Monday, September 30, 2013

Sep 30 - Bless the Beasts & the Children, they have no choice

Saturday, September 30, 1972 - Page 274
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:00 PM
Got up about 10:00 A.M. Got a new Smithsonian Magazine in the mail. I read the comics, went thru past issues of Smithsonian for notes, had a couple of TV dinners. At 3:30 Mom & I went to the Mesa Theatre to see "The Last Picture Show" & "Bless the Beasts & the Children."
1971 original theatrical poster
1971 original theatrical poster

It was over at 7:30 (started at 3:45), & mom bought donuts, then went to Thrifty & I bought paper, then went to Sav-on & bought a National Lampoon & some Sea & Ski Suntan lotion. That shot $5.00 I got as a check from Gramma Lyda for my birthday that mom cashed yesterday.
A typical Sea & Ski magazine advert
Watched the usual Sat. night T.V. shows & turned it off at 10:00 P.M. Looked thru the Natlamp between then & now. That's it for this day.

Bless The Beasts and The Children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice

Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see

Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them

Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from the storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm

Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them

Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from the storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm

The children
The children
The children


TOMORROW:  Big bridge party for mom tomorrow

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Sep 29 - Again, nothing happens

Friday, September 29, 1972 - Page 273
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

11:00 PM
Got up at 9:00. Watched T.V. all day & finished going thru "The Fossil Book." A wallet mom had purchased for me came in the mail, so now I have a new wallet -- my old one I'd bought from Milano -- and also in the mail came an interesting letter from Greg. Dad dropped by today around 6:00. Mom shopped & we got stocked up on T.V. dinners. Yesterday she washed the clothes. Yesterday, I think, was Confucius's birthday. Happy birthday, Confus, sorry I was late with that. I'm thru.

[One of Grady's Chicago photos taken on August 10.
See October 7, 1972 posting for more Chi pics & descriptions]

TOMORROW: Bless the Beasts & the Children, they have no voice

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Sep 28 - Nothing happens...

Thursday, September 28, 1972 - Page 272
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

10:00 PM
Woke up at 6:45 A.M. Didn't do anything but eat, watch T.V., and skim "The Fossil Book" for notes. Such a life.

[One of Grady's Chicago photos taken on August 10.
See October 7, 1972 posting for more Chi pics & descriptions]

TOMORROW: Again, nothing happens

Friday, September 27, 2013

Sep 27 - Nothing much...

Wednesday, September 27, 1972 - Page 271
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

(1:00 AM 9/28/1972)
Woke up at 9:00. Finished reading Colbert's book. Watched T.V. alot. Today was mostly overcast & unsunny so I didn't haveta go out. Mom went to L&M's today. I washed the dishes. I'm gonna go to sleep more.

Attached to this page is one of many photos I took in Chicago
TOMORROW: Nothing happens...

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Sep 26 - Edwin Colbert's DINOSAURS

Tuesday, September 26, 1972 - Page 270
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California
DINOSAURS by Edwin H. Colbert (1961 Illustrated 1st Edition)
I loved this rare book & I wish I still had it. The photo is from an old eBay listing which had a pretty good description of it...
This heavily-used book is a discarded title from the Ashtabula Public Library in Ohio, and it's a very comprehensive and informative collection of the history of dinosaurs and humanity's rapidly evolving knowledge of the prehistoric rulers of our planet. Along with informative diagrams and compilations of information to complement the text, there are also photographic images dispersed throughout the book with crisp black-and-white detail, showing artist's depictions of dinosaurs, actual dinosaur bones, fossils, maps, and other visual aides and media that act as a treasure trove of information for the paleontologically-inclined. Though the book has clearly lived a full life, with significant damage to the cover, the book still holds together and the pages within are in very good condition for their age.

7:30 PM
Woke up at 5:30 A.M. but wasn't really conscious until 9:00 A.M. Grandma Dot came over around then with oranges, magazines, a blanket & a jacket. It was a sunny day but I didn't bother to go out -- I was out for 3 hours yesterday and it didn't do any good. I wrote 4 1/2 more pages of notes, nearing the end of "Dinosaurs" by Edwin H. Colbert, my most comprehensive source. I'll be able to get down to real writing after I read some of "The Fossil Book."
The famed paleontologist & author, Edwin H. Colbert,
died in November 2001 at age 96 (wikipedia info)
I went out for the mail, and on the way the woman in the trailer to the right of the one directly opposite us called to me out her window, so I went into her place. It was beautifully decorated in wild mod decor & posters. She explained she'd just had an operation and wasn't too sharp at walking, so she gave me a couple of letters to mail & 16¢ for the stamps. So when I got my mail I bought the stamps and mailed her letters. My good deed for the fortnight.

10:00 PM
I spent most of the day reading & eating -- I ate two T.V. dinners (meat loaf & Polynesian), a third of a water melon, an orange, a banana, and a pound of hamburger mixed with potatoes, sauce & ketchup. When there's food around I'll eat it, when there isn't, I don't miss it. I took a bath today, and about an hour afterward my ear was clogged. I popped it, but it clogged seconds later, consistently. I used six Q-tips on it but it still got clogged. When I rub it, it clears up, but goes deaf again seconds later. We'll see what develops.

I watched "Police Doctor" cause W. Shatner was in it, and then saw "Temperature Rising" & "The Moon of the Wolf." They were all lousy. Weren't worth interrupting this entry. I'm very tired. Good night.

TOMORROW: Nothing much...

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Sep 25 - Tanning, TV, reading & steg stats

Monday, September 25, 1972 - Page 269
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

8:30 AM
It is now Monday. I woke up at 5:00 but I didn't do much worthwhile yet. The sky is clear right now -- if it gets warm enough I may be obligated to go out. I'll also have to get my exercising done.

11:00 PM
Watched T.V. all through the day. Went out in the sun for 3 hours, but didn't get any darker -- I think I should get some sun tan lotion. I didn't do much productive, being too tired from my odd hours, but I made a head band from string that I looped repeatedly, and I did the dishes (just now finished while watching "The Rookies" & "The Bill Cosby Show"), now I better get to sleep.

Mom's still at bridge, she got home a little after five having shopped (we had T.V. dinners today). I took out the trash a few minutes ago. I used up two black Bic pens on my notes so I had to switch to this blue "Shrine of the Nativity" pen (that's what the writing on the side says). I read a little more in "The Drifters" -- I'm on page 216 but I'm still barely one quarter thru it. That's discouraging -- there should be a law against people writing looooong books (take that, Tolstoy) -- a stegosaurus brain was 3 ounces in weight, though his entire body weight was 10 tons. I guess that means I got nothing else to

TOMORROW: Edwin Colbert's DINOSAURS

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sep 24 - Fossil collection

Sunday, September 24, 1972 - Page 268
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

(8:00 AM 9/25/1972)
I worked Sunday entirely on taking apropos notes from "Dinosaurs," the Encyclopedia Britannica, "The Fossil Book," and various Time/Life books. From "The Fossil Book" and the Golden Nature Guide about Fossils, I was able to identify a few of my fossils a few days ago -- I have thirteen ammonoid cephalopods of various sizes, varieties, and states of preservation (some varieties I have I think are: Acanthoscaphites, Scaphites, Gryphaea, and possibly a couple coiled nautiloids, most of which are from the Cretaceous); I've also got three baculite fragments and one Baculite septum (all probably Upper Cretaceous); one tiny scaphopod; three or four portions of crinoid stalks, plus six crinoid stem discs; one portion of Tabulate coral of the Jurassic; eight Miocene shark's teeth; two unidentifiable teeth, two jaw fragments with teeth; one crystal, one gastropod shell cast; nineteen agates (polished except for one), one unusual rock formation, and twelve stone tools and arrowheads, paleolithic type. That's my complete collection.

Sunday I wrote 11 more pages of notes -- everyday I hit upon new ideas for the story. The thing will probably be a novelette (great, I could use the money), and it'll take a month or two to write. Maybe it'll be finished by the end of November.

Watched a lot of T.V. Sunday ("MASH" & "The Sandy Duncan Show" -- not so much after all). Murdered a lot of ants who were infesting our sink that has dishes piled high -- I'll have to get to those some time. I sprayed them and they died in seconds, writhing pitifully. All Sunday was overcast except in the evening. I went to sleep at about 10:00. Mike Sarason dropped by on his motorcycle around 4:00 just to visit. That about takes care of Sunday.

TOMORROW: Tanning, TV, reading & steg stats

Monday, September 23, 2013

Sep 23 - My nocturnal writing schedule

Saturday, September 23, 1972 - Page 267
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

10:06:59 PM
Today was sunny. I did some more note writing (I just checked -- I've written 26 1/2 pages of notes, bits and pieces of facts, information, inspiration and imagination), then at 11:30 A.M. I went out to the beach, swimming to the raft when I dunked me every half hour and came in off the raft at 1:40 and came home at 2:00 after staying on the beach a bit.

Mom finished The Exorcist today. I read a few more articles and one more chapter in Dinosaurs, and I've been awake too long. I better get to sleep. I got off my schedule by watching T.V. -- "The Parent Game," "All in the Family," "Bridget Loves Bernie," "The MTM Show" & "The Bob Newhart Show." Now it's 10:13:46 and I'm going to sleep like I should have at 7:00 P.M. G'night. --

(4:42:42 AM 9/24/1972)
Well, I'm not off my schedule after all. I woke up at 4:31, after having gone to sleep at 10:30. At night I occasionally wake up, look at the clock and return to sleep -- this time I forced myself to stay awake though. So I'm still sticking to my nocturnal working hours -- it's the best way for me to write. Now I'll get further in Dinosaurs -- I can read more on Sunday morning cause there's no Lohman & Barkley show I must listen to.

TOMORROW: Fossil collection

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sep 22 - TIME REVIEW: The past 100 days***

Friday, September 22, 1972 - Page 266
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

I REALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE WRITING ON THIS PAGE NOW -- I'LL GET TO IT LATER WHEN I'M AT LEAST PARTLY INSPIRED -- 5:53:53 A.M., SAT, SEPT 23, 72

[TIME-BUMP Note in left-side margin] Now the year is two hundred sixty six days old -- Once again I ventured into the future from March 6, 1972, 8:12 P.M. What would I find? Would I be happy or sad? (Note to me from Aug. 18, 72 -- Read Pg 166 [June 14] B4 writing. Keep same theme)

(11:29:45 PM 10/1/1972)
The last 100 days were about the most eventful days that are likely to be found in this book. Dullsville. I'm drafting this on a sheet of notebook paper at 4:47:23 P.M., October 1st, 1972 (and am currently re-writing the just finished rough draft on another sheet of notebook paper, 6:08:08 P.M., Oct 1 [But right now, as you see it here, I am righting the final draft, and it's now 11:35:35 P.M. I'll have it finished sometime in the A.M., 10-2-72.] )

The last hundred-day mark was Wed., Jun 14, & it was delayed, not by procrastination but because I was working in Oxnard at the time, and it took me till Jun 20 to completely realign the past with the present from the future. We shall see if the next 100 mark is similarly out of synch. Since it'll be Dec 31, my guess is it'll be pretty late. [FROM THE FUTURE: Yes, the next 100-day review will be pretty late -- more than 40 years, actually. I, OldGrady, will need to update the December 31, 1972, page because YoungGrady never did it.]

In the immediate preceeding five-score pages, I read the following books of fiction: "The Probability Man," "The Little Prince," "The Exorcist," and about 1/2 of Michener's "The Drifters." I also read at least a half dozen magazine articles & two complete anthologies -- "World's Best SF, 1971" & "The Best S.F. of the Year" -- & read completely (more or less) the following books of non-fiction: "I'm OK, You're OK," "The Descent of Woman," & "Dinosaurs," still haven't finished (or even looked into in the past 100 days) "A Guide to Earth History," or "Man's Rise to Civilization as Shown by the Indians of North America from Primeval Times to the Coming of the Industrial State" yet, but I'm planning to eventually.

Saw a play, "Follies," and some movies: "Box Car Bertha"/"1,000 Convicts and a Woman," "The New Centurions"/"Play Misty for Me," & "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes." That's a surprisingly small number (five) of films for me in a 100-day period. I was too busy. In the aforementioned temporal period, this journal has been in the following towns for at least 2 or 3 hours: Newport Beach, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Rapid City, Bethlehem, Sioux City, Omaha, and Chicago, not necessarily in that order. It really got around, didn't it?

A few world wide events that occurred were: a flood season unprecedented in U.S. history; the Democratic Convention nominated George; the Republican Convention nominated Dick; Bobby won the World Championship Chess Tournament, beating Boris; the Russians got away with more Gold Medals than the United States in the freakiest Olympics ever.


Some birthdays that happened were mine (July 17), Mrs. Latka (July 18), McGovern (July 19), Chunk, Laramée, Mom, Mike Sarason, and least but not last, Gilbert Stack (Aug. 28), Grandpa Bill and Jim Weidner (both on Sept. 10) and Roger Barkley (Sept. 11). The last haircut I got was Thursday June 22, the last time I drove a car was June 24, last time I shaved was September 15. I got new old glasses and learned to play poker on the same day, June 23, and learned to drive a clutch on June 24.

In the last hundred pages I stuffed hundreds of scrap-book type scraps into this book that increased its width considerably. I got photos that now are in this journal from Geri Langer (pages 112, 113, 120, 121), Tom Scheuring (116, 117), Peg Latka (114, 220), Mrs. Latka (199, 200, 212, 218, 219), I swiped one shot from Ken (214), and various shots from Mike Mill's Polaroid (194 to 197, 213, 221, 226, 227), and personally snapped some pictures from loaned cameras (211, 222, 228).

Some choice events that transpired involving yours truly are as follows: Got "layed off" from my landscaping job; got the NHH Annual [this is the Newport Harbor High 1972 Yearbook -- See photos June 22], and though I was only a part-time student my Senior photo was in it, and I was the only one without a jacket and tie (nonconformist); Gramma Brazzel (94 year old semi great grandmother) had an operation Sunday, June 25, I saw her alive for the last time in the hospital, June 28, she died Wed. Sept. 13, and Chunk and I were pallbearers on Sept. 15; got to Bethlehem South Dakota June 30; on July 4 (15th Anniversary of Bethlehem and 196th of the United States), Bruce, Brad, Greg, Clint, Jeff, & I went to stock car races in Rapid; rode bare back with Darlene Sheckle and learned I was allergic to horses on July 7; me, Brad, Bruce, and Gordy with his '49 Mercury went to Deadwood for the Flood Damage Meeting along with Gil and the Mayor of Sturgis; I went spelunking on two memorable occasions in July.

On my birthday, me, Bruce, Greg, Brad, Mike, and Tom went to the airport to see George come in, and gave a Secret Service man paranoia, met the Latkas at Mt. Rushmore [See "Pranking McGovern's Secret Service," July 17]; rode to Chicago with my adopted family, arriving July 20; went to Marist High School dance 7-21-72 [See "STYX performs at High School dance," July 21]; me, Sue, Peg and Ken Britski went to Old Town, 7-22; me, Larry, Ken, Kathy, Mark, Sue, Mary Ann and her pal, Tom Styx went to Playland, 7-23; Ken and I went to Old Town and Ripley's Museum, then me and Peg drove around Beverly Hills, 7-24; went to the Field Museum, and Sue got a bowling ball dropped on her toe, 7-25; Peg dropped me off at the Beverly Art Center, which was closed so I got to walk a few miles to her office in the rain, 7-26; me, Ken, Larry, Mark and Sue went to U.S. 30 Drag Strip, 7-30; went to the Art Institute, the Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, the John Hancock Building, and Bob Kelly's Studio (the latter during a tornado); drew the Phredee Phrogg Poster, Sue & Peg's portrait, painted Ken's helmet, and left on a bus finally on August 16, got to Vapid City on the 17th, stayed in an abandoned house on the 18th, and hitched to Beth on the 19th. Gil told me to depart the premises, saw the "Guess Who" concert [See August 25], then flew away on Sunday, August 27.

Stayed in the Disneyland Hotel Sunday (Damn. Ran out of ink. There goes my fine point pen -- Now, to continue) night, next day went to the Ivanhoe -- which Mike was preparing to manage -- then went to Disneyland, then home for the first time in sixty days [See "Disneyland for $4.95," August 28]. Helped Mike move his home August 30 (his birthday), played chess with Chunk & Co. alot over a few weeks, started regular 5 days-a-week exercizing September 5, got my Experifragments accepted by a defunct publication, got a multitude of rejections, kidnapped Tim Hourigan's chess set Sept. 9, went dirt bike riding with Chunk September 10, dived headlong into writing the first episode in Tempus Fugit September 11, started an odd schedule of getting to sleep in the afternoon and waking up later in the night to work on my notes on Sept. 18, caught up on my National Geographic index, added a prurient drawing to page 260 [Sep 16to make up for the one I gave to Tom Scheuring, and finally wrote this entry 9 or 10 days late.

The last hundred days were good. I expect the next hundred to be better though less active. The next hundred days will mark the end of this year, and the end of this book -- Probably the only diary I'll write, preserving memories from a time when I was formulating ideas that would set me off into my adult life. I've still got a few more things to accomplish before it's through.

This entry is through finally, and the time is now 1:27:37. I wrote non-stop from 11:30 (with about a minute off to write a couple of ideas for "Eternity, B.C.") -- My eyes are about to fall out, my fingers are cramped and my mind is muddled -- In other words, I'm  T H R O U G H  for now. ---

TOMORROW: My nocturnal writing schedule

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Sep 21 - How did stegosaurs mate?

Thursday, September 21, 1972 - Page 265
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California
Megalosauruses
3:00 PM
Haven't been to sleep yet. Worked on T.F. and learned that a species called Megalosaurus in the Mesozoic was sentient. Read an article in Nat. Geo. about Piranhas and now I've gotta finish the last N.G. I have left to read about Remote Sensing devices. I went out today for sun at 10:30. I swam to the raft, stayed on it for a while, but noticed how red I was so I swam to the beach, stayed awhile, and was back at 11:30.

Watched T.V., broiled the chicken that was in the refrigerator, and washed the dishes. Now it is 3:04:55, and I don't know where the rest of the day will be spent. (Was in the 90°s today)

(1:04:24 AM 9/22/1972)
I retired today at about 6:30 P.M. after trying to find the answer to a question nobody's ever asked before that I know of: How did a Stegosaurus mate? That's the one with the long spikes on its tail and the big plates sticking out of the back. That would be a very lethal arrangement for a male steg in heat. I checked into two books about dinosaurs, one about reptiles, one about birds, and two volumes in the Encyclopedia Britannica and none of them had the nerve (or gall) to tell me how a steg managed to procreate. I can figure out only one way, but the dinosaur would have to be pretty intelligent to pull it off. Anyway, it is now 1:10:37 A.M. I woke up at 12:45. Back to the research...

(5:44:35 AM 9/23/1972)
I went to sleep "today" (Sept 22, Fri) at 6:45, and woke up at 4:00 A.M. (Sat). Skimmed some more books for info, made scads of more notes. The heat was in the 80°s but it was sufficiently overcast to permit me to stay indoors. I got the mail, among which was a Psychology Today with a great ad about a great new Time/Life series called "The World Before Man." I sent for it right away. Mom brought McDonald food, as she usually does on Fri. cause by then there's no food here.

TOMORROW: TIME REVIEW: The past 100 days

Friday, September 20, 2013

Sep 20 - Progress on Tempus Fugitives, my time travel series

Wednesday, September 20, 1972 - Page 264
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

3:21:48 AM
Sorry about wasting a whole page on that bomb -- I used to be a real nut about that stuff. On the 4th of July, I wouldn't buy fireworks, I'd build them. I got pretty good at it, but the better I got the more lethal they became so I quit. I'm still something of a pyromaniac tho.

Anyway, I exercised before going out to tan at 11:30. Came in at 12:30 and went to sleep. I read a few stories in "Assignment in Tomorrow," an S.F. anthology. I woke up at about 8:30 and had dinner. Mom made a steak. It is now 9:35:15 P.M., and I'm going to get the place cleaned up. It's pretty cluttered with all this research I'm doing. I'll get rid of everything that doesn't apply directly to T.F., and get to work.

(3:36:00 AM 9/21/1972)
I did tidy up the place, and researched alligators and crocodiles, and related subjects in Nat. Geos. that had info I wanted. Tempus Fugitives is developing nicely -- I get new ideas constantly. It'll be chock full of brilliance. If it doesn't sell, nothing I can write will.
Cover: Tempus Fugitives time travel series
All this work paid off when the story became a comic book series
published in Star*Reach magazine (Tempus Fugitives PDFs)
I did my exercises and at 10:30 A.M. I went out to tan my hide on the raft (heretofore I've been doing it in our parking space on the chaise lounge) -- I basked till 11:00, and dunked myself, then turned over in the sun. At 11:30 I got soggy again and tanned front wise again, dunked at 12 and tanned the same side again, then dove and sunned my back till 12:30, then swam to shore (saw Bill again -- he's that great looking gray-haired fellow I mentioned before) and I dried in the sun on my towel I left on the beach for 5 or 10 minutes. I showered in the shower room and came home to take a bath.

Read more in the Nat. Geos then went to sleep at around 4:30. I got burned outside, but at least I'm darker. I woke up at 2:30 or 3:00 A.M. It was mid-70's today. 'L be hotter tomorrow. It's now 3:34:16 A.M.

TOMORROW: How did stegosaurs mate?

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Sep 19 - Lame experiments: Building mini-bombs**

Tuesday, September 19, 1972 - Page 263
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

YOM KIPPOR T'day (I think) Shalom

10:00 AM
Hi. I haven't gone to sleep yet. I've been researching crocodiles and various other reptiles, but I'm pretty drowsy so I quit that and started playing with an earplug that was for my micro-radio that died. I dissected the thing, since it's too small to fit other radios, and I decided to make a bomb out of it, and at the same time see if one of the little energy cells in the radio would explode.

I scraped off the powder from wooden match heads and stuffed the empty ear plugs with it, and closed it with the battery inside. Then I took it down to the kitchen sink and ignited it. I made a recording of it when it went off. The following is a transcript of that recording: fsssstPWOPF!

It blew up, throwing fire six inches high, popping the top of the ear plug out of the sink and to the floor, knocking the heavy battery an inch. But the cell didn't explode. The ear plug was relatively undamaged, only slightly charred on the inside, so I made another bomb, stuffing more powder into it and placing the battery in an area where it should receive maximum impact. And I sealed it all in masking tape so the gasses can't release themselves by popping it open. And now I'm going to set it off. It is now exactly 10:00:00 A.M. Here I go...

Okay, I'm back. It is now exactly 10:01:58. I didn't record it that time, but as I recall it went hsssppp-POFPP!!! I can still feel the heat in the ear plug. The gasses and flame ascaped out the tiny fuse hole, shooting flaming bits up with great force. I'm not sure what became of the energy cell. It's still in the plug, but now I'll untape it and look inside...

Hmmmm-mmm-hm. Well. There was a great deal of residue. The only particles that escaped were those in the immediate fuse entry. The energy cell is still intact though it's coated with a dark substance. I'm going to try something -- How about that? I put the battery in my watch (after wiping it clean) and it still worked. Gee!
TOMORROW: Progress on Tempus Fugitives, my time travel series

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Sep 18 - The Bomb wiped out everyone except you, me & her

Monday, September 18, 1972 - Page 262
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California
Original Poster: The World, The Flesh and the Devil (1959)
11:00 AM
I haven't slept between now and the last entry. I worked on the indexing from 1:00 A.M. to 9:30 after getting up to December, 71. Now I just have '72 left (Nine issues). It is very clear outside, so I feel it's my duty to go out and try to get darkened. I did my exercises already and I ate a couple of ham sandwiches so I'm all set. Chances are I'll start dozing out there, then I'll come in here and sleep till 5:00. We'll see. I'm going out now: 10:53:59 1/2

6:30 PM
I started dozing out there at about 1:00, then I came in here and slept 'till about 5:00 when mom got home from work and shopping. I went back to sleep and rewoke at 6:00 when mom left for bridge. Now I'm gonna get back to indexing the Geo's.

(4:07:39 AM 9/19/1972)
Just finished the last Nat. Geo. (Sept. 72), and there are now 120 pages in the index, compared to the 106 when I started. For the thing to be really useful, I'll have to make an Index for the index. I'll get to it some time.

Was working on the Geographics for most of the night but I watched some T.V. (Laugh-In from 8 to 9:00, The New Bill Cosby Show from 10 to 11:00, and a movie: The World, The Flesh, & The Devil -- 1959 -- with a cast of exactly three: Harry Belafonte, Inger Stevens, and Mel Ferrer. It was black and white -- in more ways than one -- and was roughly Sci-Fi; one of those "What-do-we-do-now-that-the-Bomb-has-wiped-out-everyone-except-you-me-and-her?" type thing. It was fairly good, though it could have been better). That was on from 11:30 to 1:30. I watched "One Step Beyond" between 11 & 11:30. I did the dishes during Bill Cosby. Mom got home at 1:00. That's all.

TOMORROW: Lame experiments: Building mini-bombs

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Sep 17 - Massive index of National Geographics

Sunday, September 17, 1972 - Page 261
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

12:55:55 AM
I did some writing and reading (finished Cato chapter in "The Drifters," and a Kornbluth story in an anthology) -- and I got to sleep around 12:30 or 1:00 P.M. Woke up at about 5:00 P.M. and did some more writing -- oh, I know what I was doing. All this "reading & writing" sounds nebulous because I couldn't remember, but as I recall I was reading "Dinosaurs" and taking notes and making additions in "T.F." I watched T.V. today (mom went shopping by the way, first time we've had food in a week) -- watched "MASH," "Sandy Duncan," and "Goldfinger," which ended at 11:00.
British poster for Goldfinger (1964)
Then I decided to look into my index of my Nat. Geographic Collection that I completed in 1970, for information and photos on reptiles and related subjects. I dug up most of, if not all of the recent Geographics since Feb. 1970 (when I left off in my index), and now I'm going to catch up. It'll take me awhile (there are 32 (I've got a duplicate) mags I have to go thru) -- in '70 when I made the index, it was a major project that consumed a few weeks. The purpose was to have a ready reference for articles and outstanding photos that I might have to look into later. So, that's what I'll get into now.

Today around ten o'clock, a helicopter (pork chopper, whirli pig, copper copter, etc.) buzzed about and a couple of fire engines drove right past our trailer (pretty tight squeeze), along with an official auto. It caused quite a commotion among the folks in the Park (mom included -- I just continued watching James Bond) -- apparently it was a false alarm. Nobody saw any fire, and the machines pulled out after a half hour. I got my digital clock back, so I know it is precisely 1:09:52 right now.

[PS] I consider this a minor miracle -- In the 31 issues of N.G. that have occurred between Feb. 70 and now, Sept. 72, not a single issue is missing. I don't know how I managed that -- They were scattered all over the place -- 1:23:45 --

TOMORROW: The Bomb wiped out everyone except you, me & her

Monday, September 16, 2013

Sep 16 - An unfinished sketch

Saturday, September 16, 1972 - Page 260
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

2:00 AM
I was fairly tired and went to sleep about 7:00 P.M. and awoke at 1:30. I mailed the Experifragments out and got The Typewriter back yesterday [rejection slip above]. The kitchen is a monumental mess. Right now I'm going to commence drawing a beauteous girl who I started yesterday.

Unfinished rough sketch
Magazine pic that inspired the sketch above
(7:00 AM 9/17/1972)
I gave up on that drawing -- it was just about finished but it was going badly so I quit. I've just taped it in, along with the photo so you can see what I mean. My sketch just didn't do justice to the picture. I've got a long way to go before I'm a reasonable artist. I worked on it for a few hours.

I got to sleep around 8:00, having listened to Lohman and Barkley. I was slightly awake at 11:00 A.M. when Grandma Dot came over to drop off some excess food, the clock radio (finally we have two radios & clocks now), and some other stuff. I woke up more completely at 5:00 or 4:30 P.M., and listened to Gary Owens ( or maybe I woke up at 3:00 -- no, must've been at least 3:30 -- oh well, it matters not).

I got to work organizing my notes for the Tempus Fugit series, primarily the Tempus Fugitives. I worked on it constantly, stopping to watch T.V. and do the dishes at 7:00. I watched "U.F.O.," a hokey British Sci-Fi show, "All in the Family," "Bridget Loves Bernie," "Mary Tyler Moore," & "The Bob Newhart Show." All that was over by 10:00 and I got back to work on my notes.

Mom defrosted the fridge today, and I took out all the trash. So I guess something has been accomplished today. I've finished organizing the T.F. notes, and the next week should be consumed polishing the portion I've got, arranging them in a notebook and showing them to Ms. Lyons for comments before going on to the final product. It is now 7:20 A.M. Good night, or morning.

TOMORROW: Massive index of National Geographics

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Sep 15 - I am a pallbearer at the funeral**

Friday, September 15, 1972 - Page 259
LOCATION: Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach


4:00 PM
I woke up naturally at 6:00 A.M. and turned on Lohman & Barkley. Told mom to get up at 6:30, and around 7:30 we drove to Chunk's. I went up and got him, then we went to Grandma Dot's [Mobile Home in Santa Ana] and waited there for a car to be supplied by the mortuary [Brown Colonial Mortuary, Santa Ana]. It was a wide long car with a great deal of leg room -- Dot, Mom & I sat in the back -- Chunk & the driver were in the front.

We got to the big church where folks from Dot's & Brazzel's trailer park and the Heekin family was, plus a few other people. The main attraction was the three or four beauteous Heekin girls. At 9:00, me, Chunk, and 4 other guys (Heekins, etc.) pulled the casket outa the Hertz [actually Hearse] and stuck it on a dolly, then they wheeled it up and stopped it in front of the dias, or whatever, and for about a half hour the priest talked and we people (about 25 of us in all) listened. The priest always mispronounced the deceased's name -- he called her BRAZzel with the accent on the first syllable. After the lil' talk, they wheeled the coffin back to the vestibule and we stuck it back in the Hertz. Then we got in the car, and the other cars got into position. The priest got into the Hertz, and we took off at 20 mph with a bike cop escorting the procession to Huntington Beach where the cemetery was.
Good Shepherd Cemetery & Mausoleum
8301 Talbert Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92646
Then we yanked the box out and stuck it on the strange contrivance on top of the grave. Then Mrs. Heakin, Mom, Dot, Me & Chunk sat in the chairs in front (everyone else stood) and the priest talked some more. Then us relatives signed a book, and after malingering a bit we took off again, and the guy drove us to Dot's. About 10 people showed up at the trailer (the Heekins I guess) and we chatted for an hour or so, and ate ham (I cut it) that Mrs. H brought. They left, then we left. Got back at quarter to one. I did my exercises not long ago.
TOMORROW: An unfinished sketch

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Sep 14 - James Michener's Drifters

Thursday, September 14, 1972 - Page 258
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

2:35 AM
Last night I watched a lot of T.V. -- "I Dream of Genie," "The Goldiggers," "The Paul Lynde Show," "The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (A movie of the week)," and "The Julie Andrews Hour." I found a book near the T.V. called "The Drifters" by James Michener. The cover depicted three laughing young people, hand in hand. One of them was a sexy blonde in hot pants and a sans bra T-Shirt. It seemed close to the character in "Time Fall" so I figured I should read it. I'm reading it the only reasonable way you can read a Michener book (it is 768 pages loooong) -- I read the first few pages of each chapter, a bit of the middle that catches my eyes, and the last few pages which in this particular book are interrelated, all taking place in Torremolinos, Spain which attracts all the characters. It's nothing like "Time Fall" but I'm already on page 134 so I'll have to finish it.
The Drifters, 1971 (wikipedia info)
3:35 AM
Hopalong Cassidy died on the 13th [no, he actually died on Sep. 12 -- this refers to actor William Boyd (info), best known for portraying the Cassidy cowboy character in a popular movie series]. I carved off the black scar from the burn blisters on my index finger as if it was plastic. I also trimmed the deflated blister on my thumb, so both should heal soon. ---

11:30 PM
Got to sleep at 7:00 in the morning. Mom was late for work -- nowadays she has to be there at 6:45 A.M. I woke up at noon to answer the phone -- it was mom saying I had to be a pall-bearer tomorrow so I should be bathed and ready to go out to get clothes. I went back to sleep and got up around 2:30. Exercised and took a bath.

Mom got here around 5:00. She tried callin Dad but his line was busy -- tried Chunk but he wasn't home. At 6:45 we drove to dad's -- dropped off some trash and picked up some books and a credit card I guess. Then we drove to the Broadway at Fascist Island [actually Fashion Island]. Bought pants, a shirt, belt & shoes. Left there and got chicken at the Golden Chicken (mom wrote a check for it), and we bought milk (she had a dollar) and cigarets. Got back around 9:30. Chunk'll be a pall bearer tomorrow too. ---

TOMORROW: I am a pallbearer at the funeral

Friday, September 13, 2013

Sep 13 - Great Grandmother dies at 94

Wednesday, September 13, 1972 - Page 257
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California
Mid-1960s in Torrance, California -- L to R:
My Great Grandmother Frances Brazzel (Grandma Brazzel),
my Grandfather Charles Wilimovsky (Grandpa Bill), and
my Grandmother Dorothea Scheneman (Grandma Dot).
At the right is Grandpa Bill's daughter Marguerite from his
first wife, Marguerite, who tragically died in the Spanish
Flu Pandemic of 1918. The art on the wall is one of his
famous oil paintings.
5:00 PM
Grandma Brazzel died today at 10 mins. to 1:00 P.M.
5:30 PM
I woke up at 2:00 and got the mail and did my exercises. Got rejected again from N.O. Review. I'm starting a collection of cancellation marks. Below I have three from California, one from Beth, S.D., one from Chic., Ill, one from St. Paul, Mn, one from N.O., Louisiana, and one from Indianapolis, Indiana. The collection will continue. Back to work on T.F.

TOMORROW: James Michener's Drifters

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Sep 12 - Nixon's Generation Of Peace

Tuesday, September 12, 1972 - Page 256
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

10:00 PM to 12:00 AM
I did a lot of work on "Tempus Fugitives," mostly defining time travel terms. I worked on it till 5:30, then listened to Lohman & Barkley. Mom left for work at 6:30. I got up around 7:00 and made me breakfast, washed the dishes, did 50 Jumping Jacks and 50 Toe Touches, and 10 chin ups, then just listened to L&B until 10:00 when they went off.

It was a clear sunny day, so I basked from around 10:30 to 12:00. I was just too groggy, so I came back inside and went to sleep at noon, waking up at 4:15. Got back to work on the "Tempus Fugitives." I'm going to be working on it steadily until it's finished, maybe another month or so. Mom got home about 9:30 after going to see Grandma Brazzel after work. Frances Brazzel, my 94 year old great grandmother will be dead in a few days. Que Sera, etc. Then Grandma Dot, free at last, will pro'ly go to Bethlehem, S.D., to become another M.R. [Mrs. Rogers]

Mom got eight Nixon stamps (Generation Of Peace, 1972) so I was able to write a reply to Greg, enclosing the stamps. I'll mail it tomorrow.
Nixon's GOP stands for "Generation Of Peace"
(if you don't count that pesky Viet Nam thing...)
It's a couple minutes after midnight now. I'm gonna get to work on T.F. after this. The Weird Olympics ended a couple days ago & the Russians won with 50 gold medals compared to the U.S.'s 34. Booo, us! That about wraps it up -- mom was so late because she went to dinner with Dot and a male relative of some sort. ---

TOMORROW: Great Grandmother dies at 94

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Sep 11 - Bloody blisters from the "Match Trick"

Monday, September 11, 1972 - Page 255
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

ROGER BARKLEY'S BIRTHDAY (HE'S 36)
[He was part of "Lohman & Barkley," KFI 640 AM's morning comedy show that I often listened to]

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ALL THE LITTLE BUMBS
(I'M FREE -- WHEE!)

4:30 PM
Was pretty tired and slightly exhausted yesterday after bike riding so I went to sleep about nine thirty. I woke up at 11:45 and read and wrote a bit. Then I got back to sleep at about 5:00, so I knew it started raining this morning at around 4:45. I woke up at noon and listened to Wink Martindale's special on Gary Owens [wikipedia info]. It was a clear sunny day for a change, so I tanned my hide from 1:00 to 3:00. I'm still unfortunately pale but I'm hoping I can get dark soon. At 3:00 I did my exercises and took a bath. Now I'm listening to the Gary Owens show and, believe it or not, writing in this journal.

Incidentally, the black blisters on my finger tips are still there [from the August 24 incident] but after I wrote "believe it or not," I noticed blood on my index finger. Apparently my chin ups (of which I did 30 over a period of about a half hour -- 10 chin ups each time) split the blister on my thumb tip. This is real interesting, right? --

It's a few minutes later now and I've cleaned out the blister. It was old blood trapped in the blister that made it black and I've emptied most of it and washed it out. Now I'll see how fast it heals. That's enough for now. Quite enough. ---

11:00 PM
Bleech! I just looked at my thumb tip for the first time since I took off the band aid several hours ago. It looks hideous. Anyway, I started to organize my notes on The Tempus Fugit Series, Time Fall, Nexus, and various insundry miscellaneous. I got pretty weary so I gave up temporarily and dropped off to sleep with a clunk.

I just woke up (I went to sleep around 7:00).  Now I'll get around to reorganizing my trash. But right now my mouth tastes like the wrong end of a sewer pipe. And we're out of toothpaste. So I'll drink some ice water & get to work. It is 62° in Hollywood according to the radio. ---

TOMORROW: Nixon's Generation Of Peace

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Sep 10 - Chuck teaches me to ride a dirt bike

Sunday, September 10, 1972 - Page 254
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

TODAY'S GRANDPA BILL'S BIRTHDAY
ALSO JIM WEIDNER'S ----

7:30 PM
I got up about 2:00

8:00 PM
(it's no longer 7:30. I went to get something to eat, then listened to Fibber Magee & Molly) -- Chunk called at 3:00 and got here about a half hour later. He came on his Norton and we rode to his Apartments. Then we went dirt riding. He's got three motorcycles: The Norton, the BSA (which I rode) and the Suzuki (which doesn't work due to an electrical problem). The BSA is strictly a dirt bike -- I walked it to a construction area where dirt has been bulldozed into various formations making a pretty good course (POSITIVELY NO TRESPASSING) -- He had a hard time starting it cause it hasn't been ridden lately. I got the hang of it pretty quick and pretty soon I was riding over mounds and down little hills and all that type of stuff. Didn't fall down at all.

We rode to the 76 Station in front of Chunk's apt. and got 20¢ worth of gas in the tank since it was getting pretty low. Then we rode back and went over another area with a steep hill to go down just before a steep hill to go up. Didn't fall over on that one either but I killed the engine quite a bit and that bike's hard to start. Chunk ran into me once when we were swerving over rough terrain, and he broke the BSA's kickstand. At around 5:30 we quit because the throttle cable was pretty frayed and could break off completely. Rode back to Chunk's, played a couple of games of chess (I stalemated him in one, check mated him in the next). Then he drove me home around 7:00.

TOMORROW: Bloody blisters from the "Match Trick"

Monday, September 9, 2013

Sep 09 - The Aquatic Ape Theory

Saturday, September 9, 1972 - Page 253
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

3:25 AM
Got up at about 1:30 (officially) when Dad came over (he came around about noon) and Lara & Mike popped in (about 1:00). Dad's doing a lot of leather work now as a hobby. L&M are getting more involved with managing [at the Ivanhoe Motel near Disneyland]. They all left shortly after I got up. I can't recall doing very much today.

I read a condensed version of "The Descent of Woman," which is about the aquatic theory of evolution. [Written by Elaine Morgan (wikipedia info), this book influented my graphic novel, Tempus Fugitives (info), in which I incorporated a segment featuring prehistoric seaside females. One compelling bit of evidence supporting the "aquatic ape hypothesis" is the pattern of hair on the entire human form -- it clearly demonstrates the flow of water over a swimming body, thus indicating a long period of evolution that occurred in marine environments.]

A new "Psych. Today" mag came today (nobody recalls subscribing to it, but it's in Mom's name). Anyway, there was an article in it called "Louis S. B. Leakey & Robert Ardrey in dialogue on Man, The Killer." I just finished reading that.

Chunk called today around 5:00, then he and Murray came by to pick me up. We drove to Bob Kirkebey's to get a fourth to play chess, but he wasn't home. Then we drove to Bill Somebody's -- a friend of Murray's & Chunk's and a fellow I very vaguely recall from Schwinn. He used to work there before I did. He's living in an apartment with Diane, a girl who looks alot like Kim Darby, an actress. Anyway, we stayed at their apartment awhile, then we all drove to Chunk's in Murray's car. We stopped at Tim's house on the way so I could get a second chess set -- Tim, as I already knew, was at Disneyland, so I had to get Mrs. assistance in unlocking his door and stealing his set.

On the way to Chunk's, we stopped at a red light -- the one at Newport Freeway, I think. There were two cars in front of us. The first car had a guy in it who came out to talk with a girl in the second car, then he got back in his car. This seemed odd, so Chunk did the same thing -- he got out of Murray's car to talk at her. By this time the red light was used up, so we locked the doors and took off before Chunk could get back in. Back at the apartments Chunk caught up [Chuck was an experienced long-distance runner], bought some wine, and we played chess. I played a couple games with Diane, winning one, losing the other. Chunk played Bill a couple, beating him in both. I played Bill & stalemated. He, her & Murray left about 12:00. Chunk & I played hockey -- I won, 50 to 42. Rah. I left, running home. So I got my exercise. About a half hour after I got home, I met Taco [my cat] and we walked to the dock.

TOMORROW: Chuck teaches me to ride a dirt bike

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Sep 08 - Seeing "Follies" at LA's Schubert

Friday, September 8, 1972 - Page 252
LOCATION: Newport Beach & Los Angeles

6:00 PM
Today's Rosh Hashanah. Rah! I got up today at around 4:30 or 5:00 when mom got home with a couple of hamburgers. Today was (and is) quite overcast and looks like it'll pro'ly rain. I haven't done my exercises yet but I'll get around to it some time. Mom's going to a show with her boss & a girlfriend tonight.
Original Broadway poster
12:30 AM
Strike that last comment. The gal mom was going to go with couldn't go because her son fell out of a tree -- so, since she couldn't get anybody else, I went with mom. We just got back from L.A. We saw Follies in the Schubert Theatre, along with Marty (mom's boss) and a friend of Marty's. 'Twas a good show starring Alexis Smith, Gene Nelson, Dorothy Collins, Edward Winter, Yvonne DiCarlo, Fifi D'Orsay, etc. Winner of Seven Tony Awards. So I didn't get any exercise in today. Oh well. That's all for now.
Photo of Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster
To me, the star of Follies, Yvonne De Carlo (1922-2007), was Lily Munster from the 1964-1966 CBS sitcom The Munsters. But before that De Carlo was a distinguished film actress best known for he role in The Ten Commandments.
De Carlo as girlfriend of Moses, Sephora (spelled Zipporah in the English Bible) in Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1956)
TOMORROW: The Aquatic Ape Theory