“It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls.”
-- Bruce Barton (American Congressman, 1886-1967)
On a day when we're all battening down the hatches for the arrival of Hurricane Ike in the Houston area, this quote seemed an appropriate reminder that life's great storms offer us one gift, and that's perspective. As writers, we spend so much time worrying over minutiae: is my website cutting-edge enough, will my career be over if I don't get tchotchkes to this convention or that trade show, should I make bookmarks on my printers or pay for my own bookstore. We drive ourselves nuts over the small stuff until the big stuff swoops in to give us a sense of scale, to awe us with the reality of its power, and inspire us with our capacity to adapt, respond, and help each other through the worst.
We may lose power over the next couple of days, but until then, stay safe and rest assured, the BtO team will be hanging on with all eight legs!
