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I think that made her mad.  I honestly think sometimes that she actually enjoys discussing unpleasant things and arguing about them.  There was absolutely no occasion for this tonight and yet she kept at it relentlessly until she had opened up a breach between us.  Neither of us spoke all the way home.  I have long since given up criticizing Mother - she can't take it, not one jot of it - I've learned that.  But she is certainly free at handing it out.  Criticizing, criticizing, criticizing and then saying, "Of course, I know it's none of my business but -"  I feel terribly sorry for her;  she probably can't help it.  She feels rotten.  But sometimes it seems I simply can't stand it without letting myself out.

Erie, Pa.
Thursday, Nov. 3, '38.
Last night after writing this journal, I sat down and tried to begin on some plots and after an hour or so, I was just where I started - nowhere.  And I was discouraged.  While I was studying Uzzell, it looked so easy, but when I got down to it, it was awfully hard.  I know my big weakness is plotting.  I don't think I've produced an acceptable plot yet.  I can write pretty well but my plots are terrible.  And that's the phase I want to develop now - then start writing.  At home, I have so little peace, it is tough to accomplish anything because I need to concentrate, on that particularly.  By the time I finally am left alone at night about 10 PM, I'm so sleepy, I can't keep awake.  It's a tough proposition.

Got a Kodaflector today and Willie took a shot of me tonight in the big chain - 1 #2 Photoflood at 5 1/2 ft., f.2.5 and am anxious to see how it turns out.  Willie and Mother refused to be photographed and