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I’ve done everything I wanted to do before beginning to write this book. I’ve still got tons of research to do, but it’s all the kind of research that needs to be done as I write.

It’s always a little scary, beginning. But exhilarating. I feel completely ready and absolutely the right person of all the people alive to write this book. A group of people came together from around the country to Duke University, driven to answer questions that science would barely acknowledge as legitimate questions. For a time the Parapsychology Lab was on intellectual fire — it was the place at Duke to meet interesting people and it was one of the most popular places on campus among the students. But for the scientists there, it was was also a battleground. While they tried to understand their findings, it was one fight after another, getting their peers to accepts the results of their experiments. And the whole world watched. Books that came out of the lab were best sellers and that made scientists outside the lab NUTS. They had trouble getting grad students to work on their research because no one could compete with the charismatic Rhine and the kinds of questions being asked over on the second floor of the West Duke Building.

I’m going to begin in Boston, with a woman who claimed to be able to talk to the dead. She was investigated by Harvard, people from Scientific American, and then by J.B. and Louie (his wife) Rhine. All hell broke loose. The Rhines knew how to make an entrance!

AND — and I know I’m making such a big deal about this — this week is also the count down to my birthday, which is on Saturday. Everyday this week I am going to try to do something pampering for myself, and, as per a suggestion from someone I knew in high school — everyday I will also try to do something I’ve never done before.

It’s a big deal week for me! Wish me luck!

In the morning I saw Over the Hedge with Jonathan. It was okay, I love Steve Carell, and apparently even the sound of his voice is entertaining.

And in the afternoon I saw Poseidon at the IMAX theatre with Jim and Cori. That was a lot of fun. I think it was mostly due to the IMAX experience, it’s hard to say for sure how good the movie really is, but still. This is what holiday movies are about. This is me and Cori behind Lincoln Center, waiting for the movie to begin. There are lots of nice spots to sit all around Lincoln Center, although I do miss sitting inside. But the opera and the ballet are SO expensive. (Later, we had dinner at Tartine, which was fabulous. It’s only a couple of blocks from me, on the corner of West 4th and 11th, it’s delicious and reasonable.)

Not only have they not aged but Josh seems to be going backwards. This is Sue (Grady) Fitzsimmons and Josh Chu aka Slacker. They used to work for Echo, and back when Echo was run out of my apartment.

Here’s an old picture that shows what a wreck my place was while that was going on. Sue sat at the desk to the left, I sat at the desk to the right (Josh sat on the couch). Modems were piled on the shelves, computers under the desks, and wires all over the place.

Sue, if you scroll down to May 18th, you’ll see what it looks like now. I got rid of the desk. It’s still a little cluttered because I’ve got books, tapes, and boxes of papers from Duke piled around. You’ll appreciate this – I had the air conditioner taken away and overhauled and cleaned. The pigeons still use it for a home, apparently.

In any case, Sue and Josh, it was great to see you again! You both look gorgeous. Lunch was fun!

Someone I went to high school with left a comment here yesterday! I love getting email from people that I went to high school with. Thanks to Echo and my books, I’m easy to find on the internet so I do hear from people from time to time. So fellow Huntington High School grads — email away! I love hearing from you.

PS: I’m trying to be all subtle about how old I am and people keep saying, “Oh, don’t worry about turning FIFTY,” and, “Hi Stacy! Happy 50th!!” Or, “Yeah, FIFTY is not such a big deal.” And so on. (Denial-busting meanies.) Okay. FIFTY, FIFTY, FIFTY. I surrender. I am as old as the hills and getting older as I type. Imagine that scene from about 50 million horror movies where the character suddenly ages to their true age, then turns into a skeleton, then dust, and then is blown away until there is nothing left. THAT’S ME. (In 12 more days. For now, I am still technically “in my forties,” which doesn’t sound as bad … as that other age.)

ME: Right this very second Finney is curled up and warm on my lap, as I drink my coffee and Echo.

My Friend Cricket: Right this very second Bean is curled up and warm on my lap, as I drink my coffee and Echo.

ME: Prove it. I want pictures. [So she sent me a picture of the most adorable Bean.]

So I had to send her a picture of the most adorable Finney. Note that Cricket is wearing a blue tshirt and I am wearing a pink!