I find that when I write at home I want to snack. All the time. Living in Paris, surrounded by baked goods, dairy desserts, cheese, and sausage makes the endeavor all the more thrilling. Much more interesting that writing one's dissertation. Yesterday I went hungry shopping at Monoprix which always results in the purchase of some sexy snack. True to form, I fell victim to a bag of individually wrapped madelines. Individual wrapping ensures that each sexy cookie will retain its moist, buttery flavor. I came home and tried to write but ended up eating madelines instead.
Not that I need justification for snacking, but just in case I did, I found it in Walter Benjamin's "The Writer's Technique in Thirteen Theses." The first thesis justifies just about any indulgent behavior: "Anyone intending to embark on a major work should be lenient with themselves and, having completed a stint, deny themselves nothing that will not prejudice the text."
