Monday 5/20/24
Sent out a book proposal. Pertaining to Cheers. The TV show. First season of. A critical memoir by a Bostonian ex-drinker.
Saw someone with a Vail T-shirt on Saturday. That made me think of Stowe, which is in "The Installation." So I thought about that story, too. This all happened in a few steps, in North Square, in front of the church. I don't think someone can do anything better than "The Installation." I don't mean that I don't think a person can't write anything better. I mean that a human can't do anything, of any kind, better than "The Installation." I know this. It's not even that I think it. Or solely think it. That's how good it is, and I'm not even doing it justice. These people won't let anyone see it. But wait until they do.
My niece Lilah had a dance recital over the weekend, and something went wrong in the routine, and she was upset. Crying. Put her heart into it and wanted it to go perfectly.
I'm told things like this. They're texted to me. I try to say something useful back, when it might be useful. So this is what I said to my sister: "She is sensitive. Tell her mistakes happen all the time in theater and on the stage. It's part of the deal. How you carry on is really what matters when something does go wrong, not that it did."
I think that's true. And I think it's true in life as well.
I worked on "The Bird" over the weekend. I know I had said I was done. But I went back. These are not big changes. This is my description of the story to a friend:
"I'll tell you what the intention is with 'The Bird.' To create something for every home and every family, for every generation, and for people of every age. Something for parents to read to their children and something to keep adults honest. Something to get our heads on straight and open our eyes which we can turn to again and again and say, 'I needed that.' Something that we can all understand that helps all of us better understand ourselves and the world and our place in it. Something people love sharing because it means they care about the person they're sharing it with. Something that shows us that the thing we take for granted might be wonderful and precious. Something that causes us to never see a bird--and we see a lot of birds in life--as we did before, nor ourselves, the people we know, the people we love, people in general. A lot of things. Something real and clear and also surprising and magical."
I've gone through it again today. Just read it aloud again. My voice catches as I read. I'll say again that I think that's going to be it.

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