Jeri Smith-Ready

That's why they call them "dead"lines

In 1999 I had a summer internship with a federal agency (I won't name names but if you shouted the acronym it would sound like "Eee-PA!").

My office computer at the agency was underpowered, but it served me well for the first two months, as long as I didn't run too many programs simultaneously*. But by August the hard drive would often freeze, as if in pain, at seemingly random times during the day. I learned to save early, save often.

The last two weeks of my internship, that poor little computer trudged bravely on, stumbling (i.e., shutting down) every few hours. The day I left, just after I pulled off all my files and handed them to my supervisor, that sucker died. It was landfill-bound (though maybe because it was Eee-PA!, it would at least be recycled).

After this last month of 10-, 12-, 14-hour days in front of the laptop, or hunched over a manuscript, revising Voice of Crow, my body feels like that old government computer. It's whimpering for a massage, a yoga session, and normal personal hygiene. All its parts hurt and have to be taught how to live again.

So that's where I've been the last two weeks, in the Rewrite Cave. Today and yesterday, recovering, letting my eyes adjust to the light. Normal blogging resumes tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.


* "too many" = 3

Labels: Voice of Crow

• posted by Jeri @ 3:48 PM
• 5 comments