Birthdays: William Wordsworth (1770), Donald Barthelme (1931), Gabriela Mistral (1889), Gerald Brenan (1894)

Tip: Waiting in line or at the doctor’s office is never a waste of time. Observe features, dress, grooming, stance, mannerisms, speech of others—use these for characters.

Thought for the day: “It is by sitting down to write every morning that he becomes a writer. Those who do not do this remain amateurs.” – Gerald Brenan

Jumpstart: You’ve been given the ability to go back in time and change one thing in history. Would you? If so, what? Why or why not?