Jules Bastien-Lepage:
Mower Honing a Scythe (1878)

I woke feeling ill at ease on this first full day of Summer. I finished my Publishing series yesterday and finished reading the manuscript I'd created in the background of writing that series by midafternoon. I had yet to decide whether to continue creating a new series this morning or take an extended break to try my hand at something else for a change. The world seemed more disconnected than usual in the predawn darkness. The cats noticed that the rhythm of my morning routine had been broken. We ached together for its return. There was no more obvious cure than simply starting another series, but what topic?

I looked back at my last few series: Authoring, Reconning, Againing, SetTheory, Success, and Publishing, wondering what might serve as a natural next in the progression. I had hoped to get my arms around my Authoring efforts with the Authoring series but left much unexplored or, certainly, unmastered. Authoring works like practicing. It never produces anything resembling perfection, just endless iteration. Likewise, with each series subject. None resolved much, though each, in its turn, seemed to increase my resolve to continue writing, to continue creating. What might spark such resolve now?

The Publishing Series led me into almost uncharted territory. Looking back into my Authoring Series, I realized I had encountered some of the same difficulties I'd reencountered when Publishing. I'd even over-confidently declared that I might have overcome some of those barriers, though the passage of time has shown that I had not. Whatever I'd advanced when Authoring quickly extinguished itself and left me no better off when I started Publishing. I needed to relearn what I'd previously conquered. I had not known how much Honing would be required before I could accurately declare that I'd acquired those skills.

Honing seems to be the next adventure, and while it might seem altogether too pedestrian to qualify as an adventure, it seems to represent the next pieces to the grand puzzle I'm working. I was never much of a process person. I recognized the potential utility process represented, but too many seemed to let too much of it go to their heads. Dabble in process, and the next thing, process would dominate perception. One might lose connection to intuition and go all rational on themselves and their world. I believe that process might contribute, but it sure seems to have a deep-down need to dominate every conversation. It might happen again, but I'm committing to trying it on with some more focused Honing.

Live as long as I've lived, and you'll find yourself passing by places you have already visited. Sure enough, I found that I'd already written the definitive essay on Honing in February of 2022 as part of my Authoring series. Here's a link to that story I recommend it as a starting point for this Honing Series.

©2023 by David A. Schmaltz - all rights reserved

Tags: #Honing, #PureSchmaltz