May 24, 2005
6:15--the alarm goes off. I hit the snooze.

6:25--the alarm goes off again. I turn off the alarm, roll over and tell myself I need a vacation. Thanks to a triple-chocolate brownie and mint chocolate chip ice cream the night before, I was up chomping Rolaids, downing ice water and waiting for my acid reflux to calm down. I'm tired and feel like crap. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

6:47--I decide I had better drag my ass out of bed before Ian gets up and beats me to the shower.

7:25--Out of the shower, dressed, hitting my office 25 minutes behind schedule. Light is blinking on the answering machine. Oh, somebody really did call last night at 7:15. A source who wanted to read the articles with her quotes in them finally gets back to me (I shouldn't do this, ever, I tell myself again, again, again). Has re-written all her quotes so she sounds literate and, dare I say it, coherent. Too bad I already sent in the articles. Hope I can catch the changes on the edit. Going to be one of those days.

7:35--head upstairs to get breakfast going, kids showered, breakfast eaten, Good Morning, America watched, dog walked, kids off to school.

9:05--Feel like death warmed over. Large driver's mug of caffeinated beverage in hand, I hit my desk. I read my e-mail. I stare blankly into space. I have 2 interviews in the afternoon. I should call the source back, but don't really want to talk to her. Instead, I start working on re-write of The Devil's Pitchfork. Why is the chapter labeled 25 actually chapter 45? What happened to chapter 25? I find it on another disk. Damned chapters--if you don't keep your eye on them every minute...

10:25--source calls me. She's apologetic for not getting back to me sooner. I am friendly, cooperative, sympathetic. I print out her changes and stuff them in the file awaiting the galleys. This is for my worst-paying, most annoying client; every article for them turns into a headache. I feel like they should be on my "dump list" for 2005. Minimimum wage crap.

11:00--call a guy in California, catch him at his desk, conduct interview about CPT codes and ways to work smarter. Good interview.

11:25--go upstairs for lunch. Cut up leftover chicken from yesterday and make a chicken fajita. Have a banana and two brownies. Really, these brownies will be the death of me. Walk the dog. It's cold and sprinkling. Welcome to June 24th in Michigan. I wish I lived somewhere warm.

12:00--back at work. I call to find out when my car, which is in the shop, will be ready. Tomorrow. I call the pool place and see if they have found a skimmer replacement. Yes, what's your credit card number. I'm sure they're heading for Tahiti at my expense. Skimmer will be ready--tomorrow. Whip off e-mail to Ashley to see what's up with Bad Intentions. She discusses photocopying reimbursement. I repeat to myself: must spend money to make money.

1:00--interview podiatrist about 2 best ways to work smarter. Transcribe it.

1:30--check out Barry Eisler's website, just for the hell of it. Get my mail. No checks, but the Edgar ceremony booklet and a copy of Brad Thor's latest book in reprint. Book goes on shelf. I get caught up reading Steve Hamilton's bit about the 10 best things about being a mystery writer, and Rick Riordan's bit about a bookstore in Houston.

1:45--Blog.

2:00--I have an interview with another podiatrist. Time to go.

Best,
Mark Terry