Is This My Swan Song?

      When I looked up the term "Swan Song" online, here's what I found in Wikipedia: "The swan song (ancient Greek: κύκνειον ᾆσμα; Latin: carmen cygni) is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that swans (Cygnus spp.) sing a beautiful song just before their death, having been silent (or alternatively, not so musical) during most of their lifetime." And, of course, as they say, if it's on the internet, it must be true.
      Anyhow, I was curious about the derivation, having heard the expression so many times over the years, but I also recently realized how very appropriate it is for the dilemma of a writer, such as myself, who plunges into this so-called career late in life, and for whom the inevitable creative uncertainty arises. Am I actually any good at what I'm attempting to do? Is the reason I keep starting projects and then abandoning them, because in rereading what I've written I decide it's truly bad, or because I think no one else will like it (much less read it)?
     My apologies to the four of you who have continued to read this blog after its initial flurry of attention, but as I write this, I wonder if this entry might be my version of a swan song...not for the final beauty, but perhaps for the finality of the effort. This blog began, of course, with the thought that rather than just share my fictional efforts via published books and submitted short stories, I would share something of the process...write about writing, in other words. 
     This "online presence," I read in an "how to become an author" article, was a way for potential readers to get to know me as a person and therefore have a more in depth understanding of my creative process. But it turns out that the first "rule" of a writer's blog is that you don't write about your work. Seriously? Write about writing without writing about your writing? Seems like an oxymoron. Then rule #2 is, don't whine. Again, seriously? Okay, I'm willing to not whine, but a little cynicism is still good for the soul now and then, right?
     So, that same "how-to" article then goes on to say that John Grisham writes about his dog. I don't have a dog, but I do have two cats; however, if I write about them, they would no doubt figure out how to sue me for slander...if you own a cat, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Their idea of being helpful is to lie across my lap while I'm typing on my laptop, and occasionally flick their tales over the keyboard. I fully believe this is the cats' way of assuring that the people who read my books for the sole purpose of finding typos and other errors will be able to do so more easily.
    Okay, so back to the "swan song." I usually "quit" writing about once a month or so. I take my books off the coffee table and put them back in the box, change the subject when someone asks me how the "writing thing is going," and delete a bunch of half-finished stories. I also generally send at least two or three friends an email declaring what I've done. Is this my swan song (i.e., final gesture before it all ends)? 
     Nope. A few days later I suddenly have a new idea and there I am again, typing away with tails flicking periodically across the keys. I actually prefer the second half of the definition: the "beautiful song" sung after being "silent" for so long or "not so musical" during most of my lifetime. Yes, I'm an older writer, and yes, I started writing later in life, but is there a possibility because of this, the song might be sweeter? I like to think so, and that perhaps the swans would agree.