It took me nearly a week of banging my head (and okay, yes, my fingers) against the keyboard, but I finally got that column done. It's the all-important Statement of Principles-slash-column introduction thingy. (I do so love that word. "Thingy." If nothing else, the English language should be proud of that.) So I have four samples done now, the number I said I was shooting for, but I think I'm going to do a fifth because that intro column might get rejected if the material is only accepted on a case-by-case basis instead of as an ongoing feature.

It was so hard, I think, first because I'm out of practice. It also took me forever to figure out a way into the subject without seeming blatant and obvious. And, you know, funny. I really feel like I've lost a bit of my mojo there. I got lazy. When I was doing two or three columns a week, I had to be sharp and inventive, but I've lost that, and now I feel like I'm stepping back into the ring after getting fat and old. (You know, like George Foreman, before the grill.)