pedablogical

Feeling like a writer means that your writing process accomplishes the following things when you’re trying to finally finish chapter three:

• rewrote deadlines on the whiteboard
• erased deadlines and rewrote them as a calendar
• cleaned up the desk
• cleaned up the old PC desktop
• burned 2005 server logs out to backup CDs
• downloaded Jan-Jun 2006 logs
• figured out how to copy songs from ipod to work machine w/o wiping out ipod, because i’m really tired of the options on the weekend and need my own music to survive
• foraged around for and ate many snacks
• Wrote Belief #9

That’s how real writers work, right? So I really have to get #10 and #11 written tomorrow. I have to turn them in on Monday. I guess I’m going home to write some more (which I hope doesn’t mean that I have to clean the sink and load the dishwasher just yet).

After two days of crazy writing in the office this week, I finally managed to finish an article for Classroom Notes Plus. It’s actually really long, so I’m sure that there will be rewriting to bring it down to the right size. But I met the deadline, and that’s what I’m focusing on right now. It’s title right now is “Teaching Language Experts,” and it works through 5 language-focused writing assignments.

In a month I’ve written two different articles for print journals. Who knew I could be so prolific? Oh, and Kathi Yancey, who is at NCTE for the Executive Committee meeting, mentioned that she’d seen my Kairos piece (my C&W2006 presentation). I feel almost like a real writer :)

Baby bird (only one is in the nest) is growing. He’s exceptionally uncooperative and moves when I try to take his picture. He’s now able to hold up his little head, and his eyes are open. Mama was hanging around tonight, when the last picture was taken, so I only got one shot. The other photos are from Friday the 28th. More pictures…

Belief #7: Done
Belief #8: Done
Belief #9: Started :)

Nine is harder, but it’s about language and the complexity of social relationships. Still maybe I’ll manage to get this done on time. Did well in the office this afternoon anyway. #9 will have some possible connections to a short manuscript that I need to write for Classroom Notes Plus by Friday (at least I think it will have some overlapping sentences; if not I’m in big trouble as I have a MS due on Friday and another due on Saturday).

Belief #5 done. Thank God. And now, on to #7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. It’s going to be a long week, and yet also incredibly short, as I have to have this done by Saturday, along with an article for another journal. I expect more red anxiety patches and bad dreams in my future. :( But before that starts, I’m getting out of the office and going back home.