Day 2-121 -- Elusive Writing Muse

This has been a good week for writing -- well writing that was completed a year ago or more. Messages received this week noted that a food issues encyclopaedia (with 2 entries from me) was finally published. Another entry into an edited book was approved and will be printed in English and Italian. Cool. <smile> One of these projects was submitted almost 2 years ago and the other was a year ago. Another proposed chapter in a book submitted by a graduated student a year ago was chosen for inclusion in a volume about food in everyday life. This was work from her Honours thesis. These projects always take longer to get to print than planned. Editing a book project must be like herding cats. I've worked on content gathering for a national newsletter and deadlines seem to be ballpark dates for many people <smile>. Gentle reminders or finding replacement writers takes time. I admire the work of these editors. It interests me, but seems more like a retirement project than something that could be shepherded along with a full time academic position.

Other writing projects from various research projects sit partially completed in my office.  They are in the back of my mind, but I find the focused 2 to 4 days I need to write a project aren't available during the teaching term. Fitting all of these projects into the four months between terms is challenging, too. Conference presentations occur here and this is the only time to fit in any vacation time. Needless to say, writing becomes a vacation activity -- so not really a vaca. However, finding somewhere interesting to sit and write could be a vacation of sorts. I will need to work on that <smile>  or find an ideal muse.

A song about writing was a challenge. One came to mind about a famous author. I hesitated to use this as I don't see my writing anywhere close to the caliber of this man. No. Where. Near. The lyrics note the trials of the writing process, though, so I will share that selection today. Enjoy!

Hemingway's Whiskey -- Kenny Chesney