And then, suddenly...Un-twonckrified!

Isn't it amazing how a few hours of sleep can clarify muddy thinking?

I was so sleepy that I was almost falling off my chair, and the words on the monitor screen had become unintelligible. I drifted off completely. The pain of a cat climbing up my leg like a tree brought me quickly back to consciousness. I bolted upright and realized I was still sitting in front of the computer. Several lines of gibberish on the page marked the point where I had dozed off and my body had slumped forward, pressing my hands down hard on the keyboard. It was hopeless. I erased the lines of gibberish and went to bed.

A few hours later, I was awakened by my usual alarm clock walking up and down my back. It was still dark. I shuffled into the next room and saw the glow of the computer as it too came awake from my bumping against the desk. I started reading the long-winded crap that was still on the screen. Surely I hadn't really posted all this in my zombie-like stupor, had I? Why, yes. It seems I had. I began reading more. JesusJosephandMary! Had this REALLY looked good enough to me a few hours ago to post?

And then I saw there was email. An advert and 3 real comments. Because it is sorted by time of receipt, Eddy's was on top. And, once again, the man ("lad" as he says) responsible for causing my original little seedling to take sprout, came to my rescue. In his few short lines, the light came back on in my head. His few words quickly reminded me why I had begun this journey in the first place, and also gently reminded me of why this "joint blog" has been so successful in such a short time. Once again, my friend, I thank you.

1. We don't have to shut down this blog. Why would I want to kill the goose when such golden nuggets are still being laid?

2. We don't need to "enter phase two and get down to business"--we ARE already "down to business" and have been from the very start.

3. We don't have to force ourselves to begin some sort of rigorous research: our book is already writing itself! All we have to do is stand back and let it finish.

With a few innocent comments, and the introduction of a wonderfully descriptive new word into my little world, my new friend has made that light go back on in my head: the book is already being written. Wittily, cleverly, interestingly. Naturally. All we have to do is stand back and watch it grow. Nothing is wrong. It simply isn't finished yet.

No, Eddy. We don't have to artificially think up words and make big lists. It is I who has been the twoncker. (Gosh, I hope that means "thick-headed"! If not, then that's what I've been anyway.) What we need to do is throw away them 'ol starchy, stifling rules and let our baby grow. Our job is to nourish it and encourage it, not put it in a strait jacket.

If we build it, they will come. That's all. As the unimaginably inarticulate Lyndon Johnson said as he assumed the presidency upon the death of John Kennedy--"Muh fella 'Mericans, lettuce continyah." And so we shall.

xxxxxxxxx

And one more thing: The Floozy shall return. In a more modest condition perhaps. But Eleanor and Margaret can never provide the same inspiration. Look what almost happened when I abandoned The Floozy! Look how serious I got with Eleanor and Maggie staring at me. Sorry, ladies.

Watch that space.