Quote o' the Week from Dorothy Parker

"I don't write five words but that I change seven." -- Dorothy Parker

In this, Ms. Parker and I are sympatico. It may sound ridiculous, but here's how it happens (at least with me): I have a five word sentence. I think I need more of a reaction, say, or description, so five words becomes ten. Upon later consideration, ten is too many. I cut. Then the verb could be stronger. Maybe I'm in the wrong point of view. Eventually, and supposing the sentence survives at all, I have retained perhaps three words of the original.

People who do long outlines, or a put in a lot of thought before they actually begin writing the book, people who are more patient than I am, don't have this "problem." However, this is the way I work. It's always been the way I work, even writing essays in school.

At this point, I think Chapter Five is okay, meaning, I've made a complete mess of the hard copy writing all over it and there are hand-written pages attached, but at least I feel confident to move on to Chapter Six without having to input the changes and reread first.

In other news, I did manage to watch part of Clarissa over the weekend. I'm also coming down with a cold. That's what comes of not sleeping well. I was awake at the crack o' dawn again, this time because Luis the cat decided to sleep where my legs ought to go. The dowager cat was also at the foot of the bed, but she's learned to sleep in the corner. Fortunately, I fell back to sleep after lifting Luis to the side.

And my daughter discovered something that made her very, very happy last night. She can take a university course on the works of Jane Austen! Yep, sometimes the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree. Her other major? Medieval history!

You know, I have never had to tell my kids to do their homework. A couple of years ago, I came up with an explanation. They've always seen their mother doing her "homework" and meeting due dates. Getting your work done on time, without having somebody standing over you urging you on, is just the way it is.

Speaking of deadlines, on to Chapter Six!