White space syndrome

I'm caught up in something to which I think every graduate student can relate.

I sit down to work and say to myself "I will write a page, just one page at least". Then I pick up a book, fliip through pages, read passages, take notes, and time passes then interest wanes and I move on to doing something else. Sadly, that something else often ends up being non-academic. A friend calls me out for coffee. My dog drops a toy at my feet.  A store sends me an email advertizing a special offer and I grab my bag and go out.

The end result is the same. The blinking cursor stays firmly embedded on a white page.

While I could definitely claim a lot of distractions in my life these days, the primary distraction is an emotional one. And it is, I claim, a big part of my white space syndrome. I am missing someone, huge and hardcore. And that emotional rift is leaving a big hole in my days that I try to pretend isn't there.

At the same time, I need to formulate some discipline and direction. without it, I won't get anything done at all in the upcoming few months and I do indeed have deadlines looming large. Time to suck it up.

Stay tuned.