Late last night, I began the index for Seeing Red.
Already, you can see the problem. Indexes should not be started at night. Not only are one’s alphabetizing capabilities at an eyes-half-shut low, there are all sorts of neurotic questions that might stop the intrepid indexer in her typing tracks.
For example:
- If I list a Norse creation myth under mythology, do I also list it under religion? It was part of a religion, right? Once?
- If the Catholic Church doesn’t consider itself a Christian denomination but, instead, the one true church, do I still list Catholic blood rituals under Christianity?
- Is any ten year old going to look up the word “rites” in an index?
- Are offerings the same as sacrifices? And if not (because I decided they’re not), do I list offerings in the index, even though I’ve used the world in passing and they’re not necessarily blood-related?
- If the faith is called Islaam, and followers are Muslim, what do I call a Shiite Muslim ceremony when I list it with other religions, such as Christianity and Judaism? Shiite Islam? Shiite Islamic? Shiite?
- Am I losing my mind? And if so, should I list that under I for insanity, or D for dementia?
And the indexing continues…
Not a comment on your blog but a congratulations on your success!!! It’s nice to see fellow hippie Creston survivors leave behind green velour and reaching for the stars!