Sunday, September 25, 2011

One Bite at a Time

Spent six hours organizing notes and topics into chapters. I'm pretty well set up to get to it now. It's good it took 2 years to get to this space, in both body and mind. Really, I don't even remember writing all I have written. But somehow, through the drug fog and craziness I took some damn good notes- for myself. They'd probably suck for anyone else who tried to use them. Guess that's a throw-back to how I took school notes, making self-referenced notes so I'd associate things to what was already in memory, which were useless to anyone who tried to copy from me. That way if they wanted tutoring they'd have to deal with me, not just take my notes. And my notes were never stolen. Important, in NYC schools.

So these notes are like that- random key words that trigger experiences to relate. Meaningless to anyone else.

And I've gotten to "stop now while you have things to say" point. I'll probably make more notes for each chapter, flesh out what I've got and see what more comes up. There's two distinct parts now; I'll work as I go and have to keep stapling things. And I'll have to hire a typist. I know I can't do all this typing one-handed. It's gonna be a fairly big book. And I have to consider illustrations. A lot of work ahead. But how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

In other news, the Greg Lake portrait is done, thanks to Strider's eyeballing. I'm sending it to Eileen at Ladies of the Lake, who'll scan it for the website and get it to Greg for me. No guarantees there'll be a comment from him, but stranger things have happened. I have no expectations. That way everything is an opportunity- for a happy surprise, for the satisfaction of knowing his eyes will have seen it, for just having it on the website, whatever. It's all part of my weird-ass life. ;)  

8 comments:

klahanie said...

Random notes can be quite therapeutic. To look back at past scribbled down musings can be quite the eye-opener. I've looked back at some of my 'amazing' random notes and thought, 'good grief man, what the hell were you thinking...'
Good luck with your big book and getting it done, bite by bite, I mean, bit by bit...
Greg Lake wants your autograph...oh what a lucky man....:)

Austan said...

Gary- True, some of them were even undecipherable! But there's plenty of material for A Gimp's Guide to Life. And it keeps coming. I'm planning on adding a chapter about "Gimp Emergencies, or When the Creek Rises". LOL. Thanks for your sweet encouragement.
Laura

paulg said...

I've just caught up on your last 5 posts.
I'm glad you've made such a soft landing with Strider. I loved your description of her house and couch.
Overall it sounds like quite an adventure you're on - I look forward to reading your book one of these days.

On a separate note, apparently the NPR and AP are giving the wall street demonstrations no or minimal coverage. I asked my wife what she knew about them just to test and she had not heard a thing. I thought that might be the case because I've been hearing about them only from you and Alternet.
If it's not on the MSM it didn't happen, right?

Austan said...

Paul!
Finally, yesterday the NY Daily News carried a story about it- over a week since it started, and only because of the mace spraying.

Yeah, it's a delight to the eyes here, and many furfaces (and Strider herself) make it a big comfy pillow. And, I'm almost done with the first chapter...

I do miss Bratt, and my Hobbit house, but I'll be back sooner than we think, I think.
Laura

CarrieBoo said...

Laura! Wow, glad to hear you're going great guns with your book notes. I like yous style! You're a crafty one. Congrats on finishing the Greg portrait! And on having an ergonomic chair to use. Wow, Strider really is the best daughter EVER. You're both an inspiration.
BTW... I ordered three political books from my library/county (this is a first for me)... see what you've done. ;)

Austan said...

Carrie! Yay and hooray for you! Yep, it's all pretty damn good. I hope you and Roz have as good a working relationship! p.s. if you want any particular political books to own. let me know.
<3

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

That's exactly the attitude you need: one step at a time. There's nothing we can't accomplish if we cut the project into small enough bits. Good luck with your book.

Austan said...

Thanks, Susan, I'll need the luck!