Research....yecsh!

Curiosity is why I like to do research. But it ends when the itch is scratched and suddenly I'm on to the next subject.

Necessity is why I have to do research. Like this week. The Farm Bureau says farmers have until November, 2011 to finish filing their SPCC plans. After a day and a half, I found out I already did that a few years ago. It might need updating, but basically I have to research changes if any. Geese. Another jump start to my heart and a nothing ending.

But last week it was a day and a half on the Clark transmission test pressures and could I find out if there is any interior port valves involved in this model?

The week before that; research on the best way to make sure paperwork on a workman's comp claim is best facilitated. That time only a day was lost.

Then, I write. What do I write? Futuristic. What research is necessary? None. I get to make it all up. Then the OOOOPs! factor happens. I'm going to write more than one set in the same place. Dang it! I didn't make notes. Now I have to research myself and past work to make sure the current work is...well...current and correct.

So, when it comes to research I have a love/hate relationship with it. I love to investigate and get to the bottom of things and then transition that knowledge into usable stuff, but I hate the time it takes to redo research because some yohooo (which sometimes is myself) didn't get done what they needed to with it the first time or is calling for a redo.

Is there a soul who really likes rework?

On the other hand, my family threatens to put on my tombstone 'Repository of Unnecessary Information'.

Happy hunting....


2 comments:

Starla Kaye said...

I, too, have a love/hate relationship with doing research. I love to learn new things, so doing research is often fun for me.

But it is less fun when I HAVE to do find something and can't quite find exactly what I need.

Joan Vincent said...

I'm also guilty of not keeping good enough records at times especially for my Honour series. I always marvel how other authors keep everything straight in complicated series like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time for one.