AUSTIN, Texas, August 15, 2005 — A feeling of normal returns. I'm not quite through celebrating (never) but it is Monday. And now that Dad and I are into two times a week in the water aerobics class, there is some place to be. So I get up in plenty of time to make the 8:30 class. Dad is there. We all have a discussion of movies, and empty nest syndrome, of a wine stomp, possible trips, aging parents.

After the class I do a little weight lifting for shoulders, pecs, biceps, triceps. Then I head home. A friend and I have been talking about going to lunch. I connect up with her and meet her a Firebowl after a quick shower and getting

dressed. Since I'm in the neighborhood I dash into Costco and get a big slab of farm-raised salmon, John Irving's newest book, a bunch of cheese (giant bag of shredded, sliced provolone, blocks of aged cheddar), some cereal bars and a big box of cereal. I looked at office supplies, clothes, drugs, other food items, LCD TVs, USB portable disk drives and a few other things just to see what they had. I bought a big bag of mini candies to take to film meeting.

I came home and chopped up the salmon to put in freezer bags and freeze some of it .I noticed the hand soap container was getting low so when I was done I filled it up and filled the bathroom one, too.

Then I went to my computer and fooled around. I reserved a hotel to spend the night near the Atlanta airport on my way to Cape Town next month. I played with Google Earth, smiling when I recognized the shape of the hotel from the air near the Atlanta airport. (A completely silly exercise given maps available and so on, I suppose.)

I do a few things to get ready for my meeting at Austin Film Festival tonight, finishing the paperwork. I fold clothes. I watch a few things off the DVR.

In the film meeting, several movies cause people to be on two sides of the vote. Music ruins films for some people. We are all now all too aware of certain clichés, too. Shots that roll from or up into the trees, voice over narratives, small objects as symbols. So little time, so many films. Also, I have a buzz from something. Drinking a soda for lunch (root beer) or eating pizza and three small candy bars while watching films. (I brought the candy so that's my fault.)

After the meeting I go home and eat some cheese and onions and salsa and drink a Shiner (or most of one). I read the papers, watch some TV (we check out that new Weeds show on Showtime). FFP disappears to his desk and I watch some Jeopardy but they are having teens and they know more than I do and I hate that. I watch some stuff from IFC channel including yet another bit about Broken Flowers.

Well, I've almost finished reading my journal from the 1972 trip to Europe. I wish I could say "I've changed a lot" or "I was one sharp and together kid then." Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have changed all that much and I was certainly very stupid about some things. Here is a fun fact, though: I got along on less than $20/day and I think that included gifts and it certainly included a lot of food and alcohol. I had a Eurailpass, though. As I remember it cost a couple of hundred dollars...for three months unlimited travel.

Sleep comes late as usual. Someone called me to play tennis tomorrow. But it's not all that early.