This has been a particularly brutal week. I mean intense and long and tiring. I was in a building lockdown due to a code blue. Or was it code red. I can’t even remember. I had to handle last minute meetings for which I was not originally invited but yet had to take lead on.  I did well because I am charming and smart. And modest. I kid. But I did receive flowers as a result of my good will and nature.

I also had to help put together a 160-page grant for funding. Tediousness. Luckily I didn’t have to write the whole thing. But I did have to review and edit it like 20 times.   I am not too sure that such reviews are effective after a while. Probably diminishing returns by the 10th read.  But I think it was a good product at the end. Sadly, I didn’t celebrate with a few mojitos as I would be inclined to as I had other work that continued unabated.  Namely, I had a book chapter that had to be sent in by Saturday.  Which means I stayed up late each night after editing the grant to work on my chapter. Why do I say yes to things? Why am I so agreeable? Well, I am not all that agreeable, I suppose. I am, after all, a curmudgeon.   But I am a very nice and agreeable one. Go figure.

Anyway, I agree to do too many things. I need to set my own limits and stand by them. But I don’t.  Thus, I have a sore shoulder and an aching back.  I finished my book chapter and sent it in on time. I am punctual, after all. As a matter of fact I am normally early. This time, I met the deadline and that is the best I could hope for.

My chapter ended up being 7,777 words and had 65 citations (references). Yes, it is one of those boring chapters that no one will read. Ok. Maybe a few people will read it. Academic writing is not my favorite thing in the world. I prefer free form and stream of consciousnesses.   But I suppose Burroughs and others have that market already cornered. Is that even the right phrase? I am known for mangling sayings. Because I think it is fun to do so, I don’t try to hard to get sayings right. I prefer to make up my own sassy ones. I can be a maverick that way. Speaking of which, I am still heartbroken by McCain’s passing and his funeral was beautiful.   I found it comforting that I was writing a piece on human rights and health equity while I listened to his eulogies.  I felt motivated to persevere and give this my all.

Now that I have the 7,777 words in, it is time for me to rest and binge on some shows. I have yet to celebrate with a mojito. That time will come.