And don’t stop until you pass go. This seems to be my modus operandi in life. Just keep going, no matter what.

I did not at all feel like revising my Shelf Life proposal, no I did not. I thought it was okay when I sent it on to Christopher, my biographer. After all, Pete made just a few surface changes. It was not okay when I got it back from him. His suggestions called for, no screamed for, major revisionary changes. I was bummed. I was pretty far along with Shelf Life, so I did not consider abandoning the book project entirely. Otherwise, I would have.

I gave it a few days thinking that perhaps something with the BLBP would take precedence. Nothing did; in fact, the number of books coming in dropped markedly. So a week ago, I realized that I had no choice but to revise it. I began writing all over the draft, which is what I do.

Then two nights ago, because I had some free time, I started revising in earnest. I began moving things around and adding and deleting paragraphs, sentences, and words, which is what I do. I then got on the computer and went into the zone. I think that I like being in the zone because it is then that I have single minded intensity of focus. I also feel less overwhelmed because I am then doing something.

I worked very late last night – I was in the zone, but I did not get very far. Here a sentence there a sentence; none seemed to say what I wanted to say. Then this morning I resumed working and kept working. I did take a break early in the afternoon in which I (upon Pete’s urging) went for a trail ride. I rode Hrimmi – it was a good ride.

I came back in the house after the ride and made some substantive changes in the Audience and Competing and Complementary Market sections.

Pete and I then went to U-Haul and took several boxes of books back to the former banquet room of the historic Eagle Hotel. I am concerned because the books aren’t coming in. But this load will keep volunteers busy for a few days. Pete also talked with the hotel owners about renting rooms to us for our summer volunteer interns.

Now I have a full evening stretching ahead of me. Pete’s making dinner. I will take one more look at the proposal, this before he copy edits it. Then on it goes, back to Christopher.

I would like to think that this proposal screams at the reader, in this case the editor of Porphyry Press, “Can’t you see how much work I put into this?” Well, I will brace myself – if Jeremy rejects this proposal, I will revise it and send it elsewhere, maybe to The University of Colorado Press.

I am just going to keep telling myself, as with the Bright Lights Book project, that I’m into this for the long haul.

Next: 26. 1/26/26: An Ideas Day, Sort of