writing by candlelight

so a very good friend of mine who shall be known as that awesome french woman alerted

me to a conversation that she had with a composition scholar about the writing

process

this comp scholar said that when she was writing her dissertation

she bought a candle to help mark her writing time

this is how it works

she bought a large candle in a glass container

the candle had a unique scent

before she started researching and writing she

would light the candle

the candle would remain lit for as long as

and only when

she was working

other ancillary activities that

presented themselves to her

such as, but not limited to,

checking e-mails, answering the phone, grading papers,

making coffee, etc

would require her to blow out the candle first

and then relighting it if or when she re-started

the gesture of lighting and relighting help structure the time and

the act of blowing out the candle is an outward sign of inward stoppage

just as the act of lighting is a physical acknowledgement that you are going

to work...to get things done...to become proactive

the glass container invites contemplation...it marks not only the passage of time

but the passage of work and testifies to a progression of labor

the scent of the candle (which should be unique to other scented candles that you

burn for relaxation, etc) cues you to the abstract territory of work-time

a boundary, if you will, that

announces itself in a blurry kind of way...

you can smell it when it's lit but the scent fades while you work

you can certainly smell it after you have blown out the flame thus attesting to

a momentary end to a strenuous intellectual activity which signals a certain kind of

rest...so

i say to myself

it's worth a try

so me and my awesome french woman friend visit

the yankee candle store to buy

our writing candles...to which i chose black cherry

and to add to my pleasure i was told by my friend that

my candle was part of my birthday gift from her!!! adding yet another

layer of significance....

thank you my awesome french woman friend!!!

and

i have been faithfully using this candle

i think that it might work with and for me