Fill the well

My college acting teacher had an uncanny way of knowing when someone was missing. We'd take our seats in the black box theater where we held class, and she would sit straight upright in her chair as if picking signals out of the ether. Then without turning to look at us (she always sat at the front, closest to the stage), she would say, "Where's Justin?" sounding like she wanted to eat him.


My father met her once and said, waving his hand in a circle above his head, "She has a lot going on up here."

It's always easier to recognize a presence than an absence. Or, even when you sense an absence, it can be hard to identify exactly what's not there. I'm sorry to report I've got that feeling right now.

That same teacher used to tell us to be "unfillable wells." I think I spent most of this weekend trying to fill mine, which might explain why I'm dragging.

I did 1,032 today -- slow going, but I stuck with it.