Wait. Let me share another picture right away, because this one led to that one. Or vice versa. You know what, it doesn’t matter.

Today was much easier and more fun. Because today I realized I love murdering cutting tape, and I love this program we’re using called Hindenburg, which was made for editing radio. My favorite feature is being able to cut tape from the freakishly good auto-generated transcripts. One of my housemates brought up a really good point though — Why is it called Hindenburg? That seems rather foreboding. I’m sure there’s some kind of fun backstory. But also, I don’t want to think about my final piece blowing up in some kind of hydrogen explosion dealio right now, so I’ll inquire about that later. Either way, I love Hindenburg.

I also love the Ski Inn. I had another veggie burger today. It’s pretty much my only meal of the day. I’ve been having my usual six espressos, bone broth, apple, and yogurt for breakfast, and I don’t even know what for dinner. Yesterday I had a Trader Joe’s cuppanoodle. Today a glass of Sauv Blanc and some Cheez-Its. And some chocolate milk I’m heating up right now. Everybody behaves differently in the desert. Some people are smoking. I’m consuming TBHQ in lethal quantities.

Speaking of food, here’s some local fare.

There’s an origin story I heard on Day 1, but I can’t for the life of me remember anything other than the Fish Assholes are actually Spaghetti-Os. I don’t think it’s fair to say that people here have a lot of time on their hands because it’s hard living out here. Trash only gets picked up in one or two places in town and everybody has to plan ahead to dump their garbage. Also everyone lugs water in, although I think the water is the same as Palm Springs. I’m a tap water drinker myself, so it would annoy me to bring in bottles, but I am living off of them here. People here are just interesting. Bombay Beach might be the only place in SoCal where somebody could eke out a living as an artist.

I know I’m trailing off. I’m sitting here with Zach, Jenny, and Julie who are still editing tape. We keep taking breaks and laughing in fits because Zach has a unique problem: he picked up a drawl like his interview subject and now he sounds like Huell Howser on tape. He had no idea who Huell Howser was so I played a clip and we all died. So between him narrating in his real voice, his Huell impersonation, and his interview subject, there’s three distinct characters on his tape. Zach is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. If he re-enacted his whole piece in all three voices himself in some kind of improv show tomorrow night, I’d be delighted. But of course he’s going to produce a smashing story. I can’t wait to hear everyone’s and then cry together.

We all have to be “done” by noon tomorrow (6 pm) for the listening party at 91.1 KDEZ (also at 6 pm) and I hope I don’t encounter the annoying rooster or peacocks that live on the property. Look, I know everybody is into birds now. Birdwatching this and that. Whatever. I don’t totally hate the birds (even though everyone in my cohort insists I do, and maybe they’re right). But I’m just not convinced all of these people love birds either. It’s just too popular all of a sudden with millennials and it feels like a Harry Potter type of situation and I’m over it. Enough with the damn birds. (Am I going to get cancelled for saying stuff about birds?)

Julie and I had the most amazing conversation this morning about how there need to be more non-school structured learning experiences like this for mid-career people, which we all are. We both expected we’d be here with a bunch of 20-somethings, but thank the baby lord all of us are between 35-50. Julie brought up an interesting point — that maybe people in their 20s might prefer virtual experiences more. And how we’re old enough to remember the joys of summer camp and finals week in college. And that’s what this feels like, truly. Like we’re in a co-ed dormitory with plug in appliances that might burn the place down, eating Uncrustables and drinking coffee while we ride insane deadlines. It’s the best and I highly recommend this experience for anyone thinking about it even a little bit. Apply to a Transom Workshop! The more remote the better!

We have some goals for tomorrow. To finalize our stories of course, and make it to the listening party looking halfway decent. Jenny and I both have a zit a piece to conceal. But we also plan on having weird fun in the desert. I can’t leave the desert without feeling the train reverb through my body and we’re going to chase some. We’re just too close not to.