After carefully, and very slowly, reading  through the Appearances manuscript I was able to get my fears in check and realize that I like what I've done so far.  After almost 17 months of working on this beast, it was good to have a reality check.  I'd been prepared to jettison large chunks, the whole project, for that matter, if it didn't seem like it worked.  But, strangely, I think it does.  Even though I don't know where it's going from moment to moment.

The past two weeks I've felt stymied, unable to proceed with the book.  Today I wrote three new sections which I think are quite good.

This is the most ambitious writing project I've ever undertaken.  I'm now about 2/3 of the way through a first draft.  This probably isn't very interesting to read about, but it feels like a personal milestone to me.