Get'er done

There have been a few moments during this week where I have just wanted to shut the computer off…

walk out the door…

and never come back.

Not really.

But during this week occurred one of those periodic events that I call the “conjunction of the journals,” when all of the issue managers of the journals I copyedit have manuscripts that need to be worked on, and they need me to work on them.

Last Friday I received an e-mail from the woman who handles the dermatology journal: She has 21 manuscripts she needs done right way--by the 16th in fact--which would only be possible if I were a machine and not a flesh and blood person who needs to eat and sleep, get some exercise, watch a bit of television and have lunch with my friend at Subway, which I did on Thursday.

Who offers the suggestion that perhaps what I really do need to do is "walk away for 10 minutes..."

Yes.

That is something I could do. I could take the camera and see if I can get a picture of the toadlet that lives in our basement;

I could take a short walk with Richard...

down to Big Tony’s house (who lives at the "T" up ahead there in the picture).

On Monday, the woman who handles the transplant journal sent 6 files for me to work on, and then on the Wednesday, she sent 4 "rush items" that she needs back right away, and that I was to set aside the other 6 she sent me earlier in the week. I told her that I could not get them back to her "rush" because I had too much other work piled up and that she might want to send them to someone else.

No, she writes back. You are my favorite.

I am her favorite.

I thought I was done with the orthopedic journal for the month, and on Tuesday, here came 6 more.

Also on Tuesday the journal covering diabetes sent me a manuscript. These manuscripts are incredibly difficult. It is due back Monday.

I log-on to the Web site where I retrieve the manuscripts for the vascular surgery journal, and I see there are 14 of them waiting. Fortunately, the deadline for the last of them stretches into September.

As the week progressed, I was hoping that the only journal I had yet to get anything from – the thoracic surgery journal – would not send me anything. And he did not. Thank goodness.

Richard helps to keep me grounded. He gives me a hug and a pat on the back and says...

Do the best you can and ask for more time. They will give it to you.

Of course, he is right. Having a mental meltdown will not help. All  I can do is plug along, doing the best I can.

So I have plugged away:

• I will send the last of the rush manuscripts back on Monday. 
• I will have the manuscript for the diabetes journal ready on Monday. 
• I have finished 1 of the orthopedic manuscripts. 
• I have finished 2 of the vascular surgery manuscripts.
• I will have 14 of the dermatology manuscripts ready by the 16th and will ask for more time on the 16th.

I wonder what would happen if Richard were not here. I hope that if that time should come, that I will be retired; but then I think, because of the sort of job I have – which I really do love – I could continue to do this for a very, very long time…

As long as I don't become demented.