A Weekend of Seeing Everything Anew - Feedback, Editing, Revision, Finalizing, and Sending It All On Their Way Again

The good thing about sabbatical is that I dipped my toes in several bodies of water. As I was telling Chitunga last night (who said he was having a hard time doing things on his task-list, because new tasks kept coming his way), "To be honest, kid. That's how I accomplish things. When I have many things to do, I procrastinate on one thing, by chiseling away on another." The secret is to have the lists loaded.

The trouble is that during sabbatical the 24 hours in the day belonged to me, and I definitely got in "Squirrel! Squirrel!" mode. Fortunately, the things I chased here, there, and everywhere turned out to be promising possibilities, but I didn't hear back about submissions until January. Now it's all about grinding at them so they meet the eyes of reviewers, publishers, and businesses.

So, I've spent the last 48 hours in total revision mode, jumping from one item to another, simply trying to get them ready for new due dates. I was early on some, later on others, and distracted by a few more (in particular, it's recommendation season, too, and when I write I often send my thoughts to those being recommended so I can get feedback before I send them in). Alas, my email was on overdrive with many who  needed my letters.

Meanwhile, colleagues who have grown to trust my editing skills, have been sending me items they've been stuck on, asking if I might give it a quick glance with how I would revise. Sure. Why not?

Needless to say, my eyes are currently wonky from all the screen time.

Perhaps the hardest project has been revising a number of curriculum guides where a publisher has changed direction again and again and again with what they are trying to accomplish. Take this 350-word section and make it 100 words. Expand this 50-word section and make it 250 words. Break this section into 4 parts with thematic titles, and don't use page numbers anywhere, as we can't guarantee readers will have versions of these books with the same page numbers. 

It's been fun. 

I believe I hit "send" on 9 items this weekend, which was more amusing to think about when I had my front porch all day long and no distractions. I now have teaching back in full-force and the ever-growing, time-consuming call for meetings, meetings, meetings. That's why I value long spaces of time to write and revise.

I know I seem whacky, wild, and all-over-the-place to many, but the truth is, I hunker down, focus, and hit the tasks. It drives me nuts, though, because I want to be skiing, the house needs to be cleaned, and I really should be cooking instead of ordering out. Alas, as I've written before, this is a lifestyle...and for now, it seems to be very gracious to me. I cannot complain and know I'm a lucky son of a Butch to have so many opportunities. I don't imagine they'll disappear any time soon and for that I'm grateful, too. 

Okay, Sunday. Time to prepare classes for the week. Perhaps, too....you might get to one more revision task (he says with fingers crossed).

Happy Valentine's Day. I love the work I'm fortunate to do.