Joshua Tree

A Time Travel Adventure

I am in Joshua Tree, staying in a rented house with friends. I’m awake before everyone else. I’m always up before everyone else. Maybe because I don’t drink. My body refuses to allow me to sleep in.

I woke up at seven and accepted that I was meant to just get on up and work on my Substack. Then I discovered the power was out. Would have been fine, but… how to make coffee? If no coffee… how to think clearly enough to write? Not possible, said my brain. So I sat for a while feeling uncomfortable and headachey wasting the little energy I had sending panic texts to everyone I know with the one bar of service I had, while pondering soaking grinds in warm water, putting them in the sun, and then somehow straining. Sun coffee. Is that a thing? Then the power came back on and I was saved.

Now I’m waiting for the coffee to kick in so I can write my first ever real time Substack. Generally, I plan ahead and painstakingly whittle away at my piece throughout the week, but not this time. This time …