When you're putting together an idea, what's usually lacking are those little, incidental scenes. The stuff that happens alongside the main story. Ideally, of course, those should be constructed to reinforce and underscore the main themes of the story but if you're a careless writer, like myself, you sometimes just stick in bits and pieces because you thought of them.

Like today, for instance, I thought of a good idea about being stuck in an elevator. This will necessitate much on-line research on the construction of older elevators. If inspiration strikes, or if older elevators are properly constructed, eggs will be broken but that business of supporting a main story theme might even work out.

I mention this because it's a gray, cool, rainy day. We had snow in the mountains last night and some passes are closed for accumulations of two feet or more. My 1-1/2 hour meeting scheduled for this morning just cancelled. My boss is out of town. I'm drinking (diet) hot chocolate in a quiet, peaceful office that has pens, paper, and internet access. I just put my politica blog on hiatus.

I have means, motive, and opportunity. Now I'm looking for my AWOL work ethic, the only thing that might stand between me and six solid hours of on-line research.

If you see my work ethic (it's a sort of shriveled remnant of the giant it used to be), please send it home. Fast.