Someone I know calls this “bathtub brain.” Your head fills up with details about a project while you’re working on it. Then the project’s over, you pull the plug, and everything drains away, leaving your bathtub ready to refill.
Funny! People tell me I must be a medical expert from editing so many medical manuscripts. I should just hand them this cartoon to explain how much I remember from each project.
So true, of indexing as well as editing! It’s a good thing too – the brain would be very crowded indeed after all these years, if it had to keep everything!
To me and my curious mind, the greatest reward is learning more with each book or article I edit. Much depends on the texts you’re asked to edit, of course, but I want my retention rate to be high. I’d hate to spend my life racing against the clock to complete projects well by mechanical standards but not enriching my experience in the process. I loved your comic, Iva – and sent it on to many other editors to enjoy.
Editor
Too wonderful for words — or commas.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I can thoroughly relate to this. Thanks for making me smile.
🙂
Someone I know calls this “bathtub brain.” Your head fills up with details about a project while you’re working on it. Then the project’s over, you pull the plug, and everything drains away, leaving your bathtub ready to refill.
Funny! People tell me I must be a medical expert from editing so many medical manuscripts. I should just hand them this cartoon to explain how much I remember from each project.
Oh, just delightful!!
So true! It’s so nice to know this is standard editor brain.
Frances — I love the bathtub analogy. Perfect!
So true, of indexing as well as editing! It’s a good thing too – the brain would be very crowded indeed after all these years, if it had to keep everything!
To me and my curious mind, the greatest reward is learning more with each book or article I edit. Much depends on the texts you’re asked to edit, of course, but I want my retention rate to be high. I’d hate to spend my life racing against the clock to complete projects well by mechanical standards but not enriching my experience in the process. I loved your comic, Iva – and sent it on to many other editors to enjoy.
Thanks for sharing it, Rosemary!