Dateline: Holiday Inn, Arlington VA, 27 March 2005
Yesterday was a physical meltdown, although, creatively, it was good.
Woke up with a very bad throat, but felt I might be reaching the tipping point on that one. I was right, I was tipping right into a sinus infection and two ear infections.
Worked my way through Chapter 3's intro by 1000 and then did the first section's callouts. It's my China-centric piece, which came out very well in the first draft--the first one I really nailed out of the 18 (it was number 8).
Mark gets me the rest of the chapter later that afternoon, and I tackle the callouts (17) in the second and third sections over the afternoon and into the night, but I am fading fast. Concerned about a tone change at the end of the second section, so work that nicely and run it past Mark on the phone. We dicker back and forth over some sentences, and he has me add one that we write together, reminding both me and the reader the biggest point of the chapter, which I guess I knew, but I just never put out there completely in the text.
It was a great interplay and it reminded me of why I love working with Mark so much.
As I was talking to Mark, I could feel the pressure in my right cheek about ready to break the bone, and I noticed the slight clicking sound in my right ear. I told Mark I had a 10-day supply of antibiotics which I had picked up for my trips abroad during the winter, and he advised me to start dipping in. My wife did the same, and so I popped a couple before bed and it made all the difference in the world. Tough night, but when I got up this morning, I felt the danger had passed.
So I kept my promise to my wife, and spent the 8 hours I had before my flight working the house, as did all my kids (in their own ways), once they had found their baskets, etc.
Upshot of 6 tough hours of effort, the upstairs is ready to show, and the attics (both) are very organized and looking good.
Then a nice Easter dinner, then I pack and roll.
I get through about 1/4 of Chapter 3 on the plane, and will now try to do a bit more, but probably won't get too far as I'm fading after all the effort at home, the drive, the flight, the drive, and the sense that I need to get up at a decent time and get my head together for these interviews in the Pentagon.
Best news: Chapter 3 is really good. Deadlines are deadlines, but if the content isn't there, then you got nuttin'.
Next Friday, as per the contract, we'll turn in the book edited solid through all five main chapters, working the preface, conclusion and afterward (blogging the future) over the following weekend (much like last time).
I spent way too much time writing this (almost 30 minutes), so I better get to bed.
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