Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog

Got through 3,928 total on Chapter 5, doing 3 of planned 12 sections.

Searched past writings for materials to guide the remaining 9 sections. I want this chapter to tie off all my thinking right up to now, in effect, so Part III on the realignments to come is all forward leaning. I feel like after mentioning Bush some in Part I and covering him a lot in Part II, he and his will disappear as characters after this chapter.

Manuscript's total now 72,519 words.

I am bummed and burned. Putting Sophia down was sad and very personal. Having Brett retire is sad, reminding me of Nixon's retirement in the sense that at that point in my life, I couldn't remember there being a different president, and that's how it is now with Favre. It's been so long.

As I get older I see why elders want to see babies around them. It's like high school and nursing homes are the things to avoid: you never want to be surrounded only by people the same age as you. It's the death of thought, followed shortly thereafter by the death of hope.

I have achieved brain death yet again.