Mar 31 - (Blank Page)

Friday, March 31, 1972 - Page 91
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

[The reason this page has been left blank is explained at the top of the March 29 entry]

 

Mar 30 - (Blank Page)

Thursday, March 30, 1972 - Page 90
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

[The reason this page has been left blank is explained at the top of the March 29 entry]

Mar 29 - Star Trek merchandise arrives***

Wednesday, March 29, 1972 - Page 89
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

3:30 PM 3/29/72
ONLY THIS PAGE WILL HAVE TO SUPPORT MARCH 29, 30, & 31 IN THE INTEREST OF PRESERVING ONE SMALL PORTION OF THIS BOOK AS IT WAS BEFORE I MARRED ITS BEAUTIFUL BLANKNESS WITH MY THOUGHTS AND DEEDS. THAT'S CONSERVATION, BUBBY -- NEVER LET IT BE SAID OF ME THAT I NE-

Got up at noon thirty after going to sleep at six. This place has been invaded by tourists. I have no conception of the time changing outside Eyesore Park, but I'd guess we must be in the midst of a holiday of some sort (Easter pro'ly). Took a bath and got the mail and mailed my letters. All the mail was stuff for Mom, but one big envelope was for me -- the Star Trek stuff finally got here. It's about time. I sent for it  forty 5  days ago. I got the IDIC (Vulcan pendant) [Gene Roddenberry crassly inserted this item into a story -- Episode 60: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" -- merely to have a Star Trek trinket to sell to people like me], the Enterprise charm (22 karat plated), USS Enterprise & Galileo plans, Enterprise & Kirk photos, Gold leatherette insignias (3), insignia decals (8), & seven packets of film clip frames (10 clips in each). RAH!

IDIC = Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations

Dad & Larry came over today -- so Mom got a chance to smoke (Larry however doesn't smoke), and Dad brought a bunch of mail -- for me a couple magazines and the third volume in the TIME-LIFE Photography series. Larry has seen Silent Running. Larry gave Mom her sapeeny [subpoena], or whatever the heck it's called, for the divorce thing -- I guess a third person has to serve it. Dad gave Mom some money, gave me $5, took the typewriter, said he might get me a job at Aeroneurotic [Aeronutronic] for the summer, and the two guys left, after about an hour. I finished eating the Easter Rabbit. Washed the dishes, mounted the Star Trek film clips (72 of them). And closed this here entry for today -- 11:06:54 P.M. FINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

4:00 PM 3/30/72
Last night at 1:30 A.M. I went for a walk on the hill overlooking the Bay. It was a full moon, and about 45°. I did some exercise, and returned home at 2:30. Got to sleep at six A.M. Got up at 10:45 AM. Went for the mail, and got a letter from Soozwol [Sue Latka]. She's getting pretty chummy. Spring has indeed sprung. I went kayaking (the beach was crawling with beautious bikinied gals - WOW!) and reached the fish infested waters of Back Bay. Left at noon thirty, just got back and Tacosumi (who is in heat) was here with another cat. The surprised beast ran into my bedroom and stationed itself in one corner of the window sill, displacing a couple of encyclopedias residing thereby. For the past ten minutes he's been there, nervously glancing at me, then out the window, and back again. Taco is resting on the floor, apparently concerned, but both of them seem to be calming down due to boredom. To be continued --

A couple minutes later: the Tom cat was relieved that I wasn't hostile. With difficulty, I removed him from behind the lamp and set him outside on top of the cabana roof through the open screenless window. Taco was slightly frantic and I set her beside him. She groaned a little at him. He left shortly -- In the mail there also came The Big Book of Astronomy that LIFE was pushing me to buy. I have it here, so I can find out what kind it is. -- Tis now 4:20:53 P.M.

Three whole days jammed onto one page

[The following note refers to the illustration shown above]

MULLET: The mullets are blunt-nosed, warm-water fishes of both Atlantic and Pacific. They are common in shallow water, where small schools may leap in unison when frightened. Mullets feed on aquatic plants and mud but they sometimes bite on doughballs. A good food fish, they are often netted and smoked. Of several species, the striped mullet is most common; it grows to 2 ft. Tis now 4:39:22 P.M., 3/30/72.

7:00 PM 3/31/72
Incidentally, I shaved my beard yesterday -- it was about four millimeters long. Today is technically good Friday, so things are closed and people are home. Mom didn't have to work today. I got up at quarter to eleven. Got the mail (Popular Photography among it). Found out Pennys was selling Polaroid cameras for 15 dollars with trade in of old polaroid. I went to the bank to withdraw some money but it had closed at noon. So I went to the stationery store and bought fifty envelopes, and fifty return envelopes.

At about 1:30 I went out in the kayak & paddled to back bay. Two fish smashed into the boat and one struck my right shoulder. I threw bread to the birds but they didn't want it. After four hours I paddled back home and returned by a quarter to six. I've gotta write a letter to Soozwol today sometime. Next week Mike & I are riding to Las Vegas on his new Kawasaki. Mom's gone now (7:05:00), out someplace with Lois. Barbara called her. Tomorrow Mom's going to King's for the races -- Chunk is in them -- and Murray is hitching a ride. Time now is 7:06:20. Fini.

Mar 28 - Queries for art & writing projects

Tuesday, March 28, 1972 - Page 88
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

9:00:53 PM
Repeat of yesterday's routine. Got to sleep at about 9:30 A.M. -- It was another bright sunny day but still too cool. Got up at 4:30 and started typing letters, return letters, and notes to seven magazines for free sample copies (Cavalcade; Mount to the Stars!; Organ Magazine; The California Pelican; Boy's Life; Jack and Jill; and Read Magazine).

Some of them I've queried for work illustrating my own manuscripts, others I've enclosed examples of my artwork so they know I'm up to professional standards, and for Organ Mag, and Mount to the Stars! I included my Experifragments (FOUND, THE QUESTION, UNDERSTANDING, EGO, HUMOR, ( Y )OURSELVES, THE LOSER, GOING..., GOING..., ...GONE, and the poem by, I think, Roberta Magnusson from the Flotsam & Jetsam of a couple years ago: ERASED IN TIME). I'll get the letters mailed out tomorrow and see what develops -- nothing pro'ly, but at least I'll get seven free samples to ponder on. Today for dinner we had Cauliflower, Asparagus, Carrots, and various assorted leaves -- she [mom] is on a vegetarian diet for a while. It wasn't bad. Fool Moon tomorrow. 'Tis now 9:14:17, 64° now. Fini.

Mar 27 - Burt Reynolds "Cosmo" centerfold**

Monday, March 27, 1972 - Page 87
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:22:13 PM
Finly got to sleep last "night" at 10:00 A.M. today. Finished typing the markets last night, listened to Lohman & Barkley and their "Rotten Rock'n'Roll Festival," and dropped off about a quarter to ten. It was a sunny day, though cool, and I'd been planning to go tan my hide later in the day, but I din't wake up till 5:00 or 5:30. Mom bought a bunch of vegetables (she's on a non-meat diet), and L&M came over today. They had a big milk chocolate rabbit for mom (I've eaten half of it), and Laramée was mad because this month's Cosmopolitan is sold out already, all over everywhere (that's due to the sans clothes Burt Reynolds centerfold -- history in the making).

Burt Reynolds centerfold, Cosmopolitan, April 1972

The week after Easter Mike & me (and Lara too, I guess) are going to Las Vegas. I guess I'll withdraw $20 from the bank, and I was gonna give mom 70 dollars until dad can pay back the $65 he owes her. So I'll have $8 in the bank. I better sell somethin'. Mom went to play bridge. I washed the dishes (ate the rabbit) and watched T.V. -- "Laughin" and "Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here," a Robert Redford movie I saw 'bout a year ago. Today was basically wasted, but what the heck. I've got all the time in the world to waste. Why not? 11:31:30 P.M. Tha's all. Fini.

Mar 26 - Random writing chores

Sunday, March 26, 1972 - Page 86
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

(12:00:35 AM 3/27/72)
Goddup at 'bout 1:30. There wasn't anything worthwhile on the gradio (seldom is on early Sunday afternoon), so I couldn't waste my time typing. I finished reading "Space Lash," a 206 pg. Clement anthology from which I have obtained some technical terms for later stories. I've been reading it for the past month or so. Some decent radio programs were coming on, so I started typing. Got envelope & return envelope typed so I can send "Demigod's Demise" out to Fantasy & S.F. tomorrow.

Continued typing up market filing cards. Now I've got 36 finished and 3 to go. Then I'll figure out who to send "my" poetry to, and type that and send it. I've got a story idea for some mag that combines S.F., horror, supernatural, sex, action, humor, dialog, computer logic, and surprise twist ending. -- it's gotta sell somewhere. Will get to work on that eventually, and continue big TEMPUS FUGIT harbinger to be shot for Analog. At 11:00 P.M. I went out for milk, but the Liquor Store was closed at 9:00, but the guy (nice fellow) let me in to get the milk -- he had stayed to finish some work, lucky me. Onward. 12:11:45 A.M. Fini. 

Mar 25 - Writing career strategies

Saturday, March 25, 1972 - Page 85
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

10:47:28 PM
Gottup at about 1:30. For the past few days I've been checking the "Writer's Market '72" and the markets available are slightly encouraging. Of all of them, there must be one that's hard up enough to take my stuff -- I'll write for him until I can do better. Then there's fantasy, animal fiction, kid & teen magazine s.f. and science articles, and poetry (which I can steal from Shawna & Matt). I've just gotta start sending garbage out, and keep looking till I hit a desperate editor. I can also sell artwork if anybody needs it. Men's mags should be an easy market -- they just want action & sex. Eventually I should be able to earn a couple hundred $'s so I can take off -- hitch hike to Chicago and learn to write and live. The former won't come without the latter, and that doesn't matter without the former. (Nicely put).

Went to Dad's today to get mail and a typewriter (I'll start filing my markets in a little tin box & note cards I bought yesterday). Analog answered (in less than 3 weeks!) as expected -- one down, several hundred to go.

Mom & I went to see "Silent Running" (Equal if not superior to "2001"), and "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" (typical). Proceeding to type the market cards -- later I'll get to typing unpublished poetry and mail 'em B4 next week. 11:00:26 P.M. FINI --

Mar 24 - 100s of fish attack my kayak

Friday, March 24, 1972 - Page 84
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

4:30 PM
Went to sleep at about 5:30 or six. Woke up when a persistent ringing in my ear jarred me to consciousness at about 10:00 A.M. It was Chunk calling on the phone. He's heading for the King River today and he was gonna get $20 from mom on her lunch break and he needed me to show him where SMR [Surgical Mechanical Research] was. I took a bath and Dad called, asking me to do some research on Bushmaster Pit vipers (he's designing a shoulder patch with a Bushmaster on it). He was going to come later on his lunch break to get mom her weekly $20, and give us the trailer documents.

I had a chicken sandwich, checked some books for snakes, Chunk & Winnie came over in the Barracuda at quarter to Noon and we went to get mom, went to the bank so she could withdraw Chunk's twenty, and I was dropped off back at Grandlydia 'bout 12:45. Dad turned up, and left at one. He gave me $5, and $20 for mom, along with some mail.

LEFT: At Grandlydia (AKA my trailer) with Chuck at the rear door going to get one of his kayaks hanging on the back fence. RIGHT: A view from the front door showing our storage shed.

It was a warm sunny day so I went kayaking -- talked momentarily with my neighbor -- talked with a guy on the beach who mentioned Art Viterelli (#2 kayaker in the U.S. -- Chunk is #3), and I paddled into back bay into the midst of hundreds of fish, averaging 1 1/2', in the shallow tepid water. They churned the water, rammed the boat, jumped in the air, and a couple of them hit me on their leaps. At four o'clock, after being out 3 hours, I returned to Grandlydia.

11:57:55 PM
L & M [Laramée & Michael] came over t'day 'bout 8:30. M & I will go to L.V. [Las Vegas] soon. 11:58:50, Fini

Mar 23 - Out of ink

Thursday, March 23, 1972 - Page 83
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

9:00 PM
Din't do anything today except maybe run out of ink.

(Pix mentioned on April 6, '72)

[Upper Back Bay, Newport Beach, CA]

[My cat, Tacosumi, in my room]

Mar 22 - Beard, mustache, side burns

Wednesday, March 22, 1972 - Page 82
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:00 PM
The Ides of March are upon us. [This is an odd statement. The "Ides of March" really falls on March 15, and refers to an ancient Roman holiday, but is best known as the date of Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC] Be that as it may, I got up at noon-thirty (for the past week or so I've been getting to sleep at about 5:00 A.M. and waking in the early afternoon). I haven't shaved since last Thursday. Maybe I'll let my beard go on growing. My moustache is about three months old -- I pulled out an average moustacheo hair (ouch!) and measured it: 2.5 centimeters. My sideburns have been going since the terrible trio (me, mom, & dot) got back from Europe in late April last year -- so they've had 11 months. Ouch again: 4.5 centimeters, at least. Let's see how fast my beard grows, shall we? Reports on this topic will be forthcoming.

I did some work on "Tempus Fugitives" and "Morrison Epic," but that's about all I did. Mom said she went to the doctor today and she's gonna stop smoking. She has two cigarets left and she's not gonna have any more. Bravo, I guess. I gave her some gum. It's the choice between rotten lungs and rotten teeth -- the later seems preferable, but the absence of the former will cause rotten language. Soon.
[Update 2013: Mom is now 85 and still smoking. She probably won't be quitting any time soon]

Saw Harvey on T.V. tonight -- that's the one with Jimmy Stewart and the Pooka. Twas fairly good. It is now 11:10, 58 secs. Fineeeeeee

(Was sunny today but too cool to burn so I stayed in)

(Dad must of had the post office notified, cause we're not getting much mail here -- none yesterday, one package for mom today)

Mar 21 - Organizing photo reference collection

Tuesday, March 21, 1972 - Page 81
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

9:00 PM
There are rumors that today is the first day of spring. I wish they'd make up their minds. It was an unusual bright sunny day -- for the past few weeks it's been cool & overcast; tomorrow they predicted rain, but today I went out to tan my hide for the  10th  time this year. However I am not noticeably darkened despite my  fifteen  hours under the sun. (Why do I do things like that? I left blank spaces before "time" & "hours" so now I've gotta go back and find out the right figures). For the record, I was out from 1:00 to a quarter to 3:00.

I continued working on the cataloging of my photos. Right now most of them are in individual manilla envelopes, divided into the following categories: Space; History (Past & Future); People and Faces (3 envelopes worth); Fems; Broads' Bods (barefoot all over); Celebs; & three fat envelopes full of Miscellaneous garbage; plus folders on Animals; Veg & Scenery; and Interior decorating. Now I've gotta pick out the choicest from each category to put in notebooks for later reference. That'll be a monumental task. Yesterday I got a few pages full of artistically unclad gals, and today I did extensive work on space, filling pages with 2001 [A Space Odyssey] photos and First Men on the Moon Illustrations. Tha's it. FINI

Mar 20 - End of "The End" entry enders

Monday, March 20, 1972 - Page 80
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

9:39 PM
Finished sorting my big drawer full of photos. Added some illustrations to my book on Dinosaurs. Took a bath. Mom went out -- Mondays (today & henceforth) are her bridge nights. How's that for middle class trite-ness. I called Samantha at 9:30 and woke her up (heh, heh). Tha's about all I did today. Tis now 9:43, 55 secs. The End -- hey...

That "the end" habit started about a week ago and it accidentally became a regular feature. Yesterday I accidentally broke the habit so let's not start it again, okay. (Is now 9:46, 23 secs. Fini)

FIRST  DAY OF SPRING AS OF 7:47 A.M.

Attached to this page: One of Grady's photos of Back Bay

Mar 19 - Day of rest

Sunday, March 19, 1972 - Page 79
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:50 PM
Washed dishes -- continued cataloging photos. I'm about 2/3's through them. Mom washed the clothes. The Sunday Daily Pilot din't come so I had to buy it -- called Shawna but she was at church (no kiddin')

Mar 18 - A Highway Patrol encounter**

Saturday, March 18, 1972 - Page 78
LOCATION: Newport Beach & Tustin, California

9:00 PM
Woke up at around 1:00 P.M. Chunk came by at 7:47 A.M. to get the rest of his money for his weekend jaunt to Kern. Mom ambitiously began cleaning up Dad's room for occupancy. He came by at around 2:00 to take some more stuff to his apartment. THE GRUNYAN ARE RUNNING [correction: grunion] -- the sex crazed little beasts are invading the beaches to spawn. Yes, folks, it's that time of the year again. That little bit of information is totally irrelevant, but I'm listening to the KMPC news now (9:04 P.M.) and the guy mentioned it.

I spent most of today working on my photo collection -- I'm finally (night & early morning clouds, high Sunday & Monday 72°, and there will be light smog -- and now, here's Dean Weber "You always knew, by the things that you do, you can lead me on knowing I will fol-low -- so I can see... Your love is alive, yes your love is alive in my heart...") I just turned off the Gradio. As I was saying, I'm sorting out my pictures into their respective categories. Mom & I went to the Pickwick Bookstore in Southcoast Plaza to get the "Writer's Market '72." I am now reading it. Time, 9:10, 20 secs. End.

11:49 PM
So there I was, reading "W.M.'72," minding my own business, and in drop Matt Gold and Grieg. They had been walking around alot, were tired, and needed a stop -- and there was Eye Sore Park. He got here at about a quarter to ten, Mom, Me, He and Him talked for a while (Shawna called while he was here. Hmmm...), and at 10:30 he said he'd have to call someone to pick him up. I offered to drive him, so Grieg, me 'n' matt drove to Tustin where he lives. I saw his house (his dad wasn't home, and there were a coupla sleeping kids and an absent baby sitter with a T.V. set on). I left shortly after seeing his room (it's big), he was very tired -- could barely keep awake -- his phone number's 835-6359.

I got lost coming back, of course. Somehow I got on the Santa Ana Freeway, and finally got turned around. Then bright red and white lights greeted me in the rearview mirror, and I pulled over for the highway patrol -- I'd been weaving apparently (at times I have a tendency to over correct) and they suspected me of being inebriated. I wasn't fortunately, and they let me go after testing my eyes ("Look at my cap... now look at the flashlight without turning your head. Follow my finger." -- The other guy smiled and said "Nope." That was the diagnosis).

Mar 17 - GALLERY: Photos of meeeeeee

Friday, March 17, 1972 - Page 77
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

9:20 PM
I got to sleep last night at about 8:30 -- woke up at a little before 1:00 A.M. Stayed awake till six thirty reading "A Guide to Earth History," "Space Lash," and writing some more ideas for "Nexus," and "Kairos." Woke up in the day time at noon thirty, and went through the old photo collection (results of that effort are in a couple of pages following the last day of this Journal -- additions will probably have been made before that then day... additions have will probably been made... additions will have probably been made before then. There, that's it. And I call my self a writer. Tut tut).

Page 368 - Grady age 4

Page 367 - Grady age 5

Page 369 - Grady, various ages

Wasn't any mail except an ad from the Shrine of the Nativity [see below]. Continued reading into the Archeozoic and wrote some ideas for "Tempus Fugitives." I should concentrate on "B-4 the beginning" and get that out of the way so's I can start the others. Mom went shopping. Chunk came over and I gave him $15.00. Mom came home and she gave me $15.00. Watched Hollywood Squares, and Sanford & Son, then continued reading 'n' writing. It is now 9:30, 5 secs. The End.

Words of Wisdumb:
SUCCESS is getting what you want -- HAPPINESS is wanting what you get

Mar 16 - Riddles and jokes

Thursday, March 16, 1972 - Page 76
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

8:00 PM
Woke up at 9:00 or so, got up at 10:00 and took a bath. Then I went to school and talked with Mrs. Lyons who suggested I send a story to Ray for his opinion (it seems he has taken many budding writers under his wing). She's going to see "Dandelion Wine" in a day or so. She saw a rehearsal of it so she's got an idea what it's like. My moonscape drawing was on a wall, I noticed.

Mary Lyons, English Teacher
The Galleon 1972

[As noted on March 10, I had given my English teacher, Mary Lyons, my pencil & ink drawing of the scene in this poster. It was nice to see she had posted it in her classroom.]

Theatrical release poster by Robert McCall

I proceeded to the lawn and found out that March 25 is the day that Tim's leaving for Germany. Shawna ignored me, and Mary [Bavry] was typically pleasantly obnoxious, in a vulgar sort of way. Bob knew the answer to a couple of riddles I remembered: Why do ducks have big webbed feet? (to stamp out forest fires) & Why do elephants have flat feet? (from stamping out burning ducks). He knows 'em all (Show me an inept plastic surgeon and I'll show you a man who can't keep a straight face). Left school with a big book on prehistory I "borrowed" from the library before lunch. Dad came over to give me $20 for mom, and he took a lamp. I guess he didn't go to work today. I did the dishes. Mom washed some clothes and bought some T.V. dinners. So I ate the only thing I've had all day -- a couple of Meatloaf T.V. dinners & a bowl of cereal. Went thru some old photos of the Lydas and I'll be putting some in this book. Now I'm goin to sleep. 8:11, 15 secs. End.

Mar 15 - I saw Ray Bradbury today

Wednesday, March 15, 1972 - Page 75
LOCATION: Newport Beach & Fullerton, California

(12:32 AM - 3/16/1972)
Got up at 12:30. Wasted time and cleaned up my room and attic. It is a job that's not yet completed. Went to see "Dandelion Wine" tonight so I have to go to school tomorrow to mention it to Miz Lyons. She had told me about it (Bradbury wrote it). Chunk, Winnie & a couple of their friends went with me (actually, I went with them -- they had tickets from their English class). The ticket booth said they were sold out -- fortunately a girl was standing by with an unused ticket (her boyfriend couldn't make it) so I bought her's. Katheryn or Kathleen, her name was -- a secretary at Cal State Fullerton taking English there.

Dandelion Wine cover

Ray Bradbury in 1975

I saw Ray there (Bradbury, that is). I neglected to get his autograph or talk with him. [Grady2015 says: I remember seeing Mr. Bradbury standing beside the line of people entering the theater. He was there with a shorter friend, waiting to deal with any fans who might approach him. I told my brother & Wendy, "Hey, look over there. That's Ray Bradbury." At that time very few people knew what this man looked like. I wish I'd had the guts to walk up and say, "Thank you for your wonderful stories, Mr. Bradbury." But instead, when he looked directly at me, I pretended I didn't know him.] I've gotta meet him some time (just because he's a lousy writer it doesn't mean I don't respect the guy -- he's got a big name and ya gotta respect that). We got out at 11:30 and I got home at midnight -- it was a long play (3 hours). Missed second half of W.S.S. [TV broadcast of West Side Story]. It is now 12:43 and five seconds. The end.

Mar 14 - Dad's new $100 apartment

Tuesday, March 14, 1972 - Page 74
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

(1:00 AM - 3/15/1972)
Got up today at 11:30 again so I didn't get to school. Dad stayed home today. I washed the dishes. Dad & I went to take some more of his stuff over to his apartment (Victoria Manor -- # 3), on the way we stopped at Jack in the Box to eat. Came home at around 6:00 and mom had dinner ready (steak, potatoes, asparagus) so I ate again. Dad's staying overnight at his apartment. I took one of the planks he had in his room and put up a shelf in my room. "West Side Story" was on tonight (first half -- second is tomorrow). It is now 1:05 A.M. The end, again

Theatrical release poster by Saul Bass

Mar 13 - Jesus Christ Superstar stage show

Monday, March 13, 1972 - Page 73
LOCATION: Newport Beach & Anaheim, California

11:42 PM
Got up at 11:30, an event that precluded my intentions of going to school at noon since it was so late. Dad came home at 12:00 because of mild unhealthiness. He packed some boxes and unloaded his room. Ronnie and Rae came over to sell an Easter egg to me for a quarter (little blue plastic egg with two kernels of corn candy within -- thiefs). Dad'n'I went to his apartment -- a very nice place for $100 a month, and put the boxes in there. I read some more in "A Guide to Earth History."

At 7:00 P.M. Mom & I went to the Anaheim Convention Center to see Jesus Christ Superstar which was fairly goo  Aha! That's the third time I've run out of ink writing in this thing. Anyway, after J.C. Superstar (the same deal Meg saw at the Hollywood Bowl in October) -- Mom and me went to G. Dot's [Grandma Dot: Dorothea Scheneman] to get medicine for mom -- they were asleep and the med was on the porch so we stealthily took it and ran -- in the process I tore the pocket on my jacket. We ate at McDonalds, and came home. I heard Chunk & Winnie are going to split up soon -- she's going to Texas, and Chunk's going to continue being a bumb. Tonight Dad is spending the night in his apartment. It is now 11:52 p.m. The end.

Cover art for the album Jesus Christ Superstar 

Mar 12 - DIVORCE: Dad will be moving out...

Sunday, March 12, 1972 - Page 72
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

9:00 PM
I started reading Carrington's Earth History to reeducate myself with the subjects I'm dealing with. I worked on a time line for Tempus Fugit, with one inch for each million years -- and for a scale diagram of the solar system, one inch for each million miles. Dad found an apartment so he'll be moving out in a week or so. Mom did the dishes, and generally cleaned the place. I'll get back to work reading and notationing now...

Mar 11 - Controversial rules at high school**

Saturday, March 11, 1972 - Page 71
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

9:48 PM
Didn't do anything today. Just some cursory information gathering and notes. Read a Zelazny story (65 pages: The Graveyard Heart) -- he's some writer. Which reminds me -- I first heard of him in this note ↑ from an editor of Galaxy, circa sixty-nine, methinks, when I sent in the second story I'd ever written -- "Discs of Tumarcus." [There is old tape at the top of this page, but the Galaxy note is missing. I was grateful for the editor's encouraging message that said something like "Even Roger Zelazny had 200 stories rejected before he ever sold one."] Well, I'll be getting another such slip in a month or so -- wonder if they've stayed the same.

Watched a national Geo. special on the tube tonight about the rise and fall of Man. During which Shawna called for info on Jerry -- I could just give her Dave Olson's number. She's still active it seems. Heck, I saw her just yesterday. It's hard to keep track of time.

("Don't take rejections as necessarily meaning that you completely lack talent" -- words to live by. Thanks, Bob) [That was a portion of the Galaxy editor's message referred to above]

[The following entry appears on the back of a letter that is attached to this page. It is a March 8, 1972 announcement by Principal Charles E. Godshall.]

"organizing chaos"

Hi there. This is me, talking from 10:10 P.M., 3-11-72. I picked this thing up in School yesterday from the Beacon room. The new rules herein declaimed have been cause for much controversy at Harbor and have inspired adverse editorials. Tim Hourigan drew a cartoon for the Beacon that depicted Mr. Godshant reading "Mein Kampf" and murmuring "very interesting..." Another cartoon was in the works which would show him suspended above the students godlike, issuing his decrees. Aw, come on now. I mean, really! As usual my own sentiments on the matter (actually I don't give a damn, but for the sake of pretension I seem to) are mixed, but I'm basically a conservative in Liberal disguise. Of course, it doesn't matter to me at all since I no longer attend, yet I can still be bemused by it. Practically all my "friends" will be affected by this latest attempt at organizing chaos. They aren't too pleased.

"These misbehaviors will no longer be tolerated."

[To see a more readable high-resolution photo of this letter, please go here: New Rules]

12:00 AM
Just finished reading an Ellison story, dredged from his mind -- Ellison's Wonderland. "Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes" it was, with a plot not dissimilar to the old Creepy & Eerie yarns -- but it was well writ. I've gotta read more of his stuff. Favorite writers so far are Ellison, Zelazny, Sturgeon and Niven -- maybe in that order.   

Mar 10 - A visit to Harbor High*

Friday, March 10, 1972 - Page 70
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:30 PM
I gottup today at 11:30 A.M., and got the mail, then quickly left for school to catch Miz Lyons. She was, however, indisposed and she suggested I discuss my career with her Monday. I did manage to give her an addition to her Lyda Archive and Wall Poster Collection (My rendering of a "2001" moonscape). I also asked about any useful information she may possess concerning possible markets. She mentioned some sources of information on the subject, and said she might ask Ray (Bradbury, that is), though he usually doesn't concern himself with such details since he has two agents to take care of all that.

Masses of students at Harbor High
The Galleon 1972

I joined the gang on the lawn. Meg was there, but I hardly noticed her -- likewise on her part. Read Shawna's latest endeavors -- irritated Mary's sense of well-being due to the fact that I had clearly stated I would no longer appear. I assured her that I was not there, and that she had a very lively imagination to suppose that I was -- warped that it is (her imagination, that is). She finally accepted my non-existence, and Timothy read my story that had been inspired by his story. He appreciated the Germanic allusions. After lunch, Tim went to the Beacon room to draw them a cartoon, and Fish came along, having no class to attend. I fooled around in there 'till the period ended, then left.

Mar 09 - Mailed new story to Analog

Thursday, March 9,1972 - Page 69
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

10:09 PM
I slept "last night" somewhere between six & seven, then goddup to drive mom to work. Came back, took bath, went to school -- assembly schedule, got Driver's Training Cert., but GPA is at McNally (For insurance). Put $87.00 in Mariners, withdrew $40 from Centinella. Bought stuff at stationery store, got $2.00 of gas. Bought stuff at Sav-on. Drove to Sears to look for a hat -- unsuccessful. Back to school to give Lyons latest yarn -- returned Tim's Flotsam & Jetsam -- saw Peter & Fish. Mary was upset because I said she'd never see me again last time I saw her, so I said I wasn't really there because it was an unofficial visit. Left very soon.

Went back to Grandlydia for the mail. Mailed "Demigod's Demise" to Analog. Went shopping at 3:00 P.M. -- picked mom up at 4:15. Chunk came at 5:30 to paddle (I declined invitation) and I went to sleep at six. Woke up at 8:00 when L & M came over -- they left and I watched TV for a half hour and ate pork chops & dumplings. I'll pro'ly write a few more rejectable stories just to keep a healthy circulation of manuscripts in the mail. I want to collect rejection slips from every magazine in the business. It's a hobby.

Mar 08 - Finished "Demigod's Demise"

Wednesday, March 8, 1972 - Page 68
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

12:00 AM
I just finished "Demigod's Demise" (previously "Death of a Tyrant"). I'll type it and show it to Mary Lyons tomorrow. I did quite a bit of research -- in fact, ever since I've started my "free-lance writing career" I've been doing a lot of research... on things like flies, Adolph Hitler (erroneously referred to as Schicklgruber), comets (of which it is estimated there are 120,000), stars, the universe in general, dinosaurs, archaeology, the nature of Time, para-physiology, Latin, murder techniques, and various other unrelated topics. If I keep this up I may lose my amateur standing as an ignorant high school drop-out.

Yesterday I got to sleep at 5:30 or 6:00 A.M. and got up this morning at 1:00 P.M. Got the mail ("Analog" came today), and sunned for about half an hour on the raft -- it was pretty cool but there were no clouds -- too windy. I did the dishes. Chunk came over to paddle. I ran out of I ran out of ink again while writing. Larry called. The cat got another lizard. Mom made some Tapioca pudding. Dad worked overtime again. Mom went to a movie. I ended a sentence without a period

(4:09 AM 3/9/72)
"D.D." is a lousy story -- so is "M-Q." Realistically, and objectively, I've gotta say that they won't sell.

Mar 07 - Dinosaurs

Tuesday, March 7, 1972 - Page 67
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:56 PM
Goddup at 11:00 A.M. -- broiled a little bit of the chicken in the fridge, and read some info on Archosaurs. Then I got involved in Dinosaurs and I spent the day putting illustrations in the book I "borrowed" from Harbor's Library. That about covers today.

Mar 06 - As close as I'll get to time travel***

Monday, March 6, 1972 - Page 66
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

7:00 PM
I got to sleep last night at about 3:00 AM, after finishing "The Crimson Witch," the novel in FANTASTIC (OCT 70) -- it ended in a play for middle of the road leftist anti-establishment propaganda, without attaching any demeaning labels, of course. Woke up today at noon -- it's been over cast for the last couple of days, and today when I went for the mail it was drizzling imperceptibly. About the only thing I accomplished was getting my big red backrest sewed up before the stuffing fell out (I accidentally tore it a couple days ago) and I sewed a small tear in my gloves. I got Dad to pay me ten dollars, so I'm rich again.

7:51 PM
I reread the latest entries in the diary, and I jumped ahead to April First -- Time is intriguing. What will I know a month from now that I don't already know? Where will I be on December 31, 1972 (300 days from now), will everyone I know still be alive? Will I ? Will I have any stories published -- will I have my own home (preferably this here trailer) -- will I have been to Chicago -- will I still be as charming, virtuous, and dull as I am now? Time will tell, certainly. I wish I could see the future -- I wish I could go on and read the next 300 pages right now. Where will I be on January 1, Twenty hundred, A.D.???????????? [Note from the future: On 01/01/2000 I was in Corona, CA with my wife and daughter, waiting for the Y2K apocalypse that never happened] 

WHAT DO I KNOW NOW THAT I DIDN'T 66 DAYS AGO WHEN THIS YEAR STARTED?

By the end of this year things will pro'ly be pretty much the same. Dad will be gone for sure, living elsewhere, divorced -- maybe remarried. Mom may be gone too, by 1973, and I'll be on my own -- a struggling free-lance writer, living with Tacosumi (she'll still be here) and maybe a few of her grown kittens. Possibly I'll have a girl -- and maybe she loves me. A doubtful possibility. I'll have my own car (maybe just the Barracuda). I'll have a few stories published, and I'll be getting farther into art, having fairly mastered writing. I won't be perfect yet -- it may take another year, but I'll keep trying no matter how long it takes. My out-look won't have changed much -- unbridled optimism tempered with good-humored cynicism and despair -- but I'll keep going. Right?

This is about as close as I'll get to time travel.
[To see how this temporal experiment plays out, jump forward in time to April 2, 1972]

Mar 05 - Tempus does indeed fugit

Sunday, March 5, 1972 - Page 65
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

7:30 PM
Goddup at 11:30 A.M. I know I've been busy but I can't think of one significant thing I've done today besides continuing to read FANTASTIC. Such is my prolific progress -- zooming forward at break-neck speed, onward and upward. Downward and backward. Larry came over at 4:00 or 5:00 and left at 7:30 -- short term this time. Mom cleaned things up in the Grand Shoebox, so things are neat for me next week (next week -- I'll write another story, type it up, and send it out. Flip seven pages ahead and see how incompetent I am as a prophet). Tempus does indeed fugit.

Mar 04 - Ruff draft: "Demagogue's Demise"

Saturday, March 4, 1972 - Page 64
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:11 PM
Woke up at 9:30, worked on the Temporal Exploration terms and definitions that I'll use in the TEMPUS FUGIT series. Today was a record breaking hot one for L.A. -- 96° F, pretty warm for March 4. Squat Harris [actually Scott Harris] came over today to use Glenn's kayak. He's moving to Arizona Monday. I read some more stuff, then I decided I'd better start writing another story -- I've gotta be prolific. I read the old Life Mag. article about Adolph for research purposes, then I forced myself to write DEATH OF A TYRANT, which I'd been idly considering after completion of MOIRA-QUEST. I scribbled the rough draft in ten minutes -- maybe I can finish the real thing in a week or two.

Either titled DEATH OF A TYRANT or (for the sake of alliteration) DEMAGOGUE'S DEMISE:

From the planet Icktenspil it came, across the great expanses of space, toward a planet whose beings were entering the start of technical progress -- the promise of energy needed by the Icktenspilian Empire. As the demiurge approached the planet, it considered its destiny -- it would follow the same patterns as the many other worlds. At the point just before unbridled capability, the Icktenspilians would harness the beings' powers -- tap them before they could retaliate, and leave them crippled, powerless, drained... and the Icktenspilians would move on. This was the tyranny the demiurge promoted, and it was as it should be. The strong use the weak to build greatness -- greatness that lesser beings cannot know. The powerless are subjected to those who have gained power -- the law was obvious and irrevocable.

The demiurge angled in toward the sun, its physical properties luminescent, streaming backward in the fierce solar wind. Speeding past the planet, it jetted its consciousness at the target, leaving the departing physical substance to continue outward, sweeping in a wide ecliptic. When it returned, the demiurge would be ready; it would catch hold once again and leave -- its work completed, another energy source insured. Follow-up orbits would allow him to check the progress, keep things running smoothly.

Its consciousness entered the thick atmosphere, intent on easy control -- and suddenly it was gasping for life. Something was sucking it down, threatening to drown it, casting it apart in tattered shreds. Its consciousness was dwindling as it neared the earth, inundated with billions of individual points of free will, unknowingly defeating him with their very presence. Enraged and dying, the demiurge grasped at its final hope for survival -- it needed something to fasten itself to, a rivet to its escaping awareness and individuality. Frantically, it came upon an empty mind and leaped into it, spreading out in its new container. It was a newborn entity he now inhabited, and it wasn't empty -- the puerile tenant awkwardly fought the intruder, and the threatened vestiges of the demiurge knew these beings were too powerful, but his fleeting pattern burned itself into the newborn personality, ingraining its aspirations and philosophies. Then it winked out, defeated.

Austria, 1889-- Adolph Schicklgruber is born.

Exhaustive revisions in the works. Short-short, it will sell for sure once I finish it.

Mar 03 - Redford double feature

Friday, March 3, 1972 - Page 63
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

(9:39 AM 3/4/1972)
Woke up at 9:30 when the cat brought in a large flying insect -- later in the afternoon she brought in another lizard. I took a much needed bath, and got the mail. Tanned from 11:30 to 2:30. Mom and I went to see "The Hot Rock" & "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" in the Stadium Theater (# 4). Got back at twelve. She was broke so I had to pay for it: $3.70 -- now I'm broke. Chunk went off for another weekend, taking "Patch."

Mar 02 - Pioneer 10 gets up there at last**

Thursday, March 2, 1972 - Page 62
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

(12:14 AM 3/3/1972)
Well, they finally launched the Pioneer X today. It took them a while. I got up at 9:30 when the cat brought me a lizard -- to her dismay I threw it out the window. Liz is still out there -- she's been there now for almost a week, but she hasn't changed much.

Artist's depiction of the
Pioneer 10 robotic space probe.

It was another nice sunny day, so I tried to tan my hide for two or three hours. I finished reading Orn, and yesterday I finished the Amazing S.F. mag. Chunk came over, but he paddled by himself -- I've been out today already. I should get started on another story soon. Yep, I sure should. Real soon. Uh huh. I wrote a letter to Sue -- I mean, Soozwol -- and I'll mail it tomorrow.

At the suggestion of astronomer Carl Sagan,
Pioneers 10 & 11 carry gold-anodized aluminum plaques
in case either spacecraft is found by intelligent life-forms.
"Yoo-hoo, we're over here! Come invade us."

Mar 01 - Just tipsy...

Wednesday, March 1, 1972 - Page 61
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

8:30 PM
Let's see, what'd I do today. I finished the burgandy -- I drank half of it last night, and the rest this morning. But I wasn't drunk, contrary to the previous entry's statements here to fore, nor have I ever been drunk or stoned, in the technical sense of those words. Tipsy, yes. But I've always been in full control of my faculties. On occasion, however, I do tend to be pretentiously dramatic. Constantly, as a matter of fact. This morning B-4 she left for work, mom found out the right front tire was flat -- hmmm. How about that. I got up at 8:00 feeling sorry for myself. Which is, I suppose, dumb. So be it.

Campus crowd at Newport Harbor High
The Galleon 1972

Went to school at noon and Mrs. Lyons gave me a favorable review of "Moira-Quest" and she kept the thing to add to her Lyda Archive. It will pro'ly be valuable someday. I'm getting to think the damned story is going to sell. Am I prepared to enter the ranks of the Professionals? We shall see. Mingled with the crowd for a while (I came primarily to let it be known there are no hard feelings between me and Shaw) (Nobody cares) (Anyway) (Least of all me) (Ha!) -- after lunch I talked to Mary on the curb for an hour or so, watching the wild life go by. I walked home at around 1:30. Sun bathed for an hour and saw Mike Johnson paddling. Drove to Terri's to get my report, then to Tim's to get his story which I'm going to plagiarize -- he's the same old Tim. Tarmland is going to war this weekend. He'll win, of course.