Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Writing. (also known as "writing.")

Having been hither and yon, out and about, home and abroad, I have not established a routine, which I am thinking is basically a utopian concept like "paradise" or "Eden" or "perfect restaurant" or "clean house." As in, there is no such thing for people like me. I am among the fallen, and there will be no sense of order here or in the life hereafter.

Whoops! Apocalyptic! I did not mean to go there.

What I meant to say is, I am writing, but in slow drips and drops and fits and starts, a line here, a paragraph there, and all of it seeming pretty mundane. That's how it is, though, I know it--no need to panic, which I am not. "Panic" and "Apocalyptic" are not the same state of mind, fyi. I know I just need to keep going, keep writing, etc. etc. and then I'll be dead and who'll care.

What I mean to say is I have a writing project I started with my colleague awhile ago, when we proposed a chapter for a collection, and the editors accepted it, so now we're actually drafting the chapter. If by "drafting the chapter" we mean "downloading articles" and "re-reading the proposal" and "thinking in one- and two-word phrases about the argument." Which, yeah, that's what I do mean, since that's what I'm doing.


I'm actually in my office at school. Which seems like a fool's decision. I have a meeting--what!?--this afternoon, so coming here seemed as good a place to work as any, if by "as good a place to work as any," we mean "a place without a comfortable chair" and "a place with no snacks to speak of." Anyway. I am obviously blogging instead of developing an outline for the introduction, so you tell me: am I writing? Am I?

In a related matter, I really wish this argument would articulate itself. I wish it would come to me in a vision, for instance, like those of certain American prophets. I would hear it. I have ears to hear a prophecy, if by "ears to hear a prophecy," we mean "I'm begging you, universe, for a coherent idea." And I think that is what we do mean, isn't it?

5 comments:

  1. A summer meeting is a heinous crime! I think a tantrum and a bacon sandwich are in order.

    Also, I always picture someone jumping in with air quotes whenever I talk about my "writing." There. Ha! Beat 'em to it.

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  2. Writing (Rie-ting) verb. Def: the process by which a writer's house is cleaned, and social media is updated. X-ref: "Doing Homework", "Procrastinate"

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  3. I had a dream about Johnny Cash, but I don't think that will help you with your outline.

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  4. I like everything you say.

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  5. You're writing. You asked. I think yes, yes you are.

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