When the Going Gets Tough, the Simple Ability To Write Coherent Thoughts Just Abandons Me Entirely

Some people have natural born talents. Some struggle with things that come very easily to others. I, however, feel like the abilities that sometimes come so naturally from me will occasionally just stop existing.

I'm speaking in particular about my ability to write.

It's a real shame when my capability to write multiple coherent sentences in a row absolutely abandons me, say, mid-paragraph.

I'm editing chapter four about abortion history. You know, the chapter that I complain about incessantly. Because I'm not happy with any of the numerous versions of it I have written, I'm going over all of them and picking and choosing what is necessary. Sarah Weddington sued to change the abortion laws in Texas, creating the case Roe v Wade which legalized abortion in America. When I was part way through explaining Weddington's oral arguments, I wrote this:

She continued in saying that pregnancy interrupts a woman's life: areas of education, body, employment, family, and other relationships are often sacrificed because of an unplanned pregnancy. Because it so drastically effects her life, it should be her fundamental right to decide whether or not she continues her pregnancy. She keeps going on and on, but I'm sick of writing about this. Is it necessary or can I just say it sucks? 

Oh, but it gets better. Next come's Joy Floyd's oral argument after Weddington. (He was arguing for Wade, the anti-abortion position):

Floyd’s argument is feeble at best. When I first listened to the arguments I was expecting an epic battle for some reason. Really, it was just a pretty woman giving an emotional and passionate plea for “all women” (I wonder how she knew all women agreed with her points) and Floyd just flopping around not making any sense. He played ping pong with the justices arguing whether or not it’s a moot point because Roe delivered her baby already. “It’s a moot point,” “no it’s not, it’s for the good of all women,” “it’s a moot point,” “no it’s not, it’s for the good of all women,” “it’s a moot point,” “you’re stupid,” ect. After a while, he finally brings up the question of when life begins and whether or not abortion is murder. They just tell him that the beginning of life cannot be determined (see chapter two) and he gives it up. 

Ahem. Using verbs such as "flopping" and "played ping pong" is not advised when writing about a Supreme Court Case. Not to mention creating your own dialogue, inserting random parenthetical thoughts that could be considered an insult toward feminists, and this killer last paragraph:

The oral arguments of Roe v Wade are pretty surprising. Weddington gives a passionate plea for women’s rights and goes on about how a pregnancy restricts her freedoms. I can’t help but picture Floyd as an awkward teenage boy who wants to be anywhere but there. 

Ok, that's all. I just needed to humble myself.

3 Down, 4 to Go!

I've been editing my heart out and fingers off. My deadline is Saturday, and I've finished three chapters with four more to go.

Of my completed chapters, I have 12,899 words, 33 printed pages, or 51 paperback book pages. That's just three of my nine chapters, so it's looking like this book will be around 150 pages. That's exactly the range I wanted it to be!

What is a good book size for you? Do you like nonfiction books to be around 150 pages, or longer, or shorter? Let me know what you think. I can't promise I'll make changes because of your request, my goal is content over size. However, I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

This is how diligent I am. Except I sit on the floor and my hair doesn't look like that and I use a laptop, not a desktop. 

Introducing: Pop Quizzes!

As I've been researching, I've been really surprised by some information that I've found. There are so many little-known facts that make a huge impact upon the abortion issue. I thought this would be an interesting way to see if these things are as little known as I expected and for you to learn a bit too. (And to hold me accountable to looking up stuff and continuing research.) I'm thinking I will update the pop quiz every two weeks, but I'll see how it goes and adjust it from there. 

So, without further ado, here is our first question: what are the two definitions of the word "conception"? In the pro-life movement, you hear people say "life begins at conception" all the time. But when is conception? No cheating--don't look it up! At least until after you've answered. When the poll closes in two weeks I'll write a post explaining the answer and introducing another question. 

Take a guess! Don't feel shy. No one will know who you are, there's no shame in getting it wrong. This morning I probably would have too. Please choose two answers and only two answers. Enjoy! 

Freedom of Choice, Forced Abortions

Warning: extremely graphic photo below. 

In America, abortion is seen as a lovely thing that allows people to choose when they have children. They can plan out their families, their lives wont be interrupted by untimely babies, and women are no longer constrained by the inconveniences of pregnancy.

In China, abortion is entirely something different. It's worlds apart.

Because of fears of overpopulation, China has developed a one-child policy. In 1979 China adopted the policy that allowed couples to only have one child, and penalized those who had a second. This has brought on all sorts of problems, problems that we can only wait to see how they will play out in the future. One of the biggest examples is gendercide; because of the culture's emphasis on having boys and the liability it is to have a daughter, many couples abort or abandon their daughters until they can have a boy. This has created a distorted sex ratio that will leave 50 million Chinese men without wives.

The horrors of the one-child policy seem to be catching America's attention more and more. Recently, a photo from June 3, 2012 was released of a woman named Feng Jianmei. She was beaten and dragged into a car by Family Planning Officials. They demanded RMB 40,000 (about 6,300 American dollars), but when her family could not supply the money they forced her to abort her seven month old baby.

After the forced abortion, they laid the body next to her in bed.

This is hard to stomach. How sick that something people fight tooth and nail to defend in our country is the cause of so much suffering and injustice in another? 

LifeSiteNews article, Bryan Kemper's article, original picture, Petition to Stop Forced Abortion in China, All Girls Allowed. 

Post. (Part Two)

Yesterday I edited chapter 1, today I got 2/3s of the way through chapter 2. Tomorrow I have the entire day to work on it, so my goal is to finish two, edit three, and start four tomorrow. 

Things have been going remarkably well lately. I feel so blessed. God is providing me with not only the patients to sit still for hours on end, but the ability to make quick decisions and fast changes and move on. I hate editing because I struggle so much with that, but lately I've been flying through it. It feels so good, especially after how tough last week was! 

My goal is to get my book to proof readers soon, hence the crazed editing right now. If anyone knows of a good way I can print in bulk (preferably inexpensively and quickly), then please let me know in the comments! 

Goodnight, dear reader. You are loved and not forgotten! 

(P.S. The title of this post still shows my inability to think of good titles.)