Before the Ball Drops

It would seem to me that it is almost 2009. When it was almost 2008, I publicly pledged to write two new chapters for the first book. When it was almost 2007, I pledged, not publicly, to finish part one of the then only book. It seems fitting, thus, that I should set myself another wholly impractical goal, seeing as the aforementioned were both accomplished.

Therefore, I hereby solemnly swear that I shall finish Part I of my second book, The Calmness of Martyrs, by 6:00 am on the First of January 2009. (Last year I finished around 4 am, if I do recall.) If I am to accomplish this goal, I have quite a bit of work to do. I must finish chapters 1 and 2 today, I suppose, and then write one chapter a day. That is a rather brisker pace than I am used to, considering I have done so little with this book.

It is my intention to entitle Part I Cosmos and Part II Chaos. I think Carl Sagan would be pleased. I would quote him at the beginning of the section; however, I quote Sagan much too much. Thus I will quote Will Durant: "Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos."

But I should really get to writing if I want to accomplish my goal for the third year in a row. Good luck, self.