Yesterday I was exhausted (but I said I’d explain why). Wednesday night, I and others (including Daina, Dave, Adrian, and Steve) went to go see Neil Gaiman (my favorite living author) do a signing and some reading in Chicago.

I went, even though I had a draft of the prologue to my epic poem thesis (I was turning it in as a short story) due in my short fiction class on Thursday. Well, the lines were long for the signing and we left Chicago at about midnight. Rather than drive all the way back to Springfield, I thought it better to do the writing and then the driving – so I took Dave and Adrian to Naperville.

At their condo I madly typed on my laptop to finish the prologue (starting at about 3am). I’ve been planning and working on this thesis (outlines and free writing and research) for quite some time…and this was not the ideal situation I had envisioned I’d be in as I started this monstrous project. Oh well.

I had a passable draft at about 6:30 am and left the condo quietly and drove to Springfield (a little delirious but surprisingly awake). I was not so awake when I got to Springfield at 10 or so. I napped for an hour and a half, went straight to work and then straight to the afore mentioned short fiction class to turn in and read whatever it was I’d written…

…and they really liked it. I was surprised…surprised that I liked it as well. I don’t know, some mix of desperation, caffeine madness, and maybe inspiration at meeting a hero…and that’s what I got. Desperation finishes a lot of stories.

So thanks for letting me stay, Dave and Adrian. Hey…if this epic thing ever goes anywhere, you can say it all started in your dinning room.

I did get sleep last night.