I don't understand it, honestly I don't. Writing is, despite (and maybe because of) the fits and starts way that ideas present themselves, really fun. It's fulfilling, it's interesting, it can, when an exciting new theory or way of structuring a complex train of thought presents itself, even be exhilarating. I bitch about every paper and article, endlessly, but when all is said and done, I enjoy it. I'd gladly do it for a living, if I could figure out how.
Revising should be a natural extension of that process, hard work, but worth it. And it is worth it, eventually, but before it becomes worth it, it's horrible. I hate, loathe and detest it. It's not just hard work, it's outright impossible. How do people do it? How do you all do it?
Well, back to the aforementioned revisions...I seem to be aiming for a personal best for the longest time taken to revise an article, and it's gotta stop. You and the rest of the blogosphere are my witnesses. The article will be done today. If only so that I can start on the next one.
*This is the mascot for the Camino de Santiago. In our household we call him Palette, after his head shape. He's neither writing nor revising, but seems rather to be taking a nap, which would be very nice right now.***Update, 6 August, 11am: O.K., I chose a good night's sleep over finishing, but only after I had reached to where the end was in sight. Now, I'm basically done. After a couple of days to let it rest, and then another run-through, and I do believe I may actually be able to send it in. :-) ***
I am worried about today's youth. But first, a story. Thor and I were travelling recently in Gold Country, when we happened upon the coolest candy store in the history of candy stores, in Placerville. Hidden among the homemade fudge, all the brands of sweets that I didn't realize were still made (Charleston Chew anyone? Or how about a piece of Bit-o-Honey? Or maybe I can interest you in a set of wax lips?), the back room of exotic jerky made from antelope, elk, ostrich, were the insects. Crickets, larva. Each available in two exciting flavors. Of course I thought instantly of Thor's nephews, two hard to shop for pre-teens. Not that they're hard to shop for because of any shortcomings on their part (they're nice kids), but...what on earth does one get for pre-teen boys? So, naturally we got the bugs, for each one a box of crickets and a box of larva, nicely flavored and everything. Instant street cred for Onkel Thor and his exotic (please note the ironic tone with which I type that word) American girlfriend.
And we got some street cred to be sure. Talk was made about taking them to school to show off to classmates. The only thing is, neither child would eat any. In fact, in a birthday party of people, the only ones who would even try them were myself and one other adult. I don't get it. I'm sure that I would have been more than willing to try them when I was younger. But then again, maybe I'm reinventing the past...I don't recall ever having the chance to try anything that exotic in my pre-teen days. Maybe I wouldn't have, but isn't there more street cred in actually eating insects than in just showing them to one's friends? Are Danish boys just squeamish that way, or am I glorifying the willingness of youth to do disgusting things, just for doing them? Would you have tried crickets, or larva, when you were younger? Would you try any now?
I should perhaps admit that, despite having flavor names on the boxes, neither type of insect tasted much of anything. They were just dry, bland, and vaguely crunchy.
