Goodbye, Manhatten

I finally made it back to Cincy. Monday was spent in Manhatten seeing a doctor at the Hospital for Special Surgery. With all the great minds at this place, you'd think they would come up with a better name. Oh, well. You can read more about that at www.toyotacamryismynemesis.com .

I couldn't believe how hot is was on the island and what shocked me more is that during the day, all the NYers looked as if it didn't even phase them. I was sweating like an Ohioan in inland Florida in August. Sweat was dripping off me-those subway platforms are like 200 degrees. I felt a little better on the way out of the city noticing that everyone on the train looked as if they'd been punched in the face. Not that I wanted them to look bad, but at least I knew the heat was getting to them as well. I managed to head out to Rockwood Music Hall that evening and caught a duo (though I never caught their names) the lead guy played acoustic guitar and sang with a voice like the guy from the Postal Service, and his partner in crime played the lap steel with an E bow. That was pretty cool and worth the long subway ride home.

I miss the city, but came home and plopped down by the pool. I started reading a Tom Clancy novel that Tom Clancy didn't actually write. Does he ever write them? It's my first so I don't really know. I was just shocked by the 8th grade writing ability of the author--the dialogue is hideous. Things that women would never say--I don't care who they are. I do think that is the hardest part about writing a screenplay or novel--getting inside the head of a character when there are a million characters. I think you need to develop them before you ever write the opening line. But that's me. I keep reading, but I think I'll go back to John Grisham next time. Much more interesting.

R