I just received word that my play Lindsay Lohan's Birkin has been selected as one of the finalists for the 2007 Heideman Award, top prize for the National Ten-Minute Play Contest (which is a real contest whereto you don't Draw Cubby or submit a three Cheerios box-tops with your entry, thanks Dad). Each playwright can only submit one play and more than 1,200 entries were received this year.

So, between now and December 2007, my play will be considered for winter showcase production at the Actors Theatre of Louisville and also for the 31st Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays. This is what one refers to as a Big Deal. No matter what, even if they picked 50 finalists, that means I'm in the top… little-number percent of playwrights nationwide. OK, ten-minute playwrights nationwide.

It's a start.

Did I mention that the other day we'd put the kid down for a nap and later Monstro emerged from the shower. “Do you know he's awake?” I hadn't been aware of that, so I hung up with Anne and went to the nursery. And then I called for Monstro, because I knew he had the baby monitor on in his office (which is how he'd known the boy wasn't asleep).

Monstro walked in and took in the view: Lex had grabbed the plastic “jammie basket” from the top of his changing table, and turned it upside-down in his crib and used it as a step to get out of his crib and atop his changing table, where he sat playing the on-off game with the nightlight on the baby-monitor receiver. Happy as Buddha on the mountaintop.

We moved the changing table away from the crib the moment after we removed the baby from the changing table.

Do you all know that Anne of Illustrative Anne fame has a contract to publish an expanded version of her Master's thesis? Do go congratulate her on her blog. I'm stoked for her.

I'm working on a new “Finnegans Wake” blog for those of you who could give a tinker's damn about Joyce (hello Comtesse!) so watch for that URL soon.

Ugh, it's a bajillion degrees at 147% humidity and I'm going to stroll to my air-conditioned family room and park it on Futon Island for a while. Wonder if the blender cord'll reach?

My little one is catching on with amazing alacrity. Today we were looking at one of his “first words” books, and he pointed not to the cake but the candles on top.

“Candles,” I said.

He brought the book to his mouth and blew. Make a wish!

Yesterday I sent query letters to seven writers' representatives. I mentioned my past, present, and future projects for page and stage and screen. We'll see if anyone's brave enough to take me on.

The more I think about it, the more I like Finnegans Wake. With all three books I've tackled this year, I've trusted that the author is taking me somewhere, even if it seems like it'll never pay off. This worked better with Infinite Jest than Gravity's Rainbow, but my belief that Joyce is the master will staunch my doubt pretty effectively, especially this early in the game.

It makes me sad that more people don't give the Wake a whirl; it's funny and if you disassociate from reality from page one it's really not too terribly difficult. For now, I'm reading each page twice — once in the book (my paperback) and once online, with a Finnegans Wake online index.

I will keep you posted on this and other endeavors. I am having my hair cut today and intend to walk out of there lookin' like the most glamourous heterosexual mom in my town. Woo hoo!

I just finished the first 29 pages of Finnegans Wake and so far, I really like it. It's a dream, so I'm not getting bunged up if I don't get something, or if I miss the thread for a paragraph (or even a page). But the wordplay is so inspired and laugh-out-loud funny that I think this novel will be worth the trip.

I have found the best definition ever: Pithy: consisting of or abounding in pith

I received a rejection e-mail from The Cafe Irreal, who in no uncertain terms thanked me for thinking of them, but no thanks. The weird thing is, it was sent at 2:21 this morning. Pretty irreal, huh? Those wankers. 😉

I've determined to read Finnegans Wake like it's a poetic rebus. Otherwise it will drive me crazy. Perhaps either way it will drive me crazy. We'll see!

I'm going to be away for weeks not long from now. Should I call up a guest blogger (or two), or let the site lie fallow? Comments appreciated.