Finished my last signing Thursday night. This was more of a seminar, so they filmed it for public TV. Lasted two hours. Exhausted when I finished. Ten signings in ten days. Giving so much to the crowds each time sure takes it out of you, as any performer knows. But as I mentioned before, the crowds often give back, and that helps greatly. Freaking done-in nonetheless.

My last day in Washington was just fine; went for a walk with a friend in the foothills of the Cascades: old-growth cedar, rain and moss. Dan Akkerman, a true shaman. Visionary, in tune, always one step ahead of society. He studied silver-smithing at KU and Miami, and now works on rocket launches in southern Russia. Go figure that one.

We celebrated the last signing with bourbon and oysters. Damn good way to go out. Miss Seattle already, except for the traffic and rain.

Came home to my 30th high school reunion. Sure that stuff’s a blast: everybody acting like a teenager again. Me? I never stopped. Awful lot of drinking and dope-smoking. Yeah, I’ll hoist the odd drink, but the other stuff I just watch from aside. There are some decadences from the 70s that I think are better left in the 70s. Got too much life to live for all that disorienting nonsense. Great reunion though. Embraces with dozens of people. Fascinating hearing all the stories. And, as always, a toast for those who have passed.