Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The beginning of the end. Page 737.

Today I start copying the forty-six page four sentence stream of conscious musings of Molly Bloom. I have heard of this section. I had heard it was eighty pages and I'm glad that isn't true, at least it isn't true in my edition. There is almost no punctuation, almost no paragraph indentation. It is very, very dense.
I remember when I started doing this project.
I remember when my son was rehearsing for the play 13, in the Courthouse Theater. I brought gloves, my pen, and my library copy of Ulysses. I sat alone in the beautiful, quiet lobby of the big old building. I listened to podcasts on my ipod and wrote, while young actors were upstairs learning their lines and songs.
I remember reaching page 100, and having Noah make a little you tube movie to mark the occasion.
I remember reaching the halfway point, which I had bookmarked with a small, torn piece of paper.
I remember reaching page 500, when my friend Pamela Petro brought me a bottle of champagne.
Now I really feel that I am near the end. It is hard to believe, but it has taken over three years and in the past year hardly a day has passed when I haven't written at least a page, and usually more.
When this is over, which it will be on June 16th, 2012, I am having a party. Anyone who reads this blog or who is interested in this project or curious is invited. Details to follow.
Today I begin the task of reaching the end, one letter, one word at a time. Page 782 and 1/2....here I come! I think I shall remember this day too.