Writing and Efficiency

I want to keep up the habit of posting weekly if I can...but today I don't have time to do more than put up a quick post.  The past couple of weeks have been a push to finish up some writing that I've been procrastinating on.  I was asked to co-author the nutrition chapter in the new edition of the Wildlife Techniques Manual (I say that point of fact, but it's really a pretty big honor and my first book chapter).  I'm co-authoring the chapter with 2 colleagues and we each have 3 sections to complete.   It's a challenge for me because the Manual, though available and used by all levels of biologists, is mainly written as a textbook for classroom learning.  My two co-authors are professors and so that writing style comes very easy for them.  Me, not so much.  I'm also not a good writer.  And when I say that, I don't mean good as in good...I mean good as in efficient.  I struggle with the writing aspect and often I can only manage a few hours a day before my brain goes on strike and starts putting up roadblocks.  When you are pushing to get something done, this is a problem.  And what the past couple of weeks has taught me is that I need to block out time in the morning each day to just work on writing (because after this chapter is done, there are several more journal articles waiting to get written up) and then use the rest of the day to work on data and analysis.  To not push the writing to the point where I'm spinning wheels each day.  What I find myself doing as I work on other stuff, is that I continue to ruminate on the writing and how to work through what I'm stuck on.  Then the next morning, I've figured it out and can work efficiently for a few more hours until I hit another roadblock.  Of course, I can only do this if I haven't procrastinated right up to deadline...which I'm so good at doing!

I'll be back next week with more.  In the meantime, an update on my knitting and reading...

Knitting:  I am about 10 rows into the colorwork yoke of my sweater and love it.  I want to do 'just one more row' to see how it is going to look.  My first couple of rounds are a bit messier than I like because it took some time to get back in the groove with 2-handed knitting and with locking the floats, but if memory serves, a lot of that gets smoothed out when blocking.  I'm hoping to finish all the knitting on this sweater by the time we head to Oregon in about 10 days so I can leave the sweater there and do the steek and zipper this fall.  I've got a good rhythm down now and the next row is the first decrease row so it'll move along rapidly at this point.  I also finished the back of Eileen and started on the front.  The front is all stockinette and so my plan is to take that with me on the drive (yes, we are driving...oy) home and I should have it done except for seaming and the arm/neck edging by the time I get home as well.  Then both sweaters can be added to that 'almost finished pile' which I am determined to deal with when I get home this fall.  I also was itching to knit with laceweight as the weather gets warmer and picked up yarn brought up for this pattern.  But in reading the instructions, I saw that you knit the bottom band and then block it and then pick up stitches to knit the rest of the sweater.  I have no ability to block up here and in this instance, it seems pretty important.  So I've knit the band and will taking that home to block -- I'll bring it back up here and start on the body.  

Reading:  Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood.  Atwood is a favorite author but I've not been a fan of her latest books and the direction she is going (mainly dystopia).  In particular, I thought her newest book verged on ridiculous and though I forced myself to finish it, it left a bad taste in my mouth.  I picked up this particular Atwood last year in the cool used bookstore up here and so far, every story is reminding me of the brilliance that is Atwood.

What are you creating?  Reading?  Writing?  I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th if you are American and 1st if you are Canadian!

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Now playing:  Angel Mine by Cowboy Junkies


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