The time is the time and it’s time. Time to write. Obligation? Habit? Or, worse yet, discipline? Practice makes perfect. Beset by distraction. Not that there are other things to do, but the internet has so many rabbit holes to fall through.

It’s later in the day. I did enjoy writing in the day last week, but obviously, I haven’t done that. Lewis Lapham was indirectly responsible for this blog, telling Bill and myself, that a writer, possibly Balzac would write at least 500 words a day.

And that was without computerized word counts. Perhaps Balzac’s discipline was counting each and every word as he put pen to paper. That takes a lot and I admit to being spoiled by the modern age and it’s word count.

This morning the CEO of United Healthcare was shot and killed on 54th sTreet outside the New York Hilton. Bill and I saw the video online. To our eyes trained by movies and television portrayals of hit men, this looked like a hit.

The state of things today, not many people had sympathy for the murdered CEO. Some have said it was probably someone whose family member was denied healthcare by United Healthcare and was literally out for blood.

There was a graphic that I saw and I can’t say that it was true, but it showed a list of major insurance companies and United Healthcare at the bottom with the highest denials of insurance claims.

Also- the CEO was paid 14 million dollars a year. Not much love for the rich though just last month they seemed to vote in favor of the rich, not to mention in favor of horrid people. Distracted again. Texting with Julio and Mike, separately.

Tonight Bill and I went to city hall for the council meeting. We wanted to show support to a local dispensary which is under attack from a Helen Lovejoy-type complaining that an approved dispensary is too close to schools that are directly opposite a smoke shop and liquor store.

One of the schools is a religious school and the pastor came to make comments about how she never sees anyone in favor of the dispensary to which a few of us supporters shouted ‘Turn around’. I don’t think she anticipated anyone yelling at a wearer of the cloth.

The wheels of democracy grind slowly and for me, a good part of this council meeting was tedious. Not to demean public servants but would a little pizzazz hurt anyone?

I had a daydream during the proceedings about people showing up and discussing what’s what with AI versions of all the council members. Each citizen present would input their issues and the AI council could talk about the various decisions and outcomes.

I told you it was a daydream. I thought of it so much I texted it to myself so I wouldn’t forget. Taking notes they call it.

I do recall an actual dream concerning a reclusive rockstar, named Bessex Starr outside what used to be the Bottom Line.

It’s time. I am just starting to get writing. It was a good day, nothing too heavy. Bill’s presence is lovely and warm and supportive. We walked to the supermarket and those treks are sometimes soul-baring, usually me being neurotic. It was a good walk nonetheless.

Other than that we watched a lot of TV. Streaming thrillers, to me they’re all blending together. The Diplomat, The Madness, and The Agency. All good and engrossing. The writing is good, the casting is good. It’s a departure from the lighter fare that I generally seek out.

There is also, Cross which was getting to be too heavy two episodes in. Aldis Hodge is definitely someone to watch but it’s a detective story stretched out over I don’t how many episodes. It’s on Amazon which is running out in a few days.

Not feeling giving Jeff Bezos a chunk of money which is not in the budget. He doesn’t need it and will probably not miss it. Out of all the streaming services we have we don’t watch it as much as the others. I use Hoopla and Kanopy more often and those are the free streaming services provided by the local bibliothèque.

The job search goes on. I cast my bread upon the waters with diminishing returns. I think Bill being around alleviated some of the depression that accompanies the paltry job search replies. Bill is sleeping now, the news is on. I haven’t been watching much of the TV news. I guess my info is from the World Wide Web mainly.

Reputable sources indeed. Too much bad news is a deterrent. I still try to be informed. Bill subscribes to the online New York Times as well as the New Yorker and I throw a few bucks at the Guardian from Manchester, UK.

The holiday season is upon us, like it or not. It’s going to be cheap this year. I bought a gift for Bill already. I cut off my hair and sold it to get him a gold Apple watch fob.

Tomorrow promises to be more of the same, but different. Same as it ever was. So it goes. I have to admit I am a bit anxious about braving the crowds when Mike and I go see the Rockefeller tree.

It’s all in the timing. I remember going with Miriam after a News Corp holiday party. It was a good party. Lots of food and drink and the gift bags wound up being gifts that I gave to family and friends that year. I also shook hands with Rupert Murdock and it was akin to grabbing mashed potatoes.

That must’ve been about 20 years or so. Miriam and I left and wound up smoking a joint on the sidewalk and checking out the tree. I don’t remember the time but I do recall there weren’t as many people as I would have thought. I was also a little bit drunk and a little bit stoned.

Ah, life was simpler then. Now Miriam is a mother of 3 lovely daughters, married to Joe the firefighter for I don’t know how many years.