No day of rest. Off to Mary Archie Theater for an "Abbie Hoffman Died for Your Sins Fest' meeting, then to 'call-backs' for "Henry Goodbar." Hoping to solidify the cast. Need a dynamic, committed team.

Carla and I reviewed the script yesterday. The challenge is to make the text come alive. So many choices, so many directions.

Finished Merton's 'Asian Journals.' Merton faced with huge Buddhas in Ceylon: silent, smiling, all knowing, non-judging. Merton comes to a key insight: must empty oneself (meditation, contemplation) to be filled with compassion for all sentient beings.

Merton died in Bangkok in 1968; a freak accident, electrocuted by a faulty fan. So strange. In the Journals he is so inspiring, so alive, so full of plans. We know, but he doesn't, that he will not leave Bangkok alive.

Any of us can step out at any moment. Merton's last public words: 'So I will disappear.'