I’m surprised at how excited I’m becoming at the thought of settling down tonight with my book in my hands, reading from page one all the way to page two hundred and thirty-five. With a cider within reach, and a cat or so at hand, perhaps. Some candles; good music; maybe a little bit of incense… mmm.

The 1/2″ binder, however, is definitely way, way too small. Methinks I shall meander over to the pharmacy and buy a 1″ binder while dinner cooks.

So I�m printing out my novel as we speak � er, as I type. I�m also handling a ton of communication for the magazine at the same time, plus researching. The ability to multi-task is a good thing to have in my life. As for the printing, well, most people would hit the Print button and then ignore their machine for a while. I, however, have to print in twenty page increments. I know what happens when you hit the Print button and walk away. I wrote a thesis and printed it at two different times � namely for first submission, then after my defence with three words changed, for the printers to bind. The potential for disaster is unreal.

I picked up a new package of paper, and a binder, and a whole slew of plastic protector sheets, and I have a sneaky suspicion that the binder is already too small, looking at the stack of paper growing steadily beside it.

I notice that my printer is pausing for longer periods of time between pages. I wonder if it�s getting tired. I miss my old printer, the trusty workhorse that transformed my thesis into a physical, tangible entity. I thought it ate ink, and the cartridges were increasing in price so I got a new one. Ha. The new one consumes ink at an alarming rate, and the cartridges are even more expensive. Well, live and learn. I keep being told by people that small laser printers are more than affordable now; well, that�s something to think about in the future. Far, far in the future.

While I�m researching museums on-line (someone thought up a Soci�t� des mus�es qu�b�cois, and created a fantastic web site, much to my delight � isn�t that wonderful?), I�m also catching bits of my novel as it comes out of the printer, and I stack each batch on top of the last set of pages. It�s good. Know how people say, �If you�re passionate about something and you truly love it, you�ll communicate that love and that passion to others�? If I can pick it up at any point and become interested, and enjoy it, then I�ve done my job.

I�m seeing mistakes and left-out words that I hadn�t picked up before, though, while I edited the novel on-screen. I�m also seeing my ink levels plummet, so I�m keeping a watchful eye on my printer utility. Hold on, little printer, hold on� just another forty-seven pages�