Revising

So, I will be able to send the article I've been working on out today or tomorrow at the latest.  I'm not sure if it is any good, though.  I'm too close to it.  Archer and another good friend have read it for me, and they both have said it makes a strong argument and is well written.  I trust them, but part of me is thinking: really?  You two think this is smart?  What is wrong with you?

Writing

So trying to turn a dissertation chapter into an article is hard, much harder than I anticipated. I've spent the day trying to cut down the theoretical framework I outlined in the introduction of my dissertation into about 2 pages so that the discussion of space in my essay makes sense. I think it works, but I'm not 100% sure. Now I'm trying to edit and rework the chapter itself so that it works as a stand alone piece. The journal I've decided to submit to (it is a mid-level journal, so I think I stand a decent shot) accepts articles of 5,000 to 10,000 words; the chapter, in its original form, is 24,180 words. I know what needs to be cut out to make it work, but even with taking all of that out, I'm not sure I'll have cut out enough. But, as I keep reminding myself, at least I'm working. That makes me feel good.

Little feet make it hard to work

So far this morning, I've added 3 pages to my restructured intro to my third chapter. I just finished lunch and am about to make some serious progress toward today's goal: revising 15 pages of the chapter. I have one little problem. I have a pair of little feet (at least I think they are feet) sticking into my ribs. It hurts to sit, it hurts to stand, it just hurts. I've tried everything I can think of to get Z to move, but she is not budging. So I continue to work, taking frequent breaks to rub my painful ribs. . .