Friday, July 9, 2010

On the Brink of Harvest

Well, I'm back to edits. Yes, I just finished them last week, but let's just say I'm not the ONLY person who might be a cyborg. *Ahem* So no drawing today. I only have a few sketches that aren't worth scanning. But I have a few pictures, is that okay? Once again any spare moment I have goes to work, and sadly there are not many spare moments! Where did all my time go?

One sec...Ninja Girl's screaming to get out of her chair. Oh, and Dino Boy needs a juice refill. (Note to self: Must ration the juice so we can make it to tomorrow. Also, register Dino Boy for preschool.)

Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, I can't seem to find any time! It just magically disappears into the nether. But I squeak in a little work here and there. I might have to bribe Nick to let me go to the library tomorrow so I can make some real progress.

Anyway, as I'm heading into yet another edit on this project, I can't help but feel a little antsy. It reminds me of waiting for the vegetables in my garden to ripen. I'm so eager to pick them—and yet they're not quite ready.

I mean, it was easier to wait when the peas looked like this:
There was nothing to pick! Sure, I knew it would be a while until there were peas, that there'd be lots of watering and weeding and such. But the fruits of my labors were still a ways off. I could live with that, had to, really.

But now they look like this:

The cherry tomatoes are also taunting me:
But see how some of those pea pods aren't quite plumped yet? And notice how the tomatoes, even the red ones, aren't quite ripened. Almost, but not quite.

I can't tell you how hard it is not to pick them! I know they'll taste better in a few days. I know that if I keep watering and tending and waiting, they'll be ready. And yet I want to pluck them off the plants and eat them now. They'd be good—but they wouldn't be just right.

That's how I feel about my edits right now. I feel so close. Like, so close it hurts. Just a few more tweaks. Just a couple more changes. And honestly? I don't really want to do them. I want it to be done right now, but at the same time I know it's not. I know that if I pluck my manuscript off the symbolic vine, it won't be the best possible fruit. It'll be good, but it won't be quite as sweet and ripe as it should be.

How is it that time seems to slow down the closer we get? I swear the same thing happens in the last month of pregnancy, too. As far as we've come, at the same time we haven't quite made it and that's incredibly angst-inducing. There's nothing quite like being on the brink of done.

But word to the wise? Wait.

16 comments:

  1. Patience is always the answer. Unless being quick is the answer.

    And don't worry, your veggies will soon be up and popping! :)

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  2. Yes, but waiting really sucks most of the time lol. I hear ya though. Good luck with the edits, hope they fly by! :D

    Also, I'm jealous of your tomatoes. I love those things!

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  3. Time slows down when the fun ends. One of those unwritten laws.

    The peas could be in a pot on your desk taunting you as you edit! Aye, those tasty peas are asking to be eaten.

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  4. cool! I love tomatos!
    Have you seen 'Princess Mononoke'?
    (anime of course!)

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  5. Golden Owl, I have seen Princess Mononoke. It's one of my favorites. But of course I say that for every Miyazaki movie.

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  6. The sad thing is she doesn't even like raw peas. The rest of us do, though.

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  7. Man, Nick, I spend three months watering peas for you and THAT'S the thanks I get? You out my secret. Hmph.

    If you didn't change your profile pic to that hilarious dwarf, I'd have to disown you:P

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  8. Good luck on finishing up your edits...Finding time is always a challenge. (I hate 5 cherry tomatoes yesterday and a cucumber today.) Your garden looks wonderful!

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  9. Nice analogy! I like that quite a bit.

    On a purely materialistic note that has nothing to do with writing, where did you get the shoes that you are wearing in your profile pic? They are adorable! :)

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  10. I love the tomato picture. And thanks for your guest post over at Sara Larson's blog. Definitely food for thought.

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  11. Please go on my blog and check out my anime pic I painted!

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  12. That's a great metaphor. I used my own garden a few days ago for a metaphor but I'm super crappy at writing them. Please check it out, I've got pictures too.
    http://somethingelsetodistractme.blogspot.com/2010/07/write-your-own-metaphor.html

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  13. Ok. I like when smart people tell me what to do. :)

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  14. Ooo, good metaphor, I totally didn't see that coming! I thought this was just going to be a veggie post, lol.

    Hang in there, you'll get through these edits and to the other side!

    (Then you'll get to do it again with the next book. ;P We really are masochists, aren't we?)

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