Running Faster Just to Stay in Place

Today I posted my day’s intended activities on my Facebook page: I’m going to post this blog, review my friend Darwyn’s note’s on my novel, work on the outline for the Jeanette Esposito-Braun biograpy, go over details for Sheffield’s and the impending Sheffield’s River Grove with those involved, review financials with our bookkeeper, and then I’ll have breakfast and look at the rest of the day…

That’s just nuts. The biography or the novel alone should demand my full attention. One of the problems with having an addictive personality (and there are many) is that you don’t know your limits. Well, that and you become addicted to things (like Facebook), which detracts from your ability to focus and then, with all the balls in the air, juggling becomes even more precarious which leads to more problems… Anyway, it’s time to clear out the distractions and get to work. But on a prioritized and case by case basis. One of the quirks of my own personal dementia is that I sometimes delude myself into believing that I can actually do all these things at the same time, and then, of course, nothing gets done. Or at least nothing gets done right.

I’ve found that committing myself financially helps grab my attention. When I know that there is cash involved I tend to look at things with a bit more clarity. Obviously Sheffield’s River Grove has got me on the hook in a big way. The daily demand for checks and the growing mountain of bills juxtaposed with the declining mogul of cash has me sweating. Which can be a good thing but more on that another time.

This blog is supposed to be at least tangentially about writing and as writing project go, the Jeanette Esposito-Braun project is in first place. I hired a research assistant and I gave him a check. Mr. Patrick Duvall, another Columbia College alumnus, is on the payroll and if I don’t take advantage of his talents over the next few weeks, it’s money down the drain. That will make you sit up and take notice. I’ve also invested time and money in working with the author and literary agent Wendy Rohm on this project and she’s expecting pages from me. Put your ass on the line, throw some money you don’t have into the pot and you’ll start writing. It may not be the perfect approach but it works for me.

Too, it’s just time to get this done. This is a great story and my subject isn’t getting any younger. Jeanette’s family is waiting impatiently for something to happen. Her son, Frank has been a great help in trying to answer my many questions. Diamond Joe’s nephew, John Calfa Sr., is watching and waiting too. I haven’t yet met John but they all have one thing in common, they want this story to be told. I hear you.

So today I’m going to keep this entry short and get to work. Patrick and I met on Friday and he supplied me with a summary of all my notes and interviews to date and a stack of questions; that stack is sitting here next to my keyboard and that’s next on today’s agenda. One project at a time.

— Ric Hess, Apr 21, 08:07 AM

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