Procrastination...

I typically work well under pressure. I like 'pressure situations' (props to Brian Regan). In fact, I feel in many cases my best work is done as close to the deadline as possible. This is mainly obvious in my schoolwork and study habits through my many years in school. I don't believe I have ever, and I mean EVER, completely finished a paper for school before the night before it was due. Even in my Master's program! I will concede that I may have started some of those papers up to a few days before the due date, but those were the exception and not the rule. Several papers were written late at night with the aid of Mountain Dew and Goldfish crackers - a quality combination. Yet, surprisingly (and perhaps luckily), despite my zombie-like consciousness when writing, I almost always got good grades on my papers - from high school through grad school. In addition, I commonly did my studying for exams just minutes before actually taking them. This was a source of constant frustration to my friends from various classes who had developed very meticulous study habits. Especially when my scores equaled or topped theirs. Sorry guys...

I learned a few things from these experiences:

1. I work well under pressure.

2. The aforementioned combination of super-foods must have some kind of brain-stimulation effect that enhances the creative writing process. Could it be the caffeine? Or maybe the cheddar cheese flavoring...

3. What some people call procrastination, I like to call 'the creative process.' Sometimes your brain just needs time to compute.

4. Rough drafts are for sissies.

5. There is nothing like a good short-term memory.

6. I really don't like writing papers. Or studying.

Somehow, I have been 'procrastinating' writing in this blog. I've given myself good reasons, like "I don't have anything exciting enough to write," or "I just don't have time...I think I'll read a book instead," or "But I don't have any cute pictures, and what's a blog without pictures?" Somehow, these and other reasons just don't hold sway today. So here I am, finally making another entry after a long absence.

Ah...it's good to be back.