Back to being the interviewed vice interviewer. A good 90 minutes tonight with reporter from major paper. Not sure how the story ends up: more book, more me, more brief, or more "influence."

Even less idea on when it would run. I've had some go in days and others take months. Always a mystery on timing.

Interview went well, I felt, although it's always very hard to say. An awkward discussion when describing the reach of your ideas (better to ask others, yes?). If you claim much, then you're a megalomaniac, but there seems little point to claim too little (why in the hell would the journalist be interviewing you then?).

In the end, of course, the reporter needs to adopt an angle, just like I did with Rumsfeld. It drives the piece. Never captures all, just some slice of the essence.

We shall see . . . but good practice for me.

Finished up a double-sized op-edish piece today for submission to major pub. No guarantees on it going to print. It's that kind of piece that comes out when a book comes out ("So and so is the author of "Book!" as byline). Another shorter one teed up for tomorrow on a more specific subject for an industry journal. Then I focus on shaping up the new BFA brief for Wednesday at National Defense University.

And then the tour begins.

I face the week feeling exhausted and in desperate need of a break, which is probably just the opposite of what I need to be feeling right now. But little choice to be had. Die is cast, much like that article that will come out.

So you do your best and don't worry about it too much.