artist: J Rorschach

Picture Gilda Radner as Lisa Loopner, a goofy look on her face as she pinballs between Bill Murray’s Todd DiLaMuca and Steve Martin’s Chaz. Is she happy that two guys (both nerds) are vying for her favors, or just dazed? I could never tell.

But Lisa’s emotions aren’t the point. It’s the dithering. The inability to make a move forward, because that would mean committing to something.

I’m dithering right now, as I think about making a marketing plan. It’s easy to find excuses to delay — I don’t have a final version of the cover, I don’t know the exact release date (although I’ve been told it’s March 1st, and there’s no reason to disbelieve this), I’m busy with my “real” job, I’m too shy to push myself forward, etc., etc.

So, a promise to myself: set goals for each week and meet them. This week’s goals = 1) call at least one bookstore to find out how to set up an in-store reading, 2) write text for media/press releases, 3) schedule a school appearance (I have a friend who’s a school librarian, so this should be easy).

Time to stop dithering.