reports
I learned some people laugh when you say
you are thinking of becoming a barber
so I added meteorologist to my list
Eventually I never cut any hair
and I only tell the weather if somebody asks
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