Sunday Morning
Yesterday morning I went out to Jackie's, as I am wont to do, and finished the first draft of "Mistaken," my graphic novel. Now it's Sunday morning. I promised my wife I would have breakfast with her, but there's a problem. She actually sleeps in on the weekends. I got up at 8 (which felt like sleeping in even though I went to 2 last not following a sound beating in my Blood Bowl league). It shouldn't matter she's still asleep. We are fully in tune with the digital age. There is the robust DVD collection. There are the Netflix movies that just arrived yesterday. There's the Xbox 360 and the Wii. Plenty of things to do.
And so I tried to do them. I'm watching season 1, disc 1 of The Young Riders (1989 TV series about the Pony Express [side-note: when I was younger, I loved the old west]). I'm 2/3 of the way through the first episode and I've paused it to watch the trailers for Clash of the Titans, Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Solomon Kane.
I am bored. I am very bored. I do not want to watch movie trailers on You Tube. I do not want to watch the Young Riders. I do not want to play on the Xbox 360 or on the Wii. I want to write. I want to go to Jackie's, order poached eggs on toast with bacon and a fruit cup, and I want to write. I want to write House on Sandwich Notch Lane or The Seventh Sacrifice or something!
I had a friend in St. Louis who used to pity me, and it really upset me. I spent hours after work writing gaming material and adventures, first for Kingdoms of Kalamar and then Greyhawk. She felt bad that I wasn't having fun. Not having fun, you say? Oh my dear, no. You misunderstand. Writing IS fun. To me, at least, it is my favorite past time. I love the theatre. I love the symphony. I love movies. I would even watch the Bruins lose at hockey if the tickets weren't so expensive. But if I could only do one thing, it would be writing.
Now it seemed like work to her. It seems like work to a lot of people. And it is. I bring a professional-level of effort and determination to my writing. I will never call it a hobby because it is not. It is a second job. But it is a job I absolutely love. It is a job I will do for the rest of my life. And in those moments in the morning when I'm all alone and I'm looking for something to do, there's nothing I would rather be doing more than writing.
BUT, I promised Jen we would have breakfast together. Considering I broke that promise last week, it would be inappropriate for me to do so again. However...I really wish I was writing right now.
And so I tried to do them. I'm watching season 1, disc 1 of The Young Riders (1989 TV series about the Pony Express [side-note: when I was younger, I loved the old west]). I'm 2/3 of the way through the first episode and I've paused it to watch the trailers for Clash of the Titans, Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Solomon Kane.
I am bored. I am very bored. I do not want to watch movie trailers on You Tube. I do not want to watch the Young Riders. I do not want to play on the Xbox 360 or on the Wii. I want to write. I want to go to Jackie's, order poached eggs on toast with bacon and a fruit cup, and I want to write. I want to write House on Sandwich Notch Lane or The Seventh Sacrifice or something!
I had a friend in St. Louis who used to pity me, and it really upset me. I spent hours after work writing gaming material and adventures, first for Kingdoms of Kalamar and then Greyhawk. She felt bad that I wasn't having fun. Not having fun, you say? Oh my dear, no. You misunderstand. Writing IS fun. To me, at least, it is my favorite past time. I love the theatre. I love the symphony. I love movies. I would even watch the Bruins lose at hockey if the tickets weren't so expensive. But if I could only do one thing, it would be writing.
Now it seemed like work to her. It seems like work to a lot of people. And it is. I bring a professional-level of effort and determination to my writing. I will never call it a hobby because it is not. It is a second job. But it is a job I absolutely love. It is a job I will do for the rest of my life. And in those moments in the morning when I'm all alone and I'm looking for something to do, there's nothing I would rather be doing more than writing.
BUT, I promised Jen we would have breakfast together. Considering I broke that promise last week, it would be inappropriate for me to do so again. However...I really wish I was writing right now.