Early September: English teacher explains that a "research paper" will be due towards the end of the semester, dealing with any of the literary works we cover during the time period studied (England from -100 to 1660 AD, essentially). No specifics are explained as yet. I decide to relax.
Late September: Our class reads Canterbury Tales, I decide that the Pardoner would be a great paper topic. Check out a book about Chaucer from community college library, not very helpful so I return it. Still don't bother to start writing anything.
October 7-12: Fall Break. I plan to write paper during time off from school, but am easily distracted by baseball playoffs. Return to school week later, still no paper completed.
Late October: Teacher hands out "topics sheet" of possible paper ideas for consideration. My idea about the Pardoner is one of the topics listed, which reminds me that I need to write said paper. Mental note to start on it.
October 24: I check out two or three books from local county library about Chaucer.
October 24-November 20: Books sit unread on "book chair" (old comfy chair I dump all my school books on for sheer convenience).
November 22: I read over school schedule and realize paper is due December 2nd.
November 22-25: Freak out over lack of anything getting done with regards to paper. Swear to work on it, and "type the damn thing up" November 27 (Day before Thanksgiving)
November 26: Neglect to type paper, as I haven't even written it yet ("but it's all in here, my mind"...)
November 27 (Thanksgiving): Wake up with a flu-like illness (runny nose, loss of appetite, painful coughing). Manage to stay awake for small Thanksgiving meal, but pass out on cold medication around six that evening.
November 28: I wake up around 6 in the morning, cold medication having worn off. I'm too groggy to do anything, watch "Monty Python and Holy Grail" and various action films to pass the day. Don't leave house. Don't do anything about paper (but do get some Math homework out of the way).
November 29: I go to work, still sick but less so than before. Stock frozen food (yes, great idea. A guy with sniffles having to regularly enter a below-freezing cooler. Brilliant.). Get done early (around 4), go home. Get an interductory paragraph written.
Novmeber 30: Work again, at four in the afternoon. Prior to this, I scan through books that I checked out month ago for information, and watch some TV (in the off chance there might be a Chaucer educational program on Sunday morning TV). Go to work, get off early at 7:30. Get two more paragraphs written inbetween "Bernie Mac" and "Arrested Development" on Fox (I hate "Malcolm in the Middle"). Feel pretty good.
December 1: Twenty-four hours before assignment is due, with overdue library books I haven't really read, I'm finally ready to type my paper on Chaucer....
Hooray for Procrastination 
