A Project Deferred
It’s no secret that I’m a procrastinator with more projects than I can finish. The Devil Queen is a greedy old whore, and, since we acquired her, about 90% of my pet projects have been put on indefinite hold.
Last Friday (May 5th), I had an itching in the back of my mind that there was something significant about that date. While it was Cinco de Mayo (Kill Frenchie Day at our house), that wasn’t what was doing the brain tickling. It didn’t occur to me until Monday of this week which was V-E (Victory in Europe) Day.
May 5, 1945 was the last day of combat my grandfather’s unit saw in the Second World War. Before the Devil Queen elbowed her way into my life, I had started researching my grandfather’s unit, the 808 Tank Destroyer Battalion. It started as a genealogy project, but soon grew into a potential book project. I was in the process of ordering copies of all the official documents kept in the National Archives when the Queen took over my life. I haven’t ordered the last two-thirds of the documents since it would cost about $1,200. Insulation or military records? Plumbing or military records? I think you know which won those contests.
Sometimes (more often than not lately) I’d really like to be doing just about anything than thinking/working on the Queen. Lately, I’ve been suffering from debilitating daydreams about spending entire days in my pajamas, taking naps, and pissing all my time away. Compared to the dull, bleak reality of day to day life, it easy to see how this could be distracting. On the upside, the worst day with the Queen has to be better than fighting German panzers in Linz, Austria, right?
Last Friday (May 5th), I had an itching in the back of my mind that there was something significant about that date. While it was Cinco de Mayo (Kill Frenchie Day at our house), that wasn’t what was doing the brain tickling. It didn’t occur to me until Monday of this week which was V-E (Victory in Europe) Day.
May 5, 1945 was the last day of combat my grandfather’s unit saw in the Second World War. Before the Devil Queen elbowed her way into my life, I had started researching my grandfather’s unit, the 808 Tank Destroyer Battalion. It started as a genealogy project, but soon grew into a potential book project. I was in the process of ordering copies of all the official documents kept in the National Archives when the Queen took over my life. I haven’t ordered the last two-thirds of the documents since it would cost about $1,200. Insulation or military records? Plumbing or military records? I think you know which won those contests.
Sometimes (more often than not lately) I’d really like to be doing just about anything than thinking/working on the Queen. Lately, I’ve been suffering from debilitating daydreams about spending entire days in my pajamas, taking naps, and pissing all my time away. Compared to the dull, bleak reality of day to day life, it easy to see how this could be distracting. On the upside, the worst day with the Queen has to be better than fighting German panzers in Linz, Austria, right?
posted by John | 4:43 PM
6 Comments:
Hey
I know the feeling. THe last couple of years I have made stunning project on my place. But now I just feel burned out and stalled, or stalling. Especially looking forward to this summers fairly expensive work. The rate of burn could very well end up being a littlle higher than the rate of earn. ALl I can say is keep a sence of humor about it. Thigs are supposed to get better eventually.
Good Luck!
Ivan
Can anyone get the docs that you need from the archives? I drive right by the College Park location twice a week on my way to school. I'd be happy to help...
Wow, fascinating research project! I know how that goes, though. I never manage to follow through with any of my non-house projects. Oh wait, or house projects.
Nightmare,
There is no way that I could ask you to help in good conscience, but I greatly appreciate the offer.
There are about 4,000 pages of documenets that I want. Even if you copy them yourself, it still costs about 25 cents per page. Besides which, I can't even begin to estimate how many hours that would take.
If you did do it, I'd feel obligated to pay you at least $1,200, and that brings me back to my original dilemma - insulation or documents.
Thanks again for the offer!
wow! 4000 pages is a lot! (I don't think that I've read 4000 pages, and I'm working on my lit review now!) If you want to come up and do research, you can always stay with us!
Good luck this weekend... we probably won't get anything done b/c my take home final is due next week.
Thanks for the invite. Be careful though, I might actually take you up on it one day.
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