There is something about my Residua that is surprising even to myself: my tenacity. The project proceeds unimpeded by a solid string of failures. I have been at it for eleven years now, and there is still no end in sight—where “end” can be understood both as purpose and as terminus of the writing process itself. In fact, it is quite likely that the very bulk of the accumulated crap will one day become the only redeeming feature of this painful exercise. In the social realm, perseverance is often rewarded in its own right, assuming that it is complemented by longevity. That is a kind of compensation for hanging around this planet despite everything one knows. Of course, this prospect gives me little comfort. It would be much easier to bolster my morale by tragicomic expectations of an ultimate breakthrough, but such contrived expectations are definitely unpalatable to me at present. I can only add that I sincerely hope that I will never be tempted by dreams incongruous with my essentially pessimistic reading of my Residua. Let there be no false promises.

Addendum I (November 19, 2006)

By now, I have been at it for thirty-one year, a bit more than a half of my entire life. Amazing, indeed. But it is even more amazing that I have successfully resisted any end or purpose all the while. That is almost incredible, as a matter of fact. For the temptations have been many. And most appealing. The hidden purpose of the endeavor has been, as it were, revealed to me only today. This is an evolutionary process, whereby ideas of all sorts, including those few I can perhaps rightly call my own, are left to their own devices in a continual struggle for predominance. To wit, there cannot be an ultimate end or purpose to such an effort. At best, it can reach a precarious balance of the myriad of ideas in search of light. The beauty is in the process itself. And this is where it will remain, and on purpose. Now that I understand my Residua, now that I understand my method of writing at last, I will preserve the innocent beauty of the entire project until my last day. This I solemnly promise. In the meanwhile, me tenacity will be well rewarded by the fickle balance of everything that has ever crossed my mind and insisted to be cast in words.

Addendum II (December 19, 2014)

Well, how about thirty-nine years, the latest count? Truly amazing, no doubt. My tenacity is no less than mindboggling. In retrospect, it is almost frightening. But even though I am still convinced that the previous addendum is right on the money when it comes to the evolutionary process underlying the development of my ideas, I beg to differ on the ultimate purpose of my Residua. For better or worse, this is where evolution offers little guidance. Only eight years ago I argued that there could be no ultimate end or purpose to the entire project, but now I think differently. Very differently, as a matter of fact. In the meanwhile, yoga has changed my life. My magnum opus helps me think through my path to enlightenment, but it also provides a trace of my meanderings. After many a twist and turn, I know where I am going at long last. Enlightenment is my goal, and my vast book is my witness. As years go by, addenda like this one will make their mark, and my path to my goal will shine through. Alas, yet another solemn promise!

Addendum III (December 2, 2016)

Having reached liberation earlier this year, tenacity has gotten an entirely new meaning in my life. It is time to start bringing this gargantuan project to its merry end now that my Residua have become a record of my meanderings toward the one and only goal worth pursuing in life, which is abandoning thought at will and for as long as one wishes (“No-Bullshit Enlightenment,” January 18, 2016). Although I intend to keep adding to it till my last breath, the bulk of my magnum opus is already in place. The task of curbing my obsession with writing now demands all the tenacity I can muster. Earlier this year I introduced fallow days, or days when I write not a word. So far, their number is growing at a clip. By now, I have no less than a five-year plan of fallow days. Sticking to it, as well as adding to it whenever an opportunity arises, is where my tenacity will serve me well. Or so I hope most sincerely. Fingers crossed.

Addendum IV (September 7, 2025)

Not surprisingly, I love this piece of writing and its many punchy addenda, which is why I return to the whole lot quite often. By now, my writing project is no less than gigantic (“A Giant of Literature,” January 31, 2025). Hey, fifty years of relentless writing and close to four-million words… In retrospect, this is hard to believe. Even though I have managed to curtail my writing urge in the last decade, and no kidding, now I am doing my best to wrap up this writing project in the foreseeable future. Say, four or five years at most. But I will be spending much of my time searching for boo-boos and correcting them to the best of my ability till my last breath, I am pretty sure. Even though I am convinced that the World Wide Web will also bite the dust within a decade or two, when World War III will bring it to its end, I am ready to spend the rest of my life making sure that I have eradicated all the remaining boo-boos from my magnum opus. Behold, tenacity at its very peak! Tenacity supreme, as it were. One way or another, this piece and all of its addenda will remain in my focus all the way to the bitter end. Persistency, stamina, determination, endurance, prowess, doggedness, grit, gumption, pluck, mettle… Goodness gracious, I love this word and plenty of its memorable synonyms!