My father loved buffets. He loved the variety of food, and he enjoyed the opportunity to stuff oneself until the desire to be rolled out of the restaurant overcame the ability to walk. I never liked to make repeated trips to the buffet, so I had a tendency to pile one plate high with my choice of nibbles.
“Remember, your eyes are bigger than your stomach,” he’d chastise when he saw me attempting to balance one more serving atop a mound of food. He neither wanted to waste food, nor did he want me to become ill from overeating. I never had to worry about either of those problems. My parents, who claimed they had reached their fill, would pick at my plate and eat the remainders.
I am in the middle of a writing buffet, and my eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach. After declaring that I would throw my hat into the ring for the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) writing competition, I have been stumbling across loads of other interesting contests and writing opportunities. My calendar from the end of September until the first of December is packed with the promise of writing two books (minimum of 50,000 words each), and editing a completed short story to transform into an e-book.
My father would be both proud and filled with concern. He’d warn me to get enough sleep, eat well, and take some time for fun. He would also know how important this is to me, give my shoulder a strong shake, and grin at me. He’d say, “Get to it!”
Off I go, attempting to balance my overloaded plate. I’m hungry for this work, and I aim to devour it, leaving nothing unfinished behind.
Thanks for coming along on my journey.
