Five Thousand Words

I am over 5,000 words now. I am only writing about the first thee years. Mostly it is from memory. There are some notes I wrote in the hospital but I have not found them yet. I am pretty certain I saw them though since Dad died.

I haven't been able to write anything since Sunday. I've tried a few times but I have just had too many things going on. Then when I have had some time I have been too tired.

At least I am pretty happy with Microsoft Word 2007. I added a macro that lets me save my work to two different locations. One location I name the file with the date and time. That's because early on I lost some work and I decided I needed better procedures.

I also set up an account with Amazon's S3 (simple storage system) and use it now for my off-site storage. That is pretty cool stuff.

I started with the time leading up to my coming to stay with mom and dad. Then I've skipped around a little as I have tired of writing about one subject. I have some loosely identified chapters I think.

If I sit down and start typing it is surprising to me what comes up from somewhere in the depths of my mind. I think to myself that I am as dry of ideas as the desert but once my hands touch the keyboard things happen usually.

Not always though. Sometimes I really am just out of words and when that happens there is no forcing it.

In some ways it is painful because in a certain way it is like reliving those events. But it is also a cathartic process and it offers some relief as well. I think that is especially true about the first three years because caring for mom was so intense before her death and then caring for dad was so intense right after.

I think the closer years may be harder even though there is so much more data. I am surprised at how much research I have to do actually. I have a lot of written information dating from 2001 that I need to read through.

I am also thinking about conducting some interviews.

That's my update.