Sometimes I'm on top of my game, other times, I just don't think. And last week was one of those times.

I've been working on my latest manuscript, and am just around the halfway mark in the book. I like to write by hand, on those yellow lined pads. It's great, because you can't go back and edit, you just keep moving forward. The downside of course, is that it's the only copy. I've already spilled a full cup of Starbucks coffee on it at a coffee shop--the ink miraculously survived--so you'd think I'd have learned my lesson after that moment of panic.

However, I was packing in a hurry, and I had other work to do on the plane, so without thinking I just tucked the manuscript, all those many months of work, into my suitcase.

Merrily I made my way through one connection, arrived at my destination, and no bag. At that point, I hadn't remembered putting the manuscript in there. Several hours later, it was a different story. A call to the airport to check up on the bag's progress revealed that they had no clue where it was. It could be anywhere. India. China. Russia. Timbuktu. I started to go through what I had in there, and that's when I broke out in a sweat.

My precious manuscript!!

Two days followed with no news and a lot of phone calls. By now, I was just trying to be stoic. The worst part was, half of the writing in there I couldn't even remember, because in writing by hand I never go back over it.

Then, finally, the phone call came. Miss, we have found your bag. It is in San Francisco. It will be shipped to you on the next plane and delivered to your door.

I would've kissed the delivery man, except my sister happened to be on the driveway when he arrived, so I never got the chance. But I'll tell you this, I'm entering all that writing into my computer ASAP, and until then, it will be right there where I can touch it :D